The Write Rainmaker

Marketing Yourself 24/7

If you are the owner of a small business, you are always marketing, every time you leave your house.You need to determine if there are opportunities to get new customers or clients that YOU ARE MISSING.

Let me explain.

I have seen successful client interactions at odd places like grocery stores and kids' soccer games.

I have also seen small business owners totally ignore opportunities to pick up new clients because they aren't prepared or they are in a bad mood.

My 80 year old mother doesn't go out in public much any more, but when she does, she always wears bright red lipstick, and she smiles a lot. She says hello to total strangers as though they are old friends. Guess what? 98% of the time, she gets a positive response. I have heard this phrase countless times from friends, neighbors, and even just casual aquaintances: "I just LOVE your Mother!"

She could've run for governor and won. She is always smiling and friendly, no matter what else is going on. She is that way when her arthritis bothers her. She didn't lose her friendliness even when she was widowed. She was that way when her only son was serving in the Army in Iraq. She is kind to all, even when she is blue. She just radiates benevolence and approachability.

Do you? If not, you should work on it.

These are a few items to consider, if you are really interested in marketing yourself:

• When you are away from home, do you always have business cards?
• When you are waiting for a train, or in line at the bank, or at the car wash, do you realize that smiling and chatting are a great way to get to know someone and possibly get a new client?
• Do you have a good "resting face"? That's how you appear when you are not talking to someone. If you don't appear calm and friendly, you need to work on that.

If you own a small business or you are a sole practitioner attorney, you are selling yourself, and your personality, as much as your goods or services.

Give it some thought.

my mom, Miss Elva, 80 years young

Networking on the Internet

 

My dad was a master of traditional networking. He belonged to Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, sat on boards of charities, volunteered at church, etc. He never really learned how to network on the computer, though, and if he were alive today he would find that process very intimidating, I imagine. [He died in 1996.]

Looking someone in the eye and shaking their hand is really the best way to make a truly personal connection, obviously.

However, in the internet age, one needs to be creative about networking.

An important way to get more business is to get more people to read your website and/or your blog.

When I started blogging in 2005 I was mainly discussing adoption, and how my daughter and I were coping. Adopting a 13 year old who speaks no English is stressful, and I needed to write.  I also wanted to get out information about how terrific it is to adopt an older child. So I started searching the internet for websites about adoption. I started reading articles and commenting, and when asked, I would put the url for my blog [The Crab Chronicles] in my signature.

I started getting hits on my blog from other adoptive parents who were interested in reading my blog, even if they didn't adopt an older child. I paid attention to where my traffic was coming from because Typepad allows you to see the addresses where readers are coming from. Lots of clicks came from Adoption.com and similar sites.Some came from other mommy bloggers.

Before I knew it, I was getting loyal readers who had adopted or who were looking to adopt.

If you are writing a blog or just trying to promote your website, you can spend 15-30 minutes each day on the internet, finding websites or web articles that have something to do with what you do. Read and think.

Let's say you are promoting your cupcake bakery, Superior Cupcakes.

1. Find a story like How to Make Cupcakes. This is a general information story, not the blog of a rival cupcake bakery.

2. Think of something clever to say about the story. For example, "If you've got a cold and need 50 cupcakes for your child's birthday, call me! I can have them ready for you the next day!"

3. Be sure to leave your url if possible, or at least mention the name of your business.

People who love cupcakes but don't like to cook, or who don't have time to cook, are likely to click on your url or Google the words "Superior Cupcakes," and you then have made a contact.

Of course, if you are only interested in local clients, make sure it's a local site.

See how easy that is?!

The Power of Networking

I have always been a bit shy, so networking doesn't come naturally to me. In my observation, most attorneys and other professionals start out as really smart, good students, who spent their growing up years getting excellent grades but not always socializing a lot.

Then attorneys grow up and go to law school for three years, which is incredibly time-consuming, and get out and go to work. "Baby" lawyers are the workhorses of the firm, putting in 60-80 hours a week, oftentimes.

Most young professionals put in a lot of hours, trying to work their way up the ladder. As a young banker my dad spent a LOT of time in the office, and often brought work home.

That leaves little time for socializing.

However, getting out and about in your community can be critical to getting new business.

I am now working part-time for an attorney who lives in my neighborhood. I used to go to church with her. We've been on a "friendly nod" basis for years. It wasn't until I reached out to some friends in common last year with a "You know any attorneys who might be hiring?" query that I got to know her better, however. My friend Lee Ann sent me an email saying "You know Kristy is an attorney, right? Working from home?"

Nope. I had no idea.

Although I am not a social butterfly, I am never too timid to ask for help. My brother thinks this is appalling; a sign of vulnerability or weakness. I don't. My thinking is, if someone can't help me, so what? They ignore me or say no. No big deal.

My dad was a big believer in networking. He was on the board of so many organizations I lost count, but here are a few of them: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, various hospitals. He also was always active at the church.

Although writing effective website copy is important, it's just as important to network in person. You can always follow up with a friendly email saying "Hey, great to meet you the other day. If you ever have need of an attorney [financial planner/insurance agent/whatever] give me a call."

Make sure your email always has all your contact information and what you do. The guy you met might not remember your name, but he might remember that you are an attorney, so when he wants to go back and do a search in his email, if the word "attorney" is in your signature he will find you easily.

Here are a list of ways to network:

church or synagogue [do more than just go to services]

Facebook or Twitter [ask a teen how to do this if you're unsure!]

Kiwanis Club

Rotary Club

volunteer at a charity event, like a 5k Race

coach your child's sports team

be a Girl Scout/Boy Scout leader

join your neighborhood swim/tennis center

take a class at a local college [many offer evening non-credit classes]

volunteer for a local political candidate

join the PTSA at your child's school, and go to meetings

volunteer at your child's school

look for a Yahoo group for your community or one nearby

go to community events and chat with people

take time to chat with your plumber/electrician/mail carrier, etc.

have an Open House for people on your street, and get to know your neighbors better

offer a free Seminar for people in the local community

Joining won't do much good if you don't talk to folks. I know it may sound silly, but my dad used to make me roleplay with him. I'd have to look him in the eye, smile, and give a firm handshake. I was also  learning how to appear friendly and approachable.Eventually I grew up, and it was much easier to appear friendly because most of the time I FEEL friendly. (The old "fake it 'til you make it" cliches holds true.)

I used to hear: Don't put your hands in your pockets! Don't chew on toothpicks! Don't stare at the floor! Smile!

Dad was right.

Not everyone you meet has to become your best friend, but learning how to be friendly and accessible will help get your name out to a lot of folks, and personal connections = new business