Marketing Solver Search Result

Marketing Tool Marketing Tip How To
Smile People do business with people they like. Make it a rule to smile at strangers. A smile can even across by phone or email, so keep grinning.
Networking You can't go to everything, so make sure that you go to ones that will help your business. If you are having trouble with networking, see the Networking For a Difference module in Small Business Solver tools. View
Online portfolio This is very important if you do not have a webpage. This should include biography / history / personal anecdotes / press release / list of services / list of client references with addresses & phone numbers / client list / headshot / reprints of articles about business / reprints of articles you wrote / ad reprints / newsletter / FAQs / pitch letter / premiums
Birthday cards Go out of your way for someone during their special moments, and they will remember it.
Postcards This is different and a cute way to reach out to a local audience.
Copies of Articles you wrote Have these available in a portfolio, online, and send to new customers when relevant.
Copies of industry articles Be helpful. Pass information that is relevant around. It doesn't cost you much, but can build a lot.
Frame awards You worked for them! Why not frame them up and display them in your office?
Record you speech Send it to your audience or post it online to get full exposure.
Lunch meetings Lunch meetings in the middle of the afternoon usually take about 2 hours. They usually are designed around socializing more than strictly business, but are less formal (and expensive) than a dinner.
Breakfast This is a little different compared to lunch and dinner. It is well suited to someone tight on time.
Respond to blog Responding to other people's blogs increases your exposure, places you as an expert, and doesn't have the same time commitment as hosting the blog. The only downside is the blogger can reject your comment and some blogs don't allow comments. Don't come off too negative.
Mentors You never know who your mentor knows. Leverage their contacts and make them one of your fans. If unsure of how to get a mentor or what to do once you have one, check out Get a Mentor and Getting the Most Out of a Mentor modules in the Small Business Solver tool. View
Professional Directories These directories are industry specific and usually are designed for people to find companies who fall within their target market. Use this to get a lead list. You can get listed on one yourself for free, which puts you on the radar as a possible partner for someone else.
Point of purchase Point of purchase is a little bit extra. It costs money to develop the display and could cost money just to be put in a good place in a store. But it can also drive sales.
Sell at other stores Getting other stores to sell your product or service in their store just increases the number of opportunities a customer has to get it. You will probably also be requested to carry their product as well or share part of your profit.
eBay You don't have to sell something to have visibility here. Sell information or a sample for a penny or a dollar.
Catalogue A catalogue can be online or in print showing pictures and pricing of all of the products that you sell. But the pictures and quality is usually higher as this is one of the only contacts that a potential customer has with you.
Brochure - Product based Send to media, customers, past clients, in invoices, vendors, colleagues and potential clients.
Brochure - Modular based A brochure that is easily updated. Make it in a way that if you have changes you will be able to update only that portion. This could be as simple as having a section of seasonal, new things, or specials. Reduce your workload while making things interesting for customers.
Yahoo Store You don't have to sell something to have visibility here. Sell information or a sample for a penny or a dollar.
Alibaba International business to business e-commerce site that is similar to Yahoo Store and eBay.
Employee photos Go beyond just yourself. Show your entire team's personality through a photo shoot. Your customers and your employees will respond positively to this.
Self Introduction This should be about 10 seconds and describe what you do leaving the individual crystal clear. View
Letter to the editor Responding to the editor increases your exposure, places you as an expert, and has a higher chance of being published. Don't come off too negative.
Trade journals Cheaper and easier to get published rather than a newspaper
Phone appointments Quicker and easier than meeting in person, so you are both being sensitive about each other's time. However, it is important to concentrate on the other's tone as you don't have body language to help you understand the other person's true meaning.
Answering service Having someone professional answering your phone when you are in meetings or on the road makes you look like a bigger company and it is a nice human touch for your customer.
Online service tie-in Have additional features online to tie your different promotional pieces together. Or let customers customize things or have additioanl benefits online. This is automated and doesn't take your time.
Lunch & Learns You may even get the lunch and learns to pay you. The best marketing is when you make money at it! Figure out which companies or organizations would be interested in a topic you are an expert on that relates to your business.
Event signs If you have gone out of your way to host an event, you may as well have a supporting sign.
Posters Posters are simple, but get your message out. Plus they can go almost anywhere.
