Can you name anything in life that has no limits?

I didn’t think so.

That’s exactly why all your marketing efforts should have some type of expiration date.

A limited offer will “out-pull” and “out-sell” an open-ended offer almost every time.

When you do test  a “limited offer,” you will need to explain to your client/prospect why you are making your offer “limited.” For example: “Quantities are limited. We only have 132 units in stock and the man¬ufacture is back ordered.” Or “Call today. We have sold 3 in the last two days, and we only have 7 units left.” Or “We made a special purchase and can’t offer this price again.”

People will want to know why what you are offering is limited, or they will not believe that there truly is a limitation. You need to give them this information. Read the rest of this entry »

How happy are you with the quantity and quality of the contacts you receive from your Web site?

Many businesses complain that their Web sites do not generate enough contacts and sales leads to justify the cost. They want a better ROI for their Web sites.

We were also getting very frustrated because our Web site was generating very little e-mail and/or phone contact information. After testing a few different web design ideas, and finally decided to insert a bright, attractive, attention getting box on each web page.

This box contained our phone number and e-mail contact information.

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Have you run newspapers and magazines ads? Are there any articles that have been written about you, about your business, or about your products and services?

People may be impressed and respond when these articles and ads run the first time, but how many of them are ever seen again by the public?

Running an ad can be very expensive, so you may not be able to run an ad for an extended period of time.

Articles written about your business that get printed in the media have a short shelf life. When the current issue of a publication that contains the article about you or your business is taken off the shelf, people won’t be reading your positive press anymore.

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5 Ways To Stretch Your Marketing Dollars

B2B businesses seem to have much smaller marketing budgets then B2C businesses.

If you are a B2B business looking for a few ways to stretch your marketing dollars, here are 5 to get you stretching.

5 Ways To Stretch Your Marketing Dollars

1. Use the ads you create in other way besides publication advertising. When you run your ad pay for reprints (they are very lows cost) and mail your reprints to clients and future clients. Also turn you ads into data sheets by printing feature data on the back of your reprints.
2. Don’t change a thing. If your ads are working, keep running them until they stop working. You’ll get bored with them long before your future clients.
3. Pay your suppliers on time. Taking advantage of discounts and avoiding costly late fee can save you a lot of money. Plus, you’ll build your reputation leading to referrals and better service from your suppliers.
4. Don’t get to fancy with your ads, brochures and marketing. Many times going overboard will turn off potential clients, especially in the industrial marketing. Concentrate on your headline and offer, they are far more important then the bells and whistles.
5. Do it yourself. The everyday marketing tactics such as distributing press releases, updating your marketing plans and meeting with media resources can all be done by your or and administrative assistant or even a virtual assistant for some of the repetitive tactics.

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Who Will Buy Your Professional Services?
By: Sandy Barris

Are you an engineer, IT consultant or a dentist? How about a business coach, facilities manager, project manager or any of the thousands of professional services wanted by millions of businesses?

Have you recently been downsized or layed off? Or, have you retired and are climbing the walls wanting to get back in the game.

If so, stop and pull out your magic wand, wave it around a few times and imagine creating the perfect professional services business —without fear of failing—what would it look like?

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What is the name of your business, product and services?

Your business name is usually the first image someone gets of your company and it is often imbedded in his or her mind forever.

People have a hard time separating reality from perception. If you have a bad name, then you won’t attract business; so the best option is to get a new name. A bad name never gets any better and good names are remembered forever.

One of the most important marketing decisions you can ever make is choosing the name of your business, product or service. Your name should explain or “tell a story” of exactly what your business or your product/service does.

“Have regard for your name, since it will remain for you longer than a great store of gold.”
-Ecclesiasticus

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5 Simple Secrets To Social Media Marketing Success To Grow Business
By Sandy Barris

Let’s face it, you can’t go a day without hearing about, seeing the effects of or feeling your gut telling you learn more social media marketing techniques to help your grow your business.

Social media marketing (SMM) is everywhere.

You watch a news report and the newscaster gives you their Twitter name and asks you to Tweet them. Your best friend puts up a Facebook page and asks you why you don’t have one yet? Your boss asks you to create a Linked In page for him and to get him connected with as many of your clients, suppliers and prospects as possible.

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