By Fabienne Fredrickson
Every time I speak in front of an audience, whether it’s 50 or 1,200 small business owners, I get the same old question. Then following my answer, I always see a roomful of dropped jaws and gaping mouths.
The question? How often do I need to reach out to my prospective clients and clients?
The answer? A minimum of 25 times a year, preferably 52 or more times a year.
Silence. Jaws slowly creak open and begin to drop. You could hear a pin fall.
52 or more times a year??? I’m not kidding. The comeback I often get is “Are you crazy?!?” Nope, I’m not crazy and I know it works because I do it. Now that you know me a little better, you’re probably expecting that I tell you how to create SYSTEMS around this and you’re right. Read on…
The reason people go into semi-shock is they start to realize their boring cookie-cutter quarterly mailing isn’t cuttin’ it. It gets even worse when I’ve got someone in the front row who’s super-proud of their monthly e-zine, thinking they’re doing “what it takes to get clients” and yet they’re wondering why the pipeline of prospects is not full enough, and their bank account leaves a little to be desired.
It’s because they’re not “touching” their prospects (and clients) enough. Well, one of my clients, Jill Foster of http://www.themortgagearrangers.com/, came up with a brilliant campaign during our coaching to change that. She got her hands on the list of Obscure Holidays (National Punctuation Day, National Poetry Day, National Wear Red Day For Women, etc.) and sends a postcard to her prospects, clients and joint venture partners each month (in addition to all the other ways she reaches her list). In each postcard mailing, she somehow finds a way to tie it in to the mortgage services she offers, while adding high content and high value. It’s funny, irreverent and gives her another excuse to be in TOUCH with her list.
- Sometimes you want to be in touch to add high value and high content (this establishes credibility faster than anything else I know).
- Sometimes you want to be in touch to promote your products and services (this keeps you in business).
- Sometimes you want to be in touch to say “happy birthday” (this shows you care).
- And sometimes you want to be in touch to just say “hi” or “I was thinking of you when I read this” (this shows you’re not heartless).
All these ways of TOUCHING your list build the “know, like and trust factor” that we’ve talked so much about in this e-zine. That’s because people don’t buy from those they don’t know, they don’t buy from those they don’t like, and they CERTAINLY don’t buy from those they don’t trust.
OK, how can you do this without going absolutely bonkers? It’s all about SYSTEMS, my friend, as always. Example: One e-zine per week (like this one). One mailing per month (your Virtual Assistant can stuff the envelopes and take care of the printing and postage). A few personal notes, handwritten. A Hallmark e-card. Etc.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
Start thinking about ways to be on your clients’ and prospects’ radio screens over and over again, by bringing high value and high content, or just by touching base to say hi. Create a system for everything.
Not sure as to how to systematize all this and put your marketing on auto-pilot? I show you exactly how in the last chapter of the Client Attraction Home Study System™. Here’s where you can get your own copy: www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com.
© 2005 Fabienne Fredrickson
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System™ and www.ClientAttraction.com, the proven step-by-step program to attract more clients, make more m’oney being self-employed, while having more time off to enjoy it all. To receive your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and get weekly how-to articles on attracting more clients, visit www.ClientAttraction.com.
