Repeat and Referral Business - 3 Mistakes That Companies Make With Their Existing Clients

Repeat and referral business is often referred to as the 'easier' business to bag. So, why is it that many companies struggle to gain such business?

What are the mistakes these companies are making with regard to their existing clients?

1 - They don't contact them at all.......

Lots of business people spend their time, money & effort really concentrating on bringing in new business. They succeed in their quest and that's where it stops........

No further contact is made once that first sale is made and then these people wonder why their levels of repeat business isn't up to much!

Remember the saying 'out of sight, out of mind'? Same sentiments here - no contact means no reminder of your company. The client is seemingly less likely to think of your company first when they require the product or service you provide, regardless of whether they've done business with you in the past.

2 - They only contact their existing clients when they want to sell.......

So, again, time, money and effort has been spent concentrating on bringing in these new clients, converting them to existing clients. These existing clients are like a pot of gold waiting to be mined. Their trust has been gained, they have bought from the company, yet the contact made with these clients is once in a blue moon! Then, to add insult to injury, the company is only making contact because there is something in it for them! ie. They want to sell their product or service........

What happened to regular contact, providing useful information, really adding value to your clients daily existence? If you follow this path, when you come to the juncture of making contact with the view to selling, the client is likely to be far more receptive.

Existing clients should be made to feel valued without the 'what's in it for me' syndrome on the part of a company.

3 - They don't keep in touch regularly enough to create 'Top of the Mind Thinking'.......

I already mentioned that saying 'out of sight, out of mind'. Never a truer word was spoken with regard to existing clients and the negative impact on levels of repeat and referral business.

Many companies do have the greatest of intentions to keep in touch with their clients. But, the contact is not nearly enough to have any sort of positive effect in terms of creating top of the mind thinking. They don't have a specific plan in place to ensure regular, consistent, targeted and effective communication.

What are the chances of ensuring their business is always at the forefront of their client's mind without regular contact? What chance do they have of ensuring their company is the one that is thought of first when there is a need for the product or service they provide?

Solution....... Keep in touch regularly and concentrate on adding value.

Treat your existing clients like they really matter - the truth is they do matter!

Research has shown that a huge 68% of clients leave their product or service supplier because of indifference shown by the supplier..........

Think about how you can stay in touch by using multiple forms of valuable marketing. Focus on incorporating added value through useful information. For example informative press items, web links, referrals, information on competitors in their industry and such like. Send this useful information to your clients. Or, you could think about rewarding frequent clients with an extra, unexpected service to let them know that you appreciate their business.

Focus on how you can differentiate your company from your competitors. Most won't be taking the time to keep in touch let alone making an effort to enhance the daily existence of their clients through informative articles or additional extras.

(Source: marketingweekly.co.uk) An article that looked at 'Top Trends in 2012' talked about how we are seeing a huge surge in digitalisation. As a result of this the desire for something tangible, maybe reverting to an analogue past will grow. People in general will want something that can be touched, held or displayed. Use this to your advantage with your marketing and focus on creating a good balance between digital and analogue. A corporate greeting card is a super marketing option to fulfil the touched, held or displayed need.

Personally Corporate offers all greeting card types, tailored to your requirements, along with the option of an automated mail out service. Aside from your company details and logo you can also choose to include a handwritten message to really make the card personal. You might choose to add a monetary voucher too - that would certainly resinate with any client!

So, how will you make regular contact and add value?

Visit http://www.personallycorporate.com/ and pick up your free 37 Top Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business

Research Indicates Digital Signage Is On The Right Track

Political watchers probably are familiar with that often-asked question -and even more often asked in an election year: Is the country on the right track or the wrong track?

I would propose that those who make their living communicating marketing messages, ads, information and even entertainment on digital signs should frequently ask themselves a similar question. Is digital signage on the right track or wrong track? In other words, is digital signage a growing, vibrant communications medium that is headed in the right direction as a viable communications choice? Or, is it losing favor?

A new forecast from display market research specialists IHS iSuppli suggests that, indeed, digital signage is on the right track, at least if its adoption is any indication. According to the forecast, digital signage will see impressive growth. Worldwide shipments of signage and professional displays this year will reach 17.2 million units, up from 15.4 million in 2011 and 13.5 million in 2010. For the year, the unit shipments will reach 12.6 percent, and by 2016 they are expected to reach nearly 26 million units, IHS iSuppli forecasts.

The research firm attributes the healthy growth to a few factors, including a greater need for digital signs in public spaces and the rapidly declining price of LCD panels.

The IHS iSuppli forecast also identifies the largest digital sign markets for 2011. They include retail, hospitality/healthcare and government/corporate. The forecast also finds the education, outdoor and control room/simulation markets to be important.

So why are those with a message to communicate increasingly adopting digital signage? A few reasons are clear. First, digital signage has the unique ability to reach the public with clear, impactful communications when they are on the go.

