Stop Fishing for Prospects

Today’s post is about fishing

Here’s a story.  My grandfather would drag me every summer to a lake in Minnesota.  It was the most GOD-AWFUL experience for a teenage girl.  He would take out the boat early in the morning.  Every once in a while he would grunt and stop the boat.  Hour after hour we would circle the open waters looking for mudflats.  To my casual observation it was hellish – looking back on it – it was brilliant.

Rather than wasting a whole bucket of minnows or worms on worthless feeder fish he was looking for the elusive Walleye – the prized fish from that lake.

So you might be wondering why I’m talking about fishing…

Well – it’s because most people who are struggling with business are fishing in the wrong place.

Struggling business owners spend all of their valuable time fishing for customers in the wrong places.  They use their best bait trying to land any kind of customer.  Then they focus all their attention to get any prospects into their boat.  At the end of the day the results are disappointing.

All the while they ignore the big fish swimming close by.  Sooner or later the average fisherman gives up, and takes up golf.

This is my formula to become a better fisherman…

1) Know your fish

Where does your fish hang out?  Are they local clients hanging out at Chamber events?  Are they businesses on the internet?  Does your business cater to a specific type of business customer, or a consumer.

2) Plan your fishing trip, and be patient

Find out information about the lake.  Don’t throw all your bait (advertising and networking) away at the beginning of the fishing trip.  Put out a feeler line in a spot.  When you get a bite, plan to fish in that same spot until the fish move somewhere else.

3) Bring enough resources

Fisherman are very resourceful.  They bring enough resources to stay out on a lake all day long.  Translated, don’t go out on the lake of business unless you can wait out finding the big fish.  Better to wait until you have the resources, than take short trips back and forth to shore.  You’ll have a better chance finding the real fishing spots, not just the obvious shore fish.

4) Become a better fisherman

Fishing is about patience – I’ve found that many business owners suffer from impatience. They think every fish swimming by will be so enamored with their bait fishing will be easy.  They don’t realize how picky fish are.  You’re target market is looking at bait from a lot of lures.  When you know what tickles your target market’s fancy your bait will be the most attractive.  The only way that happens – know your fish

Are you still struggling planning with your fishing trips?

Last piece of advice don’t assume it’s the equipment.  Smart fisherman won’t buy a bigger boat, or a better lure.  Translated to business – Smart marketing doesn’t need a bigger website, or brand advertising.  Targeted direct marketing maybe the bait you need to find your prize fish.

As my grandfather always said – you won’t get more fish with a bigger boat, but you will feed your family with patience.

So today’s question to ask yourself – are you fishing in the right pond (location) for the right fish (customer) with right bait (marketing/advertising/sales process)?

Shameless plug – if you aren’t sure you’re reaching the right clients contact a marketing professional (such as Lady In Red Marketing) for a second opinion.  Better to work with a professional fisherman than starve.

Until next time – live with passion and market well

Christine Cavaliero
Owner – Lady In Red Marketing

 

Lady In Red Marketing is your virtual marketing partner helping you maximize your business results – Like us on FacebookBestSEOinTown helps you reach your internet customers with social, mobile and internet marketing.

 

 

 

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Shark Tank – September 13 – Renovate your marketing

Howdy everyone in cyberspace. I’ve been getting some great feedback from people. It’s exciting that someone is actually reading the blog, so keep those cards and letters coming. Today I’m focused on a kitchen renovation.

I’ve been considering remodeling my kitchen for about a year now. UGHHH – I’ve done most of the house at this point, but now I have the big nut to crack – the heart of my house. The kitchen is about 25 years old, and badly in need of a modernization. Bonus renovating my kitchen will keep my home value in the current housing market. Once I started to put the plan together I realized what a daunting task this could become. Not only from the perspective of cost, but time, and inconvenience. I forgot having a major part of my house out of commission for a few weeks will cause chaos. Why am I blathering about renovating my kitchen? Well it is right in line with my topic of renovating a marketing plan.

I have a feeling that many business owners have the same impression about updating a marketing plan as I do about updating my kitchen. In their minds updating a marketing plan is as much fun as a deep cleaning at the dentist.

I found during consulting meetings many small business owners didn’t bother to create a marketing plan in the first place. WHAT?? You need to know where you want to go to actually reach a destination. Personally I don’t take a trip without a map, or at least an idea of where I want to go. Obviously if your in that boat there are lots of tools for you to create a plan. One that incorporates daily business needs with your future marketing expenditures. Remember time never stands still, and your marketing plan is a work in process. You’ll pull it out often – especially if you’re updating a piece of your marketing home.

Now let me touch on one of my favorite marketing tools – a website. Here are a few helpful renovation tips for a website.

Flash is a cartoon superhero, period. Please get rid of flash on a website, especially a landing page. Yikes, flash reminds me of my parents 1974 avocado green appliances. Trendy in it’s day, but out of favor in 2010.

Along those lines please get rid of audio features you can’t turn off. How many people are surfing the web during the business hours – Do you want to put them on the unemployment line?

Last pet peeve’s…old homemade website pages with tons of affiliate banner ads. Yes I have a few on the site, but they are useful to a customer who wants to “do-it-themselves” – I can’t control everyone’s marketing. Might as well give them some free ideas.

Nice part about updating a website – it can be your best tool for marketing. Flexible, easily updated, bottom line…there are a lot of new options in 2010. Use the web to your advantage with search engine optimization (http://www.bestseointown.com) look at the different types of optimization tools you can incorporate.

OK, I’ve taken a few deep breaths. I know that people instinctively hate change. Moving from a comfort zone isn’t a favorite activity. Remember there are some easy-peesy-lemonsqueezy ideas to put a new coat of paint on your website.

You can freshen up your website with a new theme. WordPress is a great tool, and even a novice can put new themes onto a website. I had one theme for a while, but eventually picked the one I’m using today. WordPress is a blog tool so you can put your thoughts out on the web in word form.

Last thought for today. By all means, make your website your own creative venture. Feature your USP on your little space of the universe. Let your customer’s know what you can do for them. They should be able to know within 10 seconds what you do, and WIFFM (what’s in it for them).

Happy Marketing – Make it a profitable week
Christine

P.S. – For those who wonder, yes I can be grammatically challenged (must have missed a few days in grammar school). So if you catch something please let it slide. I’m an internet researcher and marketing person, not an English teacher. 🙂

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