Does neatness really count?
It does when you market a product or service. A business cannot afford to be sloppy with their brand. When a consumer walks into a place of business. They should find a neat and clean environment. Products that are to be sold should be placed in the proper section, and properly price tagged. The store should be free of clutter and anything extra. Employees should be neat and courteous. Excellent customer service should be given to every customer.
A business Web site should be updated on a regular basis. Any links should be checked to make sure they are still working. Shopping carts should function as they were designed to function. Phone numbers, addresses, and yearly copyrights, etc. should be current. Products should be available for purchase, if they are not, then remove then or clearly state when they are available.
Yes, neatness does indeed count.
Get In Contact:
Maddison D. Cephas
EastLake Marketing Group
The Small Business Marketing Spot!
916.548.6328 – Marketing Consulting
Showing posts with label Small Business Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Business Marketing. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
How Persistent Are You When Selling Your Product Or Service
Lately I have been seeing a ton of get rich quick marketing scams. The type that tell you anyone can make money off this or that just sitting on your sofa, etc. Or they tell you that there is no money needed to build your business. You and I both know this is B. S. Sure you may not need much money to start a business, but you are going to have to put in the work to get customers to make a purchase. This may involve a number of marketing and selling strategies. The main thing that needs to be done is, being persistent even when you feel like giving up.
How persistent are you with your business? Persistent in generating sales, in marketing, in advertising, in blogging, in maintaining your web site, in consistantly building your brand. If your not, you better hire somebody that is. Cause you are not going to be in business for long.
persistent, adjective.
1. having lasting qualities, especially in the face of disapproval, dislike, or difficulties; persisting; not giving up.
Get In Contact:
Maddison D. Cephas
EastLake Marketing Group
The Small Business Marketing Spot!
916.548.6328 – Marketing Consulting
How persistent are you with your business? Persistent in generating sales, in marketing, in advertising, in blogging, in maintaining your web site, in consistantly building your brand. If your not, you better hire somebody that is. Cause you are not going to be in business for long.
persistent, adjective.
1. having lasting qualities, especially in the face of disapproval, dislike, or difficulties; persisting; not giving up.
Get In Contact:
Maddison D. Cephas
EastLake Marketing Group
The Small Business Marketing Spot!
916.548.6328 – Marketing Consulting
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Creative Moments
Have you ever been doing something, saying something, thinking something and out of no where an idea regarding your business pops in your head? Oprah calls them ah ha moments, I call them creative moments. We all have them, I think business folks have them more so than non-business folks, cause our brains are always working, even while we sleep.
What do you do with these creative moments? I write them down. That is what happened to me the other day. I could barley get all my thoughts on paper they kept coming into my head so fast. All the details of how I wanted to move into a new level with EastLake. When I say new level, I mean different from anything I have ever undertaken before. Funny, I've been thinking about this for a while, but kept putting it off for various reasons. The time has come for me to step out of my comfort zone.
So you're now wondering what is this creative moment, that is going to propel my business into the next level. Public speaking. I have set up a Meet-Up group. The name of the group is Sacramento Small-Biz Start-Up Coaching Group.
The group will be organized by myself and Candice L. Phillips of VIA Bizniz Consulting. This Meet-Up group is for small-business start-ups and small business owners. We plan to have monthly meet-ups that entails coaching business owners in the following areas:
marketing online & offline
business plan development
project management
In this group you will learn the how to market your product or service, how to manage a project from start to finish, and how to create a business plan. If you are located in the Sacramento area, I encourage you to join this group.
Happy Marketing Week!
What do you do with these creative moments? I write them down. That is what happened to me the other day. I could barley get all my thoughts on paper they kept coming into my head so fast. All the details of how I wanted to move into a new level with EastLake. When I say new level, I mean different from anything I have ever undertaken before. Funny, I've been thinking about this for a while, but kept putting it off for various reasons. The time has come for me to step out of my comfort zone.
So you're now wondering what is this creative moment, that is going to propel my business into the next level. Public speaking. I have set up a Meet-Up group. The name of the group is Sacramento Small-Biz Start-Up Coaching Group.
The group will be organized by myself and Candice L. Phillips of VIA Bizniz Consulting. This Meet-Up group is for small-business start-ups and small business owners. We plan to have monthly meet-ups that entails coaching business owners in the following areas:
marketing online & offline
business plan development
project management
In this group you will learn the how to market your product or service, how to manage a project from start to finish, and how to create a business plan. If you are located in the Sacramento area, I encourage you to join this group.
