Focus on the “Low Hanging Fruit”

Following up on leads is 90% of the game, right? At least that’s what we hear. You spend all this time networking, marketing yourself, making cold calls, looking for the right client, but what’s the point of it all if you don’t follow up on the leads you DO have? This was a major obstacle for one of my clients this week and a shift was created when I shared the Low Hanging Fruit List with her.

Let’s think about Low Hanging Fruit on a tree for a moment, as it relates to its counterpart higher up on the tree. The Low Hanging Fruit is heavier, probably riper and because of that, easier to pick. Think of your warm prospects, those that have already expressed an interest in working with you, as this type of fruit. Ready for the picking.

Yet, many of us focus a lot of our energy on the higher fruit, the harder-to-reach fruit or prospect. We spend a lot of time working on far-fetched Client Attraction projects, when we really could be spending the time contacting and closing the deal with people who’ve already said they’d like to work with us but haven’t been turned into clients yet. Logically, this doesn’t make as much sense, does it?

Well starting today, you’re going to change that by putting more focus on Low Hanging Fruit, while you continue to market your practice as a whole. Here’s how…

Your Assignment:

Have a Low Hanging Fruit chart on your desk at all times. It should have several columns.

1. Name

2. Phone Number

3. Email Address

4. Referral Source

5. That Client’s Particular Concern

6. Status/When to Contact Them Next Read more »

Online Marketing May Not Be Enough

Depending on the type of business you own it may be time to change the way it is being marketed. While online marketing can bring global business, there are times when traditional marketing will give you the best results. Many business owners see network marketing as another term for multilevel sales schemes, however many have had success with network marketing.

For internet businesses, network marketing of appetite suppressant is part of their success strategy. Some businesses have found additional success by going back to traditional marketing techniques such as face-to-face meetings with potential customers. Not everyone who conducts business with your company will be comfortable doing business with someone they don’t know. Whether in a business or social setting good old-fashioned handshaking can do a lot to improve your image as a business owner.

Becoming an active member of your local Chamber of Commerce can provide networking opportunities for just about any business and by being a member, those you meet may be able to help steer business in your direction. They may not be able to use your services, but they probably know someone else who needs you. Additionally, most members of Chambers of Commerce have a policy of dealing only with chamber members.

If you are not comfortable in a setting with other business owners, there are plenty of other organizations that you can join such as church organizations and social clubs. While business may not be high on their list of priorities for meeting discussions, when you are introduced as a new member, make sure everyone know where you work and what you do.

You can also offer your expertise as a volunteer “expert” in your field. Offer to speak to business groups concerning your line of expertise. While you may not think you have anything to offer, most people that are not in your line of work will find even limited knowledge on a particular subject interesting and welcome if you can offer tips on how to get things done. For example, if you are a landscaper, conduct a meeting offering tips on how to get rid of crabgrass without using harsh, toxic chemicals to make their yard safe for children and pets.

Don’t discount advertising handouts either. Letter openers are still welcome in businesses and handing them out with your company information can remind someone of your presence every time they open an envelope. T-shirts can also be an added bonus for most companies, although using them as handouts can get expensive. Just be careful about who you give t-shirts to when they have your company logo on them. They may make your business look bad if they get arrested with your company logo and name across their chest.

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Member of IAHBE(International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs), Thierry Goho constantly tests and provides through his site, some of the most trusted, easiest and profitable home business opportunities on the net. Click here to see which money making programs are best today.

http://www.gohomoney.com

Learn which leads to buy

So you are trying to get leads for your MLM business and have just exhausted your “warm market”, right? What do you do now for leads on people to show your biz opp to?

This is the problem facing Internet marketers. All the advice on MLM lead generation tells you to approach your family, friends and neighbors. We, however, do not suggest that you use that approach. Read more »

Deliver 20 Times More Nonprofit Benefits with the Same Resources, Time, and Effort

In considering how to expand your nonprofit organization’s business model (who, what, when, why, where, how, and how much of providing benefits) to 21 times its current size, you should be guided by what will be easily understandable and desirable by your stakeholders (those affected by the benefits, not just the direct beneficiaries) . . . and where the adjustments will provide more effectiveness for the nonprofit organization.

