Part 1
So now that you have set up your business you now realize you need to get the sales rolling. However, one problem: you have no big advertising budget! As a former CEO and co-founder of an “Inc. 500” direct response advertising and marketing strategy company, I know the heartache and nervousness that arises when you have followed your passion and founded your business and sales are eerily slow. Worse yet you realize and know you are close to out-of-money for promoting it. It kind of stinks because you followed your dream and now reality hits that to keep it going you need to crank it up.
Not to worry just roll-up your sleeves and dig in because there are strategies that you can implement immediately to get your name, your company’s name and services “out there” on a tight budget. I call them “Zero Budget Insider Strategies” and they are simple, yet effective, when implemented correctly. To start they are:
1. Use E-mail
One of the first objections I receive as a marketing strategist to e-mail marketing is” “Well, we/I don’t have a ‘list’ to market to.” Yes you do! You have a personal e-mail list or contact information consisting of friends, colleagues, family, acquaintances, parents from school, church, volunteer organizations, or groups you belong to that you can tap into. The steps to tapping into those are:
a. Craft a well constructed message of what it is you have to offer via your company and/or service(s). You must have a good and effective “Unique Sales/Service & Value Proposition.” Answer the “What’s In It For Me?” question and you’ll be able to have them as part of your regular mailing campaigns. Offer a “Special Report” for free that really helps people out with information or answers questions within the niche you serve.
b. Go online and start to e-mail all your contacts information and links to your site. You have to have a very good “sales copy” letter. You can go to the library and get resources on that. Invite them via e-mail and ask their permission to be placed on your newsletter, blog or “tip” list.
c. Find out what people or what they’re in the market for. The 18-35 demographic age group spends the most money in America. So target them initially. Figure how your service or product can help solve a problem they have or address a need they may have.
d. Then look for ways to build up your e-mail and business contacts such as through trade shows, chamber of commerce meetings, council meetings, Meet Up groups, Global Alliance and any other business groups. Join a local community service organization and become a person known as being a doer and the go-to expert on ‘x’ subject.
2. Create & Distribute Press Releases
This is one of the real “insider’s strategies” and one of my favorite techniques. It’s free, very effective and can be a lot fun. Besides that the pros (as in Public Relations experts) use it constantly to keep their clients names in the media and in front of raving fans/customers.
To start, go online and get samples of ways to write effective Press Releases and the various free and paid online press release distribution services. There are some services that charge a small fee for more extensive and better distribution. But if you simply are looking to be able to “get the word-out”, the free services will do just fine!
However, after you distribute your first press release live, don’t expect the media to immediately rush to your door asking for the solutions you offer or a media interview. It happens only after consistency and name recognition are in place over a period of time not on the first go-round.
The beauty of press releases is the ability for you and your company to broadcast a message or activity over the internet for free. The broadcasting, when properly executed, via press releases can get you a higher ranking on Google, Yahoo! or Bing as they view the press release distribution services as “authority” sites, and thus will rank your press release higher than say, for example, if you simply were to post a press release onto your company website. If you are not an experienced writer of “copy”, then DO NOT wing it yourself. A press release reflects upon you, your company and proficiency. If it looks bad chances are your website will not be reviewed and your message will be tanked.
So the next time a potential prospect, business partner or employer decides to Google or search your name on a search engine that particular press release may just end up being in the top 5 of the search results.
3. Seek Out Joint Ventures
Collaboration is much better than competition. So approach “competitors” and find out how the two businesses (yours and theirs) can work together on certain projects. There is strength in alliances and usually end up being win-win scenarios.
For example, at the advertising agency I founded we developed alliances with other advertising agencies, which would normally be seen as a competitor, as we were direct response experts in the Hispanic market and approached agencies that could not fill that need. We were the experts in that niche and a natural fit for larger agencies who did not have a division. They naturally wanted to grow their clients market share and we were the perfect fit. Their clients were happy with increases in their sales from a niche they had not seriously looked at before. And we were happy to grow our revenue from the alliance formed.
With joint-ventures it is important to make sure you define all parameters of responsibility, work, revenue splitting, etc. in writing prior to launching any joint-ventures. We’ve been there and done that and without having a written agreement signed it can be a nightmare and finger-pointing campaign.
4. Social Networking Sites
This new marketing and social phenomena is the new frontier for entrepreneurs: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, StumbleUpon, etc. Social Media marketing is a great way to brand your company, yourself and your services for free. You can use it to broadcast any specials, promotions or product roll-outs you may have. You can use free software that ties all of them into one and with a push of a button you can post, for example, updates to your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn account, among others.
Many a thriving business now owes a debt of gratitude to social media via the internet. They created a strategic marketing blueprint to utilize the various social media sites that best would work for them and blitzed their way across the internet with impactful dialogue and interaction. In the process they built a loyal following of raving fans. Social media has been key for start-ups, authors, experts, and now small to medium size businesses.
They are wonderful ways to start a buzz about your product or service just as long as you obey rules of etiquette when using them. Be useful and give helpful stuff out. But don’t just go on there, create and blast messages all the time that, for example, say: “Hi everyone, I’m Louis and I have a great tool for you to discover more passion, balanced living and success in all areas of life, just go to my website.” The users will get turned off to you and what you are trying to do. And you’ll come across as cheesy!
The key is engagement and the conveyance of helpful or useful information, tools, or tips in a given field of interest or expertise. For example, there are business owners, experts, and folks from all walks of life on Twitter that have built up a following of 5,000 to 17,000 people without spending a single penny on advertising. In the process they have helped, educated and interacted with a ton of potential clients or alliances. It is important to remember that social media does require a commitment and organization but the results in terms of visibility, brand broadcasting, expert positioning and possibly sales can be worth it all.
5. Mobile & Text Marketing Campaigns
Mobile marketing is the most cost-effective, high conversion and fastest marketing response tool available for business owners to communicate with customers/clients via their mobile devices, iPhones, Androids, and now iPads.
As with e-mail marketing campaigns, the mobile user/client or customer must opt-in to receive mobile or text messages from your company. It can be done via an offer such as “Receive 10% discount on Initial Service. Text “Dental” to “XXXXX.” The benefits are huge, easy to measure and has a high ROI. The reach of mobile is higher than the internet.
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