Marketing Tip: Don't put your eggs in one basket, and don't break the eggs you have.

[Frank Gomez]

Recently I've had a couple of clients who asked: "Do I have to have a Facebook page for my business?"

My response was absolutely not. If you DO have one then you should use it to your advantage. If you DON'T WANT ONE then you probably aren't going to use it anyway.

Marketing should include efforts on several fronts but not necessarily all of them (spend money on what your target audience will notice most):

• In person communication (networking, brand ambassadors, trade shows, sponsoring events etc.)
• Media Advertisements
• • Print (magazines, newspapers, coupon books, tourist guides etc.)
  • Radio
  • TV
  • Web
• Social Media (Facebook is only one of many options AND someday Facebook could get replaced by the next big thing ...)
• Seeking referral business

There is another special category that we'll call "Loyalty Marketing":

How do you retain your existing customers or get them to work with you again and again?

This deserves special attention because it is always cheaper to hold on to an existing client than to find a new one.

• Make sure they feel appreciated (send notes, special offers, gifts, etc.)
• Communicate with them (keep in touch!)
• Show interest in their lives (it would help if you really cared about them).

There are many sales techniques out there and there is one I object to vehemently that goes something like this...

1. Call client / past client / contact
2. Show interest in client and or family etc.
3. End with "Oh, by the way..." and tell them about something you want to offer.

This is TOTALLY LAME and shows you are nothing but a salesperson who really doesn't care. SLIMY.

The right way is presented in a book called What Clients Love by Harry Beckwith. Basicaly it goes like this:

1. Call client / past client / contact
2. Tell them why you really called! BE HONEST Make your offer, tell them about some deal, whatever...
3. End with asking them about their life or family etc. because you care enough to stay on the phone longer with them even after you've pitched them.

Even BETTER

1. Call client / past client / contact when you have nothing to sell them or ask of them.
2. Tell them about something you learned or heard about in the news that you thought they might want to know or that they could benefit from being aware of.
3. Have a real conversation ...
4. Ask them to keep in touch.

This way your client KNOWS you care about them and remembers you as a decent human being and that you actually care about them!

Have an awesome week!

Frank Gomez provides graphic design and web design services to smal...