A company that wants more business, but has no strategy for getting new business is paddling a sinking ship up the river called de -Nile.
Doing business as usual and simply waiting for new customers to walk in your door is a sure way to watch nothing happen. “I never advertised. I’m not going to start now.” Well, how’s that working?
How about the cute flyer you made instead of a brochure? Your son put it together for you with some photographs that were pretty good. Your husband likes to write, so he helped with the text. It was a nice family project and you saved a bundle. Or did you?
If you’d gotten over your fear or discomfort with social media sooner, you might have connected with that old college friend who was looking for a builder for his lake house renovation. He didn’t know you were a builder in the Lakes Region, until he learned six months too late from a mutual friend. He would have loved to work with you.
Well bummer, eh? Inertia and indecision can cost you big time.
But don’t despair, just dust yourself off and get in there. The key is to increase your batting average, by getting in the game. Really get in the game. Learn to play all the positions or be sure all the positions are covered-- social media: Would a coupon on FaceBook make sense for your business? Could you Tweet a limited offer that would bring more customers to your website? Are you blogging? Have you let family and friends and current clients know about the changes in your business so they can help spread the word?
Can you target your audience by advertising in your local paper or nationally, or on the internet? Does your sales team have the best brochures or other leave behinds to help them with their efforts? Do all your marketing materials have the same clear message? What’s your company image, branding? If you don’t know -- you should consult a marketing expert for some direction. Is your website helping your bottom line?
An effective marketing plan isn’t just one thing. It’s a comprehensive, well designed strategy specific for your business. Be creative and be consistent with your message. And have fun. Growing your business should be fun.
What creative ways have you found to bring more customers to your bottom line?