Marketing Idea 1.
Ask your customers to tell their friends about you
Word of Mouth is by far the greatest form of marketing any business can have. A satisfied customer who tells their friend about your product/service will have more impact on the new potential customer than any other marketing ploy. Ask your customers to tell their friends and family about your business. Most people are very loyal and they are happy to spread the word about a good business. Many businesses take this method of marketing one step further and operate a Refer-A-Friend scheme where the satisfied customer is rewarded for recommending their friends.
Marketing Idea 2.
Can your staff sell?
One of the biggest problems that I come across in businesses is that the staffs dont know how to sell. Does your business have well trained staff? Sales people should be able to recommend a product to any customer based on their individual needs. They should be able to up sell. If a customer buys a new computer, how about a printer too, some paper for it, DVDs for backing up, a broadband subscription, maybe some anti-virus software and a new desk to put it all on. If a person has walked through the door, there is a good chance they want to make a purchase. It is up to whoever is serving that customer to help them make a purchase and leave feeling satisfied and happy, to the point where they will not only return but will also recommend your business to their friends. Spend a few pounds and enrol your staff into a sales training course and you will reap the benefits.
In my opinion, there are 10 key attributes that make a good sales person
- they smile and have a sense of humour;
- they are naturally friendly;
- they are always polite;
- they always follow-up;
- they are always well dressed;
- they ask their customers what they want;
- they look for ways to save their customers money;
- they offer an opinion or a recommendation;
- if they cant help they tell the customer who can;
- they ask for the sale
Put as much time and effort into grooming you staff as you do into grooming your shop and you will be amazed at the results.
Marketing Idea 3.
Remember your customers names
Just by calling a person by their name, they feel you are providing a personal service for them. When I worked as a salesperson in my fathers flooring company, I would make a point of remembering a persons name when they left the store. Then when they returned for a second look or maybe to purchase, I would always greet them using their name, Hi Pat, how are you?. This made the customers feel that their business meant something to me and many of them would try to find out my name which would in turn build a relationship. Of course it is hard to remember customers names from brief encounters but a little effort really does go a long way.
Marketing Idea 4.
Run an effective mail-drop campaign
Mail-drops can be a very effective and economical way to reach potential customers in your area. If you rummage through your junk mail, just look at some of the big name companies that have decided to send you information about them. You can run your own mail-drop campaign or get a professional company to do it for you although it can be more expensive. If you are a smaller retailer and want to save a few pounds, simply create a flyer, get it printed and then distribute it in your local area. This could all be done for less than 100 ($200) per 1000 households but I would recommend using a professional designer/copywriter for the design of the flyer as this can yield much greater results. If you would like to use a professional, I highly recommend www.bluedicedesign.com . It is a good idea to use some method of testing how well the mail-drop has worked for you. Some businesses use vouchers etc. I use a texting service on many of my mail-drops where the receiptant sends their name and special code to a text number to receive a special promotional discount. Then I have their name and number too for my records. Believe it or not, a good response is 2-3 per cent from a direct mail campaign (thats 20-30 responses per thousand).
Marketing Idea 5.
Dont forget about your customers
I was recently approached by a small tile retailing company. They were finding business more difficult as their particular industry had become very competitive in the recent years. I asked how long they had been in business. I could not believe when they told me nearly sixteen years and during that time they had almost 8000 customers. After probing for a few more details, it became apparent that once a sale was completed and delivered, this business had no further contact with their customers. There was no follow up or after sales service. This business had the contact details of 8000 previous customers sitting in their office and they did not think to run a direct promotion giving them a special offer for their repeat business. If you have boxes of past client files laying in a dusty corner, or even better, stored in your computer, then get to work immediately. Drop them a line asking how the product is holding up or even send them out details of some of your newer products.
Marketing Idea 6.
