Page 292 - Duct Tape Marketing

Commit to Your Marketing with a Plan, Budget, and Calendar

The Powerful Marketing Habit of 5s
I started doing this marketing activity years ago, and it never

ceases to amaze me how effective this simple strategy is. Each Monday
morning, identify five marketing actions, and book them like appoint-
ments. Then don’t go home on Friday until they are done.

Now, these can be foundational-type actions, like writing some
Web copy or working on a product, but the real power is in lead gen-
eration, selling, and generating referrals:

 Write five handwritten notes thanking clients for their past
support and business. This act alone will, over time, generate
referrals.

 Call five clients who no longer do business with you and make
them an offer they can’t refuse today! Some clients leave for
good reasons. Let them tell you what those reasons were, and
you can win them back.

 Call five existing clients and interview them briefly about
ways you could serve them better or new services or products
they need. Pay attention to what they say. They understand
what makes you unique better than you do. They can help
you find your core message.

 Call five prospects (I don’t usually recommend cold-calling,
but if you must, this is the way to do it!) and simply offer
them a free tip sheet, series of checklists, or how-to report that
is housed on your Web site. Don’t try to sell them anything;
don’t try to make an appointment; don’t try to probe for more
information—offer them the free info you know they need,
and shut up. Let your report sell them, and follow up with
those who get the information.

What if you did one of these habits every day? What would that
mean to your business?

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