This is a presentation of how I approach the marketing for a small business. The goal is to create a marketing and sales plan that is effective in attracting your ideal customers in an ongoing consistent way.

1. How to attract a
steady stream of
ideal customers!
Presenter Danielle MacInnis
www.macinnismarketing.com.au

2. Agenda:
Keys to attracting ideal customers
Why are you here?
What’s in it for you?
Your business strategy
Who are you?
Who needs to know?
Why should they care?
How will they find out?
Great marketing resources and tools.

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Why are you here?
Tip: Got a burning marketing
question, now is your chance
to ask.

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Why are you here?
1. Your biggest challenge is to attract more customers.
(44% of 1,700 SMBs surveyed by flyingsolo.com.au)
2. You want to communicate in a compelling way.
SMBs have difficulty communicating true value position to their key target.
3. You want a plan.
Most SMBs are doing marketing in an inconsistent way, getting inconsistent results.
4. You want to be savvy with your expenditure.
SMBs cut corners and do things on the cheap and try and do it themselves or market
at the wrong times.
5. You want to be selective about what you do.
SMBs haven't defined their target, value proposition, objectives or measures.

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What marketing are you doing?

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What's in it for you?

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What's in it for you?
1 Understand what is currently not working and why
2 Better approach to marketing and sales for your business
3 Tools and templates to use
4 Learn from others in the room and their experience
5 What you might do differently to attract your ideal customers
Tip: See something you want
to know more about. Jot it
down on the feedback form

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My background
IT TRAINING & HR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES CONSUMER CERTIFICATION

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Marketing...what is it?

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Marketing is...
“ ...It is an integrated process through
which companies build strong customer
relationships and create value for their
customers and for themselves.”
Wiki

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Buyers Journey

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Your business strategy

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Your business strategy?
TARGET MARKET YOUR
YOUR SKILLS, EXPERIENCE &
BUSINESS THE PROBLEM YOU SOLVE
VALUE
Tip: Are you just
grabbing any business
that walks in your
door? Or are you
targeting the market
you want to serve and
that you are designed
to serve?

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Making selective marketing decisions
What can we do? What do our
customers want?
What are we good at?
Can we do this? Will they value this?
What do we want to do? How attractive is the
market?
Where do we want to go?
Will this get us there? Will the market support this?

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Who are you?
Tip: set up google alert for
your company, name and
competitors name

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About Us
I don’t know who you are
I don’t know your company
I don’t know your company’s product
I don’t know what your company stands
for.
I don’t know your company’s customers
I don’t know your company’s record
I don’t know your company’s reputation
Tip: People want to know who
Now what was it you wanted to sell to me? they are dealing with. Make it
easy for them to find out and
contact you.

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Case study: Man with a van
Creator Facts
Tim Bishop First branded removal company in
Business the world.
A relatively pedestrian service Started the business whilst at Uni
(removalist) delivered as a Used a business partner to expand
the business.
recognisable, youthful and
interesting brand. The first van was purchased for
Idea conception $1500.
Acknowledgement of gap in the There are no investors. They grew at
a pace they could afford.
market place that there were no
The Man With A Van logo was done
removal services specifically
by a housemate in return for going
Other References targeted at his demographic.
down the street and getting him a
Brand personality slurpee and sausage roll.
Fun
Attractive
Youthful
Approachable
Aussie sense of humour Tip: People buy of people they
like, know and trust
Recognisable

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Who needs to know?

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Target ideal customers, not everyone
You want your NEWSFLASH:
It is not
ideal customer
about YOU.
to say: It is about
“That’s for me” THEM.
Where do most of us have our focus most of the time?
Our problems, issues, challenges, predicaments, worries,
and pain are where we are focused.

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Why should they care?

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Step into your customers’ shoes
What is their problem, issue or challenge? Set your mindset
to think "What is in if for me FM?
Tip: set up online survey, and
ask customers about your
service, how they found you
etc

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What your prospect is thinking
1. Do you work with people like me?
2. Do you understand my problems, issues and challenges?
3. Do you have solutions and results that actually work for people like
me?
4. Do you have some free information that can help me immediately? I
don’t want to pay for anything yet!
Tip: Look at your web and ask
yourself how well do we
answer these questions for
our customers?

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Worksheet 1
Summarising your core marketing message
Target market / ideal client (demographics + psychographics)
Problem/Issue/challenge
Where is the pain? Where does it hurt?
Solution/Outcome
Success story

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Does this service really work?
Solution / Outcome

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Success Stories (Proof)
Who else has used your service and what were the results?
What’s an actual story of working with a client and moving them
from where they were to your ultimate outcome?
Tip: How can you provide
proof, guarantee, testimonial,
trial, pr, awards, success
story

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Sell the benefits not the features
Save time, money, return of investment

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Worksheet 2
Marketing Message
What do you say when someone asks you what you do?
The formula is:
What do you do?
We work with ________________(This Target Market)
Who ___________________(Have this Problem or Challenge)
How do you do that?
We help them get __________________(Ultimate Outcome)
Tell me more...
A good example is __________________(Success Story)

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What is your elevator pitch?
“ I’m a coach who works with couples who are
having relationship issues that they don’t know
how to solve on their own.”
“ We work with companies who want to sell their
business and aren’t sure what to do to get the
best price.”
“ I help companies who aren’t getting enough
traffic to their web sites.”

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Why should they care?
Expert Problem they solve
Management Consultant Management problems that are costing the client money
Marketing Consultant Struggling to attract enough clients
Business Coach Not consistently reaching your goals. Missing important business
opportunities
Financial Planner Worried about not having enough money for retirement and college
for the kids
Web Designer Missing business by not being on the web
Accountant Paying too much in taxes
Executive Recruiter Not finding the people who can grow your business
Trainer Employees who don't have essential skills and are costing your
business
Writer Your written communications do not have the impact they could
Therapist Spousal problems are destroying marriages?
" We work with these kind of people, with this kind of
problem, who want this kind of outcome or solution."