Happy Marketing Week!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Corporate Policies
I'd like to discuss policies, you know the kind that mainly big corporations have. These so-called policies are meant to be followed to the letter or else one risks losing their state of employment. Why are there policies at all? Now I realize there has to be some order, so as not to create mass chaos within a company, but I feel it is not good for the folks that work there.
This old out-dated practice of doing business only creates fear-based management. Where a company has the top folks demanding the lower folks perform certain tasks according to company policies. Working in this style in my opinion creates a bunch of simpletons who only do what they are told for fear of being fired.
How can a corporation expect a worker to ever enjoy their job if they are constantly being punished for free-thinking? The bottom line is, they don't want workers to enjoy working for them, or think for themselves, they just want to control them. I say to that, Viva La Self-Employment!
Happy Marketing Week!
This old out-dated practice of doing business only creates fear-based management. Where a company has the top folks demanding the lower folks perform certain tasks according to company policies. Working in this style in my opinion creates a bunch of simpletons who only do what they are told for fear of being fired.
How can a corporation expect a worker to ever enjoy their job if they are constantly being punished for free-thinking? The bottom line is, they don't want workers to enjoy working for them, or think for themselves, they just want to control them. I say to that, Viva La Self-Employment!
Happy Marketing Week!
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Marketing Out Loud
What is marketing out loud? It is done via word-of-mouth. Meaning you tell everyone and anyone who will listen to you about your product or service, then they tell others, and others tell others, and so on and so on. That’s marketing out loud.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Are Your Customers Talking About You?
What are your customers saying about your business? If you don't know, you had better ask someone. That someone would be your customers. Ask them directly.
Get In Contact
Maddison D. Cephas
EastLake Marketing Group
The Small Business Marketing Spot
916.548.6328-Marketing Consulting
Get In Contact
Maddison D. Cephas
EastLake Marketing Group
The Small Business Marketing Spot
916.548.6328-Marketing Consulting
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Things I Have Learned
There are a few very important things I've learned since starting and growing EastLake Marketing Group. I'd like to share these things with you.
1. Making a profit took longer than I thought it would.
2. My education was not needed to own a business.
3. I worked really f-ing hard and still do.
4. I lost friends, or I thought they were my friends at the time.
5. I had to make huge sacrifices, I downsized everything I owned.
6. I loved every minute of growing my business.
7. The customer is not always right, trust me on this one.
8. The customer pays the bills, trust me on this one too.
9. I learned to eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the lean years.
10. I finally understood the joy of being my own boss.
1. Making a profit took longer than I thought it would.
2. My education was not needed to own a business.
3. I worked really f-ing hard and still do.
4. I lost friends, or I thought they were my friends at the time.
5. I had to make huge sacrifices, I downsized everything I owned.
6. I loved every minute of growing my business.
7. The customer is not always right, trust me on this one.
8. The customer pays the bills, trust me on this one too.
9. I learned to eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the lean years.
10. I finally understood the joy of being my own boss.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
How To Have A Life-Time Customer
Give them what they want. Yes! Figure out what they want and give it to them every time they make a purchase. Always remember folks buy what they want, not what they need. Think about it for a sec. Are you giving your customers what they want?
Happy Marketing Week!
Happy Marketing Week!
Monday, February 09, 2009
The Basics of Marketing Remain Unchanged
This guest post is by By Jay Conrad Levinson
Everybody and their cousin is so agog at the many changes in marketing and technology that many of them lose sight of the vast abundance of things that haven't changed. Important as it is, the Internet is not where the sun rises and sets. Dynamic as it is, technology is not the key to marketing success. Marketing is about people, not things. And people have not changed. So...
The basics of marketing are all about people, value, service and clarity. They are about planning and attitudes, about economizing and taking action. Although marketers are being offered a dazzling array of new marketing techniques, tactics and weaponry, the dazzle seems to be blinding them when it comes to the crucial fundamentals.
You certainly don't need me to remind you that all marketing is far more about people than it is about things. So the more you understand and truly do love people, for each is fascinating, the better equipped you are to market to them. You're fairly well-equipped already because you're a person, so you have a lot in common with your target audience.
