SALES & MARKETING: Three's Company

Recently, a reader asked me: “What is the most cost effective marketing program for an entry level company like mine? My time is valuable and I do not wish to split my efforts between cold-calling, passing out flyers or pestering my existing clients for referrals.”

I agree that your time is valuable and that you need to make certain that you are spending your time on efforts that will attract new clients. To completely understand what makes someone decide to do business with you, you must make it a habit to ask a few questions. So, I have some homework for you to do. There are three questions you need to go out and ask every current client you have. The answers to each of these questions will provide you with some valuable information.

1. Why do you work with our firm? Knowing the answer to this question will help provide you with some ideas on what message you should be communicating in your marketing. For example, if several of your clients say they do business with you because they ‘trust you’, then the word ‘trust’ should be in your marketing message.  

2. What changes would you make if you owned our company? Your clients know your business better than most and for next to nothing you can gain some incredible ideas. Not only could you get some great ideas, you’re showing your clients you care about what they think. The only down side to asking this question is that you must be willing to make changes and improvements. 

3. Would you recommend us to a friend or family member? If your client says, ‘No,’ you better find out why not. If it is because they are not happy with your work in any way, shape or form, you need to make things right as soon as possible. Why? Studies show that an unhappy client will tell 10 people about their bad experience with your company and, for obvious reasons, we don’t want that to happen.

The answers to these three questions will give you a good foundation of what you need to work on. Once you have done this homework, I would recommend you consider the following three marketing tips.
For starters, door hangers do work. If you have a couple of clients in one neighborhood, there is a good chance you can get more with door hangers.

Secondly, do a newsletter. To see a copy of the Grunder Landscaping Co. newsletter, visit www.martygrunder.com – it is featured on the home page this month. Newsletters are a terrific way to communicate what your company stands for, how you can help your customers and prospects and share success stories with others. Keep your newsletter simple. Have a feature article, introduce other members of your team and share a few testimonials from your current clients. Mail them at least four times a year and more if your budget allows.

Finally, call, write or visit every client you have and try to sell them other services that you offer. Other companies have done it for years. The fast food industry does it by asking you if you would like some fries with your cheeseburger. The automobile dealership does it by asking you if you want your car rust proofed. And the shoe salesperson does it by asking you if you need any socks. Why can’t you ask your clients if they want their beds mulched, their leaves cleaned up, flowers planted, their lawn aerated, their gutters cleaned, their trees trimmed, their driveway sealed, their back yard landscaped or their landscape maintained? Your existing clients are easy to sell other things to because they trust you, like you and want to do business with you. And, it costs next to nothing to make a phone call, and that’s something every budget can handle.