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Some
people say we live in the Information Age. I
call it the Distraction Age. My
new hometown is Distractionville. Everything and everybody shouts, "Hey,
look at me!": E-mail, Internet, TV, telephone, newspaper, radio, family and
friends. The Distraction Faction is as bright as the midday sun and louder than a freight train in
Distractionville. I
have had conversations lately with many small business owners about promoting
their businesses for more sales. Traditional methods of advertising are more expensive
than ever for the results they offer. Newspapers, magazines, radio,TV and Yellow
Pages worked well in the past but due to the increasingly shortened attention
spans in Distractionville, these methods for getting information to your customers
aren't getting results. Business
owners tell me they are often exasperated when their regular customers tell them
about buying goods or services from another vendor that are readily available
from their own businesses. The owners think what kind of customer loyalty is that
for all of the service I offer to you? The owners say to the customers, "
We offer that, too, you know" "
I didn't know you did that!" is the response from the customer. Even
if the customer should have known from your previous marketing efforts,
it doesn't matter. The sale is lost forever. How
can you get your message heard and seen in Distractionville? Consider increasing
the decibel level of your business by using some of the following ideas adapted
for your business: - A florist offers to put
bosses on a tickler list for advanced contact and products for secretary's day
for next year
- The tire shop presents
a coupon book of free tire rotations with every sale of new tires to get customers
back for oil changes, brake inspections, etc.
- The dress shop calls its
best customers to annouce the fall line is in with the customer's size in stock
- The computer repair service
mails post cards to customers with older systems annoucing a special on systems
upgrades and wireless networking
- The coffee house offers
coupons to each customer for a discount on its fresh baked blueberry muffins for
the next visit
- The lawn service puts
door hangers on current customers' doors with weeding and edging service information
The
solution for promoting all of your business goods and services to your existing
customers is simple. Find new ways to tell them what you do. Then tell them again
a different way. Then to be heard and seen above the roar of the crowd of Distractionville,
tell them one more time. Three
easy steps: - Do it
- Do it
- Do it
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