The psychology of marketing requires basic knowledge of human behavior. As always, human beings do not like making decisions in a hurry and are not quick to develop relationships. They certainly do want relationships, but they've been stung in the past and they don't want to be stung again.
They have learned well to distrust much marketing because of its proclivity to exaggeration. All too many times they've read of sales at stores and learned that only a tiny selection of items were on sale. They've been bamboozled more times than you'd think by the notorious fine print on contracts. And they've been high pressured by more than one salesperson.
That's why they process your marketing communications in their unconscious minds, eventually arriving at their decisions because of an emotional reason even though they may say they are deciding based on logic. They factor a lot about you into their final decision -- how long they've heard of you, where your marketing appears, how it looks and feels to them, the quality of your offer, your convenience or lack of it, what others have said about you, and most of all, how your offering can be of benefit to their lives.
Although they state that they now want what you're selling, and they do it in a very conscious manner, you can be sure they were guided by their unconscious minds. The consistent communicating of your benefits, your message and your name has penetrated their sacred unconscious mind. They've come to feel that they can trust you and so they decide to buy.
Everybody and their cousin is so agog at the many changes in marketing and technology that many of them lose sight of the vast abundance of things that haven't changed. Important as it is, the Internet is not where the sun rises and sets. Dynamic as it is, technology is not the key to marketing success. Marketing is about people, not things. And people have not changed. So...
The basics of marketing are all about people, value, service and clarity. They are about planning and attitudes, about economizing and taking action. Although marketers are being offered a dazzling array of new marketing techniques, tactics and weaponry, the dazzle seems to be blinding them when it comes to the crucial fundamentals.
You certainly don't need me to remind you that all marketing is far more about people than it is about things. So the more you understand and truly do love people, for each is fascinating, the better equipped you are to market to them. You're fairly well-equipped already because you're a person, so you have a lot in common with your target audience.
The psychology of marketing requires basic knowledge of human behavior. As always, human beings do not like making decisions in a hurry and are not quick to develop relationships. They certainly do want relationships, but they've been stung in the past and they don't want to be stung again.
They have learned well to distrust much marketing because of its proclivity to exaggeration. All too many times they've read of sales at stores and learned that only a tiny selection of items were on sale. They've been bamboozled more times than you'd think by the notorious fine print on contracts. And they've been high pressured by more than one salesperson.
That's why they process your marketing communications in their unconscious minds, eventually arriving at their decisions because of an emotional reason even though they may say they are deciding based on logic. They factor a lot about you into their final decision -- how long they've heard of you, where your marketing appears, how it looks and feels to them, the quality of your offer, your convenience or lack of it, what others have said about you, and most of all, how your offering can be of benefit to their lives.
Although they state that they now want what you're selling, and they do it in a very conscious manner, you can be sure they were guided by their unconscious minds. The consistent communicating of your benefits, your message and your name has penetrated their sacred unconscious mind. They've come to feel that they can trust you and so they decide to buy.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Use Calendars To Promote Products/Services
Why do businesses use calendar marketing to promote their identity, products, and services? Read on for the reasons why you should incorporate calendar marketing into your budget.
Note: You still have time to order 2009 calendars! Order your supply today!
a. Calendar marketing identifies products and services 365 days of the year.
b. Calendar marketing is distributed once each year, yet gives customers and prospect 365 days of use.
c. Calendar marketing tells potential customers who you are and what your business has to offer.
d. Calendar marketing invites repeat customers to your business.
e. Calendar marketing hangs on a customer’s wall, desk, or in their pocket all year long, reminding them of your business, not your competition.
f. Calendar marketing provides a low cost advertising for your business.
g. Calendar marketing sells products and services daily. Each calendar you give away is a silent salesman for your business.
h. Calendar marketing fits any budget.
i. Calendar marketing is directly controlled, thus eliminating wasting your budget dollars. You reach only the folks you want to reach.
