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Where to focus
your marketing efforts?
© 2004 By
Charlie Cook
Imagine that you ran an ad, mailed a
brochure, or sent an email ad to a new list of people who
fit your target market profile and everyone who saw it
responded right away and made a purchase.
Has this ever happened to you?
Of course not. The first time people hear about your
products or services is the least likely time for them
to buy.
When you go out for a night on the town, do you go to a new
restaurant you've nevër heard of or do you typically go to
one that you know and like? Similarly, who is the most
likely to buy your products and services, someone who
doesn't know you or someone who has experienced the high
quality and the results you provide? Clients who have bought
from you before, are the most likely to buy from you. Think
about it.
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If long-term prospects and clients are your best source of
revenue, where should you focus your marketing?
I occasionally make a sale the first time someone visits my
web site, but more often it's the people who I have been in
contact with for months, that become my best customers and
clients. Why is this?
The longer you've had a relationship with a prospect or
client, the more they know and trust you. Once they buy or
use your products, they've experienced the quality you
provide and are even more likely to buy again. They are also
more likely to recommend you to others.
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Marketing research has shown that people are more likely to buy after six or
seven contacts. Some web businesses use this as the basis of their marketing and
provide a tutorial series you can sign up for with one sent out each week for
six weeks. While this is an improvement on the one time spot ad, it misses the
boat. The problem with this approach is that you don't know when your prospects
will want to make a purchase. What happens if they need help on week eight but
have lost your contact information?
What you want to do is build long-term relationships so that whenever a new
prospect or past client has a need, they think of you as the expert to go to or
to refer someone else to. The longer you are in contact with prospects and
clients the more opportunities you have to demonstrate how helpful you or your
products are and to earn their trust.
Depending on what you're marketing, you may need to establish a little or a lot
of trust. If you sell major label music CDs for $17, it may not take much work
to convince people you can ship them what they want. If you provide financial
services and want prospects to trust you with their life's earnings, it can take
longer. It may be six to seven months before your prospects will consider even
having a conversation.
they hate
marketing. Why? Trying to convince people to buy feels
pushy.
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Use the following three steps to build long-term
profitable relationships:
1. Focus on your prospects' needs and wants and offer something for frëe
to motivate people to contact you.
2. Contact your prospects regularly and give them tips and ideas they can
use.
3. Couch your offers in terms of what your prospects are looking for.
Which is more important, new prospects or existing clients? The answer of course
is both. To grow your business you need to constantly grow your network of
contacts, of people who know how you can help them. At the same time, focus your
efforts on building long-term relationships so that prospects become clients and
clients become repeat clients.
Do this and you'll have more people interested in what you offer and more people
buying your products and services.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The author, Charlie Cook, helps service
professionals and small business owners
attract more clients and be more
successful. Sign up for the Frëe Marketing Plan
eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and
grow your business' at
http://www.marketingforsuccess.com |
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