Marketing & Branding
Do you have a marketing or branding system?
I can’t say it enough, if you aren’t marketing, if you are not branding your business, your business will fail. If people can’t find you, you will have no customers, and of course, no customers means no income and no income means having to close the doors of your business.
Marketing is about creating magnetism; it’s all the things you do to pull people in, to attract people to your business. How you do it doesn’t matter; whether you choose to face-to-face network, or go to a chamber of commerce meeting.
Put yourself out there, do what’s uncomfortable because uncomfortable pays off.
Show up early to meetings, and know that most people are uncomfortable at meetings; you aren’t alone. But, go early, make friends with, at the very least, the bartender, find a position in the room, a touchstone, and mingle and speak with people. When you need a break, return to your touchstone for a few, and after a while, repeat. Networking gets you known and your business known.
Grassroots Marketing
When you attend events, show up with a business card, always. In conversation with others, answer the question, “So what do you do?” This will tell people who you are and what you do, and even better, after repeating it to people, it will help you get clear on what you do. Allow people to talk so that you can listen out for things they need or ways you can help them. When something comes up that you may be able to help them with, tell them ‘the what’, but not ‘the how’ of what they could do to solve their problem.
Let them pay you for ‘the how’.
This will help those you meet realize that you know your business and when you do this consistently, people will recognize your dedication and consistency. Go prepared with a one sheet or brochure (5 ½ x 8) and as with any business these days, have a website!
Branding
I’ll leave you with this small tip on branding; create distinct packaging. If your business is adventure training, there should be a clear message of what your product does, how it helps people, and what the process is. Also, what does your product cost? The more clear people are on what you do, how you help them, and what they can expect to get, the better they are at explaining it and wanting to share your business with others.