Delivering the Right Impact

Last month I discussed choosing the right impact(s) to “un-stick” the blockages in your marketing/sales cycle. As promised, this month we will look at the strategies that deliver those required impacts (Connection, Credibility and Visibility).

C.J. Hayden, in her excellent book, “Get Clients Now”, suggests six possible strategies: a) Direct contact and follow-up, b) Networking and referral generating, c) Public speaking, d) Writing and PR, e) Promotional events and f) Mass marketing/advertising.

If you need the impact of: -	You should use the following strategies:-
Connection	1) Direct contact and follow-up 2) Networking and referral generating
Visibility	1) Networking and referral generating 2) Public speaking 3) Writing and PR 4) Promotional events 5) Mass marketing/advertising
Credibility	1) Public speaking 2) Writing and PR

As highlighted last month, most of us have limited time and resources, so it is important to focus on our most pressing impact and then select the strategies in order of their effectiveness (1 being more effective than 2). We can’t do everything.

Some possible tactics for delivering these strategies include the following:-

a) Direct contact and follow-up:-

Cold calling, customer visits, lunch with prospects, personal letters, newsletters, etc.

b) Networking and referral generating:-

Attending meetings and seminars, identifying referral partners, serving on committees, joining networking clubs, swapping contacts, etc.

c) Public Speaking:-

Making presentations, giving seminars, hosting meetings, serving on panels, etc.

d) Writing and PR:-

Writing articles or an advice column, being quoted in the media, having articles/stories published about you.

e) Promotional events:-

Giving free demonstrations, exhibitions, workshops, open days, inviting your contacts to networking events, etc.

f) Mass marketing/advertising:-

Advertisements (newspapers, trade journals and radio), Yellow Pages, business directories, mail shots, websites, etc.

As well as selecting the strategies in order of their effectiveness, we should choose the tactics according to our own abilities and style. For example, if you need the impact of credibility, followed by visibility, but the thought of any form of public speaking fills you with horror, you could focus on writing articles and/or employ a PR agent (as well as perhaps joining a speakers’ club to develop some confidence in this area). If you need to work on follow-up (the impact of connection), but have too many contacts to speak to regularly, consider personal letters or a newsletter.

My suggestion is to select say three tactics, whether these be new, or previously used but neglected, set yourself some targets and go for it!