How to Prospect for New Customers

Start by Creating a Plan

As a business owner, you are the master of your destiny, and you’re excellent at what you do.  If someone asks you about your core business, you’ll be happy to provide detailed information.  But when asked to quantify how you’re finding new customers for your business, the conversation can take a vague and indefinite turn.  This happens because with many small businesses, sales and marketing often take a back seat to other priorities. Good intentions are there, but the actions fall between the cracks.  The question for today is how can one have a successful and thriving business without a plan for finding new customers for your business? Whether you know it or not, as a business owner you are responsible for actively promoting your business, and you’re the head of sales and marketing.  No matter what business you’re in, selling is critical to your company’s ability to grow and move forward.


If you build it, they will come… sounded great in the movies, and maybe that works for a while, in some cases.  In reality if you’re not dedicating resources to sales and marketing, your business is probably not going to make it very far.  To keep your business thriving, you will need a constant pipeline of sales transactions.  This means that you have to find ways to keep existing customers happy and returning, and new customers coming in the door. Here are some tips on creating a plan for finding new customers for your business. 

Your Job as Head Salesperson

Contrary to popular belief, being head salesperson for your company doesn’t mean that you’re always in front of people or on social media “selling” and talking about your products and services.  Your biggest sales job involves not only being great at your craft, but it also involves honing your skills in the art of listening and learning as much as possible about your customer’s needs.  It means that you’re in the business of building relationships with existing and potential customers as well as in the community.  And it also means that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to balance talking about what you do with ways you can help your customers, when the time is right. 


To locate new customers, you will need to answer a few initial questions. To start, who is your ideal customer? Take time to really work on this question.  Answer the who, what, when, where and how as it relates to this question.  These answers will go a long way towards guiding your business to the right audience.  What problems does your audience have? How can your business solve them?  If you sell to individuals, where do those individuals hang out in their spare time? Do they hang out online and if so where?  Do you have an online presence that addresses their issues? If so how can you reach your audience online? What organizations or community activities can you join to support these efforts?

If you sell to businesses, consider the department that is most likely to buy your products or services, and what individual or level of responsibility would be the one who makes the final purchasing decision.  If you’re not sure who those people are, be proactive and make some calls to find out! Then consider how that individual would normally find products or services like yours. What circles do they travel in? Who are they likely to listen to or where do they look when they want to buy a product or service? Find a way to put your information, or yourself, in their path.

The Key to Success

Planning is the first step in finding new customers. Without a plan you have no direction and without direction finding new customers will remain on your to-do list, but your goals will never see the light of day.  Plans, goals and objectives sound great and look great on paper.  But without action, the best plans are useless.  We’ll cover implementation in future articles…

For now, here are some action items to consider:

1. Create a plan that includes joining and contributing to a specific number of online and offline groups that will place you in the path of your audience.
2. Make sure your plan includes a specific number of emails, postcards, business cards, handwritten note cards, and brochures you will send each month to new and existing customers.
3. Sponsor an event or that will attract potential customer. We’ll talk about this in detail later in the series.
4. Educate customers about aspects of your business to bring in new business. ( Don’t be afraid to give something away (free service, raffle, auction, etc.) to draw in potential clients.
5. If you don’t have a blog, plan to start one and commit to a realistic number of posts each week.

Make sure your blog provides a way for customers to subscribe to your information.  These are just a few simple ideas to begin the process of finding new customers.

Keep in mind that sales often happen because potential customers hear about your products and services in several different ways and from several different sources.  The more often they are exposed to you and your message, the more likely they are to consider what you have to offer when they are ready to buy.




Contact us for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website to Request a Quote.

Marketing Tip of the Day: Request Feedback

Improve Response Rates
with Promotional Items

Customers are the lifeblood of any business yet in many cases, their opinion is neglected, and sometimes even feared.  Because of this apprehension, valuable opportunities are lost by avoiding the hard questions like “how can we improve?”.  Feedback can give us a boost of confidence when things go well. When things don’t go so well, it can make us want to run and hide. 

