Grim economic forecasts can trouble new small-business owners. But veteran entrepreneurs will tell you this is not the time to give up hope. Instead, it’s time to strategize so that your business will weather the recession. During a recession it...
It’s no longer good enough to have a website for your business. Everybody’s got one. The question is, how engaging is your website? For your small business to reach its peak potential in this competitive digital market, your website must fully...
Focus groups have been used to test concepts for everything from political campaigns to the latest Hollywood movie idea. But often, too much clout is given to the information gathered in these focus groups. The fact of the matter is that focus...
Last week we helped you get started in writing your business plan. Today we’re going to cover what could be the most crucial part of that business plan – your marketing plan. Your marketing plan is not just important; it’s completely and utterly...
One of the biggest keys to business success is a strong marketing plan. But it’s not enough to simply implement your marketing strategy; if you want to repeat your successes and avoid wasting money and effort, you’ll need to track your marketing...
Local businesses often find themselves operating with lean advertising budgets. This makes finding affordable, quality advertising a challenging task for even the most seasoned marketer. Adding to this challenge is the current climate and how...
Want to significantly increase your sales and increase your customer response? If so, try using a bait piece in your marketing mix. Last week, I shared with you the importance of content marketing. Bait pieces are one way to extend the reach of...
Smart marketers understand that 20th century marketing is less effective with every passing year. TiVo enables TV watchers to skip the commercials. Newspaper circulation has shrunk. Even web users have learned to tune out the ads. That’s why, in...
One of the keys to successful marketing is learning to craft strong and compelling offers. In terms of importance, it’s second only to the list you choose to send to. Your offer is the proposition you make to your potential customer in your...
Postcards are one of the best-kept secrets of successful marketers. Amid all the bells and whistles of electronic media and social marketing, it’s easy to overlook this humble workhorse. Postcards are a cost effective choice because, compared to...
One of the most popular and effective marketing techniques at your disposal is sampling. If you have ever test driven a new car, tried a spray of perfume at the cosmetics counter, or tasted a bite-sized freebie of the latest Italian ice flavor...
As a business owner, it’s natural to talk about your own product or service. In fact, people expect you to. But when other people with nothing to gain from your success say good things about your products, it’s even more powerful. Testimonials...
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