Creative Ways to Distribute your Marketing Materials

Any small business owner knows that assembling your marketing materials is only half of the battle when it comes to advertising and promoting your company. If you have invested time and care in creating custom promotional materials such as flyers, then you should take an equal amount of time distributing them in a way that is effective and suits your business. However, with so many options available, you may not be clear on which methods of marketing are right for you.

Here are some tips on where and how to distribute your marketing materials.

• Festivals and Fairs – The traditional method of distributing your promotional materials at festivals and fair allows you to attract many customers. The benefit of handing out flyers at a festival or fair is that you know your audience will be in a good mood, causing them to have positive associations with your company. In contrast, when you distribute flyers to people’s homes, there is always a good chance that you will be catching them when they are in a cranky or negative mood.
• A Face to the Brand – Simply “papering” a neighborhood (i.e. littering people’s cars and homes with flyers or brochures) is a horrendous way to pass out your marketing materials. First, people find it to be a huge nuisance. Second, you are not very likely to capture a captive audience that way. If you are planning on handing out your promotional materials, it is best to hand them directly to people, rather than placing them on cars. Furthermore, it is good to have someone who is friendly, upbeat, and cheerful hand out your flyers. This causes potential customers to associate a cheerful face with your brand.
• Include a Coupon – Disguise your promotional flyer as a coupon. If your flyers do not have any discounts printed on them, you can staple a coupon to the corner. When you are passing out the flyers, it is more likely that people will hold onto the flyer when they believe it provides them with a valuable discount or coupon.

Marketing materials like flyers and brochures are solid investments for your small business. Make sure they provide your business with the right return by planning an intelligent distribution strategy.

Using Copy to Turn Your Promotional Materials into Must-Reads

Promotional materials can be a phenomenal way to promote your business and help improve your company’s local reputation.

However, promotional materials can be a disaster when written incorrectly. Let us look at a sample of poorly written promotional materials to get a better idea of what not to do:

Hello! Thinking about selling your home? I am Kathy Smith and I have 20 years experience selling houses and condos and comercial properties in the Shore Hills neighborhood! I am experienced in getting you youre money fast! Call me at 555-555-5555. I want to sell your home today!!!

Obviously, this is a humorous exaggeration of a poorly written, misspelled promotional flyer. However, it is not all that far off the mark. Plenty of small business owners aren’t Pulitzer quality writers. There is nothing wrong with not being a literary genius; no one ever said that you had to be a grammar whiz to start your own business!

Nonetheless, in putting your best foot forward, it is important that the copy on your promotional materials do your marketing investment justice. You want to enlist the best writer on your staff to help with the copy, and proofreading again and again is essential.  Bringing a professional writer on board can do wonders for your promotional materials. Don’t worry about having to break the bank either. Consider hiring an English or journalism major from the nearby university to write the content for your next promotional effort. Plenty of them will work for a smaller fee, and they will be eager to take on the job to boost their resumes.

Here are some important buzzwords to remember when it comes to assembling excellently written promotional materials:

• Branding: Branding is an advertising term, used to describe the process of creating a recognizable image through consistent themes and tones in advertising materials. Try to utilize the same writers and designers for all of your promotional materials. A recognizable theme allows customers to more readily remember your company’s name.
• Copy: Copy is simply a word that refers to the actual text of your promotional or marketing materials. These are the catchphrases that will describe the essence of your company and compel your potential customers to respond to the call of action.
• Synergy: Synergy is when multiple products are advertised under one campaign. This doesn’t necessarily refer to collaborating with other companies; a good example of synergy would be if a construction company advertised both their roofing and siding services on one flyer. When done well, synergy allows you to effectively promote multiple services or products under the same block of copy, which ultimately helps you to save money.

If you can get these buzzwords down and utilize them to your advantage, your promotional materials will be the talk of the town in your neighborhood.

Five Morale Boosters to Keep in Mind During a Down Economy

How tired are you of the phrase “during these tough economic times?” As tired as you may be of that overused slogan, you are probably even more frustrated with… well, “these tough economic times!”

“Recession exhaustion” is the latest epidemic du jour in this country, as scores of people are being laid off and having to vacate their homes. The general mood is indeed rather depressing.

