It’s time to do some housecleaning – business style. In other words, it’s time to take a hard look at what you’re offering and make decisions (and sometimes those are tough decisions) about whether your products and/or services still matter.
I did that a few months ago and decided to remove a few of the informational products I was offering. Some felt “stale” to me, and one wasn’t as relevant today as it was when I created it a few years ago. I could have revamped them and offered them as “new and improved,” but my heart wasn’t in it. And let’s face it, if they don’t excite me anymore, they aren’t going to excite anyone else.
So, with a click of a button, I removed them from my Web site.
As I said, that was a few months ago. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken time to re-read my free guide that I give away on my site to help build my list: “15 Tips to Increase Your Influence, Attract More Clients & Make More Money.” It still gives relevant information – but – there were several links included in it to those outdated products that I no longer offer. Whoa! Also, my bio in this guide needed updating as well. Time for an overhaul!
One change (removing a product or service from your list of offerings) can have a cascading effect. So do some housecleaning now to ensure the brand image you’re portraying is top-notch. Maybe you need a complete brand overhaul (including a new Web site), or perhaps a few small tweaks can keep your identity looking fresh to prospective customers. Here are 4 steps to get started.
1. Check your offerings.
a. Are there any products or services that need to be updated or removed?
b. Is there anything you could add that would serve your customers better?
c. Check your competition. What are they offering and how can you provide something that stands apart?
2. Re-read all your marketing material.
a. Is it still accurate?
b. Are you sharing the benefits without using over-used platitudes or clichés?
c. Are you using persuasive marketing techniques (read 4 Keys to Persuasive Marketing for details)?
3. Update your bio or About Me page.
a. Check your bio on your Web site – is it still current?
b. Have you shared how prospective clients will benefit when working with you?
c. Look at your profiles on all Social Media accounts.
d. If you have a profile posted on article marketing sites, service directories, association and/or networking groups, etc. ensure they are updated as well.
4. Is your list-building efforts working? (You are building a list of followers through your Web site, right?)
a. Check your numbers regularly.
b. Is it time to create a new free offering and/or autoresponder follow-up message system?
c. Are you promoting your opt-in offering through various marketing channels?
I get it…I know it takes time and effort to put your marketing in place to begin with. But don’t let it become stagnant! Be proactive in maintaining your offline and online presence so your customers know you are on top of their needs as well.
