Being someone who has created the marketing strategy and executed complex marketing plans for various products, brands and services, I am often asked about what can be done to gain more business. For me, this is a fairly easy question to answer - please see my 47 "top of my head" ideas below. But the most important part is that you must be able to execute these ideas. That's the hard part and where I come in.
The "how-to" part is really not the hard part...it's the execution that takes the time and energy. If you need help with your marketing and business growth contact me. I can create and execute a marketing plan for your company.
Hope@thebuzzagency.net
1) Start a blog
2) Go to Chamber of Commerce events and other local business events
3) Release products (articles, etc.) that can be used for free with attribution
4) Hand out business cards
5) Post on blogs relevant to your skills
6) Attend groups/networking events and meetups in your area
7) Place your brochures/cards/information in relevant businesses
8) Attend or participate in a conference
9) Network online: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are a must for 2010
10) Share samples of your work online
11) Send interesting press releases and media alerts to local/national media outlets
12) Sponsor/donate items to an event to get your product/service/name in from of the attendees
13) Suggest a story about your product/sercice to a reporter or blogger
14) Offer a coupon or easy point of entry into your product/service/business
15) Offer to speak about your specialty at networking events
16) Answer questions on LinkedIn Answers, Yahoo Answers and other question sites
17) Comment on articles and posts, be interactive with the online community to get your name known
18) Create package deals
19) Develop a partnership with a consultant or freelancer with a different skill set
20) Send out a useful newsletter geared towards your clients
21) Provide a free initial consultation
22) Join a professional organization and attend meetings to gain contacts/emails
23) Add yourself to directories, both online and in print
24) Place promotional items in event and conference gift bags
25) Run targeted adds: both online and traditional print
26) Contribute articles to other companies’ newsletters
27) Volunteer your product/services to non-profits
28) Contact companies that could use your services directly
29) Attend alumni events for your school
30) Contact past clients, ask for referrals and industry information
31) Join online forums
32) Print t-shirts/specialty items listing your website and make sure you distribute
33) Have a giveaway or donate your time as a prize in someone else’s giveaway
34) Survey companies in your target market about their needs (and then follow up on those needs)
35) Optimize your website for search engines
36) Hand out brochures that showcase your projects
37) Get great testimonials from past clients
38) Teach a class
39) Brand yourself as a business
40) Start a podcast or videocast
41) Sell your services through affiliates
42) Work with an agency to really market your company, www.thebuzzagency.net is a great example!
43) Trade services with others, especially the media if budgets are tight
44) Send out a postcard or other mailer
45) Package your promotional materials or services with other freelancers
46) Tell happy clients that you’ll give them a referral discount for any new clients they send your way
47) Celebrate the end of a large project with your client
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