Coaching

1. Spotlight your expertise in your marketing activities. Do things that specifically get you noticed for your expertise. Show that you are proficient at doing what you do. This can be something as simple as conducting a niche-relevant seminar or workshop that benefits the community or sponsoring a joint venture event around a holiday with other local business. Whatever ideas you might conjure up, do them to get yourself noticed. It will be good for your business.

2. Go to your local radio station. Radio stations and TV stations need entertaining content. You could provide that content by sharing your coaching expertise. Offer to do a "coach's tip of the week" type of series for the radio or TV station. You may not get paid for it, but it will get you plenty of free publicity and connection for the community.

3. Sponsor a contest or award competition. Go to other businesses and tell them that you are sponsoring a contest that helps business get awards. The benefit is that they can use the event in their marketing material. When you are known as an award-winning business, other businesses and consumers notice that there is something outstanding about your business. That will motivate them to buy from you compared with a competitor that has no award.

4. Keep looking for your ideal customers. These are people who naturally like to achieve goals. Where would these people be? In what activities would they naturally involve themselves? Contact those places. See if they need public speakers or articles for their newsletters. That way, your presence is already appearing right in front of your ideal customers.

5. Focus on developing your relationship marketing skills. On every flyer and in every e-mail, add valuable information to all of your prospects. When prospects receive information perceived as highly valuable, they consider you a valued friend. When they are ready to get your services, they will trust that you provide quality they can trust.

6. Provide improvement surveys to your customers. Ask how you can improve the quality of your service and products to them. Do what you can to make sure they feel happy about your business and feel like you are there for them. Make your customers feel like they are getting personalized service and they shall be your customer for the long term.

7. Surprise your customers sometimes. Unexpectedly call them on the phone or send them a card in the mail saying thank you for being your customer. This can really cement your relationship with them.