Question: What Marketing activities can I implement that won’t break a small budget?

Answer:

There are so many marketing activities you can do with a very small budget and most of them can be done for free.  It’s not so much about having resources, its all about Resourcefulness.

Just out of the top of my head, there’s facebook, twitter, linkedin, teleseminars, writing articles, asking for referrals, face to face networking, phone networking, podcasts, special report, ebook, video, newsletter, radio/TV interviews, word of mouth, blog, joint ventures, speaking, meetup.com, ning.com, forum participation and so much more.

All of the above can bring in tons of c.ash and clients when done right.

Let me reiterate. These free resources are very powerful and can bring you tons of c.ash. For a lot of entrepreneurs, the issue isn’t really about having a small budget (despite what they insist and think) since there’s so many free options. It’s about separating yourself apart from the sea of other entrepreneurs in the same industry as you implement these marketing avenues.

An important tip you have to keep in mind is making sure you differentiate yourself from other entrepreneurs in your field. There are just so many people out there doing the same thing. I mean how many life coaches, business coaches, professional organizers, interior designers, graphic artists, web designers, copywriters, massage therapists, accountants and lawyers are out there? A LOT. The only thing that will set you apart is YOU.

Having a specific niche is very strategic and useful, and still you will find other people doing the same thing as you are. What will separate you further is your authentic Brand. You brand is what people will first see, feel, hear and experience the first time they come into contact with you as well as throughout their relationship with you. Your brand is what allures your clients to shed all resistance and happily give You their credit card instead of going with another service provider.

If cash flow is tough and you’re not Yet rolling in money, access your resourcefulness. There are so many resources available that will yield to growing your business. Think out of the box. Utilize you’re the online and local community tools and offerings where you can further get exposure. Focus on what’s working, what’s available to you and setting yourself apart so that you attract more money, fast.

 What To Do Now: If this post provoked any new thoughts or other marketing ideas for a  small budget, please comment and share your opinion below.

Question:

What to do TODAY. In other words,  a schedule. I know I need to create a website, build my contact list, go to networking meetings, create an e-zine, write in my blog, update the blog with new photos, contact potential clients, contact colleagues, send out letters of introduction or update, as well as see my clients, get continuing education on my profession and take classes about business building, but how the heck am I supposed to do that all and in what order and when?

Answer:

This question is a question of prioritization. The good news is, you don’t have to do everything Now. The key is putting them in a sequence of what’s most important to do right Now.

As soon as you wake up in the morning and you are getting ready for your day, go back to your Big WHY—your purpose for doing what you do. Write it down. It can be to make a difference, to make so much money doing what you love so you can help more people, to generate cash so you can send your kids to college, help your spouse retire or give back to your parents, financial freedom,  or to utilize your talents and potential.

Then, focus on the results that you want. Write it down. What specific results do you want to happen? To get 3 new clients, to generate $3,000, to be respected and recognized for the brilliant work you do, etc.  In business this is usually monetary or else you will be charitable workers and helping other people for free.

Next, Ask yourself the question, “What’s my fastest way to cash?” Look at your list and see which activity and which sequence will bring you income the fastest.

Let’s look at your list: Create a website, Build contact list, Go to networking meetings, Create and e-zine, Write blog entry, Update the blog with new photos, Contact potential clients, Contact colleagues, Send out letters of introduction, See clients, Get continuing education on my profession, Take classes about business building.

Look at the length of time it will take you to accomplish your task and how long before you can get the result you want from it. For example: in creating a website, you need to write your copy, choose a domain name, find a graphic artist, decide on a color scheme and logo, get a webhost, do search engine optimization, register to search engine sites, etc. Creating a website might take you months and not get a single client from it. On the other hand, let’s look at contact potential clients. How long will it take you to pick up the phone, build rapport and offer an introductory session? 10-30 minutes? Let’s say it will take you 5 hours to make 10 calls. In 5 hours, you might have gotten a client, a referral, build stronger relationships or eliminate people in your list that will make it easier for you to concentrate your efforts next time only on people who are interested.

There are so many tasks that are important tasks to growing your business. Just remember that you don’t have to do everything at the same time, because it’s impossible unless you are delegating and outsourcing most of them. The key is to determine the shortest path to your goal.  I suggest you map out your year in advance, then have a 3 or 6-month plan, then a weekly plan and a daily to-do. Make your realistic to do list one day before so you never have to wake up not knowing what you will do for the day.

I absolutely believe in creating a roadmap for any kind of goal much so for a thriving business.  Solopreneurs who know their skill and do not know much about running a business get stuck precisely because of the mile long list of Have to’s and Should do’s in starting or running a business.

A lot of people when they think of “running a business,” they think about the big companies with an accounting department, operations department, marketing department, sales department, research and development deparment, etc. and that overwhelms them. For solopreneurs, all those departments is usually one person. The question is which department to focus on? My answer is the marketing and sales department.  What’s important for heart-centered entrepreneurs is to help people, live their soul purpose in every moment, make a difference, make money and contribute. When they take too long in the planning stage, they get side tracked in what they’re meant to do and lose their self-confidence. They need to be helping people and generating income NOW.

A one-page plan is enough to get rolling. You don’t need a complicated detailed plan to start helping people and making money. Just hearing the terms: executive summary, market analysis, financial analysis, financial projections, etc. can be overwhelming.  You can create a simple working plan and a marketing coach will help you do that. You’ll clarify your vision and mission, define your target market, help you set yourself apart from the sea of other service providers, help you talk about what you do, help you enroll clients and overcome challenges to name a few. At the end of the day you end up with a business plan while implementing, helping clients and seeing what works or doesn’t work for you with a guidance of a mentor, instead of just reading, researching, doing computations about it. Learning all that stuff can take a lot of time too.

A lot of very successful entrepreneurs didn’t start with a complicated business plan. They have a simple plan, (some have told me from a piece of scratch paper) and just started getting clients and helping people.  When their business expanded, they added people, grew their team and got funds to get help with developing more elaborate plans to take the business to the next level. To end it with another quote, “It’s so much better to make money than to plan on making money.”