3 Actions You Can Do in 90 Minutes to Get More Sales Appointments With Business Owners
Here's a marketing sprint for you. These three small business marketing strategies that may all be done in the next 90 minutes and together they're going to set you up for business expansion.
Action 1: Create a Customer List (60 minutes)
If you do nothing else do this! Your customer list is the only real asset in your business. Think about that for a moment and let it sink in. You can own hardware and property and according to your accountant they are assets...but in fact, the only assets you have are the relationships you have with the people that are ready to give you money for service. Without that one primary asset, you do not have a business. So start paying close attention to your client list...it's the most valuable thing you own.
If your list is in Quickbooks...get it out. Quickbooks is for accounting. You need a marketing list. I suggest using Highrise if you're only getting going with your list, or Infusionsoft if you're prepared to leap to a higher level. Infusionsoft will automate all of your marketing and client fulfillment processes...it's what I use to power my business.
Action 2: Sign-up for an E-mail Marketing Service With an Autoresponder (20 minutes)
Email marketing is one of the most efficient ways that you can promote your business. Nationwide research has proven year over year that email marketing delivers more than a 40:1 return on investment. That's more than double the next best marketing method. If you've finished Action 1 and are growing your list, you are nuts if you don't have a method to do email marketing.
If you're thinking, e-newsletter, you are only half right. I do think e-newsletters, sent weekly or bi-weekly, are an essential part of your marketing mix, but the genuine power in e-mail marketing is automation. With automation, you can capture a new lead and send them a collection of instructional messages over time...automatically (even while you sit on the beach drinking a margarita).
If you're trying to find a solid e-mail marketing service, I suggest iContact, Aweber or Infusionsoft.
Action 8: Sign-up for a Press Notification Service (10minutes)
Getting free press can be a huge boost to your business. And there's a little known secret most business owners don't understand...the press wants your story. Yes, it's true...there's a columnist out there this very minute on a deadline and she needs you. The trick is finding the columnist.
Here are two services that bring those hungry columnists right to your inbox:
- Help A Reporter Out: HARO, as it's called is a free service that columnists use to post requests for top experts to interview for their stories. All you've got to do is go to the HARO website and create your free account. You'll get three short emails each day with lists of media opportunities and the contact info for the columnist.
- Reporter Connection: Reporter Connection works much like HARO. It too is free and will send you one email per day with listings.
Just scan these messages when they come in and when you see an opportunity to provide great information, click and respond.
Just these few actions will help you move your marketing forward!
Steve Gordon is a small business marketing consultant host of the Small Business Marketing Show podcast. Steve teaches tactics for getting sales appointments with small business owners without cold calling.
Tags: Small Business Marketing