Presentations Practice 5-7 times. It will make the difference and make you appear more professional.
Coupons Coupons entice possible customers to make an action and purchase.
Demos Depending on what you are selling this can be easy and cheap to do, or difficult and expensive. But nothing is as good as showing someone the results of your product or service. View
Rebates Rebates entice possible customers to make an action and purchase.
Prize for a radio station Great way to get on the air. Plus they are happy about it as well, which means that you get even more positive exposure. The trick - figuring out a great prize if your product or service doesn't naturally provide one.
Free present If the customer doesn't see this coming, it is a pleasant surprise and not something easily forgotten.
Dinner Dinner is a strong relationship builder and can often involve spouses. Make sure that you mind your dining etiquette.
Volunteering Your own volunteer work puts you and your business in a great light. It is fantastic networking and lends itself well for people who are naturally shy. Plus you can volunteer for almost anything that you like for results!
Co-sponsored events A single event can be pricy, but if two or more companies sponsor the event you get the same exposure, twice as many people out, and makes it cheaper. Plus you can make it better.
Event An event can be fun to launch or celebrate something with your business. Inviting your customers gets them more involved with your business.
Volunteer staff to work The more staff who volunteer, the more contacts your company makes and the more positive you appear. You could sponsor the charity monetarily as well to really boost the relationship.
Loyalty programs A loyalty program is an added bonus for customers. Just make sure that the program actually rewards them for their business. Ask them if they like it.
Letter of introduction A letter of introduction is an older formality to meet someone through a joint contact or when finding their name. However, doing something in this manner can increase the chance of it working.
Follow-up with old customers Why do you think they don't want to use you again? This is a great opportunity to ask that question and improve what you do. Or maybe they don't need the product/service, but they know someone else who does. Or maybe they just forgot that you were around. View
Thank you party An event is great, but a Thank You Event speaks more to the customers as it is about them rather than your business.
Copies of old ads If you already have it, use it again!
Company History Is there a company legend? Do you have your own corporate story. Tell people about it, tell employees, show your pride.
Online ratings Register yourself in online venues where you can be ranked. A great example is if you were a restaurant, but this is something that is now done for almost every industry.
Market research Learn more about the industry and become an expert.
Media interviews Get yourself out there. Once you are in the media loop a few times, you will start to become the go to person. Just make sure that you say 'yes' everytime you are asked.
Convention speaking Speaking at a convention doesn't require you to gather the crowd, and it is people genuinely interested in the topic that you are an expert in. This is a great opportunity if you can get it, and you don't even have to buy sponsorship or a booth this way!
Thank you for buying card The customer has already purchased from you, but they then get a card! Most companies forget about ensuring that the customer is happy with their purchase, and a thank you card would go a long way in easing any anxiety about the purchase.
Employee sports teams Sports teams are like volunteering and are a great substitute for networking events.
Sponsor sports teams Sports teams are like volunteering and are a great substitute for networking events.
Give referrals Give give give. You will get something back! Think about how much you appreciate referrals and want to return the favour. Why would it be any different when you do them first? View
Write tips Tips and tricks can be written and used in multiple ways including through Twitter, as part of a newspaper article, in a blog, or just as a booklet for customers.
Workbooks Teach your customers how to do things on their own. This creates gratitude.
Testimonials - 1 paragraph Statements from past customers are the best support that you are good at what you do. Paragraphs are great to use in webpages, brochures, and other marketing tools.
Standard proposal template A proposal template will save you time and ensure that you are missing critical details, which will make you appear more professional.
Store decorations Store decorations allow you to throw your own personality into the business and get passerbys to take a second look at your store.
New customer event The customer has already purchased from you, but they then get an event to attend. Most companies forget about ensuring that the customer is happy with their purchase, and an event would go a long way in easing any anxiety about the purchase.
Leads group A group of people who trade leads every single week. This is best if the group has no overlapping services and if they are going for the same or similar target market.
Develop 1000 person fan list Keep track of who keep attending, buying, referring and keep close to them. Possibly reward them, but they'd probably prefer to grab coffee with you rather than get a cheque in the mail.
E-presentations Online presentations are becoming more commonplace and you can now post them on many of the social media sites. Plus if you automate and time the slide changes, you can actually turn this into a video.
