Self Promotion Brings Business Success
by Wendy Maynard
Published on this site: July 16th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month...
Your business success depends on your ability to promote your
services, your products, and yourself. Fortunately, promotion
is simple. I know...you hate selling. "But, I'm not a
born salesperson," you say. "I don't want to hustle
people." And, images of high-pressure, arm-twisting solicitors
come to mind. But, that doesn't have to be you. You're not
pushing your services/products onto others; people will buy
them because they need them and because they have a relationship
with you. It's the personal connection you make with your
prospects that will help them remember you, and like you.
Self-promotion doesn't come easily to everyone. But, to grow
your business, you must market your services and your products
everyday. Your selling job consists of two things: First,
making people aware of your services/products and second,
making it easy for them to do business with you.
Here are some easy marketing tips:
- Evaluate your promotional materials: Are they
consistent? Do they appear professional, yet personal? Your
promotional materials should put your customers first, and
discuss ways that you can help them. Write with the intent
of creating value for the clients you serve. Use a professional
agency to design your marketing message and refine your
corporate identity. Keep the style, fonts, and colors the
same for your letters, brochures, and newsletters.
- Persuade naturally: Develop a partnership with
your customers. Approach each client's situation as a team
effort, rather than something that you are supplying. Don't
rattle off your capabilities; instead, tell your prospect
a story about how you helped another client.
- Develop your personal presence: A winning image
starts with how you look. Pay attention to your appearance,
the way you make eye contact, how you use your voice, the
things you talk about, and the firmness of you handshake
- these reflect how well you think of yourself and how you
want others to think of you.
- Create the right telephone presence: A phone call
may be the first contact you have with a potential customer.
Create the same kind of atmosphere that you would in a face-to-face
meeting. Listen carefully to what your prospective client
says and really respond.
- Handwrite a message in your correspondence: Include
this personal touch whether it's a thank-you note or a simple
P.S. at the bottom of a letter.
- Show your customers that you appreciate them:
Do things that help your clients. For example, record a
"tip of the day" on your voice mail message, send
clients two tickets to a special event with a note, photocopy
interesting articles and send them to clients and prospects
with a hand-written "FYI" note and your business
card.
Wendy Maynard writes a marketing blog called Kinetic
Ideas. Visit www.wendy.kinesisinc.com
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