10 Ways to Increase Marketing Efforts 1 Hour a Day

May 4, 2008

Want results, but feel like marketing is such a hassle? Here are 10 easy ways to prime the pump for more results - in as little as one hour!

Take someone to lunch. You could take any someone to lunch, but why not multiply your effectiveness by taking one of your top referral sources to lunch? Look for ways to refer back to that person and think about how you can do more business together. Is there a co-partner seminar in your future or a shared mailout?
Sell someone something. What are you clients asking for that you don’t have? Is there a way to sell this something to them and take a cut of the commission? Do you have a cyclical business where it slows down during the summer and ramps up near the fall? Hold a value-special sale and urge clients to come in early. For example, accountants who start now doing year-end planning can be light years ahead of competitors.
Dig out old leads. Oh you know where they are. They are around here somewhere, right? Dig those out and start a new conversation. Don’t treat old leads like an old book - open a new chapter and start from there!
Create a combo meal. If you are in the market to sell another person’s product or service, combine it with something you have to offer and make it a sweet treat for your clients. A few weeks ago, I offered an editorial calendar that would enhance Ali’s ezine product. For those who wanted the ezine, why not also get my editorial calendar too to make ezine planning that much easier!
Plant new seeds. Take a look at the last few proposals you lost. Call those contacts and ask what happened and see how they are doing. Instead of saying, help me figure out why I lost the sale, start from a place of, How could I have served you better in this process? What did I miss that would have helped? This is a place where very few people sow new seeds - and it’s very fertile ground!
Assess your standards. Are your standards slipping a bit? Does your team need a sweet kick in the booty to play at the A-game level? Don’t delay. Take 15 (maybe 30) and have a focused talk about what your mission and standards are. Then begin living them again.
Face fear. Focus on that ‘dream’ client with all your might. Ask a few friends to connect you with someone, call the company direct, think of a creative way to get in front of them, whatever your strategy face your fear knowing that you will get 100 percent of the clients you never go after.
Do something outrageous. One of my favorite marketing books is Outrageous Marketing. Sometimes being outrageous feels scary, but the truth is being boring, trying to stay within the lines like your competitors, and being a bland Bart is even scarier because you don’t stand out in the crowd and if you don’t stand out, you can’t make sales.
Conduct a survey. Calling and seeing what’s on your client’s mind is a great way to spend time. Check in with your best clients and see what else they might need right now - or in the next few months.
Throw a party. You may laugh, but I will tell you this is one of the ’secrets’ of boutique agencies. Throwing a party is a great way to see old friends and connect in a casual way. Get creative and you’ll find that it doesn’t have to cost a gazillion dollars. One of our clients held a get-together at the local zoo!