Even if your small business is humming right along, you could always use some larger clients. But how do you go from frying small fish to landing the whales? Closing the deals is only half the fishing trip, you also have to drop your hooks into the right waters and use the right bait to get the bites in the first place. Your branding, marketing and advertising has a lot to do with it.
When your branding and marketing materials tell the right story you’ll attract the right prospects and ultimately close more deals. Fishermen call this the presentation. If a fish doesn’t like what they see, they won’t strike the bait. But if you crank, flip and spin your lure so that it looks like a tasty meal, then you’ll fill up your nets in a hurry. Timing, optics, conditions, techniques all play a role and if you’re doing it right, you’ll land the big fish your small business needs. This blog will show you the things you should be doing in order to get larger clients for your small business.
Be Consistent
A general awareness campaign is built to be implemented on a regular ongoing basis. And the best ones are built for the long haul. It’s meant to tell an easily digested and repetitive message. If a potential client doesn’t see it today, maybe they’ll see it tomorrow or the next day. Because you’re continuously sharing the information, your message will be there for them when they need it. If your awareness campaign is working don’t try to fix it.
Here’s a story that hammers home this point. I once worked with a marketing manager at a large Las Vegas casino resort who walked down the same corridor on the way to his office every day. Each day he would pass by the sign for the property’s All You Can Eat Buffet, (remember those?!). And as the years went by, he got tired of seeing the same slogan. So, he decided to get it changed. He called up his creative team, gave them 4 months to come up with something else, went back and forth with feedback a half dozen times, and ultimately couldn’t put his finger on why none of the new suggestions were right. So, he sent his creative team for a meal at the buffet, assigned a host to talk him through the experience and spent a bunch of time, money and effort on an attempt at a new slogan. After all of that, what did the customers think of the new slogan? We’ll never know because they never used a new one. They went back to the tried and true having never made a change.
Moral of the story; if Disneyland has been known as the “happiest place on Earth” for 70 years, why would you try to create a less perfect, less recognizable, more clunky alternative just because the Chief Marketing Officer is getting bored with the original slogan?
Use the branding and the slogan that works for you and stick to it.
Be Professional
When it comes to attracting bigger clients, you have to become a bigger professional. Eventually, if you’re hunting for bigger fish, you’ll need a bigger fishing pole or a bigger boat or some extra crew. But until you get to that point, you’ll want to tell a better, more refined, more efficient, more useful story. This can take the form of better copy, better photographs, better design and better messaging overall.
Question: Ok, sounds great, but what makes it better?
Answer: Professionalism.
Unless your product or service is being marketed to sophomores in high school your marketing shouldn’t be sophomoric. Making sure your punctuation, spelling and grammar are all on point is one thing. Staying away from silly jokes is another. You don’t need to use cartoon characters, puppy dogs or other gimmicks.
Use a simple “My company provides X, so that you can Y” type statement. Boil it down to the essentials. There’s no need to try to be funny or witty. Comedy is hard and while getting a few laughs on TikTok can make you feel good for a day, it’s not the solid foundation your company needs to exhibit in order to gain the trust of the people with the biggest check books.
Be Intentional
You might feel the need to experiment by throwing a few things against the wall and seeing what sticks. But that doesn’t mean throw everything including the kitchen sink. Test a few of your best ideas and lean into the ones that get the most positive results. Work with intent, not reckless abandon.
Spend some time and put some effort into getting it right. Sometimes that means following a tried and true example a competitor has used, other times that means telling the same effective story in a different way.
I’m reminded of a book I read recently called ‘Get Different’ by Mike Michalowicz. It included several examples of business owners being true to themselves while finding new ways to relate to their audiences. They didn’t have to try to be something they weren’t. They just told their brand’s story differently. Michalowicz said that in order for them to get there, they had to work at it intentionally. Brainstorming led to a list of ideas, which were whittled down to the best 2 or 3. Lightbulb moments are rare. But thoughtful well-planned solutions are everywhere, they just need intentional marketing to see the light of day.
Question: I’ve never been intentional with my marketing before. How do I start?
Answer: In the olden days, before Google Maps, if you got lost in an unfamiliar part of town you pulled over and asked for directions. A quick 5-minute stop at a gas station was usually all you needed to get pointed in the right direction. The same goes for figuring out how to be an intentional marketer. Just ask. Keep reading, I’ll explain.
To continue the fishing analogy, if you were fishing on a new lake and didn’t know where the honey holes were, or where the underwater hazards were or what the fish were biting on, you’d stop at a bait shop and ask, right? They might not be super forthcoming with their secret spots, but they’d give you a few hints and sell you some night crawlers. And if you wanted to increase your chances of success, you’d seek out a professional guide to hire for the afternoon. That’s kind of what my Content Happy Hours and Branding Sessions are like.
If you’re ready to dive into a bigger pond, let my team and I be your guides.
Content Happy Hour
Content Happy Hour is an in-person content creation experience for business owners who need fresh, usable photo and video content and need some guidance on how to get it. We meet for an hour at a time, usually on Wednesdays, to work together to get you the visual assets you just can’t get alone.
It’s a guided, small-group content session designed to help you plan, capture, and walk away with on-brand photos and video you can use across your website, social media, and marketing.
I built CHH for people who want consistency and clarity, not another thing on their to-do list. You’ll get content direction, business support and professional photos and videos. We love having new people join us. We work with solo business owners & founders, creatives & service providers, personal brands & small teams and anyone who needs content but doesn’t love being on camera. If you’re tired of winging it or reusing the same photos, sign up and see what the buzz is all about. This isn’t a styled shoot, it’s the real you. And don’t worry, it’s not a networking event. CHH is a happy hour for your marketing, not half-price margaritas!
Branding Session
Booking a branding session means you’re passionate about what you do. Just one studio session will elevate your brand and prove to your customers that you’re offering the very best because you’re willing to take every step necessary and won’t cut corners.
Appearing professional online in your social media marketing tells a lot about the promises you make to your customers. The more images, and the greater variety of pictures your customers see, the stronger the connection they can make with you as a dedicated and detail-oriented authority in your industry.
Plus, when you show off your personality and present some of your character through your brand photos, your clients can connect with you on an emotional level and become more likely to say “Yes”.
A branding session gets you more than headshots. I’m talking lifestyle images, product photography, behind the scenes images… all the stuff that turns into social media gold.
Let’s Go
If you’re ready to get larger clients for your small business, get in touch. Fill out the form below or sign up directly in my shop so we can get you the trophy fish you’ve always dreamed of.
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