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INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN |
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2 . OUTSOURCE LEAD GENERATION
When something breaks or people are looking to upgrade , often the first place they go is Google . Getting to the top of a search is both an art and a science and trying to get there yourself isn ’ t easy or recommended . Lead generation companies like bark . com , snupit . co . za or localpros . co . za specialise in being at the top and converting clicks into leads . They send you leads you can quote on and only pay a fee if you win the work . Easy . Winning on these platforms requires being on top of your leads . Often , you ’ ll be competing with other companies , so the quicker you can get a quote out the higher the chance of winning the work . So , whether it ’ s you or someone in your team – making sure you ’ re ready to respond when the lead comes through is essential to getting the most from this channel .
3 . INVEST IN DIGITAL MARKETING
Digital marketing can be wildly intimidating . Websites , social media , pay-per-click , SEO . The more you learn about it , the more you realise how little you know and how complex it can be . Don ’ t panic . Starting with the basics can be enough . Make it easy for customers to find you . Make a good first impression . Share what problems you can help them solve . Make it easy for them to connect with you .
Building an awesome website isn ’ t as hard as it used to be . You can choose to build your own with platforms like wix . com
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or squarespace . com , or you can google local partners to help you out – often at very reasonable prices . Social media pages are even easier to create and maintain . Have a look and see what competitors or companies in other industries are doing to find inspiration .
Remember that your website or social media page is your chance to make a good first impression on your prospective customers . Whilst you might not want to over-invest , make sure that what customers see represents the quality and value of your brand , so you don ’ t sell yourself short . If in doubt , get started and ask for help as you go .
4 . GET INVOLVED IN BUSINESS NETWORKS
The saying ‘ it ’ s who you know , not what you know ’ rings true across all businesses . The cold chain work is often locally oriented , and jobs will often be linked to larger projects with different service providers .
Communities like Business Network International ( bni . co . za ) and BBN ( bbnbusinessnetwork . co . za ) exist to support members in helping each other grow their businesses by providing regular and focused interactions . Religious , cultural or social communities can also add huge value when nurtured over time .
Relationships take time to build , and trust and reputation needs to be earned . Investing in building networks today will help you reap the rewards tomorrow . It ’ s also good to know you ’ re not alone and share the journey with other business owners .
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5 . GEAR FOR GROWTH
So , let ’ s say you do these things and suddenly you get 50 % more leads than last month . Can you actually deliver the work well ? Or do you risk either leaving opportunities on the table or underwhelming your customers ? Taking time to think forward , plan and invest in the people , processes and technology that will power your growth is as important as getting more leads .
This doesn ’ t mean hiring an army or building the starship enterprise to run your business . It might mean having a pipeline of partners , technicians or apprentices ready in case you need help with the volume or want to upgrade from paper and Excel to a job-management tool to make sure nothing falls through the cracks , and you can spend less time on admin .
Change is hard . But if you ’ re not prepared to change how you ’ re spending your time , don ’ t expect a different outcome . You ’ re the only person who can grow your business – and it starts by thinking about how you ’ re spending your time . Remember that something is better than nothing , and in business , momentum beats perfection every time . CLA
Remember that your
website or social media
page is your chance
to make a good first
impression
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DO YOU HAVE A GREAT PROJECT OR STORY TO SHARE WITHREADERS Send your article and high resolution images to editorial @ interactmedia . co . za or call + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 for more information .
Talk to us Tel : + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za
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