As you are reading this, I'm on my way to the World Massage Festival in Cullowhee, NC and then onto the ProKnowledge Workshops in Minneapolis, MN. If you happen to be near either place, please join me for these great events and introduce yourself if at all possible!

In my last article Being Interactive to Attract More Business I wrote about a successful summer promotion in my massage practice. In a follow up comment to that blog, I also talked about utilizing various resources that were already available to me (in other words previously bought and paid for or acquired).

Since these items were already a part of my business supplies and assets, I have come to think of them as "natural resources." Anyway, I thought it would be a helpful idea to share information about some of my resources with you here so that you can see what to excavate or mine for in your own business. A few suggestions:

Unused postage - A couple of years ago I mistakenly bought a couple of rolls of postcard stamps that I simply did not need. As the post office does not allow returns (bummer) I just shoved the rolls in a drawer and pouted (yes, even I can become sulky from time to time!) over the needless expense.

This summer I began brainstorming about ways to activate some of my former massage clients, especially during the slow summer months. Trying to keep expenses low but wanting to be somewhat personal in reaching out, I decided to do a postcard mailing to these folks with an attractive "I've missed you offer" to get them to come back. And when combined with a special from VistaPrint.com for 100 free postcards (shipping was about $10), this promotion cost next to nothing and paid for itself with just one client appointment

Underutilized software - For years I have used MindBodyOnline as my client management system. I really like so many things about it - it is web-based; it manages staff, inventory and appointments; it remembers each client's visit and purchase history. Wait a minute...could I use MBO to find out which massage client's hadn't been in for a while? You bet (though I hate to admit I hadn't done this before I sent out the above mailing.) MBO was a great help!

And...while I was waiting for a new client one day (who actually no-showed) I also took the time to set up email and text confirmations on MindBody. With all the new clients I've added this year, I realized my old way of doing confirmations calls was no longer going to work...especially if I wasn't always taking the time to do it! Confirmations now take me about 30 seconds a day and my clients LOVE getting an email or text instead of a phone call. And no more no-shows!

Untested service - This may sound strange, but when I sold my spa to go back into private practice five years ago, I did not want to sell gift certificates online or elsewhere. I was not taking new clients then as I am now and did not want to deal with the resulting liability on my business in case I decided to move out of the country (it could happen!) or close my practice. Yet as a marketing coach, I'd been given access to test out not one BUT TWO fantastic online gift certificate services, SpaBoom and The Gift Card Cafe, both of which I really like for different reasons.

So as a part of my excavation of resources, I decided to put one of them into action. Since I've been focused on saving my cash, I opted to start with The Gift Card Cafe as they have a "No upfront cost" set-up option (though the per-sale commission is higher than SpaBoom). With almost every promotion I have offered this summer, I have created corresponding links and offers for gift certificate purchases. And the gift certificate sales have been adding up!

So I challenge you to uncover your natural resources and use them now to grow your business. You may be amazed at what you find hiding under the surface of your enterprise - and by the results that come from using them wisely

I'd love to hear about your discoveries and success stories so please feel free to share them here.

My next webinar is next Wednesday July 20th at 12 Noon EST. It's with Allissa Haines of Writing a Blue Streak and will be on Online Marketing: Get Over Yourself and Get On With It. (Even her titles are sassy and fun!).

Alissa says:"There is an online reputation being built for you, whether you like it or not, whether you participate or not. Even if you are not found online, that absence in itself is a reputation that says, 'I am not willing to grown and learn, my business is stuck in 1998, and I'm staying there.' Is that the message you want to send?" If not, then please join us live or for the replay by clicking here to sign up.