|
Small Business Articles from Make-it-Fly®
 Maximize
Your Marketing for Less
By Victoria Munro
Printable version
In a down
economy, marketing is more important than ever.
If marketing funds are low (and even if they’re
not), you can benefit from the creative low or no-cost
marketing ideas below.
| Connect with Your
Clients |
 |
Design
a consistent ‘client touch’ program
to keep your name and your company’s name
in front of current and past clients. |
|
Develop
a survey to discover needs clients may have that
you’re not aware of. You may find you can
easily create new products/services to meet those
needs. |
|
Read
the ebook There’s
a Goldmine in Your Backyard. |
| Review
Your Networking Activities |
|
Consider
what your ROI has been for each of your regular
networking activities. Invest your time, energy
and dollars in the most productive events. |
|
Take
steps to sharpen your networking skills. |
|
Find
a leads group where the members share your values,
or start your own group. |
| Make
the Most of the Internet |
|
Make
sure your website is optimized so that the clients
you really want will find you. |
|
Plan
to invest time and energy in social networking on
a regular basis. |
| Get
Your Name Out There as an Expert |
|
Be
a guest on radio talk shows. |
|
Write
articles on your area of expertise for trade or
professional publications. |
|
Offer
free or paid classes, workshops or teleseminars. |
|
Write
regular press releases on a newsworthy aspect of
your business. |
| Host
a Special Event |
|
Hold
an open house, throw a Raving Fan Party, invite
clients to a customer appreciation evening, or organize
a charitable fundraising event. |
| Create
Win-Win Alliances |
|
Form
alliances with other non-competing business owners
who share your values and serve your target clients.
Meet regularly to discuss ways to help each other. |
|
Co-market,
give referrals to each other and sponsor joint events. |
| Employ
the Power of Many Minds |
|
Join
a Make-it-Fly® Advisory
Board, mastermind group, or invite several friends
and colleagues to brainstorm creative marketing
possibilities for your business.
Ask them to come up with as many solutions as
possible; let the ideas flow freely. No matter
how inappropriate a suggestion may sound, don’t
judge or respond—that crazy suggestion might
be the one that sparks a million-dollar solution. |
It’s vital to keep marketing
in a slow economy. Choose and start to implement
one or two of the ideas above this week.
(469 words)
© 2005-2008 Victoria Munro.
Click here
for printable version.
About the Author: Victoria Munro is
co-founder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly®
LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for
small-business owners through creatively designed programs
and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different
businesses. To receive FREE business success articles
with tips to help you with your business, sign up for
their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,”
at: www.Make-it-Fly.com,
and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get
More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics
& Tips.
You’re welcome to “reprint”
this article in your ezine, print publication
or on your website, as long as it remains complete and
unaltered (including the “about the author”
info at the end). Please send a copy of your reprint
to info@make-it-fly.com.
|