Second, because it's a place-based medium, digital sign communicators can identify areas to locate signs that likely will be frequented by their target audience. For example, a restaurateur has a pretty good idea that the people entering the restaurant have eating on their minds, and the registrar of a college knows students entering the administration building at the beginning of the semester are likely interested in class registration information.

Third, digital signs offer communicators the chance to change messaging frequently -at little to no expense- which makes the medium responsive to rapidly changing requirements.

For all of these reasons and several others that have been well discussed in this space in the past, digital signage increasingly is being selected as an important part of an overall communications strategy.

As this nation enters the political season, journalists surely will report on the public's response to the right-track-wrong-track question. I'm sure each time I hear one of those stories, I am will be reminded of this column and the clear evidence from IHS iSuppli that digital signage is indeed on the right track as a communications medium.

While prognosticating about the results of any of this political season's races is a craps shoot, one thing is predictable. Digital signage as a communications medium will remain on the right track as long as professional communicators need to reach people on the go with their important messages.

David Little is a charter member of the Digital Screenmedia Association with 20 years of experience helping professionals use technology to effectively communicate. For further digital signage insight from Keywest Technology, visit our website for many helpful tips and examples. For more in-depth research from Keywest Technology, download our free digital signage white papers and case studies.

7 Ways To Grow Your Business!

Do you ever have days when you feel like you just won't make it? I can remember waking up some mornings, thinking - wondering - pondering - WHEN will IT ever happen? Success, that is.

As a woman in business, do you ever feel overwhelmed, with the sense you've got to do it all yourself? Well, then you are just one of many. Seriously. You are not alone.

The thing is that you have got to start doing things differently to achieve different results. I want to share a few basic tips on how to grow your business so you, too, can be a wealthy woman leader. Here are some of my favorites - looking back.

1. GET PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO - AND TELL YOUR FACE!

I have met so many women entrepreneurs who have been so caught up in the details of 'trying' to make their business succeed, that they have lost sight of the 'why'. They have lost their passion and their energy and are dragging their tired, sorry butts around town doing what they've always done - anticipating a different outcome. News flash! That's not going to work. Get back to basics - take some time to reflect - WHY are you in business? Get back to the passion of what you are doing - and look forward with excitement knowing that the world is waiting for you and what you have to offer.

2. GET INVOLVED IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Listen - I can remember, just a few years ago, when my younger sister got me involved in Facebook and I was thinking to myself: "Why in the world do I need just one more thing that sucks my time and energy in a day?" It wasn't that long ago - really! Things have changed, ladies. Social media is a critical tool in your marketing strategy. You need to have a presence. It's important to make connections, to be connected, to develop long-term relationships, to market, to learn about what's going on and so many more reasons. YOU don't need to learn the nitty-gritty of how all of this works - but you do need to have an understanding of the power of social media. Get a VA who specializes in this area to help you. I did!

3. ASK FORMER CLIENTS FOR TESTIMONIALS AND USE THEM IN YOUR MARKETING.

This is such an under-utilized 'tool' in your marketing kit. As woman, don't we always love to share and to spread the word when we catch on to something fabulous? Well, your clients are no different - you just haven't asked them yet. Get those testimonials and use them in your e-zines, your website, your warm letters, your presentations and so much more.

4. HAVE A BUSINESS LINE ON YOUR PHONE AND A PROPER MESSAGE

Does your current voicemail message say something like: "Hi, this is the home and the business for Sally. The family and I cannot come to the phone right now but please leave a message and one of us will get back to you." NOOOOOOOOO! Have a separate business line and ensure your voicemail message 'works' for you. Time it - that's no longer than a one-minute message - but a powerful one!

5. ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.

Many of you are still really running a hobby, rather than a business. You are accepting payment by cash or cheque. Well, that's ok - however, it does not always make it easy for the client to pay. And that's what you want - easy payment. Ensure your website is set up with a merchant account and be sure to make it easy for clients to pay by credit card. That is just one more thing out of your (administrative) way - so you can go and grow your business and get more clients.

6. WRITE PERSONAL NOTES TO PEOPLE

This is such a lost art! Make the time to write at least 5 personal notes to people each week - just to let them know what you are up to - and ask for referrals. Be sure to include 2 business cards in with your notes - one for that person to keep, and one for them to give away. Never assume that people know what you do and know what you are up to - they don't. They have their own busy lives. Let people know how they can help you grow your business.

7. WORK WITH A COACH

Growing a business takes time, money, energy and resources. No one has all the answers. It can be lonely - challenging - frightening - overwhelming - confusing - and so much more. Work with a business coach who has paved the way. Choose someone with whom you have rapport because you not only want to work hard, achieve success and make money - but you want to have fun along the journey.

