Your business card should do two things:

• Reveal both your name and your face – so that people who don’t remember your name can connect your friendly and helpful attitude with your face.
• Reveal what you do. If you sell real estate, say where or specify your niche. If you’re an engineer, tell what kind of engineer. If you’re a writer, let them know what kind. For example: Novels, poetry, news, or marketing copy.

Once you have that informative card – give it away to as many people as you can. Here are some ideas:

Start with people you meet in social situations. You don’t have to be pushy about it, just hand them a card and say something friendly and non-threatening. For instance, “Get in touch any time you want to know what’s going on in our market.”

Do the same for people you chat with when you’re shopping or doing errands. For instance, the grocery store checker, the bank teller, and the pharmacist.

And then…

When you pay a local bill by mail, put a card in the envelope.

When you leave a nice tip – leave your card with it.

When you volunteer to help with a project and will need to be in touch with other volunteers, give each of them your card. You don’t even have to mention your business, it’s just the easiest way to give them all the contact information they need.

When you meet with your child’s teacher, give him or her your card. Again – it’s a good way to provide your contact information.

Give your card to the providers you pay – like your doctor, dentist, hairdresser, mechanic, dog groomer, and veterinarian. And remember the people who mow the lawn, clean the house, service the pool, and wash the windows.

Every one of those people is a potential source of business, and you should never assume that they know what you do for a living.

If everyone who might possibly use your services or buy your merchandise was aware of you and what you have to offer, your revenues would increase. But, a whole lot of people who might love you don’t even know you exist.

Unfortunately, “same old, same old” ads in the local news won’t get their attention. But if you do something unusual, you’ll turn into news, and becoming news will give your exposure a giant boost.

What does that have to do with Halloween?

One thing you can do that will get you noticed AND create goodwill in the community is hold a pumpkin give-away.

We did that one year when I had a real estate agency, and we got both a story and a photo in the local news – two weeks in a row. On top of that, we attracted the favorable attention of dozens of people who had only been marginally aware that we existed.

I forget the monetary cost, but it was far less than the price of two newspaper stories!

We contracted with a pumpkin grower to deliver two bins of small pumpkins – you know, the big cardboard bins that sit in the grocery store filled with pumpkins, melons, or corn.

Then we offered one free pumpkin per child. All they had to do was come to our office to get them – accompanied by a parent.

Another time I purchased a few hundred American Flags on sticks (that held our business cards) and we handed them out in the parking lot at the post office a couple of days before the 4th of July. That was a LOT of fun.

Both of those events got people talking about us and our agency for days.

Why talk about Halloween right now? Because if you want to try it, you need to get those pumpkins ordered!

It’s finished now, and you can read all about it at www.promotemyrealestatecareer.com.

In it, you’ll find 107 ways to promote your career, and all but about a dozen of those ways are either completely free or cost only the gasoline to get you out and about.

If you have a different kind of business, I also have an e-book for you. In it you’ll find a plan to keep people coming back to your physical store, or to keep ordering your party plan merchandise or “door-to-door” products such as Avon.

Read more about How to Market a Local Business.

The truth is, you can do a great deal to help yourself by spending your time and using your imagination.

Yes, you need a good website, and yes, your website needs good copy. You also need business cards. But beyond that, a whole lot of what you could get talked into will be a waste of dollars.

The catch is, you do have to spend the time.

Just as there’s no magic pill to give you good health, there’s no magic pill to make your business take off.

If you’ve been afraid to tell your clients too much for fear that as a result of your free information, they won’t need you, then read on and see what Bob has to say.

I agree with him wholeheartedly.

Now… Here’s Bob Bly:

Dear Direct Response Letter Subscriber:

A few months ago, a VP at a local management consulting firm
called me for advice on Internet marketing.

He wanted to start a line of information products related to the
firm’s consulting expertise; as I recall, it was something to do
with meeting OSHA regulations.

“But I have to warn you, our president is dead set against the
idea of creating info products on safety,” he said.

When I asked why, he replied: “He is afraid it will erode our
core business.”

For this particular consulting firm, their core business is
helping clients become compliant with OSHA regulations.

For their advice, they charge a handsome fee: $3,500 a day.

