Consistency is my topic of the week, it seems.  I did a podcast about it with Dave Misterly of AquaLife Ponds.  We were talking about him having Pondtent do weekly tips for his company and how that has given him a new level of respect from his customers.   He feels (and I agree) that customers want to see  a company that is consistent, that is timely, that does things regularly.  I notice when I get newsletters from people.  Even from pond manufacturers.  There are two in mind.  One does their newsletter at the same time each month (Company A) , with the same number of stories. Consistency.  The other one (Company B) comes out sporadically.  Sometimes there's tips, sometimes not.  Sometimes photos, sometimes not.  

It changes your view of the company-- I think of company A above as a more together company in general.  The companies might be the same size or the second one may be bigger, but it's all about perception.  It's all about how it looks to others.  

So what is my point?  It's this-- when was the last time you reached out to your customers?  And the time before that?  Be consistent.  It makes you look like a more professional company.  In all ways. If you can commit to doing your monthly newsletters yourselves, great!  If not, hire someone who will.

Are we ever really doing enough?  When can I stop and take a breath?  Sometimes it’s hard.  I know we are always striving to grow and expand, but for me, it’s important to know my balance as well.  Yes, I COULD work 16 hours a day and make a lot of money, but is that what I want?  I want to be with my family and have time for fun things too.   Hence the beauty and curse of self employment.  I have been really trying to focus on the balance better.  More family time and less stress about it.   Our daughter is 16 and leaves for college in two years.  Time will go fast.  Of course, we need to PAY for school too, so it’s kind of a vicious cycle. Well, for now, here’s to me doing the best I can.  That’s all I can offer 😊

I am a firm believer that nothing happens without a plan and a goal.  If you don't know what you are working towards, how do you know when you get there?  I have a great accountability partner and it really keeps me on track.  When I tell Barbi my goals, I am motivated to achieve them.  My goals for the past few weeks have been to step up the Pondtent marketing and I am really getting there.  I filmed my What is Pondtent video on Friday and that should be done in the next week or so.  I also purchased an ad in Pond Trade Magazine and bought an exhibitor space for the Water Garden Expo.  I can't forget AquaReale too!  Keeping my goals in mind help me make sure we get to where we want to be for the end of year.  We are SO close to our sales goal, i can taste.it  I'll keep everyone posted and don't forget to write your own goals down.  it REALLY makes a difference!

Are you reaching out to your current customers?  If not, why not?  Your customers are the #1 people likely to buy from you again.  They already know and trust you so it’s silly not to communicate.  I love the story Tom Reber tells.  When he was a painter, he always painted the inside of a woman’s house.  For years.  One day he is driving by her house and he sees someone else painting the outside.   He called her and she could not have been nicer.  She just had no idea he did exterior painting.  He never told her.  He never communicated it.  Imagine if you communicated everything you do to your current customers.  In a nice, helpful, non-salesy way.  It could be a game changer.  Call me to talk—215.805.8257.

Whew! So much stuff going on right now.  It’s very exciting.  The biggest things for me lately are the new weekly podcasts.  I am having a really great time recording them.  I’m trying to go through quite a few of the people who did coffee round tables at Pondomonium.  Each of their talks were so interesting and I wish I could have been at all of them.  Instead. I’m going to bring the highlight of as many as I can right to you. 
Each podcast has a tip of the week and what I did that week along with a guest.  The guest and I uncover “secrets” of pond marketing.  The first Podcast is “The Secret to Having a Coach.  We talk to AquaReale’s coach, Tom Reber of the Contractor Fight about how he motivates us (his clients.) You get a really cool in-depth look at a coach and their client really communicating and asking relevant questions.
Next is the secret to doing a podcast, featuring Mike Gannon, the very popular creator of his own podcast—the Pond Hunter.  Here was my chance to find out advice on how to run a good podcast.  And third is Michael Garcia—with the secret to being out customer.
Other than that, I’m just keeping up with AquaReale’s daily marketing—there’s always something to do.  I hope you get a chance to listen to the podcasts and take some pond marketing actions.  Good luck!

​Welcome to Pondtent!  We plan to help pond builders with marketing, both with our automated marketing solutions and with our weekly podcasts and tips. 
 
We ask other for their “why,” so here is mine.  I have been in your shoes.  My husband and I own a pond company.  I always had my own marketing company as well.  For years, we never marketed our landscape business.  I didn’t have time and he didn’t know how.  
 
Without marketing, we never grew and expanded.  Eventually, family health issues lead me to close my marketing company and concentrate on the landscape/pond business full time.  Now I had no choice but to do the marketing.  My livelihood depended on it.  We did not have another paycheck to fall back on. 
 
I put my marketing skills to the test, doing everything I could to expand and grow.  Our business grew in four years from $350,000 in sales to $650,000.  Why?  Marketing!
 
People kept asking me what I did and if I could do it for them.  I took what I do for AquaReale and simplified it into the easiest marketing program we could come up with.  One where you don’ have to do much to get going.
 
I know the marketing obstacles you all face and I am here to help.  My solutions are the only thing you should do, but they are a great base and an excellent place to start.  I can’t wait to see how we can help your company grow like mine did!