In these hard times, what can we do to get more leads and sales in our small business ?

For the UK’s independent business owners, now that the lockdown has dramatically eased, the hard work really starts.

What if you could get your sales and most importantly your profitability back to where it needs to be?

Mark Reynolds takes you through “The Big 6 Things” in this video… 

What if you stopped second-guessing your marketing and started to build a consistent flow of customers?

Imagine, no more stress about where the next enquiry or sale is coming from.

Guess what? You can.

Hi, my name’s Mark Reynolds.

Since 2002 I’ve devoted myself to promoting small businesses to help them build a predictable and consistent flow of customers.

I’ve built 100s of results-driven, customer-focused, Google-friendly websites, landing pages, advertising campaigns, and advised small businesses owners on the best way to get more customers.

I’ll be honest, some of the marketing hasn’t work.

If your marketing isn’t failing, you’re not marketing enough.

I’ve learned a lot over the last 18 years from all the marketing that has and hasn’t worked.

And in almost 20 years I’ve learned what it takes to succeed in times like these.

I now have a proven marketing system for small business owners that works in good times and in challenging times.

So I’m happy to say I’ve got lots to share with you.

This isn’t my actual marketing system, but it’s my ‘Big Six’ things that every small business owner needs to be aware of and focus on during the next few months. It will give you the best possible chance to get your sales and profits to where they need to be.

The Big Six

1. There’s not a recession for everyone.

Firstly, it’s critical that you remember that there isn’t a recession for everyone.

The numbers that they talk about in the media are the high-level macro numbers, but that doesn’t reflect what’s actually happening with individuals.

The reality is that there are lots of people – and businesses –  that right now are sat on more disposable cash than they’ve ever had in their lives.

Sure, there are also people and businesses that are struggling like never before, but the important point to lock onto is that there is money out there and people who are willing to spend it.

This isn’t like a normal downturn where everybody’s been affected the same.

So if you can think creatively, in the right way, getting your sales back up to, and above, where they were before lockdown is a very achievable objective for many.

2. It’s all down to you.

Your success during 2025 will be determined 95% by you and 5% by the outside world…so my second point is that it’s critical that business owners recognise their responsibilities here.

It’s what YOU think and do that will make the difference to your sales and your profits.

When bad things happen in the world and problems emerge, most people think that they have to feel bad as well.

Successful entrepreneurs aren’t like that.

Their approach is simply: “Okay, another problem. Let’s deal with it.”

It’s absolutely critical that you recognise that what happens to your business over the next six months is down to you. It’s all your fault.

So if you have a poor frame of mind, then you’re in trouble.

It’s not going to be possible to flourish in the weeks and months ahead without your head being in the right place.

And again, that’s down to you.

3. The more you do, the more profit you’ll make.

Third on my list is an appreciation that the more things you get done over the next few weeks, the more profit you’ll make.

Getting stuff done is by far the best way to predict your future.

Putting aside 90 minutes each day to focus on your marketing, for instance, would be the smartest thing any ambitious entrepreneur could do moving forward.

You can spend the rest of the day getting immersed in the nitty-gritty, delivering for your customers, looking after staff and all the other stuff you have to deal with, providing that you’ve got those 90 minutes set aside to focus on doing the things that will make your business more successful…

… that brings us on nicely to the fourth of the Big Six…

4. Be aggressive with your marketing

Right now, marketing is NOT a non-essential spend.

If people don’t know about you, what you do and why they should choose you, then they ain’t ringing you up, coming to see you or visiting your website.

And that’s bad for business.

Almost all media is cheaper right now.

The cost of advertising on Facebook and Google plummeted during lockdown and it’s not too late to benefit.

But you have to get on the front foot.

You have to be out there. And that’s why you need those 90 minutes to make sure you’re focusing on the right things.

5. Use video to strengthen relationships.

Fifth on my list is the importance of video.

Video really is the new normal.

It’s so easy to do now.

You don’t need a production company – you just need your smartphone and your personality.

So many Brits feel inhibited on video but the price they pay for keeping themselves and their business hidden is massive in terms of lost sales and profit.

Facebook Lives are a brilliant way to strengthen relationships and create awareness of what you do.

If your website hasn’t got a video of you talking about what you do and how you help people on the front page, you’re undoubtedly missing out on sales.

In simple terms, business owners are going to have two choices with regards to video moving forward; they can reluctantly embrace it or they can enthusiastically embrace it.

Look, you don’t have to be perfect – that really doesn’t matter.

People want:

1. ‘realness’,
2. authenticity
3. and integrity.

And that can come across in spades when you are yourself on video.

Start doing it this week.

6. Focus on the unconverted leads

Finally, the best way to kickstart your own liberation from lockdown is to focus on all those unconverted leads that you have sat around.

People that enquired in January and February, during lockdown, or even at the back end of last year. Just send them what we call the three line email.

It says,
               “Hi, Louise, are you still looking for a (whatever it is that you do)?
 
                 If so, I’d love to help…

                 [Your name]

There’s nothing more to it than that.

It’s not salesy. It’s not pushy.

But it generates really good responses.

Don’t be tempted to add anything else to the email, other than your email signature.

The reason it works is that you’re not allowing them to form an opinion about you and your product/service. You’re simply asking if they’re still looking.

You could send he email out this afternoon and you’ll have people wanting to talk to you within a matter of hours.

Of course, whether you do that or not is up to you.

But then that’s the case for this whole recovery from lockdown.

It’s now over to you.

1. Accept responsibility.
2. Get stuff done.
3. And never forget that what happens next will be all your fault.

Good luck.