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Spreading the news for home and small business entrepreneurs
Volume IV Issue iii April, 2003
Feature article:
DON'T FORGET THE CLASSICS!
by Kate Schultz
4 Classic Marketing Tools You Can Use to Promote Your Online Business in the Offline World
1. BROCHURES
A brochure is a tool as basic as your business card. Think of your brochure as a business card introducing your entire company, not just an individual. Your brochure can communicate with prospective customers about your business, your products and your services. Use your brochure to function as an introduction before sales and then again as a reminder for referrals from your customers after the sale.
A paper brochure is economical for large distribution, especially when using a targeted mailing list. A simple direct approach to design and layout is most effective. For minimum cost, use a preprinted brochure form. When you find a brochure design that works for you, stick with it. Make sure your URL is printed in the brochure.
2. PRESS RELEASES
A press release can be a powerful marketing tool. As an effective promotional tool, media coverage is better than advertising because your information is presented as news.
All forms of media, including radio, television, newspapers and magazines, need a steady stream of stories to present to their audience of readers, listeners and viewers. Some
statistics indicate that over 60% of news comes from outside news sources such as press releases.
Editors are always looking for interesting stories. Your press release must contain enough news to capture the attention of an editor or it will wind up in the trashcan.
3. PROFESSIONAL PRESS KIT
A press kit is simply a folder of materials containing information about your company. When accompanying a press release, the information in your press kit provides more detailed information to reporters than they can get from a single press release. Simply put, a press kit tells the story of your company.
Reporters get hundreds of press releases each day. If a press release catches the eye of a reporter who is unfamiliar with your company, having additional information available in the form of a press kit will make it easier for the reporter to work on a story idea.
When should you use a press kit?
The two biggest reasons for press kits are to accompany a press release and for distribution at trade shows or conferences. Press kits provide the press with background on your company. A press release is generally focused on one event and, if your company is small, the additional information in a press kit is helpful so the reporter can put the press release in context.
Instead of blanketing the media with your press kit, distribute the kits as a method of following up on questions when you are contacted about a story. Once a reporter has expressed an interest in you, send your press kit for background information.
Do you need a press kit?
If you have helpful and relevant information that will help the media put together a story, then it would be appropriate to create a press kit. Newsletters, testimonials, and company background sheets provide the type of information that reporters need. Do not waste the media's time by including sales brochures or advertisements in your press kit.
4. TRADE SHOWS
Trade shows have developed into a huge opportunity for your company to market your products or services.
Define your goals for the show so that you can develop a strategy for working the show. Ask yourself, "What do I want to happen as a result of marketing at this trade show?" Some common examples of objectives for trade shows include:
-> Performing market research
-> Gathering leads
-> Qualifying leads
-> Increasing sales
-> Writing orders
-> Getting exposure for your company, products or
services
A good marketing plan conveys your company's vision to your customers, employees and investors. Determine which marketing tools you will use to achieve your purpose and goals. Let your marketing methods emphasize those unique benefits that customers can get from your products or services.
About the Author: Kate Schultz is the Publisher of E-ZineZ: the E-Zine About E-Zines! To subscribe to E-ZineZ put SUBSCRIBE in the BODY of an e-mail to mailto:join-ezine-tips@.... For FREE how-to help for your ezine visit http://www.e-zinez.com
Creative Site-ings:
Some sites we've seen that you might find useful -- this month's links help you find educational resources for business owners:
Trade Publications -- Looking for a publication or two that can help you with your specific industry issues? Here's a page full of categories that links to many more pages of publications, all geared to very specific fields of business http://newsdirectory.com/news/magazine/ -- what a wealth of reading material!
Helping Businesses -- This list of small business-related books are geared more to bricks and mortar stores, but also provide information that online shopkeepers will find useful http://www.mainstreet.org/Bookstore/catalog/business.htm -- everything from "Retail Business Kit for Dummies" to "Up Against the Wal-Marts" and everything in between.
Running An Online Retail Business -- http://www.bcentral.com/articles/workshop/101.asp -- This is a 4-part mini-course that takes the principles of business basics in the bricks and mortar world and applies them to the operation of a virtual store . . . "In online retailing, just like in the brick-and-mortar version, success is in the details."
Quote to Remember:
"By seeing the seed of failure in every success, we remain humble. By seeing the seed of success in every failure, we remain hopeful." -- Mel Ziegler, Founder of Banana Republic
Business Tip:
Take advantage of this time of year, normally a little slower than most for retailers especially, and use it to improve your web site's search engine rank -- there's no time in business to "settle" for the status quo -- we can always do better. Here's a great article called "131 Legitimate Link Building Strategies" . . . don't just read it . . .print it out and refer to it and follow its advice often:
http://www.searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/2160301
New Members at Creative Enterprises:
Jeanne Stark of Virtual Office Services, http://hometown.aol.com/jeanne1237/index.html -- Providing a wide range of administrative services, bookkeeping, transcription, data entry, word processing desktop publishing and many other office services to help your business grow and succeed. Available 24/7 via phone, cell, pager, email, fax and postal mail.
That's all for this month, but please visit (and shop) at our online shopping district whenever you're looking for products or services. Support our member small businesses. They're a wonderful group of people! www.asmallbusinessdirectory.com
-- Carol
^j^
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