This week’s featured member is Ann-Mary Currier of The Currier! Ann-Mary gave a 10 minute presentation to the Livewire team that highlighted her business and the best ways for the Livewire team to help build her business and help more clients.
Being a Featured Member and Featured Speaker is one of the key benefits of Livewire membership.
Reaching Your Target Customers to Bring You More Profit
-by Ann-Mary Currier
Avenues to Promote Your Business
- Advertising
- Events/sponsorships
- Networking
- Newsletters
- Publicity
- Social Media
Advertising
Advantages: Control, visibility
Disadvantage: Cost
When to use:
Only when carefully targeted
Only within budget
Events/Sponsorships
Advantages:
Visibility
Positive image
Control
Disadvantages:
Consumes time & money
When to use:
Only when targeted
Only within budget (time & money)
Only when it can be publicized/advertised in a way that will bring people in or bring you notice
Networking
Advantages
Control
Low cost
Visibility
Disadvantages:
Time consuming
When to use:
Among your target customers
Newsletters
Advantages:
Control
Showcases your expertise
Provides value; ingratiates potential customers
Disadvantages:
Cost (especially for printed newsletters; some can be saved by using online newsletters)
Time
The wastebasket; the delete key
When to use:
When you have something of value to your potential customers, especially in a technical field & especially when it’s something they might keep
Only within budget
Publicity
Advantages:
Low cost
Credibility
Visibility
Disadvantages:
(I can’t think of any; if you can get it, use it!)
When to use:
At every possible opportunity. Examples: An award, a promotion, a new hire, a new product/service; an event; a sponsorship.
(Despite the decline of the mass media, there’s more opportunity now than ever. There’s almost nothing that you cannot put online, on calendars, on websites, on Social Media.)
Social Media
Advantages:
Control
Visibility
It might position you as the expert, depending upon what you post.
Disadvantages:
(None that I can think of, except for the remote possibility of someone learning something private, or stealing your identity. Overwhelmingly, a good thing.)
When to use:
At every opportunity
Scenario I:
Our first example is a company that specializes in landscape architecture. It has done work at a number of public locations around Rhode Island. A few years back, it opened a new division that deals with prepping the site for the landscaping. What would be some of the ways this company could promote itself?
Some of my thoughts:
A press release on the new site division
A press release every time the company gets a new major contract
If possible, on-site advertising: This developed by …
An interactive website, with full content management enabling the company to keep its customers & prospects up-to-date
Scenario II:
This attorney specializes in family law & works alone. He gets a lot of referrals but he still feels the need to promote himself more than he has. He is known as a very nice guy. He is very active in the community. He has been Big Brother of RI & is active in his church. What could he do to promote himself?
Some of my thoughts:
A Facebook page, in which he can list & discuss every community involvement
A blog on developments in the law
A press release every time he gets an award, or is appointed to a board
Sponsorships
Scenario III:
There’s an old real estate company operating in one of the prime suburbs of Massachusetts. It’s been in business for more than 50 years & is now run by the 80-year-old son of the founder. Because of his orientation, the company operates quite traditionally &, in this economy & market, has been bleeding money. The manager of one of the offices developed a plan under which the company would offer a “cafeteria” of services, e.g., a market analysis, staging & other services. In this way, instead of waiting for a house to sell to collect the traditional commission, the company would get some income all along the way. It hopes to increase profits through volume. How should the company market this?
Some of my thoughts:
It’s an unusual program & likely to get publicity
An interactive website, with total content management
Every piece should drive people to the website
A Facebook page; a blog telling success stories
Try for appearances on talk radio or TV
Perhaps targeted advertising in weekly newspapers that are lower cost & have a longer shelf live
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