direct mail, cold calling.... tried 'em, don't like 'em

Rick... Selling is one of the toughest jobs a business owner has to do, but can be one of the most profitable if you take the time to train yourself. People don't like to be sold, but they love to buy. I would recommend you enroll in some sales education. It would be time well spent.

I am currently developing a sales training course specifically targeted to biz owners such as your self. I've tested it out under the title of "Selling for Virgins". I will be doing classes in Seattle and am organizing online training at the same time.

Drop me a note if you want some help. I'm always willing to share with bizniks. ...Howard

Rick- ditto what Howard said. It took me quite awhile to learn selling, how to do it with integrity, from the heart, and I also teach it, too. :)

But, even more than selling, one of the things to understand is what I call the Three Journeys of Marketing. For those of us who are gung-ho about our businesses, it's hard to really grok the lag time that usually happens between when someone learns about your business, when they are ready to purchase.

Sometimes that lag time is one minute. Sometimes it's one year. Which is why you need to divide your marketing into Journeys.

First Journey: getting people's attention, and getting permission to be in contact with them over the longterm. I do this through an email newsletter. Some people blog. Some people (although fewer nowadays) send out mailings.

Second Journey: the continuing contact you have with people through your email, blog or mailing. If it's not just promotions, but you are actually offering something valuable, helpful and/or entertaining to your prospects, then they will start to take advantage of your offers.

All kinds of businesses use this approach. the key thing is to:

1. Identify the problem you solve, in their words
2. Identify the kinds of people/organizations you are trying to reach
3. Communicate both your vision/values AND the problem you solve in concrete terms to those people you want to reach, and get their permission to add them to the list.
4. Once they are on the list, pitch them offers.

This is extremely simplified, there are details and depths in each of these steps, but it works extremely well.

Make sense? Questions?

I don't like to think of it as selling.....I like to think of it as fulfilling a need :-)

It's tough started out, as in my experience, the best advertising you can't pay for......word of mouth.

Now I will engage in my typical ramble style that is me :)

Perhaps consider reaching out to your local or area Chamber of Commerce. They may be able to offer ideas for free, but can also offer membership to their organization which can put you in touch with others. Many chambers also organize local networking events so you can meet with others in the chamber.

What about tradeshows? Are there applicable tradeshows in or around your area for your service?

Create referral programs to reward other professionals to send you business. For example, I have a client right now that needs to put together a marketing kit of print materials. I'll shoot them an email with your link :) Reach out to other professionals and say "Hey, I have this great service that could be of use to your clientele. Anytime you refer someone I'll give you 5%."

Anyways, those are some of the ideas I can think of :) Hope they are of help!

Get involved is the best way I've found. Do business networking, join the Chamber of Commerce, Rotery and anything else you can find. Direct mail probobly won't work for you unless you send out at least 100,000 copies. Check the numbers for that but I fairly sure your type of business would need that kind of coverage to get a response. Cold calling is good if you're dedicated to it and you know where to go. Art T.

As someone that is a fan of direct mail let me clear up a two rumors...

Fewer people are using direct mail today: Sorry, anyone that tells you this is flat out wrong. Even with increasing postal costs and do not mail lists, MORE direct mail is being sent every year. I wish it were true less direct mail would mean less clutter when I send mine.

Direct mail doesn't work: yeah, whatever. Response rates vary anywhere between .5% and 6% can be typical. That being said ask yourself if the low end of that number would be profitable for you. Also ask what you coul do to be at the top end of that range (or even higher).

If you don't know direct mail find someone that does and hire them to help you build your mail sequence. Yes, a sequence. If you can afford to send 10,000 piece you are better off mailing to a list of 2500 4 times or maybe even 2000 5 times than a one shot mailing to 10,000 people.

Remember what you send is critical. A poorly crafted message will not sell. Know what your goal is, have one goal and have everything in your package work toward that goal. Do you want someone to call for a quote? Do you want them to send in and get a full presentation of your capabilities? Send an order? The last one may be the ultimate goal but starting with one of the others may be the real place you want to start.

Junk mail is junk only if it does not speak to my needs. If what you send is relevent to me and my needs it is never perceived as junk.

Dwyane Faux

P.S. I would love to know what you sent and what your actual response was.