Marketing Means Networking
Marketing Means Networking
And about those lunches - how often have you stopped at a McDonalds not because you love the food, but because you know and trust the brand? It always comes down to familiarity, predictability and trust.
Here are four strategies that have worked for thousands of small business owners. They are not "quick fixes", and they will require more of you than merely buying an advertising campaign, but they are likely to produce better results:
1. Let people get to know YOU. Join organizations you believe in. Work for worthy causes, donate your time to charities and civic groups. You'll be helping your community, you'll know your customers, and more importantly, they will know and appreciate you.
2. Communicate in every way possible. Instead of buying a radio ad, why not be a guest expert and answer questions? Instead of buying an ad in the local paper, write a column. Instead of mailing brochures, send a newsletter filled with practical information, community events - and a coupon.
3. Donate to community organizations. Offer your professional services for a reduced fee (or free) to local groups. Donate supplies to a local school or community center. Invest in your audience and they will, in turn, be more likely to invest with you in the future.
4. Make your website a true resource. A website that is merely an electronic brochure will have limited value. Provide resources folks can use! Add valuable tips or links to other web sites. Give people a reason to use your site, and to return regularly.
Branding is always about YOU. Yes, branding your company name is helpful, and branding your goods and services is a nice idea. But the more people who know and appreciate you, the more business you'll do. In the end, marketing is about networking.
Marketing Means Networking - To learn more about this author, visit Rodger Blaker's Website.
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In the end, marketing is always about networking - it's who you know, and who knows YOU that counts. While we may buy lunch at a restaurant we've never heard of or go to a movie we know nothing about, most of the time we do business with people we know and trust. It always comes back to that.
And about those lunches - how often have you stopped at a McDonalds not because you love the food, but because you know and trust the brand? It always comes down to familiarity, predictability and trust.
Here are four strategies that have worked for thousands of small business owners. They are not "quick fixes", and they will require more of you than merely buying an advertising campaign, but they are likely to produce better results:
1. Let people get to know YOU. Join organizations you believe in. Work for worthy causes, donate your time to charities and civic groups. You'll be helping your community, you'll know your customers, and more importantly, they will know and appreciate you.
2. Communicate in every way possible. Instead of buying a radio ad, why not be a guest expert and answer questions? Instead of buying an ad in the local paper, write a column. Instead of mailing brochures, send a newsletter filled with practical information, community events - and a coupon.
3. Donate to community organizations. Offer your professional services for a reduced fee (or free) to local groups. Donate supplies to a local school or community center. Invest in your audience and they will, in turn, be more likely to invest with you in the future.
4. Make your website a true resource. A website that is merely an electronic brochure will have limited value. Provide resources folks can use! Add valuable tips or links to other web sites. Give people a reason to use your site, and to return regularly.
Branding is always about YOU. Yes, branding your company name is helpful, and branding your goods and services is a nice idea. But the more people who know and appreciate you, the more business you'll do. In the end, marketing is about networking.
Marketing Means Networking - To learn more about this author, visit Rodger Blaker's Website.
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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