People
don't purchase the best product or service. They purchase what
they perceive to be the best product or service. Is your
company image portraying your offerings in a way that makes them
stand out from the competition? The image your company projects
says a lot about the kind of company you are, the culture of your
organization, as well as the people that make up your organization.
With
a robust, well-designed Web site, do you still need printed marketing
materials? There seems to be no end to the potential
marketing materials that you could create to promote your business,
if you had the budget to do so. But what do you really need in
addition to your Web site? What materials are still essential?
And, how can you produce them cost effectively?
Is
your company Web site serving as a highly effective communications
tool that meets your business needs, or is it a hodge-podge posting
of your marketing materials? Most companies today, even
the smallest ones, have a Web site. But are you really using that
Web site or do you have one because you feel that you have to?
So many companies created Web sites several years ago as a means
of posting information about their products and services but they
haven't taken it further and developed it into an interactive
tool for prospecting and retaining clients
Even
if you have an effective Web site, you still have to drive prospects
to it. A Web site is not a "field of dreams."
Building it doesn't mean "they will come." Are you effectively
advertising your site? Are you getting as many hits on your site
as you anticipated? Are visitors coming back? Are they taking
the actions you want them to take when they visit (i.e., ordering
your product or contracting for your service). A lot of this has
to do with promotion, but design of your site is also important.
For example, do you have the right mix of key words so that your
site comes up in searches?
Network,
network, network if you want to grow your business. Both
large and small businesses rely a great deal on networking to
generate business. There is no substitute for it. But how do you
find more opportunities to be exposed to potential clients? What
do you need to know to improve your networking skills? What networking
organizations are out there? It's worth your time and money to
find out.
In
what ways, other than Web sites and marketing materials, can you
professionally communicate to existing clients as well as potential
clients? An eNewsletter is an excellent tool. You can
highlight existing clients, provide helpful tips, promote new
products and services, advertise "specials" and give
recipients an opportunity to subscribe and/or forward to their
friends and business colleagues (an excellent way to capture new
leads).
Have
you ever wondered how other business owners (maybe your competitors)
get quoted in the newspaper or interviewed on television?
Have you ever seen a magazine review or news article posted in
a store or restaurant and wondered how you could get that kind
of coverage? It's all about being a good source and getting your
business in front of the media.
We
all love to generate new clients, but businesses large and small
often neglect to see the value in continuing to sell to their
existing clients, a process known as “upsell.”
Existing clients have already made an investment in your business.
They are a great target for product or service upgrades as well
as new offerings. Do you know who your customers are? Do you know
who your best customers are? Do you keep accurate profile data
on your customers? All of this helps you develop a customer relationship
management strategy that positions you to "upsell" your
customers as well as ensure satisfaction and retention.
Everyone loves a bargain. Depending on what type of business
you have, you may or may not have considered special promotions.
However, all businesses are faced with competition and special
promotions, created and advertised in a way that speaks to your
clients, can be a very valuable tool.
Is
advertising worth the cost? When most people think of
advertising, they think of TV, magazine or newspaper ads. And
we know how costly these types of advertising can be. But there
are many other ways to advertise your business at much lower costs.
Consider direct mail and local advertising, for example.
