What! You don't keep your ear to the ground
listening to the jungle drums of gossip and word of mouth? Most
designers will tell you they depend on word of mouth for promoting their
business but most also do nothing to make sure the message people hear is the
one they want for publication. It's up to you to make sure what they hear
is what you want them to hear. When you are out at industry functions be
sure to keep on message. It isn't always about how busy you are or how
many clients you have waiting in the wings. It should be about your
corporate story. How you see your position in the community.
Be sure to be consistent. Tell the same story but maybe in a different
way from time to time. Make sure the people you talk to will pass along
the information to other people. Let your clients know what your firm is
doing in the community. Have you recently been published? Have you
joined a board of directors of a service group? These are the type of
things that will make great " grapevine " talk. When you make
sure your clients know what is going on that is the same message they will pass
along to their friends. So, word of mouth is a wonderful way to market
your business, just make sure you are in control of the message. From
time to time it is also a good idea to get out there and see if you can't hear
what they are saying about you. I have found one of the best sources for
that kind of information is the advertising sales agents for shelter magazines
and those people who write about design in your area. Ask them what
they've heard about your business. You still need to make sure you are
getting the right message out there. Listen to the "grapevine"
and hear the words. They will have an impact on your business and you
want it to be positive. Start the word now and keep feeding the
vine. I can't wait to hear from you what happens. Or, maybe I'll
hear it through the grapevine.
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