Insider Strategies For Marketing Your Business

So here are a few of the strategies I proposed-strategies that could actually work for many types of businesses:

1. Identify a target market. She's one of the few chiropractors trained to work on children and babies and she loves having them as clients. (Surprisingly, kids often have chiropractic issues due to difficult births, genetics, heavy backpacks, sports and so on.) We talked about how focusing some of her marketing on parents could expand her geographic reach, create built-in referrals, add credibility, and even help allay some people's fears about whether chiropractic is safe.

And since it's easier to market to a specific group of people, I was able to give her about a half dozen inexpensive ways to reach out to parents-as well as tips on how to ensure people know she works on adults as well.

2. Change your prospecting list. Coupon mailers and most direct mail are sent to what's called a compiled list-a list based on demographic factors and usually culled from public records. For example, everyone who owns a house in certain zip codes. Problem is you're wasting a lot of money marketing to people who have no interest in your offer.

Often, it's more effective to use a response list. This could be a list of people who recently downloaded a free white paper on CRM software, subscribed to a golfing magazine or bought a book on alternative health. It may initially be more expensive than buying a compiled list, but the return on investment is often much higher because these people have already bought or are highly interested in buying similar products and services.

I suggested a group of lists for her to check out through a list broker, who can help choose and pare down the right list.

3. Mine your past client list for new business and referrals. Sometimes we focus on getting new clients to the exclusion of our best "prospects"-those who have already worked with us. An occasional "recall" letter or postcard is one proven way to reach out to them.

A recall letter essentially says, "We haven't seen you in a while, come on in for a free/steeply discounted visit-no strings attached." Yes, a few people may accept your offer with no intention of continuing. But the ones that do become active again should more than make up for that.

The payoff though comes from referrals. Send the letter above along with a coupon or certificate for a sharply discounted new patient/client consultation to give someone else. Because you've given your client such a great value, they will often feel obligated to do you a favor in return, and pass along the referral certificate. (Of course, you have to make it easy for them to identify who else could use your services in the letter.)

Of course, you have to get the client to open the envelope first. So I shared some examples I came across in my research and we discussed ways to make her recall letters even more attention-getting and fun.

4. Make your client a star. Make a client the star of your next ad by writing a mini case study or testimonial about how you helped him. (And include his photo.) Even better, reduce your ad costs by partnering with a small business owner client. A small section of the ad talks about what the business owner client does and lists a few of her services. The rest of the ad is the testimonial/mini case study about how you helped her. You get a persuasive ad about your services and your client gets some promotion as well.

We discussed a few other things as well-from neutralizing objections to website traffic to ideas for the waiting area. In short, keep in mind that every area of your business affects marketing, and marketing affects every area of your business.

Tracy Needham, founder of Compelling Communications, LLC, helps small business owners boost their business through compelling copy and marketing strategies that make the most of their time and money. Sign up for her FREE Special Report: The One Press Release You Can Write to Get Thousands of Dollars Worth of Free Publicity at www.compellingezine.com.