In the Coaches Certification Workshop in April we came up with a phrase to check the validity of any marketing action plan. It's based on the David Letterman bit by the same name: "Will It Float?"
Will your marketing action plan float? Or will it sink?
The plan looks good on paper; it seems to make sense overall and you think you could make it work. But then you give it a shot and it sinks faster than a rock.
And you have no idea why.
Here are a few reasons why your marketing plans are sinking:
You don't have a game plan, you have a tactic
For instance, I've seen mailing plans that looked like this: "Mail letters to list of prospects who will respond by phone ready to do business with me." This ignores the fact that most strangers are not ready to do business with you.
You're thinking "transaction" not "relationship"
Just because someone leaves their card at your trade show booth, doesn't mean they are ready to become a client (or even ready to meet with you). Credibility and trust take some time to build and a one-minute card exchange is not usually enough.
You're focused on your timeline, not the prospect's
Of course you'd rather to get clients sooner than later. But your priority is not necessarily the prospect's. They want more information; they need to feel comfortable; they have other things on their plate right now.
So what do you do?
The reality is that it takes a certain amount of time to cultivate a prospect. They have to go through a number of steps or stages before they are comfortable doing business with you. And if you try to rush things, you may lose the opportunity to ever get that prospect as a client.
And that's a marketing plan that sinks.
With focus, attention to relationships, excellent materials, authenticity, value, patience, and a process that ends with persistent and friendly follow-up, your prospects will feel more comfortable with you, and ultimately, many will become clients.
That's how you make your marketing plan float.
If you really want your marketing plan float, ask yourself these important questions. How you answer may determine your future.
1. Do I want to grow a successful, sustainable business where I not only make good money but I can sleep at night because I consistently deliver what I promise?
2. Am I willing to build a solid marketing foundation for my business which includes developing quality services and effective marketing processes that introduce them to my prospects?
3. Can I put my main focus on building long-term relationships than one-time transactions? Am I willing to build a business that has raving fans as clients who continually send me more clients?
4. Will I put more attention on communicating the actual outcomes I deliver for my clients than the processes and methodologies I use to get there?
5. Is my business something I'm committed to for the long haul? Will I hang in there through thick and thin until I achieve the goals I've set for myself?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you won't have a problem making your marketing plans float. They will be impossible to sink because they'll be water-tight and sea-worthy.
The More Clients bottom line: The key to creating marketing plans that float is building them without holes in them! This means a solid business foundation and a communication approach that is based on relationships, authenticity and value, not flash-in-the-pan promotions.
Are your marketing plans floating? What are you doing to make sure they are? Please share on the More Clients Blog.
Two tips for promotions:
1) Sell Value.
My products such as the Sales Toolkit were created upon clients asking me questions. I offer my entire product line (how to sell better and grow your business) discounted as opposed to purchasing individual products. The set is frequently sold.
2) Offer Samples.
When I speak, I give away much valuable information for building business and achieving more. People like what they hear and additional sets of products are sold.
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale and Author of "Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results", published by Sourcebooks.
Posted by: Elinor Stutz | July 31, 2007 at 09:00 AM
Just read this and agree wholeheartedly.
The mantra I've used with my clients over the years is this: all we say and all we do helps our customers believe that they have come to the right place. Or the wrong place.
That philosophy helped me build sales and loyalty for some of the world's greatest brands and their advertising agencies.
I recently started my own business and found that it took more time than I had hoped. Cash-flow. Need I say more?
Ironically (or not) my first client is a gentleman I treated well over 18 years ago. When I called him two months ago he still remembered me and we met. I just finished the first of three strategic project for him.
And I'm looking for more clients . . .
My website is:
counterculturecommunications.ca
And I'm also a LinkedIn member. Join me!
Posted by: Frank Wehrmann | June 21, 2007 at 08:26 AM
Hi Robert,
This focus on building relationships is exactly why you are number 1 on my squidoo lens (www.squidoo.com/life-coach-marketing-product-review) created for people to share their experience with business coaches and products focused on coaches and solo professionals.
For myself, I've noticed that things I did a year ago are only now really starting to pay off in the way I had hoped and planned. If I wasn't in it for the long haul I might as well not have bothered.
Thanks for continually providing good food for thought and action.
Posted by: Sherrie St. Cyr | June 12, 2007 at 08:19 PM
Will it float? As I read your thoughts about what does float, the Crews Lens posted on the url, www.emotioninstills.com came to mind to share with you.
Please copy and paste the link
www.emotioninstills.com
Press enter after viewing the preloader.
Enjoy!
Posted by: Dr. Wanda Crews | June 12, 2007 at 05:21 AM
As an actor trying to find more work, I've been following as many of your marketing points as I can - though since I am my product its not always so easy... Convincing directors and casting directors that the final result is better with me on board is so often put down to what they've seen me do before and the old catch 22 of "not enough experience - but how can I get it?" kicks in...
As such, I've been studying and implementing marketing techniques - mostly just to push me to a new level of visibility and distinct professionalism. "If they cant see my work, I'll let me see me when I'm not working and I'll sell them on me then!"
And that's where a marketing plan "that floats" is of supreme importance! Trying to build solid relationships with highly stressed people who know I'm looking for something off them is not an easy task... But by never forcing but staying in touch, letting them know when I'm working, supporting their enterprises and still pointing out to them whenever I could be of benefit I've begun getting regular calls.
Thanks Robert...
Posted by: kevinmarron | June 12, 2007 at 02:00 AM