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August 1-15, 1996 |
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Top Ten Marketing Strategies For Small Business
The small or home-based business spends, on average, just $2,300 on marketing after print advertising buys, according to Link Resources. To make these limited resources go as far as possible, the Microsoft Small Business Council recommends the following:
- Do-it-yourself marketing
. Bring design and printing in-house to save money. Desktop publishing products can help you create professional-quality marketing materials quickly and easily.
- Consider newsletters
. An easy, cost-effective, and dramatic way to "sell" your business is through a desktop published newsletter. "Newsletters provide the style and depth simple letters cannot, and are a great way to win and keep customers, " says Council member Chuck Green.
- Online networking
. Participating in online chats can expand your network of business contacts. More important, these chats can give you the social interchange, new ideas, and business leads your big-business counterparts with large staffs benefit from everyday.
- The database
. Good marketing plans are rooted in an active, current database system. Consider using your database to segment your market and focus your communication. Then, stay in touch with customers in as many ways as possible, such as via phone, e-mail, and mailings.
- The care & feeding of your customer base
. Don’t overlook innovative and inexpensive ways to stay in touch with your clients, such as pager, voice mail, and fax services to mail merges for sending customized newsletters and product information. Also, consider teleconferencing and e-mail, when appropriate.
- Be human
. "Don’t overlook the phone as a way to stay in touch with clients and to ‘cold call’ prospects. In this technology age, customers appreciate the personal touch, and I’ve found that the more cold calls I make, the more I capture prospects," says Council member and entrepreneur Brad Edwards.
- Be tech-wise, but not business foolish
. Before you spend the money to get into the Internet game and launch your own web site, be sure you strategically integrate your site into your overall marketing program. Also, keep your site up-to-date and ever-changing so that people continue to sign on and aren’t bored.
- Consider your surroundings
. Your company’s image plays an essential role in your marketing success. Schedule business meetings in places that put you in the best light. If you have an office at home, you may opt to schedule meetings outside your office in a conference center or other business-focused facility.
- Plan ahead
. Set aside an hour each week to consider your marketing initiatives. Ask yourself what’s working and what isn’t. Most small businesses could benefit from spending more time thinking creatively and less time "putting out fires."
- Never stop learning
. Don’t work in a vacuum. There are too many ideas that can be at your fingertips via classes, television courses, and through organizations such as the Microsoft Small Business Council.
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