If there is a Magic Key to Marketing, THIS is it

We're all looking for a magic key to marketing, something that
will finally take the frustration out of failed attempts,
unreturned phone calls and prospective clients that don't seem
to "get it".

I believe we are also looking for more depth, meaning and
significance in our lives. Something more than the 10-second
sound bites and 30-second commercials that leave us feeling
saturated, yet somehow hollow at the same time.

So what does a Magic Key to marketing and more meaningful
client relationships have in common?

I'm convinced that a sense of connection, even in the business
contacts we make, is what gives us deep, resounding satisfaction
about how we spend our time and who we spend it with. And yes,
I believe (or rather, I know) that a sense of connection and a
sense of relationship with our clients bring us more business.

What I am about to share with you is not wild, exciting, or
even amazing - but the results are, and more!

The magic key to flooding your business with as many new
customers as you want is consistency. Now please stay with me
on this. Remember, I said it wasn't glamorous, but the results
will thrill you every week you are in business.

Consistency simply means cycling through specific ways to create
and deepen your relationships with your clients/prospective
clients. Sure, you can send out the occasional article, call a
prospective client back when you get the time, or hand out
business cards at a networking meeting. But that is not
consistency. It's just potshot marketing, and the results you
get will be sporadic at best.

Consistency is built on understanding what keeps your client up
at night. What is the "rock in their shoe"? What are they trying
to accomplish and can't seem to make much progress on? With that
information, you can easily stay in touch, offer something of
value and create a real working relationship that pays off for
both of you.

Here are some simple, low or no-cost, creative ways to
consistently stay in touch with your clients and prospective
clients:

• Send an article you found that applies to their business.
Include a cover letter telling them why you thought of them when
you saw the article.

• Send an article you've written about a specific problem
they are experiencing. Keep it short (400-600 words is fine),
with bold headlines and your contact information at the bottom.
Pick a topic that profiles a problem/solution situation that
matches your expertise. Include a live client example to make
it even more powerful.

• Send a thank you note for any kind of referral,
recommendation, tip or new business you receive from a client.
Hand written thank you notes are worth a zillion times their
weight in gold!

• Produce a newsletter, or purchase a pre-made newsletter for
your industry. These are increasingly easy to find on the
Internet. You can also purchase articles for as little as
$15.00 (IdeaMarketers is a fabulous resource for articles of all
subjects).

• Offer to give a free, or low cost, 45-minute "lunch-n-learn"
presentation for their employees. Choose a topic that matches
their interest and your expertise.

• Call and ask for a resource referral you need for another
client's project. Your request goes something like this, "I'm
working on a project for xyz company. I'm helping them
reduce/improve/increase blah, blah, blah. I need a resource for
abc and immediately thought of you. Is there someone you can
recommend?"

• Ask your favorite client if they can recommend a non-profit
organization that needs some volunteer help.

• Send a birthday card.

• Send a follow-up survey after your project is complete.
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If appropriate,
include a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks as a thank you for
their time.

• Send a note with a link to a website that offers useful
information to your client/prospective client.

Imagine being in the shoes of your client/prospective client.
Would you appreciate receiving an article, note, thank you card
or phone call? Of course you would! This is just a starter list.
Use it, or create your own ways to be consistent.

Remember the saying "Out of sight, out of mind."? If that is
true, then I am offering a new saying - "Consistency keeps you
in mind at the right time."