subject: 8 Ways To Get Customers For Your Small Business While You Sleep [print this page] 8 Ways To Get Customers For Your Small Business While You Sleep
If you didn't have to market anymore - what would you do with the extra time on your hands?
Imagine, no more networking, no more cold calling - and no more losing money on marketing scams that don't work.
Well, there are ways to automate your marketing and get customers while you sleep.
Here are just 8 that can get you started - and can make your marketing and your life a whole lot easier.
1. Get your website on the first page of Google.
The lion share of business is on the first page of Google. If you can get there for major keywords your customers use, you will tap into a steady stream of customers.
Tip: Use Google Maps, Pay per click, or a cheap but really great SEO linkbuilding program to get you on the first page. And keep changing your content until you find the best content that converts.
2. Start an email campaign.
There is no cheaper or easier way to reach your customers and prospects than email. You can send them great information and monthly promotions that they will buy.
Tip: Send out bi-weekly or weekly emails to your contacts with great information and an occasional offer.
3. Have a really valuable referral or affiliate program.
If you give people who refer business to you a really great reward - they will make it their business to refer to you. Even better is an affiliate program - where they sell for you for a great percentage.
Tip: Start a referral program offering a good cash incentive, or an affiliate program for up to 20% of revenue. And make sure you pay.
4. Put out great information.
If you write great articles, blogs, an ebook or a real book - people will flock to your door. They will come because you will automatically gain expert status.
Tip: Write a blog, then turn it into an article and distribute it to 100's of article sites. After your write enough turn it into an ebook, and eventually a physical book.
5. Put out a great sales video.
Let's face it, video is the next level of marketing. If you can put out a powerful video that makes people want to know more about what you do - they will come.
Tip: Put together a 1 - 3 minute video on how great your product or service is and put it on YouTube and 100's of other video sites.
6. Contract a fully commissioned sales force.
Nowadays you can get a fully commissioned sales person to go out and find you clients. You only pay them when they get you clients - so you both win.
The good thing is they are experienced, and they work on getting you clients even while you sleep.
Tip: Put out an ad on Craigslist for a commissioned sales person - and hire 2 or 3.
7. Put out really compelling ads.
A great ad can motivate hundreds of prospects to call you or even purchase your products and services right away. Even more if you can get your ad in more places.
Tip: Design a powerful ad and submit it to free classified ad sites online - and if you have the money the paid ones too.
8. Hold a workshop once a month or a really big one every 90 days.
The reason workshops are a great source for customers while you sleep is that one workshop will bring you customers at the workshop - as well as weeks after.
Tip: This means that the goal needs to not only be to sell at the workshop, but to collect as many emails as possible to add to your list - and sell to them later.
There you have it. If you were to implement just a few of these - your sleep will be better because you will be getting loads of customers, and make tons of money while you sleep.
Will Pena, MBA is a small business coach, and the founder of Sapient Business Solutions Inc. - which specializes in helping small businesses to get more customers, close more sales and make more money in as little as 30 days.
