There’s something about the number 3 that always gets your attention. It’s one of those “Magic” numbers that seems to wield enormous power.
As a writer, one of the first lessons hammered home to me over and over again was the importance of the 3-Act structure. Every story, every movie, every play — and now, every magic trick — has to have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Without all three pieces, your storyline falls flat.
Well, we’re going to talk today about three key structural elements to your marketing that you need to have to keep it from doing a face-plant.
These elements may sound simple, but if you don’t apply them, you’re going to be falling short of your business potential. As you work through your marketing plan for the year, your marketing must be:
a) Focused
b) Consistent
c) Diversified
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Be Focused! You can’t be all things to all people. In fact, you don’t have time / energy / budget to even try. So before you spread yourself way too thin, nail down in your mind the one or two markets you plan to really hammer on this year.
Do you want to be the number one family entertainer? Great! Then do everything you can to get that message out to Moms and Dads who can book you.
Do you want to be Mr. Corporate Speaker/Wizard? Super! Pick out 25, 50, 100 dream companies for whom you’d like to perform and start knocking down their doors. Focus on exactly who you want to serve this year like a laser beam… next…
Be Consistent! Don’t abandon your marketing efforts after one shot. Keep applying the pressure, keep in your prospects faces.
Don’t just send one postcard and think you’ve done your job… send a follow up sales letter. Make a call. Email them your client newsletter. Send flowers, gifts, fortune cookies. Make yourself unforgettably interesting and persistent! Finally…
Be Diversified! Don’t put all your marketing eggs in one basket. Keep your focus on your prospect, but find multiple ways to reach them and for them to reach you.
Do you have a website? Great! Are you using Adwords? Search Engine Optimization? Trading links with similar businesses? Are you doing direct mail? Using postcards, letters, lumpy mail, and more?
Ever pick up a phone to just make contact with someone to see if they even hire entertainment? Not a sales call, just to pre-qualify them as a prospect?
You’ll more often than not go right into sales mode then and there. I’ve only scratched the surface and we’ll cover lots more over the coming months. But on a high level, you can’t go wrong to start off with these simple keys firmly lodged in your business brain:
Be Focused, Be Consistent, & Be Diversified!