Note: You still have time to order 2009 calendars! Order your supply today!
a. Calendar marketing identifies products and services 365 days of the year.
b. Calendar marketing is distributed once each year, yet gives customers and prospect 365 days of use.
c. Calendar marketing tells potential customers who you are and what your business has to offer.
d. Calendar marketing invites repeat customers to your business.
e. Calendar marketing hangs on a customer’s wall, desk, or in their pocket all year long, reminding them of your business, not your competition.
f. Calendar marketing provides a low cost advertising for your business.
g. Calendar marketing sells products and services daily. Each calendar you give away is a silent salesman for your business.
h. Calendar marketing fits any budget.
i. Calendar marketing is directly controlled, thus eliminating wasting your budget dollars. You reach only the folks you want to reach.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Marketing 101
Hey folks! I'm back and ready to make 2009 happen. What about you? This economy is really crazy, but you can still find a way to grow your business. Last year we all went through some tough times, yes indeed. This year is going to be a challenge, that has already been proven, however it can be done with a little creativity and also working smarter regarding marketing. I'd like to wish all seasoned small-business owners, much success to you in 2009.
I've got a little something for all you folks out there who have decided to start a business this year. First of all let me say to you congratulations! Welcome to the world of having control of your own money, (among other things). With that being said, I created this blog for all you new business owners. This new blog consist of popular posts from my marketing consulting blog. I hope you find some value in them. Hang in there, and hold on tight to your dreams no matter how hard it gets, you can make it. Check out the posts via the link below.
Marketing 101 blog
I've got a little something for all you folks out there who have decided to start a business this year. First of all let me say to you congratulations! Welcome to the world of having control of your own money, (among other things). With that being said, I created this blog for all you new business owners. This new blog consist of popular posts from my marketing consulting blog. I hope you find some value in them. Hang in there, and hold on tight to your dreams no matter how hard it gets, you can make it. Check out the posts via the link below.
Marketing 101 blog
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
2009 Marketing
Hard to believe 2009 is three weeks away, time sure did pass by fast. Now is the time to start thinking about your 2009 marketing campaign.
That’s right. An entire new marketing strategy has to be created in order to bring in new business in 2009. Things have changed. We will be inaugurating our first black president, (talk about history in the making), and the economy is a big mess. However, business still goes on, so you need to be prepared.
It does not look like our new president elect will be able to turn things around as fast as we would like him too, it’s going to take some time. In the meantime, you have to keep your business afloat. No one wants to be like all the other businesses that have shut down in 2008, and yes there were many long established companies that had to close up shop.
Companies have to get back to the basics. It’s not about making a ton of money, it’s about what they all forgot; the customer. Yes, it has always been about making your customers feel good about spending money, and not about how much money you can get from them. Folks say that is how we all got in this mess in the first place. GREED!
We all played a part in the state of the economy, both big business, small business and consumers. We all wanted more, we all wanted bigger bank accounts, bigger cars, bigger houses, more customers, more stuff to put in those houses, more stuff for our children, yes we wanted it all. That way of thinking and purchasing has forced America into an economic mess.
However grim it may seem, we will recover, we always do. So get ready folks, cause 2009 will be a bumping ride at first, but trust me it will get better. EastLake will be here looking to become your source for all your marketing and promotional product needs. I look forward to serving all my current clients and future clients in 2009.
Happy Holidays! & Happy New Year!
That’s right. An entire new marketing strategy has to be created in order to bring in new business in 2009. Things have changed. We will be inaugurating our first black president, (talk about history in the making), and the economy is a big mess. However, business still goes on, so you need to be prepared.
It does not look like our new president elect will be able to turn things around as fast as we would like him too, it’s going to take some time. In the meantime, you have to keep your business afloat. No one wants to be like all the other businesses that have shut down in 2008, and yes there were many long established companies that had to close up shop.
Companies have to get back to the basics. It’s not about making a ton of money, it’s about what they all forgot; the customer. Yes, it has always been about making your customers feel good about spending money, and not about how much money you can get from them. Folks say that is how we all got in this mess in the first place. GREED!
We all played a part in the state of the economy, both big business, small business and consumers. We all wanted more, we all wanted bigger bank accounts, bigger cars, bigger houses, more customers, more stuff to put in those houses, more stuff for our children, yes we wanted it all. That way of thinking and purchasing has forced America into an economic mess.
However grim it may seem, we will recover, we always do. So get ready folks, cause 2009 will be a bumping ride at first, but trust me it will get better. EastLake will be here looking to become your source for all your marketing and promotional product needs. I look forward to serving all my current clients and future clients in 2009.
Happy Holidays! & Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Go get the Money!
