Marketing in the Good Ole' Summertime

Written by Karen E. Hipp


Continued from page 1

Third, most marketing people have less clutter on their desk because everyone else follows their same philosophy (no business inrepparttar summer). Your advertising piece or message is sure to get much more attention! This is also a particularly good time for those that are in sales to pull out allrepparttar 121358 stops and be able to schedule meetings with those that were previously too busy.

Try these summer marketing ideas:

*Create your own "idea" file. Clip competitor ads or simply ads that you like. Jot down ideas for promotions. Brainstorm with your staff on ideas you can use.

*If you haven't done it, this is a great time to work on your marketing plan!

*Follow up on what you might have thought were dead sales leads.

*Try writing a press release and sending it to your local papers. Make it interesting and place a follow-up call. Submitting a professional photo is a good idea.

*Develop a newsletter.

*Review your current promotional materials. Do they need a new look?

*Develop a web-site and a plan to promote it.

Here arerepparttar 121359 top 7 types of advertising used by small businesses:

Yellow Pages

800 numbers

Signs and displays

E-marketing

Direct mail/catalogues

Cable TV

Community local papers

www.downanddirtymarketing.com

Karen E. Hipp is a nationally recognized marketing consultant and the author of the ebook "Do-It-Yourself Marketing." Karen has been honored with "Marketing Director of the year in two separate industries and has won 54 Addy Awards. Karen's business, Hipp Marketing, focuses on small to medium sized businesses that need marketing help.


Common Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Business

Written by Karen E. Hipp


Continued from page 1

5. Ego Shmeego

It happens to everyone at least one time or another. You've got this brilliant idea and even though your co-workers, employees or husband/wife thinks it may not be so great, dog-gonnit, you thought of it, so you're gonna to do it! Ego tempts some very bright people into irrational behavior. Base your marketing decisions from a non-emotional point of view. Think of it this way; if you were giving a friend advice about his business is this what you would advise them to do? Step back and look at it outside of your own business. I have to do this allrepparttar time when promoting my own business. Kind of like, physician heal thyself. Here's a good example ofrepparttar 121357 big "E" getting inrepparttar 121358 way: Placing ads in magazines you like, but are not your target market; Creating a very expensive looking brochure when something more simple would do.

6. I have a good feeling about this

Here we go again. You're relying on your feelings or a hunch without concrete facts or projections. Investigate new opportunities completely. When it comes to business marketing decisions, get ice running through your veins.

7. Not Measuring Results

How do you know if your marketing efforts are working if you don't evaluate your plans? Measuringrepparttar 121359 results from your strategies will tell you what to continue with and what to eliminate. Try tactics like survey's, coded coupons, focus groups, ask when someone calls "How did you hear about us?"

8. Canceling Marketing Efforts When things Get Tight

This isrepparttar 121360 very worst thing you can do, yet it is what almost everybody does! Cash flow starts to flow and you look at your marketing budget as something "extra" you can eliminate for now. Wrong! No marketing, no money coming in. Now you may want to change your strategy of how you are marketing, but not eliminate it all together. Keep your communication going even when times get tough.

9. Not Getting Help When You Need it

Penny-wise, pound foolish. If you're too busy to handle your marketing efforts, lackrepparttar 121361 knowledge or want to have a more professional look, you must call back-up! Hire a consultant or a small marketing person/agency on retainer to handle these very important marketing decisions. The money you pay them should come back to you many times over!

www.downanddirtymarketing.com Copyright 2002-For permission to use: Karen@Hippmarketing.com -

-

Karen E. Hipp is a nationally recognized marketing consultant and the author of the ebook "Do-It-Yourself Marketing." Karen has been honored with "Marketing Director of the year in two separate industries and has won 54 Addy Awards. Karen's business, Hipp Marketing, focuses on small to medium sized businesses that need marketing help.


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use