More ways to attract Customers...

Here are some more ideas for attracting Customers:

1. Demonstrations: if you can show your product(s) it is a good way to get your customer’s attention.

2. Directories: Make sure you Business is listed to be noticed!

3. Dormant Customers: If you have customers who haven’t bought from you recently, why not get in touch via mail or Bulletin or even offer them a special discount to come back!

4. Mail: Send out regular mails to keep your customers in the loop.

5. Referrals: Include a call for referrals in your header or salutation; after all referrals are the best type of introductions!

6. Passion: Make sure you communicate with passion, because if you don’t who will believe you?

7. Social media: Consider Facebook for Business and Twitter as advocates of your Business – but always remember your Brand in all your postings!

8. Follow-up: Always, always, always follow-up!

9. Incentives: Offer incentives for loyalty, returning customers, new customers…

10.  Write: Offer to write as an “expert” for publications and fellow Businesses.

Again, try at least one of these ideas and it will help you gain and retain customers!

More next time!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Attracting Customers...

Try some of these ideas, adapted from Nigel Temple of the Marketing Compass, to attract more customers to your Business:

1. Advocates: people who will recommend you.

2. Articles / Blogs: write a useful article or Blog regularly.

3. Benefits: tell people what you & your Business can do for them.

4. Booklets: you are an expert on your business so write about it!

5. Brand: your Brand is your values, what you stand for.

6. Business card: you have one of course?!

7. Case Studies: show examples of your successes.

8. Copy: marketing words, write to sell, so make them compelling.

9. Cross selling: tell customers about what else you offer.

10. Customer service: under promise and over deliver.

If you just try one of these ideas it will help you gain and retain customers!
More next time!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Getting people's attention...

Having written out your 1.USP and 2. Your problem/solution statement...

3. Now write another sentence that explains the key points of how you deliver your solution. Your statement should be a very brief summary of the key features and benefits of what you are selling.  For example:

 “By writing the blog posts for them, I free up their time to focus on other parts of their business”. 

This isn’t a sales pitch, which would just turn off someone that you met in an elevator. It’s a summary of why your solution actually works. It shouldn’t give a person all the details of your business. Instead, it should create an opening for more questions from the other person. In other words, it’s a great way to get a conversation going.

4. Put it all together

Now that you’ve written the basics of your elevator speech, it’s time to put it all together.

• Practice saying it out loud
• Add other details to make your speech sound natural.
•  Try it out on someone else and get their feedback and reaction.
• Remember to time yourself to make sure your “little” speech doesn’t take more than about a minute.
• Take the time revise and revisit your elevator speech frequently, especially as your business changes.

Creating your own individual elevator speech is far more important than most people ever realise. You never know when you will meet someone that can be a help to you in your business, or who is a potential customer. This is the one liner you can use with friends who have no idea what you do or with business colleagues you meet at a conference “in the elevator”. It is your pathway  to opening the door to a new business relationships.

Some tasks now…

You’ve read how to craft your USP and turn it into an elevator pitch. Craft one for your blog. The wonderful thing about the elevator pitch is it helps you market not just yourself but also your blog, your ebooks and other aspects of your business.

Good luck!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

How to get people's attention...

I get asked a lot about how best to sum up what you do in a few words or a sentence; indeed Ali Davis posed the question in a recent Tweet, "can you summarise what you do in one or two words"! Initially that might be a step too far but it is a great idea and a worthy goal; something I'm working on! 

If you're asked the question, "So, tell me what do you do?", what are you going to say? Well, over the next couple of Blogs I'll give you some ideas and tips that I hope will help.

 

What will you say?

People don’t want to hear a 15 minute blow by blow account of your business. They don’t want a potted history of how you started your business to change the world and 15 years later you’re still trying. In fact they don’t even want to hear more than a minute about you and your business however fascinating it is to you. Remember, most people are not interested in you they are being polite or breaking the ice and really want to talk about themselves! 

So, how do you describe what you do in an efficient and effective way? 

How do you finished that conversation without wishing the ground would open up and swallow you?

The Elevator Speech

Everyone needs to have a 1 minute speech prepared that explains exactly what their business is all about and why people should even listen to them. This is commonly referred to as an “elevator speech or pitch” since you should be able to say it in the space of an elevator ride. 

It’s a snapshot of you and what you do in your business.

Here are some ideas how to avoid that sinking feeling over coffee and how to craft the elevator pitch of your  dreams, the one that works for you.

The steps to crafting your elevator pitch (that works).

1. Outline your USP

What are the key points of your unique selling proposition (USP)?  

What’s different about you compared to your competitors? 

Write these down in a simple bullet point format. 

Then cut out irrelevant words and explanations. 

Edit your USP down to the bare minimum, the most basic essence of what you are offering people.

2. Write your problem/solution statement

Now put your USP description into one sentence. 

It helps to put it in terms of a solution to a problem, since this is the most important part of anything you are selling. It’s why people buy. For example,”I help people that don’t have time to blog or just hate it”. 

This doesn’t tell someone exactly what you do, but it intrigues them enough to want to learn more. 

I will tell you more about getting people's attention next time!

 

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

 

 

Setting up a network group..

If, like me, you have recently set up a new Networking forum, or you're thinking of beginning a group, you will appreciate there are problems and pitfalls! So I thought I would share a template I use.