Great tips for getting new customers, thought I should share them with my readers. Post signs in places where there is high visibility and it's all free:
In front of their own business
In front of neighboring businesses
Subway stations
School offices
Senior recreational facilities and retirement homes
College dormitories -- in the community area, hallways and bathroom
Fraternities and Sororities
Churches
Other local community clubs and organizations
Apartment buildings -- in laundry rooms)
Community activity centers
Grocery stores
Shopping malls
Car washes
Laundromats
Condominium complex party centers
Hotel and motel lobbies
Utility poles
Military cafeterias and recreation centers
Counters of public places
Meeting convention centers and rooms
Construction walls
Libraries
Union halls
Chambers of commerce
Medical or professional offices
Roller rinks and bowling alleys
Waiting rooms at auto repair and tire shops
Liquor and convenience stores
Company bulletin boards of friends and family
Tourist information centers
Highway rest stops
Banks
Factories
Their cars -- featuring a compelling sign, parked in a conspicuous place
On the fences outside a construction site
These places require payment, but are great marketing avenues.
College and high school newspapers and yearbooks
Classified services on the World Wide Web -- many are free
Classified services on commercial online services -- many are free
Local entertainment and tourist magazines
Community group and association newsletters
Small, local newspapers
Chamber of Commerce publications
Radio talk shows -- by appearing as a guest or calling in
A lingerie store owner stenciled small messages onto the sidewalks of New York, with provocative sayings like, "From here it looks like you could use some new underwear."
Projected at night onto the side of a building.
On your voice-mail message, but please keep it brief
Happy Marketing Week!
In front of their own business
In front of neighboring businesses
Subway stations
School offices
Senior recreational facilities and retirement homes
College dormitories -- in the community area, hallways and bathroom
Fraternities and Sororities
Churches
Other local community clubs and organizations
Apartment buildings -- in laundry rooms)
Community activity centers
Grocery stores
Shopping malls
Car washes
Laundromats
Condominium complex party centers
Hotel and motel lobbies
Utility poles
Military cafeterias and recreation centers
Counters of public places
Meeting convention centers and rooms
Construction walls
Libraries
Union halls
Chambers of commerce
Medical or professional offices
Roller rinks and bowling alleys
Waiting rooms at auto repair and tire shops
Liquor and convenience stores
Company bulletin boards of friends and family
Tourist information centers
Highway rest stops
Banks
Factories
Their cars -- featuring a compelling sign, parked in a conspicuous place
On the fences outside a construction site
These places require payment, but are great marketing avenues.
College and high school newspapers and yearbooks
Classified services on the World Wide Web -- many are free
Classified services on commercial online services -- many are free
Local entertainment and tourist magazines
Community group and association newsletters
Small, local newspapers
Chamber of Commerce publications
Radio talk shows -- by appearing as a guest or calling in
A lingerie store owner stenciled small messages onto the sidewalks of New York, with provocative sayings like, "From here it looks like you could use some new underwear."
Projected at night onto the side of a building.
On your voice-mail message, but please keep it brief
Happy Marketing Week!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Are You Ready?
It's that time of the year yet again. What time? Black Friday! Yes it is indeed here, every business owners final attempt to make as much money as possible before the new year begins. Some would have you thinking you can't make money because the economy is such as mess.
Don't believe it, folks are still going to spend money, just not as much as they did before. Business owners are going to have to be creative when enticing consumers to make a purchases. Consumers will open their wallets and charge those credit cards, if you give them a good reason to, trust me.
Now I must admit, it will not be easy, cause folks are holding tight. We are all waiting to see what Obama can do to fix this mess. However, I suggest you have faith that your marketing campaign will work for you. Make your offer so compelling that you stand above your competitors. Doing so will allow you to make more money than you thought you could. Good Luck!
Happy Marketing Week!
Don't believe it, folks are still going to spend money, just not as much as they did before. Business owners are going to have to be creative when enticing consumers to make a purchases. Consumers will open their wallets and charge those credit cards, if you give them a good reason to, trust me.
Now I must admit, it will not be easy, cause folks are holding tight. We are all waiting to see what Obama can do to fix this mess. However, I suggest you have faith that your marketing campaign will work for you. Make your offer so compelling that you stand above your competitors. Doing so will allow you to make more money than you thought you could. Good Luck!
Happy Marketing Week!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Marketing Your Business
Marketing your business is not something you do when you no longer have customers or potential customers contacting you. Marketing is an on going part of your business. You should be marketing your business everyday, not sometimes, not every now and then, not when your pipeline dries up, none of these. You should be marketing your business EVERY DAY.
