Recently, Michelle Rose of Custard and Bear spoke at an Inspire Network meeting about marketing – and it was GREAT. By the time she’d finished we all felt inspired and excited to get going with our marketing as we actually had a plan of Things To Do! Hurrah! If you would like a plan too, then check out the videos below and read my notes from her talk to help yourself form good marketing habits – I have certainly let me marketing slip, so I need to get my act together…
ONE: Good old fashioned customer service.
Do your customers feel special?
Instead of people thinking “I went here and it was great BUT…” how can you turn that BUT into an AND? Suggestions include thank you gifts, remembering birthdays and refilling coffee.
This is something I’ve kept thinking about, but procrastinating on… I am very grateful for my incredible clients and they are ALL marvellous, so this is something I need to step up with. I also know that this is a key part of my brand experience, something I have talked about a LOT, so really I have no excuse.. I actually have a load of stuff written down in my Special Notebook, so this shouldn’t be too hard to do something about.
TWO: Keep in touch.
If you don’t keep in touch with your customers – someone else will…
The best marketing tool you have is your phone. Just TALK to people.
I am not a big fan of talking on the phone – but I do like talking to people! I find this more enjoyable in person I am going to try to pick up the phone more instead of writing an email.
THREE: Send Emails.
Don’t forget to say “can I put you on my email list?”
Provide something of value. The money IS in the list – but you don’t have to SELL.
Give away a freebie.
Track your marketing habits.
If you’re on my email list you may be thinking at this point that I haven’t actually sent an email out for a while! You’d be right. It’s on the list 😉
BONUS TIP:
SHOW UP – at least keep in touch on your Facebook page. Use Facebook Live. Call people. Use your mailing list. Build relationships.
Hurrah! I DO use Facebook a fair bit! Although there’s plenty of room for improvement here too.
FOUR: Ask people to refer you.
Believe in yourself. Talk to your perfect people. We WANT to refer but we are busy people.
Ask for testimonials. Do one focussed step at a time.
I don’t do this very often, but from time to time I will ask a lot of people at once. Evidently this is a bit overdue. I am pretty sure I even have an email template for this – I DEFINITELY have a survey to fill in to help me gather useful information to improve with, so I’d better get to it!
FIVE: Plan.
Work through the habits consistently and persistently. Every month do the four things:
- Email people
- Phone people
- Ask for testimonials
- Great customer service
It all adds up.
Don’t ignore your marketing.
I solemnly swear that I won’t ignore my marketing. Expect to see more emails from me (want to get them? Click here!) to see my number flashing up on your phone, to be asked for testimonials if I’ve worked for you and for projects of the future to have something just that bit more special to show you how much I appreciate you.
What are YOU going to do with these easy peasy marketing tips?
If you’d like to find out more about Michelle then you can visit her website here: custardandbear.com and you can buy her wonderful #FacebookThirty workbook here on Amazon.
Amy Purdie is the founder of Whiteacres (where you are now) she can help your business become irresistible to your ideal clients so that they can’t wait to work with you.
Amy has been designing consistent, compelling and client attractive logos, brand identities, illustration, print work and websites since 2007 fuelled mainly by tea and chocolate.