Everyday I learn something new, or perhaps more light is shed on something I already knew, but never really saw the importance of as clearly. Yesterday’s meeting with a website client and their product distributor proved to be just such an epiphany.
My website client owns an HVAC company and his distributor handles air conditioners and furnaces, but the logic in this can be applied to ANY business quite effectively.
The territory manager for the distributor, has an extensive background and has become and expert salesman. With relation to the heating and air, he had actually started his own HVAC company that he grew from one guy and a van, to a huge multi-million per year company that was purchased by a major utility company in the Chicago area. He also ran that division for several years for that company.
He mentioned that when he first started his company, he spent $0 (zero dollars), on marketing or advertising and yet during the first three years his company grew exponentially. That was back in the hey-day of the “Yellow Pages”, so the Internet was not around and things were slightly different in that people were not so quick to find things they needed at that moment, like today. Unlike today’s business person he was not able to advertise his business in an affordable manner like we can today via the web, however the cost of phone book advertising was so staggering he knew he would have to market his company some other way. This is truly where his marketing lesson begins… Born of necessity and PROVEN to be effective if diligently employed as he did.
- When you start a business, your identity must become that business. YOU are your business. Your business is you. There is no longer a separation between your job and your personal life, or your company and your career. It is virtually impossible to look at things as if you were an employee, or even a manager or executive of the company any longer… No – You must eat, breathe and sleep your industry. When people think of you, they must think of what you do.
- Meeting new people and letting them know what you do, (i.e.; who you are / your business / your identity), is no longer an option. Being shy will not work. If you have a shell, you MUST break out of it. The reason for this, is that beyond any other form of advertising or marketing, relational business is the absolute best kind, most effective and best of all FREE. We’ve all heard someone refer someone they know or trust “… I know a guy who…”, but this takes that mentality a step further. The person you meet RIGHT NOW, (at the car wash, at the grocery store, at a picnic, at a party, at a ball game, at a wedding, etc), MIGHT be YOUR NEXT CUSTOMER!
- Lastly, a business card and pen on hand at all times is imperative. The reason is simple and your business card needs to be too and here is why: In order to gain immediate trust, you have to make this person you just met feel immediately important and special. A very simple business card with your logo, your name, a bullet point or two about what you do, your website and an OFFICE number only is what you want. WHY you ask? Simple: Because you’re going to physically write your CELL number on that card along with a quick 10% off or other freebie that makes that person feel like they are the only one in the world that you’d do that for. Your personal cell number? Wow – I’m special! It must be written in front of the potential client however. If the cell number, (or even email address), is already on the card when you hand it to them , it means nothing.
There was a whole lot more we learned from this seasoned expert that perhaps I will share very soon, so make sure that you are subscribed to my site update feed CLICK HERE and keep up to speed with site updates and valuable posts like this one.
Category : Blog
Web Designers List
