Public Relations in the Marketing Mix
Many people think of public relations as only being media relations – relationships with the media. However, you must have public relations in the marketing mix. Public relations is about the relationship your business has with your ‘publics’. That includes staff, customers, suppliers, contractors, government departments… in fact, anyone who interacts with your business. You … Continue reading
Business Cross-Promotion Ideas
As business owners it can seem like we are rowing the boat ourselves, and everyone else is on the shore enjoying a picnic lunch… with great Adelaide Hills wines. Sigh. Rather than seeing other companies as competition, working together can produce some excellent business cross-promotion ideas. In the quick tip on adding value, and the … Continue reading
Ideas for Adding Value Not Giving Discounts
It’s a strange phenomena that people seem to value a small gift over a discount. It’s true. If you offer customers a 10% discount they will, of course, take it. But they don’t really value it. And that 10% discount hits YOUR pocket and profitability considerably harder than theirs. So you might need some ideas … Continue reading
How To Add Value, Not Give Discounts
It is too easy for a small business owner to give a discount in order to win over a customer. But discounts hit YOU harder in terms of your profitability than adding an extra service or providing a small ‘gift’ will to keep the relationship sweet. Practice how to add value to a client instead … Continue reading
Hitting Your Customers Hot Button
Everyone has a hot button that induces them to make a purchasing decision, so are you hitting your customers hot button? People buy products and services for a variety of reasons including; Prestige and ego Wanting to have the best Improving their education For the good of the family To make life easier To fulfil … Continue reading
Five Easy Steps to A Profitable Direct Marketing Campaign
A direct marketing campaign allows you want to reach out and touch your target audience in a personal way; not mass marketing such as through a radio or television commercial. Direct marketing is extremely cost-effective when done correctly with five easy steps. Examples of direct marketing include; personal letters or e-mails personalized e-news brochures sent … Continue reading
Can You Learn From a Suicidal Goldfish?
I’m a dog person. At least with a dog you can play with them and teach them tricks. I am not a fish person. Fish just swim around aimlessly and, rumour has it, they have an attention span of 3 seconds. So imagine my surprise when I started correlating fish activity, or lack thereof, with … Continue reading
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget© Lets face it, most small business owners would rather spend less on marketing than more, So if you are marketing on a shoestring budget or are looking for ways to do more with less outlay, then these ideas are for you. 1. Keep the Customer Satisfied Testimonials are the strongest … Continue reading
Three Top Ways to Persuade A Potential Customer
How do you persuade someone to buy or use your product or service? Different people are persuaded by different actions and motivations. Some are persuaded by logic, others by observation, others by evidence. Here you’ll find the top three ways to persuade a potential customer that you can tailor to suit your personality and selling … Continue reading
Top Ten Recession Busting Marketing Tips
These Top Ten Recession Busting Marketing Tips have proved very popular with clients so I’m sharing them with you as I know they are a valued resource. If you are in any business you will find them imperative for promoting your business and gaining more sales. 1.Cross-Promote: Link with a complimentary company and cross-promote each … Continue reading
Professional Tips for Mistake-Free Surveys
How do you REALLY know what is of value and importance to your target market? Asking them directly may not be enough because too many businesses fail to ask the right questions. Researching your marketplace is not a new concept but the Customer Value Survey is. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, may not have the … Continue reading
Getting Out of The Black Hole
Getting Out of the Black Hole© For many business owners, late November to early February is a black hole of sales inactivity. Pre-Christmas celebrations and office parties are in full swing so many decision-makers don’t want to be thinking about buying products and services. So, what do you do? Join the fun or think strategically … Continue reading
Effectively Handling the Follow-Up
You take the time to attend a networking event, meet people you can do business with, exchange business cards…and then what? You follow-up, right? You make a call, send them something, or both. If you don’t connect or don’t do business right away, what do you do? It’s pretty simple. But many people in business … Continue reading
Is This a Regular Part of Your Marketing?
Like most things in marketing, there is no one-size-fits all solution or magic wand answer. You can develop great marketing messages (created from thorough research) and powerful marketing materials. But what is of prime importance in your marketing arsenal is…..‘The Follow-Up’. Some marketers will tell you that perfecting marketing messages is a myth – I … Continue reading
Don’t Make This Rookie Marketing Mistake #1
A friend of mine is an avid golfer. He plays twice a month, on weekends, with a group of 25 – 30 people and they regularly play different courses across the State. One weekend, they decided to go to a Hotel and Spa resort about two hours from their City because it had been getting … Continue reading
Your 24/7 Sales Executive
Imagine having a sales executive who works 24/7, who never has the weekend off, works in every time zone simultaneously, never asks for a pay rise or a share of the profits, never complains, and who increases your sales and market share. Wouldn’t that be a dream come true? Well, it can be. Have you … Continue reading
Insanely Clever Marketing 