Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on January 16, 2009 under Main | 
1. Develop a marketing network with complimentary businesses. Working with other vendors and linking to each other’s websites is a very useful way to get your name out there. You provide a link on your website - which directs your web visitors to another website - while the sites you have partnered with do the same for you. This will increase your traffic as well as give you a chance to network with people who have similar interests. And, having relevant links on your website to related companies, and links from their site to yours, gives you a higher importance in the eyes of the search engines.
2. Recycle your publicity. Whenever you get a mention in the media, get some extra mileage out of it by recycling it in your advertising. You can use it on your website, as part of your email signature, in your forum signature or even as a jumping off point to get additional media exposure. For example, you could send a copy to a reporter at a different media outlet with notes on how you could offer them a different angle. All of these things will make you look more legitimate and trustworthy to potential customers.
Please Come Back To This Site - Moe Tips To Come
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 26, 2008 under Main |
One way to establish rapport on cold-calls is to match your prospect’s voice qualities - especially the tone and pace. If you normally talk fast but your prospect is a slow talker, slow down and pace yourself. Just be very careful that you are not “mocking” or in any way criticizing your prospect and do not carry it to the extreme. Be friendly, not “cute”.
Begin your call by asking for the prospect by name.
You - “Hello. May I speak to Mr. Smith?”
Prospect - “Yes, this is Mr. Smith”
Then immediately identify yourself and the nature of your call:
“Good Morning Mr. Smith. My name is Mary Jones… (then give your very best “elevator speech)” and begin to ask questions.
Well thought out questions will quickly let you know if you have a real prospect or just a “suspect” and will help you build rapport at the same time.
If the prospect says he is “too busy to talk right now” suggest a later time or date with an option:
“I understand, Mr. Smith. Would this afternoon or tomorrow morning be better for you?”
Plan your call, be concise, polite, and listen carefully.
At the end of your call thank the prospect for his time and schedule follow-up calls as appropriate.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 23, 2008 under Main |
Because small business owners and the self-employed are often wearing many hats, they are very susceptible to feeling overwhelmed or having “burnout”. If this is starting to happen to you, here are some things you can do to overcome it.
- 1. Take care of yourself. If you do not keep yourself physically and mentally fit, you are more prone to burnout. Make sure you exercise, eat right, and get enough sleep. Don’t be too busy to take breaks during which you can have a healthy snack and at least do some stretch exercises or take a short walk.
- 2. Manage your time. Poor time management is often the cause of burnout. Plan your day in order to get the most important tasks done. Checking email or surfing the web may not be priorities! Be punctual for appointments and expect others to do the same.
- 3. Accept that you are not perfect. And neither are other people! Expect to make mistakes and expect others to do the same. Look at them as “learning experiences”. Make changes as necessary and move on
- 4. Welcome change. Explore new ways to do routine tasks, offer new services or products. Look for ways to improve performance, or examine what you do best and make it even better.
- 5. Clarify your communications. Be clear and concise in conveying to others exactly what you expect from them and at the same time let them what they can expect from you. Encourage them to ask questions to clarify your role and their responsibilities.
- 6. Establish realistic expectations for yourself and others. If you see that you’re pushing yourself or your employees too hard, maybe you need to let go of unrealistic expectations. Learn to delegate, shorten your to-do list, and know when to let up on yourself and others.
- 7. Value your time. If you don’t put a value on your time, who will? Learn how to say no.
- 8. Take a relaxing vacation! A vacation should be a time to relax, refresh and replenish your energy and enthusiasm. Even a long weekend away from the office will let you come back with a fresh outlook and perspective. Try to leave you cell phone off and don’t check your emails!
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 22, 2008 under Marketing |
- 13. Host a seminar. This is an inexpensive way to get “pre-qualified” prospects. You can even “joint venture” with someone in a related field to share the costs. Example: a veterinarian and a pet groomer. Be sure to give good quality information, not a 30 minute “sales pitch”.
- 14. Talk is cheap. Word-of-mouth marketing is not only the cheapest thing you can do to increase your business, it’s one of the best. People like to brag about the “great service” they received or the “great product” they bought. The best way to attract referrals is to over-deliver whenever you can. Do more than what you agreed to do or do it faster or better than expected. Impress your clients and they’ll tell everyone they know. And don’t hesitate to ask for referrals. “Who do you know…?”
- 15. Offer a guarantee. “Satisfaction Guaranteed.” “Thirty Day Money Back Offer.” These few words can greatly increase your business and cost you next to nothing.
- 16. Keep in contact. Whether by phone, email, cards, or in person, continually contact your clients. Make use of a service or an automated program if necessary, but the personal touch is best. Ask if there’s anything you can do for them, even if it’s not going to produce immediate income for you.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 21, 2008 under Marketing |
- 9. Join online chat groups or forums. Find ones that relate to your business, and join the discussions. After you are used to the group, you can offer good information and suggestions. It is usually acceptable to identify yourself and even provide a link to your website. But be very careful not to make “sales pitches” - this could get you banned forever.
- 10. Appreciate your best clients. Send thank-you cards, personalized notes or offer to buy lunch. It doesn’t cost a lot, but it’s a great way to let your best customers know they’re appreciated.
- 11. Get on TV. Cable access shows offer a unique opportunity to establish yourself as the local “expert”. You may not be able to advertise a product or service, but it’s a good way to become better-known. For example, if you create websites, you might start an instructional program about how to use the internet. You could give away something or have a contest. When people call or write in, you can start a mailing list and then contact them about your business.
