Former Contacts are an Easier Sell than New Ones
Many solo marketers focus their sales strategies on making repeated contact with those who’ve purchased from them in the past. That’s the process many experts recommend.
It’s a focus that works for me because I’ve made a habit of completing these three strategies:
If you’ve fallen out of touch with past clients, the article Re-Connect with Former Clients may help to once more establish ties, which may expand into new sales and referrals in the long run.
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, solo business marketing, making connections, how to contact customers, solo entrepreneur
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How to Get Paid on Time
I read a case study in this month’s Inc. Magazine about two partners who operate a hip-hop news Web site.
The site is well traveled, but the partners are somewhat unfocused with a few tasks, including making sure advertisers pay on time.
I admit that this has happened to me on occasion, but now that I use a payment tracker within QuickBooks, that’s no longer a problem.
One of the worse situations in business is going after customers for payment, and if you work by yourself, the problem is magnified. It takes you away from revenue-generating projects. It causes stress, and I believe it also wreaks havoc with your complexion.
That’s one of the reasons I wrote Debt Collection Solutions You Can Afford. Running after monies owed disrupts your day and throws your cash flow into chaos. Do you have time to handle that while trying to focus on growth opportunities?
One solution I’ve found to be helpful with collections is to require a credit card on file as a backup, so if I do not receive payment on time I charge the advertiser’s credit card. To date, I’ve had no problems with this.
Whatever process you put in place, make sure you follow through and collect your money. Then you can quickly get back into the flow of daily progress.
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, debt collection procedures, solo business marketing, Inc. Magazine, solo entrepreneur
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Is It Time for Virtual Assistance?
I’m understanding more each day that in order to move forward as a successful solo business owner, I’ll need some type of on-site or virtual support staff to assist me.
Doing everything, controlling everything, and thinking that no one else could possibly complete tasks to my specifications will burn me out of business, whether it’s this year or next.
If you’re at the same crossroads, perhaps finding assistance is a goal you’ve set for yourself. Even if it’s on a back burner, that’s a good start to locating support rather than not considering it at all.
This article on hiring a virtual assistant will begin shaping your ideas. Friends and colleagues may also provide insight if they’re currently outsourcing tasks and/or projects.
I have one friend who’s mentoring me. She tells me how she locates assistants, what she does before hiring them, and how she monitors their progress. Her support is invaluable and much better than winging it on my own, which is the situation I’m attempting to change.
Is outsourcing support part of your solo business plan?
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, solo business marketing, finding help for your business, finding business help, solo entrepreneur
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Add Persistence to Your Plan
A good friend recently received a long-awaited telephone call that will soon add more than $100,000 to her bank account because of one factor: persistence.
This friend provides a service to the construction industry. She connects industry participants with each other and learned last year about a new opportunity that’s worked for a competitor in her field.
She invested a few thousand dollars in brochures, marketing this service on a regular basis to her mailing list. She makes money in other areas of business, but she continued watching as her funds were drained by mailing costs. She, however, kept sending brochures to prospects.
A telephone call came in to her office last week from a person on the list. He’s ready to move forward with the new service. If everything goes as planned (signatures are required on a document), she will be rewarded with much more than she’s invested.
My friend’s story encouraged me to continue with a plan that’s seemingly failing for me right now. I’m sending brochures to a particular market, and nothing’s happened to date. But I’ll continue to mail my catalogs, because just like what happened for her, someone is going to call me to schedule an event.
It’s very easy to give up because nothing’s occurred with a plan after a very short period of time. This is not the time to quit. Continue distributing your message in whatever manner you choose. Add a personal message, or order customized envelopes in non-white colors to emphasize your offer.
Something positive is going to happen. Persistence is the key to receiving your reward.
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, long-term planning, never give up, solo business marketing, solo entrepreneur
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Shirley George Frazier - Solo Business Expert, Author, College Mentor
When you hire me to speak at your conference, college or special event, attendees will thank you for a great program. Media interviews also welcomed. Call or Email me. 973-279-2799 or shirley@shirleyspeaks.com.
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