Brutal Truth... But You Are Already Knew This....

Time is short, so here's some brutal truth. You can have the greatest product, widget, gizmo, gadget or service in the world, and without a marketing engine it will sit on the shelf. You can be the best agent, trainer, stylist, cleaner, assistant, designer, and without a marketing engine you will be destitute, penniless. Many of you know that you excel in service, but struggle to get the message out. Here's the root problem. You view marketing as an expense, instead of an investment. It is this great chasm in your thinking that separates your business from others. Business owners get the best equipment, snazzy websites, brochures, and when its time to focus on their marketing engine crumbs are devoted to the campaign. Now you might ask "what is a marketing engine'? Your marketing engine is a system that is continuously working to drive business to your business. This engine is tuned, primed, and lubed, with the objective of doing just that. Is it flawless? By any means no, but the very fact that you have one puts you in a different category. Therefore you are not shooting in the dark, or jumping from campaign to campaign, or even worse--- you don't have one. Face it, you are great at what you do, but you did not receive instruction in marketing, or you may not have the time to focus on such matters. These two factors cannot be excuses towards not getting it done. Ditch the attitude and learn to delegate. For more information on direct marketing, guerrilla marketing, and alternative marketing please contact us.

The Economy and Small Business

With everything that has been going on lately there are some words that ring heavily in my mind. Those words are economy and industry. Both words bring to mind a sense of industriousness and scruples when it comes to handling business affairs. During times of economic crisis many business owners are clutching their purse strings in an attempt to wait the storm out. The first thing to go is their marketing budgets. A sad mistake in my opinion because the marketing is the lifeblood of your business. The business lives to be shared. If no one knows that you exist, then you cannot attract business. During a crisis such as this now is the time to spread the message more than ever. Even if things seem bleak, they will not always be the case, and your prospective customers will remember. As I ride by businesses and homes that are shut down and foreclosed, I think about the impact that this has on the morale of the people. It can be devastating. Many people that I speak with have a bleak economic outlook, and speak of life as if we are in the last days. Can you imagine the impact this type of thinking has on the economy? Now here comes your company with a optimistic viewpoint. You may ask, what is my optimistic viewpoint? Well, the fact that you are marketing says that you believe that there is someone out there that still cares about what you have to offer. By not marketing you are giving up on your client base, and hoping that they will find you on their own. Chances are when they do get the income to afford your services, they will consider the business that kept pounding their message even when the skies were grey. The entry serves as a wake up call to businesses that may have slowed down their marketing agendas, and cut back on their budgets. Of course changes must be made, but your marketing engine must be well maintained. For more information on implementing some low cost marketing strategies please feel free to contact us, or refer to our other blog entries.

Small Businesses Are The LifeBlood Of The US Economy.....

A recent update to my blogging ventures includes highlighting local small to medium size business owners. Small businesses are the impetus that drives the American economy. With this statement being
validated by the enclosed information. You will begin to see how placing emphasis on this on a local level is very important. I will strive to include interviews of local small business owners, who are dealing with
adversity and prosperity, and are willing to share their stories. By doing so I am hoping to bolster morale and camaraderie amongst local business owners. In my opinion, small business owners need to hear stories of triumph from other business owners in the Triangle. These stories will serve to empower other entrepreneurs who may be discouraged or burned out. The bios presented will also help to increase the recognition of the businesses and advocate patronage from
the community. I understand that my niche is helping small to medium size business owners match wits with the marketing budgets of other mammoth size corporations, and to also get big corporations to do business with small to medium size business owners. The enclosed information below is a wake up call for the community to see the power
of small businesses, and how WE drive the economy, which is a main subject of controversy in the media.


What really drives the U.S. economy? No, it is not war. Small business -- firms with fewer than 500 employees -- drives the U.S. economy by providing jobs for over half of the nation's private workforce. The latest figures from the SBA show that small businesses with fewer than 20 employees increased employment by 853,074 during 2001-2002.

These and other statistics outlining small business' contribution to the economy are contained in the Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories, 2005 Edition from the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

"Small business drives the American economy," said Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist for the Office of Advocacy in a press release. "Main Street provides the jobs and spurs our economic growth. American entrepreneurs are creative and productive, and these numbers prove it."

Small businesses are job creators. Office of Advocacy funded data and research shows that small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all firms, they create more than half of the private non-farm gross domestic product, and they create 60 to 80 percent of the net new jobs.

Washington Post-------

Get Proactive!

Guerrilla Marketing. Use These Strategies To Build Your Business...