Professional portfolio What have you already done? This may even be physical copies.
Email signature You can change this on the bottom of your email when you want. Make it interesting and funny so that people wonder what your next email is going to say. View
Letterhead Letterhead is common in business and can be used on any prints, fax cover sheets, or memos. It is just a standard printed type of paper with the company name, contact information and logo.
Invoices Use every means of communication as a marketing tool! Is there anything coming down the line that you'd like to tell existing customers about? Use the invoice!
Personal letters Personal letters keep the customer interested in you and therefore your business as well.
Telemarketing voicemail plan What is your strategy? Do you call them regularly and keep leaving the same message with no reply? Talk about a different topic that may be of interest to the target customer for each voicemail to see which one will trigger a response. But don't waste your time, a few phone calls may be enough.
Twitter Twitter is becoming more mainstream, but as it does it is connected to other social medias and therefore has more clout. It is for more regular, but short contact than a blog.
Write a column Be a regular in a newspaper. This puts you as an expert.
YouTube YouTube allows you to get personality out there. The challenge is getting people to view your video.
Corporate social responsibility Have a social responsibility mandate and create a strategy to deliver to this. CSR makes employees and customers happy to work with you.
Office An office is a huge expense, but it gives you a place to call the business.
Uniforms Uniforms unify employees, get some extra visiblity, and don't cost that much.
Customer relationship management This sounds more complicated than it is! You need to have a way to keep updated information about your customer base including their birthdays, product preferences, and contact information. This makes you much more effective. View
Giftcards These give your customers more flexibility and people may give them to people who have never heard of you.
Online tv Online TV is growing in popularity and gets more viewers than you'd think. This is a great way to reach out to a niche market.
Online radio Online radio is growing in popularity and gets more viewers than you'd think. This is a great way to reach out to a niche market.
Association membership Joining an association is a great networking opportunity. Plus members often get special treatment and information passed on.
Placemats Placemats are a slightly different take on traditional advertising, but a local restaurant could easily be approached with an idea like this.
Business journals These are easier to get published than a newspaper article and they are easier to target specific people with.
Newsletter article These are easier to get published than a newspaper article and they are easier to target specific people with.
Alummni magazine These people are there to support you. Why not use it?
Next purchase certificate More business is more easily created by getting more from existing customers than bringing new customers on board.
Talk shows The biggest challenge is getting a talk show. Plus the time that is spent doing this is like a full time job, and you need to still focus on the business unless this is an integral part and another revenue stream for you.
Testimonials - 1 liners Quick and easy to remember so that you can tell them to prospects quite readily. They may also make good taglines. View
Create a contest Contests are a great promotion to involve existing clients. Just make sure that you mitigate the customers who lose the contest.
Serving on panels Being on a panel naturally sets you up as an expert. Once you are on one, they will continue to come to you.
Name tags This could be a conversation piece and having a unique nametag helps people remember you at events.
Be a celebrity Be related to something or know as an expert in something.
Announcement card An announcement card is a unique take on traditional direct mail. Just tell people that you are coming or that there is an event. Just make your announcement and don't call for an action. This is all about visibility.
Window displays Change these so that you don't appear boring.
Email Pre-signatures Instead of having a signature at the end of the email - put it up front! Get whatever message you want out there.
Car decals These get the word out in the neighbourhood and are little hassle.
Online videos Online videos are becoming more commonplace and you can now post them on many of the social media sites.
Online coupons Coupons entice possible customers to make an action and purchase. Being online is just another avenue.
Rate sheet A rate sheet should offer may differ levels of both price and service. When to give the customer the rate sheet is another topic. View
Direct response advertising Late night television or radiothons actually work for some products. Don't overlook this.
$1 to charity at register All this takes is to post up name tags in recognition of the gift and donate it to the charity. This can get some PR and a nice thank you from the charity to put in the store.
Money to charity days You need to keep track of your sales that day and donate the component. This is best coupled with advance warning to the press and customers.
Money to charity products This takes more planning with packaging and ongoing maintenance of having a product or service continuously giving to charity. But the fact that it is consistent may be more memorable to customers.
Advertise in yearbooks Year book ads are affordable and can reach a specific demographic.
