Need more clients? Just change your marketing strategies. WRONG!!

Replies

Cynthia Mukie August 11, 2010 at 10:39am

Thank you Lavada for the point on just starting somewhere; sometimes time passes away whilst you are doing extensive research on the different sites you can be actively participating in. You have also raised a good point on how after some time, if you see it not working, then just move on to the next thing.

Marjorie you are so right on how consistency is key! I mentioned in by blog post 7 strategies to get your business off the runway how you should avoid the usual "hit and run"; which is when you pitch once and go; but rather continually repeat. So when your prospective client needs your specific services, do they go hit the directory? maybe later; but they definitely get in touch with you first and if they are satisfied with you, they stay there.

Thank You for the great point ladies
Cynthia
7 Strategies to get your business off the runway
http://www.astonishingwoman.com/apps/blog/entries/show/4338094-hous...
- Lavada Thompson > Cynthia Mukie August 11, 2010 at 3:43pm
  
  Thanks, Cynthia! You must, must, must get your message out there over and over again. That's marketing! Even when it feels like no one is listening, you have to keep on. Just know your target market. Ensure they have a need for your products and services and are willing to pay what you ask. Also, make sure your message is clear and concise. Once these things are in order, just keep spreading the word and planting seeds.
- Lavada Thompson > Robin Tramble August 5, 2010 at 11:15pm
  
  I like it, Marjorie! Consistency. You have to give your chosen tactics some time to work. For my first marketing plan, I chose the following strategies: blogging, social networking and direct contact because I felt most comfortable with these. I'm not a public speaker. I don't have much money to spend on advertising and promotional events. So, I stuck with the others for a little while (some say too long), but it finally started working for me. All of the seeds I had sown started sprouting and blooming. Now, I just find more creative ways to use these strategies because 1) they still work for me 2) I am comfortable employing them and 3) they fit within my budget.
  
  As far as branding myself, I'm not sure about this one. When I think of branding, I think of big, well-known companies. However, I do value integrity, high quality, diligence and professionalism. And, I try my best to let those values guide me in all of my interactions, personal and professional. One way I show my clients that I care about providing top-quality services is by continuously asking for feedback in the form of surveys, polls and individual conversations. And, upon receiving negative feedback, I work diligently to rectify the situation to the best of my ability.
Lavada Thompson August 6, 2010 at 11:54am

Thanks, Ladies for all of your great feedback!! So, we've established that if we need more clients, we may need to look at how much time we are "actively" marketing and increase that. Marjorie spends between 10 - 15 a week, while Nia spends 1 - 2 hrs per day. I spend about 2 - 3 hours per day. I feel these numbers are reasonable and allow enough time to work on paid jobs, accounting/billing and business planning/strategy development, etc.

We also said KNOW YOUR TARGET. What sites do they like to hang out on or what events do they attend? What unmet needs do they have that you can fill?

We touched a little on your marketing message. How do you know when your message needs to be changed or modified?
Robin Tramble August 6, 2010 at 5:01am

It's very important to know who you serve. Some call this your niche.
Many fear doing this because they think that they'll cut off their reach.
On the contrary you are more focused. Save time and money because you
are clear on who you are directing your efforts to. Plus you position yourself
to attract your ideal client. It also helps when developing your marketing
material.

Okay there's a little to think about.
I'll share more on this in my upcoming Women's Empowerment
and Mindset Breakthrough Online Boost Camp and live Empowerment
and Networking event here in Sacramento

Robin
Evonna Bruner August 6, 2010 at 2:23am

Good discussion. I think the idea of sticking to a few marketing tactics works best in my opinion because then I don't stretch myself out to thin. Working a 9-5 AND blogging AND starting a business is already overwhelming for me, so it is important for me to stick to a few things, master those (so to speak) and then move on.
Nia Tillett August 5, 2010 at 9:39pm

I dont believe that people really gauge how their clients receive information. Most website plans will allow you to track the referrals for your website. I have a large number that come straight from google or by physically entering the website but I rely heavily of facebook/twitter and mommy blogs. I can see which sites my clients are coming from so I go and make posts/run contests and just interact with them without it feeling forced.

I have also found that your current clients are your best marketing tool - word of mouth is critical for CocoaBabies and we have found some success with keeping our current customers happy. I include a personal thank you note with each order (I actually just started this a few weeks ago) and the number of follow up emails and quick FB hits in response to that small gesture is crazy. They appreciate that personal connection and they tell others about it.

I spend about 1-2 hours per day actively marketing the business outside of the time it takes to make site updates and fill orders.
LaShanda Henry August 5, 2010 at 8:14pm

I have to agree with you Lavada, its not just about what your are doing ... it's also about how often and for whom? In other words: the frequency of your marketing campaigns and also the target market you choose to focus on. I find many women entrepreneurs feel they have a great product and are excited about bringing in the sales BUT they have no clue about market research nor do they truly understand what it means to be consistent with your marketing.

For example: think about commercials... do you buy something every time you look at a commercial? No! But that is not the point... the point is to consistently be in the face of your target audience so when they are ready to buy ... they remember you.

That is a BIG theme that we talk about in the Women of Color Coaching Program. More important to discovering the right marketing solutions is learning how to effectively work them! -lh
Amanda C Lavalle August 5, 2010 at 8:01pm

I would like to hear some ideas. I am a new start up and my marketing budget has been sucked dry. I wish I could take alot of it back because they were bad news. I spend almost 6 hours a day on the computer on different sites marketing. It's time consuming
- Lavada Thompson > Amanda C Lavalle August 5, 2010 at 11:34pm
  
  I became overwhelmed when I tried to network on too many different sites. So, I chose a few to start with the intention of analyzing how effective these sites were in bringing in new leads and making a determination as to whether I should continue with those sites or not.
  
  LaShanda brought up target market research, which is a must if you're going to be successful. Whatever networking sites your target market is using, is where you want to be. Initially, you may not know. Some feel that unless they have all the research performed ahead of time and they know exactly where they're going, they cannot get started. Big mistake. Just start somewhere. We should always be in research mode and continuously evolving and adapting. A few months go by and maybe it turns out that wasn't a good site to find leads and customers. Oh well. I would move onto the next if I wasn't getting any leads. If I was getting leads, but having a hard time converting them, that's a different issue. I would start asking myself questions like "Is the value proposition clear?", "Am I meeting an unmet need or is my service/product just a commodity?", "Am I being too aggressive in my sales and scaring potential customers away?" Perhaps, I'm not even asking for the sale and just expecting them to throw their money at me.

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