How to make marketing FUN!

If you own your own business, you probably already know that consistent and focused marketing will be one of the most important factors in your success. It’s essential not only for acquiring new customers, but also to help you stay in touch with customers who are already doing business with you.

However, “knowing” that marketing is good for your business is much the same as “knowing” that exercise is good for your body. Sure you know you SHOULD do it, but sometimes you just don’t want to! Sometimes there are other things you’d rather do, like have lunch with the girls, read a good book, take a nap, or play a round of golf!

For those days when marketing is a little challenging, here are some of the strategies I use to get up to speed, get my marketing done, and most importantly, have fun doing it.

1. Reward yourself

Yes, I mean a bribe! For example, “If I make 10 cold calls this afternoon, I’ll schedule a massage for tomorrow.” Or, “If I can get two new clients this week, I’ll take a 3-day weekend next week.”

Give yourself a reward for buckling up and doing effective marketing. This strategy is especially effective when you feel particularly resistant. Knowing you’ll get that nice new TaylorMade golf club if you successfully attract five new customers this month can give you a little motivational boost.

2. Make it easy

If your marketing seems overwhelming, try doing just one thing. Make just ONE phone call. Research only ONE potential client’s website. Write only ONE thank you card. See how easy that is? You may be surprised to find that if you plan to do just ONE simple marketing activity, it feels like fun! When you only have one thing to do, there is no pressure, and when there is no pressure, it feels good. And once you’ve done that ONE thing, you’ll want to do one more.

3. Use good music

When I’m writing thank you cards, searching the internet for new client websites, packing CDs, or choosing gifts for my best clients from a catalog, I find that adding my favorite music to the marketing activity makes it so much more fun. I recommend creating radio stations on Pandora.com and pumping up your energy when you’re marketing to your favorite music.

4. Track your results

One of the most rewarding things about marketing is tracking the results of your efforts. For example, I will spend an afternoon cold-calling prospective clients with the intention of getting them to listen to my voice-over demos. And many times, at the end of the day, I find that 15 out of 20 calls resulted in customers agreeing to listen to my demos. So keep track of how your strategies are working, and then take the time to feel pleasant satisfaction with your results.

5. Visualize the conduct of your business

When you are marketing, remember that you are not only acquiring new clients who will help your business grow and prosper, but your skills and services will also help YOUR business grow and prosper. So take a moment and think about your “ideal thriving business.” Think about the bottom line you’re aiming for when contacting new clients or following up with your established clients. Imagine the mutual benefits you and your clients will experience when you have a rewarding professional association. Getting into the “good feeling place” of how good it is to benefit your business as well as yours.

6. Be personal

One thing I’ve done early on in my dubbing business is to be very “personal” in my approach to marketing and I encourage you to do the same. For example, an easy way to add a “personal touch” to your follow-ups is to be very careful in your selections of thank you cards or gifts. Has your customer mentioned that they love chocolate? Send him a small box of Godiva chocolates. Did your prospect mention that he just got back from New York and loves museums? Send her an art postcard or gift card. Listen carefully to what your customers and prospects are saying, and then tailor your marketing to them like you’re communicating with a good friend.

Again, here are my six tips to make your marketing time more fun. Is it so:

1. Reward yourself
2. Make it easy
3. Use good music
4. Track your results
5. Visualize the conduct of your business
6. Be personal

Put fun marketing on your daily or weekly schedule and just watch your business grow!

© 2012 Maxine Dunn