photo credit: brykmantra
Do you feel like you could be busier in your business? But you don’t want to invest in pricy marketing strategies like you may have done in previous years?
Staying in touch can sometimes be the most difficult and yet most rewarding marketing strategy there is. (I’m often shocked by how many people read my newsletter that I haven’t spoken to for over a year! Subscribe by emailing me here).
Get back in touch with networking alliances, old clients and potential clients with these cost effective (aka virtually free) strategies.
- Okay, I confess! I still have 2 boxes of business cards that I said I would organize of people I have met at networking or social functions. And I haven’t. But now I have motivation. Inside of these boxes are opportunities to reconnect with people that I forgot to send post-meeting emails to or didn’t add to my email database. Go through your business card collection and make contact. (Note to self: must remember to write an article this week on some phone, email and card scripts that have worked for me.)
- Utilize Facebook. If you’re like me, you probably feel like shutting down your account from time to time because you know you don’t keep up with all of the people you’ve added as a friend. Change that feeling by checking out their websites and blogs and try emailing them a personal note.
- Create a “from the heart” campaign that acknowledges your current and potential clients. Not because you can sell to them here, but because you truly honour their [insert great characteristic trait]. They’ll likely remember this friendly gesture longer than they’ll remember what promotion you were advertising this month.
- Be proactive on Twitter and any other forums you hang out on (or join one). It’s one thing to go on and promote yourself, it’s another to really engage with others there. Listen and find out about their businesses with a genuine interest. Ask if they need anything in terms of assistance – some raw ideas for a blog post, post helpful comments that evoke more responses. These things tend to help everyone involved.
- Get local and volunteer. You’ll meet new people and help out with a great cause (its cliché, but it is relevant and true).
With all of these ideas, if there’s potential business opportunities you will be in a great position to be asked for help as you will have built up a rapport and trust without directly needing to sell.
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