If you own a business owner of any kind, consistent daily marketing is essential.  You can find technically skilled employees, including sales people, but usually only the owner is constantly aware of the big picture.  Employees simply do not consistently think long term.  Marketing cannot be completely delegated.  You need to do it, and you need to do it well. 

I recommend a check off list of five activities that you will complete every day.    These activities should be listed the day before, because marketing is usually not a person’s favorite activity.   Not all activities are the same, but each one should be directed at obtaining sales from your list of preferred clients.

Most business to business sales are made face to face.   You have to research the proper contact person.  You have to establish some type of network rapport.   You have to make contact with the decision maker in order to set up an in person meeting.  Finally you need to actually meet with the decision maker.  Several of your daily “activities” might be related to research and establishing rapport.  However, you need to focus on meeting with an actual decision maker on a regular basis.  Your sales goals will determine have often you need to actually meet with prospective clients. 

Consumer sales often require multiple contacts before a consumer is willing to check out your products or buy.  Just as with business to business, you have to establish rapport.  Then you have to educate them or make them aware of your products.  It is best to establish some expertise, and then you can start to really create some sales.

Here is an example from my claims business.  My goal was to have a new client each month.  I was able to obtain work from almost every one of the companies where I actually met in person with the claims manager.  My goal was to meet with one claims manager a month.  To get an appointment with a claims manager, I needed ask five to ten companies.  It took two to three calls to insurance agents or company secretaries and/or claims adjusters within a company to identify the decision maker. 

I completed 5 tasks a day.  Most of the tasks were simple phone calls to gain information.  Decision makers in insurance companies isolate themselves, unless you know them personally.  I always tried to get agents or staff adjusters to make contact with the decision maker for me, that way when I called them it felt like I had a referral.  So many of my calls were to agents and or adjusters really just trying to establish rapport and let them know I wanted to pursue work with their company.  The goal of my call to a decision maker was always to set up an in person meeting.   If months where I was not able to set up any appointment, I tried to take a day where I traveled to insurance companies and dropped off marketing information, including my E&O insurance information and pricing guide.  I asked to meet with the decision maker, but rarely got past the secretaries.  However, a lot of times I was able to meet with the adjuster or secretary that I had called.  I always tried to have some sort of freebie with my company name for them.   

Over the course of time, I was able to establish working relationships with companies like Fireman’s Fund, Maryland Casualty, Grange, ANPAC, American States, Safeco, Kemper, Michigan Millers, Zurich, Royal, Western Mutual, Unigard, Mercury and many other insurance companies.   Daily activity on a consistent basis works.