Now that you’ve taken a hard look at your funnel, or perhaps created one for the first time, now’s the time to look at the top of it: the in roads.
Every business should have multiple paths to their front door.
Multiple ways clients find you, different bait offers, each customized for the specific demographic you are looking to attract.
ONE isn’t just the “loneliest” number… it’s the most dangerous one in business. So, if your business is relying on ONE marketing strategy, ONE referral source, or ONE large client, your business is in GRAVE jeopardy and you need to drop everything you’re doing and start carving another path to your door.
I’m not one for dramatics, but frankly, I’ve earned this one. I’ve been in the position where — before I knew it — a good chunk of my business was coming from one source. I’ve had clients in this position and I can’t say how dangerous it is. Start carving those in roads now.
Here’s where to start:
- Look over a list of your last or best 20 clients, patients, or customers.
- Note where THEY FOUND YOU. Be specific. If it was thru networking, note the exact organization hosting the event. If it was thru a commercial, which one and where did it air? If it was in response to a direct mail piece, which one? And which list were they on?
- Make a list of your top 3 “they found me here” locations. This is where your business interacts with your target market. You’ve found the entry point.
- Now the real work begins. Now it’s time to start carving out a defined road for your clients to travel. It should lead them away from a chaotic environment and — step-by-step — begin allowing them to get to know and trust you and your business. This is the indoctrination process…. the relational way to get to the sale. Questions to ask: What do my clients need to know about me before they are confident signing on to work with me? What do they need to understand about their problem ? What do they need to know about the solution I provide?
