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Your most important business asset is your database. It is your own personal area of influence. It should include your current clients, past clients, referral sources, prospects and media contacts. Whether your list contains 50 names, or 1,000 names; these people are the core around which you build a successful, prosperous firm. As you attract an ongoing flow of new enquiries, keep all of your prospects names, mailing addresses and e-mail addresses on your mailing list.
The critical element in your marketing programme is your ability to add names of prospective clients to your mailing list. You want to attract names at whatever rate will bring you the number of new clients you want.
| STEP 1: Create a database that contains at least four primary groups: |
- past and present clients,
- prospective clients,
- referral sources,
- media contacts ( newspaper/magazine editors and producers).
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| STEP 2: Add names to your list of |
- new enquiries that come from your marketing efforts,
- prospects added by referral from outside sources and people already on your database,
- desirable prospects you add because you would like to win them as new clients,
- publication editors and radio producers at media outlets that reach your target audiences.
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| STEP 3: Categorise and code names on your database so you can bring up names by category. |
For example, you may want to send a mailing to referral sources. You might write a news release to mail to editors producers. You might want to mail something only to prospects. And so forth. Also, you might break down your clients by the amount of fees they have paid (or might pay), date of most recent services, type of services you rendered, date the name was added to your list, or the prospects value based on whatever criteria you set.
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| STEP 4: Leave names on your database until |
- they have had time to make a decision to use your services,
- their priority is so low that they do not justify space on your database,
- you think they are no longer likely to benefit your practice with direct business or referrals,
- your list grows so large that it becomes unmanageable.
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Your database of names is critical to your success. Whether you send newsletters by post, client alerts by e-mail, you can attract new clients and expand your database with ongoing communications that are relevant to your target audiences needs.
If you have a target list of prospects you would like to represent, add their names to your mailing list. Then you can send them your newsletter, invite them to seminars, offer to present seminars in-house, and so forth. The same holds true for sources of referrals.
If you are targeting companies in particular, do not limit yourself to adding just one person to your mailing list. Call or e-mail the office and ask for the names and addresses of key people you want on your list. Then send your communications to all of them.
Before you start communicating with prospects on your mailing list, make sure your marketing materials are designed to generate interactions with prospects. And make sure your materials contain a powerful educational message. This will increase the odds that your prospects will contact you to inquire about your seminars and services. If you see or read an article that would be of interest to your client or prospect, cut it out the newspaper or magazine or cut and paste it with a note, “thought you would find it of interest”. |