Business model innovation is something that many nonprofit organizations struggle with. In this article, I have broken out three of the elements and supplied three examples to make innovative business model thinking and analysis easier to do. This article’s material will be clearest to those who have already read about continuing business model innovation. Read more »

SEO Has Always Been a Game at Beating “the Algorithm”: I remember working at a large SEO Agency for 5 years and working feverishly to get client’s websites ranked in Google. Over the course of those years we saw SEVERAL “algorithm” changes on Google’s end that really shook up the rankings on our client’s sites. When you think about it – when Google makes a change and websites suddenly lose their positioning, that could literally be tagged as “sudden death” to most businesses. That’s just one reason I’m a huge supporter of PPC Advertising. Read more »

Keeping Focused While Working From Home

I used to wonder how others did it; keeping focused to enable them to work from home. What I have discovered, are five steps, or tools, that can be applied on a daily basis to develop a solid career sitting at my own desk in my home. These tools, along with an exceptional marketing system and company with which to partner, have me on a pathway headed straight for success.

The most important aspect to address whenever starting any endeavor is identifying your ‘WHY’. That is your deep sense of purpose, the reason you are doing a particular activity. This is your time to dream big and start envisioning it and believing you will achieve it. Letting go of any feelings of guilt regarding gaining wealth or giving up hours with the children needs to take place as well. You will be able to schedule around that and have the most productive hours of work time take place during your children’s quiet time.

As a mom with three young children (ages 7, 4, and 7 months), a husband, and a home, I have realized, it is all about balance and having a positive attitude. Most days begin with the whirlwind of getting ready for school and making breakfast. I have found if I begin that day with 15 minutes of working time, I never feel the urgency to ‘get to work’. During that time, I answer emails that came in from the night before and check all of my lead generating media. That allows me to start formulating my plan for the day in my head.

The most important time of the day for me is my “Golden Hour”. There are no interruptions during this time and I only perform income producing activities. These may be answering leads, placing ads, or writing articles. I have prearranged a number of friends on a rotation to play with my infant son, of which most of this time he is napping. I make sure I am not busying myself with the many other household tasks that can stare me in the face, such as doing the dishes and laundry. My coffee is already made by this time as well. Read more »

Increase Web Site Conversions & Profits with 7 Must-Do Conversion Secrets
Copyright © 2008 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd.

Once you’re online business website is live, generating targeted traffic is your next hurdle. But to maximize your online success you need to go beyond traffic generation. You need to focus on web site conversion. Many online marketers spend lots of time and money on traffic generation. And they fail to pay attention to website conversions. Read more »

What Do You Do And Say To Build A Successful Home Based Business

When I first started my home based business career, I was a pretty shy person. I was awful in talking to people. The thought of picking up a phone and calling a stranger horrified me. I used to literally sit at my desk staring at the phone for hours trying to sum up the courage to call the people. It was ridiculous, but my mind found a way to justify my inaction with one excuse or another. The problem stemmed from my lack of confidence. When I would call finally, I came from a place of weakness and desperation. I was spending every spare cent I had on leads and tools, and I HAD to sponsor a new rep soon or I would be out of money and a failure. That desperation and lack of confidence came though on the phone… and people took advantage of it. I came from a position of servitude, doing anything I could to please the prospect and keep them in the pipeline. This is a major problem with people new to this industry, but it can be quickly conquered with a little education. Read more »

Why Do So Many People Want To Work From Home These Days?

There are many reasons why people all over the world want to work from home. You probably have your own reasons. There are a lot of people who want to have their own home business.

The world around us keeps changing and not always for the better. So people want to have control over their own lives instead of letting someone else have control over them. Read more »

I have a confession to make: I am a diehard fan of the mighty Association Football club, Oldham Athletic. This was my place of birth and I eat, sleep and talk football. My team are doing well in  te main tornaments this season so I can ride high on the Freerolls tipping league section of the play Talkai website, when I wind my kids up with my team’s prowess. If you are thinking of taking us on, check out the Taikai homepage and see if you think you might measure up to this high calibre debate. When you decide, Sign Up Taikai and I’ll see you there.