Following Up Is KEY!

"Business is based on enabling someone to do business with another person, and to do that, they first have to develop some measure of trust, either in the other person or the system." Pierre Omidyar

I recently attended a networking event and was once again amazed by the lack of follow-up after the event. I met some great people, but even though I gave them my card and asked them to get in touch with me - they never did. Maybe they got busy, maybe they didn't want my business or maybe they didn't need more new business. No matter what their reason for not following up - they lost my business. I need to be able to trust the people I do business with. I need to know that they will do what they say they will do and if they do not do what they have promised to do right away - I doubt the rest of our transactions will be any different.

I want to know that every business I do business with follows-up promptly. I want to know that they are going to do what they say they will do EVERY time. I want service. I want a relationship built on trust. And in this economy where competition is fierce - I don't think many businesses can afford to lose customers.

I have struggled with follow-up over the years. Follow up takes time, other things get in the way and I sometimes have just plain forgotten. I needed a routine, a plan for follow up - otherwise I let things slip through the cracks.

When I attend a networking event or meet new potential clients, I always ask for their card. And then while I am speaking with them or directly after, I make notes on the back of the card as to what we talked about and how I may be able to help them.

Then the next morning I send them an email offering help in the areas we spoke of and requesting a meeting if necessary. In addition I connect with them on the social media sites I use. I search for them on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and then send invitations to connect. This way they are in my network and I can find them again easily if I need too. I also add them to my ACT! database and if they requested, I sign them up for my monthly newsletter.

This whole process takes only a few minutes but it's worth far more than the effort I put in. And the best part is it's now a routine - I do it automatically every day. I leave any new business cards on my desk at night and then follow up first thing in the morning. This follow up is not only good service - it's list building. I'm continually filling my pipeline and building my marketing list.

How do you follow up on new leads or new contacts? Do you have a system in place that allows to to follow up EVERY time? If not, I encourage you to create one today.

Be who you say you are and do what you say you will do - your business will grow as a result.

Get a Social Media Plan!

I recently had someone tell me they thought I spent 8 hours a day on social media. I laughed and asked why they thought this. They said I must spend all day with social media because they see me everywhere

I was excited by this comment as I am trying to market and be where people will see me. But I am not spending all day with social media - I'm only spending about 15 to 20 minutes a day. And apparently those minutes are time well spent because people keep telling me they are seeing me all over the place. Social media is working!

I made a commitment to add social media to my marketing mix about two years ago. I started using social media as an observer, signing up for quite a few different sites but not being actively involved. I wanted to see what others were doing and how they were using social media to market their businesses.

After watching for a time, I decided that social media would be a great fit for my business and I jumped in with both feet.

In the beginning I spent a lot of time using social media sites each day. I actually wasted a lot of time every day. Besides eating up much of my day - I didn't feel my efforts were making a difference. I had to make some changes. I decided to create a social media plan and stick to it every day. I created a plan that required less time but was very consistent. Today I use social media in the following ways.

WHERE I SPEND MY TIME:
The three sites I consistently use are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. I am on a few other sites but don't follow those or contribute to them very often.

DAILY
I update all three sites EVERY day. I have a plan for what I post each day so it's very simple. I know in advance what I will post and post to all three sites. Posting takes me only a few moments each day. I felt it was important to have my posts represent my business and be consistent. Consistency is important with social media.

Respond to all requests and invitations.

WEEKLY
I write a blog every week and post it to all three sites. In addition I post my blog to a minimum of five article sites. One of the sites I use is http://www.articlesbase.com/. There are hundreds of article sites. I focus on sites that fit my marketing plan.

I send connection requests with any new people I have met.

Comment on any discussions in my target groups on LinkedIn.

MONTHLY
I write a newsletter monthly and post to my website, social media sites and article sites.

I prepare my posts for the next month. I tend to use a theme or a series for my posts. Right now I am using 101 Organizational Renovation Tips. This tip booklet gives me almost three months worth of content and it is available for sale as a downloadable ebook on my website.

TIPS
Re-use everything. If you write an article - use it and publish it in as many places as possible.

Create a routine for social media and stick to it. Make time every day but limit your time - set a timer if you need to. Social media is a great tool but it can also be a huge time waster.

Have fun with social media. Social media is a great way for others to get to know you - have fun, let your personality shine through.

Align your social media with your marketing plan. The more focused you can be with your efforts - the more successful your social media efforts will be.

Do not expect results right away. Social media takes time. Be consistent with your efforts and over time you will see results.

