"Sometimes Marketing is Just About Making Friends"
Although this site has covered several standard marketing techniques in the past, sometimes the solution is the most overlooked, simple idea, that can be the easiest to implement.
Some of your best projects, biggest business deals, and successes in life will come from your friends. (I don't mean your weekend drinking buddies, but other business associates with whom you have a more personal relationship with.)
It really is all about the relationship. Seek out as many people as you can that are willing to devote time to building a long lasting friendship with you. When they, or someone they know needs you services, you can be sure that they'll think of their friend first (you), just as you will for them. People do business with people they know. Period.
So many businesses fail because of this simple principle. They have great products. They have great services. They even have great marketing materials. But if their product or service is not something that benefits the general public, in other words is specifically business to business - making friends in your business community could be the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to guarantee your business's success.
The only way to meet people is to get out around the town. Join organizations. Get involved on the committees. Interact with your local trade associations. These are where the movers and shakers of your community are, and where you want to be. Meet with them, sincerely be their friend by finding something you have in common outside the business world. As a small business owner, you probably need more friends anyways. Stay in touch with them, and eventually it will be natural for business to come to you. People do business with people they know.
How many of your clients do you know, personally? Solidifying these relationships now could mean the difference between losing those clients to your competition in the future, or keeping them forever.
So what are you waiting for?
Get out there and make some new friends!
Some of your best projects, biggest business deals, and successes in life will come from your friends. (I don't mean your weekend drinking buddies, but other business associates with whom you have a more personal relationship with.)
It really is all about the relationship. Seek out as many people as you can that are willing to devote time to building a long lasting friendship with you. When they, or someone they know needs you services, you can be sure that they'll think of their friend first (you), just as you will for them. People do business with people they know. Period.
So many businesses fail because of this simple principle. They have great products. They have great services. They even have great marketing materials. But if their product or service is not something that benefits the general public, in other words is specifically business to business - making friends in your business community could be the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to guarantee your business's success.
The only way to meet people is to get out around the town. Join organizations. Get involved on the committees. Interact with your local trade associations. These are where the movers and shakers of your community are, and where you want to be. Meet with them, sincerely be their friend by finding something you have in common outside the business world. As a small business owner, you probably need more friends anyways. Stay in touch with them, and eventually it will be natural for business to come to you. People do business with people they know.
How many of your clients do you know, personally? Solidifying these relationships now could mean the difference between losing those clients to your competition in the future, or keeping them forever.
So what are you waiting for?
Get out there and make some new friends!
posted by William Royall at 10:13 AM
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