Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

Ask Yellow Dog: The 2 Company Conundrum

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Hank's Ready to Listen!Occasionally people will email me with  a sales & marketing challenge they need a bit of help with. In the latest edition we’re talking about running 2 companies and not confusing your network in the process…

I have two separate, but related companies. My questions is: I obviously can’t market one product at some events and another at another event, but I have two cards and think it is weird. They are two separate companies.  Sometimes I hand out both cards to different people at the same meeting. Is that weird?

Promote what sounds right to you depending on the event you are at. The fact that you are getting referrals instead of finding your own clients is AWESOME, most of my work comes from referrals as well, and it’s so nice to not have to go out and hunt for the jobs! So, spending time at networking events and with people who are actively referring you business is a good place to be (and your target market!).

I think having two cards is no problem-  some people will be interested in one business, but have no need/interest in the other business. When you are giving your elevator pitch at an event, just pick ONE of these two companies to “pitch” but keep listening to what everyone else at the table is saying and doing. This where FOLLOW UP is key. “hey great to meet you, I didn’t get a chance to mention this to you at the event, but I also do…” That’s if you don’t get a chance to talk more with them over lunch or afterwards.

If you have a burning sales or marketing question- you can always Ask Yellow Dog!

Fake Out Emails

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In the past 24 hours I’ve received emails that aren’t in an approved newsletter program, but are obviously sent to multiple people. The first email stated at the bottom “if you’d rather not get this kind of news from us, just let us know and we’ll unsubscribe you.” And that’s fine. I emailed the person, who’s a colleague, and mentioned throwing it into a newsletter program. They said they want people to open it if it comes directly from their email program. Well, okay.

The second email came from an insurance sales person (always my favorite, right after financial planner emails…) and the first line was cheesy and obviously they did an email merge program for “Hey Elizabeth” and then onto the canned “call me so I can sell you stuff.” No opt out option, and nothing personalized.

If you want me to give you my money, spend some effort and time being personal, OR be honest. I send out my monthly newsletter that is obviously going to a lot of people in my network. But there’s no hiding it. If I want to reach out to you individually, or to a smaller group, I’ll make sure to be a real person to you, in hopes you’ll be a real person to me.

Otherwise, you’re burning bridges you didn’t know might be there.

It’s Never Too Late

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I just got an email from a client of mine. For the past few months when we meet I make the same suggestions, and the client agrees it’s a good next step. Then the following month, nothing has happened and we talk about it, client seems on board, you see where this is going…

And so today, the client did what we’ve been talking about. I don’t remember what I said at our meeting this week but we finally “got over the hump” and then the client said “I just hope it’s not too late.”

It’s NEVER too late. Just be honest with folks, you can spot a liar, we all can. “I’m so sorry I dropped the ball on following up with you,” is a perfectly acceptable response. If it’s a newsletter you stopped doing for a few months, no problem, just pick it up again, no explanation needed (unless something happened and you want to explain it).

When you’re ready, your target market is ready too. Sure you may have missed one or two clients because you drug your feet, but you’ll get there, it’s not too late to start. I promise.