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That is the question, you should be asking yourself. Many feel that it is I’m sure. But is it really!

Which scenario is better or best for your business, marketing and advertising everyday spending more than you marketing budget allows each month. Or marketing your business based on last years marketing cost for five months straight where after five months you market your business no more.

You will have no reason to, because your clients will be calling you at will. That’s right I’m talking about a campaign that will free you up to do business without having to pay one dime on marketing after a five month campaign that will in form your potential clients of your business or service.

It can be done; I will prove it to you with a brief example of it happening to me. I own a pick-up truck with a snowplow on it. To show you that this works I am going to talk about last years snow storm where my clients from over a year ago,
called for my business this year.

What makes this so amazing is that I only plowed for these businesses once, during the entire winter season. Never made contact again until they picked up the phone for service this year.

Now that to me is marketing, you can achieve the same thing by marketing your business all the time. It does not matter where you are or who you come in contact with you must always market yourself or your business.

This would mean promoting your self all the time with flyers, business cards, ads and what ever else you could think of within your means. When you go to the store, hand out a card. When you are in the supermarket put up some flyers on the community board. Take one day a week during your campaign handing out your business cards to local businesses that will benefit from your service.

At the doctor’s office hand out your cards to other patients, and staff. They may not need your service at that particular moment but they will remember you. Depending on the type of business you are in, offer samples or show pictures of your work while you are handing out your marketing materials.

How will you get calls if no one knows what you have to offer? You have to show them, tell them and let them see what you do. Use people around you as well friends, family and co-workers alike. Let everyone you know, what you do and how they can contact you.

You can go a step further, send letter or email local businesses about your business along with some business cards or flyers or a brochure if you are
mailing a letter announcing your service. It will pay off in the end, you will see.

In conclusion, you can get to the point of having you clients call you for business. This is nothing new nor is it something is impossible. My example above should be proof enough that it possible. This was a total of 3 clients I had no contact with for over a year, they remember my little slow plowing service like it was yesterday. You too could experience the same effect ten fold.

Michelle has been online for about 7-years now. She started out on ebay which she still does some work on occasion. After doing the ebay thing for 2-years Michelle moved over to Internet and Affiliate Marketing. She has not stopped since. Build your own home business now visit http://home-making-money.com for more information today.

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Good business is about communication… not just what you say but…

Early Monday morning the phone rang in my office; it was very early for a business call. I answered “Good morning, Nancy Fraser” there was a short pause on the line and then a voice asked, “Is this Gloria?”. When I said no, she hung up. Good communication is also about listening.

Unfortunately this kind of interaction happens thousands and thousands of times a day and not always in situations like this where there is nothing to be lost. In fact, it’s a wonder business happens at all when you consider that we each speak using terms and jargon that may be common in our industry and unintelligible to our customers. Couple that with the poor listening skills we all have and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Do you ever wonder how much your customer really hears and what they think, how much they understand or care about?

When you are in business for yourself, you are in sales whether you like it or not. If you are not selling directly, you are selling through your marketing and advertising. As a business owner/salesperson do you listen to your customer or do you follow your own agenda? Does it sometimes seem that you and the customer are not participating in the same conversation? Do you ever blame them for not understanding what you are saying?

What’s wrong with this picture? How can we change it to our benefit?

1. We are all responsible for our communication. Express what you want to say clearly and succinctly, no jargon or buzz words.

2. Ask for the listener’s opinion, expertise or help.

3. Focus on what is being said to you, without thinking about what you will say next.

4. Match your body language and expression with what you are saying.

5. Speak at a similar speed and intensity as the person you are conversing with.

6. Relax, stay detached.

7. Ask for clarification if you don’t understand.

8. Don’t compete for talking time.

9. You may have a different viewpoint but show through your ability to listen and ask “on topic” questions that you are interested in understanding their point of view.

10. Don’t assume the other party has the same belief system that you do. They may draw different conclusions than you based on their previous experience.

Marketing is about being able to identify the wants and needs of your target market and provide solutions that your customer perceives are better than your competitors. Find out what motivates them to act and you will be able to form a relationship that works for you and your customer. Your ability to listen and understand what is being said is your key to success.

Best Buy is a great example of how well listening works with the success of the customer centric sales model they have implimented.

“Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.” –Plutarch Greek biographer & moralist (46 AD - 120 AD)

Nancy Fraser is the president of Nota Bene Consulting, a marketing and advertising communication firm specializing in building brands through the expression of a companies personality from logo to web to advertising and marketing materials. http://www.notable-marketing.com

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