Marketing

Our services to you are free. Well at least they will feel free. We believe that the increase in sales and the improved efficiency our services will offer to you will be far more valuable than the amount you are spending. You may be thinking I’m too small or I can't afford a consultant. With an attitude like that you may be right. If you’re focused on keeping your company small and your profit margins smaller we are not the company for you. We would like an opportunity to sit down with you and explain further how we can help. Our staffs of educated proffessionals are waiting to help. Noticing customer trends, doing market research, analyzing sales techniques and implementing them can be a handful for a startup business all the way up to a large corporation. We would like to take on the tasks of growing your business so you can concentrate on running your business. Contact Us when your ready to go farther.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Marketing Services

GENERAL IDEAS
Never let a day pass without engaging in at least one marketing activity.
Determine a percentage of gross income to spend annually on marketing.
Carry business cards with you (all day, every day).

TARGET MARKET
Stay alert to trends that might impact your target market, product or promotion strategy. (Marketing)
Read market research studies about your profession, industry, product, target market groups, etc.
Ask clients why they hired you and solicit suggestions for improvement.
Ask former clients why they left you.

EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
Hold a monthly marketing meeting with employees or associates to discuss strategy, status and to solicit marketing ideas.
Join an association or organization related to your profession.
Get a marketing intern to take you on as a client; it will give the intern experience and you some free marketing help.
Maintain a consultant card file for finding designers, writers and other marketing professionals.
Hire a marketing consultant to brainstorm with.

PRICING AND PAYMENT
Analyze your fee structure; look for areas requiring modifications or adjustments. (Financial Analysis)
Establish a credit card payment option for clients.
Give regular clients a discount.
Learn to barter; offer discounts to members of certain clubs/professional groups/organizations in exchange for promotions in their publications.
Give "quick pay" or cash discounts.
Offer financing or installment plans.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Remember, business cards aren’t working for you if they’re in the box. Pass them out! Give prospects two business cards and brochures -- one to keep and one to pass along.
Produce separate business cards/sales literature for each of your target market segments (e.g. government and commercial, and/or business and consumer).
Develop a site on the World Wide Web. (Web Design)
Include "testimonials" from customers in your literature. .
Announce free or special offers in your direct response pieces.

CUSTOMER SERVICE/ CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Ask your clients to come back again.
Return phone calls promptly.
Use an answering machine or voice mail system to catch after-hours phone calls. Include basic information in your outgoing message such a business hours, location, etc.
Send hand-written thank-you notes.
Create an area on your Web site specifically for your customers.
Redecorate your office or location where you meet with your clients. (Remodeling)

ADVERTISING
Advertise during peak seasons for your business.
Get a memorable phone number, such as "1-800-WIDGETS."
Provide Rolodex® cards or phone stickers pre-printed with your business contact information.
Advertise in a specialty directory or in the Yellow Pages.
Create a new or improved company logo or "recolor" the traditional logo.(Graphics)

SALES IDEAS
Start every day with two cold calls.
Put your fax number on order forms for easy submission.
Set up a fax-on-demand or email system to easily distribute responses to company or product inquiries.
Extend your hours of operation.

The above list of marketing ideas was developed with the assistance of Joyce L. Bosc, President of Boscobel Marketing Communications, Inc. in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ms. Bosc serves as a professional volunteer instructor with the National Women's Business Center in Washington, D.C.