Now that we’ve discussed the different ways you can generate new clients in 2012 and strategies to turn prospects into clients, it’s time to put them into action! That does not have to mean spending hours creating marketing materials and campaigns yourself, however. For many firms and businesses, it makes the most financial sense to get some assistance.

1.       There are many good, cost-effective sources

As previously noted, creating and managing marketing projects requires a significant amount of time, and time equals money for many professionals. So it is worth exploring the option of hiring an outside company. This can be cost-effective, as many companies will work within your budget. If you want to try pay-per-click advertising on Google, for example, any company that you may work with should let you set a budget that you spend each month, and nothing more.

2.       Use Associations, consultants, trusted colleagues who are successful at new client acquisition

Before making any decisions, do some research and look for consultants and companies who have had success in the past. Ask trusted colleagues, friends, acquaintances to share their experiences and for referrals if they have them. 

3.       There are marketing projects that you should not try at home

Though certain marketing activities are feasible to take on yourself, such as social media, there are some that we strongly believe firms and businesses should not handle on their own:

1. Websites – unless you have a strong background in web design and a lot of spare hours on your hands, creating your own website is more trouble than it’s worth. By hiring an outside company you can get a professional, attractive site that is designed to generate new clients. Warning: many companies will over-charge for a website, so do your research (a good site does not have to cost you more than about $1,000). Contact us to get more information regarding what your website should cost.
2. Pay-per-click or online advertising campaigns – While online advertising, especially pay-per-click campaigns, can be incredibly effective in generating prospective client inquiries, if you do not have experience creating and managing them you will likely not be successful. Companies and consultants who specialize in online advertising can create campaigns for you based on your area of business, location, and keywords that your ideal customers will be searching online.

RealPractice and our ReplyWise online application can help firms and businesses of any size to “advertise wisely and close more business” in 2012. For more than 12 years, we have been trusted by thousands of firms and our technology and programs have been designed and built by teams from companies like Apple, Yahoo! and AOL. Our teams have also managed thousands of online marketing campaigns and website projects and we are not afraid to be measured to make sure we are delivering value. We have low cost and easy ways to get started without long-term commitments. We’ll even be happy to give you a FREE consultation to review your 2012 goals and suggest a custom plan to achieve them!  Just email us at learnmore@realpractice.com.