Adam Booth’s Post

When you work in a reasonably niche area, and one that requires the utmost discretion, business development and marketing can be a difficult proposition. Almost universally my new clients come through word-of-mouth; previous clients recommending me to their clients/colleagues/associates/friends/family and even frenemies (I'm told that's a word now). Tonight I was reminded how powerful and far-reaching that marketing can be when I received a call from someone many time zones away. They had been given my number by a former client who I haven't spoken to in more than 6 years. Nevertheless they had no hesitation in passing on my number and saying, and I quote "Whatever he says it's going to cost, it will be worth it!" You can't get better marketing than that. Particularly from a former client who, in the end, didn't get the outcome they wanted in the matter I assisted them with. The takeaways: set your client's expectations correctly at the outset, do your best work every time, and even if that isn't enough to get the client the outcome they wanted, they will (hopefully!) feel like you provided value in the process. And don't change your phone number. Never change your phone number!

Marketing specialists often forget what it's like to not have a professional perspective. Sometimes we speak to everyone as though they have our experience and knowledge. That leads to assumptions and as many of us know, assumptions are like repellent for closing a sale. For example, not everyone knows the difference between paying for leads and paying someone to help you earn leads. Paying for leads is a gray area for a lot of professionals. Most providers get away with selling old, reused and often pissed off people with little interest in your company simply because they're tired of being contacted. Obviously there are a few honest list providers out there but you would have to have marketing insights to know which ones pertain to your specific needs. Paying a marketing service provider on the other hand is much more expensive and time consuming, but it's always more lawful, ethical, targeted and effective. So when these types of marketing services advertise to the public, people don't typically know the difference unless the advertisement does an adequate job at explaining itself. If you consider this all from another perspective, you can apply it to almost anything. #marketing #perspective #insights

Your marketing will fail... Sounds a little dramatic, but hear me out. I speak with so many people through my networking and business in general who say things like "we tried (insert marketing/sales technique here) but it was a waste of time". Then I take a look at their websites and think "I'm not surprised!". No matter how you approach driving new client engagement, whether through cold calling, social media marketing (organic or paid), PPC, exhibitions, public speaking or networking, the very first thing any prospect will do is check out your website. It's unavoidable. Now, you may be of the mind that any interested party would simply be looking to find your contact details or check if you provide a particular service, and they may believe that as well, but be warned... whether consciously or unconsciously they're also judging your suitability as a supplier. Not everyone has a sharp level of artistic appreciation, but one thing everyone (and I mean everyone) has is an innate and primal ability to recognise where a professional approach has been taken to presenting yourself and (crucially) where corners have been cut. If corners are cut here, where else are corners being cut? You know you do this yourself. When you view another businesses website, you instantly form an opinion on whether you can trust this organisation... we're all time poor and these decisions have to be made quickly so as much time can be saved as possible in doing business. If your branding doesn't fill your new connection with confidence... you've lost them. If the messaging on your website doesn't speak directly to them... you've lost them. If you display blog posts on your website and the last one is dated 2 years ago... you've lost them. If the information they want to find isn't presented immediately to them, or is very easy to find... you've lost them. You can spend fortunes on any form of marketing, but all it will do is deliver potential new prospects to your website. That's where the conversion from visitor to enquiry takes place. Make sure your branding speaks your perfect client's language and your website delivers the goods they need. Talk to the BrandBoy about making sure your marketing spend isn't wasted. https://www.brandboy.uk/

Questions to ask yourself before investing in more marketing 👇 1️⃣ Are my prices where I want them to be? If you’re already underpricing your services then more clients (from more marketing) at the same rate doesn’t math. Increase your prices and then get marketing or conduct marketing to say you’re increasing your prices so people have an incentive to buy now and secure your current rate. 2️⃣ Have I followed up with all leads from the last 6 months (if not historically)? I had a client who said follow up until they buy or follow up until they die (extreme, I know) but the sentiment that you continue to follow up with people still stands. Following up doesn’t need to be pestering or spammy, use your good nature to simply check in with how they’re going and if they need support right now - and if not now, when. 3️⃣ Are my conversion rates in sales conversations strong or are too many leads disappearing? If you’re talking to potential clients and having great conversations but they’re not signing up to work with you, there’s a problem. And this same problem is going to be amplified the more people you speak to. Focus on improving your sales skills, your sales process and your ability to convert clients in fewer steps. 📌 Many people will have you believe that more marketing is always the answer. When you take a pause and plug some holes first, your marketing can do its job better. — ✋ I'm Shannon Stone, award-winning business & marketing consultant and I specialise in helping service based businesses strengthen their sales, enhance their team and better manage their business. 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn for more content to help you grow your service based business.

