Grab the Attention of Parents, Grandparents and Children this Halloween

Halloween is approaching and we wanted to give you a few tips on how you can use promotional items to gain exposure for your company. Learn why Halloween is a holiday that you don't want to miss.

Fall is the busiest time of year for most companies as everyone gear up for back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is also October, and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as many other anniversaries, recognitions and reasons to create and support health and wellness. There are fall festivals, haunted houses, and plenty of other family friendly, events that you can use to create goodwill in the community and spread the word about your promotions.

Information is available online from trade associations, non profit organizations, the government and other web based resources have a wealth of information about your target audience and current trends. For example, we looked online and found that according to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is second only to Christmas as the biggest spending holiday, with over 170 million people estimated to participate in activities in 2012.

Spending for 2012 was projected to reach 8 billion on costumes, candy and decorations for adults, children and pets. If consumers are spending that much on Halloween, it would be wise to get in on the action with your own Halloween promotion, even if your business has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. More than likely, some of your customers may be part of the 170 million people that anticipated participation in Halloween activities.

You can use this information to promote your business by expanding on what people normally do for Halloween.  We know that the average family will buy costumes for the kids, adults and even pets. They will also decorate and buy candy and treats. They will be frequenting fall festivals, hayrides, haunted houses, amusement parks, zoos and more. If you're one of those businesses, you'll want to have items to advertise sales, exclusive perks and special offers.

With the popularity of Halloween and Fall, your customers may also participate in family friendly activities sponsored by churches and youth organizations.  Have your advertising message distributed on a Halloween related items to grab their attention at a time when they are in the mood to receive it. 

Contact us for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website and Request a Quote.

How to Prospect for New Customers

Start by Creating a Plan

As a business owner, you are the master of your destiny, and you’re excellent at what you do.  If someone asks you about your core business, you’ll be happy to provide detailed information.  But when asked to quantify how you’re finding new customers for your business, the conversation can take a vague and indefinite turn.  This happens because with many small businesses, sales and marketing often take a back seat to other priorities. Good intentions are there, but the actions fall between the cracks.  The question for today is how can one have a successful and thriving business without a plan for finding new customers for your business? Whether you know it or not, as a business owner you are responsible for actively promoting your business, and you’re the head of sales and marketing.  No matter what business you’re in, selling is critical to your company’s ability to grow and move forward.


If you build it, they will come… sounded great in the movies, and maybe that works for a while, in some cases.  In reality if you’re not dedicating resources to sales and marketing, your business is probably not going to make it very far.  To keep your business thriving, you will need a constant pipeline of sales transactions.  This means that you have to find ways to keep existing customers happy and returning, and new customers coming in the door. Here are some tips on creating a plan for finding new customers for your business. 

Your Job as Head Salesperson

Contrary to popular belief, being head salesperson for your company doesn’t mean that you’re always in front of people or on social media “selling” and talking about your products and services.  Your biggest sales job involves not only being great at your craft, but it also involves honing your skills in the art of listening and learning as much as possible about your customer’s needs.  It means that you’re in the business of building relationships with existing and potential customers as well as in the community.  And it also means that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to balance talking about what you do with ways you can help your customers, when the time is right. 


To locate new customers, you will need to answer a few initial questions. To start, who is your ideal customer? Take time to really work on this question.  Answer the who, what, when, where and how as it relates to this question.  These answers will go a long way towards guiding your business to the right audience.  What problems does your audience have? How can your business solve them?  If you sell to individuals, where do those individuals hang out in their spare time? Do they hang out online and if so where?  Do you have an online presence that addresses their issues? If so how can you reach your audience online? What organizations or community activities can you join to support these efforts?

If you sell to businesses, consider the department that is most likely to buy your products or services, and what individual or level of responsibility would be the one who makes the final purchasing decision.  If you’re not sure who those people are, be proactive and make some calls to find out! Then consider how that individual would normally find products or services like yours. What circles do they travel in? Who are they likely to listen to or where do they look when they want to buy a product or service? Find a way to put your information, or yourself, in their path.

