Thoughts on Marketing…

This week the copywriter’s forum I belong to has had a discussion about “lulls in business.” If you’ve been self-employed, even part-time, for very long – you know what those are.

Consistent marketing is the only cure! And yet, it’s so hard to do when you get busy.

I remember when I was in real estate – getting so busy that my head spun. I would get out a legal pad and write down every transaction I was working on and what I needed to do for each. At the end of the day I felt like a limp rag.

So… during those times I didn’t do any prospecting.

The result – I’d get those transactions closed, stop to look around, and find that I didn’t have anything new coming up. I knew better than to postpone marketing, of course, but that didn’t stop me from making that mistake.

I wish I’d had someone like me on hand to handle it. If I could have called my copywriter / marketing partner and told her (or him) that I wanted something sent to a certain list at a certain time, it would have been done.

Of course, in those days I didn’t even realize there were people who would do that whose fees were affordable. Back then when I thought of someone else doing advertising for you I thought of Madison Avenue and huge ad agencies with price tags in the millions (I guessed.)

Now I’m the copywriter, but sometimes I still have to remind myself to take time out from other activities – like writing for clients, eating, and sleeping – to do marketing. It really is worth getting an hour less sleep once or twice a week.

If you’re in a lull right now (or the next time you are) take the time to plan the next few month’s marketing. Write the letters, ads, and e-mails you’ll send out 3 months from now – or outline what you want to say and give it to your copywriter. Write your next newsletter – leaving just enough space to insert some current event.

Oh – and write the mailing or ad insertion dates on your calendar, with a reminder note 3 or 4 days ahead. Make an appointment with yourself to handle the last details, and then just do it.

If you need some new ideas for gathering in clients, check out my $7 e-book: How to Attract Clients to Your Service Business.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte