Successful Self-Promotion

A small town California dry cleaning firm was having difficulty obtaining customers. Since there were several similar businesses in town, the owner needed to come up with as unusual promotion. Here’s what he did:

The owner’s first thought was to reduce his initial price by $2.00 to attract first time customers. But his wife thought of a better idea. Why not obtain from the bank, a couple thousand silver dollars and give one free coin to each customer. They would offer the coins for two days only, "while the supply last."

Was the promotion successful? You bet it was! For two days they had customers lined up for two solid blocks. And they ended up giving away over 5,000 silver dollars. But in return, they gained 5,000 new customers for a gross income of over $35,000 in two days.

Not only that, they were smart enough to make up a list of all those new customers for future solicitations.

See how a little ingenuity can turn a ho-hum, or even a failing, business around dramatically? When it comes to promoting your business, let your imagination soar.

To develop a total promotional campaign you must answer these questions:

• What image or message do I want to promote?

• What are the best media and activities for reaching my potential customers?

• How much time and money can I spend on the effort?

To develop a long-range, consistent program for building image and reaching customers. Your image should be reflected in your business card, logo, stationary, brochure, newsletter, telephone and answering service, signs, paid ads, and promotional activities.

Word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers are the very best promotion any business can have. Consider which promotional tactics will build the confidence and image you are looking for -- giving speeches and interviews (often good for the counselors, teachers, lawyers, consults), having an open house or holiday home sale (for craftspeople), holiday recitals or shows (for retailers, decorators, caterers).

Several small ads may have more impact than one large, splashy ad. Conduct a campaign rather than having a one-shot ad or event. If you hire a public relations firm, look for one that can give you personal attention and develop a total marketing plan for you, not just a couple of ads. The plan should include market research, a profile of your target audience, a clear description of the image they recommend you project, the written copy, and a list of media (including cost and scheduling calendars) that are best for your type of product or service. As a new small business owner, you will probably decide to set aside a certain dollar amount per year or percentage of past, current, or projected sales for paid advertising.