Marketing Strategies for the Busy and Restless

Reality Check: Your Customer Service is Marketing

How can this be? Again, I have experienced unexpected, poor service at an ice cream store.

Maybe I should just stay away from them...is that the underlying message? I hope not. Especially since I  enjoy supporting an independent biz that sells awesome, decadent treats.

The point is, when your lucky enough to own a business that historically brings people pleasure, why not coach your staff to enforce policies that support your company's value system. Especially when a situation begs for it.

The morning of my youngest daughter's birthday, I swooped into the just opened, shiny clean ice cream shop, to pick up a ready made cake. I asked if they could draw a dolphin with the message. That's it...maybe some waves around my daughter's favorite ocean creature.

In response, the manager told me, "no 'art work' on a 7" cake". No problem, what size can I buy that you can do art work on? Policy #2, "Custom cakes need to be ordered 48 hours in advance".

I was the only one in the shop, willing to prepay for a larger cake than I needed AND come back later to pick it up. (with gas at $3.72/gal., was I being too accommodating?)

You see where this is heading...and yes, policies are important.

Customer service is your marketing. If you deliver the best level possible, your going to get a high return. And we all know what happens with the converse...

I don't think my luck in ice cream shops has run out. In fact, I realized I'm pretty good at cake decorating, (let me know if you're ever in a pinch)!

As we position ourselves to succeed this summer, I suggest we try to make decisions that will be appreciated in our current economy and intrinsically add value to our customer's experience.

Happy Memorial Day!

Spring: Time to Market with Meaning

Imagine the book you wrote hits the NY Times best seller list. Your days are busy scheduling amazing media coverage. Your message is sticking...people are listening (or buying).

Imagine, while this great success is happening, you are fighting a hideous disease that threatens your life.

Each day you pray you'll wake up to be with your loved ones.

I couldn't imagine this.

But as a marketing strategist, it forces the question, are you marketing with meaning?

Is your marketing campaigns revealing what is important to your customers. Have you created a feedback loop that allows your customers to tell you how meaningful (or not) your business is to them?

It's an interesting thought to help distill which efforts are worth funding.

The end result is clarity (hopefully without the pressure of fighting to stay alive).

A clear plan of what is important. A chance to chose the marketing stategies that mean the most.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Happy Entrepreneur Day!

Small Business Owners would argue that every day is Entrepreneurial Day.

I agree...

Why set aside a day for this hardworking breed?

(Most) entrepreneurs are passionate and willing.... There are no policies, boundaries or bureaucracy, to keep them from spreading their word. They can zig and zag with their market... and when their message sticks....it's like a work of art, watching the company grow.

Kris Carr, author of the new book, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, published by Skirt Magazine, is an unique entrepreneur you'll want to keep your eye on....and pray for.

Kris is not your usual entrepreneur. Kris has been diagnosed with a rare disorder of cancer. You may have seen her documentary on TLC. Now in her book, Kris continues to share her struggle to find support and acceptance of her new life.

Kris offers the non-cancer entrepreneur (knock-on-wood), a chance to see that now is the time to build your life, take hold of your ideas and make them BIG and REAL.

Kris is a bright, focused (very young), entrepreneur despite the slow growing, stage four cancer that lives in her liver and lungs.

If Entrepreneur Day was a hallmark holiday, I would send Kris Carr a card today. I would let her know I think she's doing a great job because,

1. Her book fulfills a need. She delivers real life tips for young women diagnosed with cancer to find the courage to create a web of support, amongst a world of strangers.
2. Kris's book is marketed with guts and glory. A message to anyone who 'sort-of' is marketing their business.
3. She's dealing with an incredible deadline and putting out an amazing product...

Visit Kris to see if you connect with her focused energy. See which projects you need to be marketing more with guts and glory. Send a card to your favorite entrepreneur.

Visit Kris Carr at: http://www.crazysexycancer.com/home.php.

Are you a local personality?

Do you aim to be Oprah's next guest?

Before that big spot happens, look to your local neighborhood to see where you can begin (or continue) spreading the word about your work and expertise.

• Is there a local fitness club or community center where you can offer your time in exchange for an audience?

Get out and meet your neighbors.

• Which local companies would be a perfect partner to your product or service?
• What information would their employees or customers like to hear from you?