The VP worried that if he gave away their knowledge and
expertise in relatively low-priced information products or even
free white papers, potential clients wouldn’t need the firm’s
expensive consulting.

Instead, they’d study the info products, do it themselves, and
save a bundle.

I set him straight fast.

“Producing a line of info products won’t erode your core
business in the least,” I explained.

“In fact, quite the opposite will take place.

“When people see you have published information products, they
will – whether they buy your products or not – perceive you as a
credible expert in the topic.

“This in turn will increase the demand for your consulting
services, rather than cut into it.”

Writing a book on your specialty – or publishing special
reports, white papers, articles, CDs, DVDs, or other content -
positions you as a leading expert in your topic.

You know the expression, “He wrote the book on it.” It implies
that the person is an expert because he is the author of a book.

“It is simply amazing the reverence people have for the printed
word,” says EU, a successful publisher. “Simply because a person
has written a book about a subject, people think he has
something to say about it.”

Selling information products actually widens the net of
prospects who can benefit from your expertise.

It’s difficult to get strangers to hire you out of the blue -
after all, they don’t know who you are, what you know, and what
you can do for them.

But if you package your knowledge in a $15 paperback book,
they’ll risk spending $15 to sample it.

When they read the book, they will know that you know what you
say you know – and believe you to be the expert you say you are.

So when you sell info products, you reach a broader – and bigger
- audience.

What about the danger that the prospect will learn all your
secrets by reading a $15 book, do it themselves, and deprive you
of a big fat fee for your services?

That virtually never happens.

Instead, a qualified prospect reads your book and thinks: “The
author really knows his stuff. But this seems complicated. I
don’t have time to learn it or do it myself. Instead, I’ll just
hire the author to do it for me.”

Yes, there are probably other vendors the prospect could hire to
provide the needed service.

But more than likely, you’re the one they’ll call.

After all, you wrote the book on it.

Sincerely,

Bob Bly

P.S. For more information on how to write and publish a
nonfiction book, click below now:

www.gettingyourbookpublished.com

Bob Bly
Copywriter / Consultant
590 Delcina Drive
River Vale, NJ 07675
Phone 201-505-9451
Fax 201-573-4094
www.bly.com

Follow Bob:

But burning bridges in business is not romantic, and certainly doesn’t have a beautiful melody.

Perry Marshall’s message this morning was about a woman who “lurked” around his site for 3 years before finally jumping in to invest in his courses and materials. When she finally did, it was to the tune of about $8,000.

Had he brushed her off somewhere along the way, he would have burned the bridge between them, and she would have spent her money somewhere else.

But he didn’t do that. He kept her on the list, gave her full access to all the free advice he hands out,

Are you dropping people from your list because they don’t take action quickly?

Are you assuming that if they’re not interested now, they won’t be interested next week – or next year? Obviously, that’s a mistake, and a silly one. If you’re communicating via email, it costs you nothing to keep that prospect on your list.

What if you WANT to burn the bridge?

What about customers, clients, and prospects who are too demanding, ask you to commit illegal acts, or are simply unpleasant people? You actually want to burn your bridges with them. They’re not only time and energy thieves, they can be downright dangerous to you.

BUT… unless you do it carefully, that burning bridge can spread and engulf a whole lot of bridges that you’d rather stayed intact.

You have to choose your words carefully, so that when your message is forwarded to friends, pasted into a blog, or otherwise distributed to the world, you won’t need to go hide under a rock.

As much as you want to yell and tell the person that they’re an inconsiderate idiot, or a common crook, or an unpleasant, nasty human being, don’t do it.

Blame something about yourself for “breaking up” with this particular person.

Being a business person has it’s freedoms – but also its restraints. You need to keep close watch on your words and actions at all times, and never give the gossips a thing to talk about.

Stock image courtesy of Dreamstine

Of course, that wasn’t true. And it wasn’t a secret. The great teachers have been giving us this message for a very long time. Different teachers used different words, but the message has always been the same: “You get what you think about most often and with the most emotion.”

Unfortunately, the producers of “The Secret” gave many people the impression that it was some kind of voo-doo that would allow people to sit on the couch, visualize what they wanted, and it would appear. Of course that earned both the book and the movie a host of detractors.

