Building a Pond of 1,000 Local Business Owners

[Full Throttle]

I've made a ridiculous number of posts today (during business hours) so here's one more. Here's my thought: I get a lot of "no's" from people who won't commit to meeting with me right now, but they give me permission to stay in touch (if nothing else, to get rid of me). I put them in Constant Contact in the past, but it seems like everyone's inbox gets flooded with these.

So, here's my thought after getting permission to stay in touch after they've seen me in-person:

1. Drop a quick note in the mail that night.
2. Drip on them with a snail mail newsletter each month. The newsletter is really just a one page "Idea of the Month".
3. Set callback or drop-in in 6 months. At a minimum, they will have seen my name 7 times and know what type of work I do.
4. If after two years I haven't gotten anywhere or my gut tells me I'm wasting my time earlier, I'll delete them off the list and replace them with someone else.

To build the list to 1,000 in a year and account for some drop-off, it would work out to adding about 5 per day (very doable from my current activity level). Starting in 6 months, I would have 100 people per month. The cost using snail mail would be about $1,000 per month as I get the pond to my targeted size. I can't imagine calling 100 business owners each month who I've met in person already and were somewhat receptive, who have gotten seven mailing from me the last 6 months, and have an idea of what I do, and come out behind on the investment. It can also be a list the send seminar invites or postcard offers to later on if I choose to go that route.

It'll be business as usual, the only difference, I'll be creating a pool of people who fit my profile to market to as I go through the day. Any unsolicited call-ins from my Idea of the Month newsletters would be gravy.

Sometimes I over think too much! Anyone doing something similar and pulling results?

 

[nycagent]

I think that once you've gone through the work to associate your face with your name and what you do, it makes a lot of sense to not waste that effort by letting them forget who you are and what you do. The good thing is that you have high enough #s that you'll be able to figure out whether or not your return is worth the cost and effort. Just make sure to be consistent so that you can analyze the numbers in a meaningful way.

 

[Larry Tew]

Sounds reasonable. I'm going to start doing a drip email with a short video specific to the planning system I use. Automate it where it's a hands-off extra marketing tool.

 

[jerry176]

Here is an idea:
Send out a news letter with some meat on it 4 times /yr.
Send out a holiday card each december.

Thats 5 touches through the mail.
Call 4 to 5 biz owners each day to stay in front of them.

You will be in front of them probably as much, but you wont turn into the post master general mailing out 1000 1 page mailers each month, that have a better chance of finding the circular file, than say a 3-4 page useable information news letter.

FT your ideas a good, this is just another way to look at your concept, and maybe make it eaiser for you.

I have never done this, I am not at that stage yet.
I am just an outsider giving an opinion.

 

[VolAgent]

Here is an idea:
Send out a news letter with some meat on it 4 times /yr.
Send out a holiday card each december.

Thats 5 touches through the mail.
Call 4 to 5 biz owners each day to stay in front of them.

You will be in front of them probably as much, but you wont turn into the post master general mailing out 1000 1 page mailers each month, that have a better chance of finding the circular file, than say a 3-4 page useable information news letter.

FT your ideas a good, this is just another way to look at your concept, and maybe make it eaiser for you.

I have never done this, I am not at that stage yet.
I am just an outsider giving an opinion.

If you are going to go that route, I'd see about teaming up with a CPA or attorney to provide a nice little tax or business law piece. Maybe even work a strictly P&C guy for a commercial insurance piece. Include some information about yourself, and maybe a rotating professional to round it out.

 

[nycagent]

If you are going to go that route, I'd see about teaming up with a CPA or attorney to provide a nice little tax or business law piece. Maybe even work a strictly P&C guy for a commercial insurance piece. Include some information about yourself, and maybe a rotating professional to round it out.

that sounds like a lot of work for something that no one is actually going to read. i think it is just name awareness - they get something every 2 months, are reminded that's what you do, and throw it out. the idea is that when they are ready to do something, your name will immediately come to their mind.

 

[djs]

Any stats on how well this stuff works? I know I get about a dozen or so monthly or at least somewhat regular newsletters from people. I can't tell you what any of them say or who any of them are.

Seriously, do you think people take the time to read this stuff or even remember you sent it? Some will, the majority will not.

My suggestion is actually doing 'things', where people see you as a community participant/leader. Whether its supporting youth sports, helping arrange the local parade, toastmasters club, whatever, these types of things bring you positive exposure and even save you some money.

People are far more likely to remember this type of stuff.

Dan

 

[VolAgent]

that sounds like a lot of work for something that no one is actually going to read. i think it is just name awareness - they get something every 2 months, are reminded that's what you do, and throw it out. the idea is that when they are ready to do something, your name will immediately come to their mind.

If you are going to do it, you better make it worth reading. And I'd only do it quarterly at most.

 

[somarco]

doing 'things', where people see you as a community participant/leader

Is this like being a community organizer?

4x per year is enough for a newsletter that, as others have noted, will get little attention. I get one that often from my CPA. Good info, well written, but most of the "news" stuff is dated.

If you are sending a newsletter it had better be entertaining and an attention grabber. Mostly light stuff with a sprinkling of informative information relative to your business.

No more than 4 pages front and back. Two pages is even better (one page flyer printed front & back).

The newsletter should be upbeat and include some money saving tips as well as a personal interest story. Better yet, a personal interest story that ties back to your business.

Most of the professionally produced newsletters look nice but are a waste. Unless you are good at producing entertaining copy, you should hire it out to a professional copywriter like Chumps or Al3.

 

[thall]

I love the idea, the worst that could happen is nothing, tweak a little bit, let us know. GO BRAVES Does Philly still have a baseball team?