Five Back to Basic Steps to Successful Freelance Marketing

Let’s presume that we are all accomplished marketers. We are all creative geniuses where no job is too great and no task too complicated; we are all on a par with one another. Okay, so I’m not going to sit here and explain how you can put an icon to your book mark tab (well worth doing though by the way) or indeed tips on how to design a great logo but I think people often forget the basics. In my lifetime as a professional I have met all manner of people trying to sell to me or trying to impress on me their abilities and what they could do for me, but because I am a cynic and have been in sales for some time I end up thinking how bad they can often be at their job – and by that I don’t mean they can’t design a sensational website or a mind blowing brochure, remember we are all equal – but I wouldn’t want to purchase these things from people who come at me in the wrong way. So, in true popular marketing blogging style, here are my top five back to basics rules to being a better marketer.

1. Smile and be friendly.

Stand offish people don’t get the business; you can be shy by all means but be polite, interested and happy with it. People love to be around happy people and if your pitch contained materials of a slightly lesser quality than that of a grumpy git, chances are you would still get the job because you oozed a charisma that the buyer would want to be a part of. “Manner’s Maketh Man (/woman),” Remember that!

2. Don’t bombard potential clients.

I’ve done it and I know it’s wrong, people will grow tired and annoyed if you are always in their face with emails and messages. I had a very good impression of a certain magazine until they cold called me, I politely informed them that I would go to them if need be, then they called me again…. and again… Needless to say my impression of them has changed somewhat and I now won’t do anything with them at all. Desperation has a strong scent and people will smell it.

3. Chaps, think about what you wear.

If you have to visit a potential client, ask your missus what she thinks you should wear. Big corporations deserve a suit but smaller businesses may find you intimidating or indeed a bit too flash for “little ol’ them.” Smart/casual is often the way to go – think about it carefully and reflect the work that they do in what you wear.

4. Go off piste and talk about something about a client that interests you.

Friendly banter builds relationships and ‘people buy people,’ if you can forge a relationship outside of the work stuff (ie talk about football, their dog, their haircut… maybe not their haircut) then conversations will be remembered and they will like you more – if they like you, they are more likely to use you again… Say it again “People buy people!”

5. Remind your friends what you do.

A lot of work is generated through contacts and links, but you have a whole bank of contacts through your friends and family. Remind them through the likes of Facebook and the odd email out about what you can do and what you can offer (without bombarding them!) – they will always come to you over a random when the time is right and they/their friend/their work needs some marketing help.

Thanks for listening, Rosko http://www.daizree.co.uk