The
Eight Deadly Sins
of Marketing Yourself
1. Not Marketing Yourself
The only thing worse than marketing yourself poorly, is not marketing yourself at all. In these times, marketing is not an option, it is a necessity. An easy first step is to learn how to market your business or practice by discovering how your current clients came to you. What problems or challenges do you solve for them? Now, identify the best way to communicate with this type of client group. Chances are it's not going to be through advertising.
2. Pushing Yourself on People
Traditional marketing (advertising, public relations, selling) has dictated that we must push our message to as many potential customers as possible. Advertising rates, the number of impressions, and sales quotas are how success is determined. Try pulling or attracting your customers by providing them with useful information, free samples, and value-added services. Build trust and familiarity to develop a lifelong customer.
3. Only Marketing When Business is Slow
Deciding to market yourself when things slow down is deadly. You have an aura of being desperate that you can't hide. It shows through in your conversations and your marketing approaches. Deal from a position of strength. Market when you feel you don't need to. Call those referrals to discover if there is a problem you can solve for them. Write a quick note to acquaintances just to keep in touch. Take at least one new person to lunch each week. Your efforts don't need to be large, just consistent.
4. Thinking That Marketing is Selling
If you dislike advertising and selling, then marketing is for you. Advertising is important in selling consumer products but can easily backfire when you're marketing business services or a professional practice. Trying to "sell" or persuade someone will lose you more business than it gains. Focus your efforts on "attracting" business by talking and–more importantly-LISTENING to people and finding solutions to their problems.
5. Shotgunning Your Marketing Efforts
JC Penny candidly said, "Half of the advertising I do doesn't work. I continue to do it all because I don't know which half." You, most likely, don't have that luxury. If you focus on the type of client you would like to work with and learn how best to serve them, you will provide them with a higher value of service. It's tempting to try to be all things to all people but by specializing you'll enjoy a niche in the marketplace and an increase in your fees.
6. Not Building Relationships in Your Network
People do business with professionals they like, respect, and REMEMBER. The way to become memorable is to focus on getting to know others. When you are in a gathering of business people or potential clients, step out of your comfort zone and talk to people. Don't try to impress them... learn about them... show an interest in them. It will come back to you tenfold. Exchange business cards and follow up with a personal note about something they told you that you wrote on the back of their card after you met.
7. Missing Out On Free Media Opportunities
There are countless media outlets in your marketplace that garner huge audiences and they are ALL looking for "content." To you, this means FREE exposure. Many independent business people don't take advantage of this because they think it's for somebody else. Newspapers, magazines, radio, even television are all looking for your story IF you have the right angle and it's newsworthy. Start with the business journal in your town or business reporter at the newspaper. Learn how to format news releases and follow up with notes and phone calls.
8. Failing to Develop an Action Plan
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. The above suggestions will do you no good unless you formulate a plan of action and commit to following through on it a little each week. Don't overwhelm yourself but do be consistent. Decide on a market niche; learn more about this specific market; figure out how best to serve them and, discover ways to stay in front of them. Develop a tip sheet or free newsletter like the one on this site. Balance your planning with action. Don't just think about it... do it!
