It may be getting more and more difficult for small businesses to compete with giant superstores like WalMart, but in one area the big boys just cannot compare: relationships.
Your small business may not be able to match the prices at Home Depot or Target, but here are seven ways you can make up for that will stellar customer service. By building relationships with your customers, you stand a much better chance of retaining that customer for life, and isn t that better than a one time sale to a person you ll never see again?
1. Contests: Holding a contest is a great way to market your business as a fun place, whether you re a party planner or a dentist. Issue a press release to get the community involved, and you ll not only earn new customers, but you ll rediscover old ones as well.
2. Newsletters: Sending out a newsletter periodically is simply a way of keeping your businesses name in front of your clients. Newsletters can be sent by mail or electronically, and should contain some helpful advice, answer questions, and perhaps offer coupons to give your subscribers a reason to stay subscribed.
3. Seminars: Seminars are often thought of as a tool for business to business sales, but they can be useful in the business to consumer world as well. A bridal shop might hold a seminar for brides to be about wedding planning, or a computer store might hold a seminar to teach users about the latest operating system from Apple. New technology even makes it possible to host seminars online, so you can reach even more prospective clients without having to worry about scheduling and space constraints.
4. Articles: Articles are a useful tool for teaching your potential clients about your business or products. A store selling cookware could benefit from publishing articles about the proper care of their products, or how to cook with cast iron, or recipes in which specialty items like lemon zesters are used. Articles can be published in a variety of formats, both on and offline, as long as the article itself contains a link back to your business website, or other contact information.
5. Bonuses: Giving away a bonus with a purchase is a great way to build rapport with your clients. A hair salon that gives away shampoo with a color and cut or a printer who gives away a box of business cards with a ream of letterhead is going to have a lot more clients than those who don t.
6. Coupons: Similar to bonuses, coupons give your customer the feeling that you care about them, that you re giving away something just for them. Careful placement and tracking of coupons can also help refine your marketing efforts to maximize your ROI.
7. Donations: Donating your professional services or consumer products is a feel good way of gaining exposure in the community and let s not forget the tax benefits. Participation in fundraising events for your favorite charity, donating prizes or space for a gathering, or even paying for printing costs (with a blurb) are all good ways to get your business out there in front of potential customers.
Orchestrating all this can seem like a hassle, but if you have a business website that s a good place to keep your visitors up to date with the latest events you re planning.
Author Resource:
http://InAreaCode.com is the world's only area code dependent Internet yellow pages, and the only yellow page directory which allows you to communicate directly with your potential client. Using these and other small business marketing ideas is a great way to get your business found by your target audience
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