| If you're like most small business owners, | | | | No piece of information (invoices, thank you |
| when you need business you run out and do | | | | cards, emails, mail, etc) should ever go out |
| lots of marketing; then you get so busy | | | | without your company contact information on |
| working you get have no time to seek out new | | | | it. Every communication outside your company |
| clients. The money's flowing and you get | | | | is an opportunity for you to promote |
| complacent. However, then you finish up your | | | | yourself!Your ongoing marketing efforts |
| projects and clients and guess what! There's | | | | include a wide range of activities aimed at |
| no business again! And the income drops! | | | | securing new customers as well as making sure |
| You're riding the roller coaster income | | | | you continue to meet the needs of your |
| syndrome and there's only one way out: | | | | existing customers-who in turn generate |
| consistency. You need to create an ongoing | | | | referrals. Marketing also includes analyzing |
| marketing engine that runs whether you're | | | | the competition, positioning your new |
| busy or whether you're bored!Preparing a | | | | products or services (finding your market |
| marketing plan is your first step. You'll | | | | niche), pricing your products and services, |
| need to conduct some market research to | | | | and promoting them through continued |
| determine who your ideal client is, what | | | | advertising, public relations, and sales. |
| their needs are, how you can meet their | | | | Ongoing promotion keeps your service or |
| needs, where you can find them, how you will | | | | product in the minds of your prospects and |
| reach them, and the daily activities you need | | | | customer and helps stimulate demand.In |
| to do to keep your pipeline full. Some of | | | | planning your marketing and promotional |
| these activities may include networking, | | | | strategies, use this formula for the 3 Cs of |
| speaking, seminars, teleclasses, and e-zines. | | | | Marketing Success:Consistency (communicate |
| All of these are active forms of marketing | | | | regularly with your customers and prospects) |
| that take your time, unless you can delegate | | | | |
| some of the activities or automate them. You | | | | Clarity (deliver clear benefit driven |
| can also count on a steady stream of income | | | | messages to those customers) |
| when you have in place various sources of | | | | |
| passive income, such as from products sales, | | | | Collaboration (work with marketing experts |
| affiliates, or referrals fees.Here are just a | | | | or a coach, a mastermind team, and form joint |
| few general suggestions to consider when | | | | venture partnerships to expedite growth)If |
| developing your marketing engine:Never let a | | | | you can master these three items, you will be |
| day pass without engaging in at least one | | | | heads and shoulder above a majority of your |
| marketing activity. Set specific marketing | | | | competition. Jay Conrad Levinson once told |
| goals every year; review and adjust | | | | me, "It is unfortunate but true that bad |
| quarterly. Maintain a file of ideas for | | | | marketing done consistently is better than |
| later use. I have a board in my office I | | | | good marketing done inconsistently." Create |
| call my "parking lot" for ideas. Always | | | | consistency in your marketing program and not |
| have business cards with you: in your car, in | | | | only will you stop riding the roller coaster |
| your purse or briefcase. I even carry a | | | | income syndrome, you'll be assured a much |
| brochure or two for that special occasion. | | | | greater level of success. |