I friend recently asked me what I was working on. I told her I was clearing out the old and making room for the new. She responding, “Really, you’re doing your spring cleaning in January?” I told her yes, I was turning my business upside down, shaking out all the clutter and revamping everything. Why? It’s important to keep your business fresh and inviting at all times in order to attract new clients and to keep your current clients engaged in what you have to offer. It’s a process, but it can be invigorating if you plan it out over two weeks instead of doing it in one weekend. It goes beyond simply cleaning out your filing cabinet and reorganizing your rolodex. Here are my suggestions for keeping your business relevant:
MAKE YOUR BUSINESS INCLUSIVE. What is your target market? Is it the top 1% of income earners or can any person have access to your business? If you’re seeking only wealthy people, then your client base will stay small and limited. Make it inclusive of all people, regardless of social economic status, race, gender, or marital status and your business will grow. Take a hard look at your website and ask yourself, “Am I opening my doors to everyone? How is this reflected in the images and content on my site?”
KEEP CUSTOMERS COMING BACK. I’m on the web about four or five hours a day. When I’m not working, I’m visiting other sites for information and resources. Some sites lack oxygen. They are not user-friendly or engaging. They make me want to leave, like right away. Here are some ways to keep people coming back to your site over and over again. Add new content and photos every week. Add a search bar. Add a ticker tape of relevant business news. Add your social media feed where visitors can read updates, posts, an articles about you and business. Add a contest or a sale to your home page. Keep your site moving and breathing. Make your site addicting. Give us a reason to check it one last time before we go to bed!
POST TO SOCIAL MEDIA EVERY DAY. Think TOMA = Top of Mind Awareness. To keep your name and your business at the top of everyone’s mind you must carve out 15 minutes EVERY day to post articles, photos, videos, inspirational quotes on each platform (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn). If you can’t think of anything to post, then Retweet, Repost or Share other peoples/companies relevant posts. Be human and be engaging. Just post, post, post, post, post! Here’s a great article from Forbes to get you started:
MAKE YOUR BUSINESS FAMOUS. If you really want your business to be huge, then you must flip the switch in your head and decide to become famous. Become a non-stop marketing machine; no matter what, on good days and bad days you are working overtime to promote your name everywhere! You must never give up on “why” you start your business in the first place.
Here’s how to do it:
- Press releases
- Television and radio interviews
- Motivational speaking
- Guest blog posts
- Online newsletters
- Email marketing
- Networking events
- Trade shows
- Facebook ads
- Business cards
- Affliate badges
- Google ads
- National newspaper ads
- Car magnets
- YouTube videos
- Write an eBook
- Create an App for your business
- Add your logo, book, or product in your email signature
- Add your logo on your return address labels, note pads, portfolio binders, pens, luggage tags
- Put your logo EVERYWHERE
Happy New Year!
