TUESDAY CHALLENGE: WHO ARE YOU?

I recently met a small business owner who was lamenting that his “community” was not using his company when they need the services he currently provides. This is a story that I frequently hear from small business owners that are, as I categorize them, “stuck in a closet”, waiting to be discovered.

If I don’t know who you really are, what you do, how you do it, why you do it, how I can easily reach you and the benefits your business offers, chances are that I will not call you when I need your product or service.

Your challenge this week is to create a letter that answers these questions in a clear and succinct manner. Although these same answers should be incorporated into your marketing material, this is not a brochure, but a letter format to be sent   to people who know who you are.

This will be a form letter that can be stored and require only a name change when sent out, via snail mail, to your data base. In the past I have asked you to maintain a data base of people that know who you are and to grow that data base on a weekly basis. Although your data base may receive a monthly value based e-newsletter this is an additional and very effective way to tell your story once again.

The letter should be addressed to a specific individual and signed by you. I also encourage a short handwritten personal note at the end of the letter. Include two business cards in each letter and ask for help by either using your services or buying your product or by referring others to you.

Your goal is to send out a minimum of 5 letters per week; use a first class stamp!

The only criterion for the recipients of your letter is that they know you and your name. They can be retired, working for someone or in business for themselves.

If you send out 5 a week for 50 weeks you will have personally touched 250 people. This letter will also make your monthly e-newsletter, more meaningful and will yield better results.

This challenge will equip you with one of the most powerful and least expensive marketing tools in your arsenal.

I also challenge you to include me on your first mailing.

Ask the Duck if you have any questions.