Whatever you’re doing- just stop a moment.

Stop and take a minute to be truly grateful for this time we live in…

Sure, we can complain about how “things just ain’t what they used to be” on a number of fronts, but let’s face the fact:

There has NEVER been a better time to market your business. Think about it-

We have so many avenues we can use to promote ourselves, and free of charge too.

With this abundance of opportunity comes an abundance of options. But time remains just as precious as ever. So the question you need to ask is:

What forms of marketing are truly worth investing time into?

Now, before I list the ones worth your precious time, let me leave you with the most important question to consider as you read:

How much is a sale worth to you?

So let’s begin:

#1. Social Media

If you’re a product-based business: Share your latest offers or brand new products on your social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest etc). Wherever your business has a social online presence, keep those who follow you in the loop and up to date.

If you’re a service-based business: What jobs are you working on this week? Is there a ‘Before & After’ story you can share that highlights why people should reach out and contact you or your team?

The trick here is to remain present. Your online audience may scroll down without clicking. They might barely notice, on a surface level. But being consistently present works, and it’s the same reasons global brands pay top dollar for signage at prestigious sporting and entertainment events:

Because your name sinks into their subconscious mind. So be present!

#2. Regular Articles

Look, I admit it straight up- blogging is something close to my heart, and it’s something I love doing for clients. But the reason I love blogging is because of the long-term value it delivers, and how it manages to attract new clients and re-engage old ones.

After all, this is where the money really is, no matter what business you’re talking about!

Yet it amazes me how many businesses still don’t have somebody doing this on the regular- if at all. Do they realise what there is to gain from sharing regular articles with their online audience? Maybe not- but have a look at these current stats for yourself:

Some Real Numbers To Make You Re-Think Blogging

What makes this great is that there’s always something to write about. You’re not just sharing ‘How To’ articles or the hot topics relevant to your industry- you’re also giving your readers a behind-the-scenes tour and showing them what goes on every day, every week in your business.

It pays to introduce them to yourself and your team. Even if you’ve never met, this helps them to feel as if they know you personally. This makes a crucial difference because even if the person reading isn’t in the market for what you provide right now, that might change in 3, 6, 18 months or 5 years time. If you’ve planted the seeds and had an ongoing dialogue with them, when their situation changes and they need somebody like you, who do you think they’re going to reach out to?

That’s right- you!

So think for a moment: How much is a single decision like this worth to you?

#3: E-mail Database

Do you have an e-mail database?

If not, the best time to get one is NOW. There are several ways you can do this- have a competition with a prize on offer and get people’s e-mail addresses in return for entries. Cold call if you need to. The aim is to build up a list of e-mail addresses (your database) and to send them out to your database on the regular.

What do you mean by “on the regular”?

I mean, once a week at least. Yes, some people are going to unsubscribe. Many people are going to send your efforts straight to their junk folder. BUT…provided you use the e-mail platform to share your latest articles, offers, events and keep your list up to date?

You’re present. This works the same as having regular updates on your social media accounts. Many will pass by, but they don’t completely ignore you. The larger your list, the greater your chances of getting people who stop to read your e-mail and follow up.

Again- how much is a sale worth to you?

#4. F2F

Recently, I read an article that pointed out that, even though connecting with eachother has never been easier (regardless of where we are in the world), we’ve also never lived in an age where isolation is so easy. We’re an increasingly individualistic society, which is great for personal freedoms- but it means we’re more disconnected than at any other time in human history:

On The Infestation Of Small-Souled Bugmen

Fact is- we were made for community.

If you’re not part of a business networking group, or attending regular events that bring you into contact with other business owners and professionals, now’s the time to get involved and to connect.

Doing so gives you the chance to interact with people on a personal level, and it also gives your business a 3-dimensional presence.

The more 3-dimensional you are, the more people trust you.

The more people trust you, the easier it is to sell to them.

Not only that, but getting amongst it on the regular also opens us to new concepts, ideas and build new alliances that have the potential to take our business to new heights. We can’t build a truly great business without interacting, learning and sharing.

We were made for community.

#5. Website

This is the grand terminus for all the other ideas listed here.

If you’re sharing content on social media, you want to make it easy for people to check out your website via clicking a link that leads them there. Same goes for your blog, your regular e-mails or the business cards you hand out when you meet with other professionals.

Make it easy for them to find your website. This should ideally tie in with the rest of your marketing efforts, and all the key information should be in the one place:

Who you are

What you specialise in

Why people should get on the phone to you, order or send you an e-mail

Your website ties all your other marketing channels together, in the one place. Think of the rest like balloons of different colours, on strings of different lengths- people notice different balloons first, but they all need to be tied to something for people to realise that they’re connected. This is what your website does.

The time you devote to these different marketing channels is your call. But remember to ask yourself:

How much is a sale worth to you?

Not only that, but how much is somebody who buys repeatedly from you worth-

4 figures?

5 figures?

6 figures?

More?

By taking care of the 5 different outlets I’ve shared here, you discover the value of your answer to these two questions.

However…

No matter how proficient you become at this, all of these methods require time. They demand constant maintenance to ensure your message continues reaching your most valuable audience…

So if you’ve already got enough on your plate- but you recognise just how much a single sale is worth (let alone a repeat one)?

Let’s talk:

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