Your marketing strategy shouldn’t be considered a one dimensional system. Only rely on conversations and word of mouth, and you run the risk of referrals losing confidence when they can’t find you online.
Only rely on an online presence and you run the risk of your business feeling impersonal and unrelatable.
The successful marketing campaign will include both a networking strategy as well as a sufficient online presence.
This is all about networking – and how the marketing system works from conversations to signing the deal.
So, let’s say that you’re just starting a new business. Can you remember when you started yours? What was the first priority?
Well, for most – it’s the internet. Everyone is on the internet, and we need to build up a presence on there. So it’s off to Instagram, Facebook and the website builder of your choosing.
Then we set up the Google Business Profile and make regular posts on there as well.
Maybe we get going on a YouTube and a Yelp page. On and on we go.
So, I’ve been doing this for a number of years now, and as far as I can tell this is the best method of marketing.
Blast yourself across all of the content sharing platforms as much as possible. The idea is to do this for yourself for as long as time limitations will allow you to, and then pass it off to a well inept employee or a subcontractor.
Keep this system churning out new content every day, and make small adjustments as you go. If you get the idea to start running a blog and a newsletter, then roll with that until it doesn’t make sense anymore.
If you want to start a Pinterest, same thing – run it until it succeeds and grows for you, or falls flat on its face.
Now, outside of this – having an online presence is only once piece of the whole. If you’re a traditional, physical business – you need to be an active member of your community. Remember, this is more than just a pay cheque, it’s a lifestyle.
People need to know who you are, and they should love who you are so they tell everyone they know that you’re the obvious choice. This is called networking, or physical marketing. It’s live, it’s in person, and it’s real and raw.
So, sponsor local sports teams and attend the events wearing your logo and brand. Attend local chamber of commerce events and voice your opinion. Get out in your community and have conversations with people.
Bring your cards, be memorable and develop meaningful relationships.
From there, you’ve done your part. You’ve planted the seeds. Now, you simply wait for prospects to research your brand online and to make the calls and send the initial emails.
By far, the best strategy is to spread good word of what you can accomplish for clients in person, and then to have resources for new potential clients to research when the time comes.
By possessing both of these traits in your marketing strategy, you’re sure to attract not only a large amount of clients, but also the right ones. You’ll attract clients who resonate with who you are.
This is how it works. You go to a chamber of commerce event and you meet a real estate agent, Ryan.
You guys have a nice long chat, and he leaves that event thinking about how awesome you are. The following week, his friend Sue is talking about a whole home remodel she’s wanting to do.
Instantly, your business name comes up. So, she’s had you recommended by Ryan – and she trusts and loves Ryan.
But is that really enough? To just go by Ryan’s word alone? I mean, she knows and loves the guy – but she really wants to get a good sense of exactly who and what your company is.
She hops online and Googles your name. She has instant access to your Instagram, your Facebook and your website. She does more searching and finds a bunch of amazing client testimonials.
Then she sees you have a YouTube and watches a bunch of those videos. There’s a few talking head videos of you on there, so she gets to know you – the owner – before she even meets you.
She likes your energy in the video, so that’s it – it’s decided, she picks up the phone to start a conversation.
Do you see how important this is then? How pressing it is to have all your bases covered?
Try some of these strategies, and remember to have a multitude of channels populated online before you get out into the world to have conversations about your business.
Give people something to research when they get home, and your schedule will fill up – fast.
As always, if you ever want to chat about any of this, you know where to find me.
To Your Success,
Jay Ashcroft
four32 MEDIA
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