Working With Your Client's Marketing Calendars
You've read many times on WF threads that clients don't care about your SEO/Places/Backlink/Optimized/SMS/QR Code wizardry, they just want to make sales.
But how do you go about doing that?
One way to get on their wavelength is to ask them about their marketing calendar. Each business will lay out their marketing for the year with more dollars invested during their peak seasons.
For example, jewelers spend more on marketing at Christmas and Valentine's Day. Ever notice the gobs of expensive watch ads that start around the middle of November?
So when you have an interested client, ask them about their budget and how it changes over the year.
This is also a good way to upsell. If you've sold them on your Google places and SEO services but not your Facebook Fan page service, suggest that their peak selling season is a good time to add additional services. There is a good chance they will keep it after they see results.
Likewise, let's say you have a good prospect that hasn't bought from you yet despite the fact that you bought her entire staff pizzas and you personally washed her car twice this week (ok I made that part up).
If you are aware of her marketing calendar you can come up with ideas on how your services can help. Let's take the jeweler. You might say, "Hi, it's Opie Offliner, how are you? Good, I know you aren't ready to do business just yet but I see Christmas is your biggest season. I have an idea on how you can promote men's watches on a Facebook Fan Page that will help grow watch sales."
The beauty of this example is that if you do a good job for the Christmas season, just reboot it for Valentine's Day. Then you can suggest they do a similar promotion for Graduation Gifts for Spring. And on and on.
You can see how you've now positioned yourself as a marketing consultant that is offering ideas on how to make their business grow, not just another dude slinging SEO.
Make sure your promotion idea has a clear call to action whether that is to come into the store or call or whatever.
Even professional services have seasons. Think of tax accountants.
A friend of mine is a high-end plastic surgeon in Hollywood. (Here's a fun fact: their office opens at 4am to accomodate stars that don't want to be seen going in to the surgeon's office. So far I have not needed a nip and tuck but I am close). Anyway, even a plastic surgeon has seasons. He gets more calls a few months before the big awards shows like the Emmy's and the Oscars.
Try to work 3 to 6 months out. Here is a link to an article that has a marketing calendar template that you can print out.
Marketing Tool : Creating and Using a Marketing Calendar
Here are some ways to come up with ideas (no affiliates):
10 Steps to Create a Successful Promotion
50 Marketing Ideas for Retailers - Creative Marketing Ideas (Part 1)
Retail Business Promotions
You may not want to do this for every mom-and-pop business on your prospect list. But for high value targets, providing solutions that show how to tie your offline services to their specific marketing challenges will set you far above your competition.
But how do you go about doing that?
One way to get on their wavelength is to ask them about their marketing calendar. Each business will lay out their marketing for the year with more dollars invested during their peak seasons.
For example, jewelers spend more on marketing at Christmas and Valentine's Day. Ever notice the gobs of expensive watch ads that start around the middle of November?
So when you have an interested client, ask them about their budget and how it changes over the year.
This is also a good way to upsell. If you've sold them on your Google places and SEO services but not your Facebook Fan page service, suggest that their peak selling season is a good time to add additional services. There is a good chance they will keep it after they see results.
Likewise, let's say you have a good prospect that hasn't bought from you yet despite the fact that you bought her entire staff pizzas and you personally washed her car twice this week (ok I made that part up).
If you are aware of her marketing calendar you can come up with ideas on how your services can help. Let's take the jeweler. You might say, "Hi, it's Opie Offliner, how are you? Good, I know you aren't ready to do business just yet but I see Christmas is your biggest season. I have an idea on how you can promote men's watches on a Facebook Fan Page that will help grow watch sales."
The beauty of this example is that if you do a good job for the Christmas season, just reboot it for Valentine's Day. Then you can suggest they do a similar promotion for Graduation Gifts for Spring. And on and on.
You can see how you've now positioned yourself as a marketing consultant that is offering ideas on how to make their business grow, not just another dude slinging SEO.
Make sure your promotion idea has a clear call to action whether that is to come into the store or call or whatever.
Even professional services have seasons. Think of tax accountants.
A friend of mine is a high-end plastic surgeon in Hollywood. (Here's a fun fact: their office opens at 4am to accomodate stars that don't want to be seen going in to the surgeon's office. So far I have not needed a nip and tuck but I am close). Anyway, even a plastic surgeon has seasons. He gets more calls a few months before the big awards shows like the Emmy's and the Oscars.
Try to work 3 to 6 months out. Here is a link to an article that has a marketing calendar template that you can print out.
Marketing Tool : Creating and Using a Marketing Calendar
Here are some ways to come up with ideas (no affiliates):
10 Steps to Create a Successful Promotion
50 Marketing Ideas for Retailers - Creative Marketing Ideas (Part 1)
Retail Business Promotions
You may not want to do this for every mom-and-pop business on your prospect list. But for high value targets, providing solutions that show how to tie your offline services to their specific marketing challenges will set you far above your competition.
Mike