Support a local team
Many large co-operations put in huge bids to get sponsoring a major sporting team. There are also many smaller local teams needing sponsorship which is much more affordable. Sponsorship of local teams normally means providing the team with shirts and maybe some sporting equipment. This is relatively cheap and your business can gain some great exposure from it. Firstly, the team members and their familys and supporters will look more favourably upon you business. Members of the public may see pictures of the team in the local paper. Also, every time the team plays, your business gets exposure. Another benefit of sponsorship is that you are putting something back into the community where you live and work and thats a good thing. An extension of this idea is signage at the grounds of local sports teams and this method can be inexpensive.
Marketing Idea 7.
Call the local radio station
Free publicity normally only involves a little effort and can provide great exposure. There are a few ways that this can be achieved with your local radio station. Talkback radio is a great way to spread your message. The the radio is having a discussion that you could offer an opinion in, phone in and make sure to include your business as the place from where you are calling. Even just phoning up to request a song you would like to hear to help you wind down after a busy day at work and remember to name your business. For even greater free exposure, why not try offering a free advice session, only a timely basis or as a one off. If you are an accountant, you could offer financial advice, medical profession could offer various ailments, and travel companies can offer to review destinations.
Marketing Idea 8.
Introduce a customer loyalty scheme
A loyalty program is a structured way of giving a benefit to customers who use your business regularly. The aim is to make the rewards appealing enough so the customers will not use the opposition because they are trying to achieve some type of prize you are offering. My local coffee shop gives all its customers a card which is stamped every time they buy a coffee. When they have five stamps, they get a free cup of coffee. It gets my business every morning. The most famous loyalty campaigns are the ones run by airlines frequent flyer campaigns. I believe they work much better for smaller companies though. I own a poker club which operates a customer loyalty scheme. Members receive points every time they play in the club. At Christmas, all members who have earned a certain number of points get to play in our special tournament where I put up all the prizes, food and drink. Many of the members turned up nearly every night making sure they got their points, and nearing the end of the promotion, the ones with fewer points made sure they done enough to accumulate them for the special tournament. Loyalty programs and incentives work exceptionally well. Take your time, plan it properly and work it through.
Marketing Idea 9.
Writing a press release
A press release is basically a facsimile sent to the media advising them of a special event or a newsworthy event they may be interested in covering. Press releases are not just reserved for calamities and world shattering news. Quite often newspapers, radio and even television stations are very happy to release a story about a new product or major event. I write an article for the local newspaper every week about the tournaments and results in my poker club and it has proved to be great exposure which is absolutely free, its just takes a little of my time. It is worth remembering that the media need stories of interest and they are always looking for articles or stories that may appeal to their viewers. The main criterion is that it should not be blatant advertising but more a general interest story that that helps to get your company name in the public profile. You could write a press release about;
- a company milestone (ten years, 100 employees, new building etc)
- an award of some sort
- recognition from industry peers for an achievement
- being successful in a winning contract
- doing something that no one has done before
- having a celebrity visit your business
- a charity sponsorship
- an event that you are involved in
Marketing Idea 10.
Make life easier for parents cater for their kids
The worlds leading fast food chains have certainly got this idea well and truly under control. McDonalds restaurants have fast become playgrounds with a restaurant attached. Parents can take their children to McDonalds and not only is everyone fed, they are entertained too. What a brilliant idea. Look at ways that your business can be more child-friendly. Putting in a small playground may seem like an expensive idea but at the end of the day the costs can be more than offset by an increase in business. Catering for kids can be anything from displaying a childrens movie on DVD to having crayons and a colouring book or even a blow up castle. I was consulting the owner of a furniture store one time and while I was walking around the showroom with her, one of her sales people was trying to sell a kitchen table to a customer. The customer was there with her 3 young children and she spent more time scolding them for running around and hiding than with the salesperson. In the end, she quickly left quite embarrassed at her childrens behaviour and empty handed too. Parents need to be able to think before making a large purchase like a car, a kitchen or a fireplace and it is hard for them to do that when they have young children to keep entertained.
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