All people signing up to our mailing list receive the information below, and I felt you should have it too – as it’s got really simple ways we teach other businesses and they are methods we personally use too.
Here are some of the free activities we do to grow our business effectively:
A list
Regardless of anything, a group of people who have chosen to accept your emails to them direct to their inbox, or via mail is the very best way to accept work. You’ve just signed up to mine ! 🙂
I changed my list building strategy (after training with THIS GUY), and not only has my list doubled in size, but open rates have improved AND I get work out of every single weekly email I send.- just by adding value and being true to myself and what we believe as a business.
Plus I feel connected to my clients and potential clients every week. (that’s you!)
A list is not a passive group of people. I start thinking about what I’m going to say for several days before I write it (I send mine out weekly) and it’s about connecting. My style isn’t for everyone, but it’s a true reflection of me, and how I think, so anyone working with me who have read a few know what working with me is going to be like.
Plus it’s value for nothing, and I’m going to give more value for the investment and trust they place in me once we work formally together.
Linked In
This is where I started, and it’s still where I remain. Using pulse blogging is one example of how to gain leads. You set out a regular practice of sharing information, add a signature, (and invitation to join your mailing list) and it’s a slow burn, but effective way to grow a lead generator.
You need to optimise your profile so the right people see it. I took ages getting this right and still tinker with it.
I also use engaging imagery as updates, share updates that already have good engagement and I arrange to meet people in real life and use it as a connector
We’re still working on our company page, but I rate linked in as a very effective part of any BtoB marketing strategy.
I’ve had a client a fortnight on average come on board via Linked In. It’s about interacting. I heard a marketing trainer say Linked In is a waste of time. It’s not true – like any tool it’s HOW you use it, not WHAT you use.
Competitors
Some of my work is referred to me by people who are my competitors. If you know what your mutual points of difference are, and then work on filling those gaps for each other’s clients, without trying to “steal” them on the areas you do overlap this is very effective marketing. I get to add value to their clients and vice versa – and it strengthens everyone’s business. It doesn’t work with everyone – two companies I tried to work with failed because they saw our overlap areas as a thr
For example: We’ve worked with Action Plan Media from the beginning – they are a great little web design business that complements our offering perfectly. We also work with other web and design companies, but our relationship has bene close enough that we both co work on projects and regularly refer our clients to each other. We’ve had to work out boundaries, and a few rules, but I’ll refer to them because I know they do good work- and deliver.
Complementary Businesses
One of my clients is Insight CA – a brilliant company that helps businesses with finances and looking at profitablity. If my client needs help with business structure – I’ll refer them to Insight because I trust them, and they refer clients to me.
Existing clients
If you are doing a great job, it’s harmless to ask for a referral. In fact, setting up the expectation right at the beginning that you want both referrals and testimonials sets the standard – because you’ll only get them if the job is good. Existing clients can grow your business like no one else, because they do the pre selling for you.
My amazing team
You know who is invested in Identify’s success? My team. They all want to see success for Identify – and I want to reward that. So we’ve built in referral reward programmes and they are great at scoping out ideas and suggesting clients. Plus they can suggest clients they want to work with, and I work out how to attract them. Use your team to help find work within our extended community. Ask them to share posts and information through their own social networks, and work together to create a large, animated platform of people passionate about what you do.
That is the bulk of what our core non cost marketing strategy is – we’ve got lots of other things we do, plus things we advise businesses to do that don’t fit for us.
Building effective marketing strategies that bring in warm leads saves you time in the long run, and makes you more profit with less expense. It’s essential to get this stuff right – most of above applies to any business.
(This is the second part of my blog on Marketing Generated Leads)
Of course… hit reply or click here to send me an email if you’d like to talk about the contents of this email
Have a great day!
Rachel Goodchild
