| Marketing is about understanding your customers' | | | | me about (your product or service)". |
| needs and putting together and implementing a | | | | Create An Advocate List: Begin to notice the |
| plan that encompasses those needs, how to | | | | people who rave about you. These are your |
| satisfy them and help you build your business. The | | | | advocates! They may be friends, clients, or |
| following represents a comprehensive list of | | | | associates. These people are your best referral |
| affordable marketing ideas for you to use to | | | | resources. Your advocates will send you business |
| better understand customer needs and ways to | | | | simply because they believe in you. Make sure |
| satisfy those needs. They have been compiled | | | | you recognize them as such. Never let more than |
| from various sources and are not listed in any | | | | 30 days go by without staying in touch with each |
| particular order. It's what will work for you that | | | | of your advocates. You can stay in touch with a |
| counts and remember the top 5 "rules" of | | | | phone call, a meeting, e-mailing them, or sending a |
| marketing: | | | | personal note and of course, by sending them |
| - Never let a day pass without engaging in at | | | | business, too! |
| least one marketing activity. | | | | Barter Your Product Or Service: Approach other |
| - Customers buy for their reasons not yours. Find | | | | businesses to trade your product or service for |
| out their reasons to buy what you're selling! | | | | theirs. Or better still, work through a barter |
| - Focus all marketing materials on "what's in it" for | | | | exchange to do the same thing. You'll protect |
| the customer. | | | | your cash flow, generate new customers, get rid |
| - No one has ever found success by doing | | | | of excess inventory and fill in the quiet times on |
| nothing. | | | | your calendar. |
| - Hire a Business Coach | | | | Run A Cross-Promotion With Another Business: |
| Create A Unique Marketing Message: Your Unique | | | | They put your offer on display and you give |
| Marketing Message (or Audio Logo or Elevator | | | | coupons for their products. There are many |
| Speech) is a short, 30-second sound bite that tells | | | | variations of this one. You set up a booth in their |
| people what you do and what makes you unique. | | | | store. You donate your product as a prize for |
| Your Unique Marketing Message should always | | | | their contest. |
| offer benefits. | | | | Use Postcards: Postcards are a cost effective |
| Use Your Photo...Everywhere: People remember | | | | way to stay in touch with prospects, clients and |
| faces, not always names. If you use your photo | | | | referral sources. Develop a theme or character |
| on your business cards, your letterhead and your | | | | that people will recognize over time. Send out (or |
| advertising, you will have a better chance of being | | | | create an e-postcard) postcards with article |
| remembered and people also feel as if they know | | | | quotes, testimonials, opinion surveys, |
| you better. | | | | correspondence, reminders, thank you's, |
| Join A Networking Group - Business networking | | | | announcements, newsletters, or just to say |
| groups work because they cost very little and | | | | "hello." Remember marketing is telling people what |
| everyone is there for the same reason. They are | | | | you do over and over again! |
| usually regular meetings where people exchange | | | | Ask Your Clients For Referrals: You've heard this |
| contacts and referrals. Ask local business people | | | | before a million times but are you doing it? Asking, |
| for suggestions on networking groups in your | | | | "Who do you know that might benefit from my |
| area. | | | | services/product?" is a simple, yet powerful way |
| Have Stories Published About You: Have someone | | | | to meet new prospects. Let your clients know |
| write a story about you and your business (or do | | | | that you are expanding and ask them if they |
| it yourself). Find a newspaper or magazine that is | | | | know of anyone to whom you could offer a |
| willing to publish your story. Having a press kit | | | | sample of your service or product. Remember, |
| helps - so does a unique "angle". | | | | every dollar you don't have to spend on |
| Join Toastmasters - This is a world wide | | | | advertising and promotion goes straight to the |
| organization that has speaking clubs in most cities. | | | | bottom line. |
| Most clubs meet on a weekly basis and the | | | | Publish A Newsletter: Offer valuable information to |
| members practice their public speaking skills in | | | | your readers and your newsletter will be |
| front of their club. You can meet new people, find | | | | appreciated, read and passed along. A newsletter |
| clients, and get referrals from your fellow | | | | establishes you as an expert, allows you to keep |
| members.You also get to practice the speeches | | | | connected with many people and it gives you a |
| that you later give to other groups. | | | | place to share the benefits of working with you. |
| Attend Your High School, College Or University | | | | Use Case Studies: Case studies demonstrate |
| Alumni Events: You will be surprised at how | | | | expertise and happy customers. Well-written case |
