How To Use Technology To Enlarge Your Database

Time is our most limited resource – for this reason we need to use the leverage offered by technology to recruit clients while we service other priorities. Technology makes it possible to duplicate and automate our own actions.

Publish A Regular Electronic Article Or Newsletter

I realise that not everyone is a born writer. The art is to write about subjects for which a demand exists. If you do not feel equal to doing the writing yourself, you could, for instance, download articles from a website such as www.ezinearticles.com. The information may be used free of charge, as long as the author is acknowledged and the article is used in its entirety. You could then incorporate the article in your publication and highlight the main points, or comment on the article and show how your business deals with similar client requirements or challenges.

The same applies when you are compiling a newsletter. Send your articles and newsletters to all existing clients with the request to also distribute the information within their networks. Thereby you will achieve two aims:

• Your clients and the referrals in their networks will regularly see your brand name; and

• They will become familiar with our value proposition

However, it is important to create links on the articles and newsletters where people may register to receive valuable information, if they are not yet subscribers.

Do You Have A Website?

This may sound like an obvious question.  However, I remain astonished about how many businesses still do not have websites. The primary reason for not having a website is of a financial nature. The good news is that it does not have to cost you anything if you are prepared to do the work yourself. Go to www.newwozaonline.co.za or www.yola.com and establish your own 24x7x365 portal on the world.

Also remember that a website should answer at least 3 questions:

• Who are you (Information about you as the owner and about the business)?

• How will you assist the client with his/her need or challenge?

• Where may clients contact you (telephone number, e-mail and physical address)?

Also create functionality where visitors to your website may subscribe to your articles/newsletters.

Important: Use your web address in your advertisements, your letterheads, on your business cards and in e-mail signatures.

What Else?

The above tips are cheap and easy to implement. The ideal is to compile an integrated marketing solution where these elements are used in conjunction with a blog, YouTube videos, Twitter, Linkedln and podcasts. For this, however, you will need a deeper pocket. Use technology to free your hands and recruit new clients for your business at the same time.

The content in this article was provided by Jannie Rossouw, Head: Sanlam Business Market. Sanlam is a diversified financial services group, headquartered in South Africa, operating across a number of selected global markets.

For more information, contact:

Website: https://www.sanlam.co.za/Pages/default.aspx

Tel: 0860 726 526

Contact form: https://www.sanlam.co.za/contact/Pages/default.aspx