The Two Year Sales Cycle – It Works!

I chat very regularly to my wonderful friend Becky on messenger a lot (when did we move onto having conversations on Whatsapp rather than call each other??!!). We send each other wonderful motivational comments and general chitchat. We have been friends for thirty years and know each other inside out. We share with each other our life  successes and mess ups and help each other celebrate or rationalise that things are really not that bad!

We all need a Becky in our life. She recently reminded me of the two year sales cycle and everything clicked into place about recent business developments.

Building Relationships

I work hard at Mrs Mummypenny, particularly hard at building relationships. With a focus on face-to-face meetings. I know that one of the keys to being a financially successful business person is repeat business with regular clients. I am keen during 2019 to have regularity and consistency. And this comes from regular work coming from the same clients.

This also benefits the clients. They appear on my blog or social channels regularly and my readers are reminded of the brand again and again. Their awareness builds of the brand and are more likely to buy, use the service. They have to be the right brands that I partner up with whom I trust implicitly and use myself.

It takes time and trust to build these relationships. I have recently agreed some regular work that has indeed taken much time to be agreed and come to fruition, but its worth it. Keep plugging away, maintaining those relationships and the work will come your way.

Two Year sales cycle results

One client has been a friend for a couple of years, we keep in touch over Twitter, at events and have the occasional lunch. He has interviewed me on his podcast and I have interviewed him. We have just agreed regular work for 2019. Monthly content and a monthly pay cheque.

Another brand I have been working with semi-regularly for around two years. We have now formalised this agreement with a certain number of posts on my website and their website for the whole year. More regular agreed income.

I have another three big brands whom have said that they will be using me for regular content throughout the year. All are brands whom I meet up with regularly for a catch up coffee. One brand I first met two years ago and have finally agreed content work.

All of this regular work now means that I have a regular baseline income each month which is more than the money I need to draw out of the business to live. Then the additional more one off work just adds to this balance and I can relax when it come to the before tougher months. This relieves a huge amount of pressure and I feel that I have moved on a stage in my business.

Of course I can never rely on this money forever and need to keep building the funnel so more regular client work is agreed. I have lots in the process and just love seeing them come to fruition.

Keep plugging away

The two year sales cycle works. Keep plugging away. You might not feel like you are getting anywhere but you are. You are in peoples minds and memories and when the time is right, and you are right for the brand, they will come to you.

Get out there and arrange to meet with PR agencies and brand and your clients face to face. Dazzle them with your ideas, creativity and plans. Share your learning’s and concern’s about the business you are in, show them how you are an expert.

When you run your own business you have to be in it for the long game and be patient and the work will come.