Free Small Business Marketing, Advertising Ideas, Tips And Tricks

1. Know Who Your Customers Are:

a. Describe the person most likely to want or need your product.

b. Why should they want to buy your product?

c. When you know the motivation, you can target the product to the correct customer base.

d. You can't sell a product until it is defined and positioned.

Note: A pharmaceutical company shelved a cold medicine because they couldn't correct the drowsiness it produced. Someone renamed it NyQuil and sold it as a bedtime cold medicine. It became the largest selling cold medicine on the market. Just because your product is good doesn't mean it will sell. It must be positioned correctly. That's what marketing does.

2. Promote With Postcards:

a. The U.S. Postal Service is proposing slight increases for mailing letters and postcards—but leaving first-class "Forever" stamps at their present 49 cents.

Under a filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission, letters to international destinations would rise from $1.15 to $1.20. Postcards would rise from 34 cents to 35 cents.

The increases being proposed if passed would become effective on April 26,2015.

b. Postcards convey a sense of urgency to the customer. They may not read your letter but they will turn your postcard over. (You have 3 seconds to get your message across. The average time people look at an ad.)

c. Postcards will keep your mailing list clean (Address Correction Requested), First class returned and corrected free of charge by the Post Office. (Bulk Mail letter corrections will have additional charges. Check with the Post Office).

d. With a postcard, your message is out in the open. Other potential customers will see it too, not just the person it's addressed to.

3. Create A Survey:

a. Mail a survey to customers to find what motivates them to buy.

b. Where do they work? What magazines do they read? Age Group?

c. This information will tell you where and how to reach your targets.

d. Offer a gift or discount for completing the survey.

4. Use A Two-Step Approach:

a. Offer complimentary business related information to potential customers.

Step 1: Offer a free "fact sheet" to customers that shows your expertise.

Step 2: Add these customers to your mailing list and mail to them often.

5. Say "Happy Birthday":

a. Mail greeting cards to your customers (dates from your survey #3).

b. Include a coupon or special offer or tell them about your product that they should give themselves as a gift.

6. Team Up With Another Business:

a. Share advertising costs with another company.

b. Sharing costs makes high-quality printing and larger ads affordable.

c. Can your product be teamed with another product? (Motor Oil packaged with your new funnel invention.)

7. Be Consistent And Committed:

a. Research shows a message must be repeated to be remembered.

b. Send multiple mailers to the same people.

c. If you advertise, do it where you can afford to do it often.

8. Use The Telephone:

a. Test a new idea by phone before you commit to costly promotions.

b. Response from 100 phone calls will be similar to 1,000 pieces of mail.

c. You'll receive faster results, it costs less, and you'll generate greater input and feedback.

9. Raise Your Prices:

a. Has your competition raised their prices? Maybe you should too.

b. Higher prices separate you from the crowd, and implies your product is better, an deserves a premium price. BMW does not compete with Yugos.

c. Be careful in this area. The customer must see the value of the higher price.

10. Promote Trends or Current Events:

a. Can you tie your product or service to the environment, Olympics, World Series?

b. Gain valuable credibility and interest by association with known groups.

11. Add Personality To Your Business:

a. Use photos of you and/or your staff in your promotional materials.

b. A quote from the person pictured conveys friendliness and builds confidence in your company.

c. Responses to seminars and programs are dramatically higher when photos are used.

12. Use Deadlines:

a. Make sure you put a time limit on promotional materials.

b. Watch your expiration dates. (What day does your offer end?

Are you losing an extra weekend of business?)

For More See: Understanding Why Customers Buy

13. Fear Of Not Having Your Product:

a. For products that increase personal security, personal safety or health, fear can be an effective business-boosting tool.

b. If they don't buy your product now, they will miss something. A discount, premium free gift, etc. Fear of loss is more powerful than expectation of gain.

14. Use The Media:

a. Send letters covering topics related to your business to local publications.

b. Connect your product or business to some current event that is making news.

c. Your name and business name will probably be used if your letter is printed.

d. You will be perceived as an expert in your field.

e. You are holding this information because of an Internet site or a local or national promotion.

