StudioTracker
Well-Known Member
It is especially important during these turbulent economic conditions to look at what youre doing right and what needs to be improved, here are a few ideas on how to spring clean your operations for the new season ahead.
Low cost advertising: In times of recession companies will look to find cheaper ways to advertise. Think less: paid-for advertising (e.g. radio, print ads), think more: flyering, leaving business cards in other local businesses, encouraging your existing customers to recruit new clients for you by rewarding them with recommend-a-friend schemes.
Easy Advertising: Postcards are cheap and easy to produce, especially if you use colour on one side only. They can be mailed to prospects, stacked in help-yourself dispensers, left at other local businesses or given to your current clients to distribute at their workplace. And you can use them for a variety of marketing messages information about new products, short-term cut-price promotions or seasonal offers.
Little and Often: Research has shown that the effects of advertising are short lived. Therefore, in order to optimize your budget, it makes sense to spend smaller amounts very regularly. This will ensure that your business is consistently at the forefront of customers minds.
Developing alliances: Do some business networking in your local area and introduce yourself to other business owners. Discuss how you could help each other, possibly by recommending each others services, offer the exchange of business cards and introductory discount vouchers along with this.
Regain contact with customers: It generally accepted that 70% more of marketing budget has to be allocated to acquiring a new customer, compared to retaining an existing customer. Therefore, during slower times, companies will often try to contact clients who havent spent in a while or regain contact with those who they no longer do business with. Keeping a record of your clients purchase history is vital as it will enable you to separate those who need to be contacted and then tailor your promotional offer based on their known preferences.
Competitions: Run competitions. They are an excellent way to generate mailing lists while sending promoting your business. Although the prize is a cost to your business the leads generated can be contacted that when times are slow with a promotional offer to fill those empty appointment slots. Remember the prize offered will affect the success of your competition and reflects on the brand of your business. A chance of winning hamper full of lovely products and a free facial could prove irresistible to customers for the mere exchange of their phone number and email address. Furthermore if the winning contact enjoys their free service enough you may even be able to convert them into a returning customer, they may also then recommend you!
Being committed: You need to be aware that marketing efforts require careful planning and, in order to you assess your return on investment and effectively plan future marketing, you must keep a record of the sales generated as a result of your campaigns. Try and set some time aside each week for brainstorming new ideas or calculating your business growth.
Low cost advertising: In times of recession companies will look to find cheaper ways to advertise. Think less: paid-for advertising (e.g. radio, print ads), think more: flyering, leaving business cards in other local businesses, encouraging your existing customers to recruit new clients for you by rewarding them with recommend-a-friend schemes.
Easy Advertising: Postcards are cheap and easy to produce, especially if you use colour on one side only. They can be mailed to prospects, stacked in help-yourself dispensers, left at other local businesses or given to your current clients to distribute at their workplace. And you can use them for a variety of marketing messages information about new products, short-term cut-price promotions or seasonal offers.
Little and Often: Research has shown that the effects of advertising are short lived. Therefore, in order to optimize your budget, it makes sense to spend smaller amounts very regularly. This will ensure that your business is consistently at the forefront of customers minds.
Developing alliances: Do some business networking in your local area and introduce yourself to other business owners. Discuss how you could help each other, possibly by recommending each others services, offer the exchange of business cards and introductory discount vouchers along with this.
Regain contact with customers: It generally accepted that 70% more of marketing budget has to be allocated to acquiring a new customer, compared to retaining an existing customer. Therefore, during slower times, companies will often try to contact clients who havent spent in a while or regain contact with those who they no longer do business with. Keeping a record of your clients purchase history is vital as it will enable you to separate those who need to be contacted and then tailor your promotional offer based on their known preferences.
Competitions: Run competitions. They are an excellent way to generate mailing lists while sending promoting your business. Although the prize is a cost to your business the leads generated can be contacted that when times are slow with a promotional offer to fill those empty appointment slots. Remember the prize offered will affect the success of your competition and reflects on the brand of your business. A chance of winning hamper full of lovely products and a free facial could prove irresistible to customers for the mere exchange of their phone number and email address. Furthermore if the winning contact enjoys their free service enough you may even be able to convert them into a returning customer, they may also then recommend you!
Being committed: You need to be aware that marketing efforts require careful planning and, in order to you assess your return on investment and effectively plan future marketing, you must keep a record of the sales generated as a result of your campaigns. Try and set some time aside each week for brainstorming new ideas or calculating your business growth.