The term guerrilla marketing was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book Guerrilla Marketing as an unconventional system of marketing and advertsing on a very low budget, by relying on time, energy and imagination instead of big marketing budgets. The term has since entered the popular vocabulary to also describe aggressive, unconventional marketing methods generically. Levinson's books include hundreds of "Guerrilla Marketing weapons," but they also encourage the guerrilla marketeer to be creative and devise his own unconventional methods of promotion. This aspect is crucial as the business owner should always be in a position to tweak the plan as needed. The marketeer uses all of his or her contacts, both professional and personal, and must examine his company and its products, looking for sources of publicity and exposure. Many forms of exposure can be very inexpensive, others are free. As a guerrilla you are always looking for ways that are inexpensive and effective. The guerrilla understands that by operating in this manner your attacks are precise and sporadic. Your ability to switch and adapt to market conditions is something that your competition may not be able to do. Levinson says that when implementing guerrilla marketing tactics, small size is actually an advantage instead of a disadvantage. Small businesses and entrepreneurs are able to obtain publicity more easily than large companies; they are closer to their customers and considerably more agile. Yet ultimately, according to Levinson, the Guerrilla Marketeer must "deliver the goods". In The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook, he states: "In order to sell a product or a service, a company must establish a relationship with the customer. It must build trust and support. It must understand the customer's needs, and it must provide a product that delivers the promised benefits."Levinson identifies the following principles as the foundation of guerrilla marketing: * Guerrilla Marketing is specifically geared for the small business and entrepreneur. * It should be based on human psychology instead of experience, judgment, and guesswork. * Instead of money, the primary investments of marketing should be time, energy, and imagination. * The primary statistic to measure your business is the amount of profits, not sales. * The marketer should also concentrate on how many new relationships are made each month. * Create a standard of excellence with an acute focus instead of trying to diversify by offering too many diverse products and services. * Instead of concentrating on getting new customers, aim for more referrals, more transactions with existing customers, and larger transactions. * Forget about the competition and concentrate more on cooperating with other businesses. * Guerrilla Marketers should always use a combination of marketing methods for a campaign. * Use current technology as a tool to empower your business. The above is just an overview of what Guerrilla Marketing consist of. This process of marketing is great for both online and offline businesses, as the objective is to increase recognition and profits. These are your parameters.

Word Of Mouth Marketing. A Loosely Used Term...

When we ask business owners "what forms of marketing are they using"? the reply is usually "word of mouth". This word of mouth marketing reply is often given as if it something that they are strategically implementing, with a campaign geared just towards that.What they consider word-of-mouth marketing, is often the case of the product or service that they are offering is so great that the referrals are glowing, and this keeps business afloat. But what if there was a word of mouth campaign put into place? Where current customers are asked to generate a buzz within their communities? What if your target market began to promote your business consciously or unconsciously? Have you ever wondered how this could dramatically change your business. This is not a new concept and many businesses are implementing such campaigns. People talk. They spread information faster than the internet it seems, and in most cases it is the internet, and technology, that is used as a mode of conveying this information. Your objective as a marketer is to make sure that they are singing your praises more than denouncing you. Therefore it is very important to get feedback, and encourage it. Many businesses are now asking customers, how did you hear about us? They want to know whats effective, because then they can do more of it. Notice the word hear. Who conveyed the message? Get people talking positively about your business. How can you convey the message and encourage more people to consider you when thinking about your product or service? What are you doing to get inside the inner circle of people who have an interest in what you offer? Most importantly, how can you get them to have an interest through word-of-mouth marketing. I notice that in the entertainment industry they say that no press is bad press, although you want to be conscious of what message you are sending, however by not sending a message, you are in fact sending a message, and that message is that you are not relevant within your industry. Your business is not an option when considering purchasing, selecting, or engaging. Brutal truth, in a competitive business environment. However, this sheds light on the importance of always upgrading, making offers, and publicizing company news. Even if its a menu change, specials, promotions, etc. There is always something new going on within your operation. Here is some research on word of mouth that I found on Wikipedia. It shed some light on some of the ways to harness technology and get a buzz started. Word of mouth, is a reference to the passing of information by verbal means, especially recommendations, but also general information, in an informal, person-to-person manner. Word of mouth is typically considered a face-to-face spoken communication, although phone conversations, text messages sent via SMS and web dialogue, such as online profile pages, blog posts, message board threads, instant messages and emails are often now included in the definition of word of mouth. There is some overlap in meaning between word of mouth and the following: rumour, gossip, innuendo, and hearsay; however word of mouth is more commonly used to describe positive information being spread rather than negative, although this is not always the case. Word-of-mouth marketing, which encompasses a variety of subcategories, including buzz, blog, viral, grassroots, cause, influencer and social media marketing, as well as ambassador programs, work with consumer-generated media and more, can be highly valued by product marketers. Because of the personal nature of the communications between individuals, it is believed that product information communicated in this way has an added layer of credibility. Research points to individuals being more inclined to believe WOMM than more formal forms of promotion methods; the receiver of word-of-mouth referrals tends to believe that the communicator is speaking honestly and is unlikely to have an ulterior motive (i.e. they are not receiving an incentive for their referrals). For more information of guerrilla marketing, buzz marketing, word-of mouth marketing, please visit http://www.shoestringmarketer.blogspot.com. We look forward to networking with fellow guerrillas and other alternative marketers. We specialize in helping companies, individuals get the word out about their businesses within the Triangle area of North Carolina. We also engage in online and offline consultations for small to medium size business owners.

