The Difference between Salad and Garbage (and How it Affects Your Number of Clients)

“The only difference between salad and garbage is timing!” At least that’s what I’ve been focusing on recently, especially for businesses that are time sensitive. Some chiropractors have this problem, so do lawyers, but my thought is when you’re in a service business, timing is EVERYTHING. If you wait around, let the proverbial ‘hot iron’ get cold, that hot lead turns into a cold lead, and you can just forget about turning it into a happy paying client.

The question then becomes, ‘How can we ALWAYS be around to have the elusive Perfect Timing?’ The answer to the timing problem is to ALWAYS be on their radar screen. You can never anticipate what’s going on in the lives of your prospective clients; otherwise, you’d be God (obviously) or at least very clairvoyant.

One thing you can do is always be top of mind, so that WHEN something happens, you’re the first person they think of. And when they think of you, when they see your compelling message right there under their noses, when they’ve got your contact info at their fingertips, there’s every reason in the world to call YOU and not anyone else, when they have the need. That’s when all your Client Attraction and marketing effort and systems have paid off.

So, how does one stay top of mind and always on the prospect’s radar screen? With Stay-In-Touch Marketing Vehicles:

• That can be a direct mail campaign (and I mean CAMPAIGN, not just one letter that you send ONCE and wonder why you haven’t gotten results).
• It can mean a weekly ezine. (I wouldn’t even bother writing one quarterly or even monthly. You’re not on the prospects radar screen often enough to have them remember you in time of need.)
• It can be a quirky postcard campaign, which really stands out. (Pick a strange fact, quote, or oddball holiday calendar and mail regularly. We’re looking for consistency and something that stands out, as well as something that relates to what you do.)
• It can be a personal card campaign where you send meaningful, unexpected cards on a regular basis. (I use an awesome service called ClientAttractionCards and the results are great.)

An attorney client of mine always used to say to me, “Fabienne, it’s difficult for me to attract clients because I can never anticipate when they’re going to need me. I don’t know when to market, it’s all so arbitrary!” Well, with Stay-In-Touch marketing vehicles, you solve that problem.

Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Won’t I be pestering them if I write them an email once a week or do a mailing once a month?” I have three answers for you:

• If you make your email or mailing high content and high value, then people actually LOOK FORWARD to hearing from you that often.
• If you’re authentic about providing solutions and value, versus self-promoting all the time, people welcome the consistency.
• If it’s going to bother someone that you’re in touch that often, then they’re probably not your ideal client and will probably not ever buy from you, so it’s time to get over it.

Your Client Attraction Assignment:

Find a way to communicate proactively with your prospects so that you actually ANTICIPATE any current or urgent needs, just by being there consistently, with high-content, high value, and frequency over time. That way, you’ll establish a know-like-and-trust relationship in ADVANCE of the need. Best of all, you’ll eventually be on their radar screen when the need arrives, and that equals clients who happily pay for your services, without you having to chase ambulances. That makes for a Happy Day!