I?d like to share with you an idea that one of my clients came up with, which has helped her grow her mailing list by a huge amount and has helped her start a relationship with lots and lots of potential clients.

Barbara had called me for her monthly mentoring call, when we talk through all the marketing she?s doing and I give her whatever help she needs. I?ve been encouraging her to do more on LinkedIn and she told me what she?d done. She started writing a check list (all about mediation, because that?s what she does) and then put up a note on two groups of which she?s a member, telling people about it. She offered it to the members of the groups for free ? all they had to do was email her. To her amazement, in the three weeks since she posted the news, she?s received 300 requests for the check list! That?s 300 strangers and potential clients asking for her help.

So why did this technique work so well? For a few reasons:

1. The check list was offered free, in return for nothing more than an email address. It was easy to get and there was no sales pitch
2. Barbara has joined a couple of groups where she knows that potential clients hang out. She knows the market works well, so offered something that she knew people would want
3. The two groups she offered the check list to are quite large ? one has nearly 4000 members ? so her message was seen by a lot of potential clients.

Have you joined different groups on LinkedIn? Look for groups of potential clients and join them; then spend some time looking at what people are talking about, so that you offer something that will help.

What could you offer to the members ? something that people will find of value ? which you can give away without trying to sell yourself? Can you put together a check list or a fact sheet? Look at what you know and how you can package it, to give it away and to encourage people to get in touch with you.

All Barbara has to do now is send her check list to everyone who asked for it and then look for ways of keeping in touch with those people. That will be something we talk about on our next mentoring call!

And to say thank to Barbara for letting me share her idea with you, here?s a link to her website ? www.CapstickSaxton.com. You can also meet her on LinkedIn if you search for Barbara Capstick.