Archive for October, 2008
Oct
22
Critical Marketing Mass is Key to Growing Your S
Posted by: | CommentsIn case you don't like listening to audio, here are the transcripts for
today's podcast, "Critical Marketing Mass is Key to Growing Your Small
Business".
Just the other day, I had an aspiring copywriter contact me looking for
advice. He's studied the greats, then spent a year full-time trying to make
his business go. Though he's picked up a few clients, and created effective
campaigns that got results, he hasn't been busy enough to survive.
So I asked what he's done to promote his business. His answer was, "I sent
out some sales letters and ran a couple of ads." Well, that's a great start.
And if you're a good copywriter you can certainly get going this way. But,
as his experience shows, it's probably not enough.
If you really want a steady stream of clients, you need to achieve what I
call "Critical Marketing Mass".
This is where you're out there in so many ways, and via so many different
mediums, prospects can't help but run across your name and get access to
your expertise over and over.
Because in order for people to confidently buy from you, you must first
establish a sense of familiarity. Then give them something useful, whether
it's a tip, download, free report, article, or whatever. That way they can
see the value of what you offer, and get to know, like and trust you. And
ideally they'll want more. Finally, you have to keep contacting people over
and over until they're ready to buy.
Here's how I do this in my business:
* I've got more than 100 articles and audios on my Website
(http://www.success-stream.com/ <http://www.success-stream.com/> ) free for
the taking.
* I also submit articles to online databases and social networks.
* I regularly do speaking engagements for other organization and on my
own. And I promote them in local event calendars, my social networking
profiles and on my blog.
* I write a weekly newsletter packed full of practical marketing tips.
* I offer everyone who signs up for the newsletter a powerful free
report on The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins (get it at
http://www.7deadliestsins.com/ <http://www.7deadliestsins.com/> ).
* I sell a variety of reasonably priced, do-it-yourself products on my
Website (http://www.success-stream.com/…oducts.htm) and whenever I speak.
* I offer monthly teleseminar interviews with small business experts
available at a low cost so it's easy to justify becoming a customer.
* I send out periodic gifts, thank you cards and mailings to my
clients and prospects.
And the list goes on.
The bottom line is, I'm doing a whole lot more than just relying on one or
two marketing tactics to grow my business. I'm creating Critical Marketing
Mass.
Nowadays, people regularly come up to me and say "Wow Stacy.You're
everywhere!" It's the best compliment I can get because it proves all my
efforts are paying off. And that's what you want too. Because once that
starts happening, if you truly offer something of value, you'll have all the
clients you can handle banging down your door ready to hire-or buy from-you
and only you.
What are you doing to create Critical Marketing Mass?
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Struggling to make your marketing efforts work for you?
Find helpful resources here: http://www.success-stream.com/…oducts.htm
Mobile post sent by Stacyk using Utterli. today's podcast, "Critical Marketing Mass is Key to Growing Your Small
Business".
Just the other day, I had an aspiring copywriter contact me looking for
advice. He's studied the greats, then spent a year full-time trying to make
his business go. Though he's picked up a few clients, and created effective
campaigns that got results, he hasn't been busy enough to survive.
So I asked what he's done to promote his business. His answer was, "I sent
out some sales letters and ran a couple of ads." Well, that's a great start.
And if you're a good copywriter you can certainly get going this way. But,
as his experience shows, it's probably not enough.
If you really want a steady stream of clients, you need to achieve what I
call "Critical Marketing Mass".
This is where you're out there in so many ways, and via so many different
mediums, prospects can't help but run across your name and get access to
your expertise over and over.
Because in order for people to confidently buy from you, you must first
establish a sense of familiarity. Then give them something useful, whether
it's a tip, download, free report, article, or whatever. That way they can
see the value of what you offer, and get to know, like and trust you. And
ideally they'll want more. Finally, you have to keep contacting people over
and over until they're ready to buy.
Here's how I do this in my business:
* I've got more than 100 articles and audios on my Website
(http://www.success-stream.com/ <http://www.success-stream.com/> ) free for
the taking.
* I also submit articles to online databases and social networks.
* I regularly do speaking engagements for other organization and on my
own. And I promote them in local event calendars, my social networking
profiles and on my blog.
* I write a weekly newsletter packed full of practical marketing tips.
* I offer everyone who signs up for the newsletter a powerful free
report on The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins (get it at
http://www.7deadliestsins.com/ <http://www.7deadliestsins.com/> ).
* I sell a variety of reasonably priced, do-it-yourself products on my
Website (http://www.success-stream.com/…oducts.htm) and whenever I speak.
* I offer monthly teleseminar interviews with small business experts
available at a low cost so it's easy to justify becoming a customer.
