Ideas for Marketing Your Business

8/14/2019 Ideas for Marketing Your Business

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Marketing & Promotion Ideas By John Johnson Page 1 of 7

Ideas for Marketing Your Business and Yourself:

1. Before beginning with the ideas, remember the following:

a. Your purpose is to gain customers and it’s your Goal is to make a profit. The reasoning is, “If you gain enough customers and you have the right products, and you know how to promoteand sell them, you will make a profit”. This is why they should be treated as two separatethings.

b. Do you have a business plan for the week, month, year? Most don’t have a plan and with noplan its tough to measure your results. Plan activities for each peak season, holiday, event,etc you can to maximize your future marketing efforts & resources.

c. You are selling you as well as your products. Brand yourself – Do you have a logo you wantpeople to recognize? Perhaps a company slogan? A distinctive store look? A specific way of doing things that only you do? These are things to think about as this defines your brand.

d. Do employees buy into your ideas? This is often, but not always important. They are theones supporting your plan. Make sure they understand it and the objective of it.

e. Do you have the right people? Would you buy from them? Is their attitude right for the job?

f. Plan your work, be patient, and work your plan. Evaluate your work and plan again. Keepgood notes & records to help future planning.

2. Word of mouth

a. Good people create word of mouth. Find staff or hone your skills probe to identify mutuallyaccepted benefits of our service, features or accessories.

b. Be the expert, keep informed, learn new things, try new things, and make a conscious effortto improve yourself and your stores value. By doing this, word of mouth spreads like wildfire.Keep in mind, bad experiences spread like raging wildfire.

3. Elevator Speech

a. An elevator pitch can be delivered in the time it takes to go from Ground floor to top floor. You need this for use when at trade shows or when someone asks “What do you sell?”

b. Let it be short and insightful information that will pique their interest and engage them.

4. Business Cards (General networking)

a. Have a nice business card which speaks for you. The trick is to give them a reason toremember your name/store location when you hand it to them. I’m not telling you to say

“Here ya go, John Johnson’s the name and cell phones are the game”; just try to make itmemorable and positive. Perhaps try, “Here’s my card, again I’m John Johnson. Let me

know if I can help you with your wireless needs. My office isn’t far from here, stop in.” b. Whenever you leave your office, try to hand out 5 cards to 5 people you never met or want

to network with. Make them get to know you, why you’re the right choice for them, and thatyou honestly have a genuine interest in their needs.

c. Remember, you don’t have to have just one business card. Have one for each thing youspecialize in.




5. Yellow Pages

a. A listing under each appropriate category is best but not necessary. If you have a webaddress be sure to list it here also.

b. An added bonus of a yellow page listing is this is often what is submitted to search engineson the internet to identify your business and category.

6. Flyers

a. Newspaper Inserts (also known as drop inserts)

b. Pizza Box Flyers - Inexpensive

c. Doughnut box / Bagels Flyers – Network with a bakery to put them on their boxes/bags.

d. Hand delivered Flyers/brochures. Introduce yourself & business offerings personally.

7. Open Houses

a. Regular “Open House” – General opportunity to stop in an learn more.

b. Customer Appreciation - Something special for existing customers. Helps retention.

c. Event initiated ideas:

i. Anniversary Sale

ii. New product line

iii. New Towers, New Locations

iv. Goodwill “Food shelf or Blood mobile”

v. Remodel or Location move

8. Fairs, Trade Shows - (Be sure to go to these with a plan in mind. Engage with many people.)

a. County Fairs, Commerce and Industry Shows, Builders Shows, Electronics Shows, Expo’s, etc.b. These are not always where sales are made but where they are created. You can’t harvest

the crop before you plant the seeds!!

c. Don’t have an existing trade show, perhaps create or sponsor your own show.

9. Thank You Cards

a. Thank you for your: new line of service, great conversation about mobile email, interest inadded coverage. You can thank someone even though you may not currently be able toservice their needs. These markets you for future services, build loyalty, and referrals.

b. IMPORTANT: If you get someone’s business card, send them a thank you. It lets them knowyou appreciated them taking the time to introduce themselves. This is networking at its best.

10. Take Me Stations

a. Having Brochures; sales collateral at appropriate places. Gas Stations, restaurants, etc. Besure to stamp or label the so they have your phone #, address, etc.