15. Make Advertising Last:

a. Buy ads that last months, not minutes. 

b. Magnetic signs for car or van. Don't forget the back of your vehicle. Put signs on truck tailgates and rear windows. Most customers don't drive alongside your vehicle and copy down the phone or address. They are more apt to do it at a stop sign.

c. Use clever bumper stickers or T-shirts.

d. If you're printing an expensive color piece, ask the printer to quote the price of his house paper.

e. Design the outside of the brochure to be permanent and the inside for future changes. That way you can print up large quantities (5,000 or more) of the outside only and have the printer keep them on hand. Then as your message changes you only have to print the inside.

f. You will save by doing a large run in the beginning. You will also save by only printing what you need as your company changes. Avoid outdated brochures.

16. Examine Promotional Materials:

a. Make sure business cards, letterheads, brochures and packaging materials are first class. This is not the area to spare expenses.

b. What types of materials is your competition using?

c. If you can't afford 4 color brochures use 2 or 3 color. Use of color increases response by 26%.

d. If you can't afford 2 color... use screens. (See Below)

Note: Screen is another word for shade (darker) or tint (lighter). For example: A florist wants red flowers around the borders of his brochure and black ink for the text. That's two colors. Pink is a 50% tint of red, it is not another color. You can have some pink flowers and some red flowers with little or no additional cost depending on how your printer handles screens. This process will give the appearance of three colors; red, pink, and black. Use gray (a tint of black) and presto, a 4 color brochure (red, pink, gray and black) for a 2 Color price. It looks expensive but isn't.

Source :http://www.smalltownmarketing.com

10 Simple Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

As a small business, you may think it's impossible to get the word out about what you do. That's no excuse. And you don't need fads or gimmicks. Follow the proven, timeless tips and techniques of these entrepreneurs to help get the word out about your business and watch it grow.

1. Give Your Stuff Away

Ari Fleischer and Aly Moler of Frozen Pints have grown their craft beer ice cream business by leaps and bounds by attending craft beer shows and farmers markets to do one thing--give their product away. Once customers taste this unexpected combination (which happens to be delicious) for free, they line up at their local store to buy it or even request that the store carry it.

2. Attend Networking Events

Desiree Scales of Bella Web Design is a master networker.  She attends and presents at almost every event in town. Her contribution to the overall community makes her one of the first people that come to mind when anyone looks for an expert in her area of concentration: small business websites and drip marketing.

3. ...Or, Create Your Own Event

If you don't like the events you are attending, invent your own! Darrah Brustein has created one of the most successful networking events in Atlanta: Atlanta Under 40. The event, which Darrah created to connect with other young entrepreneurs in her city, is now being franchised to other cities.

4. Volunteer to Lead an Organization

The secret to getting the most out of a group or organization is not just to attend but to lead. Take Lisa Calhoun of Write2Market. She served as the president ofEntrepreneurs' Organization, allowing her to rub elbows and connect with the brightest minds of the fastest growing companies in the Atlanta market.

5. Start a Podcast

Todd Schnick of Dreamland Interactive is the first person I saw create his own podcast--he interviews other business owners.  People love to tell their story, and by highlighting them on a podcast you make an instant and meaningful connection. It's also a great way to get an education on a topic you are interested in.

6. Be Helpful

Most small business owners struggle to get their finances in line, especially when they move from an Excel spreadsheet to something as sophisticated as QuickBooks. Cathy Iconis of Iconis Group hosts a Quickbook Chat on Twitter every Thursday night at 7:00 EST to answer small business owners' questions--and potentially find some clients.

7. Send a Weekly E-mail

If you want to stay in relationship with your customers, there is nothing simpler than creating a weekly e-mail that provides something of value. Rick Houcek of Soar With Eagles sends one out every Monday that he calls the 2-Minute Monday Motivator. I look forward to getting it every week and often forward his advice to others.

8. Support a Cause

Mary Hester of LAN Systems throws an annual cookout with purpose every Earth Day. Party-goers are encouraged to bring their "e-waste"--old computer monitors and CPUs. At their most recent event they collected more than two tons of IT equipment, keeping it out of the landfills and creating goodwill with their customers, current and potential.

