The Top 3 Marketing Money Leaks (And How To Fix Them)

So you’ve been busy implementing all you’ve been learning from the experts and you have all the marketing stuff you’re “supposed to” – a website, an ezine, all that stuff. Trouble is, you’re stuck at the same level of clients and income. What gives?

Unfortunately, just because you have your marketing machine up doesn’t mean it’s humming – ie., working for you the way it could be. If you have all the marketing pieces in place and are still constantly on the lookout for the next client or opportunity, chances are there’s a leak somewhere – and it might as well be in your handbag or wallet.

Here, then, are the top 3 “marketing money leaks” affecting heart-centered service business owners, and quick fixes for each…

Marketing Money Leak #1: Your Website.

Most solo business owners think that the primary job of their website is to provide their prospective clients with information on who they are and what they do. Trouble is, you have only seconds (if that) before your client makes a decision about you and clicks away forever. If you don’t collect their name and email address, chances are you’ve lost them for good… along with the opportunity to help them.

The fix: Make sure to have an irresistible free offer on your website if you don’t have one already… and don’t stop there. To truly plug the money leaks on your website, you need to know how many of your visitors are saying YES to your free offer.

Install a free program like Google Analytics (which you’ll find by Googling on the phrase “Google Analytics”) and check your numbers. Aim to have at least 3 of every 10 visitors to your site opt-in to get your offer. If you’re not hitting the mark, test and tweak each piece, starting with your headline and freebie.

Marketing Money Leak #2: Your Ezine.

I’ve noticed that ezines that DON’T produce sales usually suffer from one or more of 3 big problems:

• The business owner sends it out once a month, if at all
• The ezine contains only “feel good” or “deep transformation” articles and no promotion
• The ezine is merely a laundry list of upcoming appearances, announcements, or other pitches (otherwise known as “Buy my stuff” syndrome)

The fix: Ezines that create sales contain a balance of personal information, valuable content, and promotion and are published consistently. Aim for a mix of 15-65-30 (personal info, content and promo, respectively) and get those ezines out weekly!

Marketing Money Leak #3: Your Follow-Up.

Quick question: when a potential client reaches out to inquire about working with you, what happens next? Clients pay close attention to the experience you provide… and that experience starts from the moment they contact you. How about clients who contacted you 6 months ago – have they heard from you again, personally?

The fix: Create a simple system to handle inquiries from people who contact you personally about working together. Ask yourself what experience you want them to have, and design your system to give them that experience. Be sure to include a way to keep track of each and every one, such as a contact management system. (And no, your ezine list does NOT count!)

If you think keeping track of contacts has to be difficult or technically challenging, think again. Until now, my contact system has been very low tech – paper and pen using the recipe card box system I share in my homestudy course. The “paper and pen” method helped me create well over 6-figures in under a year, and can help you do the same. What’s important is that you use your system to show your potential clients you care.

Remember…

If you have any of these money leaks, don’t beat yourself up because you don’t have to be perfect! I invite you to look at each one as an opportunity to connect more, serve more, and in the process, receive more income for doing what you love and sharing your gifts.

© 2010 Elizabeth Genco Purvis. All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article on your website, blog or in your own ezine? No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values. Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.