AtlantaEvent.com NewsFlash 10/12/04
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A
Greeting From
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Greetings! |
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Five@Five Meeting This
Month
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Five@Five This Month: |
AtlantaEvent.com's Own Business
After Hours - Five@Five Business After Hours Networking |
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Feature Article
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Life At Face
Value |
Do you
have any idea how much money you lose on a yearly basis? I am sure
that you measure losses in your business and losses if any in
investments. Some people can even quote depreciation figures on
command, but do you really know how much you are overspending yearly
on business and personal expenses? |
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Rainmaking: 7
Strategies for Getting New Clients |
How do you get new clients – new cash flow – into your business? Whether your business focus is services or products, whether you are the only person in your business or you are part of a larger organization, there are two nuts that you have to crack: visibility and credibility. Potential clients have to know that you exist, and they need reasons to do business with you instead of your competitors. Become “slightly famous” and you will have potential clients calling you, instead of you calling them. So, how do you become “slightly famous,” you ask? There are 7 strategies to achieve this enviable state.
1. Write
& Publish Articles
Write &
Publish Articles: When you become an Author, people perceive you as an
“Authority”. (I don’t know how this works
– perhaps these two words are neighboring neurons in the
brain.) Determine which online and offline sources are read by your
target prospects and craft articles that are of interest to them.
Include a professional photo of you with the article. Collect the
articles (or the links) to supplement your bio. Be Interviewed In The Media: To be interviewed in the newspaper, on television or on radio generally requires knowing someone in the industry. The avenue that I have used is to advertise regularly on talk radio and to request being interviewed every 3 months. About 25% of my clients tell me that they first heard me on the radio, either from my advertisement or from the interview. Notify prospects and clients before and after the event. Organize Seminars: Organizing & conducting a seminar is a daunting task – but one that is well worth the time, energy and resources. You have to select a subject that attracts potential clients, determine the seminar length, set the date, select the speakers, select the site, invite the prospects, order refreshments, rehearse the speakers, prepare the materials, arrange & check the logistics, run the event and then follow-up. If everything goes according to plan, your exposure and stature goes up by a quantum leap. Take a Leadership Role in a Professional Club: Identify those professional organizations that have high potential and volunteer to be an officer. As an officer you will have higher visibility and command more respect. Be sure to do a top-notch job in executing your duties – don’t be just a figurehead. Found an Organization: There are many national organizations that need a local chapter in your area. Select the appropriate organization and volunteer to launch the charter meeting for your state/city. If there are no national organizations for your area of expertise, then start one. Image how impressive it sounds to be introduced as “Founder of XYZ”. Leverage Third Party Referrals: As you network, identify those who have influence or are already “slightly famous”, get to know them, find out what a good prospect is for them and refer qualified prospects to them. Sincerely help them be more successful. Eventually this growing karmic debt will motivate them to recommend clients to you. The power of a trusted third party referral is stronger than anything you can say about yourself. There you have it. You have to become visible and credible in order to draw clients to you. Your objective is to become “slightly famous”. Your pathway to achieving this exalted state is to become an author, a speaker, a media personality, a seminar organizer, an club officer, a club founder, and a trusted associate of the already “slightly famous”. As you execute on this strategy, beef up your bio to include each accomplishment. Is it hard work? Yes. Does it take a sustained long-term view? Yes. Is it worth it? Remember: “The extra mile – is the only mile – that counts!” Ron Reardon is President of Patents & More, Inc., author of numerous articles & white papers, featured speaker at local & national professional organizations, frequent guest on The Legal Edge (WGST radio), seminar leader, Secretary of the Inventor Associates of Georgia, and Founder of the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Patent Practitioners. He can be reached at rreardon@patentsandmore.com. |
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Five Tips for Trade
Show Success on a Small Budget |
No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can afford to have a successful presence at trade shows without incurring big expenses. Here are five tips for exhibiting in trade shows inexpensively: 1) Have a sales representative exhibit your line at a trade show. If you can't afford a booth and travel expenses, a sales rep who exhibits in trade shows or gift marts in your industry can present your product line without the cost of a full-fledged booth. An added benefit is that a professional sales rep has a network of connections and knows your market niche well, and is likely to be more experienced in selling and trade show dynamics than you are. 2) Rent a temporary space at a wholesale gift mart or showroom. You can plunge into wholesale shows inexpensively and without being present by renting a temporary space in a wholesale gift mart or showroom. For a monthly fee, you can display your products there for direct sales to retail shop owners. This is a good way not only to break into wholesaling on a small budget, but also to test new products. 3) Share a trade show booth and expenses with a related but non-competing business in your niche. This cost-cutting solution works especially well for one-person businesses. Besides saving money, additional benefits to a booth-sharing arrangement include access to each other's customers in the same market niche, and the convenience of having a knowledgeable person manning the booth when you need to take a break. 4) Make over your current displays instead of buying new ones. Creating a new exhibit by giving your existing trade show booth displays a fresh face costs a fraction of the price of purchasing all new booth components. Consider each element of your booth separately, and brainstorm ways to update it without completely replacing it. 5) Purchase used trade show displays rather than springing for new ones. Many pre-owned booths and exhibits are in excellent condition and can be bought for less than half the cost of a brand new one. If you decide to buy previously owned exhibit components, be open-minded and keep your display needs in mind. Visualize how each used exhibit might perform for you. For even greater savings, look at used trade show displays offered at rock-bottom prices because of damage or missing parts. If you can think creatively about how you'll refurbish the damage or replace missing pieces, you can come up with an effective, original display for very little cash. Many sellers of pre-owned trade show displays are willing to bargain with you. Don't hesitate to offer the seller less than the asking price. It helps to research beforehand the retail price for the exhibit so you can make a reasonable offer. In summary, there's no reason to miss out on potentially profitable trade shows because of the expense. Look at your small marketing budget in a new light, and brainstorm ways to put those limited dollars to work helping you reach new customers. About the Author:
Rena Klingenberg is a
jewelry artist and small business owner. Her website, |
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Message Added: October 12th, 2004 at 9:10 am
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