However those negative tidbits can be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to boosting your business.  Those hard knocks become pearls of wisdom… the pearls that are needed to make your business essential to customers which often leads to more referrals and increased business.

Where do you rate in terms of facing the issues that arise in your business? Are you avoiding problem areas or are you addressing issues that customers bring to the forefront? How does your business currently obtain feedback from customers? Do you send out surveys, does someone follow up in person or by phone after the sale? Is there an opportunity for customers to be open and frank with their feedback? Is there an incentive for customers who provide feedback? What do you do with the feedback once you receive it?  What actions do you take if for example, if you receive negative feedback or complaints?

All these questions are critical to the success of your business.  If you don’t know what your customers think about the experience they had with your business, you’re operating in the dark with one hand tied behind your back.  You might as well close shop.  If customers are unhappy, many of them won’t complain… they just leave, and never come back. They never refer you to their business associates, family and friends.  As a matter of fact, these are the people they will complain to.

People will support your business not because they think it looks good, but because they know it is good.  If they have problems with your services, customers are the best source of objective advice on how to make things better.  So today’s tip involves having a process (there goes that word again!) in place that allows you to regularly obtain feedback. 

Give customers options (anonymously or in person, by phone, hard copy surveys, online surveys, etc) which will increase the likelihood that they will give you feedback.  As an added bonus, including lightweight promotional items (like business card magnets) with surveys that are mailed and/or placing a message with a link to an online survey on a promotional item is a proven way to improve response rates.  Coupons, discounts and other money saving values are great ways to encourage feedback as well.

The goal is to create an environment where feedback is encouraged.  And once your customers have given it to you, let them know how you are going to use it.  They will begin to feel involved in your business, and are more likely to send other people your way.


Contact us for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website and Request a Quote.

Video: How to Write a Business Plan

Have You Reviewed Your
 Business Plan Lately?

Business plans are your own personal road map that helps in decision making and in obtaining outside funding.  Once thought to be a one time deal, they are really an ever changing, ever evolving "living" document that makes it easier to navigate your business through the early years. If you haven't reviewed your business plan lately, or you think the process is too time consuming, the short video below from the SBA can help you get started.

If you wrote a plan to get your business started years ago and placed it on a shelf, it's time to dust it off and use it to set new goals and make improvements to your business. If you're just starting out, drafting a plan will help position your business for success. 

From a marketing perspective, you should put pen to paper to answer questions that indicate whether you have reached the sales and marketing goals set previously.  How can you improve this year? Are you using your resources in the most effective way? What are you doing to promote your business? Is your marketing effective? If not, what can you do to improve? What has changed in your business?  How's your competition doing? Are you using technology? If so, how has technology changed? How can you use it to automate and grow your business?

Here's a link to the SBA's Build Your Business Plan guided tool. This tool will allow you to look at all aspects of your business and allows you to save your plan and come back to it.  A business plan will be a great asset if you plan to approach investors and other funding sources.  No matter whether you've been in business for years or you're just starting out, it's a good idea to place an appointment on your calendar to revisit your business plan at least once a year, more often if possible.  

What Are Promotional Items?

What 's Your Favorite
Promotional Item?

You’ve probably received a promotional item and didn’t know its purpose or how powerful it is in making sure you remember the company that gave it to you.

Otherwise known as a “freebie”, promo gift, or incentive, these items are presented with purchases or advertising every day. If you have ever made a major purchase, been to a sporting event, a product launch, a tradeshow or a concert, chances are you have received a promotional item.

These items range from pens, bags, t-shirts and caps to small appliances and household items. Remember how it felt to get a free item with the name of your favorite company, band or team printed on it? It always makes us feel good to receive something “extra” that is useful and integrates well into our daily lives.

A survey conducted by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) shows what consumers think about promotional items as well as the company that gave them the item. 

