Imagine that you ran an ad, mailed a brochure,
or sent an email ad to a new list of people who fit your target market
profile and everyone who saw it responded right away and made a purchase.
Has this ever happened to you?
Of course not. The first time people hear about your products or services is
the least likely time for them to buy.
When you go out for a night on the town, do you go to a new restaurant
you've nevër heard of or do you typically go to one that you
know and like? Similarly, who is the most likely to buy your products
and services, someone who doesn't know you or someone who has experienced
the high quality and the results you provide? Clients who have bought
from you before, are the most likely to buy from you. Think about
it.
If long-term prospects and clients are your best source of
revenue, where should you focus your strategic marketing? I occasionally
make a sale the first time someone visits my web site, but more often it's the
people who I have been in contact with for months that become my best customers
and clients. Why is this?
The longer you've had a relationship with a prospect or client, the more they
know and trust you. Once they buy or use your products, they've experienced the
quality you provide and are even more likely to buy again. They are also more
likely to recommend you to others.
Marketing research has shown that people
are more likely to buy after six or seven contacts. Some web businesses
use this as the basis of their marketing and provide a tutorial series
you can sign up for with one sent out each week for six weeks. While
this is an improvement on the one time spot ad, it misses the boat.
The problem with this approach is that you don't know when your prospects
will want to make a purchase. What happens if they need help on week
eight but have lost your contact information?
What you want to do is build long-term relationships so that whenever a new prospect
or past client has a need, they think of you as the expert to go to or to refer
someone else to. The longer you are in contact with prospects and clients the
more opportunities you have to demonstrate how helpful you or your products are
and to earn their trust.
Depending on what you're marketing, you may need to establish a little or a lot
of trust. If you sell major label music CDs for $17, it may not take much work
to convince people you can ship them what they want. If you provide financial
services and want prospects to trust you with their life's earnings, it can take
longer. It may be six to seven months before your prospects will consider even
having a conversation.
Learn how to use your web
site marketing to build relationships with prospects and convert
them to clients with 'Creating
Web Sites that Sell' or call 1-800-795-1858 to place your order.
Use the following three steps to build long-term profitable
relationships:
1. Focus on your prospects' needs and wants and offer something
for frëe
to motivate people to contact you.
2. Contact your prospects regularly and give them tips and ideas they can use.
3. Couch your offers in terms of what your prospects are looking for.
Which is more important, new prospects or existing clients?
The answer of course is both. To grow your business you need to constantly grow
your network of contacts, of people who know how you can help them. At the same
time, focus your efforts on building long-term relationships so that prospects
become clients and clients become repeat clients. Do this and you'll have more
people interested in what you offer and more people buying your products and
services.
To speak to Charlie Cook about working together
to grow
your business, click the link below. Fill
in the form
and Charlie will get back to you asap.
Email Charlie Cook Helping you attract more clients
and be more successful
