Archives for August 2008
6 tips to do your own marketing as a small business
I found this fascinating article today:
- Research: Figure out what you do best and get to know who your ideal customer is.
- Segment: Group these customers into some categories. Don’t default to region or industry, that won’t help you make more money or give them what they want. Group them by what’s important to them when they are buying what you’re selling.
- Target: Pick a segment or group you want to start with. Maybe they are easy to work with, maybe they are most profitable, any reason will do.
- Position: Tell them why they should buy from you - position yourself to provide what they want - not what they need.
- Irresistible Offer: Pull together a combination of product, service, price, delivery and communication that makes what you’re selling IRRESISTIBLE to them.
- Build Loyalty:Â If you have a customer base which likes to be involved - then build community and build loyalty.
Ivana Taylor, Strategy Stew, Aug 2008
The whole article is a very good read. I love the explanation about process and promotion.
It appears I need to work on my processes as I am rather good at promotion.
Sarah
Essex Couriers and Delivery services
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Linda Mattacks is the author of a series of training courses available at SellingForBusiness.co.uk developed to provide easily accessible training for small businesses who are not in a position (or may not want) to take time out to attend formal training sessions.
Making the most of LinkedIN for sales
You may be looking for more sales due to the credit crunch, or you may be hiking up your activity so you don’t feel the crunch so bad.
I found this article written by Guy Kawasaki over 18 months ago, and if you missed it then, now is the time to catch up and implement his tips and tricks…
Most people use LinkedIn to “get to someone†in order to make a sale, form a partnership, or get a job. It works well for this because it is an online network of more than 8.5 million experienced professionals from around the world representing 130 industries. However, it is a tool that is under-utilized, so I’ve compiled a top-ten list of ways to increase the value of LinkedIn.
- Increase your visibility.
By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they’re searching for someone to hire or do business with. In addition to appearing at the top of search results (which is a major plus if you’re one of the 52,000 product managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with people who their friends know and trust.
- Improve your connectability.
Most new users put only their current company in their profile. By doing so, they severely limit their ability to connect with people. You should fill out your profile like it’s an executive bio, so include past companies, education, affiliations, and activities.
You can also include a link to your profile as part of an email signature. The added benefit is that the link enables people to see all your credentials, which would be awkward if not downright strange, as an attachment.
- Improve your Google PageRank.
LinkedIn allows you to make your profile information available for search engines to index. Since LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high PageRank in Google, this is a good way to influence what people see when they search for you.
To do this, create a public profile and select “Full View.†Also, instead of using the default URL, customize your public profile’s URL to be your actual name. To strengthen the visibility of this page in search engines, use this link in various places on the web> For example, when you comment in a blog, include a link to your profile in your signature.
- Enhance your search engine results.
In addition to your name, you can also promote your blog or website to search engines like Google and Yahoo! Your LinkedIn profile allows you to publicize websites. There are a few pre-selected categories like “My Website,†“My Company,†etc.
If you select “Other†you can modify the name of the link. If you’re linking to your personal blog, include your name or descriptive terms in the link, and voila! instant search-engine optimization for your site. To make this work, be sure your public profile setting is set to “Full View.â€
Linda Mattacks is the author of a series of training courses available at SellingForBusiness.co.uk developed to provide easily accessible training for small businesses who are not in a position (or may not want) to take time out to attend formal training sessions.
When did you last say Thank You?
An often overlooked sales tip, is to say thank you in a highly personal way. It increases customer loyalty and makes them feel appreciated. It can also make you stand out from the crowd, and when times are tough in business it may give you the edge.
“Even though business thank you cards offer a tangible way for companies to demonstrate customer appreciation, only 44 percent of the consumers we surveyed received a thank you greeting card from companies with which they do business,” said Marc Wagenheim, director for Hallmark Business Expressions.
In fact, a total of 66 percent of consumers surveyed by Hallmark Business Expressions indicated that business greeting cards sent to show appreciation for a purchase or referral makes them more likely to do future business with a company.
Some people suggest you pick up the phone or send an email, but what works best for me is the old fashioned but highly memorable thank you note.
What should you thank people for? We thank new customers for choosing us to deliver their goods. A friend of ours thinks a thank you note after obtaining a quote is a good way of getting the business, it works for her.
What do you put on it? I suggest it’s handwritten, and in blue ink, so that it doesnt look like its computer generated, so it has that nice personal touch. Some discreet contact details, but they shouldn’t detract from the message of thanks.
Where else can I use it? After networking? Why not thank the person for their comments, may get read unlike an email which can be deleted, may get kept too. Certainly makes you stick in their mind.
So when did you last say thank you via a note, and how did it work for you?
Sarah
Essex couriers and parcel delivery
Linda Mattacks is the author of a series of training courses available at SellingForBusiness.co.uk developed to provide easily accessible training for small businesses who are not in a position (or may not want) to take time out to attend formal training sessions.