It would have been more useful if they had just explained that the Law of Attraction always works, but part of the magic is that using it correctly causes people to take the necessary actions that lead to success.

The reason people think it doesn’t work is that they use it backwards.

They think they’re using it correctly, but in fact are focusing their thoughts and emotions on what they don’t want rather than what they do want.

If you’re a small business person who is thinking about not having customers and wishing you had them, you’re thinking about not having customers.  So you get more “not have” instead of more customers.

If you’re a real estate agent who is wishing for a good offer on a home, but thinking about wasting your time and gasoline taking buyers all over town, and not getting an offer, guess what? You’re thinking about wasting time, spending money, and not getting an offer. As a result, every action you take and every word you speak will lead you to not getting that offer.

Instead of falling into that negative trap, put your thoughts on the outcome you want: The new customer, the successful closing, the money in your bank account. Then spend a little time thinking about how you’ll feel when that happens.

The magic of the Secret and the Law of Attraction happens because like attracts like. If you’re thinking positively and thinking about success, the things you do and the words you speak will attract other people who think positively. You’ll be drawn toward people and activities that can further that success. And you‘ll be ready to jump into opportunities that you wouldn’t even see if your thoughts were focused on failure.

But look out. If you’re thinking about failure, you’ll draw in more people who think about failure. And the only good that will do is to give you someone cry with.

Tell your story the way you want it to be. Ignore what is, if it isn’t what you want, and talk to yourself about success. Take every small step forward and treat it like a major accomplishment. Congratulate yourself, tell your friends about it, and celebrate it.

When you’re focused on that success, you’ll carry out more actions that will allow it to happen again and again.

The Law of Attraction is one of the most powerful forces on earth. So respect it, and use it to your benefit.

You can tie your events and promotions to a holiday or make up your own. Maybe instead of a holiday you’ll tie your promotion to a local event, like boat races or the rodeo.

You don’t have to do something special for each event, but considering doing one or two every year. You’ll gain added exposure for your business and create goodwill with your clients by giving them some fun.

Spread the word:

Do alert the local news people ahead of time – so they can be there. In fact, if you’re planning something that involves the community, send a press release ahead of time. You might get news coverage twice.

Just in case they don’t show up, assign a friend or family member to take some good photos. You can use them later in your newsletter or give a few to the newspaper. One of our regional TV stations has a website with a “See it, snap it, send it” section where viewers send in pictures. If you have something similar, get a friend to submit a picture of your event.

Try to do something unusual - but tied either to your business or to giving a benefit to your customers and clients. Several years ago, real estate agents were doing crazy things like bungee jumping in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase, to show that they’d “do anything” for their clients.

Do clients really benefit if their agents jump off a bridge? Nah. Not unless the agent was a royal pain in the neck!  This one got attention, but I think it made the agents look like goofs.

You don’t have to do your special promotions alone, either. Get together with others who serve the same clients and plan an event. You could even join a non-profit and do an event with them.

Projects really are more fun when they’re shared.

The main thing is – plan ahead.

Don’t wait until the first of December to consider a Christmas promotion or the 15th of June to plan for the 4th of July. Decide ahead of time what you’ll do, put it on your calendar, and then do it.

Break it down into all the things that have to happen to make it a success. For instance, if you’re going to give away pumpkins for Halloween, find the farmer well before October and order your supply!

Take these ideas, many of which I’ve done, and brainstorm with them to see what you come up with:

• A Halloween pumpkin give-away
• Free flags to your community for 4th of July
• A booth at your local events and celebrations – we gave away imprinted balloons one year and I thought my “tying fingers” would never recover. It was fun to see our company name on balloons all over the park that day!
• A float in the community parade (this is FUN)
• Santa photos in your office for Christmas
• Hold a car wash to benefit some local cause
• The “Adopt-a-highway” program – with all the volunteers wearing your company t-shirts on clean up day.
• Sponsor a “run” or a “dog walk-a-thon” for a good cause
• Hold a snow sculpture contest just for the fun of it – get the local newspaper to take pictures of the entries and the winners.

