The Importance of Patience In Marketing Services

It's been said that sales quotas (whether they be weekly, monthly or quarterly) are one of the biggest obstacles to effective sales performance.The rational is that the pressure to meet the deadline causes sales people to attempt to "hurry up " the sales process.They typically do this by presenting their solutions way too early in the process.

As all of us know who have attended any sort of comprehensive sales training program in the last 10 years, presenting your solution before you have uncovered the key problems and made the prospective client lust after your solution (ok perhaps a bit of hyperbole, but you get my point) is one of the biggest obstacles to success in selling.

This issue has implications and lessons for the world of marketing.This is what I mean.When I review marketing materials, sales letters, websites and so forth, I ask the logical question "What do you want the reader to do once they've finished reading this?" The answer is invariably that they would like the reader to call to learn more about their services.

When you think about it, that is a huge request.Consider this, someone you don't know, who you've never spoken with, receives your letter or visits your website.What are the odds that based on what they read they'd want to actually talk with you?

OK, perhaps if they're desperate they might.But really, come on, how many of your prospects are truly desperate?The reality is that it's extremely unlikely anyone is going to pick up the phone based on a sales letter or some copy on a website.Why?They're afraid of being sold something.

As it's often been said, "We love to buy stuff; we just don't like being sold." So why do we persist in having a marketing strategy that revolves around the hope that people will "call us up" after they read our sales letter or visit our website?Because it seems like it's quicker.We don't have any patience for anything that has more than one step to it.But what we perceive as the quickest way to make sales is really an illusion.The reality is that we're making life harder (not easier) for ourselves.

Much the same way as the sales rep thinks he can expedite the selling process by cutting to the chase and just telling the prospect about how wonderful his services are, consultants and small business owners think that they can likewise speed up the process by having the call to action be call me now!And they're invariably disappointed.

So what's the alternative?When it comes to marketing your services it's crucial that you think of it as a two-step process.Step one is How Can I Get People To Express interest in what I do?Step two is: How can I convert large percentages of those who have expressed interest to buy my services?

Thus the "selling" is done in step two, not step one.(Except that you naturally have to "sell" prospects on expressing that initial interest.) So if this makes sense, why are so many people reluctant to do it?

Simple.It adds another step to the process.It adds a bit more time.And we're just not very patient.As I've said countless times before, marketing isn't complicated.(Although some of us seem compelled to make it so.) It's simply a matter of thinking about marketing your services using two steps.

Not one.And that requires patience.Hope this give you some good food for thought.
About the Author

Mark Satterfield is the founder of Gentle Rain Marketing.

The firm specializes in helping clients get more business Quickly, Easily, with No Cold Calling.Get the FREE report that describes the system you can implement in less than 30 days at http://www.gentlerainmarketing.com

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Law Firm Marketing Action Steps to Identify your Ideal Target Audience

As a lawyer in small or solo law practice, you face many marketing challenges, no doubt. Over and over again, small firms say their biggest obstacle is finding their real target audience. By setting goals and following a few guidelines you will be able to overcome that obstacle and begin to see immediate results; increasing the quality and quantity of clients and building a continual revenue stream.

Get Smart is not only the name of a popular TV show and motion picture; it is also very good legal marketing advice. What do we mean by getting smart Get busy and start to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T goals are those which are:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed

There is no more important goal on which you can focus your legal marketing energy than in identifying your ideal target market ITM. How do you know who to target The following is a list of proven action steps to help you begin targeting your ideal client.

1. Interview current and former clients. Whenever possible, ask them probing questions such as: Why did they hire you instead of your competitors If applicable, ask why they continue to work with your firm. Find out which of your services have been most helpful and how they helped. Ask what they like most about working with you. An important law firm marketing strategy you dont want to skip: Ask how you can improve your services and implement worthwhile suggestions.

2. Cast a wide net; dont underestimate just how many people you have access to. Make a list of friends, family members, relatives, colleagues and business associates. Then, ask what kind of people or companies they have access to and which they would refer you to. Many legal professionals forget to canvass the people they know and, consequently, miss out on business because they did not practice this important rule of law firm marketing.

3. You dont have to spend a lot of time or money when you conduct a basic market search. Start by simply asking prospective clients if there is a need and how they are currently meeting that need.

4. Marketing for lawyers can be as simple as using your local resources. For example, contact your local bar association; get the names and geographical locations of all attorneys and their areas of practice. Send out a letter of introduction and invite them to lunch.

5. Locate your base of operations in a geographical area that matches your likely prospects; tastes and requirements. For example, if you want to practice business law, choose an office in a busy office district. If you are targeting blue-collar workers, set up shop in an industrial area.

6. Cut down the amount of time you spend on the road. If you will be spending a good deal of time at the courthouse, rent office space no more than a 30-minute drive during rush hour. The less time, money and energy you put into commuting, the more you can focus on legal marketing techniques.

7. Speak to a cross-section of lawyers and ask them what types of practice areas are over and under represented.

8. Take a close look at your successful competitors. What markets have they been targeting Determine, as best you can, how successful they have been using their current law firm marketing techniques.

Set aside a little time each day to focus on one or more of the above items. Marketing your law firm takes time. Using these strategies will be time well-spent; thats a guarantee
About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of LawFirmMarketingStrategies.com and The Rainmaker Institute, the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms. Attorneys visit

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