Log file HNA120998 for
Chat room homeparents: Marketing your Business
| BarbH: | MAKE A REASON to contact your database!! |
| homeparentsADM: | Barb, now we are talking contacting them via snail mail? |
| Lucinda: | I have never done any press releases |
| BKSSecy: | Lucinda, I can create postcards for you. |
| BarbH: | yes, as i've mentioned many times - i'm internet-challenged, so all my ideas and suggestions are offline marketing |
| BKSSecy: | LOL (to Barb) |
| BarbH: | snail mail especially - put somethng into their hands!! |
| homeparentsADM: | ok, thanks Barb! |
| Julie: | I feel the most effective is snail mail followed by a visit or phone call... |
| BarbH: | press releases are excellent IF you can get free coverage. if you pay for an ad, you're back to "advertising" |
| BKSSecy: | How do go about getting free coverage? |
| BarbH: | again, press releases - but they won't publish them Unless there's a reason - new address, new personnel, etc. |
| BKSSecy: | New business? |
| BarbH: | exactly. |
| Julie: | If it is really a press release with newsworthy items, you get free press. For a small business like yours, I would try the local press.. sometimes the newspapers do local business sotires |
| BKSSecy: | I live in a small town. There was one other secretarial service, and she closed. |
| BarbH: | the press won't give you free coverage, but a press release must be newsworthy |
| Kylie: | Barb, I am going to be seeking out a new market for a completly different service to what I do now -- will you be talking abou that? |
| BarbH: | explain further .... |
| Julie: | For example The Pet cookies business that was recently written up in our Cleveland newspaper with the local angle and because her business was "unique" |
| Kylie: | who me? |
| BarbH: | i'm taking a guess here kylie, but if you're seeking a new marketing for an old service, you need to start at square one. start and create that all important database!! who can't live without your service? |
| Kylie: | it's a new market for a new service - way off from what I normally do |
| Kylie: | I don't know who can't live without my service -- probably most likely women looking for what is missing in their lives |
| Julie: | Is there any way to align yourself with a complimentary business/establishment for cross promotion? |
| BarbH: | again, start at square one - sit down with a phone book and figure out WHO exactly needs or would use that service - create a presentation piece that appeals and attracts them to your service/product. it's really Marketing 101 - start at the beginning and move from there. |
| allymcbeal: | This is Lisa B...sounds like much the same clientele a lot of coaches seek, Kylie. |
| Kylie: | ot sure Julie - I am a marketing geek - don't know much but once I get started I love it |
| Janet: | what about bookstores? particularly women's bookstores --- I have seen seminars and similar offerings there... |
| BarbH: | with most home-owned businesses, you're really on your own. there aren't too many cross-businesses to align with - at least with my field there weren't or else we were in competiton with each other. |
| Kylie: | OK - thanks Barb, Lucinda gave me a starting point so I'll work there |
| Lucinda: | How would you handle being contacted by clients who are seeking services you don't want to do any more? |
| BarbH: | exactly, janet. find the places where your biz/service will be most appreciated, and start there. |
| allymcbeal: | Almost any business that markets mostly to women might be a good bet for cooperation |
| Julie: | Kylie, for example I worked out a partnership with a local TV station... they are eager for news and I am eager for their visitors. |
| BarbH: | that's a tough one - if you can find someone to refer them to, you build a friend and someone who will come back later |
| Julie: | Lucinda: work out a deal with someone who provides those services |
| Gloria: | Julie, is this something I might try in Baltimore? |
| BarbH: | if you can't, and don't want to do their work, you always have to be honest and tell you don't *do* that anymore. |
| Julie: | Sure, Gloria... email me |
| Gloria: | Great, thanks. |
| Kylie: | OK - that's good Julie, bookstores is good too - someone else have a go now - I have plenty of places to start |
| Lucinda: | I don't want to do airline tickets any more but if I refer them to another agency they may go there for services I want to do |
| allymcbeal: | Well, Lucinda attracts clients who want to get back to the simple pleasures, take time to enjoy life... |
| Julie: | I get Web Design requests, and I have no desire to take on new clients, so I refer them to Janet :) |
| BarbH: | it's important to continue to market once you start. repeat repeat repeat .. that's what marketing is all about! |
| Julie: | Lisa: different Lucinda.. I already make that error |
| Gloria: | Julie, how do these people know about you, to be able to refer them to Janet? |
| BarbH: | obviously julie is doing an excellent job of marketing - so she gets calls and then is able to pass them along to janet |
| allymcbeal: | Oh! Well, Kylie--the soap Lucinda attracts a lot of women clients who want 2 start enjoying simple things |
| BKSSecy: | So, if there's a particular service you don't want to offer anymore, is it better to risk losing that client than to do that service anyway? |
| Julie: | My Web site has been online for a long time, so even though I know longer market these services, they still come. Or links from other sites I designed, or my mother passing out my business card everywhere |
| BarbH: | if there's something yo don't want to do, pass on it rather than do it half-heartedly |
| allymcbeal: | BKS--I think people appreicate your honesty...Just refer them to someone who will do a good job 4 them |
| BarbH: | exactly - either pass them on or be honest about it |
| allymcbeal: | I do it all the time! |
| BarbH: | honesty is always the best policy - |
| BKSSecy: | I have this issue with 2 businesses. Secretarial, I don't want to do in-office assistance. MK, I don't want to sell cosmetics, just skin care. |
| Julie: | Bks: perhaps the people you refer clients to can in turn refer people back to you, or help you in another way. |
| BKSSecy: | That's a possibility. |
| Lucinda: | I get to many college students who are just price shopping This just wastes my time |
| BarbH: | create a new presentation piece and announce the *change* in your business - it's perfect - another great reason to re-contact your client list! |
| allymcbeal: | Yes, Julie--It all comes back around somehow--positive and negative! |
| BKSSecy: | Good idea Barb! |
| BarbH: | always think of reasons to contact your databse |
| BKSSecy: | I can contact my MK clients to announce my change. And I call let my secy clients know so they won't tell others I do in-office assistance. |
| Lucinda: | What do you think of contacting clients from one business to tell them about another? |
| Priscilla: | Speaking of databases, does anyone know of one that works well with Corel Word Perfect 7.0 |
| BKSSecy: | oops. A secy who has a typo! LOL |
| BarbH: | exactly .... it's a win-win for all! you get the word out, and your clients get another reason to contact you. |
| Janet: | Lisa (aka ally McBeal) and I have had trouble dealing with a joint client who is really burned out on her home business. Makes our job so much harder. Hard to say - sorry, can't do your project in the middle of it :( |
| BarbH: | there's a database program from Corel that's called Office 97 I think. it's excellent, and free download |
| Priscilla: | Thanks BarbH |
| Julie: | A great example of constant contact is Avon. They get those books in your hands (or doors) every two weeks, whether you want them or not. Their target market likes to look at catalogs, and enough of those people end up leafing through and ordering something just because they are constantly reminded of them. chances are those people would not have sought out Avon and made an effort to place the order otherwise. |
| allymcbeal: | passion or lack thereof is contagious when dealing with clients. |
| Janet: | that's makes OUR job more difficult when the client is burned out... |
| BarbH: | see, their marketing strategy is continuous contact - that's what yours should be too. |
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