I’ve been coming back to the idea that it makes more sense to put the short-term focus on behaviors rather than outcomes. The things you can DO, rather than what you want to achieve from doing them. So for example, my monthly goals list for April is about 2/3 full of things I want to do (write 4 newsletters, finalize bookings for our summer trip, reconcile bank statements, plan menu for Passover, attend three networking events and many more!) and 1/3 full of things that I want to achieve (engage 5 new clients, provide 5 free consultations, a fun Passover dinner and many more!).
Marketing is about the doing. Writing the email newsletters, posting the Facebook posts, running the ad, etc. It is best, however, when you can start to tie it to the outcomes that you want. So, for example, I attended a networking event at the beginning of the month, and got three free consultations from that event. Two of which turned into clients already.
That’s a classic example of the marketing or sales funnel! We start to learn which of the activities that we do at the beginning of the funnel, lead to outcomes which have a good likelihood of converting into sales. I know that workshops and networking build my email list and often lead directly to the free consultation. I know that I convert a fair number of folks when they experience a free consultation. Networking and workshops are a good use of my marketing time!
But there’s more! You can also map out what doesn’t lead to business and stop doing that. A client of mine was able to stop doing workshops when she realized that it wasn’t bringing her the types of clients she really wanted.
Have you mapped out your sales funnel? What works for you to build your business? What should you stop doing?