Business-to-business B2B Marketing Strategies : Free Information for Assessing Your Market
July 30, 2008
If your target market includes other businesses, direct mail sites such as InfoUSA and MelissaData are great places to turn when you need to purchase a targeted list. But, it’s a little-known fact that these sites (and others like them) are also a great free resource for obtaining other information about your potential market to help you make smart business decisions.
Direct mail sites allow you to input all kinds of search parameters for your target demographic, whether business or consumer, and use that information to access their database in order to create a targeted list to help you define your market. Additionally, in order to sell you that list, direct mail sites have to tell you how many leads are on it, which means these sites can essentially serve as a free online resource for savvy entrepreneurs looking to assess their target market in various ways.
There are other resources on the Web for accessing business-to-business marketing—at Dunn & Bradstreet, for example. But, the advantage of direct mail sites is that they are actually set up for market research purposes. This means that it’s easier to access key information such as how many restaurants spend more than a $1000 a year on office supplies, or how many architecture firms are located within a certain zip code.
So what good is it to know all this information? Let’s look at a few business-to-business examples.
Let’s say you’re a graphic designer, and you’ve worked out a deal with a local print shop aimed specifically at serving healthcare practitioners with coordinated business cards, letterhead, appointment reminders and follow-up postcards for new patients. You’ve done a few of these packages for clients who are doctors and chiropractors, and you know this is a service almost any healthcare professional in private practice could use. But how big, exactly, is your potential market? Read more
Make Enjoy for Marketing
July 30, 2008
I have found that marketing is the #1 challenge for most physical therapy clinic owners. In just a few short months I received hundreds of questions about marketing from clinic owners. This tells me it is a challenge for many of you.
Did you know that one of the most common reasons physical therapy practices don’t have business coming through their doors is simply because people don’t know about them?
I’d like to tell you about four key changes you can make to your marketing approach which will make marketing fun while boosting your business significantly. Read on.
The Four Changes That Will Turn Around Your Marketing Success
1. The first change is a mindset shift.
I’d like you to change how you think about marketing and start using this phrase:
“I will do what it takes to find the easiest and most effective way to reach and serve prospective new clients”. As a physical therapy clinic owner the chances are you feel overwhelmed when it comes to marketing. While you are an expert in your field, consistently getting new clients is probably not one of your strengths. You need to stop hoping, hoping that clients will just magically appear. You need to stop wishing that someone will come along and just do it for you. You simply must do it yourself. No one else will do it if you don’t. You are the owner of this valuable asset; you have invested your precious money, energy and time in it. Marketing is the fundamental way to reach new clients and grow your practice. Think about marketing differently and you’ll find you enjoy it! Read more
Tips for Advertising Agencies Media Relations
July 30, 2008
Creating and maintaining healthy professional relationships with media contacts are key components of promoting your clients and their products. Below are a number of simple tips for working with the media:
1. Most reporters, particularly those with daily morning shows or publications, prefer to get calls fairly early in the day. Their deadlines are typically in the afternoon or early evening.
2. Return all reporters’ calls within the hour, or as promptly as possible, even if you know the inquiry is about a negative topic.
3. If time permits, familiarize yourself with the reporter and the publication/station. Read past articles the reporter has written or tune in to the station’s broadcast.
4. Anticipate questions and practice your responses, especially regarding topics that may be negative or complicated.
5. Any media interview is an opportunity to appropriately advance the goals and activities of your business.
6. Begin the interview by spelling your full and last name twice, along with your title. Read more
How to Get Out of Debt Fast With Easy ?
July 29, 2008
Now that you have charged your credit cards to the maximum limit, have a mortgage, and a car loan or two, just how are you going to get out of debt? It almost seems like an impossible task, but rest assured, it is possible to accomplish this goal. Try following these tips to get you on the road to get out of debt.
First, do not get any deeper into debt. Look at all of your credit cards and select the one which has the best terms. Get rids of the rest of your cards by cutting them up and throwing them away. The one you chose to keep should be kept only to use in emergencies and leave it at home when shopping so you are not tempted to use it on impulse purchases.
Investigate other credit card offers with lower interest rates and make sure to read all of the terms on the offers. Once you have found one which will save you money and have a lower annual percentage rate than you are currently paying, move all of your balances on your other accounts to the new one. Read more
How to Quickly Solve Your Financial Problems
July 29, 2008
If your debt problems are leading you to look for debt solutions, these tips could help you to get on track to getting your personal finances in order. Consolidation, credit counseling, and debt reduction programs are a few options available to you for debt solutions.
When you consolidate your credit cards and other loans into one payment, you will generally be saving money, not only in interest paid, but also with a lower monthly payment. You should consider all of the terms of the loan before making your choice to ensure you are getting the best offer available to you. Two options for consolidating are to combine balances onto a low rate interest credit card or obtain a home equity loan. With either option, make sure that you do not add any additional debt otherwise, your financial situation will not improve.
A second option to solve debt problems is to work with a credit counseling service. The company will review your income, bills and other expenses and advise you in ways to handle your finances. These companies will normally work with your creditors to negotiate lower balances, interest rates and payments to assist you in meeting your obligations. Read more