Never!
So you’re booked solid. Past capacity. Unable to take on any new clients. Fantastic!
But what do you mean you’ve stopped marketing?
Never stop marketing or promoting your services, even if you’re booked to capacity. Why?
There are a couple of reasons; plus, it’s amazingly difficult it is to get back in the game if you do stop promoting yourself! This I learned the hard way.
Marketing your business has to be a continuous effort. Even if you’re booked beyond solid. Why?
- You want to remain visible, so your existing clients know you take business seriously, and keep them up-to-date and in the loop.
- Your current clients might become wooed by a competitor who continues to be in the marketing game while you’ve got your foot on the hose and remain silent.
- You can always create a waiting list and raise your rates when you are in demand.
- Your major clients will disappear and then you’re stuck, starting from scratch, searching for new business.
- It’s always better to turn down work than have the phone stop ringing.
Have I convinced you of the importance of marketing even when you don’t need new business yet?
Good.
Now, let’s talk about a few of the ways you can continue marketing and stay visible out in front of your target market, but aren’t necessarily getting inundated with business requests. (Although that’s not really a bad thing is it?)
- Continue blogging and promoting your posts on your social media channels just like you do when you’re taking on new clients.
- Share testimonials and case studies from satisfied clients.
- Keep sending out a newsletter with tips and relative articles, to keep yourself in the forefront of the minds of those who might want to work with you, even if you aren’t able to work with them right now.
- Consider using your social media channels to sing the praises of your colleagues. You don’t have to be promoting yourself all of the time. Use the opportunity to promote others.
- Share more of your personal life on your social media channels rather than just business all of the time. Show pictures of you sipping a cup of coffee while working toward a deadline, or maybe a shot from the golf course.
- Mention that you’re not currently taking on new clients, but may have openings in XXX amount of time and ask them to contact you if they’d like to know when you have an opening. Congratulations. You’ve just started a waiting list.
- When you have nothing to lose, what better time to have a bit more fun with your marketing? Take this as an opportunity to test your audience and see what resonates! You might end up attracting a new client base you enjoy working with even more!
Finding yourself booked to capacity is a wonderful thing, but it doesn’t let you off the marketing hook. When you own a business, promoting it must never stop, even when you don’t need the business.
