The Fatal Flaw In Business Networking!
Business Networking is and has been a trusted and for many primary lead generation strategy for small businesses but how will it adapt in a post-pandemic digital world?
As a past president and chair of BNI & Chamber of Commerce chapters, I am a firm believer in business networking as a small business lead generation strategy. I have indeed acquired many of my best customers through networking and referral…
Now any business networker worth his dime will tell you it takes effort and time and the level of trust that has to be build takes time, integrity and effort.
For many of us the COVID-19 crisis created an in person networking void that we had to bridge in order to continue business and survive the severe restrictions imposed during the lockdowns.
We have been forced to go digital, network and build trust via Zoom & Google Teams, not so easy but an obstacle the condition was created to overcome.
So What Is The Fatal Flaw In Business Networking?
2020 has highlighted a couple of flaws in the in person business networking startegy because it virtually disappeared overnight, if you catch my drift!
I have always maintained that business networking is one part of a successful small business marketing strategy, not the entire startegy, this is a big mistake.
You know how I said earlier that business networking takes work and commitment? I find that in most small business in the USA the fatal flaw is they do not transfer that networking work and commitment to their customer base!
It is a proven fact that it is easier to sell to a current and past customer than it is to generate and sell to new leads, yet 99% of marketing budgets are spent on strategies trying to generate new leads.
While very few business have a customer win-back startegy in place or a follow-up startegy after a sale or a customer appreciation startegy to build trust, a relationship and ensure good reviews, referral and business in the future.
With the technology available to us today such a customer engagement startegy is in everyone’s power and budget. There is this old online saying that is more true right now than it has ever been “THE MONEY IS IN THE LIST”
Small business marketing MUST include an active strategy that records customers data and small details like date of birth, anniversaries because appreciating customers in these small ways makes the raving fans and their enthusiasm will add massive potential to your marketing reach.
As 2020’s sun is setting and we are looking at anticipation towards the rising of the 2012 sun, what are you going to do differently in your business marketing to ensure your customers now you are open and they like and trust you enough to do business with you again and give you the massive complement of an online review and even a referral.
Social media is hotter than ever, provided you post enough and you actively engage with customers on these plarforms.
Post twice a day to get customers come your way
David Sprague
You may wonder what tools I am talking about? And what tools will I use today to give my business a marketing kickstart….
Get a CRM tool, compile a list of your existing customers, use Excel of Google Sheets they are free.
Create a Mailchimp account to send bulk emails and follow-up emails from.
Send a customer win-back email series, this is 1 of the quickest way to get some sales going
Create an autoresponder email series thanking customers and asking them for a review – reviews are online currency
Get a bot that connects you telephonically with website visitors and allow you to communicate via SMS from your website
Make sure your Google My Business page is claimed and completed 100%, this page is critical in local SEO.
If you’d like to chat more about a local marketing strategy for your business give us a call....
At Konig Digital we specialize in small business marketing and our strategies are cost effective and effective tailormade for local businesses.
