Marketing is like a game of tennis; you hit the ball, the other person hits it back.
But what if they don’t hit it back? Do you abandon the game, take your racquet and ball and slouch off home?
Well you could give up, but where’s the fun in that?
So, why do business owners get dejected when they put out ONE piece of marketing and they don’t get a response? The game has just begun – get back in there and hit a few more balls!
The 5 Step Follow-up Process will capture your prospective clients and encourage them to play the game with you.
But, if you keep hitting the same shot at them and they’re not responding then you’ve got to question the shot. Is it what they’re ready for? Is it what they want? Is the timing right or are they metaphorically tying their shoe laces?
Nothing is more annoying for a prospective client to keep getting the same “Are you ready yet? Are your ready yet? Are you ready yet?” message from you. They stop listening – and you waste money!
You’ve gotta get more creative and mix it up a bit. Entertain them at least so they look forward to hearing from you.
Here are the 5 Steps:
Assuming that you’ve done your homework and you know your Ideal Customer INTIMATELY – (you have done that haven’t you? If not back up a step and get the Target Market worksheet) you’ll be sending the messages over a period of time, increasing the urgency each time.
The messages will be sent to specific people via online media, emails, direct mail in their letterbox – whatever your ideal customers’ favourite media is – it MUST be something they regularly pay attention to.
Anyway, I digress…
The steps…
STEP #1
Send all 5 messages to the SAME group of Ideal Customers. Once you’ve tested and refined it you can gather another group, perhaps in a different location.
First message: The intro. Make an offer: something interesting, just a little taste perhaps, not the whole box of doughnuts. This is not all about you – it’s about them, their problems, desires and what keeps them awake at night.
“Get inside your prospective customer’s head. Show them you know them!” – Pauline Bright [Tweet This]
Step # 2
If they’ve responded, get back to them as soon as you can.
If they’ve ignored you don’t get despondent, try another ball…
Send them another message – make sure they know it is from you – it has to have the look and feel of your business.
Approach the problem or desire from a different perspective – hit them something they can return. Ask them to take some action. “Perhaps you’d like one of these… [insert solution] they’re great for fixing [insert problem to be solved]”
Step #3
Rinse and repeat but don’t punish them.
I see some very sleazy marketing out there that says the equivalent of “hey, you didn’t respond to X are you crazy, why not?” Might work for some but it’s not my favourite approach.
Send them something else they can respond to.
By this time you should start to see some response.
Step # 4
YEP – rinse and repeat again. But vary your message. Educate them a little, tease them a little, if your offer has a genuine “use-by” date let them know that time is running out or that you have limited places or whatever the real reason is that you are making this offer at this time.
Step #5
Send Piece # 5. Do not let this slide – send the 5 pieces of contact, keep increasing the value to them of what you do and asking for a response.
Those who don’t need you yet will remember you but if you don’t keep up some momentum someone will come along and eat your lunch! Everything you have so carefully prepared can be lost in a moment if you don’t stay top of their mind.
I’ve had clients who have been on my contact list for TEN YEARS before they are ready to buy. NEVER give up.
After the first 5 contacts, keep the people who have not responded on your long term nurture list. Don’t forget them – keep in touch at least a few times a year or monthly or whatever your marketing budget allows.
Always give them great value and never pester them just to buy. Be useful or be gone. You are building a long-term relationship with them.
Coming Soon: Bright Business Academy launches in 2017
We’ll dive into your marketing in more depth and help you map out not only the plan but write the exact pieces of content you need.
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