PrintEmail

As a Marketing Consultant I’m often asked, "Where do most of your clients come from?" Many times I believe the question is asked innocently enough. However, quite often I feel that the person asking wants to know if I have a magic bullet that might work for them.

Many service businesses will admit that they're not really sure what works best for them.

With that as your starting point, marketing can seem like a lot of work that takes too much time and energy for the return on investment it delivers.  Too often the result of not knowing what works, is a scattered, ad-hoc approach. For example, throwing together a brochure that you can start mailing or handing out to everyone you meet, or sending out a direct mail piece to try and stir up some interest.  Often the motivation for these marketing tactics is a slow down in business and then when business picks up, you quickly stop the current campaign (until the next slow down).

No System, No Consistency

What's missing for most small service businesses is a system to break marketing down into a series of connected small steps to generate a consistent supply of leads and convert them into new clients or customers.

The lack of a system might be one reason so many small businesses decide that word-of-mouth is their best source of new clients. There's no doubt that referrals are one of the most effective ways to grow a business, but most service business owners would have to admit that they don't have any system for consistently generating word-of-mouth business.

So Where Do Most of Your Clients Come From?

For me, the answer is that they are coming as a result of my marketing system. The same system I use to help teach my clients how to get better, more consistent results from their marketing.  Having a system allows me to dependably follow simple, but proven and effective processes to consistently generate leads and convert them into more business.

It is not one or two great ideas or strategies. It's breaking marketing and sales down into a series of connected strategies and tactics to gain attention from prospects and help them to become clients. The system helps move prospects forward that are ready to say "Yes", and lets those who are not motivated or ready to make the investment in their business to move on.

Why Do You Need A System?

If you don't have a marketing and sales system, you'll never be able to grow your business to its full potential.

Most businesses address their primary business functions with systems. You have your accounting system, payroll system, and management system. It's likely you have systems to manage client or project work as well. One primary business function that seems to go without a system is marketing.

Without a marketing and sales system, most service businesses end up reactively marketing when business is slow and stop when they are busy. This creates inconsistent sales and inefficient use of time and resources.