DSEF & CBBB: Watch Your Event Explode When You Use These Three Promotion Paths

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB):

Watch Your Event Explode When You Use These Three Promotion Paths

By Lance Trebesch

TicketPrinting.com and TicketRiver.com’s global customers do such a great job promoting and hosting their events we thought we would share some of their most powerful tips with you.

Today, advertising is a multi-tiered task. Modern event planners need to use all the tools available. After all, you can’t sell tickets if no one knows you have tickets for sale.

Word of Mouth: Before you go viral, go verbal!

The Australian music and events PR company Pretty Like Money wanted to sell event tickets to “uni students and urban music lovers” for their recent Hip Hop Halloween. They spread the word that their event would be “a different scene.” Those in search of novelty couldn’t help but get excited about a unique event in the area.
In America, Denise Johnson, who coordinated the Alex Johnson Memorial Concert, told us never to overestimate the value of word-of-mouth advertising. She found that she could sell more tickets “one-on-one” than she could through paid advertisements.

Traditional Media: There’s still room for print in a visually- jumbled world.

The Swanage and Purbeck Hospitality Association in the UK wanted to promote their village with a comedy festival and our print products helped them spread the word in the area: They used “professional flyers printed and circulated locally plus posters and roadside banners.”
In Australia, the Professional Women’s Wrestling Alliance also drums up interest in upcoming matches with printed material. Besides hanging posters, they “hand out fliers to draw the initial attention of the local surrounding areas to where we will be holding events,” combining word-of-mouth with print advertising.

Online Promotions: Share content on your sites and on those of others.

Written or videotaped interviews uploaded to allied sites or YouTube work before and after the event. According to UK band Bombskare, “Social media works best,” for spreading the news to their plugged-in fans. They also use QR codes to help bridge the gap from one type of media to another.
David Reynolds of Blue Heron Productions in the U.S. understands that not everyone has the know-how to jumpstart an online campaign. That’s why he encourages the musicians he promotes to help him out: “The younger bands see the benefit of Internet marketing and are generally better at it.” Since his advertising budget is limited, he loves this low-cost, high-tech option for promoting acoustic music.

So use these tips to get the word out, get folks through the door, and watch your event attendance explode!

DSEF and Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) fosters honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visitwww.bbb.org/us for more information.

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Effective Customer Profile to Generate Reorders

Effective Customer Profile to Generate Reorders

In the sales industry, the ability to close a sale is super important for any owner of a thriving business. However, it doesn’t end there. Generating reorders from your customers is as important as (or even more important than) the initial sale. Neglecting your reorder business can leave a significant amount of money on the table.

So how do you encourage reorders? It starts with a customer profile.

Creating a customer profile. As you work with each customer, create a written or electronic customer profile card that lists important information that will improve your follow-up. Here’s a basic and simple format:

Individual customer profile:

Products/services that interest the customer
Possible duration for reorder
Special dates and occasions
Preference for contact (phone, email, in-person, etc.)
Other unique/special traits

Create a profile of a customer who continually comes back to reorder over a long period of time. What is it about this prospect that makes the person a regular customer? What wants and needs are being met by you, your product/service, or your relationship that inspires such loyalty? By answering these questions, you have a better idea about what might inspire such loyalty in other customers. Note these on the customer profile.
Strategize your marketing methods with the effective customer profile in mind. In all types of retail, there is an oversaturation of promotions for new customers only. You can help generate reorders with a marketing strategy that encourages past customers to patronize your business again. Once you really pinpoint the wants and needs of your customers, you can tailor your marketing directly to them. A special shopping pass that provides advance access to new products could draw in previous customers, especially if those new products are an improvement upon or an extension of those they already use and love.
Use customers’ purchase histories to understand their wants and needs. Consider what the customer has already purchased as well as what he/she showed interest in, but may not have bought. For example, let’s say a young woman buys a face cleanser, and as she is paying asks about the anti-aging nighttime cream but does not buy it. The exchange between you and her may only last a minute or two, but valuable information can be gained by it and should be noted on the customer profile. It’s obvious that she cares about maintaining healthy skin, and you know that she will love your facial cleansing product. Because she asked about the anti-aging product, it is clear that she does have some concern over whether or not this is something she should start using. A great way to handle a situation like this is to make a follow-up call a few days after purchase to find out how she likes the cleanser and to give her some more information about the anti-aging cream or other similar products that might complement her nighttime skin care routine. You’ve now shown her that you care about her satisfaction and are there to further meet her future wants and needs. Such customer care and personalized information will keep that person coming back.
Invest in your customers so they will invest in you. There are many ways to invest in your customers, and it doesn’t always have to mean cutting into your profits. Do not disregard the value of offering a free sample; making it low-risk to try your products/services can be very effective for turning a one-time customer into a regular. However, you should also be investing your time in things like frequent follow-ups and workshops or product demos. Anything that fosters a good relationship with your customer will be good for your business.

How have you used customer profiles to bring in reorders? Please share your tips with us in the comments section!

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How to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business

How to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business

Raise your hand if you have a LinkedIn account.

Now raise your hand if you haven’t used it since you set it up!

If you’re like many business owners, you set up your LinkedIn account a while ago, but other than serving as an online resume you have no idea what to do with it. But now is the time to change that, because there are many features within LinkedIn that can help you market your small business.

LinkedIn is primarily a networking tool. It is excellent for helping you connect with other professionals with whom you might be able to do business. Whether that’s an employer/employee relationship, a joint venture, or someone that joins your direct sales team, you can find motivated, competent people to connect with for your business when you use LinkedIn effectively.

Here are some ways to take better advantage of your LinkedIn account:

Your Profile: Be sure that your LinkedIn profile is complete, and lists all of your experience. Why? Because when people are searching for other people to connect with professionally, they will find you based on the keywords you use in your profile. It’s also a way to highlight your professional experience when people come to check you out. The more experience you have, the more likely it is that someone will choose to work with you.
Recommendations: Think about Amazon.com for a moment. Why do you think they include a place for people to leave comments about products? It’s because we’re more likely to believe what other people say about something than what a manufacturer says about its own product. The same holds true for you! When your LinkedIn profile is full of recommendations about how great you are…how committed you are to the professional development of your team…how amazing it is to work with you…people are more likely to believe it! It’s the difference between the resume, and glowing recommendations. Make sure you ask lots of the people that have worked with you to give you recommendations on LinkedIn. It’s an online way to make sure everyone knows how committed you are to the work you do.
Groups: LinkedIn also offers Groups, which are an outstanding way to network with others around certain topics, and demonstrate your expertise. Simply search for Groups related to what you do. There are many groups set up for direct sales, product lines, professions, etc. Once you join a group, participate in the conversation, share useful resources, answer questions, and get to know people. As you share great content, people will check out your profile to see who you are (which is why it needs to be complete!) And you can also spark offline conversations with people that may lead to additional business relationships.
Answers: Another way to demonstrate your professional expertise on LinkedIn is through LinkedIn Answers. You can find Answers under the “More” section of the LinkedIn top toolbar. Simply browse through the question categories to find questions related to your expertise. Then provide answers to those questions that you can. The more questions you answer, the more you demonstrate your expertise to LinkedIn users, which can lead to future business.

Now all of this, of course, takes time. And you must determine that the target market you want to reach is on LinkedIn. But if LinkedIn’s user base is in line with your goals for social media, making good use of the tools available can help you network professionally and build more opportunities for your business.

Do you use LinkedIn for your business? Does it provide you with additional business opportunities? Would love to read your thoughts on this tool in the comments below.

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

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Using the Facebook Page Timeline to Succeed in Business

Using the Facebook Page Timeline to Succeed in Business

As of March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages will automatically be switched over to the new Timeline format. Like any change, there are of course some new features to get used to. But by using your Page strategically, you can benefit your business which can help you build success. Here are some strategies you may want to consider:

What do you want your cover image to say about your business?
Much has been written around the blog-o-sphere about selecting a cover image. Whatever image you choose to use, make sure that the image tells the story you intend. If your business is primarily about cooking, perhaps you want to show people enjoying delicious food or having fun in the kitchen (this says you’re about making cooking delicious and fun). If your business is personal coaching, perhaps you want to include an inspirational saying along with photos of groups of people who seem connected (this says you’re about building people up emotionally and connecting them). If your Page is more about team building, perhaps you want to include enthusiastic pictures of your team (this says your team is a fun and active place to be.) The important thing is to think about what you want to express as a brand, and then choose or create a cover image that reflects that message.Here’s a useful article that provides some examples of Facebook cover photos (some by direct sellers): http://www.wchingya.com/2012/03/facebook-page-cover-photo.html

Keep the conversation alive. As an entrepreneur, one of your biggest advantages on your Facebook Page is the opportunity to connect with people personally, and engage in conversation. So be sure you’re continually checking out the comments that others make on your page, and responding in a timely manner.
Post engaging content. Just like with the old Page layout, the majority of interaction with your Page will occur within the News Feed (Facebook home page) and NOT on the Page itself. So be sure you’re using the type of content that engages. Here’s an article with 7 essential steps for writing updates on your Page that engage: http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/7-essential-steps-for-writing-engaging-facebook-page-updates/
Track your stats. The best way to improve something is to track it. And Facebook makes it easy to do just that with Insights for Pages. Click on “See All” next to the Insights snapshot on your new Admin panel, and take a look at the stats on each of your posts. This will give you a really good idea of the kinds of posts that resonate best with your Page community. (Do more of them!) Review the parts of the world where people talking about your Page come from. And so on. By understanding who is using your Page, and how, you can replicated the actions that are bringing you the most results.
Highlight your apps. Maybe you’ve got a tab set up on your Page where people can sign up for your newsletter, or a custom welcome tab. Even though you can’t set these up as default landing tabs anymore, you can still highlight them. Arrange them underneath your cover image (you can change the order), and choose custom photos for each. Here is a set of free custom Facebook app icons you may want to use: http://www.jonloomer.com/2012/03/19/facebook-timeline-for-pages-free-facebook-app-icons/

Change can often be a challenge, but like it or not the new Timeline is here to stay (for now!) Best to embrace the challenge and find ways to make the new format work for you.

What would you add? How are you using the new Timeline for Pages to build your business? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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Use Scripts to Increase Your Business

If you’ve ever been to the theatre to see a play, you probably have a good idea why actors stick to the script. The story is already laid out, the characters are already developed, and everything is organized in a way that the audience can understand and enjoy. Sure, unforeseen circumstances happen and sometimes the actors have to ad lib, but for the most part, everyone on stage has a clear plan as to what needs to be done. The same concept can be applied to direct sales and small businesses. Here are some ways in which you can use scripts to in a variety of situations and grow your business.

Situations Fit For a Script

Informal conversation – How many times have you found yourself talking to a stranger, an acquaintance, or even family member who asks about what you do for a living? Instead of letting this possibly golden opportunity go to waste, prepare a concise description of your business that is not only brief and informational, but also may prompt further questions and interest from others.
Follow-up calls – When calling customers to follow up on a transaction, you need to be prepared for both positive and negative feedback and questions. Having a few responses planned that will help solve a problem or lead to a future purchase will solidify your relationships with customers.
Collecting money – Possibly one of the most difficult aspects of being a business owner is having to be your own Accounts Receivable Department. It can be uncomfortable to ask others for money, even when it is rightly owed to you. Depending on the situation, a script can be extremely helpful for staying professional while getting to the point and being direct.

