Attract More Customers by Making Time for Marketing
Copyright 2006 Marketing Maven
To start seeing remarkable success, you must make time for
marketing. Many people tend to make their marketing a low
priority. Instead of including it as a part of your weekly
routine, you may find yourself scrambling to try and find
customers only when business is slow.
Create more room in your week for marketing by restructuring
your time and task management. Here are some tips:
1. Commit to marketing every week: Your first step is to go to
your calendar and carve out slots of time to work on your
marketing -- this includes sales, networking, writing,
presentations, and so on. Schedule uninterrupted time for
marketing in the part of the day when you are the most
productive.
2. Eliminate timewasters: We can all find a bajillion ways to
procrastinate including Internet surfing, playing online games,
watching TV, and reading e-mails. Make a commitment to yourself
that you will put aside your favorite time waster. If you cut
back on these things, you'll be amazed at how much you can do.
Remember, your marketing is an investment in YOU and the
long-term success of your business.
3. Chunk up your time: For your essential tasks and your
marketing, make chunks of times to work on similar activities.
For example, push sales calls and customer call-backs into one
slot on your weekly calendar. Block out sessions for creating
new products or service lines. Only check your e-mails once or
twice a day, answering them all at one time.
4. Develop a marketing system: You can create a simple
spreadsheet, make notes in your planner, or sketch out
activities on a large flipchart sheet on the wall. The point is
to make an annual profile of your marketing activities
including: events, trade shows, advertising deadlines, direct
mailings, seminars, and so on. Schedule marketing and stick to
it!
5. Make marketing a habit: Commit to making marketing into a
weekly habit. This means that even when you are busy, you still
schedule time in your week for marketing, networking, speaking,
making follow-up calls, coffee dates, and keeping in touch with
past customers and referrers.
Marketing is an ongoing activity for the lifetime of your
business. Commit to marketing and your business will grow as a
result. You won't have to scramble to sell yourself when times
are slow because your pipeline will stay full. This will lead to
the ability to turn away less desirable work, raise your prices,
and make more money! Your ongoing marketing efforts will ensure
your business is predictable, pleasant, and profitable.