Leaving a Paper Trail

With the vast use of social media and the internet, most people may consider using paper flyers as their promotional material a bit old-fashioned. But if you think of all the people who don’t use the internet or those who aren’t connected to your online social network, there is still an untapped customer base for your business. 

Let’s use a landscaping company as an example in this article. They are seasonal and travel from one side of town to the other servicing their customers. It makes sense for them to have flyers to distribute throughout the neighborhoods they are already working in to attract new customers.

 Keep in mind that a flyer is simply a call to action.  Whether you design the flyer yourself or have it  professionally done,there are a few things to keep in mind:

• The purpose of the flyer is to educate and inform the public of what you have to offer.
• It should be clear and easy to read at a glance. You don’t want to cram so much information onto the flyer that it’s difficult to sort the message out.
• You need to have a specific purpose in mind. Our landscaper could offer “Spring Cleanup” as a service and be handing out the flyer in the winter.
• To further call attention to the piece, you might offer a discount “coupon” or special price for new customers.
• It should include your company name, logo, addresses, phone number and website address, prominently displayed in bold type.  

Before you decide to distribute the flyers in residential areas, you need to do some homework. In most areas, there are newer regulations in place prohibiting the placing of flyers inside of mailboxes or newspaper boxes at the curb. You either have to put them on the doors of the homes or hand them out to the people you encounter

The United States Postal Service now offers an “Every Door Direct Mail Program” that is affordable and quite efficient. For a fee, starting at $ 0.17.5 per piece or 500 flyers mailed for $87.50 or less, you are able to target a specific area based on your particular demographics and there is no need to purchase a mailing list. You give them the flyer and they do the work. There are more details at www.USPS.com/business/every-door-direct-mail

Maximizing Your Business Down Time

Recently while I was visiting an accountant’s office, two women popped in bearing goodies. They were from an orthodontics office located on the other side of the same large office complex. Their business was slow and they were using the down time to go door-to-door, not only to introduce themselves to their neighbors in the complex but to all the other businesses within a two mile area. 

With a well-thought out promotion in hand, their message was clear. The "swag bag" was imprinted with the company logo, tag line, address and phone number. Inside were samples, most likely donated from their vendors: toothpaste, tooth brush, dental floss, a business card, and a flyer with a coupon offering a discount to new patients.

There was, however, a minor catch. In order to receive the goodies, you had to promise to “like” their facebook page. The page url address was included on the flyer. This was a clever way to increase the followers on their social media page as well as keeping their business in front of potential new patients in case the need arises to use their service.

When is your business in its down-time? Now is the time to be planning ahead with a strategy to maximize your growth potential and trump your competition. Other suggestions to use the time wisely:

• Update your website and/or social media pages
• Go to business networking events. Don't forget the business cards (and flyers).
• Review your business plan and/or marketing strategy
• Check out what your competition is up too

What is the most innovative thing you have done to move your company through the down-time? Let me know and I'll post it in a future e-newsletter.

Next post: Creating Effective Flyers 

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What's Your Marketing Strategy?

Let’s face it. When the economy takes a dive, businesses are forced to compensate with downsizing, restructuring and taking drastic cost-cutting measures. During the recession of the last few years, as in other years of economic down-turns, dollars allocated to advertising and marketing are the first line-items to be eliminated. However, on the other hand, it makes perfect sense that when your competitors are cutting back on such spending, now should be the time to charge full speed ahead of your competition in getting the word out about your company, product and services.

With money tight, especially for the small to mid-size businesses, self-promotion is the most economic and viable option. Where do you begin? Do you have a business plan and marketing strategy in place? Have you identified your niche market? How will you reach your target client? Which social media option is the right venue for marketing your products and services? When it comes to marketing, these are just a few of the questions that business owners wrestle with on a daily basis.

Where do you start? The place to begin is with having a solid business plan in place. And, in addition to the business plan, having a strong marketing strategy is the key to your success. A marketing strategy is part of the overall business plan and is best described as a well thought out and step-by-step plan that shows how the business proposes to create revenue.

If your company doesn't have a business plan and/or marketing strategy in place, now is the time to create one. There are countless websites on the internet or books in any library that will guide you through the process. Or I will be happy to critique your business plan and work with you in creating a marketing strategy the best suits your business. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Maurer Marketing Minutes #45-Doug Willett-Luna Tech Designs

Maurer Marketing Minutes -#45-Doug Willett-Luna Tech Designs
Have you ever wondered how 3-D Geo Web Development could benefit your business? Have you ever wondered what the heck that is? Doug Willett, President of Luna Tech Designs, tells why and how real-world viral tours of your business – or city – is becoming the trend in visual web marketing. This technology uses Google products such as Google Earth and Google Mapping and has numerous applications. Recently, Luna Tech Designs was called on by WDIV-TV to illustrate a “before” picture of Frank’s Furniture in Wayne after the terrible explosion and fire. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNPJ530Hzv8 Find out more about 3-D web marketing at www.lunaglobes.com or call Doug at 734-260-1069 or email dwillett@lunaglobes.com

Maurer Marketing Minutes #34-Aaron Beals-Ring Ring

Maurer Marketing Minutes #34-Aaron Beals-Ring Ring

 

Aaron Beals of Ring Ring LLC, promotes creative marketing through toll-free vanity telephone numbers. These numbers are effective as a branding tool to make your advertising memorable no matter what media you are using: internet, radio, television, newspapers or magazines. He can be reached at aaron.beals@ringringllc.com. 866-RingRing or visit his website at www.ringringllc.com.

Direct download: MMM-34-Aaron_Beals-RingRing.mp3