Here’s What They Found:

• 83% of American consumers surveyed like receiving a promotional product with an advertising message

• 48% would like to receive promotional products more often

• 38% feel promotional products serve as a constant reminder of the advertiser 

Most consumers are inundated with messages all day, from emails, social media and other forms of advertising. However as opposed to feeling spammed or otherwise overwhelmed, consumers actually like receiving promotional items.

Be assured that your customers like promotional items and would appreciate receiving them from you. Stand out from your competition by using them often, as part of your marketing plan.

Stay in touch on Facebook or Twitter, visit our website and request a quote.

Why Your Small Business Needs a Marketing Plan

In an article Why Do Most Start Ups Fail? written for Small Business Trends by Professor Scott Shane, academic evidence shows that implementing careful financial controls, emphasizing marketing plans and writing a business plan increases the odds that a start-up business will survive.   

Even experienced business owners fail to write plans, they don't have adequate financial controls and they have ineffective marketing plans.  Small business owners have the skills and knowledge that led to starting a business, but they struggle when it comes to planning, marketing and budgeting.  Whether it's budget concerns, perceptions that marketing is out of reach, or a lack of time, business owners are missing opportunities to reach new customers because they don't actively promote and market their businesses.

Making potential customers aware of your product or service, making them want it, and then selling it to them, is an absolute necessity.  While creating and executing a marketing plan is not the most glamorous part of owning a business, it's necessary to succeed.  The good news is that it doesn't have to break the bank to promote your company.  As a small business owner you may wear many hats, but it's important to realize that the marketing hat is crucial to making it from survival mode to thriving and growing as a company.  

Get started today, draft a marketing plan with our free templates. Stay in touch on Facebook, visit our website and request a quote.

Are You Limiting the Growth of Your Small Business?

You’re good at what you do; you are crystal clear on your craft, but as far as advertising and marketing, not so much.  You may be struggling to keep the doors open but not sure how to move things forward.  If so, please read on...

Are you also a small business owner who thinks that marketing is out of reach? It's a common thought that active marketing is only for large corporations and that you can't compete.  If you think it's too expensive to market your company, you’re not alone. 

During the recession, some companies have actually cut their marketing budgets to make room for other priorities.  And it's understandable that you would want to avoid spending money on anything other than critical activities.  However, keeping customers coming in the door is critical to your success.  During lean times, it's important to  ramp up marketing and promotion. 
  
Especially now with an influx of new and developing technology, there are many ways to promote your company. There are even free resources available that will take your company to the next level.   The key is in creating a plan and finding the marketing resources that work best for your business and budget.

There is a constant battle between doing what you love, operating your business and bringing customers in the front door.  You may have distributed, brochures, flyers here and there and handed out promotional items with no success.  However unless you have a plan, and you provide opportunities to measure the benefits, you will never know how effective your marketing is, or areas that can be improved.  Without measurement, you can only perceive that marketing doesn’t work.  

If your business relies on word of mouth to keep customers coming in the door it's great that you're receiving referral business.  A t the same time, using only one form of advertising is limited and it can only take your business so far.  

If you’re an owner that looks at marketing as a luxury and not a necessity, please take another look at your marketing plan.  If you don't have a marketing plan, take time to draft one. It doesn't have to be elaborate.  

You should address issues and honestly answer questions that that will help you create realistic goals, reach your ideal customers and hone in on the best selling products and services. 

We specialize in helping companies with marketing and branding, as well as planning events, implementing programs and solving business problems with promotional items. Stay in touch by visiting our website, on Facebook and Twitter.  Sign up here on our blog to receive timely updates delivered to your phone, tablet or computer. 

Plan to Recession-Proof Your Small Business

According to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), 62% of small businesses are generating revenue (annual receipts) of less than $25,000.00 per year. That’s $25,000.00 in gross revenue, not profit.  Once expenses for overhead and other costs are deducted, the remaining profit can be as low as $9,000.00.  This means that more than half of all small business owners may not make enough to make ends meet. No wonder small business failure rates in the U.S. increased by 40% from 2007 to 2010.

