How many conversations?

If you’re not talking about your business, you’re not growing your business. Do you know how many conversations you need to have each week to be successful?

Small business owners easily fall into a pattern of working full-steam until a project is completed, then suddenly realizing that it’s been two months since they’ve done any marketing. Monitoring the number of conversations you have about your business is one way to ensure that you’re marketing on a weekly basis.

But I’m not just talking about telling the cashier at the grocery store about your business… I’m talking about quality conversations with your target audience. This requires three steps:

1. Know who your target audience is. Who buys what you sell? Create a picture of that customer… including demographic and psychographic clues as to where you will find them.

2. Know what you want to say. Develop and refine a dynamic elevator speech that includes a benefit to the customer. How will you improve this person’s life/job/bottom line if he/she works with you?

3. Schedule conversations weekly. If you don’t know how many you need, start with five each week. This means five lunches, coffees, phone calls or networking opportunities… and don’t hide behind email! You want to have an easy, natural, inspired discussion with your targets. Each Monday make a plan to complete at least five conversations during the week.

Make a simple chart and keep track of how many conversations you have, and what the results are. Over time you’ll see how many conversations equals one conversion. This is the simplest, most cost-effective way to market your business.