Use Craigslist To Boost Business---Use The Craigslist Remailer

One of the greatest free marketing sites online is Craigslist. If you are not utilizing this site to attract visitors to your products or services then you are missing out on a tremendous source of income. Simply visit http://www. craigslist.com and look for the city you are trying advertise in. If you are looking to do business in multiple cities then you can do so as well. A great tool that I utilize is the craigslist mailer, which allows me to immediately respond to ads on craigslist that have been posted. This works out wel because it gives me the jump on my competitors. The craigslist emailer can dramatically reduce your time.

Printing & Design------Finally, Affordable Printing Solutions

For most small to medium size business owners we realize that having access to affordable printing and design solutions is a godsend. Your prospective customer often sees your marketing material before they come in contact with you. Therefore having quality material is crucial. We offer low cost printing and design solutions with you in mind. Surprisingly, some business owners do not have marketing material and are missing out on numerous opportunities to get the word out. For more information on how we can catapult your business with print and design please contact us. In most cases even if you don't do business with us we can still offer you some free marketing tips.

Business Cards----Unleash Their Power!

Unleash the power of your business cards. Yes, a simple business card. One of the basic sales tools in your marketing arsenal that often goes unused. Day after day they sit and collect dust. You pass them out or place them in places where you hope that someone would grab them. The best place to place a business card is--- yes, you guess it, right into a prospective customers hand. Many business owners are too shy, or feel that they are being too invasive, but the fact of the matter is that you are trying to build recognition, and your business card is one of the best ways to get recognized. Now, you have to make sure that your cards are designed to do exactly what you need them to do, and that is sell you. Sell your competency. Sell your products, and create a sense of urgency. This is vital. Your business card is the seed that is planted in the minds therefore you want to ensure that it grows in their mind. Make sure that it stands out and catches their attention. Is it catchy? Does it clearly describe what it is that you do, or offer? Is your contact information visible and accurate? The worse thing that you can do is put the wrong information, or place it in a manner that it is not discernible to the human eye. Understand that your business card is your walking billboard and every opportunity that you have you must put it in a position to work for you. We specialize in placing your business cards in places that your prospective customer may just stumble upon. This can seems like a coincidence to them, but for you it is strategic. For more information on business card design and distribution be sure to contact us. No more sitting on cards, or watching them collect dust. Distribute them like seeds, and watch your business grow. The best place for your cards to be are in the hands of prospective customers.

The Art of Being Everywhere....

Marketing On a Shoe-String Budget
Business Collateral Services

Need inexpensive print material? What about low cost design services?
Small website design? We can work with templates, and other website
creating tools. As a small business owner myself, I understand that
having access to low cost professional vendors is a godsend. I also
understand that having assistance is the competitive edge that most
companies lack. Even a simple blog like this one can increase your
exposure and inform prospective clients about your services/products.
Printing assistance is available and distribution.

*Business Cards
*Post Cards
*Rack Cards
*Stationary
*Letter Heads
*Inexpensive Web Hosting


THE CATALYST

During times of inactivity, we can work together to create and implement a marketing campaign. Unfortunately, when business is slow business owners tend to cut the marketing budget. A fatal mistake. We can work together to develop your business image, and implement low cost marketing strategies. If you are interested in getting up close and personal with your demographic base, let's get started. I can help you build strategic alliances within complimentary industries, and establish referral networks. This can include dropping off marketing material at places that your prospective clients/customers frequent (hobby shops, beauty salons, etc.) Performing phone calls to industry professionals that are constantly interacting with your clients. This could possibly lead to a referral based relationship.