There is no doubt that the recession has affected everyone in one way or another.  For many small business owners, the first reaction to dwindling sales is fear.  Fear has stunted growth in the economy resulting in limited hiring and expansion in some areas.  Fear and frustration has also caused some small business owners to throw in the towel.  It’s troubling because according to the SBA, small businesses employ more than half of the private sector worker force.  What has become painfully evident is that when small businesses fail, we all fail.

This is probably not the vision you had when you started your business.  But… you’re still here, you’ve survived, and while that’s a great accomplishment, it doesn’t resolve many of the issues that will improve your bottom line and ensure continued success.   

The big question is how has the recession affected your business?  Have you assessed any damage that may have occurred?  If your business was negatively impacted, do you have a plan to move from merely hanging in there to thriving and growing? What are you doing to promote your business and move it forward?  Do you think that marketing is important?

We specialize in helping companies with marketing and branding, as well as planning events, implementing programs and solving business problems with promotional items. 

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SMART Goal Setting for 2013

Business Card Magnets

As another year comes to an end, it's time to dust off your goals for 2012 and determine whether you reached the goals that were set. If you accomplished most of your goals, hat's off! That's a major accomplishment. If you didn't reach your goals, please look at why they weren't accomplished. And if they are still relevant for this year, put another plan in place to ensure that you will reach them this year. Another question to answer is what are you planning to do in 2013 that will make it better than 2012?

Goal setting has been described as the process of deciding what you want to accomplish and devising a plan to achieve the results you desire.

Many business owners would rather not participate in this part of planning. It requires taking a look at previous year's results and coming up with ways to improve. Most are good at coming up with ideas in their head but not putting pen to paper and going deeper. It also takes a lot of effort to keep track of your goals as the year progresses... unless of course you have a system that allows them to stay in front of you on a daily basis. 

It's easy to say for example, that you want your business to grow next year. Maybe you want to make more money, or gain new customers. Those are great aspirations, but how will you go about achieving them? How much is "more", or what kinds" of new customers would you like to gain? Do you have a plan? What about data from last year's sales? How will you know if you've done better from the previous year/quarter/month?

The hardest part of establishing meaningful goals in making them SMART.  If you haven't heard of smart goals, using this method is a great way to ensure that you will accomplish the goals you set. The other part of making sure you reach your goals is in making sure you review them on a regular basis.

The acronym stands for:

• Specific - instead of making general goals, be as specific as possible.
• Measurable - in the example of more customers, quantify the number of new customers you want to reach next year. 
• Attainable - make sure the goals are reasonable, something that is possible.
• Relevant - make sure the goals are relevant to what is happening now or at least within the time frame set.
• Time-Bound - set a deadline or time frame for reaching your goals. 

For example if you're a local mechanic, for the goal above, you might say I want to gain new customers in 2013.  To make it a SMART goal, you would say I want to service 50 new car owners that are between the ages of 30 - 50 that live within 10 miles of my business by first quarter, 3/31/13. 

Think of ways that you can improve your business during the coming year. Then get busy writing down your goals and incorporating them into a plan or process that will ensure that they will be met.  

What will make your company stand out among the rest? Will it be improvements to customer service, new products or services, new marketing methods, more interaction in the community?  

An idea for keeping your goals front and center throughout the year could be to place them on business card sized magnets like the one shown in the picture above. Placing the magnets on metal surfaces like desks, refrigerators, filing cabinets etc. will make sure that the message never leaves your mind.  You can also plan meetings to discuss goals with key staff throughout the year, at least once per quarter to make sure you stay on track. 

Stay in touch on Facebook, and Twitter.  If you're planning an event, please visit our website for the best in promotional items and request a free quote.