It's not enough to have a business up and running, or one that you're passionate about. You also need to market it to keep a steady stream of clients coming through your doors, or virtual checkout. Here are nine ways in which you can keep that pipeline full:
1. Network regularly. Make plans to attend weekly or monthly meet ups where you can network with others who can use your services. You can learn from them, and they can learn from you. You'll pick up more than a few tips along the way.
2. Mention your business to everyone you know. Don't be obnoxious by talking only about your business, but drop mentions as you can. If you feel someone can benefit from your services, then tell them that.
3. Ask for referrals. When working with partners like your insurance agent, ask if they can give you the names of three people who could use your service.
4. Host a free workshop. No matter what industry you're in, you can come up with a short 45-60 minute workshop to give. Give excellent advice for a problem clients face. At the end, offer your service as a natural way to eliminate that pain point.
5. Create a YouTube(R) video series. Make short videos full of useful content to get your business in front of your ideal clients. Share these on other social media pages.
6. Offer a discount on social media. A fast way to drum up business, you can be in front of hundreds of people instantly. Offer a free gift, or higher discount, if the person shares your post on their social media or uses a promo code available only to page followers.
7. Send handwritten notes to past clients. Check up on them and offer a sincere thank you for working with you. Do this a few times a year to keep your business top of mind.
8. Host a giveaway. Offer one of your popular products or services, and collect the name and address of those who want to win. Even though you lose some money on the item or service, you now have a pool of interested people to whom you can market. Eventually, that hole might take care of itself.
9. Comment on social media. Be an active follower of others' social media accounts and comment. Others will notice your helpful responses and reach out to you when they need your service.
Remember that consistency is key. Choose one or two of these to start doing today. You might start commenting on social media and creating YouTube videos this month.
Next month, add in a giveaway. Plan to do one every quarter. The third month, start writing two notes a week. By the fourth month you should have a nice routine going if you are doing them regularly.