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Creating Systematic Marketing - How to create a system for finding and getting clients? (Part 2)

by Michael Huggins, RGD

To refresh your memory, in your last Marketing and Business Success Strategies I talked about creating a marketing system to get more clients.

To create the right system – you need to start with the right marketing mindsets.

The right money-making mindsets were:

1. Marketing is a process – not an event

2. Marketing is not about getting your name “out there”

3. Design your marketing for response

4. Focus your marketing on one target at a time

5. Marketing is not about getting your name “out there”

Think of these mindsets as the foundation to successful marketing for the designer.

Now that you have the right marketing mindsets towards your marketing you are ready to start building the ‘parts’ of your system.

So let’s start by looking at a powerful ‘part’ to attract prospects to your services.

Remember – marketing is not about “getting your name out there.” It’s not about getting name recognition among the masses of businesses out there who MIGHT be interested in doing business with you. It’s about getting your prospect’s information INTO your business.

Your marketing must be designed to find and identify those people who are “already in motion” to use the services you have to offer.

But how do you do that? How do you get their attention? And then, when you get their attention, how do you get more information about them?

The answer?

Offer something they want, something valuable.

One of the most valuable offers you can make to a prospect is more information on the services they are considering to purchase.

In other words… provide them specialized knowledge to help inform and educate them, so that they can make the best purchase.

If your prospect is looking for design services, the best position you could be in, is a source of design information and guidance. So you could help them make an informed choice.

This positions the information you have to offer as a “premium”. Something of great value to your prospect. Something that comes at a time of need. And something of great interest to them.

Presenting information in this way is a powerful marketing tool, one I use in my own business. I call it an “information premium.” That is… to assemble valuable and sought-after information into a packaged ‘product’. Then offering this sought-after information to your prospect to attract them to your business.

Trust me, it works.

People who are already looking to purchase design services want more information.

People are afraid to make the wrong purchase. In fact, the fear of making a wrong decision often out-weighs the motivation to attain something they desire.

By offering to provide them with information that helps them make the best possible buying decision, you are helping to alleviate that fear. And as a result they view your business differently than all your other competitors.

How will they view you?

You become a trusted source of information. An advisor. A trusted friend. Someone who is interested in their best interests. You WANT them to make the best choice. You WANT them to make the best decision and you help them do it by providing them your expertise as guidance.

It’s a powerful position to be in. One that is attractive and very motivating to your prospect.

So, how do you create this powerful marketing tool for your marketing system? And what are some of the types of information can you assemble that your prospect will find so attractive?

Here are just a few things you can create…

Any of these approaches are excellent vehicles for delivering valuable information to your prospect.

But before you jump into creating an information premium, there are a few basic guidelines to follow if you are going to successfully get your prospect’s attention AND motivate them to make a response. To ensure your success, you must include these 5 components…

First, focus on topics that are benefit driven
If you want to attract bears – make a sound like honey.

What are their biggest motivators? What overt benefit will entice them to seek out more information? And what will motivate them to take action to ask for it?

You need to think like your prospect. You must think of what is of utmost importance to them.

When you find out what concerns them most – use that topic to create interest and attract them to your information.

Show that you understand them and their interests by the information you create.

This will make your information appealing and compelling to them.

Spend time on the title
The title is one of the most important elements of your premium.

Think about the title like the billboard or advertisement for your premium. It’s the first thing they will see and respond to. If you can’t get your prospect to respond to the title – you don’t have a good premium.

The title’s first job is to attract your prospect to your information. To get their attention.

Be sure your title contains an overt benefit strong enough to motivate them to request it.

Interesting subject matter is not enough. It has to be compelling.

Create content that helps
Stay away from fluff or unusable knowledge.

By creating a compelling and motivating title – you attract your prospect.

The next step is to deliver on the promise of the title.

The best way to do this is to provide information that is useful to the prospect. Make it relevant. The best information is not only relevant but also applicable to their current situation. That way you create information that is helpful and useful in guiding them to make the best choice.

That’s your goal – to be helpful.

To be a friend and a guide.

To protect them from making a decision that could hurt them or be a poor choice – and to provide a solution that fulfils the promise of your title.

Write in easy to understand language
Many designers are terrified of writing.

Many designers shy away from writing content, even though it can be such a critical component to their business. But let me encourage you… it’s easier than you think.

The key to creating an effective information premium is to write as you would speak.

Keep the tone personal and conversational. Just as if you were talking to a friend. Or if you were in a sales meeting presenting your services to a new prospect for the first time.

You are not trying to impress your prospect with your intelligence.

Nor are you trying to impress them with your literary or writing skills.

Your information should be written so that it is easy to understand.

Be direct and clear.

Motivate them to take action
This is the primary purpose for creating your information premium.

If you can’t motivate them to respond to the material you create you have failed to create a good premium.

After they have received your information it should be written so that they are motivated to take the next step in the process.

To make some kind of a decision.

You design the information to create an opportunity to get them to start a relationship with you. You care about the decisions they make. You want to help them to make the decisions that are in their best interests.

And who better to help them than you?

Which leads to the final component…

Follow up
Follow up is critical to any marketing strategy.

Follow up is a type of ‘proof’ to the position you are taking by offering this information. You have shown that you are seriously interested in helping people who need your type of services. Next, follow up on what you have sent to them.

Be as interested in their needs, wants and desires as they are.

Following up what you have sent with a phone call, letter or email demonstrates your interest and sincerity. And it is a powerful component to starting strong client relationships.

Dedicated to Graphic Designer Success
Michael Huggins

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