Objective What are your personal objectives? To increase your profile, get noticed or simply altruistic.

Purpose Decide on the purpose Referrals, communication, training etc.

Target Members Who to target? Members of your network, clients, prospects, new contacts.

USP What differentiates you? The members, food, agenda, venue.

Hurdles / Barriers Are there barriers to entry: SMEs, large companies, self-employed, singletons etc.

Value Added What will they place emphasis on? Quality of presentations, referrals, membership.

Name / logo Explains the group. Not just "ABC Networking"!

Meeting place Decide on a central location or a "special" venue. Do market research and choose depending on numbers

Meeting time Research the best times. Early, lunch, evening or variable.

Meeting regularity What frequency will get most ROI? Weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Structure Informal or formal format? Set a format and ask for feedback and adjust accordingly.

Benefits What's in it for them? Prospects, clients, community, Business Community, Training, Face 2 Face, problem resolution.

Mission A phase to capture the need. Try to encapsulate the essence of the group succinctly.

Numbers What is a good number? Be realistic, and build on it.

Meeting content Decide on a meeting format Informal, training, network, seminar.

Marketing To be done in - house or external? Maybe in-house initially then sponsored?

Revenue/Costs What will I charge? Compare with other local groups & ensure to cover costs!

KPI How will you measure success? Set targets and get regular feedback


The main thing is to allow plenty of time, be realistic and not be put off, as there will be set backs, but keep going!

I hope this is helpful and let me know of your successes and experiences!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Facts and Stories...

Facts and Stories.

Last time I talked about Elevator pitches and the need to think about the first 10 seconds as it will capture interest; this time I'm discussing the power of stories!
You may have heard the adage, "Facts tell whilst stories sell", well it is right, in any networking conversation, unless asked for, facts will simply bore and maybe will not even be heard! The beauty of stories is they can include facts, make a point and be interesting!

There's a story about a student who had this recipe for peach wine that he really loved. One day he decided he wanted to make some of this peach wine. So he bought some peaches, went to his parents' and got the equipment to make it.
He mixed up the yeast, peaches, and the rest of ingredients, and put it in his basement to ferment.
He checked it regularly for days to see how it was doing, but it was going too slowly for him! He got impatient and wanted to speed it along. So he put some more yeast in to help it along. Then he went back the next day to see if it had made a difference; he tasted it and found it was not the wine he expected but instead it was the best peach vinegar!

Sometimes there are things in life that you can't push. You can't make some things go faster. Instead they go bad and this is true in building trust!

A woman I know was invited to attend a 50th birthday party of an associate who used to belong to a networking group of which she also was a member. They'd had a long-term working relationship, and, therefore she decided to attend. However, when she arrived at the house and looked through the window, she noticed people were arranged in a semicircle, obviously listening to a presentation, and when she went in, it was very obvious the party-goers were being recruited for a business opportunity.
Although, she felt annoyed and resentful, she and the other friends found it difficult to remove themselves from the "birthday party," especially, as the only refreshment being served was the company's diet product!

Be honest, is it a party or a sales pitch? I'm sure the woman in question will find future parties less well attended!! If you falsify the reason for a gathering you will find that rather than increasing your circle of influence that your circle has reduced to one!


In conversations, I often use the counter to objections that Dani Johnson recommends, "I don't know about that all I know is..." and tell a story.
For example:

"It'll never work for me!"
"I don't know about that all I know is that I have been working with ABC Company for two years now and I'm making £2,000 each month."

Try it, what have you got to lose and, after all, it is a lot easier than trying to overcome objections with facts and it makes you feel better too!
I hope it helps.

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Elevator speeches, do you need one?

Do you need an "elevator speech"?

Yes & no! When talking about their businesses, many entrepreneurs try to get everything they do into a 30-second pitch, and we miss most of it. We simply tune out after the first few items on the list. Instead, you should focus on your top two or three areas of expertise.

*Start with the First 10 Seconds, What if 10 seconds is all you get? Does your first sentence tell your listener enough so they understand what you do and inspire them to want to know more? 

Here's the simple, but effective approach.
"I work with [type of clients] who have [these types of problems, issues or challenges]."
That's it. Don't try to sugar it up or make it too catchy

*Avoid the what you are approach, "I'm an accountant" or "I'm a marketing consultant" or "I'm a financial planner". You've heard them time and again. You've probably even done it yourself. The problem is your listener(s) may not understand what the title means and may remember an incorrect definition
*Avoid the, what you do approach. "I do small business accounting including sales tax and payroll" This tends to be boring and doesn't help the listener(s) understand what they get as a result.

*Say how you solved a problem or served a client. Reinforce your first 10 second sentence with a second sentence that shows how you solved a problem or overcame a particular issue or challenge.

"I help mid-sized accounting firms plan big conferences on a small budget.
I just recently lined up free live entertainment for a firm that hosted 500 people in town last week."

*Tell them why you are unique. What makes you stand out from the crowd?
Maybe it's a unique model or approach for better results, focus on a specific niche, a guarantee, or extras that others don't provide.

There are many ways to define your uniqueness that will help gain attention and make you memorable.

  I work with small businesses to increase their profits.

  I encourage entrepreneurs by providing opportunities.

  I help people find ways to make more money.

  I create opportunities.

I hope it helps and works for you!

let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a really successful 2013.

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/