Time is precious to a business owner.  Are you using yours wisely?  Do your marketing strategies allow you to leverage your time and reach an abundance of prospective clients?

If you’re spending the majority of your time marketing one-to-one you may be missing out on a lot of business.  One-to-one is you communicating with one other person; one sender and one receiver.  This could be a conversation in person, on the phone, or via e-mail.

A more effective marketing approach is one-to-many.  This is you communicating with many people at the same time.   

Here are some one-to-many marketing ideas using three different marketing strategies: speaking, writing, and on-line networking.

1. SPEAKING

* If you enjoy being in front of a group, speaking live in person for people who are interested in your work is an amazing way to connect.  People get to see you and hear you speak which is very powerful.

* Getting interviewed on the radio, TV, or by someone with a large website presence will get your message in front of thousands of people.  Just be sure the audience matches your ideal clients.

* Another way to reach a large group of people is a teleclass (you speaking on the telephone with many people).  Using the phone you may be able to reach even more people than you could at a live event because geography isn’t an obstacle for attendance.

There are a multitude of companies who provide teleconferencing services.  One I have used, which is free and offers a private bridge line and free recordings of your calls, is http://www.freeconferencecalling.com/.

* You can share the digital recording of your presentation with groups of people on the internet.

* The digital audio file can also be burned on to a CD and you can give away the CD’s to groups.

2. WRITING

* Sending a regular newsletter (ezine) to people who have requested to receive information from you is a superb one-to-many action.  In addition to valuable information be sure to make an offer with a clear call to action.

* Articles you write, for your ezine or otherwise, can be posted on article database websites.  This multiplies the number of readers.  Many people can read the article where you posted it in addition to places where your article is re-published.

* Posting new content on your blog (or other people’s blog) gets your message out to many as well.

* Interviews can also be done in a written format.  You do the interview once, and it goes out to numerous readers.

3. ON-LINE NETWORKING

When you post messages, comments, or updates on the various virtual/social networking websites your communication reaches everyone who is connected to you.

So if you don’t have many connections, make the time to invite people to join you.  Here are some popular places to network on-line.

* Facebook.com

* Linkedin.com

* Twitter.com

* Plaxo.com

Are you starting to see how you can invest less time and reach more people simultaneously by using one-to-many marketing?  Review your current marketing strategies and think about how you can incorporate the concept of one-to-many into as many activities as possible. 

Make the decision to implement your new strategies and see the difference it will make in your business.

(c) Stephanie Ward, 2009

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

Sometimes as a business owner you can get so caught up in running your business that you may no longer have a good overview of where your business is most profitable.

I’m sure you probably know how much money your business is making overall but are you clear about how each of your specific revenue streams are performing?

If I asked you right now which product or service is the most profitable can you answer immediately? 

It you’re not clear about how your business is making money, now is the time to find out.

It is possible that some of your products and services that require the most amount of time and energy are your least profitable.  Or, you may be ignoring a very profitable part of your business that requires hardly any work on your part.

Analysis may not be your favorite thing to do but it can be thrilling if you keep the end goal in mind.  You will discover where you’re making money and increase your profitability by giving that part of your business more attention.

Not only that, you’ll see where you can stop wasting time and money.  If that’s not enough motivation I don’t know what is.

Here are steps to get started:

1. For every product or service you offer calculate the profit each generates (total revenue minus total costs = profit).  You can use the totals from the last twelve months or another time frame that works for your business.

2. In addition to the actual costs, add in the average amount of time you spend to market and deliver each product and service.  Because time is another form of money.

3. Now comes the fun part.  Combine the information from steps one and two and identify which products and services have the highest profitability.

Once you know which of your products or services are the most profitable select the best two or three (or only one if it is significantly more profitable than the others) and focus your marketing exclusively on your choices.

It’s that simple.  Once you know what part of your business is the most profitable, put a laser like focus on that revenue stream.

Taking your focus a step further, find out what makes your most profitable products and services so attractive to your clients.  Is it the content, the packaging, the way it’s delivered?

Once you understand what your clients really want, you can think about opportunities to expand or extend your most profitable products and services.

Another way to extend the focus is to pay even more attention to the clients who purchase your most profitable offerings.  You can do that by staying in touch, providing them with extra value, and delivering the highest level of service.

This is also a good time to seriously consider dropping the products and services that have a low profitability and require a lot of your time.

That will free up time and money you can use to increase the scope and scale of the marketing you are investing in your most profitable products and services.

Don’t delay, schedule the time to find the source of strength in your business and concentrate on it.