I say this because, I've been receiving calls and e-mails from potential customers who have not been maintaining on going marketing campaigns, and now they need to market their business to stay in business due to the failing economy. There is a simple fact that a business owner needs to know. That is, if you are not marketing your business when times are good, attempting to market when times are bad will be like pushing a pebble up a hill.
The purpose of on going marketing is not just to gain new clients, (although for some that is the number 1 purpose), it's also to get your company name out there in your particular market place, it's to gain word-of-mouth customers, it's to gain referrals, it's to allow your business to remain open for business, it's also a method to establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you don't market your business EVERY DAY how is anyone supposed to know that you are in business?
Contacting a marketing consultant after the fact and then expecting instant results is not a good thing. We are not miracle workers. We cannot create a stream of customers that beat a path to your business overnight. Marketing is a process, and when done on a consistent basis will produce results, as in you gaining new customers. The results I'm speaking of don't happen overnight. Marketing results require time, creativity, consistency, effort, and know how.
You also have to know the difference between marketing and advertising. In plain non-technical terms, marketing is what you do for your product or service, advertising is what you say about your product or service.
Happy Marketing Week!
I say this because, I've been receiving calls and e-mails from potential customers who have not been maintaining on going marketing campaigns, and now they need to market their business to stay in business due to the failing economy. There is a simple fact that a business owner needs to know. That is, if you are not marketing your business when times are good, attempting to market when times are bad will be like pushing a pebble up a hill.
The purpose of on going marketing is not just to gain new clients, (although for some that is the number 1 purpose), it's also to get your company name out there in your particular market place, it's to gain word-of-mouth customers, it's to gain referrals, it's to allow your business to remain open for business, it's also a method to establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you don't market your business EVERY DAY how is anyone supposed to know that you are in business?
Contacting a marketing consultant after the fact and then expecting instant results is not a good thing. We are not miracle workers. We cannot create a stream of customers that beat a path to your business overnight. Marketing is a process, and when done on a consistent basis will produce results, as in you gaining new customers. The results I'm speaking of don't happen overnight. Marketing results require time, creativity, consistency, effort, and know how.
You also have to know the difference between marketing and advertising. In plain non-technical terms, marketing is what you do for your product or service, advertising is what you say about your product or service.
Happy Marketing Week!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
10 Things Your Customers Love
Last week I posted what your customers hate. Now that you know what they hate, allow me to post what they love. Doing these ten things will insure that you keep the customers you have and possibly gain a few new ones.
1. Something free.
2. Excellent customer service.
3. A good product or service.
4. When you return their calls.
5. Being giving a discount.
6. You giving them more than they expected.
7. Being listened to.
8. A return policy that doesn’t entail just store credit.
9. When you do what you promised to do.
10. When you are honest with them about your product or service.
1. Something free.
2. Excellent customer service.
3. A good product or service.
4. When you return their calls.
5. Being giving a discount.
6. You giving them more than they expected.
7. Being listened to.
8. A return policy that doesn’t entail just store credit.
9. When you do what you promised to do.
10. When you are honest with them about your product or service.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
10 Things Customers Hate
1. Bad customer service.
2. Rude employees.
3. Being placed on hold.
4. Not being listened to.
5. Being lied to.
6. Not being able to talk to you (the owner of the business) when they want to.
7. Employees that are not knowledgeable about your product or service.
8. When you nickle and dime them.
9. SPAM
10. Unsolicited phone calls (Cold Calling)
Here me now and believe me later. If you or your employees are doing one or more of the ten things above, then this is what is going to happen. Your customers will eventually seek out your competition and take their business to them. Happy Marketing Week!
2. Rude employees.
3. Being placed on hold.
4. Not being listened to.
5. Being lied to.
6. Not being able to talk to you (the owner of the business) when they want to.
7. Employees that are not knowledgeable about your product or service.
8. When you nickle and dime them.
9. SPAM
10. Unsolicited phone calls (Cold Calling)
Here me now and believe me later. If you or your employees are doing one or more of the ten things above, then this is what is going to happen. Your customers will eventually seek out your competition and take their business to them. Happy Marketing Week!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Social Media Marketing
I have started a new format to my monthly Answer This Question post. Going forward I will make the question the title, then list the question or questions in the text. Go ahead and leave a comment, don’t be shy, what you have to say does mean something.