How to Use a Script

Map out your ideal conversation. Whether you’re meeting a potential customer for the first time or introducing a new product to a longtime client, actually write out how you would want the conversation to happen. Chances are slim that things will play out this way in reality, but having a goal to reach will help you navigate any obstacles that pop up when speaking with clients and colleagues.
Identify potential pitfalls. You know this magical ideal conversation won’t exactly be the one that is actually taking place, so identify where and how it might go astray. Consider using a flow chart format for anticipating responses from the person to whom you are speaking and how to handle those responses. Don’t be afraid to get creative and tailor it to fit your situation; for example, color coding a flow chart or using post-it flags to help you find what you’re looking for in a pinch can make a script more efficient.
Rehearse! Of course, you don’t want what you’re saying to sound scripted and/or rehearsed, but you do need to be well-prepared in order to be confident and exude competence to your customers. Practice what you want to say in front of the mirror, with another person, or even on a voice recorder. (Listening to yourself will enable you to analyze your tone of voice and how others may perceive you.) The more prepared you are, the more comfortable you will feel, and the more successful you can become.

Using scripts to help you in networking, customer relations, and other business situations can be a real asset to your business. How have you incorporated scripts in order to grow your business? Please share with us in the comments section below!

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9 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Small Business

9 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Small Business

Pinterest is the hottest new social network, with articles filling up the web about how fast it’s growing. And it’s little wonder…most people are visual learners, and the ability to capture and organize photos of the things we love online can be very addicting and satisfying.

And because people are sharing photos of products they love or want (along with recipes, dream vacation destinations, and so forth), you have an opportunity to add your product line to the mix and gain additional attention. But that’s not the only use! Here are some of the ways you can use Pinterest to benefit your business:

Share product photos. This, at its core, is the simplest way to use Pinterest. Share photos of your product line that others can share as well, and link to your sales page. Just be careful not to be TOO product-centered or you’ll annoy your friends and be in violation of Pinterest rules.
Create a vision board for your business. Pinterest is a great tool for collecting photos of where you want your business to be in 1, 5, 10 years. Is your eye on a car, a home, or a fabulous vacation? Collect photos and put them on your vision board on Pinterest.
Create a personality for your brand. Pinterest is a great tool to show people the personality of your brand. Do you have a sense of humor? Share funny quotes. Do you have a brand that leads to a luxurious lifestyle or high fashion? Share related photos. By being mindful of the brand image you want to project, you can share photos that help people develop a sense of your overall brand.
Share training resources you find on the web with your team. Come across a great blog article or training piece online that would benefit your team? Pin it! Then let your team know that you’ve got a board with great resources that can help them build their businesses.
Run a contest. Many brands are now experimenting with running contests on Pinterest. It’s a great way to promote viral visibility of your products. This article from PR Daily may give you some ideas to get you started: http://prdaily.com/Main/Articles/How_to_launch_irresistible_Pinterest_contests_11079.aspx
Collect inspiration for your own content. For example, you might collect recipes that inspire you to create your own recipes, or makeup or fashion looks that give you ideas about ways you can suggest customers use your products.
Do research about the things that excite your customers by checking out their boards. It can give you ideas for theme parties, specials you might want to offer, or prizes you might want to award in contests.
Give people ideas about additional ways to use your product line. For example, if you sell home decor items, you might show rooms and point out where your product would be perfect in the layout.
Create an opportunity board that highlights the benefits of your business opportunity, and share it with people who are considering joining your team. It could include your recruiting video, a link to your recruiting brochure, a video about your next incentive trip destination, etc.

Many retailers are finding that Pinterest drives a LOT of traffic to their websites. So it’s a great idea to check out this hot new social network, and find ways to put it to work for your business.

Your thoughts? Please share them in the comments! And be sure to follow us on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/thedsef/ We share a lot of great resources for your business!

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DSEF & Money Wise Women: Using Social Media to Build Your Business

Today’s highlighted post from Money Wi$e Women Get Smart Teleseminar Series (Click here):

Using Social Media to Build Your Business

Do you understand social media and how to use it? Jennifer Fong will discuss the differences between social media for personal and business use, how to get started with social media, and social media tools to consider using for your business.

