Two Tip Tuesday... My Business Tips

This morning on the Classy Chic 'n Elite Network on Ryze, Shelly asked the following:

When it comes to drumming up local business in your own area or neighborhood...how do you get out there and do that?

What are your 2 best tips for marketing your business locally in your own backyard?

Here is my reply:

My number one tip is to Be Visible! People do business with people they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST. Notice the first is "KNOW" - they gotta know you before they can like you and trust you. I have built a 27 year old business because I am visible in the community. That means I attend networking events whenever possible (you can find lots of free events just by looking in the local calendar section of your newspaper) and by joining groups that share the same values and customer base as I am looking for.

My number two Tip is to Get to know the local media. You can do that in a couple of ways, by writing letters to the editors and the authors of columns you read regularly and you can check out events you know they will be attending. Another way is to volunteer for the Publicity or Public Relations committee of an organization in which you are involved. The person who connects with the press to get the word out about events and projects the group presents becomes the one the media remembers.

I have a list of over 300 local media because early in my career this is exactly what I did. The best part is that when the media leaves a job to go to another, they take their rollodex with them and you become a part of their "circle." Many times the media has called me to recommend someone I knew for a story they were writing and on more than one ocassion, my business was mentioned in that story because of my willingness to promote others to reporters when they call.

And Chris Carroll of Direct Sales Talk echoed what I wrote and included the following comments:

You Have to be involved in the community, whether thru the Chamber and/or a local non profit and that does not mean paying dues. That mean being out there working the functions and meeting people.

Media is another key part. You all know I got a big front page spread on my new biz and trust me it was only because I knew the reporter.

IMHO, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money to market your company, just a little time and effort and willingness to put yourself out there.

Happy Tuesday... Celebrate the Earth today and ALWAYS!

Heidi Richards Mooney