Conduct a Free Needs Analysis

Another method to gain free publicity for your small business is by offering a free needs analysis to clients in your field - a surprisingly simple and effective method.

Day Eleven: Conduct a Free Needs Analysis

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Providing a free needs analysis to potential clients was something I had heard of before, but never used in my arsenal of free publicity tactics in the past. I thought it would be too complicated to do for little (or worse, no) gain. A recent review of other seo copywriters online showed me that it is an oft-used, rarely discussed technique that brings in qualified clients in droves - if done correctly. I had to investigate further.

But first of all, What is a Needs Analysis?

According to an online insurance company, a needs analysis is "part of the fact-finding stage in the personal selling process; the process of developing a detailed personal and financial picture of a prospect in order to evaluate his or her insurance needs".

I couldn't have said it better myself (other than the insurance part, of course).

But how you would use this type of information to get customers, you ask? Simple. You tell them.

Create a Free Needs Analysis Email Contact List

I'm assuming that you've already done your market research and are fully aware of what types of customers or businesses need or want your products/services. For a caterer that might mean contacting event planning companies, for someone who sells candles that might be a church and/or spa, and so forth.

Once you've located a small list of people (smaller is better at first to test your theories and response rates), carefully craft an email to these key people. Focus on service, not on sales, letting the key decision makers know you are aware of their business requirements and want to help them grow. Make sure to include benefits to the reader, such as:

• What will the reader get out of this free needs analysis?
• What changes are expected as a result of this free needs analysis?

Eventually you'll have to answer these questions in your free needs analysis, as well as what economic costs and benefits will occur with implementation - but let's leave that for later.

After writing your free needs analysis email, send it to a friend or colleague for review. Would they answer your email? If not, change and update it until they would. This may take a day or so, but the more time spent the better, since you don't want to come off as a spammer.

Offering Your Free Needs Analysis

Remember those emails you collected? Now is the time to individually send each person their free needs analysis invitation. Of course, you could hire a company to send out emails to their opt-in list, but we're making money without spending a dime, remember?

Send each letter to each individual one by one to avoid spam filters. Then, leave it. Wait a week. If you get no responses, send out a couple more - up to one hundred more (again, one by one). If you don't even get one hit from your offer, it's time to rewrite your copy, perhaps with the help of a copywriter (like me). On average, a well-written email with a free offer should garner about 1-5 responses in 100 emails (although I've seen in excess of a 65% response rate so far with my offer, but your results may differ).

Now what, you ask? How Do I Create a Free Needs Analysis?

When you get a response to your free needs analysis - don't panic. You've already done this a million times with your current customers. Honest!

Remember when someone walked into your store and they looked lost? You asked them probing questions to see what they needed - and that's all a free needs analysis really is.

For some ideas on what types of questions to ask and how to analyze the results you receive, review this very thorough needs analysis for information developers (education or training), a sales process needs analysis questionnaire, or this extremely informative, step by step needs analysis for a radio station. If you require ideas more specific to your industry, try a search online for "needs analysis" with your general line of business for a host of results.

The Key to Generating Income from a Free Needs Analysis

The problem with offering these consultative specials for free is that oftentimes, businesses or individuals will take you up on your free needs analysis offer, but won't knock on your door for the sale. The reason why is simple: you didn't ask for it.

Yes, there may be other reasons why a potential client doesn't purchase their needs from you immediately - they don't have the cash, your fees are more than they can afford, they didn't see you as an 'expert' in the field, or they really have no need for your information but couldn't help getting something for free. But we aren't talking about those folks.

The ones who DO need the consultative information you've provided need to know what you can offer them, and how. Many a business owner has lost a sale because they were too "shy" or self-concious with crucial information that would sway a decision-maker to their favor.

Simply tell them. If you can increase the "romance quotient" in their spa because of your long-lasting, paraben-free candles - tell them. Use whatever your particular USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is, and sell it.

If you can follow these tips, you'll be shocked (as I was) with your free needs analysis results and how well this tactic helps you to make more money without spending a dime.

Now on to Day Twelve!