Introducing Yourself and Assisting People To Remember You -
Here are some very general and broad ideas. Whenever two or more persons discuss this type of subject, there will be two or more philosophies of solutions. Marketing products is a subject matter to have more common ideas. Marketing services (or one's self) will always be a product of what the personal goals are of the individual.
What works for one - may or may not work for another. Comfort level must be considered.
What is your target market?
What do you want to do?
You must design your own plan. Plan your work and work your plan.
Be creative - be proactive - in the same context
look, listen, imitate, do not reinvent the wheel (or reinvent mistakes).
Distinguish yourself as having an expertise in a
specific field: Whether your area of expertise is college planning, retirement
planning or investing for women, you should always have with you a current article or
relevant newsworthy statistic to share with your clients.
Start a referral network: Make a logbook of how each new client or
customer has come to you. Thank the person which made the referral. A simple
gift or thank you note is adequate. Do not be lavish. Consider making it easy
for a person to send you a new client. Consider making a form on the back of
business cards that would show the contact information for a new client - or that could be
used by a new client to identify the person making the referral.
Freely and Profusely hand out your business cards: Make a point to had out
cards whenever you meet someone new. Then make a follow-up - had out the card until
you feel the person remembers you - or considers you a nuisance, in which s/he will
remember you anyway. Be creative with your card. Make it stand out. One
of the acquaintance I made some time ago used a very small business card. The card
was about 1 inch by 1 1/2 inches. On the card was this phrase "Since you have
not placed an order with me for some time I have had to cut expenses down to size".
Be clever. Be different.
Give
away copies of The Wall Street Journal. Go to a newsstand or bookstore near your
office that has an active stream of customers in your target market. Buy a stack of five
Wall Street Journals. Attach your business card and leave the papers at the newsstand with
your compliments. This technique works best when done repeatedly.
Make a decision on a target market: Pick a market you are familiar
with. Pick one you are interested in. Pick one in which you enjoy being with
the people. Pick a market that has common interests. Use yellow pages.
Use the internet. Use direct mail. Use the telephone. Use
seminars. Pick two other individual to help you with the seminars. Share the
costs and share the speaking time and presentations. Keep in mind that you can use
your presentation materials when you are speaking with individual customers or clients.