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This month the Bay Area Consultants Network asked its members “What’s in your bag of tricks?” Here are the answers.

10-28-05: What’s in Your Bag of Tricks?

Tools and techniques used by BACN members.

MARKETING

• Use your outgoing voicemail as branding opportunity. Make weekly changes to include a short tip.
• On your second contact with a prospect, send a video intro by e-mail (for samples see www.christopherrichards.com)
• Ask prospects what kind of company they want to see in 5 years.
• Speak slowly and clearly when leaving your name and number on voice mail.
• Send your top 10 tips to new clients/prospects.
• Ask your prospects “What are your hopes for___? And why is that important?”
• Listen and ask questions-go away without proposing anything until you’ve thought of what’s appropriate to the prospect.
• Follow up quickly and with something unusual, e.g. Red Jellyfish e-cards or an actual handwritten note.
• Start writing a blog. Personalize it a bit and tie it back to your
  business. Make sure there’s an e-mail link to you in your posts and on
  your main blog page.
• Use Camtasia for Windows or SnapZ for Mac to make screen-capture videos and send them to clients and prospects.
• Invite prospects to look at your website while on the phone with you instead of sending them off to do it on their own.

RESEARCH

• Hoovers Premium is free if you go in person to the San
  Francisco Public Library main branch. You can get not just contact
  information but background information about your prospects there.

WORKING WITH THE CLIENT

• Pass out something clients and seminar participants can play with
  and remember you by, for example Koosh™ balls to represent frontal lobe brain cells and help them think.
• Be aware of an organization’s shadow culture, which is what you’ll have to deal with.
• Show up early for your client appointments-you can learn a lot in the lobby.
• If clients aren’t taking your advice, you need to charge them more money.

SELF

• Do it now-you’ll only get more things to do tomorrow.
• Attend BACN every month.
• Focus on your vision and the big picture.
• Create a roadmap for your business.
• When networking, focus on what you can offer the other person.

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