Jennifer Fong

Jennifer Fong is a social media speaker and consultant who teaches direct selling companies and individual direct sellers how to use social media effectively as a business building tool. A former direct sales company CEO, Jennifer built her company from the ground up, and understands what it takes to build, lead, and train a team, as well as the underlying principles of any direct selling business: network, sell, and recruit. She combines her expertise in direct sales with her passion for social media marketing to provide direct sellers with the knowledge they need to put social media to work for their businesses in a strategic and profitable way.

http://jenfongspeaks.com

DSEF proudly sponsors the free Money Wi$e Women Get Smart Teleseminar Series hosted by Marcia Brixey, Founder and President of Money Wise Women Educational Services and author ofThe Money Therapist: A Woman’s Guide to Creating a Healthy Financial Life. The series covers topics related to business and finances and provides women the opportunity to learn from professional experts in a safe, comfortable environment.

To find out about upcoming teleseminars, visit http://www.moneywisewomengetsmart.com/

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Tapping Your Network to Grow

We all have networks. These are groups of people that we connect with on a regular basis because of mutual interests, business, or other reasons. They’re a great source of personal satisfaction as well as potential business leads. Whether it’s a book club, religious organization, or professional networking group, networks can be a great resource for your business.

Here are some ideas for tapping this valuable resource to continue growing your business.

Give them a reason to check out your business. If these people are already in your existing network, chances are they have some degree of familiarity with your business. For this reason, you need to motivate them to rediscover you. Perhaps you have recently renovated your space, introduced a new product/service, or expanded your online presence. Use this change to re-promote your business to your network contacts and keep the relationship alive. Ask them to check out the change and offer their opinion.
Offer reciprocity. Through networking, current contacts often lead to new prospects and future contacts within your network. To take advantage of this, offer a way to return the favor when someone helps you in your business by either patronizing it themselves or advertising it to others. For example, a local restaurant owner can recommend a nearby banquet hall for parties and offer a special discount for customers using his or her restaurant for the catering. Likewise, the catering hall can refer customers to the restaurant for a free appetizer or dessert by mentioning their name at the restaurant after booking a party at the banquet hall. This helps each business gain new customers, and maintains a good relationship between both businesses.
Team up for an event. Promoting each other’s products and services can be done in many ways, including putting together a joint event that works for everyone involved. A direct seller of home décor might team up with a direct seller of cookware to create an event that offers people new ideas about how to prepare for a dinner party, covering everything from how to best use your space to what recipes can be used for each course of the meal. An event like this exposes each business owner to a new group of potential clients while providing the opportunity to show those prospects the best of each one’s business.
Make professional appearances at trade shows, chamber of commerce meetings, and industry conventions. Consider doing a speaking engagement, teaching a workshop, or holding a demonstration of your business’s products/services for other small business owners. If you run a successful business, you have much to offer fellow business owners and those just getting started. Making a name for yourself locally will spark interest in your business.

Your network is a valuable resource which should not be overlooked when taking steps to grow your business. What ideas do you have for tapping your network? Please share with us in the comments below!

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How To Offer Incentives Without Cutting Your Price

Offering incentives in small business can be a bit of a challenge, but it can also benefit you in terms of customer relations, customer retention, and of course sales. However, it can be risky to base all of your incentives on price cuts, so consider some alternatives when creating them.

