If you run a business, you want more people to walk through your doors and purchase your services. The only way to make that happen is to market effectively — both online and offline.
Showing up where your customers are looking already online makes a big difference. That means being in forums, having a solid social media presence and doing a TON of content marketing.
One goal of content marketing is to answer questions that people are typing into Google. Answer those questions consistently, on a long enough timeline, and people begin to recognize you as an authority in your industry. This works, but it takes commitment and patience.
The other half of that equation is doing offline marketing. This means getting in front of other people, and establishing your authority in an industry.
Face To Face Connections
I don’t know what it is about humans, but we’re more likely to listen to people that we’ve met face to face.
There’s something that happens when people are in close physical proximity to each other that makes the other person more real.
When it’s just another person online, or on social media, it tends to not be as real. Those people seem far off, not people who are part of our real-world experiences.
In order to overcome this part unconscious human resistance, it’s vital for you to get in front of other people whenever possible.
99% of total businesses don’t do — which is market both online and offline.
Most businesses don’t embrace the combination of getting in front of people in the physical world and marketing relentlessly online.
When you examine the businesses that start to grow to mid-size and larger, there seems to be a direct correlation between the size of their company and the fact that they market their ass off.
Successful companies get in front of customers both online and in the community.
Just because you build it, it doesn’t mean people will come. Of course, you have to have a great product or service, but you also need to let people know about it.
Always Be Top of Mind
There are a lot of businesses that already do what you do, that you’re already competing against. What’s one way you can raise awareness of your company, and get returns on your business development?
If at all possible, always be in a room where you are the sole expert in your industry. This instantly makes you the go-to person on that subject in that room.
Raise your hands — how many of you are already part of a local networking group? Or a local Chamber of Commerce? Probably a fair number of you. But let’s up the ante.
How many business owners out there have spoken to a room of people? How many people out there have given a talk or presentation about what they do to a group of potential customers?
Marketing only works if you go to where the people are.
Your future customers have to see your face over and over. They have to know what you do and then they must associate your business with that particular service.
Nothing gets done without repetition. I read an advertising study that stated people need to hear your message twenty-one times before they actually remember it.
Part of that is showing up, day after day, month after month, year after year.
Online, this means participating in forums where people are asking questions related to your business. It means being in the same places your buyers are hanging out online.
What showing up doesn’t mean is assaulting them with your marketing the moment you see a hashtag on Twitter or Instagram. It means listening and being genuinely helpful — not waiting for your chance to bash them over the head with a blunt object that vaguely resembles marketing.
This is where campaigns often fail, particularly in social media marketing.
Helping people with their problems goes farther than you might think.
What does work online is going places where people have questions or a need, and they are already looking for answers.
If you’re able to go to online forums and answer questions, month after month, year after year, you’ll get your business on people’s radar.
In the offline world, this showing up means speaking in front of people whenever possible: at a local Chamber of Commerce, Soroptimist event, Rotary Club, or even a TEDx talk.
Get creative. Create a mastermind group. Hold a workshop or seminar for local businesses who need what you offer. Establish your business authority by speaking and helping people.
It’s a formula. Go to the places in the community your customers are likely to be. Position your business as an authority in your field. Help people whenever possible.
No Rest For The Wicked
Don’t let up with creating blog articles or videos. You can’t take your foot off the gas with content marketing. But also be physically present at conventions, trade shows, Meetups, business luncheons, and speaking events where people need what you do.
You have to do both. That is what will separate your business from the other 99% of your competition.
When your business and what you do become synonymous, through consistent exposure and positioning, that is when you will win business more consistently.
