| |
| |
|
Advertising Information - YourOnlineClassifieds.com - Home |
|
|
|
How Do People Know Youre in Business?
One of the most important things to do now that you've started a business is to TELL THE WORLD! But HOW? It can be very expensive and time consuming if not done properly. Here's some inexpensive publicity and marketing ideas to help you get recognition for your new venture. You've picked a great name for your company, made a list of your potential clients, incorporated your business and you're ready to go. What next? Well, you need to find as many ways as possible to tell people you're in business, and why they should do business with you! One of the first things to do is to get business cards printed up and carry them wherever you go. Hand them out to everyone you know. It always amazes me how many people forget to give their cards to friends and family. Even if you "think" your family knows what you do - you might be surprised to find out how little they really do know. Besides, they may have a friend who needs exactly what you offer, and it's much more professional for them to offer a business card than a scrap of paper with your name and number scrawled on it. Make sure your cards are professionally printed and have no spelling mistakes. This may be the first impression someone has of your business - make it a great impression - because you won't get a second chance to do it better. Make sure your cards have as many to contact you as possible: snail mail, fax, phone, email, pager, etc. Give people as many options as you can. Make sure your card also clearly states what you do - if you just have your name and phone number on your card it's likely to be tossed in the garbage. I make sure I give away AT LEAST 5 business cards a day. People ask, "Who can you possibly give 5 business cards to?" How about: leaving one on the tray when I leave my payment and tip for the waitress in a restaurant, giving it to the receptionist when I sign in at the dentist/doctor/vet, go to meet with my child's teacher at school, chat with another parent at the swimming pool watching our kids swimming, someone I meet in the checkout line at the grocery store, etc, etc. If you want to grow you business quickly this is one way to start! Send out press releases to your local paper - these are free and many times the paper may phone for a follow up interview. Have press kits ready when you're asked for them. Remember a press release needs to sound like a news story, NOT an advertisement for your business. If you're not familiar with how to write one there are lots of articles online to help you. First impressions are so important - did you know that you only have 15 seconds to capture someone's attention when they see your advertising in a newspaper or magazine? Yes, 15 short seconds - not long to make a good impression is it? But you know what? It takes even less than that to make a bad impression. So, how to make the most of your 15 seconds in the spotlight - and win customers at the same time? Make sure that any print ads REALLY do a terrific job for you - get feedback from people you trust. Just because you think something looks good, doesn't mean it will sell your product. Test the ad in the paper one week, make a change to it and put it in the paper the next week (on the same day of the week) and see which ad gets the most response for you. Always test your ads this way. You're wasting money if you don't. Create advertising that has the following traits - well designed (get help if you need it), is truthful (don't stretch the truth either) and tells the customer the benefits to them if they buy and lastly requests an action - something like - "call now to order", "order today, supply limited". First impressions count when meeting in person even more! Every person in business should have a 15 second "script" explaining what you do ready to tell a prospective client at anytime. I know some people say that it sounds too rehearsed to be "ready" - I say it sounds like you're prepared to do business. I'd rather do business with someone who is prepared, than someone who is still fumbling around trying to figure out what they're supposed to be doing. An example of a 15 second script might be: "Hi my name is Sally Jones and I am a communications specialist who helps ensure your technology hardware all speaks the same language, so that when your computer tells the printer to print it will!" If you met Sally Jones, heard her introduction and got her card, you would likely remember her because she explained what she did very clearly, but also in a unique way. Not many computer technicians would explain their jobs this way. Find a unique way to explain what you do. Imagine you step into an elevator and right in front of you is the MOST IMPORTANT POTENTIAL CLIENT you could ever imagine and it's JUST THE TWO OF YOU. You have 20 floors (about 15 seconds) to make an impression! What would YOU say?? Does everything that leaves your office have your company name and/or web address on it? It should! That includes your vehicle, stationery, delivery driver's t-shirts, etc - everything! Every day will provide you with opportunities to tell people about your business - don't miss them! Don't be afraid to ask for a cross-promotional opportunity. Team up with other businesses to make your profile larger, and your business will grow much faster. Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website - http://www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What Makes A Winning Online Ad? Most people who have been involved with sales & marketing for any length of time have heard the axiom, "Sell them what they want. Then sell them what they need". 6 Ways To Get More Sales From Your Advertisement To bring great sales success, a great advertising technique is not the only parameter. You must know what it is that your customers are actually buying. Placemat Ad Advertising Starting a placemat ad business can create more business for you; free advertising and income all while helping other local small businesses advertise their business all at a reasonable price.This is an idea not new by any means, but it can prove to be very profitable to you if done right. Is Your Advertising... Sexy? Ever hear the term 'sexy' advertising? It's not necessarily what you think. Sure, some people's idea of sexy advertising is hot babes in bikinis spraying beer all over each other, but that's overtly sexual and not what we're about to discuss here. Classified Ads That Get Results Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full color display ad has, but they are still one of the most economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And, because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new entrepreneurs. Mobile Detailers; Customer Window Displays Mobile detailers have all types of customers, many of whom are self-employed. We know that these customers love their automobiles as most Americans and therefore love the services we provide. Organizing Business Cards for Effective Contact Management Now that you've had colorful new business cards printed, and have been distributing them diligently, what do you do with the cards you collect from other people?If you're like most people, you have a stack of rubber-banded cards floating around you desk. Or you have been using them as bookmarks, toothpicks, and used gum wrappers and they are all over your office, car, wallet and purse?Without a good filing system, the information on those cards is useless. 