Marketing a business can be fun, exciting and creative. It can also be very frustrating and expensive if one doesn’t know what outcome they are looking for or how to evaluate cost effective methods of marketing.

Over the years people have come to know me for my unique ability to develop low cost and no cost strategies to market and promote a business, product or service. Strategies that have realized incredible returns.

Some of my successes have included:

- Before my last book was published I pre-sold over $8,000 in books
- Over 250 people registered for a recent seminar in less than 2 weeks and the cost to promote was under $25
- One company used my strategies for a career expo and made over $180,000 in consulting fees
- One speaker sold over $23,000 in product sales back of the room at a two hour seminar with strategies outlined in my program

I don’t share this to impress anyone, rather to impress upon you when using the right strategies for your market, you can realize some incredible results.

People have also come to know me as someone who is a stickler when it comes to putting systems in place. My marketing successes are a direct result of the systems I have implemented.

With a bit of forethought, planning and desire, you can successfully market your business in a very effective manner. Below are seven proven strategies sure to increase visibility, leads and sales.

1. Business Cards
Business cards are often one of the most underutilized tools in one’s marketing.
Use the front and back of your business card to gain full benefit. Depending on your market you can put some very valuable information on the back such as a sports schedule, emergency numbers, or special dates people want to remember.

Keep some in your wallet, your automobile, on your desk, and some at home. Be sure to carry them with you wherever you go and be willing to hand them out as opportunity presents itself.

Creatively distribute your card. When you eat out you can leave one with the tip.
If you borrow a library book, use one as a book mark. Hand them to clerks in stores who may know other people who could use your product or service.

When someone gives you their business card be sure to enter their information in your database. Send them a short note or email within 48 hours of meeting them to keep your name fresh in their mind.

2. Send a picture
A great way to keep your name fresh in a customer’s mind is to send them a picture of when they purchased a product or service from you.

Put a picture of a buyer’s auto purchase in a beautiful calendar. Likely, the proud owner of the vehicle will display the calendar for the next 365 days.

For specialty gift shops, when a customer makes a substantial purchase, have a picture taken with the shop owner. Frame the picture and send it to the customer.
Chances are very good the picture will be displayed proudly for friends and family to see.

A dentist who specializes in smile makeovers can easily arrange to have a professional makeup artist and photographer capture the patient’s beautiful new smile. No doubt the patient will be more than happy to show others their new look.

3. Associations
Associations particular to your market are a great resource for marketing. There are associations specific to virtually any industry, job type or business. A quick web search will likely show you how much is available.

A major opportunity within many organizations is the chance to network. Additionally, to make presentations. Along with presentations come publications.
Often, when you do a presentation, you will get a mention in the association newsletter, their Ezine and/or on their website.

In many cases, when an organization has a newsletter or Ezine, they welcome the presenter writing a press announcement for them. It saves them time and often assures you have a better chance of the information making it into the publication.

They may also welcome you writing an article for their publication or website.
This lends itself to pre-presentation visibility. Additionally, you will position yourself as an expert and increase credibility.

Most organizations have the following opportunities that can help you to gain visibility and do some very effective marketing:

-Newsletters
-Internet listings
-Links to you website
-Discounted advertising rates
-Networking opportunities
-Business referral services
-Special recognition events
-Education seminars
-Business and membership directories

In many cases you will need to be a member of the association to take advantage of the multiple marketing opportunities. In other cases membership is not necessary.

4. Committee Involvement
Committee involvement is a great way to give back to the association or community while building visibility for you and your business. In some cases, you may even want to get involved in a committee where you have little experience or knowledge. This will give you an opportunity to stretch yourself and meet and network with individuals you may not have otherwise had the chance to meet.

5. Contests and drawings
Contests are a favorite for many businesses such as restaurants or those that have high foot traffic. Contests are a great way to build your database quickly.
You are generating very hot leads when you have a contest with people who have already frequented your place of business. The key though is to do back -end marketing. Far too many businesses hold contests, get lots of names and do nothing with them. In this case, it is a complete waste of time to hold a contest.
You can advertise a contest to gain new foot traffic in your place of business.
Trade show booths are a great place to hold a contest. Pre-show marketing helps to generate traffic at your booth. Invite people to stop by booth # _____  (whatever your booth is) to enter to win. Creative contests can also generate free publicity.

6. Cross-promoting
Join with other companies who have products or services that compliment yours and promote each other. Let’s say you have a massage business. You could partner with a candle company to sell their candles to your massage clients. They can give out coupons for your massage business. Or the candle company can partner with a gift basket company. Cross-promoting is only limited by your imagination.

This can considerably cut down the cost of business promotion and allow each business to use promotion techniques that might be too expensive to implement alone.

7. Bonuses
Secure special offers from various businesses who want to share a similar market as you. When a customer buys a minimum amount they receive a bonus packet with the various offers from the other vendors. This is a win/win all the way around. The other vendors gain visibility, you have something extra to offer you customers and the customers get incredible value for their purchase.