On-boarding process outlined for new customers What is a customer's first impression of doing business with you? They have already decided to pay you, but if the first few times you have interactions with them and you seem unorganized or unprofessional - there is a pretty big chance that you will lose these customers. Plan how you bring them on board so that they will continue using you.
Newspaper advertising Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
National newpaper articles National newspaper articles are harder to get as you have more people trying to get the same space, so competition is tougher. It is best to start local to get some experience and understand the newspapers.
Magazine adversiting Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Radio Advertising Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
30-second liner This is called your elevator pitch, 30-second commercial, and positioning statement. If you want to know how to make one, find 30-Second Pitch under the Small Business Solver tool. View
Customer feedback forms Show that you value what your customer thinks. Have a feedback form to help you listen and improve. View
Television Advertising Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Billboards Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Transit Ads Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Inside buses Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Classified Ads Popular mainstream advertising avenue.
Events & experiences Create an event which is memorable. Part of this is making sure that the overall experience is good. Think about sights, sounds, touch, smell, and taste. The entire event should resonate with your audience.
Home Shopping Network This works for many types of products and should not be overlooked.
Infomercial This works for many types of products and should not be overlooked.
White paper A white paper is a 10 to 25 page report about some concrete, objective data that is new and interesting to the industry. This establishes credibility and gives your customers and suppliers more respect regarding your work. It could even help to increase your price.
Contact swaps Trade business cards or leads with someone going after the same target market.
Standard contract What are the standard terms and pricing of your product or service? This will save time and give you control of the relationship by having this set up in advance. View
Testimonials - Case Studies This is more than a typical testimonials as it delves into the 'how' of what you did to help them.
Classes Teach your customers to make them trust you and develop a relationship.
Thank you cards Thank you cards are a good practice with every business relationship.
Company email updates What is new with the business? This is good for customers, but even better with suppliers and partners to keep them in the loop. Don't forget them, as they are part of your team.
Reprint past articles Take advantage that you have these. Use them again where possible.
Certifications Certifications usually take a lot of hard work to get there. But in the end you have a higher skill level, more contacts in the field, and can often charge higher rates.
Awards If you win an award, flaunt it. Use it for PR and make sure your customers and employees know about it.
Gifts Is there an opportunity to give your customer something that complements your product or service? This could really thrill them if unexpected.
Parties Have a group of people to your home and entertain them while you sell. This was made popular through Tupperware, Candle, Mary Kay, and other products.
Host meetings Hosting meetings to help others learn or meet people puts you in very positive light. Plus as the host, you are in a position of credibility. The combo is great!
Call display Knowing who is calling you and addressing your customers by their name is great customer service.
Vendor contest Among potential suppliers, have them compete for your business. This is great for a logo or a webpage bid.
Industry email updates Let your customers know what is happening. This is helpful, gets you in touch with them, and you never know when the next order will be. Stay top of mind.
Shopping Bags There have been a few fads using bags. Lulu Lemon started a trend and most grocery stores have branded themselves on these.
Pens Pens are not fashionable, but something that everyone needs. If you are business to business, it is likely that your contact will continue using the pen in odd locations later.
Magnets Premiums help in all types of marketing, but make sure your customer wants or needs the item. This makes it more effective if they use it.
Paper pads Premiums help in all types of marketing, but make sure your customer wants or needs the item. This makes it more effective if they use it.
Stickers Premiums help in all types of marketing, but make sure your customer wants or needs the item. This makes it more effective if they use it.
Buttons Premiums help in all types of marketing, but make sure your customer wants or needs the item. This makes it more effective if they use it.
Tatoos Premiums help in all types of marketing, but make sure your customer wants or needs the item. This makes it more effective if they use it.
Flyers at stores Flyers are easy to hand out and take little time as they are in your store.
20 benefits You don't have to tell everyone you meet all of your 20 benefits. But it is handy to at least think about it and have those up your sleeve. Even having an office that always has candy can be 1 of the 20. View
Proposal covers There are cheaper options to do this that still look extremely professional.
Fax cover sheet These are just professional to have and keep information confidential.
Memos A memo is a cute way to communicate to someone as it is a dated way.
Phone system Make sure that someone picks up and the phone works.
Business card collection bowl Give something for free and start collecting information about people so that you can communicate with them later.