| people who attended the same school in different | | | | studies are ideal ways to position you as experts |
| decades will greet you like an old friend. | | | | in dealing with specific kinds of clients or solving |
| Remember the quickest way to build a | | | | certain types of problems - perfect to promote |
| relationship is to find something in common. So | | | | your most profitable work. |
| reminisce about the good old days at your alma | | | | Write To Your Local Paper: Small newspapers |
| mater. | | | | often struggle for decent letters. Get in the habit |
| Believe In Yourself: Confidence is powerful and | | | | of buying the local paper regularly, and write to |
| seductive. Confidenceconveys success. Past, | | | | the editor about issues you genuinely feel |
| present and future. If you want your customers | | | | passionate about. If they are problems your |
| to feel confidence about their success from | | | | business can fix - perfect. |
| buying from you - you need to convey that | | | | Use Online Business Forums: If you sell through |
| confidence. If you are nervous and desperate we | | | | your website, online business forums can be a |
| can tell. We might believe that you can't be any | | | | powerful way to build reputation and drive traffic. |
| good if you are this nervous. I am not talking | | | | Put at least an hour a week aside to read posts |
| about arrogance. Just a calm projected | | | | and reply with relevant comments. Be wary of |
| self-confidence. | | | | spending more time on forums than working on |
| Use The Classified Ads: This is a low-cost way to | | | | your business. |
| advertise on a regular basis. You may want to | | | | Text Message Your Customers: How cool would it |
| offer a free service, article or product to people | | | | be to get a text from your dentist reminding you |
| who contact you. Classifieds are also an easy | | | | about your dental appointment that afternoon? |
| way to promote your web site. | | | | It's so easy and cheap to text customers, every |
| Be Quoted in the Media: Contact the media and | | | | business should be doing it. Use automated SMS |
| tell them your expertise. Tell them that you are | | | | systems to make it easy. Remember to give |
| willing to be a resource if they are ever writing a | | | | customers an easy to opt out of further text |
| story on your special area. Stay in touch with | | | | messages. |
| your contacts at the media offices and in time | | | | Position Yourself As Number One: Carve out your |
| you may get a call for a quote or interview. | | | | unique position. Although there are a number |
| These quotes give you credibility and visibility. | | | | ways to be number one in your market the |
| Make copies of these articles for your promo kit | | | | simplest and most effective is to create your |
| and post them to your website. | | | | niche. Define your market the way you want it - |
| Speak At Local Service Clubs: A great way to | | | | then stake your claim. Domino's Pizza did not claim |
| gain credibility and visibility. Rotary clubs, Kiwanis | | | | to be the best pizza - instead they created their |
| clubs, Lions clubs and Chamber of Commerce | | | | niche - "Fresh hot pizza in 30 minutes or its free". |
| meetings are always looking for speakers. Speak | | | | They created that niche. They are number one in |
| on a subject you are passionate about and that | | | | that market. |
| directly relates to your business. Rehearse, | | | | Say "Thank You" Often, In Writing And Mean It: |
| rehearse and rehearse. Don't forget to offer | | | | This is big. It is such a simple thing to do. We |
| handouts with your phone number, email address | | | | want to be thanked. How do you feel when you |
| and web site so your audience can contact you | | | | are thanked? How do you feel when you |
| later. | | | | expected to be thanked but were not? A verbal |
| Give Away Free Specialty Gifts: Give away free | | | | thank you is nice - but easily forgotten. An e-mail |
| specialty gifts with your business name, logo, | | | | is too cold. The simplest and very powerful way |
| phone number and web site imprinted on them. | | | | to say thank you - is with a hand written note. |
| It's not rocket science but if well executed, it | | | | This one technique alone will make you |
| works. It's another layer of getting your brand in | | | | memorable and solidify your relationships. This |
| front of more people. | | | | technique is so important that I repeat if for you. |
| Give Free or Low Cost Workshops: By offering | | | | Say "thank you" often, in writing and mean it. |
| workshops on topics related to your business, | | | | If you are like most entrepreneurs and small |
| you can develop your message, meet new | | | | business owners you have a limited marketing |
| prospects, position yourself as an expert and | | | | budget. That's where an experienced business |
| attract new clients. Have an evaluation form for | | | | coach can help, working with you to create a |
| participants to fill out after the workshop with a | | | | balanced marketing plan with a series of action |
| place for them to fill out their name, address, | | | | steps that will help you meet your goals and |
| phone number, email address, etc. You may also | | | | without spending a fortune. |
| want to have a check box that says, "Contact | | | | |