July questions.
1. What are your thoughts?
2. How has it helped your company?
July questions.
1. What are your thoughts?
2. How has it helped your company?
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Micro-Blogging
What is micro-blogging? What can it do to help your business?
Micro-blogging is blogging on a very small scale. Take Twitter for example, my favorite micro-blogging site. The way this site works is, you sign up for free and make as many posts as you like, you can also follow friends and they in turn follow you. When following someone you get to see what they are micro-blogging about. The catch to micro-blogging is you only get a limited amount of characters when posting, with Twitter it is 140. You can even send and receive Twitts via your cell phone.
Some would say that is not enough characters to convey what they want to say, maybe that's true, just means one has to really focus getting their point across. I find Twitter to be a great medium to get to know other like-minded business folks in the marketing field. I mainly follow business folks who are involved in marketing, writing, web design, graphic design, and editing. These are folks I can network with, and eventually work with at some point.
There is a new site called Tellow.com, the yellow pages for Twitter. Twitter is not connected to Twellow, but this site is a great way to find other Twitter folks you may be interested in finding out about and following.
Now Twitter does have it's draw-backs. They have issues with the site, bugs that still need to be worked out, but overall Twitter is an excellent avenue to network and build your brand. There are tons of million dollar companies that utilize Twitter. Make your company the next one. Happy Week!
Micro-blogging is blogging on a very small scale. Take Twitter for example, my favorite micro-blogging site. The way this site works is, you sign up for free and make as many posts as you like, you can also follow friends and they in turn follow you. When following someone you get to see what they are micro-blogging about. The catch to micro-blogging is you only get a limited amount of characters when posting, with Twitter it is 140. You can even send and receive Twitts via your cell phone.
Some would say that is not enough characters to convey what they want to say, maybe that's true, just means one has to really focus getting their point across. I find Twitter to be a great medium to get to know other like-minded business folks in the marketing field. I mainly follow business folks who are involved in marketing, writing, web design, graphic design, and editing. These are folks I can network with, and eventually work with at some point.
There is a new site called Tellow.com, the yellow pages for Twitter. Twitter is not connected to Twellow, but this site is a great way to find other Twitter folks you may be interested in finding out about and following.
Now Twitter does have it's draw-backs. They have issues with the site, bugs that still need to be worked out, but overall Twitter is an excellent avenue to network and build your brand. There are tons of million dollar companies that utilize Twitter. Make your company the next one. Happy Week!
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Marketing During The Recession
Some of my clients have been telling me they are thinking about cutting back on their advertising budget due to the recession. Folks let me tell you the same thing I told them. Now is not the time to cut back on marketing your business. You may want to tighten the funds on excessive spending in other areas, but not when it involves marketing. I can’t stress this point enough.
Just because the economy is a mess and consumers are not spending the way they did before does not mean people won’t continue to buy your product or service. Consumers are going to spend their hard earned dollars even if the price for gas is $10.00 dollars per gallon. Most will just find other modes of transportation. Trust me. Don't believe what you have heard.
A slow economy is a sign that you are going to have to be more creative with your marketing tactics. For example: have a sale, give away something for free, offer no interest credit plans, do a buy one get one free sale, etc. Dig deep folks. Consumers already know you want them to spend part of their IRS stimulus check at your business. They also know that there are deals to be negotiated at every turn.
So make it worth their while. Cause every consumer knows they have a choice now. Give them something free, and also give them 150% excellent customer service. Happy Marketing Week!
Just because the economy is a mess and consumers are not spending the way they did before does not mean people won’t continue to buy your product or service. Consumers are going to spend their hard earned dollars even if the price for gas is $10.00 dollars per gallon. Most will just find other modes of transportation. Trust me. Don't believe what you have heard.
A slow economy is a sign that you are going to have to be more creative with your marketing tactics. For example: have a sale, give away something for free, offer no interest credit plans, do a buy one get one free sale, etc. Dig deep folks. Consumers already know you want them to spend part of their IRS stimulus check at your business. They also know that there are deals to be negotiated at every turn.
So make it worth their while. Cause every consumer knows they have a choice now. Give them something free, and also give them 150% excellent customer service. Happy Marketing Week!
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