| Do you have a record of every contact you make | | | | up by phone or email after you meet new people. |
| and how you met them? Do you keep in touch with | | | | Send what you said you would.o Ask them if you may |
| these people? | | | | add them to a regular email newsletter that you send |
| Do you have your customers in a database along with | | | | out (NOTE: this is another important tool to consider |
| their purchase history? | | | | using.)o Email notices of specials related to your |
| Business is a game of relationships and numbers. You | | | | products or services to both groups.o Mail a postcard |
| have to attract enough potential clients through your | | | | a couple of times a year so that you can check |
| marketing efforts who will buy your product or service | | | | mailing addresses and give everyone something |
| at a profit. | | | | tangible to remember you by - they can also pass it |
| Then you have to do it again. And again. | | | | along to others they know (referrals).o Communicate |
| A database is the tool to keep track of all of this and | | | | with an email newsletter at least monthly with |
| to allow you to leverage your contacts. | | | | everyone - but be sure that you have permission from |
| Here's how to do it in stages ...o Use a Rolodex, a | | | | your prospects to do this!o Review your database and |
| notebook named "prospects", your email address | | | | all that you have learned about the people in it in order |
| book, a list in Excel, a PDA (like a Palm Pilot), contact | | | | to design interesting offers. Check to see where your |
| management software like ACT(TM), or build your | | | | clients are coming from so you know which of your |
| own in FileMakerPro(TM).o Prospects: record where | | | | marketing methods is most effective. Then repeat |
| you met them and when, what their business is, and | | | | what works best and drop what doesn't. This is how |
| any pertinent information that you learned about them | | | | to ensure you're doing "no cost/ low cost marketing".o |
| at the time including any promises that you made to | | | | Design a referral program that helps your best clients |
| send them information or contacts.o Clients: track what | | | | to help you grow your business. |
| they buy, how much, how often, how they found you | | | | A database is a goldmine when you maintain it and |
| initially (marketing source, word of mouth, referral, etc.), | | | | use it creatively to build relationships - and your |
| and any referrals they send you.o Develop systems | | | | business! |
| for communicating regularly with both groups.o Follow | | | | |