Attract More
Customers by Making Time for Marketing
by: Wendy Maynard
To start seeing remarkable success, you must make time for marketing.
Many people tend to make their marketing a low priority. Instead of
including it as a part of your weekly routine, you may find yourself
scrambling to try and find customers only when business is slow.
Create more room in your week for marketing by restructuring your
time and task management. Here are some tips:
1. Commit to marketing every week: Your first step is to go to your
calendar and carve out slots of time to work on your marketing - this
includes sales, networking, writing, presentations, and so on.
Schedule uninterrupted time for marketing in the part of the day when
you are the most productive.
2. Eliminate timewasters: We can all find a bajillion ways to
procrastinate including Internet surfing, playing online games,
watching TV, and reading e-mails. Make a commitment to yourself that
you will put aside your favorite time waster. If you cut back on these
things, you'll be amazed at how much you can do. Remember, your
marketing is an investment in YOU and the long-term success of your
business.
3. Chunk up your time: For your essential tasks and your marketing,
make chunks of times to work on similar activities. For example, push
sales calls and customer call-backs into one slot on your weekly
calendar. Block out sessions for creating new products or service
lines. Only check your e-mails once or twice a day, answering them all
at one time.
4. Develop a marketing system: You can create a simple spreadsheet,
make notes in your planner, or sketch out activities on a large
flipchart sheet on the wall. The point is to make an annual profile of
your marketing activities including: events, trade shows, advertising
deadlines, direct mailings, seminars, and so on. Schedule marketing
and stick to it!
5. Make marketing a habit: Commit to making marketing into a weekly
habit. This means that even when you are busy, you still schedule time
in your week for marketing, networking, speaking, making follow-up
calls, coffee dates, and keeping in touch with past customers and
referrers.
Marketing is an ongoing activity for the lifetime of your business.
Commit to marketing and your business will grow as a result. You won't
have to scramble to sell yourself when times are slow because your
pipeline will stay full. This will lead to the ability to turn away
less desirable work, raise your prices, and make more money! Your
ongoing marketing efforts will ensure your business is predictable,
pleasant, and profitable.
Copyright 2006 Marketing Maven
About The Author
Wendy Maynard, your friendly Marketing Maven, publishes REMARKABLE
MARKETING, a weekly marketing ezine for business owners, freelancers,
and entrepreneurs. If you're ready to skyrocket your sales, easily
attract customers, and have
more fun, subscribe now at http://www.gomarketingmaven.com"
target="_blank">http://www.gomarketingmaven.com.
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