Is Procrastination Holding You Back?Written by C.J. Hayden
When you look at your marketing to-do list, do many of items on it look all too familiar? Have entries like "call Donna Sanchez" and "follow up with Floyd Corp." been copied from a previous week? Putting off unappealing tasks may be human nature, but for an entrepreneur, procrastination can be deadly. Delays in contacting a prospect can lose business to competition. Failing to get word out about an upcoming event may forfeit dozens of opportunities. Wasted marketing time can never be recovered. By time you realize you might not make your goal for month, quarter, or year, it may already be too late. Finding tasks on your to-do list week after week is a clear sign you are procrastinating, but it's not always this obvious. Can you identify with any of these situations? 1. Feelings of overwhelm. You have a backlog of work that seems insurmountable. You wake up in morning already thinking about everything you must accomplish that day. It seems impossible to get it all done. If you are routinely unable to complete what's on your list in time available, you may be creating problem yourself by putting tasks off week after week. 2. Making excuses. You find yourself constantly having to make excuses to your business buddies, referral partners, potential clients, or even your coach about why you never followed up on that great referral, that important sales call wasn't made, marketing package wasn't sent, or proposal wasn't written. After a while, excuses begin to sound flimsy, even to you. 3. Trivial pursuits. You notice that you are doing unimportant chores -- rearranging your desk drawers, filing old business cards, shopping for just right desk, surfing Net -- while neglecting crucial marketing activities. 4. Overflowing pipeline. A form of procrastination unique to entrepreneurs and salespeople is continuing to develop new leads instead of contacting prospects you already have. If you are spending more time attending networking events or reviewing lists of names than getting on phone, putting your fingers to keyboard, or driving to appointments, this problem may be yours.
| | Marketing In A Virtual World Written by Steven Van Yoder
Before Internet, small business owners like yourself were usually limited to a local market -resorting to expensive advertising and brochures, direct mail, cold-calling, networking at local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary. You hoped customers found you through word- of- mouth or a Yellow Pages ad. Today, you can work with a consultant, a financial planner, or a business coach across country as easily as someone across town. In Internet age, prospects often find you (instead of other way around). This is age of virtual customer. Yet, although Internet has made it perfectly reasonable to land a major client you've never met in-person, it has also created new expectations among consumers. Prospects now "Google" around to find someone with your skills. They expect you to make a good virtual "case" for yourself. If you don't pass test, or make a bad impression, or appear lackluster compared to your competitors, you will lose potential client. The only way to be truly successful in business is by establishing a good reputation. And understanding way business has shifted in Internet age can help you bring potential of marketing your business into virtual world. The Virtual First Impression The Internet has increased expectation among consumers that businesses will have a credible online presence. Many of us now form "first impressions" of people and companies via our Internet browsers. From moment your name and business appear in a Web browser to moment your Web site loads, your first impression often means difference between a shot at your prospect's business, or being shut out. Think about it. You have probably used Internet to research a company or a person you're considering doing business with. Certainly potential clients and customers are checking you out online, too. Prospects you've never met are forming opinions about your business at click of a mouse. Internet first impressions are not just influenced by how your Web site looks, but also by how often your business appears or how high it ranks in a web browser. Become an Online Center of Influence We all know people who command rapt attention whenever they speak. Others want to listen to, learn from, and emulate them. They are centers of influence, a distinction you can pursue online by developing following qualities: * Share inside knowledge with your target market; * Participate, listen, contemplate, and offer thoughtful responses; * Be willing to voice an opinion; * Assume leadership positions in your industry Certainly, experience counts. But this is not only prerequisite to becoming an online center of influence that will earn you distinction of 'trusted advisor' within your target market. Start by making your Web site a resource for your industry. Feature lots of useful information, including articles, links, downloadable files, customer resources, and anything else of use to your target market. Be generous and give, give, give! Create a Virtual Podium with Teleclasses Teleclasses are a great way for businesses to develop a virtual reputation. They can be promoted easily by email, and provide information to prospects, clients, and customers all over world, with minimal cost and effort.
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