4 Clever Tips to Tune Up Your Marketing System

After I spoke at a small business association, a brand new entrepreneur approached me explaining how frustrated she was at the lack of results despite her efforts in cold calling. I see this frustration all the time especially with people who are making the switch from employee to entrepreneur.

In their excitement to create awareness about their services, they either implement outdated strategies or have not connected all of their marketing pieces together. After a lot of time, effort, and money on various marketing strategies, they discover they have no clients, no cash flow and no results.

Let’s use cold calling as an example. For many years, cold calling, which is the process of contacting a prospective customer without warning or permission was an important step in the sales process. If you’ve spent a lot of time cold calling, then you know they hang up on you. Even if you are able to get them to listen for a few minutes, you’ll hear that they already work with someone else. It leaves you expending a whole lot of effort without any results in return.

Even if you research your target, prepare a script, even have a compelling message that gets you beyond the gatekeeper, research has shown up to 80% of decision makers will not buy from a cold call.

The reality is consumer behavior has changed. We have an educated consumer with information at their fingertips. Instead of being the pursuer, change your mindset and reverse the sales process.

The major turning point between and a sales failure and sales superstars is the system. Here are four clever tips to tune up your marketing systems:

1. Reverse the sales process. Instead of you chasing prospects, have your prospects choose you by integrating a permission-based lead generation system. A lead generation system is an automated, permission-based system. When people are looking for the solution you provide or in concert with your awareness campaigns (if you have a new product), you want them to find you. When they find you, you want to shake hands with them. A lead generation system does just that only over the internet. In fact the marketing message on that lead generation page is so spot on for your ideal prospects, they can’t help but put their name and email to get the free eBook, audio or white paper you are offering.

2. Position yourself as an expert by having a robust Marketing Mix. When a consumer has a problem or is looking for a solution, they will go to the internet. When they go to the internet, you want them to find you. While they may see your lead generation page, you want to also have other information that establishes your credibility. This is why it is important to implement a robust Marketing Mix – that is, a variety of ways that you establish your credibility through blogs, writing articles for websites, scheduling radio show interviews even having testimonials on your website from your clients or customers. When your prospect does look you up, they will find an assortment of articles establishing you as an expert.

3. Keep in touch with your prospects. Make sure you have a systematic way to follow up with prospects that will add continuous value. There are many ways to add value. For example, a real estate agent giving tips to their readers on home improvements that will give homeowners the biggest bang for their buck. Encourage interaction by inviting them to a discussion or comment on your blog. When your prospect is ready for the solution you provide, you will be top of mind because you kept in touch.

4. Connect your entire Marketing Mix. Today’s technology makes it possible to connect in many ways. It can be overwhelming if you individually invite them to each social media site. Instead, make sure that all of the ways you connect with your prospects and clients is connected. If they are part of your enewsletter, add them to your social media. If you are connected on Twitter, have a return message to join you on LinkedIn. Make sure you have a continuous flow in the way you connect with your prospects.

When you tune up your marketing systems, your prospects will find you, choose you, and buy from you.