How often do you market to your existing clients? How often do you market to potential business? Show me a business that relies on the success of their last project, event, program, trade show or campaign to speak for them – and I’ll show you a company that’s in danger of losing that client.
• You can’t afford to market less that the competitors who are trying to win the business.
• You can’t afford to put all your efforts into gaining new business and assume your current clients “know us.”
Actually that’s part of the problem. Big Bucks Corporation hires you to do ABC and you do an exceptional job. So they hire you to do ABC again. Once more you blow them away. Good news is you have a strong reputation, bad new is it’s for only doing ABC. That’s great unless you offers a full alphabet of products or services. In the case of Big Bucks you are just a provider ABC and that’s all they will see you as if you don’t show and tell them.
100% Sold
Ladies and Gentlemen, please write this on a Post It Note, draw a big red circle around it and stick it to your monitor where you see it every day. Look at your current clients. Are you getting 100% of the available business that you are capable and qualified to provide? You need for every client to be 100% Sold!
If they aren’t 100% Sold you need to consistently and aggressively market to them. Remember your competitors are waiting in the lobby for meetings, sending emails and other direct marketing. They are contacting every possible decision-maker and not just your contact. Competitors are selling against what you currently offer and also selling things the client doesn’t know you provide.
Forever remove this phrase from your vocabulary – “Hi I was just touching base.” You may see this as a non-threatening way to check in with a client. They see it as you have no reason or objective for contacting them but you are anyway. They interpret this as, “You are wasting my time.” Polish up your marketing strategy and go to work. Here are some things to keep in mind.
- Market like The Coca-Cola Company. Look big, capable, dynamic and powerful
- Look and sound like you are busy, even if you aren't. People like dealing with successful companies
- Reinforce what you’ve done but focus on what else you can do for them
- Be specific, use your inside knowledge
- Market beyond the group or division. Who else can you serve?
- Parlay your successes, “We’re the company that just completed the highly successful ABC.”
- Emphasize the experience of working with you.
- Never overlook importance of the secret message, “We make you look good!”
How Often Do You Market?
Well, how often do you think your competitors are beating the bushes? Minimum – twice a month. That’s right, minimum. We have clients who contact their existing clients and prospective clients weekly. Remember the old saying, “The person who got the business was the last one who called.”
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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