The Key to Success

Planning is the first step in finding new customers. Without a plan you have no direction and without direction finding new customers will remain on your to-do list, but your goals will never see the light of day.  Plans, goals and objectives sound great and look great on paper.  But without action, the best plans are useless.  We’ll cover implementation in future articles…

For now, here are some action items to consider:

1. Create a plan that includes joining and contributing to a specific number of online and offline groups that will place you in the path of your audience.
2. Make sure your plan includes a specific number of emails, postcards, business cards, handwritten note cards, and brochures you will send each month to new and existing customers.
3. Sponsor an event or that will attract potential customer. We’ll talk about this in detail later in the series.
4. Educate customers about aspects of your business to bring in new business. ( Don’t be afraid to give something away (free service, raffle, auction, etc.) to draw in potential clients.
5. If you don’t have a blog, plan to start one and commit to a realistic number of posts each week.

Make sure your blog provides a way for customers to subscribe to your information.  These are just a few simple ideas to begin the process of finding new customers.

Keep in mind that sales often happen because potential customers hear about your products and services in several different ways and from several different sources.  The more often they are exposed to you and your message, the more likely they are to consider what you have to offer when they are ready to buy.




Contact us for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website to Request a Quote.

What Can Salons and Spas Do to Thrive in Today's Market?

We love being pampered and most of us consider impeccable grooming to be a personal and professional requirement.  However, because of the sustained downturn in the economy, the success of beauty industry professionals is not only attributed to skills and ability, success also depends on economic factors as well.  Because these services are typically considered as extras (nice to have, but not as much as food and shelter), changes in the economy have a direct impact on the industry and the ability for salons and spas to thrive or even survive.

There is a growing number of people that are either forgoing these services altogether or learning to perform core services themselves.  Additionally, the high end skin and hair care products sold in salons are now being replaced by lower cost items sold in retail stores. Clients that frequented salons and spas before the recession have been forced to become more budget conscious.

Whether clients have been deeply affected by the economy or not, they want more value for a dollar.   These changes should cause salon owners to take stock and begin asking some of the hard questions. For example who is the new recession conscious audience for salon and spa services? How has the audience changed over time and has the industry kept up with the changes? This information may be different based on location, services offered and the experience level of the salon operators.

10 Questions for Salon Owners to Answer as a First Step

Here are some questions that salon owners, managers and operators should ask if they plan to not just survive, but thrive during the economic challenges facing large and small companies alike: 

1. What changes have you noticed in your salon or spa? If you haven't noticed any changes, and everything is humming along, you can skip the rest of the questions.
2. Are there other factors (than the economy) that have contributed to the current changes in client behavior?
3. Has your salon changed to accommodate the needs of your customers?  
4. Does your salon create an "experience" for the client that exceeds their expectations?  What does the typical customer experience when they visit your salon? Is it the experience you would like for them to have?
5. How does your salon communicate information to current and potential customers? Is your salon on board with using technology to communicate specials, company news, and other useful information?  
6. Are you showing clients that you respect their time? If they have a short wait, are you providing an atmosphere that makes the wait pleasant?
7. Are you offering value added services or are you charging the same pre-recession prices?
8. What are you doing to make it easy for customers to do business with you?
9. What can you do to make the customer more engaged with your business? 
10. Is your business a good corporate citizen? What role does your salon play in the community? 
11. Are you taking a passive role (only looking for business to come to you), or are you reaching out to the areas where your customers work and play? 

Maintaining the status quo may no longer be feasible with the current economic dynamics.  Consider that (1) the average family's hectic lifestyles are even more hectic, (2) the ability to use technology provides free communication to the masses, and (3) the need to consider value based options for customers who need them will allow more customers to consider your business as an option.

Word of mouth advertising and holding the line on pricing may not allow you to reach your goals if you're not reaching more clients with your current offerings or if no one can afford your services.  Now more than ever, it's time to look at the way you market your products/services and make any reasonable changes to keep your business thriving and relevant.

