MARKETING IDEAS and TOOLS
Business Card Design Ideas
Brochure Design Ideas
Die Cut Business Cards
Scented Business Cards
Cheap Business Card Ideas
Unique Business Cards
Unique Brochure Ideas
Cheap Advertising Ideas
Business Card Layout
Promoting Home-Based Business
Competitive Advantage
Email Marketing Tips
3 Ways To Spend Less
Selling With Color
Promotional Magnets
MARKETING STRATEGIES
Differentiate Yourself
Information Marketing
Building Customer Loyalty
Getting Customer Feedback
Testimonials
How to Define a Niche
Discovering Niches
Finding New Customers
Indirect Benefits
The Consumer's Perspective
Promotional Marketing
Pricing Products and Services
Viral Marketing Magic
Marketing Mix
STARTUP IDEAS and STRATEGIES
Home-Based Startup Ideas
Business Idea Brainstorming
Virtual Assistant
Internet Researcher
Event Planner
Wedding Consultant
Telecommuting Strategies
Freelance Job Strategies
WEBSITE MARKETING
Build Traffic to Your Website
Domain Name Ideas
5 Ways to Increase Traffic
Scavenger Hunts
Talking Avatars
Promote Your Web Page
Autoresponders
Internal Links
Link Exchange Tips
Viral Marketing and Email
Attract Your Target Market
Market Your Website Offline
KEYWORD TIPS
Keyword Competition
Keywords and Meta Tags
Prime Spots for Keywords
Keyword Phrases
AFFILIATE MARKETING
How To Get Started
Residual Income
Affiliate Agreements
ONLINE BASICS
Choosing Domain Names
Domain Name Extensions
Website Design Strategies
Learning HTML
Understanding HTML Colors
Are Your Colors Web-Safe?
How to Accept Payments
Bandwidth: Doing The Math
Find The Right Web Host
Publish Your Website
MARKETING YOURSELF
Resume Tips
Use Information to Market Your Business
You can establish yourself as an expert in your field by giving consumers the information they need to make buying decisions.Even when they don't have an immediate need for what your business offers, you can brand yourself as the one they should contact when they do.
Put yourself in the consumer's position. What information would you find useful, even necessary, before making the decision to buy?
This could include information not only about a product, but also customer service, technical support, even about the company itself.
Don't just be prepared to give this information when asked. Offer it enthusiastically. This can be done verbally, in some cases.
Packaged as an informational product, though, it does more than build trust with your immediate market. It also serves as a marketing tool that might find its way into the hands of other interested consumers.
Whatever the form, informational marketing is highly effective within almost any market.
Consumers are more cynical than in the past, and often do not respond well to being "sold" something.
By giving them the information they need, you are making them a partner in the sales process, not an unwilling participant. So, when they make the decision to buy, you have satisfied customers.
Developing these long-term relationships pays dividends again and again. In addition to their business, you benefit from those customers who they refer to you. This is advertising you can't buy. This is the power of referral marketing.
Informational marketing works because people don't buy products and services. They buy benefits and solutions.
When you effectively communicate these to the consumer, you create a market for your business.
Nancy Richardson
CreateYourMarket.com publisher
Need a writer?
Quick Tips:
Enclose a business card promoting your website with each piece of outgoing mail.
Ask customers who frequently do business with you for a testimonial.
Promote your website URL offline on everything from bumper stickers to your answering machine message.
Want to reach the highest percentage of your target market?
Advertise in specialty publications including newspaper supplements devoted to a specific topic.
Marketing is crucial, but it doesn't always have to be serious.
Some of the most effective advertising campaigns rely on humor. Don't be afraid to make your customers laugh!