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Added for You - Attracting Clients With Incremental Marketing
When I meet holistic professionals and ask them what they do, I hear a very different answer from those experiencing success than from those who are struggling. The difference is not in what you offer, how much you charge or your experience and credentials. The difference I hear is in what is focused on in your answer.As a holistic professional, you know your business is not about you. Your business is about the people you serve – your clients. So, when you answer the question --
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b
Work on becoming better and guess what, you naturally grow bigger. But pushing for size by itself makes you fatter, not bigger, less specialized and easier to succumb to the vagaries of internal and external forces. Often you lose what made you viable in the first place. A chicken that has wings does not mean it can fly. Similarly the big companies are not necessarily the better ones. Many Asian conglomerates learned this to their despair in 1997 financial crisis - there is no
Must your new clients take a “leap of faith” when they engage you?
Or do you gradually draw them closer using a series of pre-planned contacts designed to address their concerns and build their trust in you.
Too many service providers wait for potential clients to take that leap of faith. And in doing so, they force their would-be clients into making an all-or-nothing choice.
Prospects either say, “Yes, we want you” or they never contact you.
This is a high-risk strategy for both your prospect and yourself. It is risky for your prospect because they could feel as though they have to make a decision before they feel comfortable about working with you. They haven’t got to know you yet. Do they have all the information they need? How do they know if they do?
It’s a risky position for you because all your effort in attracting a prospect is hanging on this one all-or-nothing decision. Have you spoken with your prospect and impressed them with your insight and expertise? Have you had a chance to understand what your prospect really wants to achieve? Probably not.
A more effective way to attract clients is to create a path of contact points. At each point you give your prospect a reason to proceed to the next point.
I call this “Incremental Marketing”.
When you practice incremental marketing your focus should be on helping your prospects make incremental steps towards engaging you. At each step you build trust, enhance your credibility, and answer any concerns.
Get them to take the next step, not a leap of faith.
With this approach you’ll also have the opportunity to explain how you work with clients and suggest the best starting point for that particular prospect, such as – signing an agreement; conducting an evaluation or assessment; interviewing key stakeholders; making an appointment; conducting a demonstration etc.
Incremental marketing is about creating a structure for prospects to make smaller, safer steps towards finalising a commitment with you.
The “path of contact points” will vary from business to business, depending upon on the services you provide, and the type of clients you are working with.
Examples
A business management consultant may create this path:
1 - Article published in industry journal.
2 - Link to web site for more information.
3 - Contact page on web site (or a phone call/message from prospect).
4 - Personal contact #1 - initial discussion with prospect over telephone (or in person); and arrange appointment for detailed meeting.
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b
Does it seem that with every passing year it's getting harder and harder to find good paying jobs? If you think so, you're not alone in your thoughts. In fact, this is a common complaint that many people have and it is even worse for those that do not have a college education.Jobs are not bountiful right now and even college graduates sometimes find themselves waiting tables for a year or two after they receive their diploma before they are able to find a job. So, with the
It’s a risky position for you because all your effort in attracting a prospect is hanging on this one all-or-nothing decision. Have you spoken with your prospect and impressed them with your insight and expertise? Have you had a chance to understand what your prospect really wants to achieve? Probably not.
A more effective way to attract clients is to create a path of contact points. At each point you give your prospect a reason to proceed to the next point.
I call this “Incremental Marketing”.
When you practice incremental marketing your focus should be on helping your prospects make incremental steps towards engaging you. At each step you build trust, enhance your credibility, and answer any concerns.
Get them to take the next step, not a leap of faith.
With this approach you’ll also have the opportunity to explain how you work with clients and suggest the best starting point for that particular prospect, such as – signing an agreement; conducting an evaluation or assessment; interviewing key stakeholders; making an appointment; conducting a demonstration etc.
Incremental marketing is about creating a structure for prospects to make smaller, safer steps towards finalising a commitment with you.
The “path of contact points” will vary from business to business, depending upon on the services you provide, and the type of clients you are working with.
Examples
A business management consultant may create this path:
1 - Article published in industry journal.
2 - Link to web site for more information.
3 - Contact page on web site (or a phone call/message from prospect).
4 - Personal contact #1 - initial discussion with prospect over telephone (or in person); and arrange appointment for detailed meeting.
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b
Internet use is increasing rapidly and is revolutionizing the way business is done. New businesses and business models are emerging, customer behavior and expectations are changing, and more customers, suppliers and competitors are going online.This presents substantial challenges and opportunities for all businesses. To survive and prosper in this global and competitive environment, businesses must embrace the Internet and use it to transform their business.The Internet c
I call this “Incremental Marketing”.
When you practice incremental marketing your focus should be on helping your prospects make incremental steps towards engaging you. At each step you build trust, enhance your credibility, and answer any concerns.
Get them to take the next step, not a leap of faith.
With this approach you’ll also have the opportunity to explain how you work with clients and suggest the best starting point for that particular prospect, such as – signing an agreement; conducting an evaluation or assessment; interviewing key stakeholders; making an appointment; conducting a demonstration etc.
Incremental marketing is about creating a structure for prospects to make smaller, safer steps towards finalising a commitment with you.
The “path of contact points” will vary from business to business, depending upon on the services you provide, and the type of clients you are working with.
Examples
A business management consultant may create this path:
1 - Article published in industry journal.
2 - Link to web site for more information.
3 - Contact page on web site (or a phone call/message from prospect).
4 - Personal contact #1 - initial discussion with prospect over telephone (or in person); and arrange appointment for detailed meeting.
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b
So you graduated with a business degree or even a MBA and you don’t want to become an accountant or get too heavily involved in the finance or banking areas. You like marketing and sales but are not sure of which industry to work in. If you want to be in a leading edge field that plays an important role in healthcare, you might want to consider a pharmaceutical sales career.Unlike what some people think, one does not have to be a science graduate or have a scientific background
Incremental marketing is about creating a structure for prospects to make smaller, safer steps towards finalising a commitment with you.
The “path of contact points” will vary from business to business, depending upon on the services you provide, and the type of clients you are working with.
Examples
A business management consultant may create this path:
1 - Article published in industry journal.
2 - Link to web site for more information.
3 - Contact page on web site (or a phone call/message from prospect).
4 - Personal contact #1 - initial discussion with prospect over telephone (or in person); and arrange appointment for detailed meeting.
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b
As a manager many years ago when faced with my first challenge of selecting an external consultant, I found myself all at sea. Fortunately for me, I intuitively hit two of the three selection targets. The project was to produce a communication video, so it was relatively easy to see and compare what each consultant had previously produced. I had a number of consultants to choose from, but finally chose the one that I felt most comfortable with and whose work impressed me most. The p
5 - Send supporting documents (such as business profile or report).
6 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect in person.
7 - After meeting provide service agreement, notice of engagement, or additional detail as required; suggest starting point.
8 - Client agrees to commence.
A computer support technician may create this path:
1 - Referral from client or networking contact.
2 - Personal contact #1 - by phone. Ring prospect to:
2a - Request meeting.
2b - Provide introductory information/background.
3 - Send additional written information via post or email (a report, profile, or link to web site information).
4 - Personal contact #2 - meeting with prospect. Discuss the clients computer environment; suggest a “System Diagnosis” as a starting point to identify areas that need attention.
5 - Client agrees to commence.
Remember, in most cases prospects are looking to minimise their risk in choosing a service provider. They want to feel secure with their decision. Incremental marketing helps you to work with human nature, instead of fighting against it.
Don’t force prospects to take a leap of faith to choose you, because usually they won’t.
(c) 2005 Marketing Nous Pty Ltd
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