Let’s talk marketing… If you have the capability to handle it on your own, that's excellent and you must be seeing great leads. If not, then you need to consider hiring a professional agency to manage it for you. Let’s be honest marketing takes time to build up. Some people don’t believe in it or get it because they can’t see the ROI straight away but if you’re genuinely seeking the outcomes that marketing can deliver then give it time. Remember not everyone is ready to invest with you because you’ve started a marketing strategy! They will be and you need to be seen to purchase from! If you truly desire the results but find yourself short on time and hesitant to invest in outside expertise... You could be in a situation resembling that of a "Brian"! Wouldn’t you agree Mike Lewis #b2bmarketing #consistency #authority #leadsb2b

Are you a generalist marketing agency struggling to stand out from the crowd? 🏻 Defining a clear niche is one of the most powerful ways to attract your ideal clients and charge premium rates. Here are 3 tips from my guide on niching your agency: 1️⃣ Determine if you want to be a niche specialist or a generalist - the niched agency will almost always win over the generalist. 2️⃣ Use the 9-box grid in the guide to map out where you are today vs. where you want to position yourself in terms of product v relationship type of business and pricing. 3️⃣ Commit 100% to your chosen niche in all your marketing - your website, emails, networking, etc. Niching doesn't mean you can't take other work, but it focuses your core efforts. Interested in learning more about defining a compelling niche for your agency? The full guide has step-by-step advice and tools so if you want to grab your free copy, check the link in the first comment.

Every home services company should partner with a marketing agency within the first 3 months of opening their doors. · Outsource from the beginning · Focus on perfecting fulfillment · Leads = Leverage But not every new business has a marketing budget. Here are 3 proven strategies to generate business on a shoestring marketing budget (so that you can save $$$ to partner with an agency):   𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 Don’t have a website? No problem. Make GBP your company HUB. → Optimize your Google Business Profile → Add Pictures of Your Work → Request Reviews from Friends and Family Any communication with a customer add a link to your Google Business Profile. 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 In the beginning, nobody knows about you. After your first week, everyone and their mother should know you’re up to something. → Post 3-5 times a day on FB and IG (anyone that thinks its annoying can unfollow you) → Use stories to showcase BTS of your work so people can follow along → Join as many local FB groups as you can It’s not about post engagement, it’s about being everywhere consistently.   𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐎𝐖 Every person you meet, grab their email address. Every Saturday morning, wake up and write an email to send to your list talking about your business. → It’s not annoying, it’s staying top of mind. → It’s a reason to reach out to someone without being salesy. → It will be even more valuable when you partner with an agency. You’re not trying to sell anything; you’re staying top of mind and creating ‘brand recall’ for everyone in your network. ~~~ ✍️ How do you market your business on a shoestring budget? ♻️ Reshare if you found this helpful.

7 Marketing Tactics to Try to Make a New Business Successful @streetwisejnl

Successful businesses rely on marketing agencies to create effective campaigns that yield results. It is important to have a strong working relationship with your marketing agency to get the best work. @wearearticulate

At eXtend Marketing Partners, we understand the importance of online reputation, especially for local businesses. Positive reviews on your Google Business Profile can significantly boost your credibility and attract more customers. Here are the different types of reviews you want: 1️⃣ Character Reviews: These come from your inner circle, such as family and friends who know you as an individual and your character in how you handle yourself and what you are passionate about. 2️⃣ Industry Expert: A good way to get this type of review is from your business inner circle or networking groups. They help by validating your Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness in your field. 3️⃣ Client Reviews: These provide the biggest impact, as this type of testimonial directly speaks to your positive impact on your clients. At eXtend Marketing Partners, we offer tips to help you gain reviews effectively and promote them across your brand. If you are struggling with reviews, contact our professional team today!