Your #1 Marketing Tool (and It’s FREE!)

There are a ton of marketing tools available to you as either an author or sales consultant. In order to run your business, any type of business, you need to learn to effectively use marketing tools. It is easy to go crazy, spending too much money trying to market your business. The best marketing tool you have at your disposal goes anywhere, can be used anytime, is versatile and doesn’t cost you a penny! “What is this magic tool?” you ask. It’s YOU!

You are the greatest marketing tool in your arsenal.  Before you can use this tool effectively, you must accept the power you have marketing yourself. You must create your 30 second speech and learn it by heart. When people ask you what you do for a living, be sure to tell them in 30 seconds or less. Leave them wanting more, asking you questions so you can go into more detail.

Never go out of your house without dressing for success. In other words, look professional. I admit it, I have run out of the house to do a quick errand without a thought about my appearance. If an opportunity would come up to market my business, I would be too embarrassed to speak up. I know I must look the part to be believable. Now, I FORCE myself to dress for work even if I plan to work in the home office all day. I may never leave home but I have a professional mindset with my appearance.

Never go out of your house without taking marketing materials with you. Again, I have a confession: I have left home without business cards! So there I am giving my 30 second speech and doing a great job when a prospective client asks for my card and a catalog. OOPS! There goes an opportunity. Practice makes perfect but how amateur does that look. I have wasted their time and made myself look foolish. Never again. I have a tote bag with my cards, catalogs, brochures and product examples all ready to go wherever I walk out the door.

Never leave home without product in your car. You look great. Your speech goes well. They take a business card and catalog. Wow! You’ve done such a great job that the client asks to buy your product right now! Do you have it with you, ready to pack up and sell to the client? At the very least, you should have samples for prospects. And make an appointment to meet with them as soon as possible to share more about your business.

It doesn’t take much to become your own top marketing tool. Just practice your speech, dress for work everyday, pack up your marketing tools and carry products with you. Before long, you are running a successful, and low stress, business.