I had a big “ah ha” about this and realized I should share it. This is an example of something I’ve known about and used as the big “why” for some recommendations I make to clients—except I haven’t been sharing this particular “why” piece. This is all about marketing, a big “turn off” to some, but if you are in business

to make money (!) then it is one of those realities that it helps to understand.

1. The process starts with attracting people to your site. This can be done with blog posts, reports, special offers—basically whatever “freebie” you can fulfill easily that is also desirable to your people.
2. The next step is to capture the contact information from site newcomers. This is where the opt-in form on your website comes in, with language inviting them to submit their information in exchange for the incentive you have offered.
3. At this point having an autoresponder starts to become very helpful. You can create a “nurture campaign” with automated, even personalized, follow-up messages. This helps with getting your people to “know, like and trust” you. We all prefer to do business with those we are familiar with. As with social media posts, it is possible to schedule these in advance.
4. As you develop new products or services, or perhaps a special offer or an event, you are now in a better position to convert people (“prospects”) into customers.
5. You then provide them with the purchased product or service and a positive customer experience.
6. From here on the nurture process continues, encouraging them to think of your business as the “go to” source for your niche. You can then come up with new ways to serve them.
7. The final step is to encourage testimonials and recommendations. The best customers are the ones who have been referred to you by someone they already know, like and trust. You benefit from their social endorsement. An option is to have a reward policy for the clients who provide you with new referrals. This can be in the form of a Starbucks card, a discount on services, really the possibilities are endless. It’s a way for you to say “thank you” and to make that client feel appreciated.

To your business success!