Marketing for Professionals - The Value of your 90 minutes

Greetings fellow professionals.

I appreciate that it is a bit early this week, but I am off to Sorrento tomorrow J

For the 4^th instalment of discussions about marketing for professionals, I thought that I would reference the Entrepreneurs’ Circle founder Nigel Botterill and talk about how to allocate time to get your marketing done.

Talking to people at networking events, the moment “marketing” gets mentioned, people start to say that they “haven’t got time to do it”. 

Now, I have always taken it as Gospel, that a successful business needs to spend 20% of the week retaining and acquiring clients, in order words, the “marketing” part of your “sales and marketing” efforts.

Trying to devote one whole day a week is hard though as we all have to respond to clients, other e mails and staff. 

Even “getting away from the office” for a day doesn’t mean that you won’t continue to be distracted by e mails, phone calls and the internet.

If you are not careful, the daily routine of Work simply gets in the way of the marketing you need to do to build your business…………

So how do you find the time?

Devotees of “Botty” at the EC, will tell you “start an hour earlier and be back at your desk by 9:30”.  And put a sign on your door that says, “Do Not Disturb Unless Building Is On Fire”

That is pretty hard to do in a standard office, unless you can shut yourself away from telephone, computers, staff and your mobile.  Even if you can it takes a great deal of discipline not cut off all contact with the outside World to plan your next marketing campaign, or get your marketing copy written.

I found that going for an early morning walk around a park before going to the office, allowed me to think for an hour, and then I could write the copy in regular time, with a clear mind and a clear message..

The thinking bit is really important – I am a firm believer in one hour of good thinking saving you a month of unproductive work.

Getting and keeping customers is something that only WE can do – in most cases your staff can do what needs to be done for the clients, but only YOU can successfully market your business.

And as “Botty” says, “Once you move from being a doer in your business to a marketer of your product or service, then you will see a step change in your business”.

I hope this was useful.

Right, I am off to pack my shorts for some of that Neopolitan sunshine……………………….

If you would like to discuss it further, just let me know.

Colin Mico

01883 333352