Make a champions list

As some of you know from reading my book The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses, I regard targeting as one of the most important tasks in a small business marketing plan. That's because you can have the world's most innovative product,  craft the most brilliant marketing messages, and deliver them using the most ingenious marketing tools. But if all these efforts are directed at the wrong people (those who lack interest in your product, or those who lack money) you'll see little marketing success.

That's why I recommend that every small business owner compile a Champions List. This is a list of the Top 25 people who take an active interest in promoting your business. They could be board members, consultants, vendors, or dozens of other types of people. But they're your Champions because they ACTIVELY promote your small business through referrals and word-of-mouth.

OK, once you compile this Champions List (use Excel for a simple list or ACT for a more detailed one) adopt my friend Mark LeBlanc's 30-day rule and never let them get 30 days away. How do you do this? A myriad of ways including:

• Phone them for check-in calls
• Add them to your sequential autoresponder series
• Email them with a brief update on your company
• Send them an article of interest
• Invite them out to lunch

The important thing is this: Know who the Top 25 Champions are for your business, and never let them get 30 days away. I think you'll find that more abundant word-of-mouth and referrals will follow this strategy...