Is Your Business in a Slump?

Your marketing materials should communicate that your
business stands out and is *special*. You are not another
of those "dime a dozen" small businesses. You offer
extraordinary customer service. You get great results.
You (fill in the blank here).

Business tends to slow down during certain times of year.
If you are experiencing one of those "slumps", it's a good
time to take a look at your marketing materials and
*freshen* them up a bit to insure that they are doing their
job.

1. Change out your f*ree information product/special report.

Have you been offering the same f*ree "taste" (special
report, e-course, audio tips) of your services since Day 1?
If so, it may be time to change things up a bit: if you
had a special report, produce an e-course or audio tips.

This is a great way to let your prospects know that you
have a lot to offer (your clients already know this!). You
can also offer the new giveaway to your existing newsletter
subscribers as a *gift* for their completing a survey for
you.

2. Spice up your email signature/resource box.

Take this time to tweak your email signature and resource
box. You want your email signature and resource box to
include a compelling call to action.

In a few sentences, you want to inspire your readers to
visit your website, sign up for your e-course, opt in to
your ezine/tipzine or otherwise learn about you.

3. Obtain/Add new testimonials to your materials.

Have you had some client successes since the last time you
updated your testimonials? Ask current and past clients
for a testimonial that you can use -- remind them that they
will receive publicity by being on your website or in your
materials.

If you have some clients who would like to give you a
testimonial, but don't know what to write, offer to draft
it for them and they can review/edit. Most clients will
happily take you up on this and it allows you to focus the
testimonial on RESULTS, not just warm fuzzies ("Jane is
such a great person and I love working with her" is a warm
fuzzy; whereas "Working with Jane has resulted in a 30%
increase in my ezine subscribers" is a RESULT).

Updating your marketing materials gives you the chance to
keep things fresh. I've found that taking a step back
every so often gives me a fresh set of eyes. I don't
change much, but it's nice to tweak something here or there
and see what happens. After all, marketing is all about
testing. :-)

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Sandra Martini teaches small business owners how to create
more success in their business while maintaining their
sanity and having fun. For more information and to receive
the FREE special report, "7 Wealth-Building Secrets of
Successful Entrepreneurs", go to
http://www.SandraMartini.com .
Are you a virtual assistant looking to make more money in
your business? If so, check out
http://www.VAGuideToMoney.com today.