Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Edwards on February 3, 2009 at 10:42am

If you want to use the web. I would suggest starting an organizing blog/website with tips and tricks. Use websites like twitter, face-book, my space, and linked-in to connect with potential, and current customers.

If you have a limited budget, I personally think spending money on advertising (alibi, TV, radio, newspapers) is not a good return on investment. Take the money you would spend on the ad.. lets say $250 to $500, and throw a party/event. Give the "money" (advertising dollars) back to your customers directly.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Martin Stark on February 3, 2009 at 11:52am

Agreed on the thing about paid media. Don't buy the rep telling you "Oh, you can just run one spot a week" or some such thing; that kind of advertising requires a lot of frequency to be effective.

Something else you might try on a limited budget: Direct mail.

Permalink Reply by Taj on March 30, 2009 at 1:55pm

I recently tried this event vs. advertising thing and there was almost no response. I was a huge waste of time and money. My business was too new to draw people in for the event despite sending out over 100 invitations and making endless phone calls. 9 people showed. However, perhaps your network is larger and more participative.

I like the idea of the blog and connecting via internet. An event once you have begun to grow your client base may be helpful.

Permalink Reply by Sarahjmd on February 17, 2009 at 10:34pm

I have 25 years in print media and marketing before my present job. I must agree with these guys about print for any new business. Don't waste your money.

A web presence is a must, but get 'em to see what you are about really quickly or they will bounce right off of you.
Don't make anyone read too much or you have lost them again. Use short and sweet testimonials if you have them, but also be as visual as you can be.

Permalink Reply by Reid Givens on March 13, 2009 at 1:41am

Two things to bring up, some thoughts and a little self promotion.... please excuse the latter, but I think it's relevant.

As I'm sure everyone will agree, there is no silver bullet that is going to work every time. Every market is different. I will agree with the group but also defend traditional media because it does still work, but as mentioned above, it requires frequency. Advertising in the Alibi is not necessarily a waste of money, it works for some people, and it is pretty cheap. What is really important is that no matter what you try, you have to be able to track it. If you don't know how people find out about you, you won't know what to continue to do and what to stop doing, like the Alibi ad. Publish a different phone number, or send them to a different url, or even tell them to ask for a specific person when they call so you know where they came from. Without this you're flying in the dark.

Your collateral will have a lot to do with how many people respond to them as well. Remember to always explain the benefit of the service first. Purchases are emotional decisions, all of them, so make sure you appeal to that side of people. Talk more about what they will get out of your services instead of just your services.

Lastly, I also agree whole heartedly with the postings so far, the web is very powerful. It can also be expensive. Our company has developed a product to make it simple, fast and cheap to get going online for small business to get a start on their web presence. You can get more info at http://www.halogen-sites.com. This service is very do-it-yourself so you don't incur a lot of expenses from retaining a web guy as you test different ideas and strategies online. Additionally, we (the developers) are marketers and technologists that focus on getting businesses to succeed, and we will be there to answer questions and give advice, most often without charging for it. Anyway, that's enough self promotion for now, take a look and I hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Mark Truman on March 14, 2009 at 5:38pm

I would recommend getting started with a Wordpress blog. They are shockingly flexible and you can get one up and running for only $50-$100. Once you get blogging, your content can form the basis of people finding you.

I would recommend the book Duct Tape Marketing for some general thoughts on Marketing. It helped me understand what it takes to build a marketing system!

Permalink Reply by Jamie Diaz on March 25, 2009 at 7:00pm

I wrote an SEO marketing article for an online craft site that has great tips, and most online marketing doesn't cost much if at all if you do it right. :) Better yet, the whole article is how you can do it yourself and avoid the paid services. I can link you, if you want.

Permalink Reply by GUY FLEMING on June 12, 2009 at 10:31am

Referral marketing is one of the most effective techniques for creating steady streams of prospects and clients.
Anyone who has been in business for any length of time has learned to appreciate the value of getting referrals due to these important reasons:
Referral-generated customers are the most cost-efficient, profitable, and the most loyal source of new business you could ever dream of acquiring.
Referral-generated customers buy quicker, negotiate less, buy larger quantities, and refer more business to you. you can easily set up referral systems that are fool-proof strategies for progressing your profits upward . You can find at least one (but preferably 5 or more) easy to use referral systems that will each generate a 5%, 10%, 20% (or more) increase in customers, sales, and profits for you.it work for me in my avis car rental business
http://www.linkedin.com/in/guyflemming

Permalink Reply by Melissa Briggs on October 27, 2009 at 11:04am

The first rule of marketing is knowing your target audience. Rather than trying to boil the ocean, identify your ideal customer(s) - who are they, what's their income range, age, etc. Once you have identified your customer(s), develop a plan to market to them in ways that resonate - you'll design marketing activities that appeal to the demographics you've defined - ie; if your target audience primarily reads the WSJ instead of the Alibi - your ads are probably going to waste. You may identify more than one group which requires more than one plan. A well though out plan will have multiple approaches and will include a number of vehicles (social media tools, print, events, special offers etc) to appeal to that group.

Today a web presence is vital - even if only to provide the most basic information. I agree with Guy that referral customers are gold in any industry.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melissabriggs

Permalink Reply by Sphere Printing on November 3, 2009 at 2:34pm

I'm curious to know what you ended up doing? Did your marketing worked?