Health & Fitness
Fall Into a New Way to Attract Customers
With fall approaching and in the air this week, business owners are thinking about their marketing budget and new ways to find customers. Here are 13 ways to help establish long-term relationships.
With fall approaching and in the air this week, business owners are thinking about their marketing budget and new ways to find customers. I am no different. With the advent of computers and the electronic age, we get overwhelmed with emails, robo-calls and direct mail. It is time to go back to the personal touch. The personal touch was popular in the late 1930's with Roosevelt. It's time to make phone calls, drop in on and mail handwritten notes to your prospects and customers. It now takes up to 16 times to "touch" someone before they know, like and trust you enough to buy from you.
Below are a few ways to help get the word out about your business and establish long-term relationships when you are unable to make the personal touches:
1. Website - Every business should have a professionally designed website.
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2. Social media - You should be on the top three social media platforms,
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Post at least once a day on each.
3. Blog - Post at least once a month on your blog. I use Wordpress but there are many from which to choose. Just search online.
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4. Articles - You are the expert in your field. Write articles and submit them to as many places as will take them. I have several articles in ezinearticles.com.
5. Video emails - Don't just send a text message. Shake things up a bit, surprise your prospect or client with a video email. You can also do broadcasts and screen shares. I use myvideotalk.com. But search online for more.
6. Networking - Attend as many networking events as possible. Some are free others are very inexpensive. Join your local chamber of commerce and attend the mixers. I also suggest meetup.com.
7. Newsletters - Include the articles you write, specials, new services and products. I use Constant Contact but there is Mailchimp and many others.
8. Personalized Cards - People love to get personalized mail. I use Send Out Cards to send my new clients a postcard or greeting card and sometimes even a small gift.
9. Recorded Phone Calls - These are great to remind members of a meeting or in anmergency. But they are also great to advertise new products and services. I
use callfire.com. But you can find more options online.
10. Webinars or Workshops: You are the expert so help others learn too. The best way to get people to listen to you is to teach them something. Myvideotalk.com and Gotomeeting.com have webinar options and you can find more online.
11. YouTube - A YouTube channel will help you get your videos online. Don't forget to post them on your LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
12. Press Release - Have a press release professionally written and email it to
as many magazines and newspapers as you can. Also, search online for free
websites to post them.
13. Contact Manager - Keep a list of your clients and prospects. I use Outlook, but you can use Excel, GoldMine, ACT! or others. Just search online for more.
You can use one or a combination of these services to help grow your business. Remember, you cannot do the same old thing, you have to shake things up a bit.
CindyFreland is the author of many business articles. Freland is an award-winning virtual assistant and founded Maryland Secretarial Services, Inc. in 1997. She can be reached at (301) 352-7927 or cindy@marylandsecretarial.com
or visit her web site at http://www.marylandsecretarial.com.
