|
|
|
Business Stationery, Part 2
In the first lesson, we learned how to create a Letterhead. In this article, we will learn to create other stationery items using our template.
Making Compliment Slips:
In Microsoft Word, click on 'new' from the toolbar. A new file...
Focus and Fear of Success - The Biggest Monkey on Your Back?
If you have been on the internet for awhile, you know that there are millions of people trying anything and everything to get your attention. They want in your wallet. It's a great big money grab out there folks, and the net has become the...
SuperCharged Secret 4, Credit Card Utopia
YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I’LL BUY SOME MORE BEER!
Let’s just take a brief moment to recap:
If you’ve been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 3 very...
Ten Business Reasons Why Asking for Help Works
When you are in charge of a team, or a business, it is easy to fall into the trap of being invincible. Asking for help is something that's easy to do - yet, to the uninitiated, it feels like a weakening position. But there are a number of reasons...
The Importance of Timely Timesheets
Whether you are a small consultancy firm, a medium sized accountancy practice, or a code warrior for hire in a back room of your house then you have at least one thing in common: you are in business to get paid quickly, and for the work you have...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 steps to promote your small business
Ten steps to promote your small business
Are you a small business or start up? Do you sometimes feel invisible? Here are ten low cost marketing ideas guaranteed to boost your profile.
1) Word of mouth is the most cost-effective, powerful form of promotion. Write a list of 50 people you know but don’t see regularly – relatives, friends, ex-colleagues etc. Send each of them a friendly email or postcard to let them know what you’re up to. Ask them for feedback, advice or contacts of anyone who might be interested in hearing about your business. Don’t be shy! People love to help. For practical tips on promoting your small business visit Guerrilla Marketing
2) Networking may seem intimidating but there are ways to make it less scary. Don’t feel you have to sell, sell, sell - the number one rule of networking is to listen. It’s about building relationships - go to a networking event looking for opportunities to help others. Ask questions, gather information, offer contacts and advice – people will remember you for it. Networking PLUS is Business Link’s popular monthly speed-networking event – for details visit the events section on the Business Link website.
3) Business cards need to stand out from the crowd. Get a new batch printed on unusual material – textured card, plastic, wood – or make it an unusual shape. Offer a business tip or special offer on the back. Include your photo on the card – this makes it more personal, easier to remember you and harder to throw away! For excellent free tips on killer business cards see Card Sharks on the Lean Marketing website.
4) The internet is an amazing market place to promote your business – but it’s easy to feel lost or insignificant. Join specialist forums and exchange links with complimentary websites. To reach a targeted audience, join Affinity Trading Network – an active online network for small businesses. You get a full web profile about you and your business, and access to the Trading Boards, providing an effective way to increase your online exposure.
5) Newsletters are a great way to build up a following, sign up potential customers and provide people with a regular reminder about your services. Write a simple one page resource of news, advice and latest offers each month. Run a competition or poll. Promote your customers or suppliers. Use it to build your reputation as a useful hub of up-to-date information. Encourage feedback, keep it enjoyable and personal. To help you build a mailing list, create a newsletter and measure results,
look at Mailing Manager
6) Testimonials support your credibility. It’s good practice to ask clients for regular feedback either verbally or in a quick customer satisfaction survey. When you have a happy customer – ask whether you could get a quote from them. Be clear as to how you will use the testimonial – on your website, in your newsletter or letterhead etc. Make sure you accredit the quote explicitly with the name of the client – anonymous testimonials don’t hold much punch. After all, testimonials can also give your clients good publicity.
7) Cold calling can send shivers down your spine! However, it is a highly targeted way to promote your business. Don’t expect to close a deal over the phone – again this is about finding out information as much as selling. Use phone calls as the first step to getting to know your prospective clients better. Don’t make a full pitch but arrange an appointment or ask permission to send on further materials about your business. And remember to speak
s-l-o-w-l-y! For a Cold Calling Crash course to get you over your fears and anxieties, take a look at Do Your Own PR.
