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Getting more business
Six tips on how to easily get more business.
TIP 1
Look after your Enquiries
It is absolutely common sense, but you would be surprised just how many businesses do not look after their enquiries and follow them up fast.
When an enquiry comes in, no matter what channel, you need to get the details to the relevant sales area immediately for them to follow it up.
All enquiries should also allow you to build your prospect database too, these businesses/consumers have approach you, they are one of the best prospects you can have!
TIP 2
Take care of your prospect database
Whilst we are on the subject of prospects, you would be surprised how many businesses fail to use the details of people that contact them for future prospects.
Your prospects come at you from various sources (advertising, subscriptions, exhibition/trade show attendees, email enquiries etc.)
Add each one to your database and use them.
Remember: Your best prospects will nearly always come from enquiries, customers or contacts.
TIP 3
Keep in touch with customers
As the best source of future business will come from existing customers, it’s in your best interest to constantly communicate with them on a regular basis, some form of newsletter (either email or posted) is a good technique, but also with either face to face contact for highly profitable customers and phone contact for all other customers.
Customers also want to know what you can do for them, not only do they expect to be told what new products and services you have, but they usually want to know.
Send a Christmas card, it’s a quick reminder that you are still there, and will often be around them for a couple of weeks!
Remember: Sending emails is more instant and cost effective than traditional post, so get as many email addresses for your customers and prospects as you can. Give your sales teams an incentive to collect as many as they can.
TIP 4
Use advertising that really works
Hopefully you would have downloaded my FREE marketing toolkit and either seen or used the Effectiveness tool contained in it.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand how compelling your own advertising is, and how important is it that you place your ads in the most cost effective publications.
Its also important that you start to understand how much it actually costs you to reach your prospects. Calculate how much it would cost you to reach 1000 prospects in each media that you use, whether it be print, internet, radio etc Use this “cost per thousand” calculation to better understand what media you should be using.
TIP 5
Product literature, that grabs attention and invites action
Remember: Direct Marketing is a print version of your sales team, again make sure that your literature works for you. You can use my effectiveness model available in my FREE toolkit to help you look at your own literature to see if it works for you.
Make every piece attention grabbing and provide a strong “call to action”.
My rule of thumb is to ensure your sales teams are happy with it, if they are content with the literature you provide them, they will use it.
Try different direct marketing pieces:
Direct Mail letters/emails – a beautifully crafted letter is more of a science than an art, use appropriate headings, personalisation, bold lettering, underlines and colour, you can really draw the reader in and generate action.
Samples – if appropriate to your business, samples are great and can be an inexpensive way of getting your message across. Results can be outstanding.
The creative mailshot – research suggest that you have between 5 and 10 seconds to get your message across. By using creative, hard-hitting techniques, you can stimulate interest and provoke action.
A budget mailer – never underestimate the cost of a simple, well-written letter. Add a reply card, email address or telephone number, and you have an instant mass sales tool. 4 great Direct Marketing tips
MAIL A SAMPLE
Direct marketing is for many the only tactile advertising medium, so mail a sample of your product. Outstanding results can be obtained.
USE TESTIMONIALS
Showing testimonials or case studies showing your success and the success of customer who have used you is a brilliant sales tool (and still one that is under utilised!).
INCLUDE A REPLY DEVICE
If you are mailing something, think how a customer is going to get back in touch with you, add a reply card, email address or telephone number. ALWAYS ensure that these points are well manned for the campaign.
FREE OFFERS
Using a free offer or free trial is a great way of getting new business. If you want to offer a free gift, then make the gift relevant to you and your services.
TIP 6
Use the telephone
It’s amazing just how few businesses today use the telephone to generate business. It’s ideal for high volume or low margin sales that do not justify a sales visit. Voice calls can help in two ways:
1. You can cleanse your prospect data, whilst calling your contact, ensure that you have their details down correct (with correct spelling and job title etc).
2. Its incredibly personal, and you can often get an instant response from them.
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