- 12. Get full value from trade shows. If you can not afford a booth yourself, you might be able to find someone who would be glad to share their space with you. You can alternate running the booth and mingling with the attendees.
Even if you do not get a booth, attend anyway. You can learn a lot from visiting the exhibits and might be able to do business with some of the exhibitors. You could even pick up tips from your competition.
After the seminar, absolutely, positively follow up on your leads. Either email or phone every contact. Since you will be one of the very few people who do follow up most people will be receptive to your contact.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 20, 2008 under Main |
- 5. Produce a newsletter. Not only does this help establish you as an expert, but it also provides another very important marketing tool: e-mail addresses of potential clients by using an “opt-in” offering more information about your services.
- 6. Offer free samples. Few people can turn down a free sample. Offer a small job for free to show the potential client the quality of your work and to get them used to working with you.
- 7. Greet clients with style. Voice mail, while less desirable than a live person, is preferable to having your toddler answer the phone no matter how cute he or she is. Most phone companies now offer a wide range of options. You might consider one with several mailboxes so callers can press “1″ to hear more about your services, “2″ for your office hours or location, “3″ for web and e-mail addresses, etc.
- 8. Get in the news. Newspapers are always looking for good “local” stories to print. Contact the business editor or your paper. Explain what you do and why readers might be interested in your business. Best to try the small local papers first rather than large metropolitan ones. Free publicity is great.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 19, 2008 under Marketing |
Use these tips to help you find the customers you need to expand your business.
- 1. Go online to study your competition. Click on your competitors’ sites and find out what they are doing. The internet is a gold mine of information. Use it.
- 2. Focus market. Narrow your target audience to highly qualified prospects. Instead of joining a number of networking groups, choose two or three groups that best suit your business. Think quality, not quantity.
- 3. Create quality marketing tools. Make a list of every item you’re going to need each time you contact a prospective customer or client. At the minimum, this list should include a stationery package, brochures and presentation tools. Even if you can’t afford to print them all at once, at least you will have a coordinated, professional image ready when you need it. Once you have these basics, you should strongly consider a professional looking Web site.
- 4. Network. Consider networking groups like Business Network International (BNI) or a local leads group. You can find them by searching the web. Also consider joining your local chamber of commerce, your industry association, or civic clubs like Rotary or Sertoma. Don’t just join to ask for leads - ask the people you meet what leads they’re looking for. You will reap what you sow.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 17, 2008 under Main |
When you really want to attract new customers on a low budget, here are some inexpensive but effective ways to promote your business.
- 1. Ask your customers to fill out a brief “survey” (which you have prepared) about you and/or your company/service/product. If you just ask them to write a letter of recommendation, most people, even if they agree, will not take the time to do it. Make it easy for them to comply. You can then show these surveys to prospects and post on your website (you DO have a website, right?).
- 2. Volunteer to conduct an educational seminar at your local library or Chamber of Commerce. Make sure your seminar is informative and educational, not a sales pitch. You can distribute informative material with your contact information and make a special offer to the attendees.
- 3. Offer to speak to local civic groups, such as Rotary or Kiwanis. They are always looking for informative speakers. Most of them meet once a week, so they need 50 speakers per year and will usually welcome your offer. Again, don’t make it just a sales pitch!
- 4. Write short articles or letters about your service or product to the editors of local newspapers and business publications. Include contact information and mention your website.
- 5. Ask for introductions to prospective clients from your lawyer, accountant, and other professional friends. This type of introduction is one of the best ways to increase your client base.
- 6. Ask your current clients for the names of three people they know who might be able to use your service. You might even be able to ask for an introduction by phone or in person. Very powerful!
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on under Marketing |
This is the eigth and final post of an 8 part series.
8: Do It!
You now have an effective step by step plan that will help you reach your target market in a well researched and carefully constructed manner.
But your marketing plan should be revisited and revised from time to time. Track results and if something isn’t working, discard or change it.
To help you start your own business we are offering a free copy of
“The Essentials For Starting
A Small Business”
Just insert your first name and email address in the form to the left to download your copy.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 16, 2008 under Marketing |
This is the seventh of an 8 part series.
7: Schedule Your Projects
Once you’ve broken down the steps involved in each marketing activity, determine how much time each step will take and set a deadline to each step. Take small steps if necessary and be ready to adjust to the results.
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 15, 2008 under Marketing |
This is the sixth of an 8 part series.
6: Budget Your Marketing Plan
Often when business slows down the first place business owners cut is the marketing budget. But this should be the last place to make cuts! In fact, the marketing budget should increase in slow times - you need to make potential customers even more aware of your products and services.
A better idea is to look at where you are spending those precious dollars. Track results carefully and use your budget where you will get the best return on your investment. You need to monitor the budget and prioritize
Posted by Internet Marketing Jim on December 14, 2008 under Marketing |
This is the fifth of an 8 part series.
5. Create an Action Plan
This is the essence of your marketing plan. Create a strategy, key messages and a series of specific steps that will help you accomplish your goals.
Consider all available media and then select those that may be best for your specific market. In addition to the usual newspaper, radio, TV, magazine or outdoor advertising consider direct-marketing programs, including postcards, sales letters, fliers, business reply cards, and newsletters. In addition, think about 800 numbers and PR elements such as publicity, events, speaking engagements, sponsorships, opinion polls and the like.
Don’t neglect the power of the internet with pay per click advertising and especially your own website. Online promotional opportunities include blogging, posting articles, or uploading information to a newsgroup or special-interest forum.
Other options to achieve your goals and cut your costs include teaming up with related, non-competing businesses for in-store promotions or cross-promotional outreach.
