Marketing your business is one of the only ways people will know you exist. If you don’t show them what you offer and how to purchase from you, they’ll go to your competition for the purchases they need every time. So the best thing to do is be creative and market your business all the time.

One way to be creative is to use things that are going on in the world. Holiday’s and events are one of the easiest and the funnies things to use. It doesn’t matter what type of business you run, you can make it work if you brainstorm and then document what you do so you remember for the next year.

Halloween, Christmas, summer, fall, etc are perfect for businesses. What you need to do is create a marketing campaign specific to the holiday or season you choose and run with it. There are so many different things you can do to promote your business around the thing you choose. Here are just a few things you can do within your marketing plan.

• Blog posts
• Articles
• Specials
• New products that go with the occasion
• Twitter posts
• Facebook profile and fan page posts

Remember when you’re setting up your marketing plan for your promotion to make the most of it. Share it as often as you can, but make sure you do it in the right way. You don’t want to have people think you’re spamming them with your information, so it’s important to follow the proper steps.

If you’re going to use blog posts make sure you do them regularly and as often as you can during the promotion period. Include information regarding the promotion and how they can make the purchases. Include pictures if it’s possible. Pictures always grab the attention of your readers.

If you’re going to use articles, make sure you write them as soon as possible and get them posted so they’re online in time to meet your needs. Remember you can’t promote your business in your articles so it’s a good idea to use the holiday to your advantage and then create a bio that relates your business to the article.

Holidays and the seasons of the year are great topics to cover with your business. You can promote your business around these times of the year through special marketing plans you create. When you do this, you’ll draw attention to your site and that will increase your business.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business and she’s the owner of WAHM-Articles.com. If you’re ready to create a marketing plan and grow your business, click here to visit her site.

What really is a Networking Event and how can I use it to better my business? That is the question at hand!

Everyone knows that advertising gets your name out to the public and becomes a way of growing your name recognition. But the true way comes of growing your business is by relationship building.

Networking events have become a great way to connect with others in business to develop a relationship with other like minded business owners.

One of the best venues is to join your local Chamber of Commerce. The chambers usually have monthly events and do a great job with them. Even if you are living in a small community, chances are you have a city or county chamber office. Larger areas may even have local networking groups as well. There are many networking groups dedicated to women and direct sales. Perhaps look for one in your area.

Attending these events with business card in hand is a must. Look for an interesting person to strike up a conversation with and get to know something about them and their business. Focus on meeting 3-4 people at the most to exchange business cards with. Any more than that and you will have a hard time remembering them. You are not there looking to gather as many cards as possible, you are looking for something in common your businesses could offer one another. Collect several cards from each person, so that when the need arises, you can refer your new found “partner” to a new customer. As we already know, referrals make your business go round!

After the event, drop a card in the mail with a note about your meeting at the event. Make it personal and make sure to include several more of your business cards as well.

At your next mixer, do the same thing, growing your contact list and continue developing the relationships of those you have already met. Soon you will have a great circle of contacts and referrals from the new “partners” you have met.

Developing your business this way is a sure fire winner. Becoming known in your community is another great way for name recognition and in the end, growth for your business.

********Copyright 2004-2006 by Chris Carroll. All Rights Reserved. Chris is a work at home mom that has been in sales for 20+ years. She has a BS in Business Management and is the host of DirectSalesTalk.com as well as her business she enjoys with her son at www.burn2prosper.com.

Do you feel you just don’t have enough time for marketing? Yo’re not alone. Still… if you’ve been skimping in that area, it’s time to get back into the swing and get your marketing ramped up… especially if you want to grow your business!

It’s understandable. With all the demands of a business, it can feel like you’re being pushed & pulled between a long list of things to do. You barely have enough time to take care of your current clients and complete the ever-growing list of things to do, so that often marketing falls by the wayside.

This is a dangerous situation. Without ongoing marketing, any business is likely to experience the feast – famine cycle. Consistent marketing is key to steady growth. But what can you actually “do” to find time for marketing?

Here are 5 ideas to help you get more marketing done. Yes, some of these may be familiar but they’re worth repeating – because I know they work! If you find yourself saying “I know that” then follow it up with the question “but am I doing it?”

#1 Have a Plan – Decide ahead of time exactly what marketing strategies you want to use and then map out the specific tactics and activities. As well assign an amount of time to each task.

By breaking the strategy down into tactics and activities, it makes the plan achievable and easier to accomplish in small bits of time. For example if you’re using the Networking strategy, some tactics may be: research groups, schedule events in your planner, write out and practice a 1-minute introduction, create follow-up emails or call scripts etc.

If you have a simple list of actions you’re more likely to get them completed. There is no point in bemoaning the lack of time for marketing if you are not exactly certain what you would do with the time once you had it.

#2 Don’t look at the task of marketing, look at the result it brings – Stop looking at marketing as a task, a must do. Instead, consider what the task will create or the result achieved.

I must admit that this is a bit of foolery – especially if the task is one that you don’t favor. For example: if one of your tactic under the Speaking strategy is to approach associations to be a guest speaker instead of focusing on the phone calls, emails and speaker profile to write (all things you don’t like) think of the result of getting booked. If done well, the result could be: 30 more people knowing what you do, signs up for your newsletter, sales for your product or some meetings scheduled with new prospects etc.

When you consider what you’ll gain – the activity or task usually seems easier to find time for and complete.

#3 Track your activities and the results – I often quote – “You cannot manage what you don’t measure.” This is never more true than when it comes to marketing. If you’re not clear about the result achieved from marketing, it’s tough to convince yourself that the effort is really worth it. With time such a precious commodity, you don’t want to waste it on ineffective marketing. Track your results and use your time wisely on marketing efforts that yield.