Review the slides in this presentation and consider using promotional items to rebuild, rebrand and reinvent yourself as a leader in your industry.

Gremon Marketing from Gremon Marketing/Custom T-Shirt Makers

Promotional items that are geared toward your salon and spa clients can also help you improve your image, and spread the word about new ideas and ways of doing things.  They can also help your company play a greater role in your community.  More positive activity in the community will help to establish your company as the "go to" business in your area.

Effective marketing is the key to continued success and the book below is available on Amazon, 12 Months of Marketing for Salon and Spa: Ideas, Events and Promotions for Salon and Spa by Elizabeth Kraus helps to answer some additional questions below:

1. How can new stylists and estheticians carve out clientele as they launch their career? 
2. What can industry professionals at any stage of their career do to create a new normal that transcends economic factors? 
3. What should they be doing to take control of their business, growth of their client base, retail sales and income? 

You can click the link below to be taken to Amazon where you can buy the book. You can have a sneak peek inside to see if it will give you the insight needed to move ahead. If you decide to read it, please send us a note to let us know how you like it.  

Contact us via email or by phone at 937-317-0252 for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website and Request a Quote.

Marketing Tip of the Day: Request Feedback

Improve Response Rates
with Promotional Items

Customers are the lifeblood of any business yet in many cases, their opinion is neglected, and sometimes even feared.  Because of this apprehension, valuable opportunities are lost by avoiding the hard questions like “how can we improve?”.  Feedback can give us a boost of confidence when things go well. When things don’t go so well, it can make us want to run and hide. 

However those negative tidbits can be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to boosting your business.  Those hard knocks become pearls of wisdom… the pearls that are needed to make your business essential to customers which often leads to more referrals and increased business.

Where do you rate in terms of facing the issues that arise in your business? Are you avoiding problem areas or are you addressing issues that customers bring to the forefront? How does your business currently obtain feedback from customers? Do you send out surveys, does someone follow up in person or by phone after the sale? Is there an opportunity for customers to be open and frank with their feedback? Is there an incentive for customers who provide feedback? What do you do with the feedback once you receive it?  What actions do you take if for example, if you receive negative feedback or complaints?

All these questions are critical to the success of your business.  If you don’t know what your customers think about the experience they had with your business, you’re operating in the dark with one hand tied behind your back.  You might as well close shop.  If customers are unhappy, many of them won’t complain… they just leave, and never come back. They never refer you to their business associates, family and friends.  As a matter of fact, these are the people they will complain to.

People will support your business not because they think it looks good, but because they know it is good.  If they have problems with your services, customers are the best source of objective advice on how to make things better.  So today’s tip involves having a process (there goes that word again!) in place that allows you to regularly obtain feedback. 

Give customers options (anonymously or in person, by phone, hard copy surveys, online surveys, etc) which will increase the likelihood that they will give you feedback.  As an added bonus, including lightweight promotional items (like business card magnets) with surveys that are mailed and/or placing a message with a link to an online survey on a promotional item is a proven way to improve response rates.  Coupons, discounts and other money saving values are great ways to encourage feedback as well.

The goal is to create an environment where feedback is encouraged.  And once your customers have given it to you, let them know how you are going to use it.  They will begin to feel involved in your business, and are more likely to send other people your way.


Contact us for help with your next project! Stay in touch on Google+, Facebook and Twitter: Visit our website and Request a Quote.

The Value of Goodwill in the Office and In Your Community

How Can You Get Involved?

Opportunities, in many instances are missed because the primary focus tends to be on enhanced relationships with customers only.  The focus has to shift to take advantage of opportunities to boost trust and goodwill with employees, suppliers, and others who make major contributions.  How much better could your organization be if you developed and fostered excellent working relationships with both internal and external customers?

Did you know that promoting goodwill can not only boost your organization’s likeability factor and overall image in the community, but it can also translate to additional earning power? There is no definite formula for success when it comes to fostering good relationships, but here are some easy steps you can take that will set you in the right direction.

