When you receive a new sales enquiry or make a sale to a new customer, the chances are that they didn’t hear about you from one source. Typically, it goes something like this: A) Someone arrives on your website. B) They join your newsletter list. C) They receive your newsletters and open a few of them. D) Months go by, during which they follow you on Twitter and read one or two or your blog posts. E) They revisit your website to see what you are up to. F) Finally, they have a requirement that you can help with and they send you an email or make a purchase via your website.
Exhausting, isn’t it? Many people simply give up, because ‘my marketing isn’t working’. During my marketing seminars, I am often asked which promotional techniques are the most effective. Bearing in mind that I only work with independent professionals and small business owners (who don’t have marketing budgets), my initial response is to suggest that they start with the ‘free / cheap as chips stuff’. For example:
* Article placement, within magazines / websites
* Blogging – your own, via your own website
* Business cards – hand out 100 a week (yes, 100!)
* Dormant customers – wake them up with a time limited offer
* e-newsletter using MailChimp (free for up to 2000 subscribers)
* Google AdWords, using their £50-for-free voucher
* Google+, because it can generate startling SEO results
* Networking events, at least one a week
* Press releases, sent by email (yes, they still work)
* Public speaking. Face your fear and get up and talk.
* Referrals – if you want more, start giving more
* Telephone calls, at least an hour a day
* Twitter, because it’s so quick to use
* Videos, uploaded to YouTube and embedded within your website
Here is some homework for you: write a list of all the ways in which you are currently promoting your business. Then add at least three new promotional techniques and get started with them today.
The more promotional techniques you use, the luckier you get. Marketing is a like playing chess – you must think strategically and combine your pieces, in order to win.
The promotional mix list within this blog is taken from The Marketing Compass Manual.
I wish you all the best with your business and your marketing.
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