For decades referrals have always been the most reliable source of growth for established businesses but these days word of mouth is no longer enough. Buyer behaviour has changed and prospects are researching you online before they even speak to you. Even referred clients will Google your business and take a peak at your website before picking up the phone.
We need to move from passive marketing to visible expertise.
Prospects trust experts that they see regularly and this builds confidence before the first meeting. This consistent visibility also reduces price sensitivity as the prospect feels they are taking less of a risk with a ‘known’ business.
Marketing isn’t about hard selling. It is about showing up with helpful content. It’s about helping your prospects rather than boasting about yourself.
3 actions to strengthen your online presence
- Optimise your social media presence with clear, niche messaging that speaks to your reader. Post value driven content and then take time to truly engage with your network by commenting on their own posts instead of just broadcasting at them.
- Regularly create useful content by answering common client questions. Share insights, not just updates and don’t forget that you can repurpose content across different platforms.
- Build a simple email list that helps you to stay front of mind. Share you insights monthly (our tops tips are deliberately short enough that we can share them weekly. It’s also the length of post that I like to write). As you draw closure to your prospects on your list you can take the time to nurture them.