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This slide will help you understand different ways of marketing at a low cost. You will surely gain some relative aspect of using low cost means of marketing and get benefit out of it
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2. Too many small-business owners think marketing is like a trip
to the dentist something you just gotta do every six months or
so.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
3. But when marketing is continuous and targeted rather than
occasional and shotgun, business gets easier. If prospects have a
positive view of your wares and reputationbefore you call or before
they start shopping, you're that much closer to nailing a
sale.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
4. The next news flash is that ongoing marketing isn't tied to a
price tag. It's defined only by putting the right message in front
of the right person at the right time.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
5. Here are 10 ideas for doing that on the cheap.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
6. 1. Take steps to make
these rush-rush, get-the-lowest-price times. "Even with a Web-based
business, good customer service is possible," says Denise McMillan,
co-owner of Plush Creations (www.plushcreations.com), an online
retailer of handcrafted travel bags. McMillan encloses a small,
rose-scented sachet in every jewelry and lingerie bag she sells and
also sends a handwritten thank-you note. "The sachet and note cost
pennies but add something
special to the purchase," she says.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
7. 2. Create business cards that prospects keep
Most business cards are tossed within hours of a meeting. Instead
of having your card tossed, create one that recipients actually
will use say, a good-looking notepad with your contact info and
tagline on every page. "The business card notepad is referred to
almost daily, kept for 30 days or so and carries a high remembrance
factor," says Elliott Black, a Northbrook, Ill., marketing
consultant who specializes in small businesses.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
8. 3. Stop servicing break-even customers
If this idea makes you gasp, think harder. You're falling for the
fallacy of increasing sales instead of boosting profits. If you
stop marketing to unprofitable customers, you have more time and
resources for customers who actually grow your business. "More than
likely, 20% of your customer base is contributing 150% to 200% of
total annualized profit (TAP); 70% is breaking even; and 10% is
costing you 50% to 100% of TAP," says Atlanta marketing consultant
Michael King. Take a detailed look at your customer profitability
data and then direct premium services and marketing to customers
who count. (Microsoft Outlook 2010 with Business Contact Manager
can help you analyze customer histories.)
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
9. 4. Develop an electronic mailing list and send old- fashioned
letters
Most businesses have harnessed the power of e-newsletters and you
definitely should be sending out one, too. It's very
cost-effective. Just make sure the letter delivers something
customers want to read, whether an analysis of recent events in
your field, premium offers or a sweetener personalized for the
recipient. "This mailing has to have value to those that read it,
so it reflects the value of what you offer," says Leslie Ungar, an
executive coach in Akron, Ohio. "Remember, the best way to sell is
to tell. "The process is simplified by creating a letter template
and envelope or customer label mailing list in Microsoft Office
Word, which you can print out. The mailing list is easily created
in Excel and then imported into Word.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
10. 5. Boost your profile at trade shows and conferences
You can quickly create signage, glossy postcards with your contact
information, product news inserts or an event mini Web site all
with Microsoft Office Publisher. Check out its versatile
features.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
11. 6. Combine business with pleasure and charity
Pear head an event,
party or conference for a cause you care about. That puts you in
the position of getting to know lots of people, and shows off your
small business leadership skills. "I host an annual baseball game
where I take hundreds of clients to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field,"
says Kate Koziol, who owns a public relations agency in Chicago.
"Last year, I took 300 people and we raised $10,000 for a local
children's hospital. Few people turn down a game and it's a great
networking opportunity for guests. It lets me reconnect with
current clients and impress potential clients."
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
12. 7. Create a destination
Bookstore chain Barnes & Noble has its coffee bars. Furnishings
giant Ikea offers child-care centers and cafeterias. Why? So
customers gravitate to the stores to enjoy an experience, to hang
out for a while. Sunday morning at Barnes & Noble becomes a
pleasant weekend routine, rather than a shopping errand. Steal this
idea. This tip isn't limited to offline destinations, either.
Lipeset up a Web site for Games by James www.gamesbyjames.biz a
retailer of board games, and quickly attracted customers via
pay-per-click ads. "The effect was overnight," says Lipe.
"Traditionally in the marketing world, it takes weeks or even
months to generate acceptable awareness and traffic. Here we saw
traffic spike overnight."
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
13. 8. Become an online expert
This is the "free sample" approach to bringing in business.
Research active e-mail discussion lists and online bulletin boards
that are relevant to your business and audience. Join several and
start posting expert advice to solve problems or answer questions.
You may need to keep this up for a bit. But the rewards come back
in paying clients and referrals. "E-mail discussion lists have been
my single largest source of clients over the last eight years,"
says Shel Horowitz, a small-business marketing consultant based in
Northampton, Mass.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
14. 9. Court local media
Editorial features convey more credibility with prospective clients
than paid advertising does. To get coverage from the local media,
whether from the town newspaper, from TV or radio stations, or from
trade journals, you need a fresh, timely story. It's usually
worthwhile to hire an experienced publicist to position the
stories, target appropriate media representative and write and send
press releases. Usually, you can work on a short-term or
contingency basis.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
15. 10. Finally, don't let customers simply slip away
Make an effort to reel them back in. It costs a lot less to retain
a disgruntled or inactive customer than to acquire a new one. If
you haven't heard from a customer in awhile, send a personalized
e-mail (you can automate this process), inquiring whether all is
well. For a customer who suffered a bad experience, pick up the
phone, acknowledging the unpleasantness and ask if there's anything
you can do. A discount can't hurt either. Being kind to customers
is the smartest low-cost marketing you can do.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])
16. THANK YOU
If you like the slideshow please leave a comment and watch out for
more.
Created by : Subhasish Sen ([email protected])