We could give you blog after blog on what strategies to utilize during a down economy in order to market your business effectively. However, it is also important to consider some of the overall mentalities and strategies on how to maintain your morale and energy during this national financial crisis. Above everything else, it is important to remember to never throw in the towel. Here are five things to keep in mind during a down economy.

• This Too Shall Pass – As difficult as this recession may be, it will not last forever. Eventually, it will arrive at its completion. Don’t believe us? Think about the last time the economy was down, such as the 1990s, the 1970s, and even the Great Depression. Did it last forever, or did it eventually end?
• Treasure Your Loyal Customers – Now is a good time to treat your beloved loyal customers like royalty. Right now may not be a great time for new customer acquisitions, so remind your loyal customers of how truly great you think they are.
• Everyone Needs a Break – We know that you may feel as if you have to work each hour of every day to keep yourself afloat. But everyone needs a break now and then. Believe us, it will aid your overall spirit in the long run.
• Save, Save, Save – Even if you can only put aside twenty dollars a week, saving a little extra money will help you feel more reassured and relaxed about finances for your company.
• Grin and Bear It – When it really comes down to it, the overall wellness of our national economy is out of your hands. All you can control is your own personal success and vitality. The best thing to do during these horrid economic times is to just grin and bear it – after all, what else can you do?

Above all else, take a few minutes a day just to breathe. Maintain your composure, and work hard until this all is nothing more than a distant memory.

How to Create Marketing Materials That Can Last Forever

You certainly hope that your small business or company will last as long as you will. However, creating a successful business that can withstand the test of time can be a real challenge. It is hard to maintain a great reputation and a reliable brand name for decade after decade. However, if your business is your passion, then we understand how crucial this indeed is.

One secret of successful small businesses is that they are consistently effective in their marketing efforts. One even bigger secret of successful small businesses is that their advertising strategy remains the same year after year. This is because they made sure to get it correct the first time. A good company doesn’t publicly flip-flop around different ad campaigns. This is not effective at establishing your business as a memorable brand.

How do you create marketing materials that can withstand the test of time? Here are some tips:

• Perfected Copy – The text on your initial marketing materials should be so flawless and timeless that it does not require any updating or revamping down the road. Excellent ad copy is not time specific, but rather conveys the fact that your company consistently provides quality services or products.
• A Memorable Logo – Wonder why companies like Coca-Cola or Apple have not changed their logo over the years? It’s because they simply don’t need to – they got it right the first time. A memorable logo should be able to carry your company for hundreds of years, not just ten or fifteen.
• Slogans and Themes – Ensure that your brand is memorable by maintaining consistent slogans and themes. Your brand’s identity should not change with the seasons. Your promotions, specials, or discounts may indeed change on a monthly basis, but the overall manner in how you present them to the public should remain constant.

Remember, companies that stand up to the test of time do so because they are able to consistently keep customers coming back for more. Moreover, they create a recognizable brand image that the public associates with happy feelings and emotions. Never simply throw your marketing materials together. Take time to ensure that they are of the utmost quality, just like your company.

Joint Promotional Efforts: Why, How, and With Whom?

Marketing and promotional efforts can certainly be expensive. Subsequently, it can be a great idea to partner with another company to help minimize the costs of advertising. We know what you’re thinking: Why would I want to help another company advertise their business?

Believe it or not, synergistic advertising efforts with other companies can really help your business rather than harm it. You can reach broader markets – all without spending more on your advertising campaigns. For example, if you run a bridal dress boutique, consider a joint promotional campaign with a wedding florist. You could both exchange customer lists, as well as share the costs of a booth at a wedding show and a colorful mailer to new brides.

