Advantage - Small business

Written by George Torok


Small business has powerful advantages over big business when it comes to marketing. You can get these advantages working for you now. The typical approach to marketing by big business is userepparttar resource they have most of - money. They tend to throw large dollars at expensive advertising campaigns. If your small business is to survive and grow you must learn quickly to avoidrepparttar 104437 temptation to act like big sister or big brother. Never go head to head withrepparttar 104438 mega corporations. You should compete by playing your game - not theirs. David did not try to go toe to toe with Goliath, instead he sluerepparttar 104439 giant with a sling shot. Your small business is a David in a world of Goliaths. Changerepparttar 104440 rules. Don't wish to be likerepparttar 104441 giant with their resources. Instead, discover your uniqueness to your advantage.

In marketing your business you would be wasting your time emulating big business and subsequently going out of business. Instead of trying to launch an unaffordable advertising campaign discover and use your unique resources - likerepparttar 104442 sling shot.

What is Marketing? Marketing is about sending messages. Everything you do or don't do sends a message. Examine allrepparttar 104443 ways you can send messages. Advertising is only one way. Big business tend to wear blinders that only allows them to see advertising as marketing. Partly because they have always done it that way and partly because spending large sums of someone else's money is fun and seductive.

How else can you send your marketing messages? Here are some possibilities you can use: Media news releases Guest appearances on radio and TV Customer service Sponsoring events and awards Holding a contest Volunteering for a community event or business association Networking events Product information seminars Public speaking at special events Exceeding expectations Forming partnerships Through your staff Through your suppliers Withrepparttar 104444 help of your clients Personal correspondence

This list is not exhaustive but it should give you a broader understanding of marketing possibilities. Most importantly all of them cost much less than advertising and with greater impact. In small business you might spend some of your hard earned money on advertising. But remember that it is only one form of marketing andrepparttar 104445 most expensive.

Marketing is part of everything you do. The most important P's & Q's to mind with your marketing is to be consistent and persistent through allrepparttar 104446 channels of communication. If you preach about quality but buyrepparttar 104447 cheapest components you are not consistent. That conflict of messages will destroy your intended message. It should not take a genius to realize that if you dump on your staff they will dump on your customers. If you lie to your suppliers it is reasonable to assume you must be lying to your customers.

Use your advantages As a small business owner you have several advantages inrepparttar 104448 marketing maze. You are closer torepparttar 104449 customer. You can build personal relationships. You can userepparttar 104450 CEO factor. You have less money and therefore must be creative. You are nimble likerepparttar 104451 sail boat whilerepparttar 104452 huge ocean liner takes time to change direction.

Closer torepparttar 104453 customer You makerepparttar 104454 cold calls to prospects, closerepparttar 104455 deals and follow-up with your customers. You get to know how they think and feel. You know why they bought from you or why not. Try to tell me thatrepparttar 104456 president ofrepparttar 104457 big bank knows what goes on atrepparttar 104458 front counter.

That proximity to your customer gives you a special advantage. When you launch a new product you can userepparttar 104459 information you have gained from your relationships with customers. What is important to them? What packaging isrepparttar 104460 most attractive? What features are most valuable? You are inrepparttar 104461 front lines. Ask questions, listen and remember.

There is something special about being able to speak torepparttar 104462 president. Just try callingrepparttar 104463 president of your bank or automotive company. You will getrepparttar 104464 frustrating run-a-round. Make it easy for your customers to reach you. Return everyone's call - even if it is to say no thank you. Most will appreciaterepparttar 104465 response.

A friend of mine wrote torepparttar 104466 prolific science fiction author and scientist Isaac Asimov. Asimov answered his letter. He wrote that my friend's idea had merit but needed improvement. My friend in his disappointment destroyedrepparttar 104467 letter. I thought, "Wow you got a letter from Issac Asimov!" My friend did not realizerepparttar 104468 value of a reply.

Make it Personal Life is personal - so is business. We make buying decisions based on our personal feelings then we findrepparttar 104469 logic to justifyrepparttar 104470 decision. Don't hide in your office. Your most important responsibilities are selling, and building relationships. Build relationships with prospects, customers, staff, suppliers, and colleagues. We would rather deal with people than with faceless corporations. Even when we must do business with corporations it often is because ofrepparttar 104471 trust built with individuals.

In a small business your character becomesrepparttar 104472 company culture. Treat your staff with respect and pride and they will show respect to customers and pride inrepparttar 104473 company. Your customers will feelrepparttar 104474 pride and respect - and they will feel good about doing business with you.

Build relationships with your customers. Learn their names, their buying habits, and important information about them. Be sure to store this information on your database. Include personal information such as birthdays, hobbies, alma matter and family members. Make it a habit of staying in touch with all of your customers by phone or by personal correspondence regularly. Send them hand written birthday cards, postcards, and notes about significant events in their lives.

The Value of Forums

Written by Sharon Housley


The Value of Forums - Finding Forums There are literally thousands of online forums that cover a wide range of topics. Forums provide individuals, who share a common interest, with a meeting place for open discussion, and a great gathering spot for "water cooler" talk. When used properly forums can be an excellent business tool and resource. By providing well thought out, helpful responses posters can develop a reputation as an industry expert. Establishing a reputation within forums will eventually lead to solid business contacts and relationships.

Forums, online discussion groups, can be found on many websites. Companies, individuals or groups often have their own web-based forums, which are a good source of technical information or just general discussions. They can be closed for private use only or open to anyone to post messages, which are usually sorted within different categories, or topics. Posting to forums is obviously effective when an immediate answer is not required. Forum can be found by searching for topic or subject withrepparttar word 'forum' or 'forums'. Forums are a great way to participate in a community that is discussing a particular topic, or communicate with a group of people interested inrepparttar 104436 same topic.

Rules & Regulations Before you post to a forum its important that you readrepparttar 104437 Charter or description ofrepparttar 104438 forum and determine what is appropriate. It is probably not a bad idea to monitor a newsgroup for a few days prior to posting. Understanding what is accepted or not accepted in each newsgroup will go a long way in befriendingrepparttar 104439 participants.

Forum Etiquette Spam is generally frowned upon, if you require information on general forum etiquette I'd encourage you to readrepparttar 104440 article at: http://www.small-business-software.net/etiquette.htm . Rules and etiquette can vary from one group to another, so don't assume what is acceptable in one, is acceptable in another.

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