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
Cadillac Deville rentals Bingham .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhether you operate a chain of restaurants, a mom-and-pop convenience... Read More
Disclosure laws in franchising are suppose to help the consumer.... Read More
You can make your trade show experience much easier by... Read More
Most of us remember going to at least one garage... Read More
Announcements can be handed out as a business cardAnnouncements can... Read More
How do you find the best business partners?Finding a good... Read More
Q: I really want to start my own business, but... Read More
There's been a recent rise in the number of elderly... Read More
Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More
One overlooked individual in the process of taking a company... Read More
Everyone wants to succeed in life. Most people want to... Read More
In my 18 years of consulting I have heard it... Read More
Think of all of your business ideas as tiny seeds... Read More
Writing a business plan for a mobile car wash is... Read More
If you are the boss and you think your job... Read More
Do you have a Business Plan? Congratulations, but you are... Read More
Large corporations use employee manuals to both educate employees about... Read More
Why does research and education play an important part of... Read More
In today's fast paced marketplace it is easy to neglect... Read More
Many times small businesses want to expand their businesses and... Read More
That's right ? are you making enough mistakes in your... Read More
Just recently, I took a break and caught "The Return... Read More
If your home business is not performing the way you... Read More
Microfiber cleaning towels have been around for about ten years... Read More
Tammy, a skilled and gifted horticulturist, called me to discuss... Read More
limo rental Des Plaines ..Q: I have outgrown my home office and need to... Read More
Winning small and home based businesses today must continually shake... Read More
As a business owner, you already know how important it... Read More
Have you been searching for the perfect home-based business? I... Read More
What does buying a fat pig have to do with... Read More
Franchisor expansion policies are not as simple as one might... Read More
No matter type of business you operate you've got to... Read More
As you may already know, asphalt paved parking lots do... Read More
What makes a business relationship?What really makes a business relationship?... Read More
First you have to start with knowing your budget and... Read More
Concrete cleaning can be a lucrative business to start. Here... Read More
Seventy percent of US households use the web when shopping... Read More
If you run a pressure washing company in a rural... Read More
To have one of the popular in home daycare businesses.... Read More
It is most fascinating to study how entrepreneurs spot opportunity... Read More
Before you read any further in this article, I'd like... Read More
When do you need to get more involved with the... Read More
What image do you and your people portray to your... Read More
Sacred cows take a long time to die. We get... Read More
Why would you use an event pass?Event passes are often... Read More
Don't you find that there are so many decisions you... Read More
What would happen if you decided to take an extended... Read More
1. Everyone Makes A Difference ? Despite not letting him... Read More
Car Wash Crime in the Hood. Apparently not everyone is... Read More
"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't... Read More
Small Business |