8) Referrals are a valuable and inexpensive way to find new clients. It’s not about being pushy, it’s about building long term business relationships based on trust. Start by asking each of your clients or suppliers for three contacts of other people who might like to find out more about your business. You could offer to reciprocate and provide three useful contacts in return. Make it a regular habit to give referrals as well as ask for them. For an effective referral marketing system, visit 1quickreferral
9) Press releases must be targeted. There is little point sending round a generic press release to hundreds of newspapers. Start by focusing on five publications ideal for your target market. Read back editions thoroughly – understand what kind of stories they like to publish and the style of language they use. Find a relevant news hook and tailor your press release specifically for each publication. The first paragraph is key and must provide the who, what, where, when and why of your story. For excellent tips on writing press releases visit Bizhelp24 .
10) Patience and persistence are the most important tools to promote your small businesses! If you try each of the strategies above and build them into a regular marketing plan, you will certainly boost your profile, without a doubt!
About the Author
Jo Hill is the Director of Affinity Trading Network
|
|
|
|
|
| United States Small Business Administration |
| An electronic gateway of procurement information for and about small businesses. Search engine for contracting officers, marketing tool for small firms, ... |
| www.sba.gov |
|
| SBA |
| The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle. ... |
| www.sba.gov |
|
| Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
| Find Small Business plans, advice, tutorials about organization, corporations, entrepreneurship, and smallbusiness. |
| www.smallbusiness.com |
|
| Yahoo! Small Business: Domain Names, Web Hosting, E-commerce ... |
| Yahoo! Small Business provides products and services that enable you to establish and grow your business on the Internet. Services include domain name ... |
| smallbusiness.yahoo.com |
|
| Small business advice business start up small business finance ... |
| business start up small business finance start up advice. |
| www.smallbusiness.co.uk |
|
| Smallbusiness.gov.au redirect to business.gov.au |
| Business Entry Point - Helping small business in big ways. An Australian Government initiative. The content from this website has now been consolidated into ... |
| www.smallbusiness.gov.au |
|
| Business & Small Business |
| Online and print small business publication. Information to help start, grow or manage a small business. |
| www.entrepreneur.com |
|
| Microsoft Small Business Center |
| Your home for information about Microsoft's small-business products and services, tailored business advice, technology tools, and more. |
| www.microsoft.com |
|
| The Small Business Advisor - advice for starting and operating a ... |
| Advice and assistance for starting and operating a small or home based business. |
| www.isquare.com |
|
| SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" |
| A nonprofit association dedicated to encouraging the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide through counseling and mentor programs. |
| www.score.org |
|
| Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource |
| IR-2006-2, January 3, 2006 - Temporary and proposed regulations will significantly reduce tax filing burden for nearly 950000 small business owners. ... |
| www.irs.gov |
|
| Welcome to Small Business BC your business resource in British ... |
| BC Business Services offers assistance and resources for those running or starting a business in British Columbia and Vancouver. |
| www.smallbusinessbc.ca |
|
| Small Business Service | Home |
| Provides information and advice to help small businesses realise their potential. |
| www.sbs.gov.uk |
|
| NSW Small Business |
| A site developed by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development for small businesses. Topics include management, resources, current issues and ... |
| www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au |
|
| Business Management & Advice: Small Business Resources & Information |
| Looking for business management and advice? Our website includes small business resources and information that can help you. Visit the small business ... |
| www.businessweek.com |
|
| Small Business Lawyer, Attorney, Law, Legal Help - FindLaw for ... |
| Information and legal sites relevant to small business. |
| smallbusiness.findlaw.com |
|
| Small Business Funding Opportunities (SBIR and STTR) |
| Links to Small Business Funding Opportunities and SBIR / STTR Applications. |
| grants.nih.gov |
|
| Microsoft bCentral Small Business Directory |
| Directory categorized by industry with company business card feature. |
| sbd.bcentral.com |
|
| Our site has moved! Please update your bookmarks! |
| Facilitates the sharing and exchange of information among small business development centers, the small business administration and other business-oriented ... |
| sbdcnet.utsa.edu |
|
| Small Business Development Corporation |
| Our business information services provides guidance to improve business skills and knowledge on advice on starting, buying, selling and expanding a small ... |
| www.sbdc.com.au |
|
|