Autoresponders Autoresponders help to make you look professional and caring while you are busy or away from the office.
Board participation Although this takes time, it gives you new and elevated contacts as well as more credibility.
Referral competition Take referrals a step above by letting people know that you REALLY want them within a specified timeframe. This will help generate momentum if done well.
Supplier References This can be more than just your customers. This could be a professional reference, an old employer, or it could be a supplier.
Value statements posted Value statements can be well received by employees and customers.
Social networking: LinkedIn Social media is extremely effective and becoming more versatile as the industry matures. This is one of the best social medias for small businesses as it reaches out to the professional community, has job boards, and has online testimonials in one place. View
Customer appreciation events Customer appreciation events take time, but are much appreciated in return.
Speaker support materials Get them to take something home and hold on to it. And possibly show others!
Newsletters Newsletters can be used to share information in any group that you wish to keep informed. Often newsletters can show your personality.
Booklets Booklets are giving more information away to customers to support their decision, your product or service, or just to educate them on topics of interest.
Instruction Sheets Very helpful, but something that is required by the customer.
Enter a contest Enter and try your best to win a contest to get positive recognition among peers and customers. If possible, strive for some PR with this.
Flyers at networking events This is one step further than a business card.
Guerilla Marketing Marketing under the disguise of not marketing. An example could be someone telling you about a clothing store and telling you that it is good on the street. However, if they don't tell you upfront that they work for the store, that is hidden marketing. In many countries this is illegal. But there are ways to be different which is now called madcap marketing which is legal.
Arts and craft shows, local events Getting out there and getting a booth at various events can give you ton of good local exposure.
Teach at a school Being a teacher at a college or university level will give you credibility that you are an expert.
List of services Why do you actually do? If someone doesn't know, they probably aren't going to do business with you. View
Advertise CSR work Getting it out there that your company is involved with CSR can boast your business brand.
Untraditional holidays Create a company holiday and talk about it. Maybe it is international ice cream day!
Newsletter advertising Newsletters are less expensive than newspapers and go after a very specific target market. It is finding them that can be difficult, but the internet is starting to help with that.
Banners Banners are large posters. This is one step further and bigger which draws attention.
Celebrity Endorsements Depending on who you have selected this can have various impacts on your visibility. The risk is being tied to an individual that you have no control over.
Start a charity If you can't find something to support that matches your values, create something yourself.
Telegrams This is a completely different way to approach customers. This can be through just a personal delivery or involve receiving a song as well.
T-shirts Getting t-shirts for your staff and customers can increase how many people learn about your company, act as a uniform, and make them all feel appreciated.
Baseball hats Getting hats for your staff and customers can increase how many people learn about your company, act as a uniform, and make them all feel appreciated.
Flyers on hydro poles The backs of signs and hydro poles are great avenues to hit the local market. Make sure you aren't litering!
Sign If you have a store front, it is imperative that you have a sign that goes with this.
Flyers on cars Cars at theatres and shopping malls are great targets. Have something that is waterproof, bright, and enticing to pick up so that people actually use it. But not too enticing that someone takes them all.
Standard Presentation Template If you have many employees, this becomes more important for your company.
Envelopes Having a company envelope means that everyone throughout the postal system also has exposure to your company.
Annual thank yous Keeping track of your customers and thanking them after a year of working with them will remind them of you and shock them.
Purchase fundraising tickets If you don't have enought time or money to create a charity or start your own CSR movement, you can help someone else's.
Jokes Buy a book, write them down, practice the delivery. These are great for networking and first impressions.
Carbon Credits Implementing a carbon credit system can be time consuming, but worth it if that is part of the corporate image and values.
Door hangers Little bit different than traditional advertising.
Coffee Cups Little bit different than existing premiums.
Start an association Create an association that makes sense for you if there are none available. That way you can design it and invite the right type of representations.
A Frame An A Frame is a sign that goes outside of your store on the sidewalk. Many businesses change the message or highlight specials.
Testimonials - Phone call Get your customer to call a new potential customer. This really shows how much they believe in you. Why sell when someone else can do it for you?
SMS messaging Although this is similar to spamming or direct mail, it is not as widely used and could still make an impact.
Meme Do you have a cartoon character that best describes you? This could be your logo or just a fun representative for your company.
