7 KEY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS
7 KEY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS
Marketing is absolutely crucial to the success of your business and you avoid it at your peril! New business owners can think that marketing is quite a complicated process. However, it's not rocket science and the basics can easily be learned. It can be very helpful to reframe selling as simply building relationships and having conversations. We can do this by talking to prospects and finding out more about them and what they want before we pitch in with what we can do for them.
Learn as much as you can about marketing. For the small service business there are certain things that you can do that are low cost or even no-cost. So don't be afraid of it - learn the steps that work for your size and type of business and go for it!
2. Market the results of your service - not the processes
Beware of having a website or brochure that is too process driven. Market the results and benefits of your service or product - not the features and processes. Coaches especially can fall into this trap. We tell people all about what coaching is and how it happens. It's much more effective to actually state what changes people can expect from working with you.
Using case studies and testimonials will really help you here - then it's not just you saying "this is what you'll get out of working with me " - you'll have other people saying it for you which is so much more powerful. Get into the habit of asking your new clients for testimonials and referrals.
3. Have a follow up system
We all go to networking events and gather handfuls of business cards and we may even get as far as putting them into Outlook or some other contact system, but what do we do after that? I think it's vital to have some form of "keep in touch" marketing such as a newsletter or blog.
I really cannot overestimate the importance of follow up. By keeping in touch regularly, it means that when someone is ready to buy, your name and business is at the front of their mind because they have heard from you recently.
4. Have a written business plan
A lot of small business owners tend to be a bit reactive when it comes to marketing their business and also a bit haphazard about which thing they should do next. Life's events and distractions can take over and if we haven't got a written plan we can lose sight of our goals.
A Business Plan isn't just something you do to get a bank loan. Think of it as the map and the plan for you to grow your business. Where do you want to be in six months; in a year; in 5 years? Arguably, the most important part of your Business Plan is the Marketing Plan. Make your Business Plan a living document and update it at least quarterly, or even better, every month. Let it help you stay on track and use it to capture new ideas.
5. Be the perceived expert
It can take quite some time to build your reputation, but if you write, speak and network, then people will start to associate you with your niche.
If you hate to do public speaking, you can still build up expert status by doing a lot of writing. You can do this by writing articles for publication, having your own newsletter and by starting a blog.
There are lots of groups out there looking for guest speakers. You may not get paid but think of it as fantastic free publicity. After all - the person at the front of the room giving the talk is a lot more memorable than one of 20 business cards you picked up!
6. Have a strong clearly defined niche
Of course, in order to be perceived as an expert, you need to have a clearly defined niche. This is so important, yet many people try to be far too general in what they offer. One of the best ways to stand out in a crowded market is to be very specific about what you do and who you do it for.
Some of the key benefits to having a niche are:
• It radically simplifies your marketing
• It makes it so much easier to say what you do and who you work with
• It builds your reputation as an expert
• It also builds your confidence
• People can refer potential clients more easily because they understand what you do
• You develop a "Personal Brand"
• People prefer to work with a specialist and expert
• You can more easily identify your target market and where they congregate
And - you get to work with your ideal clients.
7. Pick a few simple marketing tasks and do them consistently
C J Hayden the best-selling author of "Get Clients Now!" calls this "The Persistence Effect" and I have seen it work time and again in my own business and in my clients' businesses.Try picking as few as five marketing tasks to concentrate on for a couple of weeks and see what happens. For instance, decide to write three articles, attend three networking events, follow up with ten people, start your newsletter or blog or arrange two speaking events. Pick your own ideas, but make it a short list.
Many people tend to try "a bit of this and a bit of that" and they often give up too soon when a bit more persistence would have paid off. A few tasks done regularly over time will work much better than occasional bursts of activity and expense.
7 KEY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS - To learn more about this author, visit Shona Partridge's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
1. Learn all you can about marketing
Marketing is absolutely crucial to the success of your business and you avoid it at your peril! New business owners can think that marketing is quite a complicated process. However, it's not rocket science and the basics can easily be learned. It can be very helpful to reframe selling as simply building relationships and having conversations. We can do this by talking to prospects and finding out more about them and what they want before we pitch in with what we can do for them.
Learn as much as you can about marketing. For the small service business there are certain things that you can do that are low cost or even no-cost. So don't be afraid of it - learn the steps that work for your size and type of business and go for it!
2. Market the results of your service - not the processes
Beware of having a website or brochure that is too process driven. Market the results and benefits of your service or product - not the features and processes. Coaches especially can fall into this trap. We tell people all about what coaching is and how it happens. It's much more effective to actually state what changes people can expect from working with you.
Using case studies and testimonials will really help you here - then it's not just you saying "this is what you'll get out of working with me " - you'll have other people saying it for you which is so much more powerful. Get into the habit of asking your new clients for testimonials and referrals.
3. Have a follow up system
We all go to networking events and gather handfuls of business cards and we may even get as far as putting them into Outlook or some other contact system, but what do we do after that? I think it's vital to have some form of "keep in touch" marketing such as a newsletter or blog.
I really cannot overestimate the importance of follow up. By keeping in touch regularly, it means that when someone is ready to buy, your name and business is at the front of their mind because they have heard from you recently.
4. Have a written business plan
A lot of small business owners tend to be a bit reactive when it comes to marketing their business and also a bit haphazard about which thing they should do next. Life's events and distractions can take over and if we haven't got a written plan we can lose sight of our goals.