DOOR TO DOOR MARKETING-HAND TO HAND MARKETING

If you ever thought about using fliers and other collateral to reach your
target market, then we can do it. No need to worry about whether or not
they get passed out or not, because we will be out there together. Beating the pavement, and leaving no stone unturned. Think about the number of customers you can reach directly without the expensive price tag associated with direct mail companies. Hand to hand marketing for trade shows and events. We can locate upcoming events and distribute your material out to attendees. All of this is designed to maximize your presence, and make you appear to be everywhere at once.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BUILDING

Ever wanted to network with other complimentary industries? Need a
bloodhound to sniff out potential alliances? Hate cold calling? We can
work together to develop an action plan that is geared realistic and attainable. If you are lackadaisical in regards to marketing and promotion I suggest you develop an action plan. Too many business owners are playing it safe waiting on clients/customers to just stroll into their lives. Truth is, it doesn't happen this way. There must be a catalyst.


Let me be that catalyst. Please feel free to get in contact with me via phone/ email. The Art of Being Everywhere revolves around being able to delegate and build networks. In this competitive business environment, the companies that succeed are the ones that build networks and leverage relationships. If you are trying to do it alone you may be running the risk of burning yourself out. Please remember that you have options.

Using Fliers to Boost Your Business...

Flier distribution. Implementing a flier/door to door campaign can dramatically change your business. Think about it, many of your potential clients are being bombarded via email and mailbox with marketing messages, but their door knob is left unmolested. Stand out from the pack and approach them door to door or hand to hand. Our campaigns are designed to reach your prospects in a direct yet non invasive manner. Business owners recognize the value of implementing a campaign yet they lack the manpower to pull it off. Imagine this, if just one customer calls and request your services/products you would have made your money back. But guess what? Your goal should be to build awareness, and get a stream of calls from your campaigns. Quite often before we can get back into the office we are getting calls from people requesting more information. The power of a consistent flier campaign is yet to be tapped in the Triangle area. This service is also great for real estate agents who may have problems building recognition for themselves within a specific area. If you are trying to do this alone you will discover how tedious and time consuming ti can be. By delegating the task to our company you business owners are able to focus on the core of their business, while we work the field. Think of us as a marketing engine that is also grinding and churning out leads.

TARGET MARKETING----- Save Money & Time

Target Marketing. No, I don't have a degree in marketing, but what I can tell you is that you can save yourself some time and money by keying in on your target market. In the past you may have placed information in places where you thought people would be interested in doing business with you would notice. In return, you received little to no response. Chances are you did not perform some research on your target market. The first step is to examine your current clients/customers. Where do they live? What do they drive? How old are they? What are their current needs? Where do they shop? These are just a few questions, by answering them you can get a general idea of where you should deliver your message, and to whom it should be addressed to. Failure to do so can result in a message delivered to people that are not interested, or cannot afford your services/products. Understanding your niche, and catering to that niche is crucial. Many business owners are just casting seeds into soil that is not fertile. Demographic research will reveal where your customers live, because usually they are clustered together, and there incomes are within the same brackets. Stop marketing caviar to people that have bologna budgets. Enclosed is a sample of some demographic research that we performed within the Triangle area. If you are interested in reaching your target market contact us for more information. We can guide you through the process.

SERVICES

What We Do Part 2

What We Do And Why We Do It....

Thank you for visiting this blog. One of my passions is getting money. Sadly, I am not rich, nor am I content with my current situation. This blog is a representation of my personal struggle to reach the masses on a shoe string budget. This blog will explore ways of marketing outside of the box, and will explore some of the issue most small to medium size business owners face. Statistically, it is often stated that most small businesses fail within their first 5 years, and I would surmise that the root cause is poor marketing and execution. Many service businesses grapple with the issue of investing in marketing campaigns, feeling that if they are placing money in empty campaigns that they are losing. So in return their business dwindles away right before their very eyes. True investing in empty campaigns will be a money pit, but investing in strategies that can build awareness and create consumer trust, because often times people do business with companies they know and trust. In this blog we will explore some techniques that you can utilize to increase revenue, both online and offline. This blog was created to help those that are just starting out market their business online and offline on a shoestring budget. After reviewing such sites like craigslist and other free classifieds I noticed that many people were not implementing offline marketing techniques, and that there online techniques were rather simple. Many just lacked the tools and the initiative to stand out. Myself, still being a novice decided to take it upon myself to create a blog that helps others develop their business and stand out from others. The goals of this blog is to also provide alternative marketing techniques and money making strategies. Outside of this blog I employ different techniques such as flier distribution, postcard drop-offs, telemarketing, and more. For those interested in having me assist them in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel-Hill area please feel free to give me a call or email. I understand that many people desire to reach people in this manner, but just can't seem to keep it consistent. Having a flier campaign, door to door marketing can be that competitive edge for a new or well established business. The fact that many business owners are not employing these tactics is proof that there is room to get your message out there without interference. I also offer printing and design services to help you fashion your message around your mission. Please keep me in mind when you are trying to reach clients in the Triangle area.