Unusual Marketing Ideas For Your Business, Part 1

Select Just One Of These Ideas And Use It In The Next 90 Days!This is Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

This idea helps build credibility and leads to more sales! On the reverse side of your business cards, print the names and phone numbers of three of your top customers who will give you great references. Give these cards to your prospects and encourage them to contact your customers for references. Get permission from your customers beforehand, of course.

This idea helps build customer satisfaction, plus it can be used to market your business, leading to more sales! Ask your customers to grade your report card. Rather than send customers a standard satisfaction survey, send them a survey in the form of a report card. Ask your customers to give you letter grades, i.e. A, B, C, etc. By the way, if you're afraid to ask your customers to grade you, don't be. They're already grading you, and telling others what they think. Use the report card to find out what they're saying. Also, use the report card to improve your business. Ultimately, use it to promote your business. If your customers give you straight As, don't be afraid to tell everyone!

This idea will help you get a better response from your customers when you ask them to rate your services. When you mail your customers a report card, or customer satisfaction survey, include something to prompt a better response. For example, include a small magnifying glass with the explanation, "we're focused on our customers. " Or, send a measuring tape with the explanation, "we're asking our customers to tell us how we measure up." Or, send a free lottery ticket with the explanation, "we're not about to leave your satisfaction to chance!"

This idea makes better use of money you're already spending, and promotes your business. Your business envelopes probably consist of lots of white space. Why not turn that white space into a billboard? Create a " teaser" statement - perhaps a one-line description of your business, or a special offer and imprint it on the outside of your envelope, right under your return address. Time-sensitive billboards, and curiosity-builders, are ideal for this purpose. (Keep the message clear of the upper right corner of the envelope, which is reserved for postage). With available technology, you can easily change your billboard whenever you so desire by running your envelopes through a laser printer. Here are some sample lines you could use:

• Win $$$ when you visit our website at http://www.sitename.com
• Clean two rooms for the price of one when you respond by March 15
• Save money with a mid-year consultation --- book it by June 1
• Free gift when you open this envelope and call our office

This idea helps you focus on your market and get more of the same types of customers. An accountant already serves a large number of chiropractors. With his experience, he can focus on finding new clients who are chiropractors. He can do that by buying lists of chiropractors (or using the yellow pages to build his own list), and then contacting those prospects via direct mail and other forms of marketing. Of course, if he gets his existing chiropractor clients involved in his marketing efforts, he will get better results. His clients can refer him to other chiropractors, as well as personally introduce him. They can write letters to their peers on behalf of the accountant.

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©Copyright, 1998, John P. Hayes, Ph.D. For more information see my site at Hayes Worldwide.