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Marketing Savvy newsletter CONTENTS 1. Welcome! 2. How to Make your Business Card Call for Action 3. How to Help Your Company Become a World Class Company WELCOME to the first edition of Marketing Savvy. I am very excited to be presenting this issue to you. In the weeks and months to come, we???¦re going to be working our hardest to bring you, the business owner, the resources that you need to increase your productivity, customer retention, and most of all, profits. You, like every other entrepreneur alive, are in business to make an honest living for yourself and loved ones, have more control over your own financial affairs, and likely to make an impact on your community. Unfortunately, sometimes our passion for building a business and taking care of our families is quenched by the pressures of competition, long hours, and customers who seem to be content just making everyone else???¦s life miserable. That???¦s why Marketing Savvy was created. It???¦s tough running a business. Your employees never seem to give your business the respect and consideration that you do. Can you overcome that? You bet you can. If you have a problem in your business, you can bet on two things: someone else has had that problem, and that there is a solution. You may not have the right people for that solution to manifest, but you can always hire talent if you don???¦t have it. In this and every biweekly issue of Marketing Savvy, you can expect solid advice on making your business more accessible to your customers (and more profitable for you). You???¦re only in business to meet a need. We???¦re here to help you, and don???¦t succeed unless you do. How to Make Your Business Card Call for Action by Christopher Brunner An old marketing adage goes something like this: "He who has a thing to sell And goes and whispers in a well, Is not as apt to get the dollars As he who climbs a tree and hollers." Most business cards whisper. If they speak to your prospect at all, they do so quietly. Many don't say much at all. And because of that, a potential customer never learns about your award-winning service department, or your extended hours, or your playroom area for the kids. Instead, your card is tossed into the wastebasket and your competitor's card is carefully tucked into a Rolodex. True, business cards do more than convey the information that's printed on the card. A card that's ugly, dirty, printed on perforated paper or full of corrections screams loud and clear that you're an amateur. No matter how many wonderful services you offer, your card brands you as unprofessional and you lose business. A clean, creative, professionally printed and visually attractive card, on the other hand, conveys a positive first impression that lingers long after your initial meeting. Still, a savvy businessperson knows that adding marketing-oriented text to a business card in addition to contact information pays off. One strategy is to add text that gives specific customer benefits. For example, your card can tell people how easy you are to do business with by adding a slogan or tagline such as: ???h Easy to PAY - "Credit cards and competitor's coupons accepted" ???h Easy to FIND - "Located next to ___ in the heart of ___" ???h Easy to BUY - "Walk-ins welcome. No appointment required." ???h Easy to BUY - "Express check-in and check-out." ???h Easy to get EXPERT ADVICE - "Pharmacist on duty around the clock." Better yet, your business card can be a marketing tool that asks for your prospect's business. Asking people via your business card to visit your store or log onto your website is a great idea. But in order for this strategy to be effective, you need to be specific, and you need to give people a reason to do what you request. Consider the following types of phrases often found on business cards: ???h Visit today ???h Stop by and see us! ???h Customer service is our priority ???h In business for 25 years The first two immediately raise the question, "Why?" Why should someone come visit your store? Your prospect is busy, and she's not stupid. She knows you want her to come into your showroom, fall in love with the latest model, and walk out thousands of dollars poorer. So you need to give her a reason to come in. These calls to action are much more powerful: ???h "Present this card for a free watch battery"; or ???h "Ask for Fred to receive your first oil change free!"; or ???h "Log onto YourCompany.com for current discount coupons!" The last two phrases sound good but are so overused that they're almost meaningless. What do they actually say to your customer? Do you you promise to return phone calls within 15 minutes, or that you provide a late-model loaner car while theirs is being serviced? Do you offer jewelry repair is done on-site by a certified technician, or that you offer a complimentary two-year extension to the manufacturer's warranty? Then say so on your business card! Let the holder know why you are the person they should come to when they need the services you provide. Using a business card merely to convey contact information is downright wasteful. Your business card can be the most portable, affordable and versatile marketing method you use - but not if it's quiet about your services or shy about your accomplishments. Investing in full color business cards that grab attention and appear more valuable will help you to gain new prospects. Your clients will love them, and you will enjoy handing them out. Written by Diana Ratliff for GreatFX Business Cards. Keywords: business cards marketing templates design printing About the Author Christopher Brunner, Springfield, Missouri, USA info@greatfxbusinesscards.com http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com Christopher Brunner is interested in helping you gain more clients with your business cards. Browse one of the web's largest collection of business card networking articles and create eye-catching business cards online at http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com How to Help Your Company Become a World Class Company By Michael Angier Most people think real change in an organization occurs as a result of top-level leadership. This isn't always the case. Oftentimes, it's someone within the rank and file who stands up and challenges the status quo. Remember the old adage, "If the people will lead, the leaders will follow." Years ago I was the sales manager for a company with about 30 employees. The business was struggling, and a management consultant had been called in to try and get things back on track. In one of my meetings with the consultant, I told him about some of the things that were going on that I didn't agree with. I explained that even though we were all encouraged to be open and honest, I feared that what I had to say might cost me my job. His response was something I won't forget. He asked me if I really wanted to work for a company that said one thing and did another. He showed me that I really didn't have anything to lose. It was time to walk my talk. I could no longer hide behind the fear of losing my job. I had to speak my truth. I did, and I didn't get fired. And even if I had been, it would have been worth it. Anyone can be the catalyst for change. Sometimes all it takes is a question. Sometimes it requires a brave person pointing to the dusty mission statement hanging on the wall and saying, "Does this reflect our purpose?" or "Is this consistent with our core values?" Those responsible for the Enron and WorldCom scandals did not do their greedy deeds in a vacuum. Others knew something wasn't right and yet they remained silent. At the very least we all have a responsibility to report illegal activity. We also should work toward making our company a world class company. Yes, it's true that it's risky. It takes courage. But like that consultant said to me, what do you really have to lose? Better to shake things up a bit than remain silent. It's easier to find another job with a company more in tune with your values than to treat an ulcer or high blood pressure. Besides, it's the right thing to do. You can challenge with respect. You can question without being insubordinate. In so many instances, I've found that when just one person stands up for what's right, others step forward as well. A leader doesn't have to be elected or appointed. A leader is often just someone who cares enough to speak what's in the hearts and minds of others. Sometimes leadership becomes enlightened by blinding flashes of the obvious illuminated by those in the trenches. And if management can't handle the truth, it's time to seek out new management. My personal belief is whether you work for??Xor own a company??Xyou want it to be something you're proud of. You want the time and energy you invest in your career to be worthy of the best that's within you. You want it to make a difference. Average isn't good enough. You want to look back on your contribution with pride. Just putting in your time and collecting a paycheck may work for some people, but it shouldn't be sufficient for you. Stand up for excellence. Help your company become a world class company. To get our free report 'The Ten Pillars of a World Class Business', send an email to wcb@successnet.org For full details on the next World Class Business Conference, go to http://WorldClassBusiness.com Marketing Savvy is the biweekly publication of Fuller Business Solutions. Our mission is to help the small business owner to increase their market share through better advertising and marketing. We welcome your feedback. Send all inquiries and comments to: Email: jcfuller20@hotmail.com Web: www.FullerBusinessSolutions.com |
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