Home Add to Favorite Contact Submit  
             29 March, 2024
 

    
Category:  Articles » Business » Small-Business

 

Starting Small Business Promotional Campaigns

Popularity:
         Views: 1516
2006-08-02 21:36:06     
Article by Joy H. Gendusa

So you’re starting a small business. You figured out what you wanted to sell or do and went out and got it all set up, had your DBA framed and on the wall and now all you need is for someone to buy your product or use your service. Right?

How are you going to go about getting your public to know you even exist?

Promote! Promote! Promote!

Well that all sounds simple, but say you’re a financial specialist, a boat builder or llama farmer. They probably didn’t teach the basic principles of starting small business promotional campaigns in boat-builders’ school. So what do you need to know, and how do you go about it?

Let’s start with the “Basic Principles” of promotion:

What is Promotion?

Promotion (pro•mō′•shun) n. Anything, as advertising, public appearances, etc., done to publicize (get the attention or interest of the public) a person, product, event, etc. The New Webster’s Concise Dictionary2003 Encyclopedic Edition

Why do you promote?

The purpose of promotion is to make sure people know you are in business. You promote because if you don’t, you won’t make it in business. You promote because it is communication that you need to engage in in order to survive. You promote in order to expand and get the attention or interest of the public for your products or services. You promote because if you don’t, no one will know you exist and no one will buy from you and…well, you get the point.

How do you promote?

There are more ways than you would ever think. Have you ever heard someone say, “I never promote and I am always busy” OR “I don’t have to promote, all my business comes from word-of-mouth”? They may not be aware of how they’re doing it, but I promise you they are promoting somewhere. Maybe they just go around telling everyone they talk to, that they don’t promote. (Sound funny? It’s still promoting.) Maybe their larger-than-life running water faucet in front of their store attracts so much attention that they don’t need to do anything else. Well here are some ideas you can do “knowingly” to drive in the business.

• Greeting your customers with a smile is a great place to start.

• Calling your customers after they have had a chance to use your product is a good way to promote that you care about their experience with your organization. It can also create an opportunity to make more sales.

• A neatly packaged product, the shipping label on straight, promotes that you take pride in what you do.

• Always keep up-to-date brochures or catalogs about your business in your reception area for people to see and take with them.

• If you have customers coming into your business, make sure they are greeted pleasantly, professionally, and immediately.

Anything that gets the attention or interest of the public for the company, its employees, its products or services (in a positive way) is promotion.

But how do you go about promoting to the masses?

Here is a story that could save you thousands of marketing and promotional dollars, as well as months or years of experience.

“I was working as the Communications & Promotional Director in a medium size business. We were fortunate enough to have our own commercial printing press, that put out lots of very fancy letters, catalogs, brochures and other promotional items, and oh yes, envelopes to put them in. My full time pressman and his helpers, spent several days each week getting everything printed, cut, folded and sent over to the mailing house.”

“There, they had machines that automated all the stuffing, sorting, addressing and stamping. All in all everything was going very well. We were sending out about 40,000 pieces per week at a cost of about $10,800.00, and getting around 120 to 140 good leads per week. This generated an average of 2 new sales per week for a product that cost around $12,000, and re-sign income of around $45,000 more. We weren’t growing very fast, but we were making money.”

“THEN…911 hit."

“Suddenly, nobody wanted to open envelopes. Our leads were dropping to nothing. We were heading toward our own disaster like so many other companies did. I knew I needed to promote, but what good did it do if nobody read it!”

“I was talking to the owner of the mailing house and he suggested the use of POSTCARDS instead of letters. So we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I had much less money to allocate towards promotion, so I started by sending about 20,000 postcards weekly. The total cost-per-piece, needing only one day on the presses, half the labor at the mail house and a substantial decrease in postage, was reduced by about 60%.”
What was the result? Try 120 to 140 leads per week!

Why?

• You don't have to open a postcard!

• You see it right away, the bright picture is not hidden from view by an envelope.

• The message leaps right out and you can't ignore it or throw it in the trash unopened (the fate of many bulk mail pieces).

Postcards are the best medium to reach new customers when starting a small business promotional campaign.

