You have a great business; you have an excellent product. You could have sales - if only you could get the word out! Many start-up business owners make the mistake of thinking that all they have to do is talk about it. It's a "build it and they will come" mentality.
While word-of-mouth is nothing to sneeze at, there is more to building a business than talking about it. After all - how many people do you actually run into on a daily basis? How many of those need what you're selling?
What you need is something besides "just you". You need to promote. You don't have to be a consummate salesperson (though it helps); you just need to know how to go about it the right way.
The Top 5
1. Use everything as a means to promote.
Every piece of paper, every email, every comment or blog is a chance to promote your business. Business cards are a great example. Anytime you meet someone and talk about your business, make sure you have a business card in hand.
Why? One, because business cards add to the "professional" attitude you're trying to portray. Two, because they can be sent in any standard mail along with the letter you're sending. Three, because business cards have, on average, a 3% ROI. While that might not sound like much, consider this:
You can get 1,000 business cards for $90. 3% of the 1,000 people who receive the business cards will order. That's 30 people. If they all only buy one product, and that product is $20, you've made $600. Even subtracting the amount you spent on the cards, that's still one heck of a return on investment!
The same goes for letterheads on paper and through email. So, anytime you send anything out, make sure you have your business information on it!
2. Build a promotional kit.
A promotional kit includes your business cards and your verbal spiel, but it can also include tons of other things. For instance, think about banks. Many banks have buckets of pens with the bank's name on them. Does banking have anything to do with pens? Not really; but every time you use that pen, you'll see the name.
Promotional kits can include tote bags, calendars, wall magnets, or anything else you can get your name and logo on. Brand building is part of the key to business success, and having your logo seen and recognized is all a part of building your brand.
3. Give out freebies.
This goes along with your promotion kit, but also takes a larger step towards promoting your business. "Freebies" falls along the line of "Buy 2 products and get one free - act now and get this great tote bag!"
If your freebies go along with your product and customer rewards, even better - a picture frame hanger to go with the picture frame, for instance. It doesn't have to be elaborate; most customers just like things that are useful.
4. Buddy marketing
Buddy marketing is along the same lines as partnering. When you send out a brochure, you also send out a leaflet or business card from another business. What's in it for you? That business has agreed to do the same thing for you. What this means is that you have the chance to reach a whole other market.
Buddy marketing can also be done through joint contests or complimentary businesses. If you sell high-end shampoo, for instance, a business that sells hand-made soap may be an excellent compliment with brochures, contests and other promotions.
5. Seminars and Tradeshows
If you enjoy talking about your product, if you're excited about it, seminars and tradeshows are an excellent step toward spreading the word. Show off your product! A promotion kit also goes well here, as you can give people who've stopped by your part of the tradeshow a free pen (with your business or product name on it), or calendar (with your business or product name on it), or...
Remember, part of building a brand and getting the word out is making your business name and logo recognizable. By all means, spread the word from friend to friend, talk about it to anyone who may listen - but make sure to add that extra something!AdLeap.com is your online promotions specialists. Their skilled experts have endless resources that can assist you with the
promotional products for your next event. Visit online today.
