MARKETING, AS EXPRESSED in the other two columns is a key part of launching a successful business. One may not be able to afford expensive marketing campaigns involving billboards, advertisements in the media and expensive sales promotions. However, there are a few inexpensive methods which you can use to market your business.
Having a database of your customers names and contact information is a key way of sharing information with your customers about promotions and specials. On a regular basis, possibly every 6-12 months, contact 'old' customers. Let them know you are updating your database and need to confirm the information you have. This is also a good method of getting old customers to start doing business with you again. Although this is not a sales call, it is common for lost customers to begin doing business with you again simply because you contacted them.
If you have a 24-hour voice mail or answering machine, let your customers know that they can contact you using that medium 24 hours a day. Ensure you tell your customers that the service is available for 24 hours for their convenience. This is especially effective since many people review the mail and newspapers early in the morning, late in the evening, or on weekends and it is good that they can make some form of contact with your business as soon as they see an advertisement or promotion about that grabs their attention.
Finally, using stories to sell your business is a good form of advertising. This form of story telling is similar to that of the introduction covered in the last article. It simply requires you to use examples when describing what you do. Example: "I help people protect their property; I'm an insurance agent. In fact, last week I wrote policies for newly-married couples needing renters insurance."
Anyone can promote a business with an unlimited marketing budget, but it takes specialised knowledge and commitment to get the same or better results on a shoestring. Just be committed and use every possible opportunity as a chance to sell your business.
Information for this piece taken from www.morebusiness.com
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