Women entrepreneurs are one of the largest growing demographic. We have so many things going for us - and it is my mission to help women achieve financial freedom. When you make money and your business makes a profit, your life changes. That positions you to make a huge difference in your world - perhaps in your family, your neighborhood, or beyond. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you have the power. Where are you getting in your own way?

Pat Mussieux is fast becoming regarded as a highly valued Canadian mentor for women entrepreneurs taking her own business from zero to a multiple 6-figure home-based business in less than 4 years. Much of her success can be attributed to her expertise in marketing, mindset and money!
Pat Mussieux is a business coach, author, speaker and radio host. You can reach her at http://www.wealthywomenleaders.com/

Fitness Marketing Strategy: What Is The Easiest Way?

For gym owners who want to acquire more customers and raise a considerable amount of profit, it is essential that they first need to think of the right fitness marketing strategy to make it possible. It would only become possible for a gym to expand its services and purchase better equipment if they have the right funding. And in order to get funding, a gym must first get the attention of potential customers and entice them to use its services. Using a good marketing strategy will make it possible for you to highlight the services given in a way that is distinct from other local competitor's gym business. Be creative with your strategy. Find ways on how to make customers want to use your services. There are many ways in which you can use a marketing strategy to effectively entice local customers.

Most gym owners nowadays include free membership for those clients who are interested to join in a given time. This results to clients feeling the urgency to join since they can only avail of the free membership for a limited time. Clients would soon then realise the benefits of going to the gym and they may even bring along more customers with them when they come back. Discounts on referrals are also among the most popular marketing strategies being used by many gym owners. In order for customers to avail of discounts, they need to bring along two or three of their friends to join your gym. You can provide incentives to loyal customers and this could inspire them to come back more. You need to be prepared for visits from clients. You need to be there to greet them when they enter as well as when they leave. You need to make them feel welcome. You need to guide them properly on how to use the equipment without getting hurt in the process. These are only some of the popular ways used by many owners who want to get more customers to join their gym. You can choose to follow these tips or you can create a much better strategy. Just make sure that you highlight your services in a unique way. Gain a competitive edge against the other competitors by using a fitness marketing strategy that's different from the others.

You do not need to have a lot of money in order to come up with a good way to entice potential customers. You only need to be creative with your strategy. Highlight the services that you offer, but don't forget to include the incentives, free membership and other gym promotions to lure customers into your gym.

The author writes for http://marketingforgyms.com/ which provides information regarding fitness marketing.

7 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Be Advertising Online

Still not convinced you should be advertising online?
How about a refresher course for those of you a little more advanced?
Here's seven of the most important reasons WHY you should be advertising online.

1. Go Where Your Customers Are. Consumers are using the Internet to research products and services more than ever. Google estimates that 97% of consumers are searching online prior to making a purchase.. even if they purchase offline! If you're not there to be found... how are your customers going to find you?

2. Your competitors are already there. Do a Google or Yahoo search for your business and see what pops up. If you're a hair salon, how many "sponsored links" do you see for hair salons right in your neighborhood? Not only are your direct competitors advertising online; but other companies may be targeting your potential customers. Make sure that these potential customers are finding you as well.

3. Online advertising is not expensive. Your message can reach a huge audience immediately, and typically at a lower cost than other media. One of the most cost effective forms of advertising is CPC or Cost Per Click. Your ad or message may be displayed to 1,000's of people, however you only pay when that ad is clicked!

4 No budget is too small. Provided you already have a basic website, you can begin marketing it with a minimal investment. A good starting point is to determine what your average sale amount is? That will give you a starting point of how much you may want to invest for one new customer.

5. Results are Immediate. If you're like most small business owners looking to grow and obtain more revenue; you'd rather not wait for it to happen! Within minutes of launching an online advertising campaign or test, you will begin to get traffic and responses. Remember, the internet is "on" 24/7 365 days a year!

6. The internet is local. True, the web is "world wide" and millions of people are using it every second, but you can control who sees your advertising! There is little need to worry about wasting your advertising dollars on the Internet masses.

7. The web does all the work. While you do still have to spend the time deciding who you're going to target, and how you're going to do it; for the most part, the internet does the rest. You have many tools available to you and your message can be delivered to very specific audiences in even the narrowest niche. Not only can you target geographically, but you can zero in on potential customers based on their demographic profile, online behaviors or special interests.

Just as with any marketing strategy, your online marketing will need to be tested and optimized. The tools are readily available to everyone, and for the most part, they are very user friendly.

Remember back to the days before you began your business; you had visions of what you would sell, to whom you would sell, and how you would sell. That's the starting point for any new online marketing campaign; and a good reminder to those more experienced!

Christopher Drewa has worked with some of the world's most recognizable Brands leading their Brand Management and Marketing strategies. In 2011 he founded http://www.onlinemarketingdetails.com/ in an effort to bring Big Business Marketing solutions to Small Business owners. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and consults with clients across the country.

