I shouldn’t have won James as a new client last year. Why not? Because I didn’t do my marketing properly!

In May 2019 I delivered a marketing workshop to a group of coaches and also offered free Marketing Review sessions to a number of them. I had a lovely day, met some great people and left with a pile of business cards and lots of notes about who I had met and what they were doing with their marketing. I put all the business cards and notes into a folder on my desk … and left it there … for a few more months than I would recommend to anyone looking to grow their business.

Eventually I got around to doing some follow up with the file. One by one I pulled out the business cards and the notes, working through them. One coach had given me a great video testimonial, so I put that onto my website and looked for her on LinkedIn. I connected with a couple of the other coaches on LinkedIn and asked if they would like to receive my email newsletter, Scribbles. I even called two of the coaches who had had Marketing Reviews. Both of them said yes please to some ongoing mentoring with me, to help them implement the recommendations I’d given them in their Reviews.

Ad Hoc Marketing Does Not Work

And then I stopped. Why? Perhaps I felt that I’d done enough marketing for that week. Maybe I got complacent about the number of new clients I had taken on. Whatever the reason, a couple of the people I’d met at that workshop fell through the net. Following up with just a few of them had brought me new clients. However, the fact that I stopped following up when I did means that much of my time – preparing and delivering the workshop, holding the Marketing Reviews, travelling to the event – had been wasted.

I see this far too often. Coaches, consultants and trainers put loads of time, effort and even money into a particular marketing activity. But they don’t see it through to the end. Which means that those precious resources of time, effort and especially money are being wasted. The result? Frustration that your marketing isn’t working and a feeling that you’re still struggling to run a successful business.

Lucky Strike

James was one of the coaches I had not contacted after the workshop. I had notes and recommendations for him, from his Marketing Review. But I didn’t ask him to connect on LinkedIn; I didn’t send an email after the event to ask if he needed any more help; I didn’t even ask if he would like to receive Scribbles. I should probably sack myself as my own Marketing Consultant! But I was very lucky. James had remembered the advice that I gave him and had done a lot of thinking about his business, after his Marketing Review. In December he sent me a LinkedIn connection request, telling me that he was ready to move him business forward and asking if I could I help him. I nearly fell of my chair with gratitude. When I’d picked myself up and had given myself a good talking to, I picked up the phone and called James. No messing around with emails or LinkedIn messages – just using the good old-fashioned method of actually talking to him!

James in now a client and we start working together in February this year. He told me that I had made a really good impression on him at the workshop; and that the advice I gave him in his Marketing Review was invaluable. So when he was ready to go to the next level and get some help with growing his coaching business, he knew exactly who to call.

Follow up Impressions

Making a good impression in business is vital. Giving away advice and ideas through workshops and 1-2-1 sessions is a great way to start building a relationship with a potential client. But I don’t recommend that you stop there and just hope that prospects will get in touch with you. Personally, I have now in place a process that makes sure I follow up properly with people I meet. This involves marketing activities such as connecting on LinkedIn, sending Scribbles and scheduling catch up phone calls. It might be different for you, but whatever you do, make sure that you don’t just stop after the initial event or meeting. Don’t waste your initial time, effort and money; make sure your marketing really works.

Not sure what marketing will work best for you? Not sure what’s working and what isn’t? Need some advice on how to get more from your marketing? Then book a free one hour Marketing Review with me by calling me on 07773 252 744 and we can arrange a time. I only have space for a few each month, so if you’d like to stop struggling with your marketing this year, call me now!