Calendar Have your customer looking at your calendar every day of the year.
Baked Cookies This is a pleasant surprise to have at the office. Plus it smells great!
Candies This is a pleasant surprise to have at the office.
Book Shocked to hear that someone has written a book. Get your customers to think the same way about you!
DVDs or CDs These are getting cheaper and have a similar result to a book. Plus they are often more helpful to the customer.
Madcap marketing Agressive & humourous & out of the box marketing ideas. This could be a random parade or having people doing a jog with just underwear on.
Customer appreciation presents This is unexpected and would be a nice touch.
Samples This is one step further than a demonstration, where you give the customer a smaller version of what you are selling for them to try themselves.
Crayons & colouring If you have children arriving, how do you keep them entertained?
Display table at any event Why not have a table of your product sitting there for people to view? This just gives you exposure and could result in some sales.
Post-it business cards Using magnets, post-its, and postcards as a business card can make you stick out.
Costumes Go one step beyond a uniform and get costumes for special events to stickk out.
Invitations Invite your customers to something with you via an invitation. This extra step is cute and appreciated.
Magazine subscription Give a related magazine subscription to your customer for a year
Direct fax Fax the company with the name or email of the appropriate person prior to calling. You would be surprised at what gets through and how these may be read more than a spam email.
Sound Carry a recorder with you at all times. See what sounds, quotes, examples, or presentations you end up getting to use later.
Social networking: MySpace Similar to Facebook, but just less popular.
Menus Partner with a local restaurant and get your information out there while the customer is waiting for their food.
Board of Advisors Don't have over 7 people as it will be hard to maintain the tight relationship that you are looking for from them. Make sure that you select this group in a similar way to selecting a mentor (see Get a Mentor module from the Small Business Solver tool).
Daily sayings Keep things interesting in your emails and things you say to people by coming up with a daily quote or new word.
Table tents Partner with a restaurant and get your table tents out there.
Bathroom stalls Partner with a restaurant or sporting facility and get your information there.
Online games Create more interactivity between your customer and your website by adding components that interest them.
Matchbooks This is a premium not used as much, especially with less smokers and the negative tie in. It depends on the type of company.
Paperweights A traditional premium, not used as much.
Fashion shows This takes a lot of planning as it is an event. But it could be done affordably and in a place where there is a lot of exposure. Or there is the option of joining a fashion show arranged by another business.
License plate A license plate is a cute way to get exposure, but only the car behind you sees it. Often people remember it as cute.
Product placements Are there places you'd like your product to be used. Movies are great places to have your product, but there could be other options. Think about where you'd like people to be using it, and see if you can get product placement.
Telethon Create a telethon for a charity or is there a way to do this for you?
Handshake Keep it firm and don't have a limp fish. In most instances it is better to shake a hand harder than do it limply.
Online forwarding to friends Create messages online or use online tools that are easily forwarded and shared among people. View
Lobbying Lobbying is getting people to persuade the government to do certain things. If you are making positive changes, this can be viewed well by your customers.
Strategic alliances Find another company who could add value to what you are already doing. View
Involved in online communities Respond to what someone else says and you don't have to come up with the topic. At least one person will read it and possibly many more based on the following. View
Show your personality There are lots of ways to show your personality. Photos on desk, jokes on the phone, or a funny email signature. Don't be scared to be yourself. View
Social networking: Facebook It is all the rave, but make sure that your target market is also on Facebook or it isn't worth the time commitment.
Sell sheets around product offering Make it easy for your potential to understand what you are selling.
Directories There are tons of free ones out there (although some do charge). The nice thing is you can target your customer geographically and sometimes demographically. View
Webpage There are good and bad websites and you get what you pay for. The most important is to start by asking yourself why you need a website and what it is supposed to do for you. If you can't answer this, you should look at other marketing options for your business. View
Standard Introduction Presentation How do you introduce your company to a new potential customer? A presentation can be online, automated, used during a webinar, or in person. The key is that it delivers a succinct message and generates further interest. View
Nice to meet you cards Keep up with these! Once you meet someone, keep their business card and send them the card within 3 days. This makes a real difference and is extremely memorable.
