bwagy

Wanting to raise funds for a charity? Build a business case.

If you can convince a company how their support of your charity is going to help build their business – just like any other external proposal they will seriously pay attention.

If you are continuously pitching for charity and donations you are going to be directed to the same person who is turning everyone  else away.  And that’s no help!

Pitch a business case, you will talk to different people and if it is compelling enough they will take you up on it.

Raising money from the general public? Do they same.  Make giving a donation compelling enough that people desire to give you funds.

Leaders.

Seth wrote a post a couple of weeks back suggesting what graduates can do if they can’t get into the workplace.  You can read it here.  Essentially he is saying have some fun, learn something new and be interesting.  Jobs will follow.

I couldn’t agree more.

In an evolving business you strike problems or challenges that you cannot even quite describe – let alone find a solution.  What do you do? You can’t place an ad or ask your friends.  You talk to local leaders in that niche.

Have a Twitter problem? You talk to that person whom you see as a thought leader on Twitter.

If you are one of these graduates doing something interesting that’s how you get these jobs.  And at the moment this is a huge market – the market of ill defined problems.

So as critical as people have been on Seth, he couldn’t be more than right, the problems are evolving and so are who we are hiring.

A while back I had a new client who wanted to work (within a reasonable budget) to grow their market share.  Like most small businesses they had dabbled in a few bits and pieces.

Their latest attempt was to spend $1800 on Fax Marketing – they got a blast out to every local businesses fax machine.  Not once but twice.  Just to make sure they got it.

First round – return was zip.  Second round – return was zip.

Figured that was the end of it.  Nope.  They then sunk the same amount back into it, in the hope that by annoying people enough they would pick up the phone to order.

Nevertheless this wasn’t a good sign of business aptitude (amongst other signs) so we parted ways.

Since then I have come across others doing Fax Marketing.  Fax Marketing is the worst kind of spam – not only is it rubbish but now you have to physically deal with it – and once you’re on a list they keep coming.  Sure if it was relevant, anticipated and timely it could work, but it’s not.

So please if you’re looking at Fax Marketing give it a miss – pay a student $1800 to play with internet marketing (if you must spend the money) you are more likely to get a solid return – or at least know where your money was wasted.

Even better stick with the marketing basics (talk to your customers, listen to them, obsess about helping them).  The basics build real business.

Included in my standard ordering of 100 minicards from moo there is a card at the end which says:

Psst! Pass it on!
I’m a MiniCard from moo.com
MOO prints things with photos
or designs – like StickerBooks,
Postcards and Greeting Cards.

On the flipside is a coupon code for 15% off your first order.

(Mine is 2RB2CK feel free to use it, first in first served).

Not only are the cards themselves a talking point – but they have given me something to give to someone who also thinks they are pretty cool.  Neat huh?

So sit down, map out the customer interaction process, ensure you are leveraging each of those interactions, then implement.

All the small things add up! (You can see Moo is doing a fine job of it.)

Creating a repetitive behaviour is a surefire way to solidify your product.

Yet how can you establish a new behaviour? Or remind your customers of it?

Slide your product back into their routine with freebies.  Give away a sample of your product in the right place at the right time.

Sell chewing gum? Give a stick of gum with every bill at a restaurant.  Create the routine of paying the bill and getting some gum.

Sell hand sanitiser? Have a free dispenser outside public toilets.  Remind consumers that they need your product.

Sell shoe nugget? Give away free samples with every pair of leather shoes sold.

Sell body wash? Give away samples at the gym.

The list goes on…. apply it to your industry.  The point I am making here is consumers often forget about your product – so give them a kind reminder.  They will appreciate it.

Finish that sentence.  Now do it!

Chances are you’ve been saying this for years.

You know what’s really cool? If you just do it.

Not the easiest – but it’s the most fun and rewarding thing to do.

A local bank did this earlier in the year.

Smart move as this sends a strong signal to the market, we are here to help you, give you extra services.

In all reality though they could be losing market share or strategically pouncing.  Probably both.

Either way the end result is a strong look on the business banking front, especially to small businesses who are questioning what level of service their bank offers.

You see actions themselves are huge marketing messages.