Client attraction secrets for under £7! How to Get Clients to Come to you
describes a seven-stage system for attracting & keeping clients.
Written for small to medium-sized businesses, it focuses on practical and
proven low-cost marketing techniques. The book is priced at £6.99.
UK readers can order a copy for £6.75 including P&P from my
publisher. Click here to read all about it
Nigel is speaking at these events:
Refer-On Jamboree.
Get your business into shape for an upturn!
Thursday 26th June 2008.
Breakfast / morning event.
Slough.
Hotline: 0845 003 9242
Accelerate your business with CRM
Thursday 26th June 2008.
4:00pm - 7:00pm
Thame.
Learn how to make your business grow by keeping in touch with your
clients. Discover how CRM software can make your business activities more
professional and take your business into a new league.
Call 01844 278036.
[More info]
Last time, we discussed media lists. Once the list is in
place, you'll be able to start sending out press releases and other
material to the right people.
A press release is a news announcement. For example:
New or improved
product / service
Survey results
Events
Here are some tips
for writing a good press release.
Remember that journalists are searching for an
interesting story, so make sure that your press release is
newsworthy. A release that simply advertises what you do won't be used.
Each press release should keep to one announcement only. Don't try to
combine several pieces of news into a single press release.
Don't
forget to write 'PRESS RELEASE' and the date at the very top of the
release.
Write
a headline that clearly states what the press release is about.
Journalists are busy people - so your headline must get their
attention.
Proiritise.
Think about your announcement and write the most important information
within the first paragraph.
Each paragraph must be able to stand alone. Editors often delete whole
paragraphs at a time, so whatever is left must still make sense.
If you refer to other companies (e.g. clients or suppliers), make sure
that you have their permission to do so.
Be succinct. Try to keep your press release to one page.
Write a standard 'boiler plate' paragraph giving an outline of your
business. Mark it 'For editor's information' and put it at the end of
all your press releases. Don't forget to include your contact
details.
Are you happy with your elevator pitch Jon? The
phrase 'elevator pitch' is based on the idea that you are one of two
people in an elevator (lift) and that you have 30 seconds to deliver
your pitch.
The best way to write a pitch is to begin b thinking of words that
describe your business. This tells people what you do.
Then come up with the words that describe the results you generate.
This tells people what you deliver.
Use these words to write your elevator pitch. Once you have
written it, you can use it in many ways and in many situations.
How to work the
room at a networking event
A networking event can seem a little daunting and it can be all too
easy to just talk to people you already know.
Avoid this trap and circulate around the room, talking to as many
people as possible. All you have to do initially is catch someone's eye
and smile; most people will return the greeting.
Spend most of the time listening. Practice asking open
questions - how, what, why, when, where, who, which - because this
will get the other person talking.
Try to uncover a problem or need they might have and write it on the
back of their business card.
When you return to the office, don't forget to follow up with an
email or phone call. A good way to build a relationship is to try
to help in some way with a challenge they are facing.
Make your website work harder for you Here are some ideas to help make your website work
harder for you and to generate more sales enquiries.
Display your
telephone number on your homepage. Make sure that it's in the same
place on every page of your site.
Just below your telephone
number, put the words 'Email us'. Some people like to call, others
prefer to write!
Create unique Title Tags
for each page of your site.
Provide useful and
interesting content. Give visitors something helpful to
read. This will encourage them to recommend your site to
others and to visit again.
Put offers on your site.
Offers can generate a rapid response!
Place an e-newsletter
sign-up form on every page of your site. 'Permission-based'
marketing is a highly effective way of generating business.
Include a 'Links'
page. Visitors will appreciate being recommended to useful
sites.
Tell the site owner that
you have linked to them and suggest that they may wish to
reciprocate.