Voicemail Be happy, don't have background noise, hang up cleanly. These are basic things that most people don't do. And remember to call them back! View
Client list Who are your past clients? How many have you had? Do you have a statistic regarding savings, increased profit, or satisfaction from working with you? Telling future customers about your past customers' experiences reduces their feelings of riskiness working with you.
Warm calling Sending an email or fax to the right person prior to calling them directly is a lot easier than doing a complete cold call. Another way is to get an influencer in the company to recommend you further. View
Referral partners This is different from a referral program as it isn't customers doing this, it is your business colleagues who may have the same target audience. View
Posters on community boards There are lots of places to do this. Probably more than you realize, you just need a bit of tenacity. Coffee shops, local shops, gyms, and community centres are great starting points. View
Job Title Have fun with this. Are you an Idea Promoter? Dream Ambassador? Catalyst? Don't be a consultant, but a coach!
Cross-promotions Be creative. Find a business that is targeting the same customers as you, and package your products or services to increase the value and visibility to your customers.
Theme Look-and-feel of everything that you do should be consistent. Colours are key. If you have chosen red, stick with it as much as you can. Brand it.
Link Exchanges Every webpage strives for search engine optimization (SEO), and link exchanges are one way. Another reason for link exchanges is to tap into another site's visitor base.
Tradeshows There are tradeshows about almost everything. But they are pricy and require the audience to be at the same venue. The potential customers are often looking to buy, which means there is an eager market. Visibility is key, but the fact that you can afford this creates credibility as well. View
Over Dress The old adage is that it is better to overdress than underdress. Wearing a suit in an airport can not only get you upgraded, but it may land you some good connections. First impressions are everything, and what you are wearing is part of that. If you are doing a presentation, make sure that you dress 1 level up from the audience.
Personal Packaging So few people put thought into this, but it adds a world of credibility. Think about the combination of things that you do to make an impression on someone else. What is your hair, tone, body language, facial expresssions, and clothing saying about yourself and your company? View
Personal Anecdotes Practice telling stories. Stories are easier to remember than messages and facts. Plus it proves that you have things to talk about.
Customer surveys Taking surveys from customers to improve means that you are designing your product or service to meet their needs better. So the key is actually doing something about it. Plus they are more interested in what you are doing as they have had a part in it. Make sure that you listen and thank them for the feedback. View
Referral program Ask customers and friends to refer you to other potential customers. Keep track of who does, as they are part of your fan club and you should keep them close. View
Lead list Figure out where you can get a list of possible customers to go after. These are the people that you will approach, look out for, or ask others for. View
Cold calling You need to pick up the phone and call. If you are unsure how best to do this and what to say once you get to the right person, use the Cold Calling module in the Small Business Solver tool. View
Local newspaper article A local newspaper article is usually easier to get as it is a local success story that they can publish which is of interest to the local readers. Starting here makes other publications easier to get into.
Word of mouth Only say you are doing this if you have an active strategy to help push this. This should also be tied into your other marketing tools, by giving them new things to communicate.
Packaging Having a unique package can add visibility, credibility, and likeability to your product or service.
Reservation system Having a reservation system dedicated to regular customers increases their service level and makes them happier.
Flyers This can be a simple piece of paper, business card, or postcard that you hand out on the street, at a tradeshow, or any other high volume location.
Business Name Make sure that it is tied to your business activity & strategy and is memorable. If you want help on this, find Creating Your Business Name module under the Small Business Solver tool. View
Search Engine Optimization SEO used to be something that made a company different, but this is now a common thing for most businessees to be concerned about. Understanding more about this topic can be found in the SEO module in the Small Business Solver tool. View
Cleanliness McDonald's focus was a clean parking lot and bathroom. Look what they could do on that alone.
Merchandising Placing product in an attractive manner, in a unique place, or in a unique way can draw significant attention.
Conversation piece Space your events and your new news so that you continue to be interesting and something for friends, family and others to talk about. That will give you a lot of play in tons of conversations.
FAQs Don't waste time. If the same issue keeps popping up, mitigate this through FAQs. Even better, change the problem so it doesn't happen so that an FAQ isn't even necessary.
Biography Who are you and why should people believe you? Having your core values included here can be extremely impactful as people like working with others with the same values.
Order forms Use every piece of communication as marketing. Is this the right colour, is this a chance to upsell the customer to a package? Don't have too many options, but think about what the message is with your order form.