11. Publications

a. Newspaper

i. Either in Print or don’t forget “Online” banner ads on a newspaper website.




b. Coffer Shop Newsletters

i. People often sit down and relax with something to read. Advertise in one by having a “How To Column” or “Ask the Expert:”. It’s a way for them to gain content for theirpublication and you to gain customers.

c. Real Estate welcome packets / Chamber of Commerce Relocation Guides

i. When someone buys a house, what does a realtor or a chamber of commerce hand orsend the person to welcome them to the community.

12. Your own “In Store Flyer”

a. Be the expert. Have a bi-weekly or monthly newsletter discussing your new products youcarry and how they could benefit them.

13. Radio

a. Commercials (Both Branding and with specific offers)

b. Radio “Call In Q&A” again…you prove to them that you are the expert.

14. Great Signage

a. How well do others find you? Are your signs easy to read? Nothing compares to a well madeprofessional sign.

b. Road Signs. You know the ones with removable letters that are yellow or white and light up?

i. The main trick with these is to change the message at least every two weeks. If itdoesn’t change, why keep looking at it… they already know what it says.

c. Vinyl Graphics are fairly inexpensive. Consider a sign/banner which matches your store sign.Use this for trade shows/fairs.

d. Window Signage – Attractive Signage, posters, or Vinyl Graphics.

e. Sidewalk Chalk – If you have foot traffic in front of your store, you will love this one. Itsabout $3.00 per month and washes off easy.

f. Window Chalk/Window Marker – Find someone who’s artistic and have them write your bestoffer/Event on your stores window.

15. Sponsor an event

a. Get your name out by sponsoring a Golf, Chamber of commerce, Jaycees, Lions Club, softballteam, Fishing Contest, or similar group events.

16. Merchandising

a. Does your merchandise sell itself?

b. Is it attractive to look at, inviting, all pegs filled?

c. Is it Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Christmas, etc? It’s an opportunity to be able to targetcustomers who are in the market for gifts or just want to capitalize on sales.

17. Cinema Advertising

a. Keep in mind they are a captive audience, bored, and looking for entertainment. Have the adfun, festive, and perhaps with trivia that people will talk about. Example … “Did you know:




It’s said that the World Text Messaging Champion makes $1,500 for demonstrating their skillsat exhibitions.”

b. Since the same ads are often up for more than 30 days, these are often Branding Ads sinceyou cannot change quickly for a weekend special. Keep them general about the value youbring and why they should buy from you.

18. Google

a. Do you have a Google Business listing? Go to maps.google.com and click on search forbusinesses. Do you find yourself? If not you should go to www.google.com/local/add/ theGoogle business Center. Sign yourself up for an account and create a listing. This is whereyou define who you are, what you offer, store hours, your website, address, phone numberetc and deliver it to the world of Google. You may need to be at your store phone when youdo this as Google calls you to confirm your listing and you must enter a confirmation code.

b. Also, while in maps.google.com. When you search for a business you will see it says “Reviews”. Similar to eBay feedback, customers can rate you and your quality of sales/service.

c. It may not make sense for everyone but don’t forget about Google Adsense. Pay per click.

19. Road Shows

a. Sometimes people can’t get out of their businesses/work. Instead you have to go to them. Advertise and promoted them within the location your going to perhaps with intercompanymemo’s, posters in lunchrooms, etc

20. Coffee Promo’s

a. Offer to buy regular coffee at a local restaurant for specific hours. Just ask the location tohand them a brochure saying “Today’s coffee compliments of Jiffy Wireless”

21. Website

a. This is where you can point people to a page that describes all of what you do, Why you’rethe best, what differentiates you from others you compete with.

b. Store hours, maps, contact information, and pictures are often important things others arelooking for when they seek your site.

c. My Tips on websites:

i. Use images with small files sizes as they load quicker,

ii. find a domain name that’s memorable and quick to type. Would you rather go typewww.cornerstonewireless.com or www.yourcornerstonewirelesseastgrandforks.com?Keep in mind it’s also part of your email address usually.

iii. You can have multiple domain names and have them point to one main site.www.cornerstonewireless.com or www.cswireless.com can both point to the samepage.

iv. In the first page of the website, quickly layout what you do and then offer links tospecifics. Don’t do overkill.




22. Blogs

a. Now days, the blog is getting important. These started out as web logs or diaries. Now theyare logs of what you have to offer, press releases, training, recruiting, etc.

b. One of the benefits of many blogging sites like www.blogger.com is that people can have anRSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed from the site. This allows them to have a link to your sitefrom Yahoo.com, Google.com or one of other many RSS Feed readers. It’s just like openingup your Sunday Paper. They just subscribe to the RSS Feed and it shows the latest entries tothe blog.

