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Being Patient Doesn't Mean Being Passive
Marketing and attracting clients requires a certain degree of patience. It's a bit like foreplay and finesse trumping rushing and roughness. Patience gives us the time to correctly assess a situation and develop effective marketing strategies. More than anything though, patience creates the time to develop relationships.
Relationships are based on trust and experience and this only develops over time, and cannot be rushed. Take the "long view" of marketing, and realize that results come over time. Stop expecting instant marketing results. Release your unrealistic expectations that people will throw money at you and jump up and down to buy your services. NO, that almost never happens.
What is more typical, and what works over time is to identify places and organizations where your target market shows up. Start showing up there. Show up regularly. Make a point of being interested in other people. Keep showing up. Become known. Develop friendships.
Being patient does not mean being passive. Some people confuse the two. Being passive means not taking any action, not showing up where potential clients are, not showing interest in them and their businesses, not being able to describe your services compellingly, or having no marketing materials or website when interest is shown.
A passive approach means always expecting others to make the first move, or hiding your message and your business behind being overly self conscious. Waiting to be noticed is passive. Staying in the house instead of networking is passive. Failing to initiate conversations with potential clients is passive. Showing no interest in others is passive. Wishing for clients -- without taking any action is passive. Here are some thoughts on how to be patient without being passive.
1.) Prepare excellent persuasive, interesting marketing materials including a website. The absolute best tool to help you prepare an effective website is the Web Site Toolkit sold at http://actionplan.com. It is also a great tool to help you clarify your message and your mission.
2.) Get crystal clear on your target market. Who are they? What problems do they have? Where can you meet them? How can you solve their problems? What benefits can you provide for them?
3.) Make a list of potential places where you can access your target market. Where can you go that they go? What do they read where you could write an article? Who do you know who might know key people in this market? What organizations does your target market belong to?
4.) Realize that you must be patient and develop relationships over time. Create trust and behave consistently. Present yourself as a person who is trustworthy and offers value.
5.) Be extremely knowledgeable about how you solve the problems your target market wants to solve. Be clear and confident in describing your servicesl. Be a resource for others. Connect others where and when appropriate.
When you are marketing to attract clients, it's important to be patient without being passive. It's an important distinction to make and to keep in mind as you pursue your marketing activities.
About the Author Suzi Elton is a success coach working with highly creative types to create income that matches their talent.She has coached hundreds of clients to approach their goals strategically through tiny steps to bring about quantum leaps. Get free Life Purpose exercises, at http://mylifepurposecoaching.com.
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