#4 Leverage your time – ask for referrals – A solid marketing tactic is to ask for one (or more) referral(s) every day. Many of my clients when challenged to do this are surprised at how this simple task can yield such BIG returns. One skeptical fellow gave it a try and asked his brother for a referral – he ended up with a prime connection to a top company he had been trying to break into for over 3 years.

It’s not that people don’t want to give us a referral, they just don’t think of it or don’t “exactly” know who we want to connect with.

Begin to leverage your time and connections – ask for referrals EVERYDAY! But before you do, make sure you can clearly communicate what/who a great referral is for you.

#5 Develop an entrepreneurial marketing mindset – Many people keep looking for the proverbial fish – instead learn to fish. Approach marketing as a lifelong learning project; work at fine tuning and honing the craft. It’s exciting when you begin to build the skill and get consistent results.

Marketing doesn’t always have to take more time – but it definitely takes more attention and focus. I’m somewhat surprised at the number of people who get into business and add marketing into their day almost as an afterthought.

Stop trying to fit it in to an overly busy schedule as a frantic “I need more sales so I’d better do some marketing”. Instead, consider it as the cornerstone to your business – and, like breathing, do it every day!

And if you would like to boost your business results even more in the new year, join Sue Clement at her FREE teleseminar with powerful strategies to get a headstart on the competition and take your business to the next level. To sign up, just CLICK HERE!

Can’t make it? Missed it? Sign up anyway — Sue will be happy to send you the audio download link afterwards.

Your Ultimate Marketing Plan: Four Key Areas

There are several strategies you can use to grow your business, but they all fall under four general categories:

• Attract new customers.
• Increase the average sales amount from each sale.
• Entice your customers buy from you more often.
• Keep your customers for life.

The first and last are obvious for reporting in your marketing efforts. But the two in the center are just as important in the overall growth and profitability of your business. If a small business is receiving a significant potion of its new business from referrals, they are probably not spending enough time attracting new customers from the marketplace.

But referrals are the best kind of customers, you say. Yes, they are great, but if you spend the majority of your time and money trying to get them you may be neglecting a whole group of new customers that are waiting to buy from you. Also, if a small business spends all its time marketing to new customers and ignoring existing customers, you may be missing out on a lot of ripe fruit. As I mentioned, there are many ways to leverage your marketing efforts in these four categories. Here are just a few ways to improve each of your areas of growth:

Attract more new customers…

• Select a niche market that you can easily contact and dominate it.
• Develop a CONSISTENT marketing strategy that compels your prospects to
  contact you to learn more about how you can help them.
• Establish an active referral program.

Increase the average sales amount…

Upsell your customers

Suggest add-on items and services that complement your customer’s purchase.

• Sell in sets at a savings from separate item prices.

Make your customers buy from you more often…
Establish CONSISTENT communications that present enticing, reactive offers.
Follow up with your customers after the sale (what a concept!) Answer questions and suggest other product that may help them.
Track your customer’s usage and buying patterns to suggest purchases right
before they actually need them (this also helps keep the competition away).

Hold on to your customers for life…
Deliver STELLAR customer service by going the extra mile.
Give your customers the opportunity to “go on record” by giving you testimonials
about your great customer service.
Survey your customers from time to time to gauge their level of satisfaction.

How do the top direct sellers get where they are? They build a strong team!

If you are interested in recruiting, you sometimes need to recruit beyond the obvious. In addition to money, career, etc., many are driven by an emotional need. The following are a few terms to use to pepper your recruiting conversations.

“Imagine the feeling of this:” (Name a Benefit…)
“Imagine the feeling of complete freedom to do what you want and live where you want?”
“Imagine the feeling of being in a position to have the resources to help a friend or family member in need. How would that feel?”
“Imagine the feeling of accomplishing your goals and having the power to help others accomplish theirs? How would that help you?”

These ideas may help spark you to look at your business practices a bit differently. Give them a try and see how they can help you develop not only your sales, but your team and downline as well.

Learn more about how to develop your direct sales business with our Direct Sales Power Series at http://www.isellmoretoday.com
K. Moehr, president of Moehr and Associates, a specialty marketing and publishing firm.

Need Leads? Get booked solid! Triple your direct sales, leads and recruits. Visit: http://www.isellmoretoday.com

Your new direct sales & party plan recruits are probably very excited, nervous and downright scared! They are anxious to get started earning money, confidence with their products and a steady business growth. But are you casting them to the customers too soon?

Each of your new recruits should be invited to a home sales party “practice party.” This party would involve each of your new recruits you’ve signed up that month. Each of these new recruits should invite two people to attend the home sales party. Having friendly faces in the crowd always helps to steady jitters.

These parties should be segmented so each recruit gets the chance to do a part of the presentation. The presentations should be divided up and each recruit does a separate item, service, etc. They should each be involved in the sales part of the presentation (usually toward the end).

These direct sales parties are fun and relaxing and perfect for new recruits to “get the bugs out” of their presentation skills, sales skills, etc. The guests should be informed that it is a party plan practice party and everyone will feel more relaxed knowing that fact. Guests are at ease and the newbie sellers will feel more freedom in giving information, showing the products and practicing their sales skills.

Recruits will feel much more comfortable knowing that they have this practice party (or even two) in order to develop their confidence and skills before setting off themselves. Since it won’t be billed as a “real” sales party it will set them at ease. Of course, it should be a selling situation as well. It should be productive financially but very casual and easy-going (read: lots of laughter, a few goof-ups, but ultimately a confidence builder!).

As their recruiter you can attend the party to offer them tips, suggestions on their techniques, etc. This can be done after the party at a personal consultation session or as a group session after the party. Recruits can learn from others’ mistakes and their own triumphs. It will help get them off on the right foot even faster to grow their own business!

Article submitted by: http://www.directsalessuccess.net/