Keep it simple and make social media a daily habit.

Keep it Simple!

K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple silly!

I've talked to many people lately about how to market in this economy. And every single person I spoke to said - KEEP IT SIMPLE. Each person spoke about how they have gone back to the basics with their marketing efforts and how they are keeping it very simple.

I thought about what that means for my business. How do I keep it simple? How do I concentrate on the basics?

After thinking this over for many days, I came to the conclusion that I've been keeping it simple. I've been practicing the basics for months. I have had to. In the past I used all kinds of funky and expensive marketing techniques. I tried to stand out by spending more money or having the most marketing material. I think back to some of the full color folders I paid to have printed and I cringe - not only were they ugly, they cost a small fortune and did not bring in new business. I thought spending lots of money worked years ago. While it may have worked back then - it does not work today.

Fancy and expensive doesn't work today because finances are tight. I'm working three times harder to book the same amount of businessas I did five years ago. can not afford to be spending massive amounts of money on marketing - it just isn't in the budget.

Not having an overflow of cash has been a good thing for my business - it has forced me to get back to the basics. For me the basics include blogging regularly, cold calling daily, contacting past clients, attending networking events and doing a regular podcast. All these activities are free - they require my time and energy but they don't put a dent in my budget.

What are the marketing basics for your business? Are you practicing them? If not, take time this week to think about getting back to the basics. If you are practicing the basics, good for you! Keep up the good work.

Remember - marketing isn't complicated - it's really simple if we keep our eyes on the basics.

Low-Cost, No-Cost Marketing Tips

Tips for Marketing Your Business on a Budget

Write articles in your local paper. Local newspapers are always looking for great content. Write articles about the construction industry for the general public. Topics could include: working within a construction budget, construction financing, how to choose a contractor or tips for home maintenance. The object of these articles is to establish yourself as the construction expert in your local area – not to promote your business.

Attend local networking events regularly. I know you are busy and do not have extra time but networking is key for growing a business. Make a point to get out at a minimum of a few times a month to network.

Participate in community service. We regularly participated in community service. We adopted a highway, volunteered at the chamber and sponsored sports teams. By doing community service people see you as committed to the community and they believe you are in business to stay.

Delight your customers – every time. We can no longer just sell a project, do the work and move on. Customers are increasingly selective and they want to be “delighted” not just served. Set up company policies that take customer service to a new level. By delighting customers you will generate a buzz with word of mouth advertising.

Enlist other to help. Partner with other companies in your field to do joint marketing, hold local events or link to each others websites. There are many creative people in the business – ask for help.

Use your current contacts. Continue marketing to your clients on an ongoing basis. We tried to have some type of contact with our clients at least four times a year either through email, personal contact or a mailing of some sort.

Write an email newsletter. This is a low cost way to stay in front of your database. Just make sure the newsletter is not all about you and your company. Add interesting news about the construction industry, give them tips for home improvement and make it fun.

Offer free seminars. You can offer free seminars at local trade shows. This is another way to provide valuable information to the public while establishing you as an expert.

Manage Your Marketing

"Marketing is not an event, but a process . . . It has a beginning, a middle, but never an end, for it is a process. You improve it, perfect it, change it, even pause it. But you never stop it completely." Jay Conrad Levinson

• Realize marketing is a must! No business will survive in the long run without a purposeful marketing plan.
• Write a simple marketing plan to start. Expand on this as you grow. This should be a working document.
• Manage social media and online marketing. This can be an overwhelming task. Start small with one or two sites.
• Use testimonials. Testimonials are the best form of marketing their is. If clients are willing to write down why someone should hire us and what their experience was - we should use this as a marketing tool. And the best part is - it is free!
• Take advantage of free publicity. There are hundreds of opportunities to write articles, be involved with something newsworthy or share your expertise. Keep your eyes open for opportunties to market yourself for free.
• Hire help only when you are clear about your brand and can afford to invest in the next step.
• Know your elevator speech . When people ask you what you do - you NEED to have an answer. Craft an elevator speech and know it cold.
• Use your network - the people you know are the best place to start marketing yourself too.
• Ask for help. People really want to help. Ask people who have successfully marketed their business for help and ideas.
• Network, network, network! Other people can be the best marketing tool you have.
• Keep your website fresh! Your website is your biggest marketing tool - keep it fresh. If you are going to invest in marketing - your website is the place to put your money.
• Have fun with marketing! Marketing should be fun - it is about building relationships with potential clients and growing your business.
  

