Small Business Branding: How important a core difference is essential to marketing success.
Marketing behaviorQuite often a small business owner will ask me to reveal the most powerful marketing strategy I have seen. The answer may surprise you.
The most powerful marketing strategy I know has little to do with direct mail, adverting, special promotions, websites or referrals. No, before any of those ‘tactics’ will have any major impact on your business you must first find, commit and communicate a compelling difference between you and everyone else that says they do the same thing as you.
Let’s do a quick mental exercise.
Pretend that you are in a room full of your competitors and I asked this question. “If you think you offer a fair price, please raise your hands”. “Now, lower your hands if you don’t offer great customer service.” “Lower your hands if you don’t feel you are an expert and can deliver valuable advice” How many hands do you think would be up? Almost all right? So, if you don’t do an effective job at “educating” you customers on how specifically you are different, guess what the deciding factor is? PRICE!!!! Who wants to compete on price?
Look, we all know that every business is special and unique in its own way. But the bigger question is does your potential clients know? You have to answer the following question “why should I choose you?” from the customer perspective. There are several ways you can establish a unique selling proposition. Here are a few:
* Unique service
* Market niche
* Special offer
* Solve a specific problem
Once you have spent some time and discovered your uniqueness, you must commit to it. These core differences will become the foundation for all of your marketing material and advertising messages. You will use these unique differences to create your marketing materials that educate.
Differentiate or Die: Standing Out In A Crowd [Small Business Branding]
Month: June 2008
One of the best ways to generate more income is to stop selling your expertise by the hour. Your expertise — knowledge, skills, methods — are your most valuable assets. By taking your expertise and packaging it in various forms, you can sell your expertise 24/7/365.
So if your knowledge, skills and methods are your most valuable assets, why in the world would I suggest that you give it away as a marketing strategy?? Because giving away your expertise lays the foundation for multiple streams of income. Why this works:
Access to lots of free information is already available and potential customers expect to find it. Making your expertise available enables your *ideal* customers to find you — among all the free information available, they need to hear it the way *you* say it. Having information that tells them what they need to do isn’t the problem for most customers — implementation is where they need help.
Once potential customers have found your free information, make it easy and enticing to sign up for your email list. Now you’ve laid the foundation to build a trust relationship, and can start offering them the help with implementation they so desperately need — and will pay for.
Giving it away effectively and profitably
Use multiple channels and formats. For instance, give away information on your blog, in articles posted on other sites, in free giveaway ebooks, in audio teleclasses and excerpts. Get something in return when possible. Encourage blog visitors to sign up for blog updates via email. Put a subscription box to your newsletter on every page of your website (particularly where you post your newsletters, etc.) For bigger “chunks” of information like ebooks and audios, require that they sign up for your newsletter to get these freebies. In ebooks, make a link to your website prominent at the bottom of each page. Make the give-away process hands-free. Use an autoresponder to handle signups and instant download delivery for your giveaways. Once it’s set up, it costs you no more to give away a thousand than it does the first ten.
Plus, potential customers get instant gratification. Leverage from one format to others. Write a blog post. Add more details and turn it into an article (to post on your site, use in your newsletter, and submit to other sites). Take a series of articles and turn them into an ebook. Engage someone to interview you about the content of your ebook and record it. Get help where possible and practical. You can hire a ghostwriter to write articles for you. Your VA can take existing articles and put them into an ebook format and set up the autoresponder and download capabilities. Recordings of classes and interviews don’t need to be professionally done when given away for free; many bridge services offer recording capability.
Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents (and was recently named a finalist for “Website of the Year” in the 4th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business). Terri is also the co-author of 136 Ways To Market Your Small or Solo Business.
One of the best time-saving strategies I’ve implemented is my client conversion system. You know the drill; a potential client comes along and emails/calls you asking about your services. You spend time responding, maybe even putting a detailed proposal together, and then you never hear from them again! Not even a thank you for your email!
This is one area that’s a huge time drain for solo service professionals, but one that is so important – you need paying clients so you have to spend time responding to them.
What if there was a way you could respond to clients yet at the same time not waste hours of your precious time on this activity only for it to result in never hearing from said client again?
Well, there is! And I’m going to share it with you in this article by giving you my three steps on how to create your own client conversion system.
