iZania Blogs

Money is tight, I know this, you know it too. However to stay in business you have to market your product or service no matter what the economy happens to be. You got to spend money to make money.

So I am offering you my marketing skills for $250.00. You need to attract new customers to your business, I can create the marketing materials you need. What type of materials you say? The type of marketing materials created for this economy, that's what I'm speaking of. 

Your current marketing materials may have been created in a booming economy, now things have changed. You need marketing that is in tune with your customers current needs, not their past needs. Customers are looking for a bargain due to the failing economy. They are expecting you to offer something for free or at least a discount. So take a look at your current marketing materials. Are they in tune with what is going on today? If not, then we need to talk. 

The following are examples of what I'm offering:

* brochures 

* newsletters

* flyers

* magazine ads

* newspaper ads

* e-mail campaigns

Take advantage of this offer today, cause it won't last forever.

Contact me:

916.548.6328-Sacramento, CA

404.931.4695-Atlanta, GA

e-mail

The new business card is a Postcard. That's right a postcard. A postcard is a great business tool for marketing your product or service. Postcards can be used to tell potential customers and current customers whatever you 

want them to know regarding your business. 

The next time you hear, do you have a card, give them your business-postcard instead. They will walk away with all the info needed to contact you, and a 30 second printed commercial telling them why they should contact

Your core customers? Do you know who they are? The economy is slowing down to a recession, now more than ever is the time to find out who your core customer is. Your core customer is the loyal customer that purchases what you sell. Every business has a group of customers that likes it’s products or services enough to make a purchase. Do you know why they like you? How often have you taken time to ask?

Have you taken the time to find out who this group is. There is a reason why every business should know who their core customers are. Let me tell you that reason, and yes it has to do with marketing. The reason is this. Knowing your core customer is how you can effectively market your product your service. Yes this is how you can stop wasting your hard earned marketing dollars. If you have no clue who you are marketing to, than you're throwing money in the wind. 

Research is required to discover who your core customer base is. This can be done several different ways. If you have a large marketing budget you could hire a focus group. If you have a small marketing budget you can do it the bootstrapper way. Either way you choose, finding out is the most important part of retaining your core customer

How? Do what makes you happy. That is how you become successful in business. When you focus on doing what makes you happy, you in turn become successful. You begin attracting people who want to purchase what you are offering. People love doing business with happy people. They can feel that you are happy doing what you do, so they feel happy too. 

Remember this, your job is to focus on what makes you happy. Don't focus on the details, just do what makes you happy everyday and success will follow. No matter how hard it gets keep doing

Creative intelligence. Do you have it? Most business owners do have it, even if they don't know it. There are four types of creative styles.

1. Intuitive - Focuses on results and relies on past experience to guide actions.

2. Innovative - Concentrates on problem-solving, is systematic, and relies on data.

3. Imaginative - Is able to visualize opportunities, is artistic, enjoys writing, and thinks "out of the box".

4. Inspirational - Focuses on social change and the giving of self toward that end.

Which one are you? You may notice that you may be a combination of styles. Business owners use creative intelligence daily, constantly thinking of creative ideas to solve day to day business problems. My creative style happens to be imaginative. If you knew me, you would think that too. 

How does creative intelligence work in marketing your business? Well, when you know what your style is you can focus on producing outstanding results. I don't mean just basic stuff, I mean when you dig deep down and find some really creative ideas that you didn't even know you had in

Marketing your business requires more than just online presence. You also have to market your business offline as well. Here are a few tips that I have utilized that work .

When designing print ads trying these ideas will get you a better response. Start with a headline that states what you are offering. Your headline is the first thing a prospect notices, so make sure you announce what you are attempting to sell. Cute headlines may be creative, but they don't work. Potential customers almost never understand ads that have vague headlines.

Include your phone and fax numbers, e-mail and web addresses. Also give directions to your brick and mortar store. You want to make sure potential customers can contact and find you when their ready to make a purchase.

State the benefits of your product or service. Remember customers buy benefits not features. The average customer could care less if the coffee maker you sell heats the coffee to 300, 500 or even 800 degrees, and chimes a fancy tune when it is done, they just want to know how fast it will make coffee before they crawl out of bed in the morning. And business owners really don't want too much detail about your company, they want to read that you have a solution to their problems.

Don't assume that the person reading your ad gets what your business does. Describe what it is you do in detail for them. This is the part to never ever forget. You must tell the prospect what to do next. If you want them to call for more

 

There is a simple marketing strategy for attracting potential customers to your business. Let me tell you what is. It's called information. Most people want at least some basic information about your product or service before spending their hard-earned dollars. They will want even more information before making any kind of substantial purchase. 

Create an information packet about your company. Include a welcome letter, brochure, brief company history, flyers, coupons, free gift, etc. Give as much information about your company as you can. Hire someone if you don't have the skills to do this.

 

When a potential customer calls you about your product or service, tell them you'll mail an information packet. Sure you can tell them details about your product or service, or suggest that they view your web site, but how many times can you follow up with "Did you view my web site?" Sending the information packet gives you a chance to follow up often. Plus you have given them a ton of information about what you do, so when they are ready to make a purchase, they'll contact you. Remember the one with the power, is the one who has all the

Persuading people to opt in can be a challenge. One way to help is to offer something for free in exchange for an e-mail address.

Some free things to offer:

a newsletter

an e-zine

a whitepaper

a free chapter of a e-book

 

You should put this free offer on the entry page of your website. Post it where it can be seen. Make the offer compelling enough to make them want to give out their e-mail address. Respect the privilege you have been given. Don't start spamming or selling your new-found database. This will cause you to be blocked to ever sending anything to them again. All your hard work and time will be