As a small business owner I find that creating familiarity or business exposure is through persistent and consistent daily prospecting. Each time you call, e-mail, meet face-to-face, drop off a business card, and leave a voice mail, you create familiarity. This is one of the reasons persistence pays off. The more times they see or hear your name, the more familiar you become to them and the gatekeepers that protect them. Simply put, the more you prospect, the more familiar you become to your prospect base.
Networking is another way to expose your business, ask your prospects and customer which events, conferences, and trade shows they attend. Then GO to them, nothing build familiarity better than face-to-face contact. However, to be successful at networking, refrain from becoming a walking, talking marketing brochure and remember everybody enjoys talking about him or herself. You don't go to networking events to sell. You are not there to set appointments, get leads or close business. You are there to create connections with other people. You get those things after the connection is established. There should be no quid pro quo attached to your conversations.
You create connections when you ask questions, listen, and become genuinely interested in other people. " People will forget what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel." Maya Angelou
Well there's my two cents. Question for you, Do you find this site helpful and informational to your business?
"The more I practice, the luckier I get." Arnold Palmer
I have a CRM system that sends out random unexpected Acts Of Kindness. They are heart felt personal. Something like nice to meet you, gratulations on your new promotion a Christmas card, a new years, or birthday card. Also every so often send a small gift, or brownies etc' It's really not the system, the system helps you stay organized. It's the message showing appreciation, do that, exposure will never be a issue, it's the little things you do everyday.
Hi, Tim. I find that going to gatherings where your target market congregate is the absolute best. Eg. For years my target market has been contractors in "the construction industry" so I attend local construction association chapter events ... dinner meetings, golf tournaments, curling bonspiels, whatever. I speak to the Executive Director of those chapters and I ask to do a presentation at one of their "sit-down" gatherings. I would follow up with anyone for whom I had contact info; ie. their business card from the "active" gatherings, maybe. And I would get the membership list and I contacted many of them individually just to "intro" myself, with a question asking, for example,"Would you be interested in tripling your profits IF it were FUN & simple to do?" Their answer would have us continue our convo or not. I also use this question when "cool-calling" many whose contact info my marketing team have found on their Association chapter's website. And, in time, I started investing thousands of $ to attend the BIG country-wide events. This REALLY postures you! And they're TONS of FUN. So, in a nutshell? Face-to-face and voice-to-voice. By the way, did you see that I came upon an ebook in my folders yesterday and am offering it for free? It would likely be of great help to you. Just ask. Send me an email at [email address]
The key thing is being consistent and persistent in your marketing, either with your current database of clients or new leads. The best place to increase business exposure is to nurture your current happy clients and turn them into Raving Fans of your product/service. A simple thank you note or a quick call or text. Just be consistent.
However, there are tools that makes this process much more easier...set it and forget it...Autopilot Relationship Marketing. The best tools I use is the Send Our Cards Relationship Marketing. It only cost you about $1.49 to send a personalize greeting card to one of your current or past clients...that's including postage.
You can setup campaigns that will automatically send these greeting cards/postcards at specific dates you want. Excellent for birthday cards to your existing database of clients or promotions throughout the year. Check out the website to see how easy it is to implement these campaigns...And send a FREE card to someone you care. www.sendoutcards.com/efrain
Lastly, a monthly newsletter will increase your business exposure. Doesn't have to be fancy newsletter just something simple that you can get your name out there with you current and past clients. Make it fun not boring or just things about your product or service. Give them something they can actually use in their daily lives.
I've read the other responses and cannot disagree with any. The common theme is you have to have an integrated process that you are committed to being consistent at. The challenge for most coaches and businesses owners is patience. You have to just keep executing your process not expecting instant gratification. Mine involves LinkedIn, Public Speaking, Seminars and Workshops, Drip Campaigns, I wrote a book and use it as a marketing tool, a weekly radio show and podcast, blogging and a you tube channel. Not to leave out the old tried and true of pick up the phone and call people you would like to meet and set up a meeting.
As an entrepreneur myself, not only is it super important to keep in touch with those who already know like and trust you...it's equally as important to build a relationship with first time prospects from Networking or referrals and such!
Looking for the outta the box exposure with a twist of tangible marketing, along side traditional exposures such as email, texting phone calls and social media can be key as to how fast trust in a new prospects relationship can grow...it doesn't have to take long at all :-)
Tim, today 68% of your customers are looking for you (or your competition) on the internet. Even if you have agreat location, people want to know a host of things before they engage you. The best tool I've found by far (and costs me nothing) is Google My Business. Ever do a search and see the map with the puch pins? That's Google's local map search which is part of Google's business service. Post regularly and add reviews to your profile and you will always land on page one.
I've been doing this for years and I not only dominate my space but actually get picked up in adjacent marketing.
