Cathy Stucker - The Idea Lady

Attract Customers and Make Yourself Famous

Concentric Marketing

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concentric

Most small businesses do not have the resources to launch a large national marketing and advertising campaign. However, you can grow your business in stages to ultimately reach a large national or international market. I think of it as “concentric marketing.”

When you picture concentric circles, you envision a small circle surrounded by a series of increasingly-larger circles. Imagine your marketing starting in the smallest circle, then expanding to larger and larger audiences, growing your business in manageable steps.

One way to expand is in geographic markets. Your first marketing might be focused on your part of town. Join the local chamber of commerce, participate in networking groups, advertise or get publicity in the community’s weekly newspaper, place fliers on doors in local neighborhoods, sponsor a local sport team, and engage in other activities that will make you prominent in your small, local area. As you experience success, you can target broader areas, going from your neighborhood to the entire city, the county, then your state, a region, and national or even international audiences.

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Be a Joiner

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Belonging to professional associations, networking groups and chambers of commerce can increase your visibility and help you find customers. Choose one or more organizations appropriate to your business, then make the most of membership.

Membership in professional and trade associations can bring prestige, especially if the organization is well respected or you must be nominated and accepted for membership. When you qualify for membership in an organization that has stringent membership requirements, your image is enhanced.

You build credibility and trustworthiness if the organization has a code of ethics and polices its membership. Put the organization logo on your letterhead and business cards and on your web site (if allowed) to let customers know about your commitment.

Your professional association may offer educational opportunities and certifications. These designations can make you stand out as an expert in your field.

Some industry organizations have award programs. Nominate your business, employees or products for these awards. When you are a finalist or winner, use that fact in your marketing.

Other members of the organization can become customers, suppliers, or partners. Choose your memberships based on your goals. Joining a group in your industry can give you credibility and introduce you to potential alliance partners; however, you probably won’t come into contact with many customers. To meet customers, join groups to which your customers belong.

If your customers are primarily located in your geographic area, membership in local chambers of commerce or the Better Business Bureau can be valuable. You will make lots of contacts with other local businesses, and those businesses and their employees may become your best customers. Local businesses usually prefer to buy from other local businesses.

You get visibility with customers, the media and others in your industry when you are listed in the membership directory or featured in the newsletter or on the web site. If there is a directory, make your listing as complete as possible. Ask if you can get a link from the association’s web site to yours. It might even be worthwhile to advertise on the association’s web site or in its newsletter.

Attend meetings and conferences. Become a familiar face to other members. Don’t join so many groups that you can’t become a presence in them. If you belong but never make yourself visible, you won’t get the full benefits of membership.

The organization may provide you with speaking opportunities. You may be able to speak to their meetings or conferences. Networking groups give you many opportunities to speak in front of the group. Take advantage of these chances to showcase yourself. Ask if your professional association has a speakers bureau, and how you can be included.

Professional, industry and trade associations may receive inquiries from the media. Let them know that you are willing to be interviewed and assist the media with stories about your industry.

When you join an organization, get involved. Run for office, volunteer for a committee, write an article (or a regular column) for the newsletter. Choose an activity that you will enjoy and that will provide benefits to you as well as the organization. 

Hello, My Name Is . . .

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Your name tag can tell the people you meet much more about you than just your name.

When you attend networking functions, what kind of name tag do you wear? One of those sticky things you scrawled your name on, or something a bit more sophisticated? For just a few cents to a few dollars, you can have a classy, customized name tag that will draw attention and comments and help you make the most of every networking opportunity.

Instead of relying on those disposable sticky tags, you can get your own engraved or imprinted name badge at your local office supply store. Some even allow you to add art, such as a full-color logo or even a color photo. At prices ranging from $10 to $20, you can have a distinctive and attractive name badge.

In addition to your name, your tag might include your company name, the URL of your web site, the name of your product, or your slogan or tag line. A catchy URL or slogan can be a conversation starter, inviting the people you meet to ask about your business.

If you have a graphic designer create your logo, letterhead, business cards, brochure and other marketing materials, ask him or her to also design a special name tag.

As an author, I like to draw attention to my book. For less than $5, a local copy shop made a laminated tag with a color image of my book’s cover. Wearing it guarantees that people will ask about the book. Your tag might include an image of your company logo, or photos of your products or storefront.

Make your name tag large enough that the people who meet you can recognize the images and read the text. One entrepreneur breaks this rule in a creative way. He uses a name tag that is a miniature version of his brochure. The tag gets attention, and gives him an opening to offer a full-size brochure.

Do you have an attractive and distinctive web site? Get a name tag that reproduces the home page.

Wear a name tag or button with a provocative question or statement on it. It will inspire those you meet to ask questions, and give you an opportunity to tell them about what you do.

You can print a tag yourself and put it in one of those plastic name tag holders, or go to a copy shop or graphic company where they can make one for you. In a pinch, you can put one of your business cards in a plastic tag holder.

Consider having more than one tag. Each tag may be designed to appeal to a different audience or emphasize a different benefit. You can even make them to coordinate with your outfits!

Wear your name tag proudly at the next networking event you attend. Wear it to professional meetings and conferences, when you make a speech or teach a class, or when you are just out and about running errands. You never know when the person in line with you at the post office will become your next customer.