Photo by Emma Frances Logan on Unsplash
Why do seemingly great marketing plans fail to yield the desired results?
Well, one reason: Such plans don’t turn the ideas into reality because they’re not action-oriented.
What counts are innovative strategies, the scheduled specific footwork, quality of execution, and then tracking the results.
The five action steps to success:
Action step No. 1
Develop specific action items for each key piece of your plan with specific target dates to take action.
In other words, if 12 big customers will largely solve your revenue issues, set a goal for each monthly interval.
For example, write: “We will get one major client each month.”
Action step No. 2
List specific footwork to achieve your monthly goal of one new client.
For example, write: “To get a major new client each month, we’ll have to look for new opportunities to network with our existing Centers of Influence and to create new Centers of Influence.”
If you belong to your local chamber of commerce or Rotary Club, ask your friendly chamber peers or Rotarians for two referrals: “What are the names of two people with your qualities who might need our product?” Then, while dropping the name of your friend, make the contact.
Consider other ways to enlarge your prospect list, and write something like this: “We will also get a list of business leads via…”
Action step No. 3
Benchmark your action items that can lead to the desired results. For example, write: “From our list of prospects, we will meet with three new prospects each week.”
It’s a numbers game, but rest assured referrals are usually the strongest leads – especially, if you use the right networking strategies.
So don’t worry about the results. Focus on taking steps. The results will take care of themselves.
Action step No. 4
Define your list of specific actions to meet your targets. For example, write: “I will telephone or visit 15 prospects a day asking for an appointment.”
Focus on making the contacts, but again, don’t worry about which doors will open. It might be a lost art, but cold-calling in-person works better than ever for higher sales. Another good tactic is cold-calling by e-mail and telephone.
Despite all the hype about the benefits of social media, face time works best. If you have good branding, elevator pitch, and use the right sales steps, you will be successful.
Action step No. 5
Continually refine your techniques for quality of execution, especially in these related ways:
— Branding: Every business needs to save time and money while increasing revenue with affordable branding techniques. There are 29 proven solutions to build your brand on a budget.
— Elevator pitch: Whatever you’re trying to sell – one skill you definitely need is a super elevator pitch. You need to prepare for any opportunities. Don’t be caught off guard. Create an introduction describing the value you provide, be concise, customize it for your target audience, and really know it – so you can deliver a super elevator pitch.
— Sales Steps: There are seven steps to higher sales, five value perceptions that motivate customers to buy, and the three-step process for overcoming sales objections. You can review all of them here.
From the Coach’s Corner, here’s another resource:
Checklist for Branding, Selling Your Biz as Green — Consumers love environmentally sensitive businesses. You might think it’s a slam dunk for businesses to market themselves as green. Well, yes and no. There are precautions to take. They include educating your audience on your eco practices. Before you embark on a green marketing campaign, see this checklist of basic questions to ask.
“A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.”
-Brian Tracy
__________
