“But I Don’t Need to Market Any More”
Since you started your new marketing campaign, business is up. Customers are calling and sales are good. Time to cancel your advertising, stop making sales calls and tend to the business you have, right? Absolutely not! You have worked hard to create momentum, so do not let it slip away.
Marketing is something you will have to do as long as you are in business. Even if you think you do not need more customers, keep doing what has brought you success. Otherwise, you may wake up one morning to find that the flow of customers has dried up and there aren’t more in the pipeline.
When you are experiencing great success is the best time to step up your marketing program. You will probably have more money available. Invest some of that money wisely to grow your business.
Hire a copywriter to prepare sales materials or press releases. Chances are that it will cost less than if you sacrifice paying work to get it done, and the copy will probably get better results.
Use some of your new profits to hire an assistant for repetitive tasks, such as preparing a mailing, and research, such as compiling a media list for press release distribution. You may not have time to do these things, but someone should do them.
Remember that many customers need repeated exposures to you and your message before they make a buy decision. Do not discontinue advertising now, just because you have enough customers today. Advertising is a long-term strategy, and should be used consistently.
People like to do business with those who are successful. The fact that you are busy makes you more attractive to customers, so use that. Create a waiting list when you can not take on additional customers, so that you may notify them when you have an opening.
Build a referral network. Send your overflow business to a qualified colleague in return for a referral fee.
Keep up your contacts. Go to networking meetings. Have lunch with an influential person in your industry. Stay in touch with former customers. Each of those can send new business to you in the future, when you may need it. Plus, by spreading the story of your success, they will build your reputation.
Tweak your marketing. Test changes to direct mail materials, your web site, newspaper advertising and other marketing methods. Small wording changes, or changes in color, size or placement can make a big difference in your results. If you are currently getting a 1% response to a direct mail piece, increasing that to 2% doubles your results.
Of course, changes can also kill an effective technique. Testing while you have plenty of business allows room for marketing mistakes. Make changes one at a time, so you can track results and know what works and what does not work.
Don’t use stop-and-go marketing. By keeping your marketing in motion you will guarantee yourself a steady stream of customers and keep your business in the black.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