9. Sponsor an Organization

Many local organizations are not that expensive to sponsor for a year if you consider the  so-called per meeting cost. If your product or service is a good fit with their audience, you will get exposure every time the organization sends out an e-mail and a mention every time they meet. Attendees always remember and appreciate companies who sponsor their favorite organizations.

10. Create a Cool Giveaway

When thinking through what your company will  give away make sure it's somethingthey won't want to throw away or easily lose in their desk or bag (think pen).

Source:http://www.inc.com

Successful Small Business Saturday & Beyond

Small Business Saturday is November 29th this year, how are you prepping? Remember it’s not just about the day or the holidays, but also about spreading the word about your business. Use the ten tips below to complement your  strategy; don’t forget to connect with us for our 15 days of small business tips sent daily.

               

1.Create a Strategy: Take a look at your overall goals and then narrow down your goals for small business Saturday. Your plan can be as simple as, “I want to achieve a higher rate of foot traffic. I set a goal of 2x the amount of my normal daily sales amount of ($X) from foot traffic alone. I plan to offer convenience and personalized shopping to incoming customers. I will provide free coffee outside my business, a ready shopper staff member for customers that want holiday suggestions, bundled gift options and free gift wrap with purchase. I will use my email contacts, website, and social media to get the word out.” You then cover what you want to achieve, how you will measure, what your message is, what channels you will use to communicate, and how you will execute your message.

2.Invite: Before thinking about new customers, focus on your existing customers. Get your email invite out to your current subscribers engaging them to shop local at your business on 11/29, if you haven’t already. Remember to format the message for your home page and corresponding social channels. Remind your neighbors about your business. You might find a potential partnership opportunity for a sidewalk sale or in-store event. If you’re feeling ambitious you can help rally support for a street or block wide event! Don’t forget to mention the big day and any special offers to your customers shopping now to create anticipation.

3.Create an Offer or Incentive: If appropriate for you, pull together a special offer or incentive for customers to buy from you on Small Business Saturday. Most importantly, make sure your business can deliver on the offer. A great article on creating a last minute strategy from Constant Contact suggests being very specific for example, offering 15% off all new items, free coffee and cookies for guests while they shop, free gift over a purchase of $50, or free wrapping. If it’s a finite number of a giveaway item, be sure to say for example “for the first 100 shoppers” or “while supplies last.” If it’s a special contest, make sure to have customers fill out an entry form so you can keep in touch in

4.Promote: Three tools to help promote: 1) Constant Contact toolkit contains worksheets for creating a campaign.  2) The American Express Shop Small site has free tools including signage and postcard templates for your business as well as a banner for your website

5.Gather your Resources: Now that you have your offer and/or message, the Shop Small partners also offer many useful and often free resources to help you spread the word. Don’t forget to review the terms of the offers. Great resources from free poster printing with FedEx to free online ads on Yelp as well as Bing (terms apply). Review the offers that are best suited for your goals and business.

6.Reach out to Local Media: Some small business owners not only decide to start or run their business in the same area they live, but also have incredible stories to share – all of which appeal to local media. Try sending a press release to local media with a grabbing tagline for example, “Local Santa Monica Resident Opens Small Shop, But Thinks Big on Small Business Saturday.” Send the story behind how you started your business, how long you’ve lived in the area, any special offers for the day and invite media to interview your customers on the big day. Press release template and guide

7.Bundle: As  shares in her  bundles often solve holiday dilemmas and lend to higher transaction amounts when the right gifts are wrapped together. Consider pre-wrapping products by theme for “him” or “her,” display bundles together, bundle a service and product, pre-wrap gift cards with your catalog or restaurant menu, or consider gift baskets at different price points. More tips from Rhonda’s guide

8.Upsell: In two ways: 1) Increase the present transaction size by asking, “Would you like to add X to your purchase?” or “Did you get a chance to see X? It goes well with Y.” 2) Make it easier for your customers to spend more often by keeping them in the know about your business. It’s as easy as asking at the end of a transaction, “Would you like to be added to our special offers email list? It is sent out X a mo/week/.”If you’re using a tablet in store, make it easy for customers to check a box to be added to your email list or consider offering a small discount on a future purchase if they sign up. Tips on upselling from .

