8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns

It's almost a given that when I speak to a new client, she tells me how much she's always hated marketing herself. "I'm no good at it" and "No matter what I try, it doesn't work" are common complaints.

Worse, many small shops hate marketing so much that they literally avoid it entirely, or do marketing using the "dribs and drabs" method -- you know, a drib here, a drab there.

In order to gain the trust of your prospects, you have to make contact with prospects enough (and make contact with enough prospects) to show them that you're the solution to their problems.

Are you marketing your business enough? It's high time you found out!

1) Outline your current marketing activities. Which techniques work? Which ones are a waste of time? Measure the quantity of new business that each method achieves, as well as the quality of business sent to you by each technique. If something proves to be a dud, think about either optimizing the process or dropping it to free up time for other marketing activities.

2) How often do you contact your current clients? Do you stay in touch with paying customers regularly and reward them for their continued relationship with your business? If not, why not? Is there a good reason for people not to return, or are you losing your most valuable asset -- a bird in the hand, so to speak -- after one-time sales? If your business is a legitimate one-time deal (such as a wedding vendor), is there a way of getting current customers to refer others to you?

3) Do you have an ezine or other marketing tool that allows you to stay in regular contact with your prospects and current client base? People will tend to forget about you if they're not reminded of what you have to offer. Once a month is about the longest amount of time you should wait between contacts, which makes an ezine one of the best ways to get the word out.

4) Do you regularly seek out new prospects? If not, what could you do to expand your marketing horizons? Would a quarterly postcard campaign help? Would participation on online forums send more customers your way?

5) How many contacts do you ordinarily have to make before you close a deal? If the odds of finding a new customer are 30 to 1 and you need 6 new clients a month to grow your business at the rate you desire, are you contacting 180 prospects every month? If not, it's time to start.

6) Is there something you can implement every month that forces you to do the marketing work? As I have already mentioned, an ezine is a good method to ensure that you stay in touch regularly. When there's no one egging you on to get your marketing done, it's hard to be disciplined about it. In my case, my ezine forces me to think about my marketing on a regular basis.

But an ezine is only one of many, many ways to create a marketing schedule for yourself. You could also implement monthly specials, a once-a-month teleseminar series related to your field or set up a blog. Setting aside time on a regular basis turns a chore into a habit that will be a major boost to your business!

7) List the 3 major reasons why you don't take the time to market as often as you should. What can you change to be able to accommodate more time for marketing? Is there work that you could outsource in order to be able to market yourself more regularly? Anything nonessential that you could outsource would allow you more time to bring in more business; conversely, hiring a small business marketing professional can take some of the burden off of you. Changing just 1 habit will make a big difference.

8) Assess your marketing results once a month. What works? What doesn't? What can you do better next time? Learning from your mistakes is the best addition to your marketing mix of all.

If you make marketing a part of your regular routine, you will gain confidence in your ability to generate new business -- and even better, you'll see your business start to grow!

Copywriter/marketing strategist Jennifer McCay helps individuals and small businesses turn their expertise into marketing success stories. She is the publisher of the Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter, which delivers tips to help you rev up your small business marketing. To subscribe and receive a FREE special report on 7 ways to improve your sales copy, head to http://AvenueEast.com

---

Avoid These 5 Web Site Blunders!

The Web is intended to help people find information quickly... Read More

Promotions for Mobile Detailers

Mobile businesses are quite unique in the way they must... Read More

Get FREE Web Tips From Your Competition

I knew this one would get your attention. How can... Read More

Niches - The Path to More Profits

Hey, as business owners we CAN'T be all things for... Read More

Package Your Products for Thunder Thigh Women - Big Butts Too

Wake up women (and you men too). I think we... Read More

10 Ways to Get Your Flyers Noticed

An inexpensive way to promote your services is to createvarious... Read More

Feature Your Benefits

Sales Copy? eventually every small business owner must consider what... Read More

How to Really Get Your Customers

What Really Makes Your Postcard Mailing Successful? The biggest single... Read More

How to Run a Successful News Release Program

Marketing public relations gives you cost effective ways to reach... Read More

How to Avoid the Line Extension Trap

If you follow the prevailing logic of most modern companies,... Read More

Mortgage Originator Marketing ? Differentiate or Die

One of the best ways to attract more clients is... Read More

The Anatomy of Hype

On a copywriting board I frequent, someone expressed bafflement that... Read More

Using Business Cards as Invitations

Business card size works well for invitations to special events.What... Read More

Smart Ways To Rocket Launch Your Profits

If you really want to pull more profits from your... Read More

D.A.N.C.E. With Me

Recently, a client asked what he could do to help... Read More

Does Your Marketing Plan Need Changing?

Change is good, right? Not always. But when is it... Read More

Increase Your Response with Multi-Step Marketing

"There is only one way to judge the effectiveness of... Read More

Making a Hit with Your Marketing Campaign

Considered a vital link in a show's promotional plan, direct... Read More

CRM: Strategic Engine or Just Another Tool?

CRM?strategic engine or just another technology tool? How would you... Read More

Mortgage Marketing and Advertising ? The Magical Ingredient

Do you offer superior service, consistently close loans on time... Read More

How Well Do You Know Your Prospects? Find Out With This 10-Point Quiz

It's crucial to know your prospects if you want to... Read More

Using a Contact List Profitably Part One

In previous articles, we discussed the generation of a contact... Read More

Hello, My Name Is . . . What Your Name Tag Says About You

When you attend networking functions, what kind of name tag... Read More

Communication Breakdown - Dont Let It Happen To You

Do you have Communication breakdown?How are you communicating with your... Read More

Strategic Internet Marketing

I met Sue at a recent networking event. She is... Read More

Five Marketing Tips to Double Profits

It's a startling fact: almost all entrepreneurs aren't marketing their... Read More

What the Heck is a Campaign and Why Do I Need to Do One?

Many people ask me, "What is a postcard campaign, exactly?"... Read More

50 Benefits Of Joint Venture Marketing

What Is A Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More

How to Connect Features and Values

"Buy this magazine or we'll shoot the dog," went a... Read More

Key Marketing Questions - Planning Your Marketing Campaign

So you started a business. How's it going? Did you... Read More

Are You Sabotaging Your Marketing Success?

What?!? Sabotage your own success? Who would do that? Well,... Read More

What Are Focus Groups & How Do They Work?

Businesses and other organizations use focus groups to research consumer... Read More

Rising Postal Rates? Don?t Cut Down the Direct Mail

The United States Post Office in the past had some... Read More