Hub You - Business

Key Employees Can and Will Leave Your Business, are You Prepared?
Very few businesses can claim to be prepared for the loss of key employees. Quite often it is an unexpected and unplanned for event that causes quite a bit of disruption to 'business as usual'.It is quite a gut wrenching experience to see an employee you have worked with over a period of time leaving your business. Even if the parting of ways is on good terms with a period of handover, you just know that there is so much information walking out the door with your former employee and there is nothing you can do about it.And this is only just the beginning...Whi

d be surprised at how magazines and newspapers will cut the price of their rate cards if you ask. Business is difficult for many companies these days and some will do anything to save an existing customer or win over new prospective customers.

Look at advertiser rate cards as a guideline to negotiate your best price and seek out FREE media exposure. Don't ever sign a contract without believing you have the BEST and most FAIR offer. Also seek out FREE publicity from them with a special feature story or article about your business. Make sure they include a photo of you or your company to make the publicity even more effective.

The FREE publicity, when done wel

Can You Think Outside The Box Or Are You Stuck In Old Thinking?
Today, more than at any time in history, I believe being a successful manager, executive, business owner or supervisor requires an active imagination, creative vision, problem solving and, to quote the popular phrase, thinking out of the box.I believe too many managers are stuck in philosophies, attitudes, prejudices, and procedures that just need to be trashed. Whether it is your:· compensation plan · attitudes about customers · feelings about women or minorities · delivery policies · warranty · hiring practices · bonus or quota system<

Secret #1 Cut Out Your Advertising Excess
Does size really count? Not in this case! Smaller can actually be more effective in the long run! Yes, you can actually cut down the size of your ad and run it more often to receive better results in most cases. The size of your ad does not produce the consumer confidence that consistency does! This first secret alone will save you tons of lost marketing dollars.

By running smaller, less expensive, but routine advertising you can become more effective in the long run. One of the keys to advertising success is REPETITION. So a one time shot with a big ad will not oversell a smaller ad done consistently.

Secret #2 Market to Your Shameless Fans
It costs much less to market to your existing customers than constantly chasing new ones. Yes, you must seek out new customers but your existing customers are easier to reach and can build your profits faster.

Direct your marketing dollars primarily to existing customers and your shameless fans and stop constantly chasing new ones. Yes, you must get new customers and you should not avoid marketing to them. But, if you spend more of your marketing dollars and efforts on the fans who already love you - you will get a greater and faster return on your marketing investment.

Secret #3 Sprinkle Your Database with Bread Crumbs
It always amazes me when I ask my audience members how many of them send a direct mail piece to their existing customers a minimum of 6 times a year. Very few hands go up. And 6 is just a minimum, it should actually be 8 to 10 times a year to be really effective.

The number one reason why customers don't return to do business with you is not because they don't like you, it is because you let them FORGET about you. Another key to your marketing success is CONSISTENCY!

You work too hard to get customers, so contact them often. Increase the frequency of mail to them. Call them more often. Use email to communicate to them. Implement a referral rewards program. Create offers that up sell or magnify your sale.

To do this you should be collecting the contact information (address, phone and email) of existing customers, prospective customers and even people in elevators. Elevators? Well after all you have a captive audience. Hey, don't underestimate the power of elevator marketing. I was shamelessly marketing my books to the media at the big book expo in the press elevator. Well, I was thrown out of the pressroom and this SHAMELESS MARKETING GURU does not give up easily. My elevator marketing was effective until I finally got a dizzy from going up and down.

Secret #4 Don't believe What They Tell You
You would be surprised at how magazines and newspapers will cut the price of their rate cards if you ask. Business is difficult for many companies these days and some will do anything to save an existing customer or win over new prospective customers.

