April 2008 

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Tom Long, President
Solid Oak Consulting

 
Market All Your Weapons As I've mentioned before, one of the significant principles of Guerilla Marketing involves combining marketing weapons. In other words, don't just use direct mail or only advertise in a newspaper. As your marketing budget allows, use as many marketing weapons as you can and see where you get the best results.

What makes this approach particularly interesting, and effective, is that once you start using a variety of marketing weapons, you often see an increase in your results across the board. This isn't necessarily a scientific fact, but I've seen it firsthand in the marketing projects I have been involved with over the years. For instance, a billboard may drive a potential client to your Web site. Or, a potential client may see your advertisement in a newspaper, but they don't feel compelled to contact you until they recognize your name in a radio spot.

For more information on increasing the use and efficiency of your marketing arsenal, please feel free to Contact Me to discuss this important, and necessary, part of your business.

Fusion Marketing: Two Businesses Are Better Than One Fusion Marketing is an interesting and low-cost guerilla marketing concept that I am seeing used more often. This approach involves forming marketing partnerships with other non-competing companies. For instance, if you are a children's imagephotographer, you may want to form partnerships with other children-oriented businesses, such as a clothing store or toy store, so you can market your businesses together. By doing so, you not only share your marketing costs, but you reach more potential customers in the process.

The Happy Meal at McDonald's is an example of Fusion Marketing at its finest. In each kids' meal is an advertisement of either an upcoming movie or new line of toys. McDonald's has formed partnerships with other companies to combine their marketing efforts. McDonald's wins because it gives children one more reason to want their Happy Meals, and the marketing partner wins because they have increased the interest in their product with very little effort.

Take a look at your target customers and think of businesses you could partner with for an effective, low-cost marketing campaign.

Going Up? Make Sure Your Elevator Pitch Isn't Going Down If you met your dream client on an elevator, would you be able to provide a 30-second business pitch that would leave him wanting to know more? Here are some tips to help you make a memorable and lasting first impression.
  • Make an impression in 30 seconds. An "elevator pitch" is a concise, concrete, exciting snapshot of your business that leaves a potential client with a good understanding of the services or product you provide and a desire to learn more.
  • Define your product or service in a unique way. In one or two sentences, describe what you sell or provide. Convey one to three aspects or specialties of your business that you are passionate about; point out how you rise above you competitors; and define how you add value to your customers' businesses.
  • Define your customer. Is your typical client in the finance industry? Does your product help senior citizens? Do you provide accounting services to mid-size businesses? In one sentence, summarize your typical customer, or the type of customer you hope to serve.
  • Write it until you get it right. Write your "elevator pitch" down. Work on it until it feels right and gets your point across quickly. If your business occupies more than one niche, try to combine them or craft a few pitches that you can use with different prospects. If you are having trouble, ask your current associates and clients what they value most about your services – chances are, someone else will, too!
  • Practice, practice, practice. Practice it out loud – in front of a mirror. The more you practice your pitch, the easier it will be to deliver, whether you're talking to a friend at a party, a prospect on an elevator or potential clients at a networking group.
  • Keep it fresh. Although you want your delivery to roll off your tongue, remember that over time you will need to adjust your pitch as your business goals and services change. If you are trying to attract a different type of clientele, you need to be able to tell them how your services or product can add value to their business.
For more information on making a lasting impression, view the complete article in the Spring issue of Smart Business Matters, which is available on my Web site.

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