When I started my business four years ago, I had enthusiasm
and passion for my work, but a very small marketing budget.
I also lacked a marketing plan for getting my message out
to my target customer. I have learned a lot along the way
and hope to impart what I've learned onto you. Whether you
have just started your small business or are in your tenth
year, there are some simple, affordable ways to keep your
name in front of prospective clients and customers.
News releases. I recommend to clients that they distribute
three to four news releases (better known as press
releases) each year. This gives clients an opportunity to
shout news out to the world about new products, services or
partnerships; key hires; industry awards and
certifications; new locations; events and more. News
releases should be distributed on a timely basis to local
media, trade publications and online. In addition, a
well-crafted news release makes a great direct mail piece
or a nice addition to your sales or media kit. Depending on
whether you do the writing and distribution yourself, costs
are variable. Distribution costs will also vary.
Distribution via e-mail or fax is virtually nothing. Online
distribution varies. Many news distribution sites are free,
but I like to include a contribution to PRWeb.com to
guarantee inclusion in popular search engines.
Online forums and networking sites. As social media
continues to grow, relevant online forums and networking
groups (Linked In, Connexions, Konnects) are a great way to
interact with professionals and prospective clients. By
actively participating in Q&A forums, you expand your
reach. To take full advantage of these free opportunities,
make sure you complete your online bio; include your
contact information and web address; and participate
regularly. Such participation can also help to position you
as an industry expert.
Referral program. About half of my business comes from
client referrals. To let clients know I appreciate their
referrals and to encourage them to keep sending them to me,
I include my referral program in my business agreement. In
exchange for a prospect who does business with me, I offer
the referring client two complimentary hours of writing,
editing or marketing services. Aside from my time, this
costs me nothing and benefits both my clients and my
business.
Newsletter. There are so many affordable e-mail services
these days that sending an e-newsletter to prospective
clients is a no brainer. The service I use costs about $5
per month, and it not only maintains my e-mail lists for
me, but it provides templates and tracks reader stats.
Clients can opt-in, unsubscribe or change their e-mail
address at any time. This is an inexpensive way to stay in
touch with clients and prospects.
The next question, of course, is how and when to implement
the above. I recommend pulling out your calendar and
scheduling time for marketing and business development.
Schedule a news release for each quarter, or at least three
times a year. For online forums and networking sites, set
aside a certain amount of time each week to participate. A
referral program requires a little bit of set-up time and a
notification to clients of the new program, but aside from
that, it doesn't require much time. For your newsletter, I
recommend sending them to clients at regular intervals. If
you can't manage biweekly or monthly, at least put together
a newsletter on a quarterly basis. Save ideas in a folder
so they are all in one spot when you're ready to get
started.
Try these ideas for at least six months and watch your
business grow and, if you find that one method works better
than the others, focus your efforts in that category. Enjoy
your new affordable marketing solutions!
Copyright © 2007 by Dana Blozis, Virtually Yourz
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With 20 years of business experience, Dana Blozis of
Virtually Yourz started her own Seattle area-based writing,
editing and marketing business. In addition to writing for
publication, she offers writing, editing and marketing
services to small businesses and nonprofits. To learn how
Virtually Yourz can help promote your small business, visit
http://www.virtuallyyourz.com .
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