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Who wants to share their elevator
pitch?
" We work with these kind of people, with this kind of
problem, who want this kind of outcome or solution."
Tip: Remember there are
prizes! Those that share often
get the benefit the most ! Be
brave.

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How will they find out?

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How will they find out?
Not ad-hoc! Marketing and sales process.
Not everyone is ready to buy when you meet them but might be
interested in over time.

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Lead Generation System
Not passive but active.
Don’t sit and wait for referrals!
Build relationships with your ideal customers.
People do business with people they know, like and
trust.

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Worksheet 3
INFORMATION
UNAWARE AWARE ATTENTION EXPERIENCE SIGN UP/SALE REFERRAL
GATHERING
The customer
is happy to
At this stage,
Becomes The lead refer you after
They want more they may be
Don't know familiar with They want more becomes a experiencing
information and ready for a
anything about you. information and are customer when great service
are ready to "taste" or an
you or your Association ready to explore they sign the and wants to
explore working "EXPERIENCE"
company referral, meet working with you agreement and tell your story
with you prior to
you pay. and REFER
purchase
you to their
network
Ideal Target Build a Prospect Lead Qualified Lead Customer then Advocate
Market Connection Client
MARKETING, attract, educate, interact, nurture, manage, SALES, qualify, present proposals, answer objections, close,
track manage

39. Ideal Target Market to build a connection •Joining the right / Professional Organizations
•Online – Joining forums and discussion groups
•Search engine strategies, e-newsletters sign up
•Articles/Publishing (offline and online)
•Special Events (Tradeshows, Workshops)
•Advertising, PR, online, SEO
Connection to Prospect •Networking, Industry Affiliation, Conferences
•Online Networking (Web site, blog, forum "commenting")
•Face-to-face meetings
(strangers/ people that donʼt know you exist yet but might •Telephone meetings, email exchanges
•Referral (WOM, Viral Marketing)
have a need for your service) •Community involvement, volunteer work
•Refer others
Prospect to Lead •Keep in touch (Newsletter or e-newsletter, postcard mailings)
•Recordings, podcasts, videos
•Material and resources on web site
(building awareness and familiarity) •Online (Blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, forum "commenting")
•Direct Outreach (Letters or email, follow up calls)
•Follow up with others with phone call, invitation for coffee or appointment
Lead to qualified hot Lead •Invitation to Presentations, Briefings, Workshops
•TeleClasses and Webinars
•Joint Venture presentations
(giving information and building relationship) •In-depth online interaction
•Strategy sessions
•Survey questionnaires
Hot Lead to Customer and then client •Follow up calls and emails – exploring interest, qualification,
•and appointment-setting. See “The Art and Science of
•Telephone Follow-Up.”
(build relationship further by tailoring the information to their •Complimentary session
needs, provide a taste or sample)
Client to Advocate •Thank you card
•Referral program
(delight them with your service, ask for feedback, invite the •Ask for testimonial
referral) •Ask for customer success story
•Incentive for referrals
Lost lead or cold lead •Keep in touch (Newsletter or e-newsletter, postcard mailings)
•Recordings, podcasts, videos
•Material and resources on web site
(keep them in the loop so when they do need your service •Online (Blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, forum "commenting")
they think of you first) •Direct Outreach (Letters or email, follow up calls)

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Effective marketing

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You need to go where your audience is
"86% of Australian
internet users are looking
to their fellow internet
users for opinions and
information on products,
services and brands"
Melanie Ingrey, Director for Nielsen's online Business

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Joining the customer conversation

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Choose where you play
Monthly average 2010 Social Media Marketing
MacInnis Marketing Visitors or views Leads Customers
Blog 500 15 0
Web 500 40 3
Twitter 103 3 0
Podcast 300 5 0
Auto-email campaign 90 14 3
Networking sites 30 10 1
Linked in 60 3 0
Articles 630 2 0
Slideshare 121 0 0

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Content is King

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Cool stuff

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So who is doing it well?

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Key Take aways
1. Do an audit, where are you, who are you and where would you like to be?
2. Know what your customer, looks, feels and acts like.
3. Listen to your customers. Understand what problem you solve for them.
4. Speak to them in on your web, brochures, etc language so they know you
understand them.
5. Create a lead generation that targets only these customers and that
works for you.

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Learn from the best
Customer insight
Your story is important

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Resources
Best Books Best Podcasts
• 4 Hour work week – Timothy Ferriss • Duct tape marketing -Small business general
• I love you more than my dog by Jeanne Bliss • Professional services marketing - Rain today -
Professional services marketing and selling
• Peak – Chip Conley
• The 8th Habit – Stephen Covey • Hubspot TV - Internet and social media
• SmallBusiness Big Marketing - General small
• The Five Book by Dan Zadra
business marketing tips
• The five dysfunctions of a team – Patrick
• Power to the small business - branding and
Lencioni
marketing tips
• The little big things – Tom Peters
• Six Degrees of Seperation - Internet and social
• Think like your customer by Bill Stinnett media
• Tribes – Seth Godin • Dishymix - Thought leadership and business
• Trust Agents – Chris Brogan and Julien Smith strategy marketing
• What's the secret – John R Dijulius • 10 Golden rules of Internet Marketing - Internet
ideas and marketing tips
• Who's got your back – Keith Ferrazzi
• MacInnis Marketing - Marketing basics
Best Websites
• Help my business sucks - Business basics
Flying solo
Enterpreneur
Hubspot
Kochie’s Business Builders
Linkedin

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Do you feel like this?

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Want more...?
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customers.
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Thank you