Discounts.

1) Offer a discount (ex. 10%, 15%, 20% off) for their first purchase. 2) Offer one product at full price and second ½ off.

Drawings/Contests.

1) Have them email/call/mail you for an entry to a free contest. Use your products as prize. (Be sure to offer an additional discount for winner.)

--->You've gain interest, now what? Once you've had someone contact you with some interest in your business/products be sure to keep in contact back.

->First of all reply to them in a timely manner and be sure to thank them for their interest. ->Next, offer them yet another form of a discount. ->If they are requesting a free sample, free catalog, entry into a contest or any other form of interest offer them a discount of 10% off their next order. ->If you have a newsletter/ezine make sure you ask them if you can add them to your mailing list to receive announcements of discounts/specials/contests first hand. ->When you've sent off their free sample/free catalog/order/prize be sure to contact them again in a few days. Let them know that you wanted to make sure they received it and that everything was okay. Ask them for any thoughts/questions about it. Let them know that they can contact you for anything.

Option two is better of options because you can determine if there's interest before spending your time writing article. And, because many local papers are understaffed (and underpaid), they will welcome having some great local news written for them.

You most likely will not be paid for your efforts, but that isn't as important as getting publicity that will prompt people to visit your quilt shop, call you for machine quilting services, or get people to buy your quilts.

But what if writing isn't your forte? If this is case, you have a few options. First, you could ask someone to write article for you. Many journalism students, for instance, would be happy to add another article to their portfolio. And they might be willing to accept a letter of recommendation over payment.

Second, you could simply call editor and explain why he or she should assign a writer to do a story about your quilting business. If you're pitch entices editor, you just may be featured in an upcoming edition of paper.

An article in your local paper can certainly generate more traffic and sales for your quilting business. You've simply got to make sure you provide an interesting story that editor of your local paper will want to share with his readers.