Where does your market hang out? Go there and hang out too.

• Is your local Chamber of Commerce aware of your work?
• Which local merchant has a great venue where you can host an evening?

Meet the Author or Mingle with the Expert.

• Invite your local newspapers.
• Send press releases. Local papers accept press releases for free.

It's true, the Internet is a great place to market your product or service...but gathering with people LIVE is still very effective....your personal interaction may make all the difference needed for your next client.

Check that your business is not slipping into the oblivion of high-tech....Diversify your marketing and build your local personality.

Oprah is waiting for you!

How The Orthodontist Motivates Marketing

Braces! Yikes, what a business.

Dr. Patrick Cuozzo, of Sea Girt NJ is a wonderful orthodontist and one I will get to know over the next 10 years.... I have nice children with very crooked teeth.

With those fees and lineage, I'm motivated to set clear, strategic, marketing strategies for my business. I need to strap down where the money and time will be spent. What new areas I will explore and how I can support them successfully.

Passing this onto my clients....no not my orthodontic bills but, the opportunity to look at their 2008 Marketing Strategies with a clear lens.

What does it take to set up clear strategies for 2008? Ask yourself:

• Are the 2008 revenue goals broken down enough to show your team what must be met by month, by week?
• What is needed in finance, operations, production or marketing, to support the new 2008 revenue streams? Is it enough to just work more hours?
• Share with your team the marketing calendar, launch dates and revenue goals.
• Are you able to support your marketing campaigns with your current operations? Do you need a marketing manager to assist with fresh ideas, managing target dates and implement strategic planning?

Dr. Cuozzo will continue to be an expense for our family...but like marketing I know this expense is going to pay off in spades for my daughters health and self image. I will continue to plot ways to meet this expense. I will continue to look at my marketing and revenue goals with excitement and freshness. I will enjoy devolping a business that brings a smile to my face even if it's "tin"!

What motivates you to market your business?

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Newsletter Writing: Tip #2 Write like you speak.

Newsletter Writing: Tip #1 How to send a newsletter?

How to send a newsletter? Where to begin?
We will be posting a series of articles that will provide you with easy tips to start sending a newsletter to your customers.

Tip #1: Purchase or subscribe to an email marketing system. There are plenty out there. I don't endorse one before the other. Invest time to research one that fits your budget and business needs. Constant Contact is popular among my clients. You can do a 60-day trial period with Constant Contact before committing to their service.  The system is easy to learn and they provide beautiful templates for all industries and occasions. Sending a newsletter through an email service is much more successful then sending a newsletter through your own email system. You want to use a system that can bypass the SPAM and virus securities that prevent mailings from reaching your customers.

Email software makes it easy for you to do targeted mailings. As you build your list of readers, you can categorize them into different groups. This allows you to tailor the content of your newsletters by your customer types.

Skirt Magazine

Here is a FUN, fresh, marketing paper to advertise with or get great ideas for graphics and topics. Check out www.skirt.com.

This is a FREE publication in the South that I happened to find while in Savannah, GA.

What a find for me and that was three years ago! Now I pay for this little hot number to be delivered to my house in NJ.

The paper is geared toward women and women issues but they ever so cleverly, include men.... in skirts...! 

Check out the publisher's blog....Nikki Harding writes with an edge but straight from her heart. She has a sharp eye for style and is giving great direction for this paper.

This magazine (it's like a newspaper) is bold and different.

It has a seperate feel from the local, free publications that you pick up in your travels... it's thick and meaty and is a offers valuable real estate to budding artists, free lance writers and new products.

This magazine is a great read for creative, fully expressed, entrepreneurs. Does that sound like you?

You may even want to subscribe and to help get a Skirt! in your neighborhood.

Check it out, www.skirt.com.

Raising Prices

'Tis the season to raise prices.  Are you ready?

If you are having trouble, here are some tips to get you started.

First, do the research.

• What is the industry standard?
• Who is charging to do What?
• Why are you raising your fees? Jot these reasons down.
• How can you be a better choice for your customers even after the price-hike?

Communicate:

• Prepare a letter that informs your customers of the rate increase and effective dates.
• 2-3 months is sufficient notice.
• Raising fees can be tricky...you can expect some grumbling from your customers.

Head off the grumbling: