Marketing is like fishing except you can’t eat your clients!

Not only do I work with women on work/life balance, I also work with ladies who are starting (or growing) a business (as this is my background)…basically we work on getting more clients!

Recently while working on this topic with a client, I was thinking how similar trying to find clients is to fishing (except you can’t eat your clients!).

When a person goes fishing they have a particular fish they are targeting, or wanting to catch. Knowing in advance the particular fish they wish to catch helps the fisherman (or woman) know what bait or lure to buy and where to go to find that type of fish. For example sand whiting gather on white sand while herring live on rocky ground.

To go fishing without this knowledge would mean your fishing attempt would be “pot luck” and the success of catching a fish is limited. The world is not your oyster!

It’s that same with your marketing. You must define your target market…or the fish you want to catch.

When you define your target market, you know who your clients are, what needs they have and where to find them. You know exactly where to put all you marketing effort and budget to catch a client.

Who are your fish?

If you don’t know, get help to define your target market. If you don’t, you will get exhausted and waste time and money trying to market to everyone and anyone!

To help try answering these questions:

• What is the age bracket of my ideal client? E.g. child, teen, 30-40’s?
• What is the gender of my ideal client?
• What is the education level of my ideal client? E.g. high school, college,
TAFE, university
• What is the occupation of my ideal client? E.g. teacher, plumber, CEO.
• What is the income range of my ideal client? E.g. $20-30 000, $50-80 000,
over $100 000
• What is the ethnic and/or religious background of my ideal client?
• What are the hobbies or interests of my ideal client?
• What is the family life situation of my ideal client? E.g. short/long term
relationship, single, divorced, children.

What else do you feel you might like to know about your ideal client?

You could always conduct some market research to answer the above questions and find out other useful information to help with your marketing strategy.

Hope this helps

Lisa Branigan

Business Coach

http://www.quantumcoaching.com.au

Free Publicity for Your Business!

Have you tried advertising and found you don’t get good return on your investment. For most serviced based businesses (including business coaching) adverts don’t work that well.

What else could you try?

Interestingly, our local paper has decided to run a monthly business news section. This is a place were you can have a small write up of any news in regards to your business. I decided I would have the following, genuine offer, in the next issue:

—————————————–

FREE Business Coaching: Business Coach, Lisa Branigan of Quantum Coaching is offering local business women a FREE 60-minute coaching session valued at $120.

Lisa will work with you to increase your client base, raise profits, lower costs, effectively manage your time and enjoy work/life balance.

Contact Lisa on 9757 3750 or lisa@quantumcoaching.com.au

——————————————

In the past an advert may have resulted in one client. This is a terrible return on the $400 the advert cost. So I wasn’t expecting much from my “business news” but as it was free it was also no loss.

I am surprised at the results so far.

In four days, since the paper came out, I have had one phone call enquiry, an invitation from a bank to business women’s networking meeting, two email inquires and three people I saw while shopping mentioned they saw the paper and questioned me further about what I do.

One was my local librarian who said though she didn’t need my services she knows who to use as a referral point if she knows anyone that does. These are just the people who have contacted me so far and who have mentioned they saw my news.

I have since asked the paper to continue my offer until further notice as it is great for publicity and interesting that people warm up to the offer more than if it was in an advert.

So what can you do?

Is there a business news section in your local paper? What about your local school or community group, do they allow free “news” in their newsletters. How else can you get free publicity for your business?

Other ideas that I have found useful:

Website link swapping

Writing articles (place them on free internet article databases)

Press release of an achievement or special offer

Speak at groups and get a write up before and after the event

Become a columnist or have articles featured in print

Speak on radio

Have your own free newsletter that people can sign up for.

Write for others who have your same target market

Free samples in conference bags

Networking events (but there are secrets to effectively networking!)

Other ideas from Google:

Teach an adult education class

Use free advertising websites

Start a discussion group, seminar series, book club, wine tasting club or other type of group that can meet to talk about your products or services.

Make deals with other small business owners to display one another’s products, advertise on one another’s Web sites, and so on.

Create an award and present it to someone who is notable to your demographic group and has some connection with your industry.

Free samples or free service demonstrations.

 Lisa Branigan Business Coach http://www.quantumcoaching.com.au

One unhappy customer can cost you 3 million clients!

Recently my husband was abused while asking for a quote for some work he needed done on some equipment. Mind you, this was the third time he approached this person about the quote for this small job.

Instead of an apology for being so slow with a quote, the so call “professional” had the cheek to abuse my husband for wasting his time.

This person is new to our area and is trying to build a new business where the client counts…well so he says!

Ok I so the job was very small (maybe not even worth $100) but unbeknown to this “new” business owner, my husband was testing the waters before he asks for a quote on a $40 000 project!

He just lost himself and his business $40 000 plus a possible 3 million potential clients!

Yes 3 million.

With the invent of the internet and various social media the one unhappy customer who used to tell ten of his friends can now send out a negative message about you and your business to literally millions of people instantly.

Think of that the next time you want to be right!

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!

 

–

Lisa Branigan

Life Coach

http://www.quantumcoaching.com.au

 

5 Marketing Tips from Amanda Griscti (One for each day!)

I thought these tips from Amanda Griscti (http://ow.ly/19K0d) were great so wanted to share them with you. 

  Amanda suggests you do one each working day! 

  1. Create a press release for your business and add something different. Check out our post on How to Promote your Business using PR for some tips.

2. Ask your clients to refer you to someone. This sounds so simple doesn’t it? But I bet you haven’t done it yet! You will be surprised how well this works.  

3. Ask 5 clients for a testimonial and add it to your website and collateral. The key with testimonials is to be specific with your request. For example, ask for a testimonial on your quality of work or on your service etc. Also ask for a picture of the person giving the testimonial. 

4. Create a direct marketing list and start calling one person a day. You list can be from people you have met or simple Google searching of your target clients. Line up some clients that are happy to give you a testimonial that you can mention to the person you are calling.

5. Do you have a store front? Have a new theme each month but don’t over crowd the space. Make sure these themes are also inside the store and on your website. See them as “campaigns” for your store.

The only thing I would add is if you feel you can’t do this without support connect with a business buddy or work with a life coach to support you in growing a profitable business.

Online Networking Group for Business Women!

I just want to let you know about a great networking group I have joined called
Women in Business Connect set up by Chris Lucas.

The group is all about:

Connecting, Networking, Learning, Sharing and Inspiring business women.

We have a weekly chat where we really do share, support, inspire and learn from each other. It’s a safe place to ask questions and get help to find clients and grow your business.

Let week we did a phone workshop about creating a marketing pitch or elevator speech to use in marketing materials and when networking. A recording of this is available to anyone who would like to listen. Just let me know and I will pass it on.

Anyway this truly is a great group so come join us as we would all love to meet you!!

http://www.wibconnect.com/