Networking event sponsorship This can be as simple as a door prize. The key is developing the relationship with the leadership of the group and get the visibilty of the entire group.
Promotional kit This should include testimonials, proposals, project work, case studies. This is a place where you have resources to send to potential prospects based on almost any concern them have.
Pictures of customers Pictures speak a thousand words.
Eye Contact Maintaining eye contact with someone that you are speaking to, either one-on-one or to an audience, makes them feel more connected to you.
Open House Let people come to see where you work. This gives them an opportunity to meet other customers, synergies may develop, and everyone will be talking about you!
Office Displays What is in your office? Having something to look at in your office will help visitors spend their time pleasantly if waiting, plus what you have there can say a lot about your company's culture.
Entry Door signs A basic sign is necessary in a physical location to let everyone know where you are. Otherwise, you may as well work out of your house!
Pay per click (PPC) One of the most popular PPC tools is Google Adwords. You only pay when a potential customer clicks on the link to your page, and you can ensure that your ad is only on pages targeting your specific target audience.
Mailing list This is not direct mail. This is keep a mailing list of your existing and past clients to follow-up with them via snail mail. Many of the larger companies use this to differentiate themselves.
Guarantee 100% Some think that this is a bold statement, but it reduces risk and you'll be surprised at how few people take you up on this. If lots do - you might have to change your product or service.
Tagline 5 words or less should describe what you do. Be careful about the tagline being versatile for any business. You want it to be about you.
Direct email Keep in front of your customers. Make sure you ask permission and have an out clause in every email.
Blog Blogs are a common way for people to turn themselves into an expert. Plus they are simple to put up and easy to maintain.
Upgrades & special treatments Giving upgrades and special treatment beyond what the customer was expecting is a great way to do business. It increases the chance of them returning and telling others.
Use People's Names Not everyone has a perfect membory to be able to do this. But one trick to help you is to say the name a few times when you are first introduced. Another is to ask for the spelling if it is a new name to you, as you may remember it better if written out. View
Public speaking Public speaking gives you a position of authority. Plus there are tons of opportunities for associations, events, and company meetings.
Client references Offer the email address and phone numbers of past clients who are willing to give a reference on your behalf.
Coffee Giving time to a customer is important to develop a relationship.
Loyal customer shopping days Creating special events and treatment for regular customers keeps them happy and more likely to tell others.
Attend seminars Going to seminars is a good opportunity to learn and meet others interested in the same topic. Don't forget a nametag or your business cards.
Webinars This is a quick way to communicate to people internationally. There is a whole suite of software to enable having a webinar seamlessly.
Craig's List Posting an ad here can have mixed results depending on the topic. But you can target people by geographical lcoation and the product or service they are looking for.
Logo A logo is part of your brand and is the standard image that is associated with your company.
Annual memberships Giving options and allowing your best customers the options to tie themselves into your product or service is often a good idea.
Search Engine Advertising Search engines have many different levels of advertising with various price points to accomodate large and small businesses.
Business cards There are a lot of tricks to creating good business cards. But the most important thing is to have one. View
Phone book advertising Phone book advertising is primarly focused on a geographical area. This is a good medium as people are specifically searching for a type of business when searching the White Pages.
Price discounts Having promotions helps to make customers feel as though they have found a deal. This reduces any negative feelings about a purchase.
Press kit This should include photocopies of articles, awards, brochures, photographs, fact sheet, bio, FAQs, samples, invitation, and few ideas about a topic
1800 numbers 1800 numbers just make it easier for a customer to reach you. Make sure that the phone is picked up within a reasonable timeframe.
Donate your product Donating your product generates a good story, the charity or nonprofit will also mention the donation, and it is less expensive as the value to the charity is higher than the cost to you.
Coupon Books Advertising in coupon books helps get your name out there, and little revenue is lost.
PO Box With so much being viral, this is not always noticed. But having a PO Box rather than a home address can have benefits in terms of security and delivering a more professional image.
Personal photo Make your whole business as personal as possible. People do business with people they like. A picture can be use on a webpage, press release, and all social media.
Same Colours Keep everything consistent and simple.
Online questionaires This helps keep you business interactive and has your customers involved with you.
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