What impression do your holiday cards make?
Holiday cards can be an effective marketing tool—if they’re done right. The ones that leave a lasting impression on me are cards where someone has handwritten my name and signed it by hand. The gold star goes to cards that have a personal note. What a great way to remind a client, prospective client or […]
Why Branding Works
I saw a terrific example of why branding works on my recent vacation in Australia. Burger King is named Hungry Jack’s there. When BK decided to establish franchises in Australia, the name Burger King had already been taken by another takeout place. The Australian franchisee chose the name Hungry Jack’s, but used the same logo, […]
Competing with a Larger Firm: How the Web Levels the Playing Field
By: Sharon Berman
Published: Rain Today
Until recently, professional services firms of different sizes marketed on an uneven playing field. Larger firms held the high ground and had the advantage. Fortunately, the web has lowered the barriers to entry so that smaller firms can now promote their services as successfully as large brand-name firms. For a relatively low investment, smaller firms can expand their presence and reach desirable clients as effectively as those that have larger wallets. Seizing turf is as simple as taking advantage of the tools the web has to offer, but it does take a willingness to learn the tools and apply them.
Cross-selling Professional Services
Do your current and former clients only associate you with professional services you have already provided to them? If so, your ongoing challenge is to educate them about the other services you can offer. Unless you gently, but steadfastly promote your full range of professional services, they may not think of you when they have […]
Let me tell you about myself…
What kind of information should appear in your professional biography, whether it’s on your website or a biography you furnish to an organization as a speaker? Should your biography include personal information, such as where you were born, the high school you went to, or the number of children you have? If so, which information […]
Is Professional Services Marketing a Waste of Energy?
Sometimes when I meet with a professional service firm that wants to talk about marketing, a painful image comes to mind—a great lumbering beast, its body parts flailing about, one not knowing what the other one is doing. Although the beast is lumbering forward, it’s wasting so much energy which, if harnessed, could propel it […]
Effective Marketing Depends on a Shipshape Database
If your database isn’t in tiptop shape, your marketing program is missing its very core. By database I mean the list of people with whom you want to communicate on a regular basis — current and former clients, prospective clients, and referral sources. Tiptop shape means your database has to be up-to-date with everyone’s current […]
Unleashing the Marketer Within
A couple of years ago, I took over as leader of about a 25 person networking group, which meets monthly. No one who knows me would call me shy and retiring, but I’m also not what you would call a “born leader.” However, in the past few years, I’ve seen my leadership skills grow and […]
Email Marketing – How Often Is Too Often?
How often should you send an eblast? There is no pat answer, but John, who owns the spinning studio I go to, gave me some food for thought today. I told him that I enjoyed receiving his email newsletters, which seemed to come fairly frequently, although I had never stopped to think exactly how often. […]
Mine Your Gold Mine
If I told you I knew the location of an untapped gold mine you could exploit for years, but it would take some effort to claim, would you be interested? I do know where that gold mine is, and I’m always amazed at how many professionals lose interest when they hear what it takes to […]