A Plan to Expand, But Not By Much
For a few years I wondered when Macy’s, the world’s largest department store, would begin closing stores.
They’re perched in three malls in my area (northern New Jersey), all in close proximity, but none of them will shut down. However, nine stores in six other states will close, as reported in today’s Wall Street Journal (Louisiana, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Indiana, and Oklahoma).
The story makes me think about all of the marketing options open to solo business owners and how many we can handle before reaching a breaking point.
Our choices include:
How many of these options can you juggle on a consistent basis and deliver them to your audience in timely fashion? Are your choices producing the desired results, or is it time to close one door and try a different option?
I’ve never been one to give up on a marketing campaign but, like Macy’s, if the project doesn’t bring in dollars, it must go.
Another consideration is what appeals to your audience. Are they readers or listeners? Is text material delivered by traditional mail a better reminder than online contact?
These are questions I’ve asked myself, and I’m sure the same is true for you. The answers will ensure that the New Year is more fruitful and rewarding, and hopefully we won’t be closing doors without opening new ones that lead us to better marketing potential.
Try this site’s online marketing course, watch the videos, and read past articles to shed new light on your pending success.
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, solo business marketing, solo entrepreneur
If you like this post, consider subscribing to Solo Smarts, the online newsletter.
If the information shared here benefits your success, please subscribe to my RSS feed!
Would You Rent a Mailing List?
Every issue of DMNews includes a section entitled Lists & Databases. It’s a compilation of mailing lists for rent directly from publications and brokers who maintain subscribers’ or prospects’ names and addresses.
Each featured list is described along with its quantity (number of people on the list) and contact information for rental.
I admit that I’ve rented lists in the past. It was easier than looking through stacks of college reports to find the names and addresses of deans and coordinators. How many hours and valuable time would be wasted on that task rather than going to a source to get what I needed for marketing purposes?
List rental obviously has its benefits as I stated above and for other reasons that work for the renter. But there can be problems.
Before renting lists earlier this year, I believed that such a move was wasteful. Now that I’m a renter, I understand the other side of the issue.
The article, The Value of Buyer vs. Subscriber Lists, provides more insight into this controversy.
Is list rental to broaden your marketing campaigns a viable option for your business, or do you view it as a waste of your marketing dollars?
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, how to rent a mailing list, solo business marketing, solo entrepreneur
If the information shared here benefits your success, please subscribe to my RSS feed!
Marketing Tools for Growth and Prosperity
Read these quick citings while enjoying your morning beverage.
Looking for virtual assistance help? Elance.com is sponsoring a contest that lets you win a virtual assistant’s service, and there are 13 more prizes. Read Elance.com’s contest rules, and enter here. Thanks to Small Business Trends for the citing.
Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks, is giving away free versions of their Simple Start 2008 software. Look at the mid-left portion of the page and click on the link. I already use QuickBooks, so I haven’t tried the link. If you’re looking for new or different accounting package, perhaps this option is for you.
Solo Smarts, the companion newsletter for this site and blog, is now published on Wednesdays. Please join me by subscribing here.
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, Elance.com, solo business marketing, Intuit, QuickBooks, solo entrepreneur, Solo Smarts
If the information shared here benefits your success, please subscribe to my RSS feed!
Testimonials Sell Products Online and Offline
Customer comments have and will always be a strong sales tool in your marketing arsenal.
In August I talked about how to add text from appreciation letters and Emailed feedback onto your Web site. It’s still sage advice.
The article, New Marketing Style: Clicks and Mortar, found in The Wall Street Journal’s December 21st issue, provides details on how retail stores have moved from Web site testimonials to comments on in-store shelves, positioned either above or next to the critiqued product.
Low ratings will, of course, not be featured, which is different from online examples at Amazon.com and other Web sites where there’s no option to remove negative feedback. But what good is positive feedback if you don’t share it with potential buyers who want to know about other people’s experiences?
“Consumers say the testimonials reassure them when buying. ‘They’re telling it like it is,’ ”
This feedback is also beneficial to your marketing campaign, informing you if your product description matches the item or if product changes are necessary.
How are you putting customers’ testimonials to use to market your business?
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, solo business marketing, customer testimonials, solo entrepreneur
If the information shared here benefits your success, please subscribe to my RSS feed!
-
-
Shirley George Frazier - Solo Business Expert, Author, College Mentor
When you hire me to speak at your conference, college or special event, attendees will thank you for a great program. Media interviews also welcomed. Call or Email me. 973-279-2799 or shirley@shirleyspeaks.com.
-
Blogroll
- *Shirley George Frazier, Author and Speaker
- *Solo Business Marketing Site
- *Subscribe to the Newsletter
- Business Card Marketing
- Caroline Melberg’s Small Business Marketing Mavericks
- Flora Brown’s Gift Basket Blog
- Gift Basket Business Site
- Mitch Mitchell
- News Release Distribution Help
- Small Business Trends
- Successful Blog
