| HOW TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS OFFLINE AND ONLINE |
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art45 writes "Will they beat a path to your door?
Will customers be lining up or calling
upon you if you don’t market your business
and let people know you exist?
Most likely not. It’s a shame, but that’s
usually how it is. Putting out a sign or
putting up a website, doesn’t bring you
many customers on its own.
Getting business cards printed and telling
friends and family about your business is the
norm. More in depth marketing can be an
intimidating and scary thing, and sometimes
people shy away from it, hoping their other
efforts will do the trick. However, marketing
your business doesn’t have to be intimidating,
and you don’t have to cold call just to get
customers. There’s so many other ways to
put your business in the spotlight. You just
have to get creative.
If you have an offline business, it’s a good
idea to have a website even if you don’t sell
anything through that site. For instance,
on the bottom of those business cards, put your
website address. When you give out cards or
leave them in restaurants etc. you are not
always there in person to discuss your business
or to sell the benefits of your business to people.
Anyone interested can go to your website to learn
more about you and what you offer, increasing your chances of adding that person to your customer list.
If you don’t know how to design a website, find
someone to do it for you. It’s well worth it.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just clean,
professional looking, and easy to navigate.
If you give people a way to learn more about you
without obligating them to do business with you,
you will surely get more customers.
If you have an online business, you could
try marketing it offline as well. The following
is great for both types of business: Get a
professional magnetic sign made and put it on
your vehicle. Let the world know you own this
business. Make it easy to contact you. Offer
something special, like a 10% discount if you
mention my car sign when you call!
Don’t forget about advertising your business in
newspapers or magazines designed for your niche.
That’s a great place to include your web address
and telephone number also.
Advertise your business on your local radio
station, or write/call the radio station and
see if they are interested in doing an
interview with you. Most people think that they
wouldn’t be interested in “my little business”,
but you will be surprised. These people are always
looking for fresh news and announcements.
Ask people for referrals. Let everyone know you
are expanding your business.
With an online business there are various other
ways to market your business, such as announcements, leaving your signature on chat forums, search engines, PPC, paid advertising, articles, viral marketing etc.
So even if your business is offline, you can promote it online using these methods also.
Being successful with any business, whether it is
online or offline is really down to how you promote
it and how much effort you are willing to put in.
Always be on the lookout for fresh ideas, and keep
records of your marketing efforts and the results
you get. If you work your business you will continue to work and be successful, I’m sure of it!
Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and author of an Ebook about medical transcription.
http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com
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Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 @ 11:34:04 CDT by go_blue
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