Text SMS Services For Business - Why It Is A Must?

Why do you need text SMS services for your business? Let me put it this way - there was a time when businesses felt that they did not need a fax machine. The same was said about having a P. C. If you can show me a business that does not use a P.C. I will show you a business that is unsuccessful.

The Secret To Profits Using Text SMS Services

Sure everybody has heard the buzz about text marketing. Although Text Marketing is one of the best forms of marketing on the planet at the moment, it is not a magic bullet. It takes effort on the business owners end. The secret to text SMS marketing is you need to build a list of subscribers.

This can be done in a number of ways and it is dependent on your current financial model. For instance if you are the owner of a diner you might place your campaign on your table tents, or simply have your hostess or waiters inform the customer.

If you are in the real estate business, you can show your lists 24/7. All you would do is add your campaign information to your current signage and watch your list grow. The leads will come to you on virtual autopilot.

Buyer Beware

There are two competing versions of text services competing against each other. The first is the most popular one, (because it was the first to the market) which is known as short code text marketing. The second is known as long code text marketing.

A short code is a special phone number that is usually 4 to 6 digits. The downside to using them is the text marketing service supplier will allot that same number to other companies. Before it is possible to setup your keyword, your service provider must make sure that the keyword is not already being used on the short code number that was assigned to you.

The best strategy is the 10 digit number method, which is the phone number that is assigned to you and you only e.g. the long code method. This is the most powerful method for the end user simply because it enables you to setup multiple campaigns on the fly using whatever keyword phrase you select within the predetermined character limit.

Cost To Get Started

This is hands down the most affordable method of marketing available to all business. For less than pennies per text message and $10 a month you could be up and running within minutes. No contracts, no worries, and no hassles.

Now that you know why you want a text service for your business, go setup your first Text SMS Marketing campaign and increase your ROI today.

Define Your Target Audience - Have You Defined Your Target Audience?

"I have a theme that permeates all of my business building and my marketing ethos - KNOW WHO YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE IS"

I read this somewhere, just the other day. It seems simple enough, but just how many of us business minded entrepreneurial souls actually do KNOW WHO OUR TARGET MARKET IS?

Time and again, we are seeing numerous business people neglecting to address the 'getting to know' their target audience. The knock on effect being that their business success is less favourable and in certain cases the business ends with failure... Such a shame!

So, how do you define your target audience?

Well, first and foremost you need to have the understanding that your target audience are the group of people who have an interest in or will benefit from what you have to offer and are ready and able to buy from you.

All too often we are blinded by these big fancy words, the likes of Demographics or Psychograpics. Of course they do play their part, quite an important part in fact, but more often than not they give cause for 'bury your head in the sand' syndrome.

So, to move forward in defining your target audience, you need to be thinking about the type of people your offering would appeal to. Think about factors such as:-

- Male or Female

- Age Group

- Particular Income level

- Certain area of the country

- Professionals working in a specific industry/sector

Once you have distinguished who you should be targeting everything, and I mean everything, will get a whole lot easier!

Focusing on one particular group rather than every Tom, Dick and Harry makes it so much easier when it comes to your marketing communications. Rather than it being a broad sweeping attempt to catch all and sundry, you are actually able to structure your communication with much more clarity and indeed be sure that the type of communication you choose, for example, e-mail, social media, direct mail and so on, is the most fitting for who you are trying to reach.

I've seen people procrastinate over defining their audience, anxious that they might lose out on those that don't necessarily fit their audience definition. Well it may be that one or two do slip through the net. But in really focusing on those that do 'fit' and hitting them right between the eyes with what you have to offer, will mean that you'll be so busy meeting the needs of those that are ready and able to buy that you won't even give the small scale number that do slip through the net a second thought.

Furthermore, you don't have to be limited to one target audience. The key is to define each audience and be sure to shape your communications specifically to favour each group.

Let's think about an activity that could appeal to multiple audiences - say Line Dancing... You are in business offering a service, you teach Line Dancing!

So, when you begin to look at defining your target audience you'll be thinking about the following:

- You need to find people who want to learn to line dance - So, forget those who already know how to groove on down in a linear fashion. Forget those who have no co-ordination (that'd be me!)

- Refining your target audience - who may wish to learn. Could be children, Singletons, or even Grandma down the street!

- What language does each group use/understand - Teenage Slang/Queen's English.

- Where do they spend their time?

- What communications would best suit them?

Those groups I mentioned just now come in the various age categories, communicate at various levels and probably 'chill out' in different ways. So, although all may have an interest in your offering of line dancing, unless you define each group, your marketing communication is likely to be wasted.

So, I'll leave you with this question....

Do You Know Who Your Target Audience Is?

Visit http://www.personallycorporate.com/ and pick up your free 37 Top Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business