Step One – Capture Their Name/Email Address
If a client comes along and they’re not quite ready to work with you, you need to have a way of capturing their details on your website so that you don’t lose touch with them – that way they’ll get to know more about you and your services, and when they are ready to work with you, you’ll be right there!
You do this by giving away a free taste of what it is you do. This could be a report, audio, mini ecourse, or some other type of freebie that is given away automatically in exchange for them giving you their name and email address. This is known as building your list. Once you have your list in place stay in touch with them regularly through publishing an ezine.
Step Two – Have A Defined Process For Working With New Clients
Look at what you currently do when you receive an email/phone call from a new client. Write down all the steps in that process, and come up with ways as to how it can be systemized.
For example:
* Do you find that potential clients are asking the same questions again and again? If so, set up a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page on your website that answers all of these questions. (Hint: this could also be your free taste that the client will sign up for.)
* Do you require that all new clients have a telephone consultation with you beforehand to ensure that you are a good fit for one another? How can this process be streamlined?
* Or, do you require a potential client to fill in a questionnaire prior to speaking with you on the phone?
List everything that you currently do and come up with a system for streamlining the whole process. You could also include elements that you would like to do but haven’t yet implemented.
Step Three – Put Your Client Conversion System In Place
Now that you have documented the process for handling enquiries you need to put your system in place that will allow you to handle client enquiries in the most time-efficient manner.
This is the system I use and recommend, and one that will filter those enquiries for you:
* On your website tell clients what your process is for working with new clients, i.e. contact me to schedule your complimentary client consultation.
* Have a contact form on your website that client’s can fill in when they’re ready to schedule a complimentary call with you.
* Create an email template to respond to those clients who would like to schedule a complimentary consultation. You can also use this template for those email enquiries you get, or as a script for a phone enquiry.
* If you have a series of questions that you would like answers to before your call with your client put these together into a Pre-Consultation Questionnaire which you can send to your potential client ahead of your call. (This again is a good way to filter the serious from the not-so-serious clients – the not-so-serious clients will not want to spend their time filling in a questionnaire prior to your phone call.)
* Create a document/email template for your questionnaire – put it in a format that is easy for the client to email back to you.
* When they respond to you to schedule their call attach your questionnaire, confirm the appointment, tell them when they need to return the questionnaire by (24 hours before the call is a good timeframe) and tell them what number to call you on.
Having a process like this in place will filter the serious from the not-so-serious clients, saving you a huge amount of your time and streamlining the whole client conversion process.
Remember: You are the expert at what you do. Your clients are coming to you for your expertise, so lead them with your systems. Tell them what your processes are. Let them work to your systems.
This article is by our guest writer Diana Ennen, who is also the Author of Virtual Assistant: The Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, & The Corel Word Perfect Office Ready Virtual Assistant Solution Pack. She also owns a website: http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are highly skilled professionals who provide administrative support and specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs, executives, and others who have more work to do than time to do it. Examples of services a VA can do include web design and maintenance, word processing, meeting and event planning, desktop publishing, internet research, e-mail coordination, business start-up consultations and so much more. This can be the perfect work-at-home opportunity for many with good computer and Internet skills. Following are several Do’s and Dont’s to keep in mind for starting and operating your Virtual Assisting business.
DO — Decide on a targeted market and initially focus your marketing efforts in that area. By developing a “niche” in your field, your reputation spreads quickly and soon you become a recognized expert. Several specialties include: publicity and marketing, website design, article writing and distribution, press release writing and distribution, medical, legal or business transcription, medical billing and coding, resume consulting, transaction coordination — real estate industry, desktop publishing, manuscript preparing, academic typing, e-mail support, internet research, etc.
DO — Be creative about where you can find business. The Internet offers a large variety of potential for clients just waiting for you to contact them. Actively network and don’t limit your marketing to simply placing a few ads in newspapers or the Yellow Pages. You want to find where there might be a need- and go fill it.
DO — Write a complete business plan and marketing plan. Too many leave out this vital step and waste valuable time unorganized and without a clear-cut goal and direction for their business. When starting a business you will have tons of ideas floating around. You need to materialize all these and put them into a workable plan of action.