23. Social Networking

a. Face Book or MySpace- Allows others the ability to interact with you in a modern way. Shareinteractions, opinions, pictures, products. Even the politicians have a Facebook.

b. LinkedIn – Some think of this for finding jobs, but it’s not just for that. This is the webscenter of referrals and connections. Who do you know who works at X company that mayhelp to add credibility to you getting into company Y.

24. Physical Networkinga. BNI – Business Networking Intl. www.bni.com/

b. Chamber of Commerce –

c. Toastmasters - www.toastmasters.org/

d. Jaycees - www.usjaycees.org/

e. Church – From choir to leadership, lots of networking here.

f. Community – Even being active in city council keeps people aware of you and your business.

i. High School Sports- Being an active supporter or your local high school sports teameither through sponsorship or rooting them on.

ii. Host a Christmas Party or Easter Egg Hunt

25. Cable TV

a. It’s been successful for some people since they are able to target specific audiences.

26. Press Releases:

a. Submit a press release to your local papers, radio, etc when a special event has occurred.Specific events planned, unique products, awards won, etc.

b. What’s the worst that could happen; they choose not to print it?

c. Examples:

i. 15th Year in Cellular

ii. Annual Award / Scholarships

iii. Letter to the Editor

iv. Publish an Article of expertise on a product you sell.

27. Other things:

a. Grocery Store Receipt Coupons




i. Inexpensive, often run for about 3-4 months.

ii. You need to have an exciting offer that has value.

iii. Great for targeting local people.

b. Restaurant Menus

c. Restaurant Place settings/paper tray liners.

d. Vehicle Graphics “Remember to always use your same logo”. Brand yourself.

e. Peel and stick magnets – Put your business cards on the magnetic business cards. Give themto your top customers.

f. Digital Reader Board Signs – often expensive but worth it. Keep the ad copy short. Theyonly have a few seconds to read it.

g. Billboards- Best used in conjunction with other advertising. Billboards help brand you. Someare up for a year before you can change them so keep them very basic to be safe.

h. Bathroom Advertising – Gives a captive audience something to read.

i. Bumper Stickers – Have a catchy slogan, this is a fun way to spread your brand.

j. T-Shirts, Jackets, Hat’s – Be sure the logo and words are visible from at least 20 ft away. Useyour brand and logo on this as well, you need to own your brand.

k. Bill stuffers, etc. – If you’re paying for the postage or labor to stuff it, what is one more pieceof paper. Put the invoice in and perhaps a company newsletter or brochure.

l. Greeting Cards- A handwritten personalized note goes a long way here. Don’t just sign it.

m. Buttons – Place a picture, your Slogan or website on it & wear it. They are cheap!

Other Thoughts:

• You are selling Value. If they don’t see value they won’t buy it.

• Think of Farming; decide what to grow, fertilize, plant, let it grow, harvest the crops. If theharvest was good, keep doing it. If it wasn’t successful ask yourself why, fix it and keep trying tillyou reap the rewards.

• Don’t be just “Ok” at what you do. Always work to be better, learn more than your competition.Never stop learning or seeking to improve.

• Always seek new ways to advertise and promote yourself.

• Identify what you are good at, great at, the area leader of and where you can improve. Giveyourself monthly checkups for improvement.

• Know you must change. Don’t get too comfortable, the world is always changing around you.

• Share your knowledge with others you work with. Don’t be the single expert at your store. If you are, you will not have time to learn other things you may enjoy more.

• The purpose of a business is to serve others needs. By serving them, you earn the right to earna wage, a profit and the privilege of their future business.

• Resolve issues quickly. If you don’t they may become bad PR issues and the cost of overcomingit may be very expensive and time consuming.




• Stay in touch with people. This is part of your networking duties. You never know when thatperson may switch jobs, move, or meet someone who could use your skills or product.

Quotes: Hey, even I love a good quote. Something to inspire me and keep me focused on beingbetter, something to tell me that all of my hard work will lead to something.

• The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fitshim and sells itself. Peter Drucker

• There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from thechairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. Sam Walton

• To do a common thing uncommonly well brings success. Henry J. Heinz

• I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way. – Lee Iaccoca

• I would rather earn 1% off a 100 people's efforts than 100% of my own efforts. -

John D. Rockefeller

•

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. -Peter F. Drucker• I use not only all the brains I have but all that I can borrow. - Woodrow Wilson

• It's not my job to motivate players. They bring extraordinary motivation to our program. It's my job not to de-motivate them. Lou Holtz 1937-, American Football Coach

• Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated. - Lou Holtz

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Ideas for Marketing Your Business