5 Ways to Increase Visibility in 2021
COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, so it’s important for professional services providers to continue refining their approach to business development. In order to elevate your visibility and foster relationships with clients and referral sources, we have five recommendations to consider when planning for 2021, both with and without a budget.
Investments Can Bring Immense Value
Some of the best things aren’t free. Sometimes we need to invest in opportunities, not just with our time, but with our money. Consider adding these two line items to your 2021 budget.
Gifts
To stay top of mind, establish a gift process and budget for clients and referral sources that your support staff can initiate once they receive a name. Choose a few gift options so in the event you do not have their home mailing address, you can send a gift card via email. Gifts from local vendors are a great way to support small businesses.
Take a look at your referral list and make note of those who have given you work lately, and those you may have lost touch with. Get reacquainted with long-time referral sources by sending a gift. Don’t forget to send a gift to people who have recently sent business your way.
Also, regroup with clients who might have workplace re-entry, supply chain issues or other related work during another COVID surge. By sending a gift, you help to keep your name in front of them as they consider reaching out for assistance.
Virtual Speaking Engagements
In-person events have essentially been replaced by webinars during the pandemic. ON24 reported that back in March of this year, the number of webinars hosted on their platform increased by more than 330%, and the number of attendees was double year-over-year.
Virtual events can showcase thought leadership and increase visibility for you and your firm. When you are budgeting for virtual speaking engagements, consider the increasing value of membership- or sponsorship-driven opportunities, as these are gateways to new connections. If you want to take it to the next level, include budget for “at home swag bags” to gain another touchpoint.
Also, if your firm usually hosts a hospitality suite at a conference, consider budgeting for a virtual happy hour. For example, you could provide dinner from a local restaurant or send cocktail kits.
Increase Visibility Without Additional Cost
Don’t worry if your budget won’t allow for you to invest in the opportunities noted above. You can increase visibility and create connections without spending a dime. Consider these three ideas:
Update your website bio.
Have you had any speaking engagements in the past year?
Have you had any experiences or added new services within the year related to COVID-19?
If so, make sure these are woven into your new bio, and better yet, make this a habit to do at the end of every year to stay on top of your game.
Share social media content from your firm and referral sources.
If you’re not following your referral sources on social media, make this your first step. Their content funnels into your newsfeeds to where you can then share their content on your social media accounts. When you share content, make sure to tag your contact to boost their visibility and grab their attention, and add a comment of your own reflecting the content that you’re sharing.
At a bare minimum, log onto your social media accounts (especially LinkedIn) at least once a week, then like and share content from your firm’s company page to your personal account. If you don’t think you can share company content consistently, assign this task to an administrative assistant to do it on your behalf or outsource to an agency.
Check in with referral sources.
Shoot your referrals a quick text or email so they know you are thinking about them. Ask for a 20-minute meeting over coffee or a quick drink, which can be on Zoom, of course. To avoid getting off course, your conversation should be based around the following:
Ask how they are doing (e.g., family, children and life at home).
Find out two things they are working on.
Tell them about two things you are working on.
Discuss how you can look for relevant opportunities to send work to each other.
To elevate your business in the coming year, there are numerous ways you can heighten your visibility and create business connections, with or without changing your budget. Challenge yourself to think outside of the box, and try a new approach. If you need assistance with marketing in 2021, please contact us. We are happy to help reach your business goals in the new year.