For something exclusive to your sphere of influence and customer list, you could:

• Send heart magnets in February
• “Hide” Leprechauns for readers to find in your March newsletter
• Throw a customer appreciation BBQ or dance

Just think of something that would be fun to do, do it, and generate some publicity. If you can involve your customers and clients, all the better.

If you want to increase exposure for your own business, you should. Every time you comment you have the opportunity to invite people back to your site, and on many blogs you’ll even have a live link back to your site. As you know, the more relevant links to your site, the better for your own search engine optimization.

Note that I said “relevant.” That means the blogs you comment on should be in your line of business or one that compliments your line of business.

For instance, it makes sense for a Realtor to comment on a blog about mortgage lending, home inspections, or staging. Even a blog about landscaping or building construction would make sense.

But if you’re a Realtor, don’t try to increase your Google rankings by commenting on a blog about a movie star (unless he or she was talking about buying a home). Your comment there won’t add to your standing. Neither would a comment on a blog about car racing or stamp collecting.

Note that not all sites allow live links. But if you’ve said something interesting, your web address can lead that site’s visitors back to you.

When you comment, say something that adds to the conversation. My blogs get a lot of comments that are clearly there just for the links. Right now I’m being bombarded by brief comments with links to sunglasses sites. There’s nothing offensive about the comments so they don’t prompt me to label them as spam, but that’s what they really are.

Those folks should instead be seeking out sites about sunglasses, sunscreen, eye health, or summer recreation. Then they should be making comments about the topics in those blog posts – NOT just saying “I like this blog.”

So stop and think about the kinds of blogs that would offer you the opportunity to add a thoughtful comment. Every business has other businesses that are complimentary to it, so seek them out.

Adding to the conversation isn’t that difficult. You and I do it every day when we’re conversing with friends and family. They say something that sparks a relevant thought in our minds, and we offer that thought for their consideration. As long the thought isn’t offensive, that’s a fine way to go about adding comments to blogs.

For instance, if I write a blog post about writing home page copy you might disagree with one of my points. Or you might agree but think I’ve failed to mention a point or two. Either thought is fodder for a blog comment, and either will show readers that you know enough about the subject matter to give a thoughtful response.

On the other hand, you might have learned something new, so might want to say thanks and tell me how you’re going to use the information. Doing that can also raise your standing with the reading public, because they’ll see that you’re open to growing and considering new ideas.

Of course there’s nothing that says you have to have one – after all, you got along without one all this time. And, if you’re perfectly content with the amount of business you do, then you might not want to bother.

But if you dream of earning more, a good website would be a wise investment. After all, you have your regular customers, but hundreds more might begin using your establishment if they knew it existed.

Just think, dozens of people each day might be passing by just a block or two away and not even realize you’re there! Dozens more might be moving into your neighborhood, or a nearby neighborhood, and not even think to give you a try.

Through your website you can:

• Let people know what kind of products you offer
• Post your hours
• Give directions to your store
• Draw in people who are new to the area
• Pull in customers from nearby neighborhoods

But you can do even more than that. If you make just a little more effort, you can begin gathering the e-mail addresses of all those regular customers, and turning them into PR people for your business.

By sending even a monthly letter informing your customers of your specials, and by including a “bring a friend” coupon, your traffic could begin to increase exponentially.

Even better, once in place, that e-mail blast could soon replace the costly ad you might be running in the local newspaper – while it brings in a lot more customers.

The result: More business at a lower advertising cost.

For ways to jump-start sales on a limited budget, read my new e-book on small business marketing.

And that’s just the latest in a long line of news stories about lying, cheating, stealing, and worse. There’s something new almost every day – and at least every week.

Trust

It used to be innocent until proven guilty… now it’s “Prove that I can trust you.”

That’s why I think drip marketing is so important – when it’s done well.

With drip marketing you can offer advice and help and slowly show your would-be customers that you have the knowledge and the willingness to help them – even before they’ve paid you to do so.

That said, I don’t think there’s a lot of trust-building in drip marketing that consistently asks for a person’s business without offering anything of value. But some disagree – saying that having your name appear over and over will build a degree of familiarity, so that even bad marketing is better than no marketing.

What do you think?

If I write you every other day and do nothing but ask for your business will you eventually think you know me well enough to say yes?

Give me your opinion… (please)