12 Ways to Market Your Business

By Katharine C. Giovanni

For beginners, the first step in growing your new business is to find the customers. For those of you who are already up and running, the next step (now that you have clients) is that you must continue to generate new business every month, even if you have dozens of clients and no time for marketing! Why? Because there might come a day when the clients are not there, a VERY lean month when the phone doesn't ring. This is not the time to begin marketing . the time to market is now.

Here are some cost-effective tips on where to find clients. Please note that not every tip will work for everyone. It really depends on both the type of service you have and who you are marketing to. Persistence is the key here! Don't give up after only one or two tries because it might take more. Remember that you are selling an intangible service that everyone needs, but none of them think that they need it, so it is up to you to convince them of its value --- and this takes time.

E-mail signature - most email software programs allow you to put an automatic signature at the bottom of your emails. You know . those few lines of contact information at the bottom of an email. People love it when you make information easy to find. In fact, e-mail is such a part of our lives now, that most people are more likely to grab your phone number off your latest e-mail than to dig up your business card. So what should go on your sig file? Your name, title, company name and your company tagline. You should also include your address, phone, cell phone, fax number, e-mail address and your Website address. Now, also consider putting promotional info in your sig file, such as an offer for a free report or product, a free consultation or trial offer, company announcement (new client, new product, award won, etc.), a hyperlink to your latest press release, article, or Web site feature or an invitation to subscribe to your free e-newsletter

Include a return envelope - If you'd really like a response from a personal letter, include a return envelope in it with a live stamp on it. It'll increase your response or it'll drive them nuts.

Post advertising circulars on all the free bulletin boards in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, and beauty and barber shops.

Always acknowledge when something nice is done for you with a thank you letter. No, a call is not the same.

Write articles for magazines and newspapers. Each time your articles are published, you gain credibility and visibility.

Develop a "small town" marketing approach. Send out congratulatory notes for weddings, graduations, and birthdays.

Stand-by space - many publications will give you a contract for "stand-by" space. In this arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they have unsold space, and then at a price that's always one third or less than the regular price for the space you need, insert your ad. Along these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban and neighborhood newspapers.

Headlines - Use headlines on your website, brochure and sales kit. Talk about how customers will benefit from your services, not simply a list about what services your business offers. An excellent way to get attention is to boldly give the 5 or 6 key benefits of your product or service. Put the biggest benefit on top and list off the rest in descending order of importance. The best formula for creating headlines in marketing is "New product offers benefit, benefit, benefit." Use this to create the headline of your press releases and advertisements, for envelope teaser copy, and for the beginning lead of your brochure. For example: How Would You Like To Get: Biggest benefit, Second biggest, Third biggest benefit . You get the idea

Become a guest on as many of the radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs, then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of interest to the listeners or viewers of the program -- perhaps even saving them time or money.

Provide GREAT customer service - this is the key to your success. If you tell people that you are going to give them more time, then you must take it one step further and value their time. Return ALL telephone calls and emails in 24 hours or less. This one thing has done more to grow Triangle Concierge than anything else we've done. Our reputation for fantastic customer service has given us more referrals than anything else.

Proof - nobody wants to be a fool, or get robbed. Before buying anything, everyone wants to know if the money they're paying is worth the product or not? In this case, the proof is in the testimonials from your clients. Nothing works better than word of mouth because people want to know how the other person has benefited from your product.

Have no doubts! Want to know the secret of growing your business? The REAL secret? Change your words. I'm serious, change your words and you will change your life. Don't listen to the negative people who are telling you that your business will fail in today's economy. Turn your back on people who tell you that perhaps you should consider a 9 to 5 job. KNOW that can do this! Have no doubts about it and turn your thoughts to "I am going to succeed!" and "I can do this"

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