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Marketing on a Tight Budget

If your company has a non-existent marketing budget —
or if you would like to add economical strategies to
your marketing plan — the following tips can help.
You’ll notice that a theme running through this article
is that cost savings can be achieved by devoting a
little extra creativity and energy to your marketing
activities.

by Jeffrey Moses

1. Contact existing customers by phone. A local phone
call usually costs nothing and is a great way to
re-establish contact with people who have bought from
you before. Use sales slips to compile your list so
you’ll know what each person has bought in the past.
You might consider offering a discount for a person’s
next purchase as an incentive to shop with you again.
Of course, before beginning any phone calls, ensure
you’re complying with the federal and any state do-
not-call regulations.

2. Optimize your signage. If you have the opportunity
to display a sign in front of your building or on your
property, you should have the largest and most
attractive sign possible. Upgrading a sign or having a
new one made will incur a cost, but it will be a
one-time cost that should pay dividends for years.

3. Offer on-site educational seminars and classes. You
can attract customers to your location by providing
get-togethers dedicated to subjects that relate to your
business. The classes should be informational only,
i.e., not actually sell your products. But when people
experience the dedication and knowledge you and your
staff have, sales will naturally develop.

4. Cold-call potential customers. This takes time,
energy, and courage, but the phone is your best tool
for no-cost marketing. Check do-not-call regulations
for you being and compile your list. Prepare a
script so you’ll know what to say when a person
answers the phone, but don’t talk endlessly, thinking
that the more you say the better your chances will be
for a sale. Ask questions that involve the person you
called. If someone doesn’t have an interest or a need
for your product, don’t waste your time or theirs.

5. Become a local expert. Contact reporters at
newspapers and magazines in your area, offering your
services as a resident expert in your field. Ask if you
can submit articles on various subjects. These should
be informational only, with no sales pitch included.
The addition of your name and your company’s name at
the end of the article will establish you as an expert
people can trust.

6. Network. Get out and meet people. Go to local
conferences and trade shows. Set up a table or booth at
mall shows or fairs. Often, these are provided at no
charge to local businesses. As exhibits, use
informational items that have been of interest to
previous customers. Again, the object is to meet people
and present yourself as an expert.

7. Hand out your business card. These days, you can
have a beautiful four-color business card designed and
printed at extremely low cost — often only $60 for
several thousand or more. Use every opportunity to hand
these out. When someone wants one card, give three and
encourage the person to pass them on to friends and
business associates.

8. Always ask for referrals. When you make a sale, or
when you don’t, ask your customer if he or she knows
someone who might be interested in what you offer.

9. If your company provides a service, contact larger
companies. Find companies in your area that provide the
same service and make yourself available as an
outsource vendor. When the larger company has customer
overload, they might give you a call.

10. Make the most of your Web site. You’re paying
something for it anyway, so keep it fresh and
interesting for customers. Offer giveaways and
discounts, and always include new information to keep
people coming back to it.

11. Expand your Web presence. Trade links with other
sites. The more links you have, the more likely people
are to notice you. A side benefit is that you may
achieve better rankings in the search engines.

To read this and other related articles online, visit:
http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_18741.html

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