1. Be an engaged, active participant in all your business relationships. Successful business relationships, like friendships require involvement from both parties.  Make it a habit to establish regular conversations and two way dialog with your employees, suppliers, vendors and other external resources, not just when you need an additional commitment from them.  Become a great listener and take action on items that need improvement.  
2. Don’t call on colleagues only when you need something.  Engage in goodwill by establishing a  two way dialog with colleagues by calling, having lunch or sending a card or note just to check in.
3. Offer positive feedback and compliments to those who exceed goals. If your employees have exceeded goals and made major contributions to your company's success, it’s customary to compliment and reward them on a job well done.  A kind word goes a long way boost the feeling of goodwill in the office that spills out beyond.  The opposite is also true. If everything is negative, that transcends the office as well.  Periodically express your gratitude for your employee’s hard work with an award or promotional gift. Promotional items like apparel, household items and electronics are popular gift items that say thank you for all you do!
4. Actively participate in community events. For example, here are some quick ways to make it happen: (a) Local elementary and high school sports programs regularly request and seek sponsors. Lots of sports programs have experienced funding cuts.  Contact them, they are likely to need your help. (b)The arts are also a popular choice and there are opportunities to sponsor plays, dance groups, art exhibits. as a way to build goodwill. (c) Look to add local artists’ work to the walls in your facility. Lobby areas can provide excellent backdrop and exposure for local artists.  (d) Health organizations also provide opportunities for participation in events that lead to improved health.   

Each time you participate in community events and your advertising is heard on local radio stations and seen on t-shirts, local bulletin boards, bumper stickers, signs, websites and public places, you are building goodwill.  Over time, customers become your best sales force, because they believe in your  company, not just in your products or services.  Partner with other small businesses to help with events. Local coffee shops, bakeries and music stores will often share event costs in exchange for being added to the advertising. 
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February is American Heart Month

Did you know that February 1, 2013, marks the 10th Year of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women^® movement — 10 years of fighting to save women's lives from heart disease. While the progress has been significant, there's a long way to go. Here's why:

• Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.
• Heart disease kills more women than men, at an average rate of one death per minute.
• Heart disease kills more women than all kinds of cancer combined.

 

What Does American Heart Month Mean for You?

If you're a business owner or decision maker, it gives you a perfect reason to reach out to your customers. With the statistics above, your customers have likely been touched by heart disease. There are several things you can do right here, on this site.

Heart Shaped Promo Great
for American Heart Month

Go to the "promotional items" tab and search for the term "heart" to bring up all the heart shaped items. You'll find items in all price ranges, something to fit your budget.  Use the category tab to search for red t-shirts, polo shirts or other apparel that can be worn by your staff during the month. Call us or contact us to place an order now for February delivery.

Show support by creating awareness for your customers.  Provide information on heart disease, hand out promotional items, pick a day to donate a portion of your sales to the American Heart Association, sponsor an event.  These are all ways to incorporate current events with your brand.

Our promo calendar is updated with popular holidays and observances. These observances give you perfect reasons to contact your customers. Pick the ones that fit into your industry or that your customers would be interested in. These are all ways to incorporate current events with your brand.

Stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter or visit our website and Request a Quote: 

Video: How to Write a Business Plan

Have You Reviewed Your
 Business Plan Lately?

Business plans are your own personal road map that helps in decision making and in obtaining outside funding.  Once thought to be a one time deal, they are really an ever changing, ever evolving "living" document that makes it easier to navigate your business through the early years. If you haven't reviewed your business plan lately, or you think the process is too time consuming, the short video below from the SBA can help you get started.

If you wrote a plan to get your business started years ago and placed it on a shelf, it's time to dust it off and use it to set new goals and make improvements to your business. If you're just starting out, drafting a plan will help position your business for success. 

