| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Business Cards that Make Them CALL
How would you use business cards for gift certificates? I asked at the beginning of this chapter "How many business cards do you need?" and answered that you only need one. Even though this is true when you are trying to form business relationships, it is not true when it comes to promoting your business. Promotion can come in many forms, but using business cards to represent a gift certificate will make it easier for your potential customer not to lose it. You can issue gift certificates for a two-for-one dinner, a discount when coming into your store, or for time at the driving range. Whatever it is that you decide to use it for, you will find that usage will climb considerably if they are in a format that can be readily tucked into a wallet. When you go to most grocery stores or retail stores, they sell gift certificates in the form of "credit cards". This allows them to swipe at the register when a purchase is made and to have the amount left loaded on the card. This is a very expensive method for most small businesses. You can use the same principle, but in paper format. Business cards can range in thickness from paper-thin to fairly heavy stock. The heavier the stock, the more likely the card will not be lost. I once helped a small grocery store promote their business and gain new customers in their neighborhood by having "gift certificates" for a free jug of milk. We decided on a jug because most people do not purchase just a quart if they have a family. This promotion drew in almost all the neighborhood and the store gained new customers through the attention. You do not need to give away the farm, or in this case the cow, you just need to use a format that will work for you. Once a customer is in your store, then you can start working on the business relationship. Your gift certificate, invitation, announcement, etc., should also contain your web information. Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Grow Your Business By Getting Your Customers Buying From You More Often - 35 Ideas 35 Ideas to Spark Your Creativity:There are 3 ways to grow any business. Just 3:- Get more customers- Get more from each sale- Sell to each customer more frequently. 8 BIG Benefits To Selling Big Ticket Items Ok, before we get down to the benefits of selling Big Ticket Items, we had better define what a Big Ticket Item is.A Big Ticket Item is any product or service that sells for more than $500 or $1000. Voice Mail Can Be Your Buddy Voice Mail is a classy name for "answer Machine".Problem is, people at home had answer machineslong before most businesses. What the Heck is a Campaign and Why Do I Need to Do One? Many people ask me, "What is a postcard campaign, exactly?" "And why do I need one?" As I have been educating my clients one on one for years now, I suddenly had the bright idea that I needed to explain this for more than just one at a time and in further detail. So here goes?Campaigns for marketing are, in a nutshell, a series of repeat mailings that are strategically planned so that there is maximum benefit (more new customers) for your business. Successful Surveys: 10 Tips for Better Results Why would you use an email or online survey when you could simply call your clients and customers and ask for their input?Lots of reasons.- standardization- easy to get large numbers of responses- easy to tabulate, analyze- easy (and often fun) for your clients and customers- inexpensive- non-intrusive- time-efficient (for you, and for your clients and customers)- protect your customers' anonymity (if important)- professional- no "cold calls"- no answering machines!And have you figured out how long it would take to have 100 fifteen-minute conversations instead? (I don't have to do the math to know that it's WAY too long!)So in this article, I'm going to talk surveys. Keeping your Business Card visible Famous quotes that keep you thinking.Have you ever listened to a speaker and they say something that you want to make note of and use later? More than likely, you will write it down and then file it away, never to be uttered again. Five Joint Venture Marketing Skills A Small Business Owner Must Have Joint venture marketing is a lucrative way of leveraging the assets of two or more businesses. It is the fastest way for businesses to achieve certain business goals and benefit their clients at the same time. Marketing From Both Sides Of The Ball In the world of business, marketing is often conveyed as a game. It is not uncommon to hear or read of a company "playing the marketing game" or "establishing a marketing game plan". 4 Ways to Get a Prospects Attention Fast Can you remember the last dozen advertising messages beamed at you today? Can you remember even one of them? Most people can't.This illustrates a major obstacle you need to overcome before you can successfully promote your product or service. 5 Reasons Your Marketing Communication is Falling Flat One of my associates sent me a promotional email she'd received. "I know this marketing communication doesn't work," she told me, "but why doesn't this make me want to buy?" I took a look, and what I saw was familiar and sad. Does Your Marketing Pass This 10-Point Test? Good marketing, whatever form it takes, always meets certain criteria. That's what makes it good. Reach Thousands of Your Prospects, Absolutely Free I'm big on getting maximum marketing exposure at the lowest cost possible. After all, most small business owners don't have huge marketing budgets, so finding inexpensive ways to market is a necessity. Writing Business Newsletters: Avoid the "Me, Me, Me" Mistake Effective customer newsletters find the right mix of promotional and 'real' content to maximize readership.It's that time of year when the old college roommate sends 'round his or her annual holiday newsletter. Build A Successful Business By Staying Connected Over the course of your business life you'll come in contact with a number of other business people. They could be lawyers, business services, suppliers, customers, etc. 3 High-Impact Fixes For Your Marketing Woes How many times has your competitor gotten one over on you? The feeling of being left behind just eats away, until you do something about. The problem is that we often feel that we've got to come up with some grand plan in order to get our business skyrocketing again. Non Products Exist in this World "Both the market and the distributive channel are often more crucial than the product. Products are within the business as the accountants define it. Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits! The greatest asset to your business is your Customer, specifically, your Customer Lifetime Value.In my many years in Sales and Marketing, I've met many CEOs and business owners who don't have much clue as to what Customer Lifetime Value is, much less its importance and the impact it has on their bottomline. Six Essential Principles for Marketing to Women Business Owners Marketing to women entrepreneurs is not difficult. You just have to follow six easy, but essential, principles. Five Tips to Make Your Marketing More Creative Same old same old just doesn't sell anymore. To make your marketing stand out, you need to get creative. Where to Find Cheap Brochure Printing Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a trade show handout, a data sheet, or another application, brochures can be a great promotional tool. They can be very expensive or surprisingly affordable, depending on your needs and where you look.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
