Learn simple and inexpensive things you can do, plus tips and creative ideas from the pros to better market you and your business in today's economy.

1. TEN TIPS
for Marketing Your Business to Grow
Nancy Wilhelms
June 16, 2009

2. Why it’s important:
We’re in a brand new ballgame!

3. Getting Started
• Introductions - Name and business
• What questions would you like
answered or discussed today?

4. Goal
• Make you think about
• Marketing your business
• Marketing yourself

5. The same dilemma
• When there’s little business out
there...how do we get the customers to
come to us?

6. #1 Communicate BENEFITS of
what you do!

7. What is the RESULT?
• Granite installer: “I make homes more
beautiful with granite.”
• Bedding store owner: “I help people
get a good night’s sleep.”
• Realtor: “I help families achieve the
lifestyle they dream of.”
• Chamber Exec: “I help local businesses
succeed.”

8. Exercise
• Let’s take a minute to write out the
benefit(s) of what you do

9. #2 Know your customers

10. They are your best asset
• Your best source of
repeat business
• Your best source of
new business
• Your best source of
referral business

11. Market to, in this order
• Current customers
• Friends and family
of current
customers

12. and very last...
• Tall dark strangers

13. #3 Target your customer

14. Go where he/she goes
• In media
• In habit
• For fun

15. #4 Ask for Referrals!

16. Don’t Be Afraid of This!
• Your current customers are the best
source of new customers.
• If you don’t ask, they won’t share!

18. Expose Yourself to NEW
• New “social media”
• Facebook
• My Space
• Linked In
• Twitter
• More

19. #6 Go where others aren’t

20. You can do it, too!
• If no one is advertising/promoting and
you are, you stand out!
• If no one is advertising/promoting and
you are, you get the business!
• This economy is full of customers and
opportunities, and they will go the the
companies that are VISIBLE!
• Opportunities can be VERY affordable.

21. Whatever you do
• GET YOUR CUSTOMERS’ EMAIL
ADDRESSES!!!

22. #7 Go Outside the BOX

23. Try Something New
• Web-newsletter to your clients with links back
to your site - Constant Contact
• Add a blog to your website
• Sponsor an event (join with others) - get your
name and logo out there - esp. with “benefits”
• Sponsor a contest or a giveaway
• Create traffic - like Las Vegas
• Be an expert - take a reporter to lunch!
• Give a talk...like this one!

24. #8 Fly your sail

25. Get out there!
• Network
• Volunteer for
something you care
about
• Partner
• Attend Chamber
events!
• Don’t stay “in”

26. #9 Change Your
Environment

27. Make Same-Old NEW
• Landscape - Colorado Biz says
landscape architecture can boost real
estate sales
• Clean up a retail or professional
environment
• Make the same thing look different - for
both you and your customers - paint,
re-arrange, re-do for FRESH!

28. 60-Second Exercise:
• Quick thoughts - What can you do that
you’re not doing now?
• Five quick thoughts!

29. #10 Be CREATIVE

30. Have some fun!
• Ellie the dog sells real estate
• Ski jumpers sell high end menswear
• Gay ski week sells bodywaxing
• 10 deer sell a magazine
• A refrigerator magnet sells a health club

31. #11 Be Contrary!

32. Be colorful. Be yourself.
• Don’t buy in to gloom.
• Take a break from things that aren’t
moving forward.
• Envision what you want to make
happen and make it happen!