The success of your business depends on your ability to build marketing momentum. Without the ability to generate new sources of leads your capacity to sell will slump and the growth of your business will stagnate or shrink.
Unfortunately, many small business owners are at a loss when tasked with coming up with new ways to market while others are frustrated into stagnation by seeing consistently ineffective results from their marketing efforts. It doesn't matter if your business is young or established. If your business is young you must market well simply to survive. On the other hand, if you have had marketing success with a method that does not increase your opportunity to generate new business your success will be stunted by your limited ability to find new sources of business.
Building marketing momentum is like kicking a ball down a hill that keeps getting steeper. Each time the hill becomes a little steeper the ball will roll faster and pick up momentum. In marketing, any tactic you add to attract attention to what you do is like making the hill a little steeper.
The other day I was talking to Ed who runs a successful metal shining business. I asked him how he went about generating new sales. He told me that 100% of his marketing effort is networking. I couldn't help but wonder why. I realize that he is doing well with it but if he simply placed an ad in the yellow pages that generated just one sale a year he would cover the cost of the ad and be profitable!
Even though Ed's networking efforts are successful he is limiting his ability to grow his business by only implementing one form of marketing. By simply trying something new in addition to networking Ed can benefit from developing a new way to generate leads and build his marketing momentum.
Is your marketing effort one dimensional or stagnant? Here are five tactics you can use to build marketing momentum.
Deliver a Great Marketing Message
A great marketing message will have the effect of generating interest in what you do. It never ceases to amaze me the number of small business owners that fail to use a compelling marketing message. How many times has someone described to you their business or what they do with a label like, "I'm an accountant" or "I'm in Communications"? Such answers are not likely to start interesting conversations and marketing opportunities are missed.
If you answer the "what do you do?" question with a savvy marketing message you will find that more people associate what you do with a need of their own or that of a friend, colleague or relative and you will win more referral business. Develop and use an outstanding, compelling marketing message and you will find that more people show interest in what you do. The result will be more better sales.
Make Cold Calling a Hot Source of Sales
Many small business owners hate to make cold calls. Their derision is understandable. By making cold calls they are setting themselves up for rejection. No one likes being rejected. However, rejection is part of the game when making phone calls. Once you realize that it's not your fault when someone says no during a cold call you can move passed your barrier and add cold calling to your marketing arsenal.
The fact is that by regularly picking up the phone and reaching out to potential clients small business owners increase their chance of finding new business. A percentage of the people you speak with will become clients when you make cold calls, especially if you are targeting your market well and are offering something they need. What's more you can work to improve your phone skills to increase your ability to make sales. Add cold calling to your marketing strategy and you will increase your opportunity to generate new business.
Use Your Web Site as An Effective Marketing Tool
Many companies have web sites that fail as effective marketing tools. Does your web site consistently generate leads and sales? It should. And it can. The World Wide Web is a continuously open marketplace that reaches hundreds of millions of consumers every moment of every day and allows you to easily and accurately target those who buy your products or services. A company without a web site as part of its marketing team is missing a fantastic opportunity to increase its revenue stream. Deliver a web site that functions as an effective marketing tool and you will consistently add to your marketing momentum.
Develop Your Network
Another great tool to use to build marketing momentum is networking. Networking is a highly effective means of generating referral business (which is some of the easiest business to get, once you get a referral). A person who is willing to take someone else's advice to contact you about your product or service will transfer the trust he has in his friend or colleague making the referral to you. Making it easier for clients to trust you removes one of the barriers to making a sale. By developing a robust network you will increase your ability to find new prospects and do more business.
So then, just how should you go about building your network?
Ed, from our previous example, is able to successfully operate his business with networking alone. That's because Ed networks the right way. Many small business owners and executives don't realize what networking truly is. Unfortunately, all too often people think they are networking by reaching out only to the people they know when what they should be doing is taking steps to continually expand their network. Ed regularly attends networking events and is involved with multiple networking groups. He ads new people to his network all the time and has a successful business to show for it (though he could be even more successful if he added another tool to his marketing toolbox).
