For many types of marketing activities that are performed over time, there is a blossom.
If you have done direct mail or blogged for a while, you might have noticed it. As Satch Carlson like to say... "nothing.. nothing... nothing.... JET BLAST." You know. You are putting it out there for a month... and then two months. Nothing. Three months. Four months? Nothing.
And then one day the phone rings. I saw your blog. And then again. I got that newsletter you sent me. It isn't linear.
This isn't just for real estate. I am in a 4x4 club, and we host a pretty big blood drive each year. I've written about it here. I chaired the event last year, and handed it off for this year's event. Last year, I was calling vendors and trying to get prizes and swag. I did pretty well, too. It was the 4th year, and this year's event was the fifth. As I was calling last year, many of the vendors were ready for me. We had been "back to the well" before.
This year, it was different. Vendors we hadn't heard of were calling us. Vendors we had lost touch with were calling us. We weren't begging. We were picking.
And I am starting to get the blossom from my marketing. I don't have to beg clients to work with me... but I have trouble getting to the point where I can pick and choose.
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I'd love to hear from you...
Lane - I actually had the nerve to fire a couple of clients in the the past year, and the only reason I could do that, is because I know they were actually costing me a lot of money. It sounds like you are getting to the point where you have enough businees to pick the best clients, and it make for a lot better attitude when you know you don't have to.
Picking and choosing is tough, no matter what point you are at. Some people outright lie to your face, so it makes it a little difficult in the beginning. I used to have trouble with it, but no longer.
My time is precious to me and why should I waste it on people who are really not serious? I love helping people, but there are people that will "use" you and your knowledge (and gas) for months! Working with these people takes time away from your "real" clients.
Larry - It hurts, but it is something we have to do occasionally.
Karen - Get rid of the deadwood. Concentrate on the people that want our help.
Being new to the industry, and not having a lot of clients, I found it very difficult to "just say no." What I also discovered rather quickly is that I had some leads that had no jobs, no money, no credit, and I was supposed to find them a $300k home. I know now that all leads need some sort of qualification prior to you spending a great deal of time with them. One of my first buyer clients, I discovered, was basically a lonely lady who had nothing better to do with her time. Now I only work with people who are qualified, honest, and want some help. Even though I am not real busy, I can't afford to spend time with people who really are not able to buy or only willing to sell to the lowest bidder for the job. That is not how I want to run my business.
Lane - Interesting story about the blood drive and the interest it has created over the past 5 years. It is nice to see that people and businesses/vendors are reaching out.
Lane - This is a wonderful way to give back to the community. How do you market the blood drive? Do you reach out to local media? press releases? I hope you wouldn't maind sharing a bit more about the marketing. Best wishes!
Troy - Absolutely. I don't mind long term projects... I just want honesty.
Sam - Wait until the next time I talk about the Blood Drive... Keep the words Gravedigger and Maximum Destruction in the back of your head... We have a new venue for next year and a new format. And it is amazing how much comes from the word spreading virally.
IMNJ - We have marketed through the local 4wd clubs and 4wd shops. This year we had our first radio. Next year we will be getting a lot more. A local track has invited us to be the pre-event for their monster truck show... and there will be more media added. I am also going to be on a quest to use some social networking. But, honestly, the most effective marketing has been viral from the clubs. We have had some debuts for newly built trail Jeeps, and that went a long way... some magazines wanted to pick those up.