Copyright 2005 Kinesis, Inc.Your business success depends on your ability to promote
your services, your products, and yourself. Fortunately,
promotion is simple. I know...you hate selling. "But, I'm
not a born salesperson," you say. "I don't want to hustle
people." And, images of high-pressure, arm-twisting
solicitors come to mind. But, that doesn't have to be you.
You're not pushing your services/products onto others;
people will buy them because they need them and because
they have a relationship with you. It's the personal
connection you make with your prospects that will help them
remember you, and like you.
Self-promotion doesn't come easily to everyone. But, to
grow your business, you must market your services and your
products everyday. Your selling job consists of two things:
First, making people aware of your services/products and
second, making it easy for them to do business with you.
Here are some easy marketing tips:
1. Evaluate your promotional materials: Are they
consistent? Do they appear professional, yet personal? Your
promotional materials should put your customers first, and
discuss ways that you can help them. Write with the intent
of creating value for the clients you serve. Use a
professional agency to design your marketing message and
refine your corporate identity. Keep the style, fonts, and
colors the same for your letters, brochures, and
newsletters.
2. Persuade naturally: Develop a partnership with your
customers. Approach each client's situation as a team
effort, rather than something that you are supplying. Don't
rattle off your capabilities; instead, tell your prospect a
story about how you helped another client.
3. Develop your personal presence: A winning image starts
with how you look. Pay attention to your appearance, the
way you make eye contact, how you use your voice, the
things you talk about, and the firmness of you handshake -
these reflect how well you think of yourself and how you
want others to think of you.
4. Create the right telephone presence: A phone call may be
the first contact you have with a potential customer.
Create the same kind of atmosphere that you would in a
face-to-face meeting. Listen carefully to what your
prospective client says and really respond.
5. Handwrite a message in your correspondence: Include this
personal touch whether it's a thank-you note or a simple
P.S. at the bottom of a letter.
6. Show your customers that you appreciate them: Do things
that help your clients. For example, record a "tip of the
day" on your voice mail message, send clients two tickets
to a special event with a note, photocopy interesting
articles and send them to clients and prospects with a
hand-written "FYI" note and your business card.
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Wendy Maynard writes a marketing blog called Kinetic
Ideas. Visit www.wendy.kinesisinc.com
Want to harness the power of kinetic marketing? Sign up for
Kinesis Quickies, a free bi-monthly marketing e-newsletter:
www.news.kinesisinc.com