Creating Customers for Life

Ways to create customers for life:

• Send thank you cards.
• Send birthday or holiday cards.
• Create a customer loyalty program.
• Host a client appreciation event.
• Let them know what to expect each step of the way.
• Send them business if you can.
• Ask them how they would like to be contacted.
• Get to know them, ask about their lives.
• Think about your business from their perspective.
• Train your employees to thank each and every client.
• Remain passionate about your business.
• Make creating customers for life a mindset – let it be a part of everything you do.
• Smile when you are with them.
• Follow through – EVERY TIME!
• Admit when you make a mistake and apologize.
• Always tell the truth – no matter what.
• Be genuine in your appreciation.
• Hold a focus group with key clients and ask for their feedback on your business.
• Connect with them through online social media and networking sites.
• Give back.
• Continue to deliver value in your newsletters and communications with them.
• Remember – it is always about the client. It is not about you.

Creating Customers for Life

How will you build and maintain customers for life?

Your goal in business should be to build lifelong customers – true fans of your business. We’ve said it before – it’s easier to sell more to a previous customer than it is to gain a new one. By maintaining relationships with past clients you build customers for life.

If you’ve got a passion for your business – clients will stay. Clients are attracted to your energy, your expertise and the way you do business. By staying passionate and involved with your business – you attract people to your business. By staying in front of your past clients and continuing to bring them value – they’ll stay excited about your business. Past clients are your best marketing source. If they’re happy and excited about what you do – they’ll share it with others, return to you when they have a need and be your partners in developing new business.

Maintaining contact with past clients is often overlooked. I worked in an industry for a few years where past clients we not really given much thought. I had one client tell me that all he ever really wanted was a holiday card – a thank you. He’d been happy with the business but he didn’t feel appreciated.

We need to appreciate the people who make our business work. Just as our employees need our appreciation to perform at high levels – our past clients need to feel appreciated in order to bring us more business.

I’m continually amazed by how many business I work with and buy from who never follow up after the sale. They take my money and that’s it. Businesses need to understand how valuable clients can be over the lifetime of their business.

Take a grocery store for example. I spend at least $200 a week. Over the course of a year I spend $10,400 on groceries. Over ten years I spend $104,000. If I shop at the same store every week – that’s a nice chunk of change. But if I spread my purchases around – everyone gets just a little piece. If I owned a grocery store – I would do all I could to create customers for life. I’d want to create customer loyalty to my store and to its products. I would take time to appreciate and stay in front of every $200 per week shopper.

In our construction company things worked differently. Client would come to us for a renovation project. These projects would range anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000. We sold a service. It was a big ticket item. Most of our clients took out a loan in order to buy our services. Yet I knew that even though each client may work with us only once in their lifetime – I wanted to stay in front of them.

I stayed connected with our past clients for many reason. First of all they are the best source for referrals. Second they may need our services again – people move or add on again. And lastly I liked our clients. When you work with the RIGHT clients each and every time you do business – you end up working with people you like. We had some great clients. They were fun to work with and over the course of their project we often got to know them very well.

Everything we did in our business was tied to the creating customers for life concept. We took the time to educate clients about the process prior to beginning any work. We held weekly meetings to review the project and answer any questions they had. We sent out a letter and a gift certificate for dinner the day the project was the messiest. We sent a letter saying, “we’re almost done, the end will come.” And we took the time when the project was completed to go over every detail and make sure they were 100% satisfied.

But we didn’t stop marketing when the project was completed. We sent a thank you note after our last meeting, we did a 30 day check in call and then again at one year. In addition we added them to our newsletter list, invited them to our client appreciation party each year and kept them informed of any other events we participated in.

Our client appreciation party became an annual highlight. People came year after year and often asked to bring others. We focused the entire event on thanking our clients and letting them know we appreciated them. It was worth every dollar we spent.

The other benefit of staying in front of past clients is that you always have a source for referrals, testimonials and references. Many of our past clients willingly spoke to new clients, referred us to their friends and helped us think of new ways to market. Past clients can become partners in the business if you let them.

To create a customer care strategy is easy – following through is difficult. It’s easy to plan and want to do things for your past clients. It’s harder to actually do it. A customer care strategy involves time and energy – it’s not usually costly but it requires planning and effort.

Keep in mind, the time and energy spent on creating customers for life will pay off. It will produce results. Take the time to create a strategy and make a plan for following through – you will be glad you did.