9.Staff: First and foremost, review your projected sales for the holidays and assess whether you can hire seasonal staff. If so, remind your staff that they are part of the shopping small experience, to say “thank you” to customers, and to upsell. If you’re thinking about offering free wrapping or beverages make sure you assign your employees duties on the onset of the big weekend to assure “stations” are always staffed or stocked. Lastly, in the event of unforeseen circumstances, you may want to consider having “on-call” staff members or advising family or friends you may need their help.

10.Review and Follow Up: After the day is over, make a note of some aspects you would improve in the future and ask your staff or customers their thoughts too. This will help not only replicate actions that worked for next year, but also help your ongoing marketing efforts. Did you reach your goal of 2x your normal sales from foot traffic alone? Did your customers enjoy shopping with you and receive value from your offers? Lastly, follow up with a simple “Thank you” email or note showing appreciation for visiting and anticipation for seeing the customer again soon. Consider including shots from the day and/or including one or two upcoming offers in your email or note.

Source:http://smallbizla.org

Tips that will land you a job at a small company

If you’re hoping for a job at a business like the one I cofounded — Of a Kind, where a team of four sells the pieces and tells the stories of emerging designers — then here’s something you should know: The hiring process is very different from that of a company with a massive human resources division. So how do you get yourself noticed and employed? Below are 11 things that will make you stand out.

1. Pitch yourself right out of the gate:

The most frustrating inquiries I get are the ones from people asking how to apply for a job. If a small company is hiring, you better believe everyone working there is basically drowning. If they aren’t hiring right this minute, the inquiries that catch someone’s eye are the ones from people who seem like go-getters, self-starters and all of the other things people claim to be in interviews but so often aren’t. So prove your efficacy here and now: Write a three-paragraphs-at-most email that expresses your interest in any current openings or ones that might exist in the future, what you’d bring to the table and why you think that this biz is such a star. Include a link to your website and/or attach your resume — bonus points if it’s one page.

2. Read up:

Dig into that “Press” tab on a company’s site; Google them; watch videos with the founders. Not only will understanding a company’s goals and motivations give you fodder for an interview when that time comes (fingers crossed!), but it will also help you shape a cover letter and sell yourself.

3. Know who you’re talking to:

Odds are, you aren’t emailing an HR department — you’re reaching out to someone who is your (hopefully) future boss. So don’t you dare kick off a cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Hiring Manager?" Dig up an email address for the person you’re hoping to target. Guess — who cares if you get a bounce-back? — or write to info@company.com and address the person you hope is on the other end.

4.And know how to speak to that person:

Every company has a voice, and, when it comes to small companies, that voice is very likely shaped by the person or people behind it — not a brand manager or copywriter. Emulate this voice in your cover letter and correspondence. But here’s the trick: Going too far down this road can backfire — you can come off as zany, trying-too-hard, or just out-of-sync with the company’s vibe if you don’t totally nail it. So stay professional, and if you fear you might be pushing things too far, well, maybe you are.

5. Don’t go overboard with resume design:

We’ve never been offended by a plain, boring resume — but we have been turned off by ones that go design-y with loud fonts and splashy backdrops and, as a result, convey an aesthetic that doesn’t mesh with ours.

6. Push what you can contribute — not what title you want:

If there’s not a job opening listed and you’re reaching out blindly,position yourself as a Jack/Jill-of-all-trades who’s ready to dive into anything and everything. Then spell out what skills you have that would benefit the company and demonstrate your range. If you’re hoping to be the fifth employee at a company, the crux of your job might be marketing, but you should be prepared to pitch in on all fronts — and you should sell your ability to do so.

7. Don’t say that you’re looking for a new job:

That’s made obvious by the fact that you’re reaching out in the first place! It also makes it sound like you’d accept any gig that seemed better than the one you can’t wait to leave (which, fine, maybe you would — but no one needs to know that). The company you’re approaching wants to feel special — like you can’t imagine working anywhere else. Express that, for you, it’s not about just breaking into an industry or working at a startup but rather that it’s the magic of this very impressive company. Just try to say that in a way that’s not so kiss-ass-y, if possible.

