You Must Market Your Business in Order To Succeed!

This winter has seen a tremendous amount of snow fall in our area. I, personally, love it. That is why I choose to live in this part of Canada. I am in the snow belt.

The interesting piece in this ‘equation’ is that I have my ‘outside/winter friends’ and my ‘outside/summer friends’ – the same holds true in business – I spend time with different people for different reasons. In business, when you examine your marketing pie, you are probably spending time with different people for different reasons. (You do have a marketing pie, don’t you?)

Twice a year, I examine my Life Balance Wheel. I have the same practice for my business – and review my Marketing Pie. It is important to me, and to the health of my business, to balance my activities. This all leads to me spending time with, and being influenced by, different groups of people. I am delighted to have a very broad ‘circle of influence’ and value these relationships so much. Let me share with you some of the components of my own marketing pie.

Networking :

I make it a habit to attend at least 2 networking events a week – it is important to connect with people, in person, because having a successful business is all about relationships. I keep saying that people do business with people they know, like and trust (the KLT factor). You strengthen relationships by spending time with people. The question you should be asking yourself is what events am I attending, who am I spending time with and are these activities taking me towards my goals, or away from my goals. Relationships don’t ‘just happen’ because you met someone at an event. The key is in the follow-up. Networking is a skill – I often coach my clients on the basics of effective networking because many of them just don’t know some of the ‘how-to’ techniques. Once you have learned how to research a networking event, how to work a room, how to manage the conversation, what kind of goals to set for each event, – through to the follow-up techniques – you will never shy away again!

Public Speaking :

This is one of THE best ways to grow your business. Speaking in front of a group of your ideal clients is one of the fastest, most effective and fun (yes, it can be fun!) ways to increase awareness about who you are and what you do. Public speaking may happen at a live event, on a stage; or, you can broaden your network by being a guest on a variety of radio shows. That still positions you in front of large numbers of people. And there are strategies for gathering the names and contact information for people who attend your presentation – one of which is to offer a door prize. Have people give you their business card for the draw. Women entrepreneurs who are afraid of public speaking (mainly because they have ‘bought into’ the statement that it is the #1 thing to be feared!) are missing a prime opportunity. When I work with my clients to develop the skill of public speaking , we focus on a 1-2-3 step proc ess. When you keep things simple, it can easily become fun!

Social Media:

There is no better, and more cost effective, way to reach out and touch the world. Social media has changed the way we do business – and has made the world a smaller place. I am saddened when I hear so many women entrepreneurs express fear about getting involved with social media. You don’t know what you don’t know. Get educated – get informed – and get engaged. I have made some great relationships as a result of my involvement, and participation, on Twitter and Facebook. The thing to remember is that you need a plan and then work the plan – much like you do every other aspect of your business. And it’s not a one-way street; be sure to ‘get to know’ the people with whom you interact.

Associations/volunteer work:

This is where the universal laws come into action. When you give (of your time, in particular), there is a tendency for you to receive, also, in some way. Again, I would highly recommend that you do your homework, ensure your values are aligned and that you are giving for the right reasons. Over the ten years that I was involved with the Alzheimer Society, and the 15 years with the United Way, I developed some great relationships that continue to this day.

Writing:

Part of your marketing pie should definitely include writing – e-zines, blogs, articles, ……a book, perhaps. This is an easy and effective way to get your name and information out and about in the world. My recommendation is that you should be sending an e-zine weekly, so that you stay in front of people. Ensure you are providing good content – that is critical to the success of having an e-zine. Then, re-purpose your content. When people read your article, and comment – be sure to respond in a timely manner. That builds relationships.

Ambassadors:

When you deliver good content, regularly – constantly – consistently, whether in person or in print, you develop a “following”. I call these people my ambassadors – they do my marketing for me. You’ve seen the commercials where they say ‘and she tells a friend, and she tells a friend, and then she tells a friend’. That’s one of the best ways of growing your business – word of mouth. Have you connected with your happy customers? Do you have testimonials to support the work you do? Do YOU, in turn, acknowledge and support your colleagues in this way? That is a critical piece to the puzzle.

“We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” – Luciano de Crescenzo

Conclusion:

Life is all about relationships – and so is business. It takes work and you need to do the work. The work, however, begins with the development of a good marketing plan, and a marketing pie. Get clear on what you need to do to develop and grow your business. Then, get marketing!

What is the one part of your marketing pie that is most effective for your business? Please share your thoughts!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Based on what you have read above, create your own marketing pie.
Much like we do on the Life Balance Wheel, on a scale of 1-10, identify the areas of your marketing pie that require attention.
Then, do it!