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Marketing Tips for the Non-Stop Marketer
How you can attract, retain and extend your relationship with customers...
by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Frippicisms:*
It is not your clients job to remember you, it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don't forget you.
The real sale comes after the sale.
Your best customer is the hottest prospect for your competitors.
Your efforts have to be ongoing and consistent.
I'm always taken aback when someone asks me how much time I devote to marketing. Every single thing we do is marketing. Talking to strangers at seminars or group meetings or even in elevators or taxis is marketing. Customer service is part of marketing. I am an unabashed, relentless, promoter of my services and products. I get the drive from the love I have for my business. Here are a few suggestions on how you can attract, retain and extend your relationship with customers
If you want to improve your marketing efforts, you need to attend seminars, read books and articles on marketing. Talk to colleagues (a professional friend with whom you share target markets but don't sell the same product or service) about how they attract and retain their customers. It's important to accept that many of the tips and techniques may not be appropriate for you. However, if you open your mind, you'll come up with aversion of the idea that may be perfect for you and your business.
Don't overlook the effectiveness of the "schmooze factor." That's just talking and having fun with customers. I experienced a good example of the schmooze factor with a Super Shuttle driver recently. I won't drive in silence in elevators or taxis (unless I'm getting unusual vibes from passengers) so I always ask them if they're going or coming from somewhere fun. Well, the driver jumped into the conversation and kept it lively and wonderfully entertaining for the entire 40 minutes to the airport. We all tipped her at least double what we would have because she made it so much fun. Be sure that when you schmooze you keep the talk casual and fun without getting the least bit inappropriate or disrespectful.
Don't let your customers forget you-keep in touch with them consistently. One or two months after a sale write your customers a note and ask them how they are enjoying their purchase. Call or write again on the anniversary of their purchase. If you see something in a periodical that you think your customers would be interested in send them a copy of it along with a note. Write a regular newsletter. Be sure to include information that will be of value to them as well as news about you and your latest products/services and charges. If you've not gone high-tech, immediate create (or have someone do it for you) a website on the Internet. You'll reach people you might not have expected. This is a great equalizer in business, you can be perceived as a lot larger company than you are. It also works as a sales and marketing person 24 hours a day and never asks for overtime!
Give your customers something valuable they'll keep. I'm talking about those little specialty-advertising items on which you have your name printed. I have a little laminated wallet-sized-card listing 15% and 20% tips. It's a wonderfully handy little item to carry in your wallet and - it has my address, phone number, and Website information on it. Meet with an advertising specialty firm to see what items such as this will be helpful to your customers. What items would be valuable to them that they would keep on their desks, wallets, kitchens, etc.? They'll see your name often and when they want to reach you, they can simply take your number off that refrigerator magnet or highlighter market you gave them.
When I owned my hairstyling salon, I trained my stylists to ask their customers if they wanted to set their next haircut appointment. I explained that it's part of our service to keep their hair looking its best. What can you do to remind your customers when it's time to consider your service/product again?
Have you ever given a stack of your business cards to friends or customers for them to distribute? How often do you think the cards actually get distributed? I don't leave anything to chance. When I was in the hairstyling business, with each haircut, I always gave my clients three of my business cards. "One for you, two for the next two people who tell you how good you look." Two cards are easier, and more likely to be hand out than a handful. And you're asking them to give your card only to those who ask about his/her haircut. Even if you don't have a hairstyling business, how can you make this technique work for you?
Remember life is a series of sales situations. No matter how successful your business is, don't stop marketing. You have to keep convincing your customers that with you they will get the best and memorable service.
PFripp@Fripp.com
1-800 634 3035
http://www.fripp.com
Names And Email Addresses-Newbies, Go After Them Now
By: Wy Williams
Names and email addresses are the gold dust of the internet. Newbies, you must go after them now. This is your bread and butter. It's also called your optin list. Call it what you like, you must get your own list.
Do not procrastinate on this one. Immediate action is required. Focus your early efforts on acquiring your very own optin list. You'll be well on your way to surviving on the internet if you do the following:
Provide Something Free And Of Perceived Value
Information products are the easiest and least expensive way for you to go. Isn't information what the internet is all about? That settles it then. An Information product it will be.
It must be something of value. It could be a special report on fuzzy dice. An informative email course on the various moods of a dissatisfied wife, (maybe not that topic, but an email course nonetheless). Go ahead and write a few related articles. Use them to compile an ebook and give that away free. You see were I'm going with this don't you?
A Free Swap
We've finally decided to write a special report on "How To Start A Home-Based Business." It's a great topic. Investigating it will help you as a newbie. Hold on now, the special report is free, yes.
But let's not just give it away. Use it to get something, like names and email addresses? Glad you suggested that. We'll dangle the special report like a carrot. If anyone wants it, they can have it free of charge. But they must give their name and email address for it.
Building The Most Important Ingredient-Trust
Make sure the special report is chuck full of helpful information. That's vitally important. Your reputation depends on it. Consider this.
Someone gave you information that helped your family. Maybe it even saved you time and money. Then next week your inbox has another email from them. What? Are you going to delete the email? Of course not! It may contain more helpful information.
That's trust-building. Let's say you purchased a product from the internet. That product turned out to be fantastic for your family. It helped you automate the many chores of a busy household.
Remember now, you're still a newbie at this. You don't as yet own your own product, but you're close. Here's what you do. That fantastic product that helped your family so much, become an affiliate of that product.
Affiliate Programs
Its usually free to sign up as an affiliate. The program would give you an affiliate ID. They also give you tools like banners and text ads to help you drive traffic to sell their product.
You're one up though. You've been doing your homework. You already have an optin list of your own. You can and probably should learn to use that stuff. It will give you another option for getting traffic. You shouldn't put all your eggs into one basket.
All of the previous tips come down to this. That fantastic product that helped your family, remember it? You're now an affiliate for it right? Yes...the one which gives you $25 every time you make a sale?
Tell your 350 names and addresses you have captured with the special report about this great product. Let them know how this awesome product helped your family. Make suggestions for them to purchase this great product.
They may live alone, fine. Suggest that they buy it for their next door neighbor or maybe for their grand children. You can do this. If 40 people on your list of 350 purchase the product, you have made a cool $1,000.
Understand now why it is crucial for you to get a list? What are you waiting for? Get cracking on your list. All the best.
Article Source: http://www.freecoachingarticles.com
The names and email addresses that you capture are priceless. But they are nothing without mutual trust and respect. Wy Williams has worked hard on his list. Far and away, the best people who have helped him get his list can be found here: www.wyclefinnovations.com/wr | 
