MARKETING - Making time to Market - Part 3

MARKETING

Making Time To Market – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting June 2009.

As promised last time, here are some more ideas on ‘making time’ to market yourself/your business.

Sharing some time over coffee or a meal.
I usually set aside, one day a week to do my networking – this means that I usually can be found on a Thursday having a ‘one-on-one’ meeting with several people that I have briefly met at a networking event or meeting.  Whilst I have my networking meeting and find out what it is that the other person does, I also take the opportunity to do some marketing as well.  On occasion there may be someone that I have already ‘earmarked’ within my data base to meet, or there is a particular person that I want to discuss issues with, or there may be two individuals who I want to introduce to each other and I will, on occasion also invite those people along too.  It gives me an opportunity to ‘catch up’ with a colleague as well as introduce two people, who in all probability should be doing business together.

Over exercise
Those who know me well, know that I am not too keen on the whole exercise thing.  Oh don’t get me wrong, I used to be a sports fanatic and I used to do the gym thing on a daily basis.  Then I started my own business and well, that’s where things went pear-shaped for me in terms of my daily routine – somehow the time just wasn’t there anymore.  That said, there are many of you who love to exercise at the gym or walk or even when you go and watch a game – how about inviting a colleague or someone that you would like to do business with to your exercise class or on your walk or to watch the game with you.  Think about how much business actually gets done on the golf course and use the same opportunity in whatever sport it is that you play or participate in.  You’d be amazed at the results that you can achieve.

More tips next time.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za