Fortune Small Business:
Q: I need a balance in my business. Some months I am swamped. Other months I have nothing. How can I market my services so that work comes in steadily, but slowly enough for me to handle each client with utmost care? Should I advertise a lot and put clients on a waiting list during busy times?
A: First, figure out what drives your sudden business spikes. What generates the excess business when you’re swamped? Is that when you’re doing the most marketing? Once you know what prompts your business booms, you can create a marketing plan that will help optimize your schedule.
Putting your existing customers on a waiting list during busier periods may not be the way to go. Instead, you might want to hire some qualified contractors to help share the workload, suggests Kelly Davis, president of The Strategy Tree, an HR consulting firm.
Also, consider creating a customer referral program, she recommends. You can offer clients a bonus with each referral they make – but be sure to set out specific program parameters. Do you want to offer customers a cash bonus for referrals, or a discount on your services? Do referred customers need to remain a client of yours for a specific period of time before the bonus is paid?
“Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of forsaking their existing clientele in search of new customers. This mistake can cost you. So don’t do it,” says Thomas Freyvogel, an entrepreneur and business consultant.
Photo by befehr.