For those unfamiliar with these expressions, I'll define warm market as simply a target audience or potential customer base with which you already have some form of relationship or history. A cold market is a target audience or potential customer base who is unfamiliar with you or your company. Definitions vary depending on your vertical market but for this conversation we'll keep it simple.

Relationships are everything. This is true in life and it is true in business. It is much easier to establish a professional relationship, contract, sale or any other business venture when a friendship or professional connection is already in-place. This brings a sense of accountability, re-assurance and security that must be overcome in a "cold market" environment.

Too often companies will pour thousands of dollars into reaching a cold market and put zero time or energy into connecting with their warm market. If you are going to expend time, energy, and financial resources into growing your business, you will find a much greater return on that investment if you are engaging with your warm market. WIth the current explosion in social media there are many channels for effectively engaging your warm market, html newsletters, blogging, twitter feeds and linked-in networking are just a few. If you would like to learn more, give us a call!