Over the years, I've heard countless small business owners utter the phrase, "We get most of our business from referrals." or "We don't do any advertising...our customers come to us." As a marketing and advertising consultant, businesses who rely on referral marketing alone make me cringe a little (okay, a lot). I understand the logic behind their perspective. They are some of the … [Read more...]
Tradeshow Marketing – Getting the Most out of Your Exhibitor Dollar
As a small business, trade show marketing is probably something on your marketing tactic list. Your company purchases booth graphics, prints a few brochures, and send a few salespeople to work the floor and gather as many leads as possible. But have you really thought about how you could make exhibiting at trade shows more successful for your business? Marketing is such a big component of … [Read more...]
Justifying your Content Marketing Expense
Content marketing sure is a popular buzzword these days. For those of you who are unsure of the benefits of content marketing, it's essentially the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant content in order to drive an action (click to website, call, etc.). We hear reports of companies increasing their spend in this area, and how it's the new "future of marketing." But for marketing … [Read more...]
Marketing Tips from The Bachelor: How to Woo your Prospects into Customers
When I'm not marketing for my small business clients, one of my guilty pleasures is watching television, including ABC's reality shows The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. What I have noticed since watching several seasons of the show is that some contestants are better than others at playing this reality dating game. Some of them are not very well-skilled at getting noticed, and they hardly appear … [Read more...]
Letting Go of Old Marketing Habits
With a new year in full swing, it may be time for a change in how you market your business. Whether you are looking for new growth or would like to maximize your current efforts, it’s time to shake things up a bit. Are you stuck in the status quo? You may need to let go of one of these three old marketing habits that are holding you back: Habit #1: Same Message Have you been communicating … [Read more...]
12 Marketing Tips for a Successful Year
For those companies without the luxury of a large sales and marketing department, I thought I would gift you with 12 ideas (one for each month of the year) on how to positively impact your marketing results in the coming year. Refresh your Brand: Is your current company brand up to par? Consider revising or re-designing your company’s logo. If you have a logo you’re happy with, make sure … [Read more...]
Building your Business with Social Media
Social media marketing can boost traffic to your website, and keeps your company top-of-mind. The value in this alone can be enough to boost your business to the next level. Is your business taking advantage of the opportunities that social media offers? One of the key tips I give business owners who are unsure about social media is to create a (separate) business account and start snooping … [Read more...]
Social Media – Should you DIY?
My husband, Jason is an avid do-it-yourselfer (DIYer). If he can figure out how to fix it or build it online, or by reading a book, he’ll do it. I, on the other hand, can think of many things that are better left to the professionals (e.g. fixing a major plumbing issue, upgrading a technology system). If I don’t feel comfortable or knowledgeable enough to do the job, I’d much rather find an expert … [Read more...]
Back to School – Business Edition
As children return to school this Fall, it’s time for business owners to start thinking about a fresh perspective on their companies and prepare for the upcoming new year. Here are a few ways that professionals can learn more and achieve more, taking cues from the students they once were: Ask for help when needed. It’s okay not to understand everything about running your business. If … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Local Business Thriving
As a marketing consultant, I help coach small businesses how to succeed in this competitive marketplace. So I have seen the confusion business owners face when trying to determine how to raise awareness in the community for their store or their services. Whether it’s a local retail shop or business-to-business operation, they face many of the same issues. “Where do I put my advertising dollars so … [Read more...]
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