Intro by Skip Cohen
As I’ve shared many times in the past, there’s so much great information on the Internet, and it’s all waiting to help you build a stronger business.
Wandering through Sarah Petty’s archives in her Joy of Marketing blog, I ran across this one from January. And, while we might be in March, it’s still the “slow season” for most of you and the perfect time to follow her lead.
But, I want to take Sarah’s suggestions one step further. Your greatest marketing tool is relationship building. In her third bullet point, she talks about writing letters and calling clients who she hasn’t seen in two years or more. I love Sarah’s point about making contact, but let’s add one more step – start tracking their birthdays and anniversaries. Facebook’s birthday list is a good way to start, but you should be keeping your own database.
Look for great opportunities to contact them including holidays and special occasions. We live in an Internet, social media, instant fulfillment world and a hand-written note or a phone call will always be remembered and appreciated.
And, for those letters you’re going to write, print up some note cards and create stationery using your own images. Keep reminding your client base of your skill set as a photographer!
By Sarah Petty
In January I view my business, my house and my life in a different way.
It’s like there’s a giant bright spotlight on all broken crap I put up within 4th quarter because I was too busy to fix.
I can’t HELP but see it!
And it makes me sick to my stomach when I realize how much time I wasted coming up with creative workarounds, putting on blinders and ‘good enough for now’ excuses because I couldn’t find time to stop and fix them in the busy season.
I know you’re with me and probably did the same thing!
Admittedly right now I’m going a little overboard becoming Mrs. Fix It.
- That washing machine that hasn’t worked right for the last 2 years.
- The gross basement that with my hoarding tendencies has turned into a collection place for everything I was too busy to put away or donate….totally cleaned out after five trips to the Goodwill and my 3 kids being home for 2 weeks from school.
- My messed up back and shoulders from lugging the camera around for years (and hunching over since I’m 6 feet tall)….on a rehab plan with a great doc to fix.
I’m doing the same thing in my business.
- The software updates I SHOULD have downloaded last year…..happening this week.
- The displays that need to be freshened up… choosing images from 4thquarter sessions
- The clients who I haven’t seen in at least 2 years….I’m writing notes of Joy and making phone calls this month to talk about new products I’ve added since the last time they were in.
When I was scrubbing through all the things I’m fixing, I thought you may need help fixing these same things.
