Attract More Customers With the Magic of 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 you are already slow.
Or, you may focus on marketing only after all of your e-mails
answered, professional newsletters read, clients called back,
and deadlines met. These things are VERY important. However,
they will always be an ongoing part of your business. If you
don't make time for your marketing every week, you won't be able
to create a steady stream of customers.
Your time for marketing is what will help you make money. If you
are in the first year of your business or your customer pipeline
is not full, then you should be spending 40-50% of your time
marketing. Yes, this probably seems like a lot. You may feel as
if you'll never have enough time to devote this much of every
week to marketing. However, marketing to prospects, leads,
referrers, and centers of influence should be an ongoing process
for you for the lifetime of your business.
Create more room in your week for marketing by restructuring
your time and task management. Your first step in making time
for marketing 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. Next, make a list
of essential and non-essential tasks that take up time in your
day.
Be honest about the things that waste time in your daily
routine. And, include those things that you do to procrastinate
or kill time. Make a commitment to yourself that you will put
aside your favorite time waster in favor of working through this
program. Remember, your marketing is an investment in YOU and
the long-term success of your business.
We can all find a bajillion ways to procrastinate - Internet
surfing, playing online games, watching TV, reading e-mails, or
fill in your time waster of choice. Be aware of these time
sucks. If you cut back on these things, you'll be amazed at how
much you can do. You'll also be excited about the results!
For your essential tasks and your marketing, make chunks of
times to work on like things. For example, push sales calls and
customer call-backs in one slot on your weekly calendar. Only
check your e-mails once or twice a day, and answer them all at
one time. Schedule uninterrupted time for marketing in the part
of the day when you are the most productive.
Develop a marketing system that makes sense to you - 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: networking events, trade shows,
advertising deadlines, direct mailings, seminars, and so on.
Schedule marketing and stick to it!
By focusing on your marketing, you are acknowledging that this
is an aspect of your business that needs to be nurtured, Later,
you will focus more energy on other areas. Once you are seeing
the results of your efforts, you can cut back on the time you
are spending on marketing each week. However, you still should
be spending 25 - 30 % of your time on it.
Marketing will soon become a 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.
Once you are used to making marketing part of your routine, you
will find that new customers are flowing into your business in a
steady stream. You won't have to scramble to sell yourself when
times are slow because you will be getting the word out about
your company on a regular basis.
Make a commitment to your marketing and you'll find your
business will grow as a result. You will keep your sales
pipeline full. This will lead to the ability to turn less
desirable work away because you are in demand, you'll be able to
raise your prices, and you will make more money! Your ongoing
efforts will ensure your business is predictable, pleasant, and
profitable.