How to market yourself and your training ?
I am not going to charge you Rs.3900/- for this. Take it FREE.
1. Are you sure, in which area you are powerful ?
Which topic you can handle well ?
Which topic you always have more stuff and don't find time to finish ?
Which topic, still more slides are to be shown but you have to cut short ?
Find out your KRA = KEY RESULT AREA.
As for as I am concerned, in two areas I can do well
1. Motivation: YES YOU CAN.
2. Mind Power: How you can program your mind for success.
I give preference for these topics when I market myself. In your area only, you can get a very good feedback.
2. Print 1000 visiting cards every year. Never hesitate to handover your visiting card to a stranger. Always introduce yourself with your visiting card only. Who knows, any person can bring business at any time.
3. Networking:
Attend other interesting meetings. Meet as many people. There are many professional forums in Chennai, conducting regular meetings. Once in a while,attend as a guest and share your visiting card. Talk for two minutes or so as a feedback about their program. Cover the audience in this two minutes. Everybody will turn towards you, 'Who is this gentleman ?' 'Seems like more knowledgeable' feeling will spread. Definitely they will love to get your visiting card. Either you may get business in their company or for your future public workshops.
4. Go for many guest lectures. Try to influence your contacts for guest lectures at Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs,
Women's Clubs/Ladies Clubs, Residents' Association, etc. Try for just 90 minutes speech. Mesmerize the audience with this 90 minute speech. If you cover these audiences, your future business is assured.
5. Collect email database of HR Managers:
Collect as many email addresses of related people. You can always send just 10 to 15 lines messages about training programs or your public workshops. Don't send often. Once in a month will be nice.
Don't write lengthy messages. People don't have the patience to read.
Write about interesting topics for corporates:
Why training is required ? What is the ROI for training ? Recent survey about training on workforce.
6. Try to talk to HR Managers for an appointment for about 10 minutes.
Initially, no HR Manager will permit you. You assure them that you will not take more than 10 minutes of their valuable time.
Present your views about training, your methodology, etc. Initially ask for one program at a discounted fee. If they allow you for a discussion, then make sure you are converting this into a business.
Your first program should grab future confirmed businesses.
7. Build a beautiful professional website. Your website should talk about you. Initial cost may be there. Right from Rs.15000 cost, you can build a website. There you have to add some of your training videos (may be 3 minutes or 5 minutes), feedback videos, list of clients, list of topics you handle. Some other innovative information in your website should draw people towards it. May be everyday you can add some motivating message in a particular column (if is a dynamic website, you can change it without the help of software people). Never mention about the fee anywhere.
8. You can also prepare video resume, to be sent to the companies.
9. Take a list your earlier clients, have constant touch with them. In some companies, previsous HR people might have left. Create a contact with the new people telling your earlier programs and feedbacks in the same company.
10. Try to use your influence in your contacts to go for TV shows on training areas. To start with, you can appear in morning shows.
11. In the long run, you have to advertise. Without publicity you can't grab business. But analyse, on which area you are spending.
I spend about 5K to 12 K every month on neighbourhood newspaper ads, notices ads, bus advertisements, ads in Hindu, etc. More the money I spend on advertisement, I am expanding my horizon.
If I don't spend for any ad, my participants will be less for my public workshops.
12. Every year you should post about 500 letters to different corporates (or colleges if you take programs for colleges also). Include your visiting card along with your letter. Your visiting card will speak. If you get
even one new business, your cost is covered. Balance 499 is investment for future business. You have planed seeds. It will give you harvest.
13. Tie up with training consultants till you get experienced. They may take 40 % to 50 %. We should not bother about how much they are taking. How much you are getting is the matter. May be after 10 years of experience, once you have more confidence, you can have direct business, like me.
14. You can appoint some marketing people not on salary basis, but on referral commission basis. Once business is clinched you can share. Otherwise, no amount will be paid. Housewives, people working from home, can do this type of jobs.
15. Email campaigns for some event: One event may be organized by you. You invite corporate HR people.
Issue complimentary passes. Let them taste your style.
16. Writing blogs regularly is an added tool.
17. Identify the primary target market and start contacting them regularly.
18. Urbanpro.com is a useful site for links
19. Use free classified online advertisement sites to post regular ads.
20. Business Magnet monthly magazine offers cheapest advertisements. 1200/- for half a page.
21.Attend NLP Certification Course. If you are NLP Certification trainer, entry to corporate will be easy. Whether you use the techniques or not, is not a matter.
22. You can become a Certified Training on a particular subject. Lot of international companies offer such certified training courses. You can put the tag as "Certified Trainer". That is an added value.
23. Analyse your earlier failed attempts: Whether anything has to be changed from your side. Learn from your experiences.
24. When you discuss with HR people, try to know their requirements. Initially don't project your training programs first. Once you listen their requirements, you can design a training program with their help. Afterwards, you can always add your training topics slowly.
25. Design a colourful brochure. You have to spend for it. I started this very late only. Even now, I am not ready with more than 2 designed phamlets.Due to experience and wide contacts, I am getting regular trainings. It may not be case for everybody. You have to use brochures.
26. Project to HR people about the effect of training, don't commit about the ROI on training. You can say "Definitely, my training program will have an impact, of course, not overnight".
27. Seek testimonials from your clients and add it in your brochure/website.
28. Always search for Hot Leads from your contacts/strangers, whoever you meet.
If you find these tips useful, give your feedback by SMS to me.
Further points will be added in the next post in this same blog.
Bye now,
Rgds
A.Shanmugasundaram
98404 85595
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