Small Business Marketing Guide - DIY (do-it-yourself) BRAND MARKETING STRATEGIES to HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS

If you want to develop a solid brand strategy, there are some things you have to do first.  I want to challenge you to focus on these two elements before you even get started with graphic design.  Before you get started on your website or meet with your website guy, you must wrestle with these elements.  And before you start thinking of all the different concepts for a new logo, wait.  To be honest with you, if you can’t answer these questions, you’re not ready to do anything else.  It’s like sitting down with an interior designer to talk about the color of your drapes before you’ve ever met with an architect.

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When you’re creating your marketing materials, do you struggle to find the right balance between eye-popping promises and reality?  Sure, you can get people to pay attention with claims like:

• Lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks – no dieting.
• Double your income in half the time.

However, there are a couple of problems with making outrageous claims.  You may get people’s attention, but they won’t necessarily believe you.  People will be looking for the fine print of your offer.   They know if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

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I was shocked the other day to read that only 44% of small businesses have a website. This amazing statistic came from a WebVisible / Nielsen Online study released last month (February 2009).

The study also reported that when looking for local (yes, local) products or services, buyers go first to internet search engines.

That means if you don’t have an effective internet presence you are, plain and simple, losing sales.

Here are a few more reasons to take your brand online:

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A well-constructed sales letter is considered salesmanship in print, allowing a business owner to make their sales presentation to hundreds or thousands of people at once without ever leaving their office.

In today’s high tech world of e-mail marketing and internet strategies, direct mail sometimes takes a back seat to other marketing strategies.  But, when done properly, direct mail is still one of the most powerful marketing tactics on the planet for the small business owner.

To increase the effectiveness of any direct mail campaign and to get the most “bang” for your marketing dollar, the ad must follow certain rules.

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