* I send out periodic gifts, thank you cards and mailings to my
clients and prospects.
And the list goes on.
The bottom line is, I'm doing a whole lot more than just relying on one or
two marketing tactics to grow my business. I'm creating Critical Marketing
Mass.
Nowadays, people regularly come up to me and say "Wow Stacy.You're
everywhere!" It's the best compliment I can get because it proves all my
efforts are paying off. And that's what you want too. Because once that
starts happening, if you truly offer something of value, you'll have all the
clients you can handle banging down your door ready to hire-or buy from-you
and only you.
What are you doing to create Critical Marketing Mass?
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Struggling to make your marketing efforts work for you?
Find helpful resources here: http://www.success-stream.com/…oducts.htm
Oct
08
Small Business Marketing Prescription
Posted by: | CommentsIf you're not a fan of listening to audios, below is a transcript of today's
podcast.
"Your Once-a-Day Small Business Marketing Prescription"
With the economy going down the tubes, many small businesses are suffering
slowdowns right now. Yet my own, ongoing business success shows it doesn't
have to be that way. So what do you need to do to make sure your business
keeps growing when times are tough?
It's simple.Make marketing your business a priority.
If you're like most of the entrepreneurs I talk to, chances are marketing
only happens when you have extra time, extra money, or business gets slow.
This is a huge problem-especially with the current state of the economy!
It's all too easy right now to sort of hunker down, pull back your reach,
minimize your expenses, and hope to weather out the storm. But that isn't
the best way to make sure your business not only survives, but
thrives-whether times are good or bad. Because if you do that, by the time
people are ready to start buying again they will have forgotten all about
you and what you offer.
That means you need to be doing some kind of marketing on a regular basis.
Keep in mind; marketing doesn't have to be expensive to be effective. But it
does have to be consistent. Think of it a bit like taking your vitamins
every day to make sure you stay healthy.
I recommend setting aside 15-30 minutes at the start of each day to do one
thing to market your business. And by the start of each day, I mean before
you start answering emails, putting out fires or helping clients.
Get in the office early if you have to, then pick up the phone and call one
client or customer just to see how they're doing.Write a thank you
card.Follow up with someone you met networking.Start work on an article or
new promotion...Or post a comment on someone else's blog.
The possibilities are endless. And it doesn't have to take long or cost a
fortune. You just have to commit to doing it daily.
By making marketing your first priority each day, even if you don't always
manage to make it happen, I guarantee you'll be doing way more than most of
your competition. And soon it will become a habit.
The result? When people are ready to buy they'll think of buying from you
first. Before you know it, you'll have a steady stream of customers flowing
in the door!
What are you doing to market your business that's simple, inexpensive and
works like a charm?
Please do share by leaving a comment below.
Mobile post sent by Stacyk using Utterli. podcast.
"Your Once-a-Day Small Business Marketing Prescription"
With the economy going down the tubes, many small businesses are suffering
slowdowns right now. Yet my own, ongoing business success shows it doesn't
have to be that way. So what do you need to do to make sure your business
keeps growing when times are tough?
It's simple.Make marketing your business a priority.
If you're like most of the entrepreneurs I talk to, chances are marketing
only happens when you have extra time, extra money, or business gets slow.
This is a huge problem-especially with the current state of the economy!
It's all too easy right now to sort of hunker down, pull back your reach,
minimize your expenses, and hope to weather out the storm. But that isn't
the best way to make sure your business not only survives, but
thrives-whether times are good or bad. Because if you do that, by the time
people are ready to start buying again they will have forgotten all about
you and what you offer.
That means you need to be doing some kind of marketing on a regular basis.
Keep in mind; marketing doesn't have to be expensive to be effective. But it
does have to be consistent. Think of it a bit like taking your vitamins
every day to make sure you stay healthy.
I recommend setting aside 15-30 minutes at the start of each day to do one
thing to market your business. And by the start of each day, I mean before
you start answering emails, putting out fires or helping clients.
Get in the office early if you have to, then pick up the phone and call one
client or customer just to see how they're doing.Write a thank you
card.Follow up with someone you met networking.Start work on an article or
new promotion...Or post a comment on someone else's blog.
The possibilities are endless. And it doesn't have to take long or cost a
fortune. You just have to commit to doing it daily.
By making marketing your first priority each day, even if you don't always
manage to make it happen, I guarantee you'll be doing way more than most of
your competition. And soon it will become a habit.
The result? When people are ready to buy they'll think of buying from you
first. Before you know it, you'll have a steady stream of customers flowing
in the door!
What are you doing to market your business that's simple, inexpensive and
works like a charm?
Please do share by leaving a comment below.
