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This article is written for a member who has a SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation) business, and an eMC (eMerchantClub) Web site. |
Now that you have taken your business to the internet, you may believe (as many people do) that all of your marketing can be done solely on the internet. This is simply not the case.
Many customers make the decision to buy while they are not on the internet. If someone already knows where they want to get a product from, they will go directly to that site rather than searching around.
Make a connection with your potential customers before they go to the internet to make their purchase.
Before spending any time or money promoting your business, you should write a marketing plan. This will help you figure out what advertising and marketing steps you can take in order to become successful in your business.
After you have a marketing plan, you are ready to begin your marketing and advertising. The marketing plan will give you a clear idea of who your customer is, what types of advertising are most likely to be viewed by your potential customers, and how to formulate your campaign.
Here are some things you can do to advertise and market with an eye on drawing business to your Web site.
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Advertising and Marketing Ideas |
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Auctions: If you have online auctions, make sure that your Web site address is listed on your auction. Cost = $0
Bumper Stickers: Give bumper stickers out to your customers and family members to put on their cars. Everyone who drives behind them on the road will see your business name. Be sure to feature your Web site address prominently! Cost = varies
Bus Stop Benches: Put a picture of a product and your Web site address on a bus stop bench. Cost = varies
Business Cards: Print your Web site address, e-mail address, and other contact information on your business cards. Have your business cards handy to give out at any time. Give them to any customer who places an order with you, even if they already have one. If your Web site supports coupon codes, put a coupon code on the card so the person has extra incentive to buy from you. Cost = varies
Car Signs: Have your company name and Web site address painted on your car! You’ll be able to find a number for someone in your area who is a sign painter in your local phone book or a place you can buy magnetic signs from. Cost = varies
Coupons: If your Web site supports coupon codes, print up and hand out coupons for repeat visits. 10% off or $1.00 off of the next order is a great way to get a repeat customer. Cost = the discount offered
E-mail: Whenever you get an
order or talk to a potential customer, try to get that person’s e-mail address. Keep a list of all your email contacts.
Send out an email featuring a new product, or with details about an upcoming
sale, promotion, or fundraiser. If
you know how to write HTML, you can send the email with links and pictures. This is a great way to let people know
about your business, and it doesn’t cost you a cent! Cost = free
Fund Raiser: Contact a local
organization, such as a school, Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop, senior center,
or church, and set up some fundraising activities with them. At these
activities, you can bring catalogs and offer discounts on your products, and
give a portion of your income from the event to the organization. If it's
a charitable organization, you can even get a tax write-off for this!
Then, hand out business cards, bumper stickers, post cards, pens/pencils, all
with your Web site address on them, and encourage repeat visits.
If your e-commerce Web site supports coupon codes, you can give out special
fund raising coupon codes, and give a donation to the charity every time the
coupon code is used on your Web site.
For example, at a fundraiser done for the local Boy Scout troop, give
every attendee a business card or flier with coupon code “scouts10”
for a 10% discount on purchases on your site. The flier should also state that every
purchase made using that coupon code will result in another donation to the Boy
Scouts. Be sure to set up the
coupon on your Web site!
Grocery Store Receipts: Some companies can print coupons on the back of store receipts – ask your local grocer if they have this option available in your area. Cost = varies
Local Ads: Ads in a local paper, church flyers, community flyers that all list your Web site address. Cost = varies
News Article: Involve your business with a local organization (fund raising for a charity, school, church, scout troop, senior center, or an affiliation with a local research center or hospital) and get a reporter from the local newspaper to write an article about it. Be sure the reporter lists your Web site address prominently.
Pens/Pencils: Ink pens and pencils with your Web site address and other contact information on them would make an inexpensive item that can be used by people frequently enough to see your business name often!
Post Cards: Post card mailings to existing or potential customers are an inexpensive way to tell people about your business, your promotions, and your Web site address.
Promotions and Discounts: Offer promotions
or discounts for different classes of shoppers in order to attract new
customers, and keep customers returning.
Another effective type of promotion for new customers is to allow friendship
promotions – a referral from an existing customer will net both the new
customer, and the existing customer, a discount.
Mention promotions in any ads you distribute, be they in a newspaper ad, on a
flier, on a business card, through an e-mail, or through a friend. Cost = free
Radio Commercials: Prime time commercials on big FM radio stations can be costly. Try starting out with non-prime time AM radio, those commercials prove to be less expensive than FM radio. Look for a radio program that your chosen customer type is likely to listen to. And mention your Web site address several times through the ad, especially at the end. Cost = varies
Refrigerator Magnets: Get some refrigerator magnets made with your Web site address, business name, and contact information on them, and then hand them out with every order or every catalog. Give them to your sub-wholesalers to hand out, and find some retail stores who will let you put some in a basket on their counters near their register for customers to take for free.
Rubber Stamp: For stamping your business name and contact information - everywhere! If your company has catalogs, brochures, mailings…this is the perfect tool to get your name on all of your printed material. Be sure to feature your Web site address in a very visible way. Cost = varies
Sponsor A Local Sports Team: By sponsoring a sports team, not only are you doing something good for that team, but also your company name and Web site address will be on their programs, outfield banners, or even on their uniforms. Try to slide in a promotion associated with the team – such as a fundraiser, or a coupon code based on the team name. Cost = varies
Sub-wholesalers: Having
your own sales force is a great way to increase your sales totals, and your
bottom line. By creating a unique
coupon code for each of your sub-wholesalers, they can refer people to your Web
site, and earn commission.
Any time someone buys from your site using a coupon code, you can see which
coupon code was used. So when the
coupon “fred” is used, you can pay commission to Fred for referring
that customer to you – the customer would not have come to your site
unless Fred had referred them.
Sunscreens: Make some sunscreens for windshields of cars, and have your Web site address and business name featured prominently on both sides of the sunscreen. These can be given out for free with orders over a certain amount, or sold as an inexpensive product (at your cost, for instance).
T-shirts, License Plate Frames, Sticky paper: These items are all low in cost to produce in bulk. Include a company logo or slogan, Web site address, and an e-mail address or contact phone number. Hand these out as freebies at swap meets, the beach, or with every order you receive. Cost = varies