Print article      Bookmark this page
Related Articles 
How to Upgrade Your Manual Garage Door to Automatic in Phoenix, AZ? (Popularity: ): You may be thinking of changing your garage door for your own comfort and protection but you lack the right information and knowledge of how to go through with the process. Consider the following steps: check the status of your garage door; find out the type of garage door you currently have; look at the conditions within your garage; evaluate the cost of upgrading from manual to automatic; and look ...
Are We Seeing the End of Lead Ammunition? (Popularity: ): With regards to giving radiation protecting from consistently utilized gadgets, for example, medicinal/X-beam and airplane terminal discovery gadgets there are couple of other options to the metal lead. Lead has turned out to be the most financial and successful material for shielding people from radiation creating gadgets. Different materials, for example, concrete are broadly utilized anyway the thickness required to accomplish an equal protecting ability to lead are considerably more ...
The importance of structural engineer and civil engineer (Popularity: ): Structural and civil engineers do a great job for the effectiveness of a structure. They are just responsible for the efficiency of construction of a structure and these structures could be public buildings like water distribution, bridges, roads etc and private structure including commercial buildings or residential buildings. To handle public structures, civil engineers are hired and to handle private structures, structural engineers are hired. They both serve the great ...
Learn how to get a carport that suits your needs (Popularity: ): Keeping your car safe and secure is one of your highest priorities. A solidly constructed carport is one of the best ways to do that. However, you want one that is designed to harmonize with the rest of your home. The colors and shapes of your property should remain intact with the addition. Professional carport builders Perth can help you attain this goal. The experts employed by such companies can ...
An Ultimate Guide How To Use Carbon Fiber Sheet For Different Uses (Popularity: ): The use of the carbon fiber is very common for the composite. It is considered as the one of the best competitive and traditional materials like wood, metal, and concrete that has been used for a decade. Many people are using carbon fibers composites which are very easy to install and operate. The use of the carbon fiber Sheet for different cars is in demand. For any luxury or imported ...


Related Business 
Unique Promotional Products (Popularity: ): Farfromboring Promotions is a leading provider of unique promotional products for your business. Go through our varied offerings online. We have an extensive range of promotional giveaways and corporate gifts that can help you in your business advertising and marketing campaigns. Whether you are a small firm or a large Fortune 500 enterprise, we have one-of-a-kind promotional product ideas to precisely meet your requirements. Visit us today!
Australia Small Business Resources (Popularity: ): Learn the different tips and resources in starting and growing your business now.Ms Small Businesses is full of ideas, marketing, finance, grants and information for small business owners and those looking at starting a small business.
Small Business Loan (Popularity: ): Unsecured Business Loan Specialist. Starting a small business or have a small business already & need a business loan, use our unsecured small business loan options. Small Business Loans in Florida, Texas, California, New York & NationwideUnsecured Small Business Loan Specialists: Start a business with a Business loans and personal loans as well as lines of business credit. Get the money you deserve.
Dayspring Promotional Pens (Popularity: ): Dayspring Promotional Pens and Promotional Products is a promotional item superstore with small town custom service. We are the company who works with you to find promotional products and logo pens in every price range. If you're looking for corporate promotional items or business promotional gifts, we've got everything.
Best Loans For Small Businesses (Popularity: ): The credit crunch for small businesses is expected to ease this year, but many small business owners may still need to be creative in their quest for financing. To start a new business or to finance capital improvements, small businesses need startup working capital. Without financing, small business would be unable to achieve their dreams of starting or expanding a business.
Small Business Opportunities Magazine (Popularity: ): Money-making source for entrepreneurs and small business owners offering a step-by-step guide to starting and operating your own business.
Von Eye Media (Popularity: ): Von Eye Media creates specialized advertising campaigns for small business and start up clients in the Houston Metropolitan Area that will directly reach their target market, stay within their budget and get the results they want. Creating cost-effective ad campaigns is one of the toughest challenges that most small start ups and small businesses face.
Ceo Lifestyle Inc. (Popularity: ): CEO Lifestyle Inc will help you assist in starting your own business through effective small business ideas and small business advices. We can give you a good start-up in making money by giving you business reviews according to your interest.
About.com Small Business Information (Popularity: ): Features articles, resources and tips for starting and running a small business. Features newsletter and weblog.
Business Promotional Items (Popularity: ): SilkLetter is the top solution for your business’ branded promotional needs, excelling in making business promotional items and products, as well as corporate gift ideas. They also make high-quality custom promotional items and tradeshow giveaways.