| |
| |
|
Small Business Information |
|
Postcard Marketing Your Small Business
One of the best marketing strategies a business or organization can use is postcards. Even before the arrival of online postcard printing and mailing services, postcards had a good reputation amongst guerilla marketers because:
What is particularly nice about postcards is that nearly any business or organization can benefit from a structured, targeted postcard marketing strategy. Take a look at some of the ways postcards can be used. Thank you notes. You can send a quick thank you to anyone for any reason and they will be so surprised and pleased that you took the time. If someone sends you a referral or business lead, gives you some information you needed, mentions you in an article - send them a note that shows you appreciate it! A follow-up offer or service. Within 30 days after a purchase of a product or completion of a service, send them a discounted offer for a related service or product. Don't miss the opportunity for an after-sale contact. Gift certificates or coupons. Show your best customers that you appreciate them by sending a gift certificate that they can use any time in the next year. Even better, leave a space on it for them to fill out a friend or colleagues name and give it to someone else to introduce them to your business. Announce a new project or completed work. Postcards are perfect for photographers, web designers, architects, graphic artists, or anyone else who wants to keep their clients in the loop on what they are working on, with something visual and tangible. Secret sales and pre-sales for preferred customers. Treat your existing and favorite clients to a sale that no one else knows about - or give them an advanced peak at your new product line. Introduce products or services. Postcards are an economical way to inform people about your product or services, or announce new ones. Announce a new web site. Create an announcement of your new web presence and invite everyone you know to come check it out. Remember special days. Send your contacts a holiday greeting or thank you note for Thanksgiving. If you keep track of special dates in your customer's lives like birthdays or anniversaries, you can send them a colorful postcard letting them know you are thinking of them. Reminders. Businesses that rely on repeat business can take advantage of postcards to send reminders and its not just for dentists any more! Why not remind your past customers of upcoming birthdays or anniversaries, or special holidays like secretaries' day or thanksgiving, at just the right time? Or perhaps your database tells you when they have likely run out of whatever they bought so you can send them a reminder that its time to visit you again. Just staying in touch. People like to be remembered and postcards are an economical and easy way to say "thinking of you." Recognition. Send out a postcard to let people know your good news about accomplishments and awards or reviews you have received. Invitations to an event. Postcards can be used to announce seminars you are speaking at, open houses, book signings, and any variety of special events. Think about all the ways you can use postcards, and then explore the many ways that you can automate the process of sending them out quickly and cheaply. This is one of those marketing strategies which looks much more costly than it really is, and will return more than you put into it. The best part is, practically any small business can benefit. © 2003 Eileen P. Parzek, SOHO It Goes! About The Author Eileen 'Turtle' Parzek is a veteran marketing designer and online communications consultant who has been working from home and virtually since 1995. You can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter called Increase Your Reach: Infuse Your Marketing with Technology at http://www.soho-it-goes.com NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to ezine@soho-it-goes.com
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Small Business Success: Thriving During Change (And Landing On Your Feet!) If I had $1.00 every time I heard someone say " I don't like change or, change makes me uncomfortable" I'd be a millionaire. Pressure Washing Business and Post Fire Cleanups Many have not experienced a fire up close. One year about 15 years ago I almost lost my house as did our neighbors to a wild fire. Breaking The Chains! Everyday, customers and business owners are bombarded with billboards, logos, print and electronic ads from huge corporations. With annual ad budgets that are more than our businesses' SALES in an entire year, our small independent businesses are getting squeezed out of consumers minds (and wallets) more and more each year. Pressure Washer Companies and Steam Cleaner Maintenance If you run a pressure washing business it is a must that you understand and take care of your equipment. It is your livelihood. How to Create an Employee Manual Large corporations use employee manuals to both educate employees about policies and protect themselves legally. Whether or not you need an employee manual is your decision, though it can be a great tool for keeping your policies consistent. Pressure Washing; How to Bid Concrete Cleaning Jobs Remember the cleaning business is all about time ratio to money. You want to be making at least a $1 a minute when doing concrete work at a minimum and aim for $100 to $200 per hour if you can get it. Franchising in The Middle East There Will Bring Significant Opportunity for US Based Franchisors As stability emerges in the Middle East there will be significant opportunity for the Franchising Community. Arab Franchising appears to be of interest for those seeking economic growth in much of that region of the World. Mobile Detailing Expansion Considerations Expanding your business requires you to take a good hard look at your business (checking under the hood). You need to ask yourself. Promote Yourself More Successfully One of the great challenges for independent professionals and small businesses, especially when starting out, is generating visibility to ultimately lead to generating sales.One of the specific challenges, I have found, is knowing what to say about yourself and your operations and services when asked "so what do you do?"? Have you ever stumbled over your words when asked what you do?? Have you ever received the response, "Oh, I see", followed by silence?? Do you ever feel as though you do not know what to say about yourself?I am reminded of the 'elevator speech theory' (I do not know to whom to attribute its invention), which simply poses "if you were in a lift that opens on the tenth floor and in walks Bill Gates who asks what you do - what would you say, and you have only until the elevator gets to the bottom?"I have personally struggled with this at times, and equally have found that when I get it right, results flow - which initially could be as simple yet important of getting more time to converse with the person asking the question of you. The Types of Skip Trace Accounts First, we need to define the different kinds of skip trace. There are three basic types of skip trace accounts, they are:The Typo AccountThis account is really not a skip trace account. California Department of Corporations Attempts to PR Their Benefits to Consumers On Monday the Department of Corporations in California revoked franchise registrations of two franchising companies. In a Press Release the Department said; "The CDC has taken enforcement actions that have resulted in the revoking of registration of two franchise businesses operating in California. Lack of Vigilance Can Harm the Bottom Line The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the fat out of costs.Cost cutting and profit increases can amount to much the same thing if handled correctly. What Help is there for Veterans Starting a Business? Some of the very qualities that attract people to the military life are what make them good candidates for an internet based home business. What are these qualities? A sense of adventure, an attraction to signs of leadership and the ability to discern what constitutes a good leader, courage and idealism and an understanding of the joy of testing one's own limits. Small Business Marketing - How Important Are Your First Words? "What do you do?" It just might be one of the most asked questions there is, at least here in America.Are you prepared to answer this question and make a positive impression for your business at various networking (and social) events you attend?How about this one. Become The Squeaky Wheel and Watch Your Business Skyrocket! Providing high quality customer service is a must for any business to survive.Following up on all contacts and leads is also crucial in order to increase your sales and client base. Business Development Is Not An Event Cash flow. To stay in business, you've got to keep a steady stream moving through your company. Got Stimulation? An observation while returning home from a seminar: Getting away from the everyday allows room for analysis and new thoughts. Stimulation while away from the everyday energizes analytical and concept ional thinking. Round Pegs In Round Holes: The Amazing Secret of Succeeding in Any Business Every Time! Success is the desire of everyman on the face of this earth.There is no normal human being without this yearning. Small Business CRM Is Here To Stay If you ask most small business owners what priority CRM has in their short-term business plans, chances are you'll get more than one blank stare. The fact is that most small business owners don't even know what CRM is not to mention how significantly it can benefit their growing company. Business Plans - What Consultants Don't tell You! Do you have a Business Plan? Congratulations, but you are in a small minority. And if you have a plan, is it integral to your business, and instrumental to its growth? If the answer to this question is yes, then you need to read no further.
|
| home | site map | contact us |