Here are some tips on how to create a joint promotional effort that really works:

• Never Work with Your Competitor – A joint promotional effort that results in you aligning yourself with your competitor is completely self-defeating. And by competitor, we mean any company that provides a service or product that is very similar to yours. Instead, a joint marketing campaign should work in one of two ways: either it should align your business with another company that provides a complimenting service or product to what you provide, or it consist of a coupon system where customers of Company A can use their receipts to get discounts with Company B and vice versa.
• Only Work with Quality Companies – Only embark on cross-promotional efforts with quality companies. Even if the entrepreneur is a friend of yours, don’t do anybody any favors. No one is entitled to ride your business’ coat tails.
• Keep in Touch – Even after the promotional materials have already been printed and the contracts are signed and completed, keep in touch with the other company to ensure that they are holding up their end of the bargain. If they are rejecting coupons or providing less than stellar service, it will make your company look bad. Remember, this is a partnership: They are obligated to ensure that that both parties are benefiting from the joint venture.

Of course, you are taking the risk by betting your company’s reputation on the excellence and trustworthiness of another brand. However, you will see that the payoff can indeed by quite rewarding.

How to Get More Bang for Your Marketing Buck

It is truly shocking to see how many companies hastily throw together marketing and promotional materials without thoroughly analyzing their marketing strategy. In this economy, every expense needs to generate a return. Having a powerful, cohesive branding strategy is critical to making the marketing materials investment worthwhile.

Of course, the average small business cannot afford to hire a million dollar advertising agency (if only!). However, it does not take an advertising professional or a fancy company to create aesthetically appealing marketing materials that really pack a punch. Here are some tips for getting more “bang for your buck” when it comes to your promotional materials.

• Optical Weight – A point to keep in mind when assembling your marketing materials is the concept of optical weight. Optical weight is the idea that some graphics and groups of text are “heavier” than others. Darker areas tend to pull our eyes and seem heavier, while lighter areas are more effervescent and carefree. Use optical weight to your advantage by making important points and graphics darker – and thus, “heavier” – than less important areas.
• Consistency – Consistency is really important when it comes to your marketing materials. It is consistently that reinforces your branding strategy and increases the probability of customer recognition. Ensure that the logo and font for your company name on one flyer is identical to your brochure. Consistently is critical to driving home a theme and image that enables customers to easily picture your company when they think of your product.
• Avoid Clutter – A streamlined flyer or brochure is better than a clunky one. You may feel the need to tell everything there is to know about your company, especially if you are on a tight marketing budget. However, a streamlined ad is not only more visually pleasing, but much more memorable. Encourage the customer to call you, where you can then truly impress them again with all of your company’s great features.

If you follow these tips, you are sure to efficiently optimize the effectiveness of your marketing materials.

Where to Market your Small Business in a Soft Economy

In a soft economy, small businesses are often the first to suffer. Plagued by a lack of resources, small business owners may feel financially stifled. However, a recession or soft economy can actually be used in your favor – if you are smart and savvy enough to know how and where to market yourself.

Indeed, the well-informed small business owner can see their operation flourish during these tough times, while watching their competitors swiftly fall behind. Here are some tips on where to market your small business in a down economy.

• Your Existing Customers – In a soft economy, it still costs more to attract a new customer than to retain an old one. Make sure you are tapping into your existing customer base, as they have already indicated their interest in your business! Send them coupons, mailers, and incentives, as they are still your most powerful business cornerstone.

• Flea Markets and Consignment Shops – During a recession, second hand operations like flea markets and thrift shops actually see a huge spike in business. Since flea markets are public forums, they are a great place to hand out flyers promoting your company’s latest discount or special. Consignment shops, on the other hand, may be a trickier forum in which to promote your small business. Consult the owner of a few different second hand shops and see if they would be interested in conducting a cross promotion. You will be reaching a very captive audience.

• Your Neighbor’s Customers – Teaming up with a synergistic business is a powerful way to increase your marketing efforts without spending a dime. For example, if you are a wedding florist, partner with your city’s wedding stationer. You both share the same target audience, yet are not competitors with each other’s business model. You can have brochures printed to leave in each other’s stores, and you could even split the cost of a mailing campaign or wedding show booth.

• Your Website and E-Mail –If your small business has not tried e-mail marketing, now is definitely the time. It is cheap, easy, and allows for you to reach a large group of people for absolutely no cost at all. You can also swap your e-mail list with another company, which allows you to reach a much larger audience.

Thinking outside the box is the only way to thrive during a recession. Take advantage of all the resources around you to put your business in front of spending customers.