When you walk into an ice cream store and look at all of the flavors, it can be a bit overwhelming. So, you ask for a taste. And they give you a little bit of ice cream on a tiny spoon to help you decide. Don’t you love those tiny spoons filled with yumminess?

This tiny spoon of ice cream is a brilliant strategy that ensures you purchase a cone or cup at that moment. It’s also a way to get you to try something new, like their flavor of the day. A lot of times, it also entices you to buy a pint or two of ice cream flavors to take home.

In marketing your business, this same “tiny-spoon” approach is very attractive. It’s a technique you can use both online and in traditional types of marketing. This is an opportunity for you to tap into a strategy of abundance. By generously giving away free tastes of your remarkability, you entice prospects to do more business with you. They are impressed with your willingness to give them something of value at no charge.

In traditional offline marketing, you can use the tiny-spoon marketing approach by offering an initial consultation at no cost to your prospects. You can also create a CD or a Tips Sheet that you can give to people when they call you for more information or when you meet them at a networking event. In this way you give people a “taste” of your expertise and differentiate your company from your competitors.

If you are trying to attract customers online, create a place on your website to capture the names of your visitors. In exchange for their contact information and e-mail, give ‘em a taste of your services via an e-course, report, or audio. This begins the relationship building process. And, it helps them to understand more about your method of doing business.

If you are doing this on your website, you’ll need an autoresponder program to immediately send out an e-mail thanking the person for entering their information. The same service can also send out your ezine, e-course, or special report. I use Professional Cart Services to send out my autoresponders and digital products.

Wondering what YOU can offer as your “tiny spoon” marketing offer? Here are some fantastic ideas for you:

• You can create a 5-day e-course that gives valuable tips and tactics to help your prospect (online).

• Bundle articles or blog posts that you have written and give this out as a special report (online and offline).

• Create a quick-start guide that helps your target audience get started in the area of expertise you specialize in (online and offline).

• A musician or public speaker can provide a song clip, a speaking segment, or video(online and offline).

• Give away a free audio interview with you. Audioacrobat is an easy-to-use program that allows you to make recordings and upload them to your website or e-mail them. You can also mail them a CD (online and offline).

• Offer a free initial consultation or intro session (in person or on the phone).

• Host a free teleseminar where your prospects can call in and grill you about your area of expertise (online and offline).

• Offer the first few chapters of a book you have written. Allow customers to download and read them or give them a printed copy (online and offline).

• Give away one of your e-books or programs free (online and offline). That’s a technique that Seth Godin has used successfully over and over again. You can download Seth’s book Unleashing the Idea Virus.

The bottom line is the more you give away, the more money you make. When you focus on giving, amazing things start to happen in your business. Your mind shifts into a state of creativity and expansiveness. You start to develop new solutions and focus on what is possible instead of limitations. Giving your prospects a “tiny spoon” sample of what you offer to them will get them hungry for more. Make sure to nurture and delight your prospects and they will give you the attention and response you desire.

MAVEN ACTION ITEM: Start thinking about what you can offer your prospects as a taste of your offerings. Look at the list above and decide which items would be effective “tiny spoon” marketing options for your company. Make sure your taste is of high value and then continue to keep in touch with your prospects regularly.

Hugs and success,

Wendy Maynard
Your friendly marketing maven

If you are looking for more ways to attract an abundance of clients to your business, then I recommend the Maven Marketing Home Study System! It’s a step-by-step program that teaches you exactly what you need to know to attract your DREAM customers. You’ll learn how to describe what makes your business remarkable, how to get new customers calling YOU, and lots of other valuable strategies to help you fill your sales pipeline quickly. It’s chock full of worksheets, action items, and guidelines to get your marketing ramped up quickly. You can order it at: Maven Marketing Home Study System

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