It’s a new year, and while there are signs that our economy is recovering, businesses are still cautious about spending money. In fact, the recession profoundly changed how clients buy, causing the rules of marketing and selling to change.
Do your clients feel like they're in good hands—that you're a trusted resource?
The secret to reaching today’s buyers is to provide valuable, honest advice at each stage of the buying cycle, says Steven Van Yoder in his article, Stop Selling and Help Your Clients Buy: Become a Trusted Resource. Focus on making a difference, not so much making a sale. With educational marketing you “generate awareness and make a case for your services,” positioning your firm as a trusted resource.
One company that has seen excellent results with educational marketing is Everon Technology Services. Mike Cooch started Everon six years ago to help small businesses take advantage of technology. The model Everon uses, which was unusual for small businesses at the time, provides managed IT services instead of hourly consulting and services.
To win clients, Everon needed to educate people. It used a combination of monthly in-person seminars and online webinars. It was slow-going, and more expensive than Cooch would have liked, but it worked and the company now has 250 customers in 25 states. Mary Flaherty’s case study, The Secret of One Start-Up’s Multi-Million Dollar Growth, explains further how Everon grew to become a $5 million business.
As you look at your firm and consider educational marketing, you might feel your firm needs to change. If you feel oppressed by your business, revolt, says C.J. Hayden in her article, Forget New Year’s Resolutions; Your Firm May Need a New Year’s Revolution. Make 2010 the year you take control of your clients, your income, your time, and your marketing. A revolution just may be what it takes to create the firm you always dreamed of and to attract the clients you always wanted.
What to Expect on the Speaking Circuit
If you use speaking engagements to spread the word about your services and your firm, Vickie K. Sullivan says there are trends you need to be aware of in 2010. The meetings industry has changed a lot as a result of the economic meltdown, the AIG effect, and the flood of free experts, she says in her article, Top Trends of the New High-Fee Speaking Circuit. Sullivan identifies changes to expect on the speaking circuit and how to navigate them so you still get the opportunities and the fees you deserve.
A key part of ensuring you get speaking opportunities is your ability to give great presentations. If you want to be invited to speak at events—or even want to persuade prospects to buy your services—you must be a compelling presenter, says Tim Wackel, president and founder of The Wackel Group, in his podcast interview, Don’t Let Bad Presentation Skills Cost You Clients. Listen as Wackel describes some of the worst presentation habits, what can happen if your presentation fails, and the two-step process for giving good presentations.
Sign up to attend Wackel’s webinar, Become a Polished Presenter: Keys to Delivering Powerful Presentations on Tuesday, January 19 at 2:00 p.m. EST. During the webinar he’ll discuss more of the worst habits and how to break them, the biggest obstacle Americans face when asked to deliver a presentation, and the number one reason why most presenters fail on “the big day.”
