|
We marketing and business consultants provide our clients lots of smart advice, and when they use that advice we brag on their intelligence. When they don't, we predict their failure. This past weekend I spent some time thinking about that and decided to check myself and my marketing firm out. I evaluated how well we do in taking our own advice and analyzed our successes and failures based on that advice. We did well, but could do better.
The process made me realize that among the ways we could do better is in the discovery and new and unique ways to achieve success. Although new strategies might be hard to come by, I suspect that you can offer us new ways to launch and manage those strategies for success.
I challenge each of us to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. What one, two or three tips work best for your clients and how do they work for you? To be a good sport, I'll begin.
1. Network: No matter my client's products or services, my first piece of advice to grow their business and to build their brand and marketing image is to get out of the office and meet others in business. They need not be potential clients, as one of the best ways to grow a business is through referrals and leads. This strategy only works if we are committed to relationship building. Build relationships and within a year your business will begin reaping the benefits of those relationships. My unique tip: I reach out to all my competitors, take them to coffee, sometimes refer business to them, and in return, they do the same.
2. Know What Your Best Customer Looks Like: How can you market to your best customers if you don't know who they are and what they look like? And how can you ask for referrals and leads if you can't describe what those referrals and leads should look like? Identify your best customers by industries, positions of decision makers (e.g., CEO, CMO, CFO, etc.), size of revenue, number of employees, geography, values, their customers, their state of growth, and so on. My unique tip: When you visit a client, notice what they read. This will tell you much about who they are.
3. Writing and Speaking: This goes along with number 1. Get out of the office, get known, and build relationships. Write and speak about what you know that others want to learn or seek verification. Keep in mind, it is about the audience, not about us. My unique tip: Offer to speak in exchange for expenses. I do this for those I am trying to build long-term relationships with. First, it is a nice way to honor the relationship and second, a good way to grow referrals and leads and to spread word of mouth marketing regarding your speaking ability and availability.
Those are three broad strategies. Feel free to share tactics that spell out specific ways to achieve strategic success in any of those categories or share new and different strategies and tactics? What works and what doesn't?
|
Comments
Lewis, step 2 --your unique tip is a good one, however I'd still be a bit skeptical of what my clients or colleagues appear to be reading. Sometimes people stock their business libraries or desks with best selling or mgmt classics --think Drucker-- to make others "think" they're well read or smart when in fact they haven't read the books in question or they dusted them off from B-school reading 20 years ago.
To check for authenticity, I like to ask, "what was your favorite part of that book?" It's a question that sometimes leads to a great conversation!
Posted by: Paul Barsch | 08.07.07
Paul,
Great idea. Thanks! I recognize the "image" building mindset of spreading reading material around that makes us look smart. Even that tells us something about the client--they are image-focused and wish they did read those materials.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 08.07.07
Lewis, you're so smart. Sometimes, we're so busy doing for clients and our volunteer positions, that we can easily lose track of our own companies. Although I am often out at my association meetings, I can certainly do more networking in the community. Excellent points.
Posted by: Elaine Fogel | 08.07.07
Well, I'm not sure how smart I am. With age has come a few learnings. I do appreciate your kindness, however, and do believe that networking and building relationships equals business growth.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 08.07.07
Excellent tips, Lewis. I;ve found networking with others in relkated businesses -- not so much direct competitors -- to be an effective tactic for getting business leads.
Also, here's one to add to the list, which I myself too often neglect. Get publicity where you can. Even a few lines in the local paper when you win a new account or complete a project can be helpful in letting people know you exist and what you do.
Posted by: David Reich | 08.07.07
Wonderful tip, David. It can be easier written than published but we should never give up on our use of PR.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 08.07.07
Great tips Lewis. The networking aspect is so important, but so few do it correctly I am glad you brought the relationship building aspect up. I would like to add a point to the networking. If you join a group that you like, get involved. Don't just show up. So many people join and then expect business.
I always tell people to find an organization you are passionate about and start on the membership committee. By becoming involved and giving back to the community and the organization, people hear about you and start to trust you. But you must be giving back unconditionally.
Thank you for the post.
Sharan Tash
The Professional Networker
Posted by: Sharan Tash | 08.07.07
Some other tips:
Read and Listen. There are a lot of great ideas out there, not just in your area of expertise. Listen to the other voices, and see if can be a source of information or inspiration.
Cast wide. You never know who may need you. Be willing to talk to anyone who wants to talk with you.
Also, I wrote a similar article in June '07 ("Marketing: Practice What You Preach") http://manygoodideas.com/CreativeBusinessIdeas/07-06-PracticeWhatPreach.htm
Posted by: Jay Hamilton-Roth | 08.09.07
Thanks for tip #1! (Well, actually all 3 of course). I have thought about something similar for awhile but have hesitated about calling and asking my competitors out for lunch. I suppose the worse thing they can say is only "no." ;)
Cheers,
Cindy
Posted by: cindy@staged4more | 08.10.07