7 Unique Ways To Get FREE Advertising 1. Give Testimonials When you purchase a product or service and it exceeds your expectations e-mail the business a testimonial. 10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations I am always amazed when I hear about companies who spend tens of thousands of dollars organizing a make-it-or-break-it company event designed to celebrate a company milestone and/or impress prospective customers. Sometimes these events have big contracts or sales at stake! Yet, often planners will fall short on the most critical aspect of planning the event-the invitations! After all, before a client steps foot into your venue, or even confirms attendance, the invitation sets the tone and leaves the first and most important (and lasting!) impression!Have a look at this compelling list of "10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations". What Is Most Important - Copy Or Pic? When, some little time ago now, I first descended upon the advertising scene, we were a good deal more concerned than most people seem to be today about the nature of the business we found ourselves in. We were always holding debates - in the saloon bar of the Coach & Horses in New Bond Street, to be tiresomely precise - about the meaning of advertising, the significance of advertising, and the past, present and future of advertising. Measure the Response of Your Advertising Campaigns by Using Promotional Products For most companies, gone are the days of spending money just for the pleasure of seeing their name on TV or the Internet.Most companies today are forced to insist on results. Do Your Business Cards Say Who You REALLY Are? Here are a couple of tips for creating an eye catching card:Use some color - not too much - just enough to grab someone's attention and make them want to read the card.Use a font that's easy to readDon't fill the whole card with type - it looks crowded and people don't read it allConsider using a fold-over card - I have found these to be extremely effective for a number of reasons:a) If a handful of business cards are dropped on a desk only the fold over cards stand up above the restb) The fold over card is still unique - not many people use themc) I use mine as a mini brochure - inside it tells about my qualifications, services I offer and skills I have, the front has my name, phone #'s, email address, URL and postal addressAnother popular addition is your photo - this makes you seem more approachable and friendly (if your business is one where you deal directly with the public I suggest you consider adding a photo)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------How to make sure your cards are really working for you?Have a goal to give away AT LEAST 5 CARDS A DAY to build your network:Leave one with a tip for a waitressWhen you "check in" at the doctor or dentist reception desk don't spell your name - give your cardCarry them in your pocket when you walk the dog and hand one out to people you stop and chat withMake sure all your children's friends parents know what you do and have your cardAsk someone else for their card and give them yours (you can build your mailing list and get some exposure at the same time)Enclose your card with each bill you payEach time you buy something (even at the drugstore) leave your card and say something simple like "I design Internet websites if you have any questions about how you can make money on the Internet please call me"Put the cards on community bulletin boardsWhen you attend trade shows drop your card in EVERY box - yes you will get put on lots of mailing lists, but you'll also receive some business too - you'd be surprisedGive a card to the gas station attendant, grocery store clerk, video store worker, hostess at a restaurant when you give your name for a seat reservationIf you overhear a conversation about your industry say "I'm sorry but I couldn't help overhear part of your conversation if you ever need more information on the topic, here's my card"Offer to speak at your school's career day and give each student a card - they do have parents who may need what you have to offerLeave some cards with your stationery store manager - very often they get requests from small business people for different kinds of help - if you leave your cards you'll be first on the list to be calledIf you ever go anywhere there is entertainment leave your card with the entertainer - and tell them how much you've enjoyed their performanceWhile some of the ideas above may seem "silly" you won't know until you try if they'll work for you - and all of the people listed above may not want what you're offering BUT they all have family, friends and co-workers who just might. When Times Get Tough... or When to Really Advertise The Pundits say the economy is slowly, but surely, recovering. Maybe not at the rate of the mid-90s stock boom, but recovering nonetheless. Advertising Agency In Boston: Tips and Tricks The big news on Wall Street last year was the initial public offering of Internet search engine Google. If you were a visitor from another planet, you might be asking yourself, What big, sophisticated, high-technology company is behind the success of Google? Could it be IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Oracle, SAP, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Dell, Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Philips or Siemens? Of course not. The Seven Second Race: How to Draw Attention Your Ad You've decided to launch your advertising campaign but you have no idea what would inspire others to buy from you. Or maybe you've already run some ads to no avail. Using Flyers to Advertise Your Online Business Using flyers is one commonly overlooked method of advertising offline. Flyers are extremely easy to create. What's the Score? You may be aware that in a basketball game the assistant coaches keep an almost unending list of personal statistics for each player. Rebounds, assists, points, minutes played, etc. What Does Your Business Card Say? Business cards are the most underutilized andmisunderstood marketing tool in business. Manypeople spend the bucks for cards and don't make aneffort to get them into the hands of those who canhire them or buy from them. 7 Tips for Better Ads The content of advertising is basically the sameno matter what the media. It is good and it works,or it is bad. Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell? We're surrounded by advertisements that desperately compete for our attention. Everywhere we look, we find ourselves inevitably drawn to images of scantily clad attractive men and women that are supposed to somehow inspire us to purchase products they endorse.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
youronlineclassifieds.com - home | site map
üClick Here to Earn - an ongoing, monthly residual income - a very SUBSTANTIAL monthly income - even if you don't have a website! |
| © 2006 |
