Network, network, network

The idea of networking is something you should think of as 'a free way to promote your business and its products or services.' Every person you come in contact with could be a potential customer, distributor, supplier, etc. Or, that person could link you to someone that could help your business along in some aspect. Here are a few ways that you can make sure to make the most of your encounters with people who are going to help your business.

1. Don't be afraid to talk to people about your business. You have to get in the mindset that people will benefit from hearing about the products or services that would be useful to them. Even if you're shy or don't enjoy talking to strangers, you must be confident to talk about your business.

2. Always carry around business cards in your purse or wallet. You would be surprised how many business cards you could pass out in so many different situations. Producing a business card to strangers will also help in the event that you are afraid to talk about your business. Business cards also help give you credibility, among other things.

3. Make sure that every family member, friend, neighbor, etc. knows about your business. The topic of your business will be easy to talk about, especially when you're chatting about 'what is new.' When other people know and understand your business' products and services, then they are likely to talk to other people about it. Case in point: I have a friend whom I discussed my business with during lunch one week. The next time I had lunch with her, she told me about three people that would benefit from my services. That's three leads from just telling her what was going on in my life; my business!

These are just some simple things that you should be aware of and take advantage of, especially when these tactics are virtually free and could reap you enormous benefits.

Alternative advertising

My favorite thing in the advertising industry is what I term "alternative advertising." This is advertising put in places that traditional advertising (television, radio, print) doesn't go. This type of advertising is distinct because it catches consumer's attention in different ways and that is an advertisement's goal. Here are some of my favorite "alternative advertising" techniques.

EcoHanger. Hangers made from recyclable products display company advertisements. EcoHanger then distributes the hangers for free, this being funded by advertisers.


Micro Target Media. This company incorporated advertising on porta potties in a creative way that got a lot of attention. This type of advertising is excellent because it is used at large events and the people there are people from the target market.


Coffee sleeves. If you're a coffee drinker, I'm sure you've put a coffee sleeve on your cup so that you don't have to hold a hot cup of joe. Have you ever seen one with an advertisement printed on the sleeve? Although this is more of a hit-or-miss type of "alternative advertising" it can be useful if you add a coupon to it. Tracking customers with coupons is easier than putting an ad out there and hoping for the best.


Has advertising gone too far by transforming into this "alternative" type of advertising? Some people think so. From an advertiser's perspective however, it is just a creative way to get a message out to a potential consumer. Although "alternative advertising" is harder to ignore than a commercial or a print ad in a magazine, incorporating ads into everyday items can make them more effective.

I'll continue to update my blog with exciting and new "alternative advertising" techniques as I see them!

Know your customers

This task seems simple enough, but knowing your customers can be complicated. Why do you need to know your customers? Because they will lead you to others just like them. Knowing your customers will help you understand their buying patterns, where to place your advertising, which method of advertising they prefer, etc. There are two kinds of information you want to know about: demographics and psychographics. Demographics include age, gender, income, region of the country, etc. Psychographics include people's attitudes, behaviors (what they purchase with expendable income), and opinions. So how do you figure this stuff out?

Let's say you sell grills and as an example, the life of a grill is about five years. The following questions bear that in mind:

-Do you have repeat customers (once the five year life is up)?
-Do they purchase accessories on a regular basis?
-What is their annual household income?
-Do they recommend your grills to their friends, family, co-workers?
-Are they customers because: of the business' reputation, excellent customer service, competitive prices?
-Do more males than females make the decision to purchase a grill?
-Are more customers from the north, south, east, west part of town, or is there an equal distribution?
-What do your customers do in their spare time?
-What types of activities do your customers have in common (working on their cars, yard work, home improvement, etc.)?
-Do they prefer gas or charcoal grills?
-How often do they grill?
-Do they live in a part of the country that has 100+ days of sunshine per year? 200+? 300+?
-What television shows do they watch?
-What radio stations do they listen to?
-Are they exposed to billboards on a daily basis?

The list of questions is endless.

Sometimes, gathering this information can be difficult especially if you have a brick and mortar store. Some businesses get this information by asking for a ZIP code from the customer at check out. Then you can compare purchasing habits by region that the customer lives in. Another way to gather information is by conducting a survey. A free online survey can be created on the Survey Monkey Web site. (The basic features are free.)

By knowing everything about your customer, you can more effectively place advertisements in places where your customers already look or listen. That way, you can attract people just like them, people that purchase your products and services.

I have a great idea for a business, now what?

Good for you for starting your own business! It takes a person with tenacity to do what you are doing. But once you have the idea for a product (line of products) or services, the world of small business can be overwhelming. The best thing to do is to talk to people who have started businesses before. And yes, talk to more than one person. The more perspectives you have, the better! These small business owners experienced the ins and outs of it for themselves. You should even talk to people who have had businesses that failed. Ask them why they think their business failed.

Most people are willing to share their trials and tribulations with you, especially if you already know them on a personal level. Also, most people are willing to help you out, as long as they have some spare time. They were once in your position too, so they are going to be more willing to help you out and answer your questions.

Think you don't know anyone who owns their own business? Think again. According to a book published in 2006, written by Frederick W. Daily, the US has 45 million small businesses. Surely at least one person you know is among those 45 million. And if you can't find one, check out the SBA Web site or go to the SCORE Web site. Both sites have numerous resources including connecting you with people to answer your business questions (especially SCORE).

The bottom line here is to talk to someone who has already been in your position. They have already faced the challenges and found the loopholes. Why not use their experience to ensure a successful business for yourself.