Be aware of who you cross-promote and joint venture with. You want someone who will be equally committed to a campaign.

To your huge success!

Marty Bostick

Business Development

Freedom Marketing Group

(866) 844-2633 Ext. 4

In the world of Network Marketing I always hear new representatives asking the questions of “How do I find new leads now that I have gone through my entire Warm Market?” or “I am scared of Cold Calling people.  What do I say?”

I am going to offer some ideas in this article that will hopefully help many of you that are searching for answers to those questions.  A lot of these ideas I have gathered from other successful Network Marketers that are proven leaders in their field of expertise.

Finding New Leads

Finding new leads can actually be a fun process if you let it be.  It’s kind of like a game that you set for yourself on how many new leads you can find each day.  The key to making it a successful endeavor is setting appointments with them to follow up after you get them interested.  Here are three tips you might try for locating new leads that are totally FREE.

• You know all those Business Cards you see OTHER people leave at Gas Stations, Restauraunts and just about anywhere there is a Checkout Counter?  Start by picking up ones that you find.  Most likely, the people who left those cards wanted someone to pick them up and them.  The next step is picking up the phone and calling them.  You can get a lot of information from a Business Card on what that person does and who they are.  Give it a shot.  Let’s say that you pick up a card from someone that is an agent for a Travel Agency.  Pick up the phone and call “Jane Doe” and say the following.

Hi Jane? This is John Doe, you probably don’t know who I am because we haven’t spoken before, but the reason I am calling is that I picked up one of your Business Cards from (Name of establishment).  Jane, I realize that you are probably working and can’t talk  in length right now, but let me ask you a question, do you ever keep your options open to earning some additional income if it didn’t get in the way of what you do every day? (Wait for response which is usually yes) If the answer is YES, then proceed with the following.  That is great Jane.  Do you have a pen or pencil handy that you can take down a number for me?  Call this Toll Free Number (Give her your Sizzle Line which you MUST have) and if you like what you hear, leave me your name and contact information so that I know it is you and someone from our company will get back with you on the details.  (The next part is important) Since you are probably busy at the moment, do you think you will have time to call the number after work today? (Wait for response) If YES, okay, great.  Would it be okay if someone gave you a call back at (Set the appointment time shortly after the time they say they can listen to the message) X time? Excellent!  Well thank you for your time Jane and I look forward to speaking with you soon.  If the answer was NO on being interested, say okay, well thank you for your time and have a great day.  THAT’S IT!  YOU’RE DONE!  You have just set an appointment to follow up with a person you have never met before and basically know very little about.  They are now accountable for listening to the message before you call them back at the pre-arranged time.  If they are truly interested, they will leave a message on your Sizzle Line and you have a new Lead.  If they don’t, you never have to talk to them again.  Pretty simple?

• Take the same approach as the Business Card and get on the Internet and search for “free classified ads”.  Locate one of the thousands of Free Classified Advertising websites that have a section where potential prospects have placed their entire contact information and resume` online for prospective employers.  This is a Goldmine if you use it correctly.  You have the luxury of reviewing the candidates online, seeing their entire career and experience level before you ever speak to them.  Once you locate someone that appears to be a good fit for your business.  Take down their contact information, pick up the phone and call them.  Just tell them that you saw resume` online and would like to interview them to see if they would be a good fit for your business.  Tell them that you can’t make any promises, but from what you have seen so far, they look like they would work well in your business (Edify them and make them feel important) You don’t have to tell them that you are a Network Marketing company yet.  Just follow through asking them questions that would qualify them as a good candidate for your opportunity such as what their goals and motivation are for finding a new job/career.  Once you have gotten through the “Red Tape”, schedule a time to follow up with the prospect.  Do not try to close on the deal on the first contact.  SET THE APPOINTMENT!  If you do this, you leave the prospect time to build up a list of questions and to be able to build anticipation for the next meeting.  Send them to your Web Presentation (Another MUST Have) on the full details of your business.  When you follow up with them, ask them what they liked best about what they saw/heard.  This lets you know that they actually did review it.
• The most effective method that seems to work easily is to have some Sizzle Cards printed up with your Toll Free Sizzle Line on them.  Find anyone that you like and ask them, “Do you ever keep your options open to making additional income if it didn’t get in the way of you do every day?”  If they say YESs, give them a Sizzle Card and tell them to call the number, listen to the message, and if they liked what they heard, leave their contact information and someone will get back with them with more details.  That is all you have to do.  Just to tell you how easy that was, I prospected 17 people yesterday and did that very same thing while Christmas Shopping.  You would be surprised in this economy how many people are receptive to earning more money.  They are hurting!  I did not have a single person tell me that they weren’t interested.  Whether is was the Sales Clerk at Best Buy or the Store Manager at Staples that just about tackled me to find out what this was all about before I left the store, everyone wants to find a way to make more money during this RECESSION.

I hope these tips help you out.  They have proven to be extremely effective methods for generating leads that are interested in hearing about your business.