Moving the ball forward… three things to try.

In football it is the offense’s job is to move the ball forward. Scoring is the result of successfully moving it forward and winning means you are consistently moving it forward. Successfully marketing yourself or your company is all about moving the ball forward. Sometimes you will make big gains and other times you will have set backs (we are in one of those economically now), the key is to have a plan of attack. Are you going rush out there with a big burst of energy and meet as many people as you can, spend lots of money on advertising and go for the quick score or are you going to be more steady in your approach. Make contacts, follow up, join organizations, network, send out letters, postcards, phone calls and keep a steady drive going.

In football not every play works every time so you change directions, pass instead of run, try a reverse, run a screen play, the same is true in marketing. The point is you have a plan and you keep trying things within the plan, if nothing works you go into the locker room and adjust your plan or change it completely.

The other option is sitting on the sideline waiting for something to happen and we all know that never produces the results you want. You have to take the ball and push it and keep pushing it.

Here are three things to try.

1. Contact your past clients who you did business with 4 years ago or more. The average family moves every 7 years so start by seeing if they thinking of it now or with the next year or two. Always keep an ample list of short term and long term contacts going.
2. Take a good hard look at your sign. Put it in the ground and look at from 25, 50,100, 200 feet away. Then drive by it at 10 mph, 20 and even 30 mph. If it doesn’t catch your eye or is not easy to read, you need to work on it. The sign is your best advertising.
3. Look at the community organizations you are involved in. Are new people coming into the organization all the time so you are constantly introducing yourself to new people or are you still talking with same people you were 3 years ago? Maybe it is time to add or find a new organization to share your talents with and meet some more people.