The FREE publicity, when done well

The Truth About Business Grants!
Business grants are surrounded by many popular misconceptions and myths. This is an attempt to put the record straight, and give you the knowledge required to successfully apply for your share of the free money everyone is talking about.Myth #1: Everyone can apply for a business grant. The reality is, that yes, you can apply, but chances are that your application will be rejected; unless… That’s where the proverbial Pandora box opens. There are so many rules, laws and regulations governing business grants that only experienced professionals should attempt to tackle them…

t #2 Market to Your Shameless Fans
It costs much less to market to your existing customers than constantly chasing new ones. Yes, you must seek out new customers but your existing customers are easier to reach and can build your profits faster.

The FREE publicity, when done wel

How to Get the Job You Want in Any Economy... Act Like a Headhunter
Having spent the last few years of my career in the staffing and recruiting industry, I’m asked all the time by friends and relatives if I can help them find a more desirable job. I’ve helped my fianc? get a job, helped my college buddies get jobs after graduation, and even helped a few high school buddies find jobs having not seen them for years. It’s a real joy in recruiting when you can help someone find a job that positively impacts their life. But the fact of the matter is, not everyone has the opportunity to work with a headhunter. I would say that only a small percentage of

It always amazes me when I ask my audience members how many of them send a direct mail piece to their existing customers a minimum of 6 times a year. Very few hands go up. And 6 is just a minimum, it should actually be 8 to 10 times a year to be really effective.

The FREE publicity, when done wel

What to Do when Your Employer Asks for a Police Check
You have been asked to provide a police check for your new job. How do you go about doing this?Firstly, it is a matter of procedure to be asked for a police check if you are going to be holding certain jobs. You can expect to be asked for a police check if you are working with children in any capacity (from one week at summer camp to teacher’s college to daycare supervisor). You will also be asked for a police check if you are working in a sensitive environment: certain churches require police checks of people who wish to be ordained. Some high security jobs, such as inv

am. Create offers that up sell or magnify your sale.

The FREE publicity, when done wel

Fundraisers and Fundraising Tip; Thank You Letters for Post Fundraiser Events
If you have a large car wash fundraiser in the community to raise money for your youth nonprofit group then it will take a lot of coordination and help from local business people. For instance you will need a location and you probably need to print flyers and maybe you will borrow a pressure washer. All these things can be donated by the small businesseses in your town.Any time a small business in your community helps you it is wise to give them a thank you letter and you might be surprised how many of the small businesses will frame that thank you letter and put it in th

The FREE publicity, when done well, can get you 10 times more results than your paid advertising. It is not an ad, but a feature story about an expert - YOU.

Secret #5 Trade Products and/or Service
You can save a lot of marketing dollars by bartering with the media and other business alliances. Believe it or not, as much as 50 percent of media is not purchased, but obtained by barter. This is a great way to save marketing dollars and save on the retail cost of advertising.

Example: I bartered for a feature story in a national magazine by offering my services as a professional speaker. It was a win-win for all. I suggested that they support the success of their advertisers by bringing me in to present a marketing seminar. This way they had contact with their existing customers and new prospective fans. My services were the tool to bring them together and build customer loyalty. I won by getting a nice feature store and all I had to offer in return was my time and expertise.

This was a great way for the magazine to RELATE to their existing and prospective customers without giving them a sales pitch. It was delivered through a third party and an expert who supported their publication. You are an expert too. How can you use this to your advantage, barter and save your marketing dollars?

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Keeping your personal and professional lives balanced can be tricky when you are in sales or running your own business. While every person has a different definition of what living a balanced life means, every definition includes some variation of having enough time for family, community, and, of course, work.

With the abundance of career opportunities and the imfamous buzz surrounding them, college grads may feel defeated when they don't land a relevant job. If you do land your first entry level job you may be disappointed by its paycheck and the stress of paying off student loans that cost 5 times what you make.

In your career, as well as in your life, to achieve full capacity and happiness, all of you must be going in the same direction. For career and personal success to achieve its fullest potential, the inside and the outside must match: strength, motivation, passion, strategies and goals must be consistent with who you are and be an extension of who you are -- not to define yourself, but to be defined by you.

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Hub You - 5 Secrets to Saving Your Marketing Dollars

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