8. Make sure your social media activity is up to snuff:

You most likely don’t need to do a dramatic overhaul here, but you should probably make sure that, no matter where you’re applying, you haven’t put out a dozen negative tweets in a row. While you’re at it, take the opportunity to emphasize what about you makes you such a good fit for the company you’re approaching. Dying to work for a cooking app? Drag that Pinterest board of recipes to the tippy-top of your profile. 

9. Follow up a meeting with a thanks and some genuine feedback:

Yes to a handwritten thank-you card — but yes to a same-day email follow-up as well. Just a nice, short note reflecting on something that was discussed or sharing a quick biz dev thought will do it.

10. Be a super-user:

Demonstrate how hardcore you are by using the crap out of the service. You don’t need to be a super-spender if the company charges for its services, but it’s hard for us to believe that anyone is an Of a Kind diehard if she’s never bought a single thing from our site.

11. Proclaim your affections before you ask about jobs:

You know what’s amazing as a business owner? To get an email from a customer or user who just wants to say he or she appreciates what you’re doing — and asks nothing in return. If you’re utterly obsessed with a company and would dream of someday working there, write to the people behind it and don’t attach your resume. These are things people remember — or that their inboxes remember if they search for your name when you apply for a gig later. At the very least, it’s good karma.

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Source : http://mashable.com

New Year Tips for Your Small Business

To ensure success within the yr., most tiny businesses do not realize that the method begins long before Gregorian calendar month one. Instead, plenty of labor goes into setting your business up for a running begins once the clock strikes twelve. do not wait; begin currently with this list of ten yr. Tips For Your tiny Business.

1. Return Your Professional arrange:

If it's been a moment since you examined this important document, now's the time to urge to that. Review it to make sure it's still aligned along with your current company goals. Modification what wants ever-changing.  

2. Set Your Business Purposes:

New Year's resolutions aren't all concerning losing weight. It’s useful to get out what you would like for your business within the returning twelve months. Be specific, therefore you'll be able to truly live results and see whether or not you accomplished them by year's finish.

3. Build an Upgrades Calendar:

Sit down with a calendar and begin viewing all the vacations or events you would like to create promotions around. This can offer you ample time to arrange your social media updates, blog posts, advertising campaigns, etc.

4. Take into account Your Appointment wants:

If your business is obtaining more and more too busy for you to run with a skeleton crew, begin designing your hiring strategy for 2015. Take into account temps, freelancers, virtual assistants, and part-timers as alternatives to regular staff if your budget is tight.

5. Invest in Expertise:

If you have been adjourning that pc or software system purchase, now's the time to travel ahead with it. You will be a lot of economical, if you have got a pc that does not take associate hour to load. Also, if you would like to scale back your ratable financial gain, you would like to pay cash before 2014 rolls away.

6. Produce a Conference arrange:

Attending conferences and business trade shows are often therefore useful for you as a business owner. Not only are you able to meet others in your field however you also may learn from leading specialists. Do some creating by removal to ascertain what is obtainable to attend in 2015, and place them on your calendar.

7. Valuate your on-line whole:

Google yourself! Is it time for a replacement headshot or web site refresh? What worked for you in terms of promoting this year? This is often an excellent time to tweak your on-line strategy so you determine the tools that helped your business grow, and decrease on those who do not.

8. Get Prepared:

If you are like plenty of business homeowners, your table is untidy, and then is your desktop. Pay some hour’s abandonment and shredding stuff you do not would like and organizing your PC files by year, i.e. Contracts 2015. It’ll create things easier to search out. I guarantee you may feel a lot of along return Gregorian calendar month.

9. Refresh Your Workers' Skills:

If you are doing have workers, now's an amazing time to supply supplementary coaching to refresh their skills or offer them new ones. Perhaps they don't seem to be all exploitation your client relationship management software system. That is the good topic for coaching.

10. Get Cooler:

Your staff is not the sole ones UN agency might learn a lot of. If the top of the year is quiet for you, integrate reading time. Scan business blogs, books, magazines, and anything you'll be able to get your hands on to air high of the trends in your occupational.

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