Business from Andover, MA
Answered on Jan 11th, 2018
Billboards, and it also depends on what you are selling? Billboards can kill you, from 50,000 to 1 million people a day, if you can't handle the responses your reputation will really suffer. Expensive? yes. But the way we see it "is only expensive if it doesn't work"
We only work with local businesses relying on their communities to exist and succeed, we transitioned most of our clients out of the AdWords and social media to billboards and land advertising. Even do web programs are much easier to sell. The web has done nothing for our communities but make it more expensive to do business in. Websites get old and moldy. then you need to pay monthly SEO fee to keep you in the game, Constant Spam, AdWords riddled with fraud, Facebook's fake numbers, $3,000 for an ad on 50,000 Magazines printed for 1,200 subscribers, re-marketing programs making people angry enough never to want to do business with you again, "I have already purchased that damn generator, stop reminding me to buy one"
I am sure all these methods work for some. If they work for you make sure you do your math.
Years ago my brother and I opened a coffee shop, we posted ads on an ad/coupon magazine "Community Values" we only paid $500/mo and the responses would have been very good if the customers came back without the coupon. My brother was happy I was not.
Has for what we found works well on the web is another form of email marketing, not the way you do it with Constant Spam or Mail Shimp. Cheaper and effective and the only form that introduces new customers to your business. Our plan is to launch this nationwide and guarantee results or you don't have to pay.
There is no silver bullet for exposure/marketing/promotions. At ActionCoach we have over 350 methods of increasing exposure and gaining new prospects. Not all of them work for every business, and a lot of them won't be successful. By using small sums of money, we test and measure every thing you are doing to determine what works best for your business. When you find those methods that bring in profitable customers, that cover the cost of the promotion/ad you have now created an unlimited marketing budget. It is part of what we teach business owners to do, so they can do it, and reap the benefits, long after we have left.
Different systems work for different pools of clients and different products/services. Understanding and visualizing your customer groups and the services and presentation of those services are essential in maximizing different marketing systems.
Multiple exposures on various platforms work for connecting your business with some groups, but face to face local networking might be the optimal approach for the same product but a different customer base.
As a story coach, I help businesses visualize, understand, and describe their customers, elements of their business, and unique products and services. The process of creating these "stories" create insight and understanding that help direct marketing and development choices.
Understanding your clients and business choices allows you to quickly advance in many areas.
Rivka Willick
Simply Extraordinary Tales
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Answers (1-10)
Tim,
As a small business owner I find that creating familiarity or business exposure is through persistent and consistent daily prospecting. Each time you call, e-mail, meet face-to-face, drop off a business card, and leave a voice mail, you create familiarity. This is one of the reasons persistence pays off. The more times they see or hear your name, the more familiar you become to them and the gatekeepers that protect them. Simply put, the more you prospect, the more familiar you become to your prospect base.
Networking is another way to expose your business, ask your prospects and customer which events, conferences, and trade shows they attend. Then GO to them, nothing build familiarity better than face-to-face contact. However, to be successful at networking, refrain from becoming a walking, talking marketing brochure and remember everybody enjoys talking about him or herself. You don't go to networking events to sell. You are not there to set appointments, get leads or close business. You are there to create connections with other people. You get those things after the connection is established. There should be no quid pro quo attached to your conversations.
You create connections when you ask questions, listen, and become genuinely interested in other people. " People will forget what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel." Maya Angelou
Well there's my two cents. Question for you, Do you find this site helpful and informational to your business?
"The more I practice, the luckier I get." Arnold Palmer
I have a CRM system that sends out random unexpected Acts Of Kindness. They are heart felt personal. Something like nice to meet you, gratulations on your new promotion a Christmas card, a new years, or birthday card. Also every so often send a small gift, or brownies etc' It's really not the system, the system helps you stay organized. It's the message showing appreciation, do that, exposure will never be a issue, it's the little things you do everyday.
Hi, Tim. I find that going to gatherings where your target market congregate is the absolute best. Eg. For years my target market has been contractors in "the construction industry" so I attend local construction association chapter events ... dinner meetings, golf tournaments, curling bonspiels, whatever. I speak to the Executive Director of those chapters and I ask to do a presentation at one of their "sit-down" gatherings. I would follow up with anyone for whom I had contact info; ie. their business card from the "active" gatherings, maybe. And I would get the membership list and I contacted many of them individually just to "intro" myself, with a question asking, for example,"Would you be interested in tripling your profits IF it were FUN & simple to do?" Their answer would have us continue our convo or not. I also use this question when "cool-calling" many whose contact info my marketing team have found on their Association chapter's website. And, in time, I started investing thousands of $ to attend the BIG country-wide events. This REALLY postures you! And they're TONS of FUN. So, in a nutshell? Face-to-face and voice-to-voice. By the way, did you see that I came upon an ebook in my folders yesterday and am offering it for free? It would likely be of great help to you. Just ask. Send me an email at [email address]
Hi Tim,
The key thing is being consistent and persistent in your marketing, either with your current database of clients or new leads. The best place to increase business exposure is to nurture your current happy clients and turn them into Raving Fans of your product/service. A simple thank you note or a quick call or text. Just be consistent.
