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Top 12 Proven Tips to Strengthen Your Marketing Muscle

Written by: Stuart Ayling

Article Overview: We all know that when we exercise we stretch and strain our muscles. The repeated extra workload is what strengthens the muscle fibres. In fact, health professionals point out that until we get to the point of ‘feeling’ our muscles strain, we do not get the full benefits. It is the recovery our muscles make from the extra strain (but not overload) that increases muscle strength. Why do I tell you this? Because it is exactly the same with your marketing muscle.

Top 12 Proven Tips to Strengthen Your Marketing Muscle

We all know that when we exercise we stretch and strain our muscles. The repeated extra workload is what strengthens the muscle fibres.

In fact, health professionals point out that until we get to the point of ‘feeling’ our muscles strain, we do not get the full benefits. It is the recovery our muscles make from the extra strain (but not overload) that increases muscle strength.

Why do I tell you this?

Because it is exactly the same with your marketing muscle.

The more you stretch it the stronger it becomes. And that will make you a better marketer, and more confident to generate more and more business.

Listed below are my top 12 proven ways to strengthen your marketing muscle. I realise you may find some of them challenging to undertake. That’s the whole point. If you don’t stretch your marketing muscle you wont improve it.

Ready… knees’ bent…breathe in…

Website:
* Try running a few pay-per-click advertisements on Google (Google Adwords). It doesn’t cost very much at all. You will learn a lot, even if you don’t get an immediate flood of business.
* Optimise the home page of your web site by fixing the page title, using a few descriptive headings, and sprinkling key words in appropriate places on the page.
* Ask your typical customers what they think of using your web site. But don’t just ask. Run a low-cost user-test by having one person sit in front of a computer and navigate your site. Ask them to do a typical task at your site. Talk with them about how easy (or not) it was for them to do the task.

Advertising:
* Investigate an important customer niche market and find the main publication, website, or professional journal they read. Contact the publication and ask about their advertising options.

Write an article:
* Choose one topic that you know your potential customers will be interested in, related to the services you provide. Write a brief article of 500-600 words explaining how they should approach/manage the topic you selected. (This article is 750 words.) Include some useful action-oriented tips. Add the article to your web site. Email it to your contacts. Add it to one of the many online article directories so that other people can access it and publish it on their website.

Speaking:
* Approach your local business group, networking club, social group, or community group and ask if it would be possible for you to present a short talk to them. Pick a relevant topic that you can cover in the time they allow (usually 15-20 minutes would be enough).

Selling:
* Create a value-added offer and mention it during all your sales discussions over the next week. Don’t forget to tell your networking group as well, if you are a member of one.

Public Relations:
* Focus on one event you run, survey you conduct, or client success story you have, and write a media release around it. Focus on the people in the story. Include a photo – with people – if possible. Send that to appropriate publications and websites.

Newsletter:
* Start a newsletter. Make it monthly so you do not get overwhelmed. Decide on a few topics you can write about, then select one as the first subject. Even if you don’t have a large list of contacts. Make a start. Be sure to follow good email practices.

Ask for a testimonial:
* Contact previous clients and tell them you are updating your marketing material, and you are approaching them to get their feedback on how they found your service. Get the testimonials in writing, or write one for the client based on what they tell you. Be sure to ask if it is OK for you to use their words and name.

Networking:
* Meet with one person over coffee who offers a complementary service or product. Keep it casual. Get to know their business. Make sure you also explain how you help clients. Don’t expect an order from them. Discuss possible future opportunities with them as a referral or alliance partner.

Promotion:
* Create a one or two-page summary of your services and the benefits you offer. Don’t just list features, or your credentials. Include a testimonial or two. Use this document as the main follow up after you meet new people, or when contacting prospects. It is important to have it as a PDF document (not Word, Publisher or other program) so that you can send it via email and everyone can open it.

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