DO — Develop a website that looks sensational! Your website is often the first connection a potential client has with your services. It must immediately let them know that they are dealing with a professional. Your site must then have the POWER to draw them to you and contact you. Let them see that you value quality by the look and feel of it. Additional tips include letting them know what services you offer and why you are qualified to offer those services by mentioning your experience and education. Be sure to include points on why you stand out among the rest and are the BEST! For example, if you have been featured in articles, radio shows, etc., have them listed with the dates.
DO — Learn everything you can about starting a business. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the greater your chances for success. Look to online services and message boards and chats to talk with other Virtual Assistants operating a business. Remember these are often run by pros who have been in business for years and are willing to share their experience.
For example, I mentor and manage virtual assisting boards on HBWM.com, Momspreneursonline.com and VAnetworking.com. With 23 year’s experience, I often know what works and what doesn’t in starting a business and staying successful, so my experience can prove beneficial.
DO — Join associations that are targeted for our Industry. A few of the more popular ones are IAVOA.com and IVAA.com, but there are many others. By connecting with these associations and being active, you learn from them what works and what doesn’t and you are able to post your questions to associate members via list serves often getting answers to your questions within minutes.
DO — Read, read, read. By frequently continuing to increase your skills and your knowledge of your profession, the end result is a more confident satisfied you. Every tip you get from a book can be a new tool in your business. I recommend highlighting areas from several books and adding them to your library. Keep in mind that you might not use that idea today, but it might apply to specialties you might add down the road. We encourage you to purchase our book, Virtual Assistant the Series, Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA with its accompanying workbook. It has everything you need to succeed in your own business.
DO – Enjoy. There’s no greater feeling than landing that first client or finishing your first big project. Plus, wait until you get the opportunity to tell someone you own and operate your own virtual assisting business. It sure beats I’m a secretary at …. Plus, when you enjoy your business it shows. Your clients will sense your positive attitude and want to be a part
of your team.
DON’T — Underprice your services. The average virtual assistant today makes $35 to $100 an hour, depending on their skills, services offered, location, and years of experience. Don’t make the mistake of assuming if you charge the lowest prices, you’ll get the most work. You won’t. Instead, you’ll end up working outrageous hours for peanuts! Clients will pay more for professional services. When a potential client discovers you’re charging a lower rate than standard, they often feel they will receive a quality of services that is also lower.
DON’T — Overextend yourself. One of the common mistakes many virtual assistants make is to accept too much work and then not be able to accurately complete it. Learn to say no or have a back-up helper who can assist you with any overflow work. Remember one of the most important ingredients for success is keeping your clients satisfied. If you overextend yourself and make a lot of errors, it will jeopardize your business.
DON’T — Get discouraged. It takes time to get a business going. Plan ahead and have money saved in reserve. Don’t buy items until you have found the best possible price and there is an absolute need. This advance planning takes the pressure off of having to make money NOW. If things are slow and the phone just isn’t ringing … MAKE IT RING!! There’s plenty of work out there, you just need to aggressively pursue it.
Finally, the most important ingredient for success is your belief in yourself. If you believe that with your skills and experience, you can own your own business, then there’s nothing stopping you. DREAMS DO COME TRUE.SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
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Learn To Tell A Good Story
Small Business Trends: Maybe sales and marketing are not your strongest skills. But if you want to improve your marketing by 100%, try this simple technique that anybody can do: learn to tell a good story.
In my latest column over at the OPEN Forum site, I discuss the power of telling stories to spice up your marketing:
T.J. Walker, a public speaking consultant to the rich and famous, wrote about the power of telling stories. Quoting the book “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, he notes that 63% of people will remember a story from a talk or presentation, versus only 5% who remembered statistics.
He also said this: “Stories are not a luxury; they are the single most effective way to get your audience to remember your messages.”
OK, he was talking about public speaking. But, that same principle applies to marketing your business, too — because marketing is partially about getting your message across.
If you want your business to be memorable, and for your message to reach as many people as possible and persuade them to buy, learn to tell stories around your business.
Naturally, in my column I tell a story to get my point across — a story about fuzzy bunny slippers. Read: How Fuzzy Bunny Slippers Can Grow Your Business.
Tell Stories and Improve Your Marketing [Small Business Trends]