Here are three simple and cost-effective ways you can enhance and improve your marketing. (Note I didn’t say “easy” — these ideas require plenty of effort to implement properly, if you aren’t doing them now.)
Be good.
Well, simply put, if you aren’t already at the stage where clients are enthusiastic and ready to conduct repeat business with you, you need to fix the fundamental service you provide first. Great marketing might attract some new people to make the call and try you out, but it is like pushing a boulder up a hill if you leave your clients unsatisfied. Negative word-of-mouth publicity (or none if your unhappy clients are “nice” will offset any other marketing you do.
Systematize and enhance your client follow-through and referral program systems.
If you create a great “after sales” experience and embed follow-up strategies in your communications, you’ll ensure your one-time clients don’t forget you when they need additional services or (more powerfully) they know others in their orbit who are ready to do business with you.
Make your web and social media presence alluring and effective (and control it yourself).
Even if you are not “tech savvy” you can contract with inexpensive services to handle the details (or even if the services are not inexpensive, you may still find them to be a worthy expense.) Personally, I think spending some of your learning time on the fundamentals of website development, WordPress blogging and simple social media management will be worthwhile if only for you to understand what to expect from employees and contractors.
Did I say any of these ideas is easy? ?No, unless you are already in the place, it will take co-ordination, planning, time and some failures along the way to get the results you are seeking. You can sub/assign this work to third party services or consultants (I can either help or refer you to others who provide services) though you will want to budget a reasonable amount of money if you are going the third-party route.