From a marketing perspective, you should put pen to paper to answer questions that indicate whether you have reached the sales and marketing goals set previously.  How can you improve this year? Are you using your resources in the most effective way? What are you doing to promote your business? Is your marketing effective? If not, what can you do to improve? What has changed in your business?  How's your competition doing? Are you using technology? If so, how has technology changed? How can you use it to automate and grow your business?

Here's a link to the SBA's Build Your Business Plan guided tool. This tool will allow you to look at all aspects of your business and allows you to save your plan and come back to it.  A business plan will be a great asset if you plan to approach investors and other funding sources.  No matter whether you've been in business for years or you're just starting out, it's a good idea to place an appointment on your calendar to revisit your business plan at least once a year, more often if possible.  

How to Pick the Right Promotional Item

Is This the Right
Item for Your Event?

When buying promotional items for a group it's sometimes hard to make a purchase that will be a perfect fit for  everyone. This has been a common concern so we put together some questions, that when answered can shed light on selecting the right item for your group. You may need to answer more questions based on the event type. Brainstorm with your team, and if you need help, please contact us:

Artwork— The imprint can make any item into a keepsake that has special meaning. Weddings, anniversaries, grand openings, and other milestones can be commemorated with an imprint that includes the date. So the question becomes, what image will be used for the imprint? How many colors are in the imprint? Do you need help? If you don't have artwork, we can help or provide stock art (ready made) options for most occasions.

Timeline—How much time to you have before the event? Do you have at least 6-8 weeks? Can you afford to pay for rush shipment and/or production? When online or fax orders are received, clarification may be needed. Once the order is submitted to production, it normally ships within 5 - 10 working days. However if artwork is created, time will be added for approval. During busy times of the year, it may take longer for normal production. It's best to assure that you have items in hand one to two weeks before your event.

Goals —What do you plan to accomplish with the campaign? What do you plan to accomplish by giving the items? Are they intended to be given out as gifts? Be as specific as possible so that you can track your results. 

Audience — How many people will attend?  What are the characteristics of the people who will receive the items? What age group do they belong to, what are their hobbies and interests? Will the items be given to current customers, trade show attendees, or prospective customers?  Any information you have that will help you determine the kinds of items they like would be helpful in finding the perfect items.

Theme — Is there a theme (colors, type, occasion, etc.) for the event? if so items that relate to the event theme will go a long way toward finding the perfect item.

Action —What action do I want the recipients to take? For example if you want them to make a purchase or follow your social media activities you might want to package the gift with an explanation that tells what you want recipients to do.  You can also include the action as part of the imprint message.

Outcome — How will I follow up to see how well the campaign went after the event is over? How will I measure success?

Planning is key to achieving positive results in your marketing campaigns. Visit our blog for ideas and tips that will help you reach your marketing goals.  Pick the items that will work best for the intended audience.

 
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What Are Promotional Items?

What 's Your Favorite
Promotional Item?

You’ve probably received a promotional item and didn’t know its purpose or how powerful it is in making sure you remember the company that gave it to you.

Otherwise known as a “freebie”, promo gift, or incentive, these items are presented with purchases or advertising every day. If you have ever made a major purchase, been to a sporting event, a product launch, a tradeshow or a concert, chances are you have received a promotional item.

These items range from pens, bags, t-shirts and caps to small appliances and household items. Remember how it felt to get a free item with the name of your favorite company, band or team printed on it? It always makes us feel good to receive something “extra” that is useful and integrates well into our daily lives.

A survey conducted by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) shows what consumers think about promotional items as well as the company that gave them the item. 

Here’s What They Found:

• 83% of American consumers surveyed like receiving a promotional product with an advertising message

• 48% would like to receive promotional products more often

• 38% feel promotional products serve as a constant reminder of the advertiser 

Most consumers are inundated with messages all day, from emails, social media and other forms of advertising. However as opposed to feeling spammed or otherwise overwhelmed, consumers actually like receiving promotional items.

Be assured that your customers like promotional items and would appreciate receiving them from you. Stand out from your competition by using them often, as part of your marketing plan.

Stay in touch on Facebook or Twitter, visit our website and request a quote.