Measure Your Results
No matter what tactics you adapt to market yourself or your business be sure to measure your results. By measuring your marketing results you will be able to move away from or correct what does not work and stick with and reinforce what does. By diligently measuring your results you will improve your ability to ad to your marketing momentum and grow your business and success.
By measuring my results and trying new things I have been able to develop an ad that enjoys a 20% response rate. The ad is so successful I only need to run it occasionally to generate enough calls to keep me very busy. Not only does this great ad do a fantastic job of generating interest in my marketing services it saves me money on my advertising costs because I can meet my goals by running fewer ads.
You too can develop highly effective ads by measuring your results.
Move Your Marketing Forward
If your marketing efforts aren't helping you reach your goals you can improve your results by implementing any one of the tactics outlined above. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with and take small measured steps toward realistic goals and you will see a beneficial transformation in your marketing results.
Jeremy Cohen, helps small business owners attract more clients and grow their business with his coaching service and free marketing guide: Jumpstart Marketing: More Prospects, Clients & Success Get the guide at http://www.bettermarketingresults.com
house refresh service Lincolnshire ..The Operations Plan is a critical component of any business... Read More
Remember the cleaning business is all about time ratio to... Read More
A thing worth doing is worth doing badly. Yes I... Read More
Yes, that IS security when nobody can downsize you because... Read More
We are noticing an increase in the length of time... Read More
The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her... Read More
You've probably heard the statistic that 95% of small businesses... Read More
How much is your time really worth? Is it worth... Read More
Office support services can range from basic data entry to... Read More
It's Monday morning and Connie the Consultant sits in her... Read More
"What do you do?" It just might be one of... Read More
North County San Diego has had some significant growth, and... Read More
Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and... Read More
When should you create a foundation in order to solidify... Read More
IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is... Read More
Everything starts with a business plan: If you don't have... Read More
Here are some important points to take note of if... Read More
Cash is King... That is what everyone tells us and... Read More
Last year, trillions of dollars transferred hands on the internet... Read More
Before you want to build your business, you need to... Read More
One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More
Lance Armstrong this week won an unprecedented 7th Tour de... Read More
If you are a non-operator owner of many work trucks,... Read More
Starting and growing a small business can be a daunting... Read More
Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More
licensed cleaning services Lake Forest ..When small businesses fail, the wreckage is often assigned to... Read More
There's been a recent rise in the number of elderly... Read More
It is imperative to have your business legally prepared. How... Read More
Imagine that you have operated a successful franchise business for... Read More
I've got good news and bad news. The good news... Read More
A reader of one of my online sessions asked should... Read More
Many of us have noticed how some nearby communities seem... Read More
Do you own a franchised business? Over 400,000 franchised businesses... Read More
Completion not Perfection Five Keys To Doubling Your Productivity and... Read More
Entrepreneurs are hardy stock. But sometimes hardiness can get you... Read More
Over the years I heard the best way to learn... Read More
Whether your target audience is in your neighborhood or across... Read More
Tammy, a skilled and gifted horticulturist, called me to discuss... Read More
Auto Detailing: Maintaining A Commercial Carpet ExtractorYou should drain your... Read More
Mobile detailers will find themselves with lots of competition even... Read More
Mr/Ms, 'not me' is often on holidays in your business.... Read More
Whether it has been thrust upon you by external market... Read More
Seems as though there are a lot of business closings... Read More
Most doctors never distinguish the difference between customers and patients.... Read More
If I had $1.00 every time I heard someone say... Read More
Debt collection letters--an overview"Debt collection letter" in the singular may... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission which governs the franchise industry thru... Read More
If you plan to do business online, then your website... Read More
If you're like me, you love accounting. It's so fascinating... Read More
In these days of insecurity and uncertain futures, the tendency... Read More
Small Business |