A Business Plan isn't just something you do to get a bank loan. Think of it as the map and the plan for you to grow your business. Where do you want to be in six months; in a year; in 5 years? Arguably, the most important part of your Business Plan is the Marketing Plan. Make your Business Plan a living document and update it at least quarterly, or even better, every month. Let it help you stay on track and use it to capture new ideas.
5. Be the perceived expert
It can take quite some time to build your reputation, but if you write, speak and network, then people will start to associate you with your niche.
If you hate to do public speaking, you can still build up expert status by doing a lot of writing. You can do this by writing articles for publication, having your own newsletter and by starting a blog.
There are lots of groups out there looking for guest speakers. You may not get paid but think of it as fantastic free publicity. After all - the person at the front of the room giving the talk is a lot more memorable than one of 20 business cards you picked up!
6. Have a strong clearly defined niche
Of course, in order to be perceived as an expert, you need to have a clearly defined niche. This is so important, yet many people try to be far too general in what they offer. One of the best ways to stand out in a crowded market is to be very specific about what you do and who you do it for.
Some of the key benefits to having a niche are:
• It radically simplifies your marketing
• It makes it so much easier to say what you do and who you work with
• It builds your reputation as an expert
• It also builds your confidence
• People can refer potential clients more easily because they understand what you do
• You develop a "Personal Brand"
• People prefer to work with a specialist and expert
• You can more easily identify your target market and where they congregate
And - you get to work with your ideal clients.
7. Pick a few simple marketing tasks and do them consistently
C J Hayden the best-selling author of "Get Clients Now!" calls this "The Persistence Effect" and I have seen it work time and again in my own business and in my clients' businesses.Try picking as few as five marketing tasks to concentrate on for a couple of weeks and see what happens. For instance, decide to write three articles, attend three networking events, follow up with ten people, start your newsletter or blog or arrange two speaking events. Pick your own ideas, but make it a short list.
Many people tend to try "a bit of this and a bit of that" and they often give up too soon when a bit more persistence would have paid off. A few tasks done regularly over time will work much better than occasional bursts of activity and expense.
7 KEY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS - To learn more about this author, visit Shona Partridge's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
| |||
 |
No article feedback found. | ||
|
Leave Your Feedback | ||
|
|||
 10 Ways to Better Manage & Motivate Your Sales Team
| |||
| Ten great strategies for elevating your success as a sales manager and motivator |
|||
|
Link Building to Increase Search Engine Rankings
| |||
| Many website owners know about Search Engine Optimization, Paid Marketing, and Paid Advertisements to gain top rankings in Search Engines. But when discussing online marketing with many small business owners, we fi... |
|||
|
You Win When You Give
| |||
| To be successful within our businesses and our lives, we need to start giving and adding value to anyone and everyone we run across in the course of our business day. Discover some of the many ways that you can giv... |
|||
|
Blast Your Way Out Of A Slump
| |||
| Every business goes through a “slump.” Hey, you've been raking in the bucks when... blam, you're up against a brick wall. The customers seem to have forgotten you exist, and the bills pile up. Don't despair... yo... |
|||
|
6.1 Macroeconomic policies for diversification: Economic Report on Africa 2007
| |||
| the need for pragmatism over orthodoxy |
|||
| |||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Bernard ReberBack in late 1992, MS Access hit the streets. About that time the company I managed needed new software to handle their growing client base and I decided to try this new product. I had little difficulty writing and adapting a database to suit us and discovered a hidden talent for programming. A business was born. With business studies and 25 years of management experience in three different countries under my belt, I could offer a unique combination of skills and my customers agreed. From these humble beginnings my software 'invoiceit' emerged in 1999 and has since been taken to 49 states (hello Wyoming, won't you join us?), all across Canada and more than 70 other countries. From the very beginning the program included cashbook accounting, the simplest form of keeping financial business records. The Dictionary.com defines 'cashbook' as "A 'book' in which to record money received and paid out". For 'book' substitute 'simple software' and that's what I'm about. Now I have published Simple Accounting, an inexpensive spreadsheet solution which even you can master. For just $14.95 it costs less than a takeout meal! More at http://www.scrambled-card.com/simple_accounting_main.htm - Visit Bernard Reber's Website |
|||
Dr. John OdaJohn Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
 Shona Partridge (Visit Shona's Website) At Women Mean Business, Shona Partridge teaches women entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses using the power of PR and Marketing. Shona is the author of the CD and workbook program "Self Belief for the Self Employed: How Boosting Your Confidence Can Boost Your Business" and creator of the business building program "Marketing Mastery - 12 Key Steps to Success." What you'll find at www.womenmeanbusiness.co.uk are coaching and training programs designed with you in mind. The key areas covered are Marketing, PR, Writing Skills and Confidence Building. Make your PR and Marketing work better by learning the skills to do it yourself. We'll also help you build your confidence so you take more action. Working with Women Mean Business you'll know what to do and how and when to do it so you can build a business that you'll love! Visit the Women Mean Business website for more information and to get your free copy of the Special Report "Marketing Mastery - 12 Key Steps to Success." You'll also get a free subscription to our regular newsletter full of tips and articles to help you run a more successful business and updates on when we run free business building teleclasses.
|  |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
 |
 | ||
|
||
|
||
 |
||
|
| ||
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 |
 Manners, Positivity, Heroics Special Report The Money Game Start Right Factual |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Political Blogs
Top Political Blogs of 2008 | |
 |
The Top 10 GTD Times Posts
Best Posts for Productivity | |
| ||
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
