I just completed helping one of my small business clients (let’s call him Ted) with his sales and marketing quandary. He really doesn’t like making phone calls or talking with clients to identify additional ways he can help them; it’s just not something he’s ever been comfortable doing. He has said to me, “I can sell for someone else, just not myself.” Obviously, that mindset is not a good one to have when you own your own business, but how can you work around it if you don’t have a sales team and you want to keep your business alive? Market someone else’s.
In my meetings with Ted, I had been able to identify a number of areas where his business complemented another one of my client’s, Karen’s. (Karen doesn’t like to market her own services either.) So why not have Ted help market Karen’s firm? That way, while prospecting for Karen, Ted would also be identifying potential new clients for his own firm. If any viable leads for his firm’s services arose, he’d notify Karen. Karen would then call the prospective new customer and say, “Ted has told me about your current needs. You know, my company can’t directly support that; however, my company’s got a strategic alliance with ABC, Inc. (Ted’s firm). ABC, Inc. can handle your needs. I’ll have Ted, who helps market for us and who runs that organization, get back to you. Ted can then discuss what ABC, Inc. can do.” It’s all on the up-and-up. The customer is assured Ted isn’t trying to pull a fast one. Both firms benefit; both firms increase their marketing activities; both firms potentially gain new customers; and the customer gets the services it needs without having to look any further. This is an extreme case, but it has worked.
You can also market someone else’s firm by simply referring your customers or clients to them. I have been able to do this recently, and have referred one of my clients to another one of my clients. As a result, I have had the pleasure of seeing them start to do business with each other. My company has also been the happy recipient of referrals from former clients that have resulted in new clients.
Spread the word. Tell your customers about the good work and services offered by others. If your customers trust you, they’ll contact the firms you suggest. You may help someone else’s business grow. And you never know, someone else may help yours grow too.
Copyright MMIII – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
