Hello! First of all I want to thank all of you who contacted me to come speak to your companies and organizations. Sharing information on how to grow one’s business is a passion of mine and I’m delighted to have so many speaking engagements on my calendar for the coming months.

Giving presentations is actually one way, and in my opinion its one of the best ways, to market and it doesn’t have to cost a dime – in fact you may even get paid for presenting (although the fact that you don’t shouldn’t stop you from getting on the speaking circuit.)

Speaking of marketing strategies that don’t bust the bank, this month’s article was prompted by a request from a reader who is interested in how to be successful in marketing when one is on a tight budget and simply can’t compete with the many wonderful and expensive websites, ads, and display booths that more financially mature companies can deploy. The good news is it can be done, and it’s probably a lot easier than you think! Read on for some practical advice to lessen your marketing woes.

Is there something in particular you would like me to address in the newsletter? email me at Barbara@Raimaker-Strategies.com.

MARKETING ON A LIMITED BUDGET

The very first thing to remember when you’re on a tight budget and feeling pressured to come up with marketing strategies that rival the big boys is that the BEST marketing activities are exactly that, they are active! They are NOT fancy web sites, expensive booths at trade shows and million dollar ad campaigns. Rather, active strategies are those that let others experience you and your expertise and they don’t have to cost much, if anything! Let’s explore some of these low cost active marketing strategies.

Speaking Engagements. As stated above, speaking to groups of people in your target market is one of the most effective active marketing strategies. Giving a presentation provides your audience with an experience of you and your expertise virtually without cost and may even turn into a source of revenue in and of itself down the line!

Networking. Reach out to your network of contacts. Find out first what you can do to help them and then let your contacts know how they can support you. People love to help so be sure to let them! Also, when you focus on providing value and serving as a resource to others the Universe will reward you!

Customer Satisfaction. Who do people do business with? They do business with those they know, like and trust. Ensure everything you do in your business helps your clients to know you better, like and trust you more. Maximize your customer reach by setting up a referral program to entice satisfied clients to refer others to you.

Strategic Alliances. Connect with a company or solopreneur that serves the same market as you with a complementary service or product. Meet with the company and determine ways to promote each other’s service/product to clients or otherwise refer business as appropriate.

Charities. Donating your goods or services is a great way to garner experience and visibility while giving back to the community. Look for charity/social/civic organizations that connect with your target market.

Additional low cost strategies that deserve mention even though they are less active include the following:

Public Relations. A mention of your company name or a quote in an industry publication provides credibility and can serve as a third party endorsement. Spend time cultivating relationships with targeted media and offer to serve as a resource.

Article Writing. Submitting articles for print or web publications doesn’t cost a dime and yet being published in this manner is an excellent way to become recognized as an expert in a specific topic or industry.

Newsletters. Another great way to keep your name in front of customers and prospects is to publish and distribute a newsletter. An electronic newsletter is
particularly inexpensive to produce. Provide key insight into business challenges and offer solutions to them. Provide value and education to your readers.

While not all encompassing, I hope you see by the list above that there are many marketing strategies one can deploy while on a limited budget. In fact, the strategies that are high-impact actually cost very little, if anything! The key is to be proactive – get out there, think win-win, be creative with ideas, be consistent, and watch your business grow.

Speaking Engagements. As I mentioned in the Welcome announcement, I’m thrilled to be able to speak to so many of your companies and organizations. From your requests, it appears that the top two favorite presentation topics are Power Networking: Building Relationships That Bring Business and The Six Steps to Making Rain, which identifies the steps you must take to build a successful practice.

These topics cross industries so if you’re interested in seeing if these or other topics would be a fit with your organization, email me at Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com or call me at 858-566-5585.

Booklet Information. To purchase your copy of my booklet, Business Development: 97 Quick & Easy Tips For Lawyers, go to my web site at www.rainmaker-strategies.com or send me an email at Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com and I’ll be happy to process your order. Cost is $5.00 for a single copy (plus tax where applicable and shipping).

Making Rain Out of Mist Program. Shhh. This is very hush hush right now, but stay tuned for a special announcement in May about my practice-building program for lawyers! :o)

Barbara Nichols Mencer
Rainmaker Strategies
Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com
www.rainmaker-strategies.com

If you’ve enjoyed this article and learned a valuable business-building tip, please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues.

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