One of the great things about having my own business is being able to spend a lot of time with my boys. I am their primary driver for school, soccer, ballet, and so on. Much of the time, I am not much more than a taxi driver . However, the times when it is all worthwhile is when they choose to open up and share an experience or something they are thinking or feeling. It's a matter of being there when they are ready to share. Parents who are not around their children as much do not get that experience. The same can be true for marketing. In today’s world, people do not want to be sold. However, people love to buy. You just need to be there when they are ready to buy. The trick is to figure out how to be there, without being a pest, until they are ready. It’s what I like to call: The Art of Being There. Big brand products can afford to “be everywhere” with their products: TV advertising, magazines, grocery stores, Target, online, discount stores and more. That type of approach does not work for service providers. We have to find ways to show up regularly for prospects and referral partners without being a nuisance. That is why just reminding people about what you do is not a recipe for success. What I have found works for most clients and my business is to show up with valuable information that will make prospects’ lives better whether they choose to work with you or not. There are a lot of ways to be valuable. Providing them with answers to the following questions is a great start:
What are the most common questions people ask about what we do?
What are the things that people should ask about what we do, but don’t know enough to even ask?
Who have you helped and in what way? (case studies)
What are some pitfalls in choosing a provider prospects should know about?
Of course, there are a lot of other topics you could cover as well. This is just a good starting point.
So remember, one of the best ways to get more clients is to be there when they are ready to buy. You just need to figure out how to stay in front of them while providing value and building trust. Then, they will not even consider going anywhere else.