The time that you invest to identify your most profitable offerings may be the best investment you’ve made in your business so far this year.

© Stephanie Ward, 2009

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

As a business owner you want to serve as many clients as you have capacity for.  Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that finding more business means you have to reach out to ‘strangers’ (people who don’t know you or don’t know someone who knows you) and begin building relationships with them.

While there’s nothing wrong with that approach, don’t forget that there are many people who already know about you who may be willing to give you business.

I know you may not feel comfortable asking people you know for help with meeting new clients, but it’s only a question.  And you may get a yes, I can help or no I can’t help.  But if you don’t ask, you will miss out on all of the ‘yes’ answers.

And a ‘no’ is also valuable information because then you know that. And you can devote your time and energy to the people who say yes.

Asking the question doesn’t mean you are desperate.  Asking is smart and can be done with ease and confidence.

Keep in mind that I’m not suggesting you ask for help from people you have just met or an acquaintance from the past that you haven’t seen in years. 

Referrals to potential clients are given on the basis of a trusting relationship and that takes time to build.

Giving (yes, giving) referrals is also an excellent way to develop trust and build relationships.  So remember to ask people you talk with what THEY are looking for and how you may be able to help them.

Here are four places that you may have overlooked as resources for business from referrals. 

1. INACTIVE CLIENTS

People who have worked with you in the past know you and understand what your business can do for them.  Inactive clients may be open to giving you a referral.  You just need to ask. 

2. CURRENT CLIENTS

When is the last time you asked for an introduction or referral from current clients?  You may think they will automatically do it but the reality is that they have other things on their minds.  They just need a friendly reminder.

3. YOUR NETWORK

People you know well, who are not clients, may also be willing to give you a referral if you ask.

4. FRIENDS & FAMILY

Oddly enough, sometimes the people closest to us don’t really know exactly what we do and who we work with.  Why not take a few minutes and remind your friends and family what you do and ask if they know someone who might benefit from knowing about your business.

In general people do like to help; they are just busy and sometimes need a reminder or clarification about how it is they can help.

Be sure to properly thank anyone who does help you.  We all like to be appreciated and feel like our efforts made a difference.

Start now and discover how it is possible to grow your business with less effort by talking with people you know and asking for referrals.

© Stephanie Ward, 2009

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

It’s no secret that as a business owner, you want to attract more clients to your business.  And you want to attract clients that are the best fit for your business.

Of course it is easier to do this when you are very clear about the specific problems your business solves and for whom you solve them.

Imagine taking it one step further.  In addition to marketing to your target group with a specific solution, think about selecting specific clients you would love to work with and focus on building relationships with them.

WHY SELECTING YOUR CLIENTS IS OPTIMAL

It can be draining on you, and your bottom line, to work with clients who are not a good fit. Remember, you don’t have to work with clients just because they want to work with you. 

When you are selective about your clients, your business will be more profitable.  And that’s not all.  When your business relationships are mutually beneficial, they will also last longer.

When you select specific clients you want to work with, your marketing is more focused which means better results in less time.

You’re already spending time and money in an effort to reach potential clients.  The only shift you need to make is in your aim, and make it focused on specific people or companies instead of a random blast into the market.

Think about it, it will probably take about the same amount of time and energy to engage a less than ideal client, as it does an ideal client that you select.  So choose to be proactive instead of reactive.

WHERE TO FIND THE TIME AND RESOURCES

If you’re thinking that you don’t have any extra capacity to take on new selected clients, I’ve got some ideas for you.

Take a look at your existing clients and see who is taking up a lot of your time but not bringing your business very much revenue.

It’s OK to let clients go if they aren’t a good fit for your business.  This might seem scary at first and remember that this will free up resources that can be directed to your new select clients. 

You’re probably familiar with the Pareto Principle which says that 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients.  Identify your best clients and consider parting ways with clients who are not ideal. 

If you’re satisfied with all of your current clients, and don’t have time to focus on new clients, it may be time to add additional resources.  If you’re not ready to hire an employee you can think about outsourcing. 

HOW TO DETERMINE THE CLIENTS TO SELECT

First define your ideal client (if you haven’t already done so).  Then do some research and identify the clients who fit your profile and create a prioritized list of the people or companies you would love to work with.  Connect with them and begin a dialogue to see if there is a fit.

Are you beginning to see that you can grow your business, with less effort, by re-evaluating your current clients and selecting new clients?

Make the choice to pursue what is good for your business instead of settling for or waiting to see what comes your way. Harness your marketing energy and attention in a focused way to create more profit in your business today!

(c) Stephanie Ward, 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.