Online marketing and inbound marketing are on the rise. People no longer want things pushed at them; you need to pull them in. But with an increasing number of professional services firms using this marketing strategy, how can you make sure your message is heard above all the noise? Jasmine Sandler has some advice in her article this week, Brand Yourself as an Industry Expert via Online Marketing.
Are you doing the right things to grow your business? (Photo by WTL photos)
Essentially you must first determine what makes you unique and then brand yourself as an industry expert using online marketing, Sandler says. Establish a strong web presence and create quality content, and over time you will become the go-to person in your market.
A critical aspect of online marketing is measuring the results of your campaigns, says Sharon Berman in her article, How to Make Sure Your Marketing Campaign Isn’t a Flop. Whether you send direct mail pieces, send enewsletters, or share information on Twitter and other social networks, you must determine if those tactics work. Are you attracting new clients? Are more people subscribing to your newsletter? Are more people reading your blog? Learn how to measure your marketing tactics so you can determine which ones really work and which ones you should ditch.
Marketing isn’t a firm’s only resource, however. Business development also plays an important role, and the two must work together if a firm is to grow, says Suzanne Lowe in her podcast interview, Firms Must Break Down Marketing and Business Development Silos. Lowe, author of The Integration Imperative: Erasing Marketing and Business Development Silos–Once and For All–in Professional Service Firms, explains what executives must do to break down barriers between the two and grow their firms.
Your ability to grow your firm also depends on your ability to see what’s coming down the road, says Alan Weiss in his article, Drive Sales Conversations So You Understand the Road Ahead. When you interact with prospective buyers, make sure your meetings have direction, Weiss says. Drive conversations and gather information so that you get an idea of what your next moves should be and ultimately reach a point where you offer a proposal. When you can get a glimpse of what lies on the road ahead, the more productive your interactions will be.
