Are you attempting to build a business but cannot seem to bring in the right leads? Are your sales down? Do you want to do more to market your business? Some of us are natural promoters. For others, being the center of attention might be the last thing you want. If you own a business and that’s how you feel, it’s something you’ll have to manage. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to generate sales without getting into the “limelight” in some way. However, it’s not nearly as bad as you think, and there are many ways to accomplish this without being a carnival barker for your company.
Do Your Friends, Family, and Connections Know What You Do?
When it comes to “getting the word out,” these people are low-hanging fruit. They know and care about you. You never know who they might know, who their neighbors, co-workers, or in-laws might be. Friends and family should be happy to refer you to people who need your help. It’s a win-win for them. You sell a service or product that their family or friend needs. They make a connection and everyone’s happy.
Make Appointments With Key Individuals Who Make Money From You
Take some time and track where your spending goes. There will be some who will be of no help, like the IRS, but others may be like you, business owners looking to expand their connections:
- Who repairs and maintains your vehicle?
- Do you regularly buy vehicles from the same dealer?
- Who maintains your heating system and air conditioning?
- Who’s your insurance agent?
- Do you rely on a contractor for home repairs or maintenance?
- Do you use an accountant?
- If you’re active in politics, did you donate to or volunteer for a candidate?
- Do you hire a music teacher or private coach for your kids?
- Do you regularly go to a gym?
These individuals may have contacts with all kinds of people. Arrange a meeting at a time and day convenient for them, make it short, and tell your story:
- Tell them who you can help and how
- Ask them to keep their “ears open” for opportunities and introductions to those who may be customers or referral sources
- Offer to return the favor. Who do they help? What kinds of customers do they seek? Who would be a good connection for them?
LinkedIn is a social media platform focused on professionals, businesses, and organizations. It has about 700 million members worldwide. You can start for free, but your ability to find and connect with others improves as you pay for more expensive subscriptions.
Like any social media, it may not cost money, but getting results will take time and energy. You should engage other users, make connections, and post articles to show your knowledge and expertise. Like anything else, the more you put into LinkedIn, the more you can get out of it.
Testimonials From Clients
If you have happy clients willing to write a testimonial or shoot a video about your excellent work, that’s free and very valuable content. You can post it on your website and the social media you use (especially LinkedIn). If your product or service is something visual, a video from the client showing your work can be very effective.
This is what marketers call “social proof.” We don’t always have the time and energy to determine who we should hire or buy from, so we rely on others’ opinions. It’s why Amazon includes product reviews and why their purchasers use them.
Video
You could provide a live video of a presentation, talk to a satisfied customer, or discuss with someone important issues your clients face. It could be on Facebook Live or YouTube. Recordings can be saved and accessed by others later. You can send promotional emails before going live and afterward email links to saved recordings to current and potential customers.
Training
I train others to get the most sales for their businesses with the least time, effort, and cost. It’s all about cooperating and working with others, referring business back and forth, but in a way that’s much more effective than networking groups or chambers of commerce.
If you want to learn more about leveraging your relationships and growing your business, fill out my contact form and attend one of my online seminars. Let’s start the conversation about how we can help ourselves and others.