Launching a new service can be an exciting and daunting time. You’ve spent time, money and effort in developing the service, but now’s the time to find out whether it will be a success or not.
It’s very easy to think that just because you have lived and breathed this new service for the past months/years, that everyone around you is also aware of it. Now that you have your new service, don’t make it the world’s best secret!
Below is a 6 point plan to help you maximise the exposure of your new service.
1) Tell staff
Make sure you’re staff know about the new service. Explain to them what it involves, how it can be of benefit to your clients and who the key contact people are in the practice. Staff meetings are a good format for doing this as it gives people the chance to ask questions and for everyone to hear the answers.
2) Tell clients
Be proactive! Send your clients a letter, perhaps enclosing a leaflet about the new service. Alternatively, send an email to them with a link to an article on your website which highlights the benefits of using your firm for this service. Whether it’s a mailing, email or meeting, the important thing is to tell your clients!
3) Tell prospective clients
If you have a database of prospective clients, mail or email them as above. If you don’t have such a list you’re going to have to use a range of tools to help raise awareness of your new service. A well-written article on your website, which includes key search words about your new service, will help drive traffic to the specific web pages. See the ‘additional marketing tools’ section below for more ideas.
4) Ask for referrals
Don’t forget to ask staff, clients, business contacts, family and suppliers if they know anybody who may be interested in your new service. To remind yourself to ‘ask’, add this as an item onto client, staff or general business meeting agendas. Also, add a ‘PS’ on emails or letters mentioning the new service and to pass on the information.
5) Keep reminding everyone
Marketing is all about being in the right time at the right place, i.e. when someone’s circumstances change so they now require your service. You will need to keep reminding clients, prospects and contacts and make sure they can find information about your service all the time.
6) Additional marketing tools
We’ve already mentioned a couple of marketing tools to help you promote your new service. Below are a few more ideas that you may wish to consider as well:
- Regular updates on your social media posts.
- Press releases – take the article you have written for the website and rewrite it so it would be of interest to local and regional press (and more importantly their readership) and send to the relevant editors and reporters.
- Google Ad Words – don’t just rely on search engines for people to find you, a paid for campaign makes sure you always appear at the top of the page.
- Adverts – local press, parish magazines, regional lifestyle magazines etc.
- Case studies and testimonials from people who have used your new service and why they would recommend you.
If you would like help in writing articles, mailings, leaflets etc to help you promote your new service, contact Vicki Banthorpe at Momentum for Professionals on 01822 833300 or email vicki@momemtumforprofessionals.co.uk.