How to Fine Tune Your Marketing Efforts To Attract More Clients – Part 3

Last week we discussed how to set achievable goals for your business and why this is so important. The next step is to simply start taking action.

Unfortunately, this is often where service professionals get stuck. If we allow it to, analysis paralysis can set in and we can find ourselves overwhelmed; spinning our wheels, wasting time, and accomplishing nothing. But, those who are successful in business don’t stand around waiting for results to land in their lap. They boldly take the first step, even if they’re more than a little afraid and haven’t quite figured out all the details.

The three most common excuses I hear for not marketing one’s business are:

• “I don’t know where to start”
• “I’m too busy and don’t have time to market”
• “I don’t have the money to invest in marketing”

If any of these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, you may be wondering how to go about breaking through such limiting notions and creating results in your business.

Here are a few suggestions that will help:

1. Don’t try to do too much at one time. If you’ve decided you want to start blogging, sending a weekly email newsletter, and securing speaking engagements to attract more ideal clients, don’t try to tackle all three at the same time. Just select ONE strategy, taking all of the necessary steps to complete it, before moving on to the next one. You could even focus on one strategy per month to give yourself ample time to fully execute all of the necessary tasks. Perhaps it’s cliché, but “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and your business won’t be, either. Marketing is not a one-time event, but an ongoing part of your business.  Don’t put so much pressure on yourself!
2. Schedule the time to market. If you are telling yourself you don’t have time to market your business, I’m here to tell you that this is absolutely not true! You simply need to “buy out” the time from other activities in your day and eliminate distractions and time wasters. This will allow you to work more efficiently. I find it most effective to schedule marketing time early in the week and early in the day. Make appointments with yourself to write your blog content, follow-up with prospects met at networking events, and regularly meet with your referral partners. Then, be sure you “show up” for your appointments and do exactly what you said you were going to do! Don’t leave your marketing to chance – or do it when you remember- or when you finally get around to it. Dedicating time to focus on marketing your business is JUST as important as working with your favorite VIP client.
3. Look for the “HOW”. It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have in life and business. But, by doing so, we often overlook the very opportunities we want and need in order to make progress. So if you hear yourself saying, “I can’t afford to spend money on marketing” you must turn that voice off, immediately! It’s simply NOT true! For one, we spend our money on what’s important to us. So, perhaps investing in the necessary support, coaching, and training is simply a matter of re-allocating resources from something else. Consider this – would you spend $200 to make $2,00? Of course you would! So, what is NOT making the investment costing you? If you look at an opportunity from this perspective, you’ll be much more inclined to look for “HOW” you can do what you need to do. Instead of resigning yourself to believing that an opportunity is out of your reach – flip your mindset – and begin looking at it as, “How can I make this happen?”

Remember my formula:

Specific Action + Measurable Criteria + Completion Date = Achievable Goal

The most important element of the formula is that you take action! So start today!

Review your #1 goal and take the first step towards accomplishing that goal. Don’t worry if you haven’t figured out all of the other steps yet. Just focus on taking that first step and building momentum. Then each day work at making continued progress. It won’t be long before you proudly look up in amazement at what you’ve been able to accomplished!

I’d love to hear about your #1 goal and what first step you plan to take to achieve that goal! Share your thoughts with me by posting a comment below.

Your Action Plan For The Week:

1. Realize that limitations only exist because you allow them to. Choose to overcome obstacles, rather than allowing them to overcome you.
2. Take control. Aggressively manage your time and your efforts. To be successful, you must control your time and your energy. Select one strategy or goal to focus on and map out what needs to happen to create the desired results.
3. Begin to work more efficiently. Schedule blocks of time to work on marketing your business weekly (Daily, if you don’t currently have a full practice of clients). Focus and prepare – leave nothing to chance.
4. Chart where your money is currently going and note how you can ‘change course’ to invest in opportunities, rather than allowing them to pass you by. Start looking for the HOW.