Tokens/Tickets/Vouchers – One cupcake shop in Columbia, South Carolina created a special incentive to attract customers on last fall’s Small Business Saturday movement. For every dozen cupcakes purchased at regular price, the customer would receive four tokens, one each good for a free cupcake. To sweeten the deal (pun intended), the owner allowed the tokens to be redeemed right then and there if the customer wanted. This was a brilliant idea, because most businesses, big and small, make customers wait until a future visit to redeem such an incentive, and often with an expiration date that creeps up sooner rather than later. Using tokens, tickets, or vouchers and rewarding your customers on the spot shows your appreciation for their patronage.
Loyalty Programs – A great deal of businesses have some form of a loyalty program in place for frequent shoppers, but take this idea to the next level by offering your customers something really special. For example, the children’s clothing giant, Carters, gives each customer a card that gets a stamp for every $20 spent. After 5 stamps, a 10% discount is applied to the next purchase. This is pretty standard, but you can use this idea to your advantage. Instead of a discount, you could offer a special shopping day where he or she would have exclusive access to new products before they’re made available to the general public.
Individualized Product or Service – Based on a customer’s purchase history, you could offer a product/service that he or she would be particularly interested in. For example, say a customer regularly buys a certain type of hair product from your cosmetics business. Because you know what this person wants and needs, you could offer a free consultation for a new hairstyle, color, or shampoo and conditioning treatment. Providing individualized service to your customers improves relationships and gives them more reasons to come back.
Free Gift With Purchase – This really works well when you can purchase items at wholesale that have a higher perceived value. Additionally, you can promote a higher-priced item by offering a free gift with it. For example, select a product or service that you want to interest your customers with; if they buy it, they could also get a free custom-printed t-shirt designed by a local artist, or a free canvas tote bag with your logo printed across the front. The benefits here are two-fold: the higher price you can charge for the item will help offset the cost of your free gift, and you are also advertising your brand by distributing your merchandise to your customers.

By thinking outside the box, there are endless possibilities to the incentives that one could offer. What are some of your ideas for non-price related incentives? Please share them in the comments section below!

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Target Marketing For Small Business

With so many different marketing methods being used in business these days, it can be overwhelming to decide which is right for you. One should consider the use of target marketing, which is dividing your market into specific groups and concentrating on just one or a few important components. For example, a pet grooming business specializing in grooming show dogs could implement a direct mail campaign (snail or electronic) that reaches only particular dog owners rather than advertising in a newspaper that would reach a much larger market. The first step is to define your target market; then you can develop strategies to advertise your business directly to them.

Defining your target market, or “niche”

Decide why a person would make a purchase from you. People usually buy something for at least one of three reasons: to solve a problem, to meet a basic need, or to make themselves feel good. Sorting your target market into one of these categories will help you narrow your focus to a smaller group.
Consider the demographics of those who could use your product or service. This information includes age, gender, income, education, marital and family status, and ethnic and/or religious background. You’ll be able to invest your marketing dollars more wisely if the information you gather about your target customer is specific.
Consider the psychographics including lifestyle, social class, activities, and attitudes/beliefs. This additional information should allow you to form a picture of what the ideal prospect would be like. From there, you can figure out where they would be exposed to different types of advertising.
When creating a target market, or micro-niche, you should make sure that it is small enough that you can be a competitive force, but not so small that there isn’t enough money to be made. For example, Amazon has pretty much cornered the market on the online sale of books, DVDs, and digital media, so trying to compete with them would be futile. Similarly, construction of birdcage perches exclusively out of recycled material is too specific and would appeal to such a small number of people.

Examples of target marketing

A direct seller for a higher-end jewelry company knows that her customers are mostly women in their 30s-40s who like a well-polished look that includes a versatile wardrobe, a contemporary hairstyle, and manicured nails. Advertising to this target market can be done via fashion blogs, hair and nail salons, and local clothing boutiques.
A small business that offers in-home photography sessions knows that its target market is parents of newborns wanting professional pictures without the hassle of going to a studio. This demographic can be reached via parenting magazines and websites.
A pastry shop that specializes in custom-made freshly-baked desserts knows that its target market is mostly made up of local business owners and private party planners. Reaching this group can be done via vendor fairs and event hosting expos.

The key to target marketing is deciding who that small group is and then finding the best approach to reaching them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your current and past clients to get to the information you need. You will save money budgeted for marketing as well as being able to build your business based on those who have the greatest interest in your product or service. How have you defined and reached your target market? Share your ideas in the comments section below!