However, there are tools that makes this process much more easier...set it and forget it...Autopilot Relationship Marketing. The best tools I use is the Send Our Cards Relationship Marketing. It only cost you about $1.49 to send a personalize greeting card to one of your current or past clients...that's including postage.
You can setup campaigns that will automatically send these greeting cards/postcards at specific dates you want. Excellent for birthday cards to your existing database of clients or promotions throughout the year. Check out the website to see how easy it is to implement these campaigns...And send a FREE card to someone you care. www.sendoutcards.com/efrain
Lastly, a monthly newsletter will increase your business exposure. Doesn't have to be fancy newsletter just something simple that you can get your name out there with you current and past clients. Make it fun not boring or just things about your product or service. Give them something they can actually use in their daily lives.
Cheers!
Efrain Aguilar
Helping You Attract High Quality Clients
www.sendoutcards.com/efrain
www.smallbizprofitmultipliers.com
Tim,
I've read the other responses and cannot disagree with any. The common theme is you have to have an integrated process that you are committed to being consistent at. The challenge for most coaches and businesses owners is patience. You have to just keep executing your process not expecting instant gratification. Mine involves LinkedIn, Public Speaking, Seminars and Workshops, Drip Campaigns, I wrote a book and use it as a marketing tool, a weekly radio show and podcast, blogging and a you tube channel. Not to leave out the old tried and true of pick up the phone and call people you would like to meet and set up a meeting.
As an entrepreneur myself, not only is it super important to keep in touch with those who already know like and trust you...it's equally as important to build a relationship with first time prospects from Networking or referrals and such!
Looking for the outta the box exposure with a twist of tangible marketing, along side traditional exposures such as email, texting phone calls and social media can be key as to how fast trust in a new prospects relationship can grow...it doesn't have to take long at all :-)
Tim, today 68% of your customers are looking for you (or your competition) on the internet. Even if you have agreat location, people want to know a host of things before they engage you. The best tool I've found by far (and costs me nothing) is Google My Business. Ever do a search and see the map with the puch pins? That's Google's local map search which is part of Google's business service. Post regularly and add reviews to your profile and you will always land on page one.
I've been doing this for years and I not only dominate my space but actually get picked up in adjacent marketing.
Billboards, and it also depends on what you are selling? Billboards can kill you, from 50,000 to 1 million people a day, if you can't handle the responses your reputation will really suffer. Expensive? yes. But the way we see it "is only expensive if it doesn't work"
We only work with local businesses relying on their communities to exist and succeed, we transitioned most of our clients out of the AdWords and social media to billboards and land advertising. Even do web programs are much easier to sell. The web has done nothing for our communities but make it more expensive to do business in. Websites get old and moldy. then you need to pay monthly SEO fee to keep you in the game, Constant Spam, AdWords riddled with fraud, Facebook's fake numbers, $3,000 for an ad on 50,000 Magazines printed for 1,200 subscribers, re-marketing programs making people angry enough never to want to do business with you again, "I have already purchased that damn generator, stop reminding me to buy one"
I am sure all these methods work for some. If they work for you make sure you do your math.
Years ago my brother and I opened a coffee shop, we posted ads on an ad/coupon magazine "Community Values" we only paid $500/mo and the responses would have been very good if the customers came back without the coupon. My brother was happy I was not.
Has for what we found works well on the web is another form of email marketing, not the way you do it with Constant Spam or Mail Shimp. Cheaper and effective and the only form that introduces new customers to your business. Our plan is to launch this nationwide and guarantee results or you don't have to pay.
Tim,
There is no silver bullet for exposure/marketing/promotions. At ActionCoach we have over 350 methods of increasing exposure and gaining new prospects. Not all of them work for every business, and a lot of them won't be successful. By using small sums of money, we test and measure every thing you are doing to determine what works best for your business. When you find those methods that bring in profitable customers, that cover the cost of the promotion/ad you have now created an unlimited marketing budget. It is part of what we teach business owners to do, so they can do it, and reap the benefits, long after we have left.
Tim,
Different systems work for different pools of clients and different products/services. Understanding and visualizing your customer groups and the services and presentation of those services are essential in maximizing different marketing systems.
Multiple exposures on various platforms work for connecting your business with some groups, but face to face local networking might be the optimal approach for the same product but a different customer base.
As a story coach, I help businesses visualize, understand, and describe their customers, elements of their business, and unique products and services. The process of creating these "stories" create insight and understanding that help direct marketing and development choices.
Understanding your clients and business choices allows you to quickly advance in many areas.
Rivka Willick
Simply Extraordinary Tales