From "51 Tips to Grow Your Business!" by Wendy McClelland here's some excerpts to get your started! How do People Know You're In Business Here's some business ideas to help you get publicity for your new venture. You've picked a great name for your company, made a list of your potential clients, incorporated your business and you're ready to go. What next?
Well we need to find a way or many ways to tell people you're in business. One of the first things to do is to get business cards printed up and carry them wherever you go. Hand them out to everyone you know. Make sure your cards are professionally printed and have no spelling mistakes. This may be the first impression someone has of your business - make it a great impression - because you won't get a second chance to do it better. Your cards should contain your name, the company name, ways to contact you (phone, fax, mailing address, web address, email), what the company does. Consider putting advertising on your car, so that it is a driving billboard for you. This can be one of the MOST effective ways to market your business. Contact potential suppliers and be sure they know you are a new business and may be looking to order from them. Ask to visit their warehouse and meet their sales staff. Meeting with potential suppliers is an excellent way to build up a network. Send out press releases to your local paper - these are free and many times the paper may phone for a follow up interview. Have press kits ready when you're asked for them. You may wish to include with your press release an invitation to an Open House for your business. Welcome the community, old and new customers and community dignitaries. Sell refreshments and have the proceeds go to a local charity - and see if you can get a representative from the charity to attend. If you can, you're likely to get the media there to take pictures. Get creative with your ideas and see what fun ideas you can come up with!
Keeping Track of Customers Here's some tips today on keeping track of your customers. Why is it important to know how much your clients purchase from you on a regular basis, what color of stock they prefer and why should you bother to send them a congratulatory card on the opening of their new store? It's good business...that's why. It's called "relationship marketing" and it really does make a difference. It does make a difference, and it helps your customers feel like you do care about them. But, how on earth are you supposed to remember all these details like...their spouse's name, their children's ages, and yes, whether they prefer golf to tennis? Guess what...YOU don't have to remember, but you must have some sort of tracking system to keep up to date on this information. There are many computer programs available today that will help with this. You create the categories that apply to your business and each time you contact a client you open their file on your computer screen and quickly update yourself on their information - and add any new information that results from the contact. Many people today carry around PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or Palm device, that stores all their customers' contact information. These handy little gadgets allow you to have everything at your fingertips, and you can transfer the data from the PDA back and forth to your desktop or laptop computer. Staying in touch with your customer on a regular basis, and mentioning important personal dates will help give you extra points with your customers. *** If you would like to reprint this article in your own newsletter, on a website or for distribution you may, BUT you MUST include this bio: Bio: Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website – www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com
Note: the tips above are expanded versions of the tips which appear in the 51 Tips booklet. Samples of the tips appear here. Want to get ALL 51 Tips? Order the e-book NOW! Be sure to bookmark "Think Without Boundaries" as one of your FAVORITE sites! New articles and resources are added on a continual basis - and you don't want to miss out! | 
