by Veronica Stone on May 15th, 2009
With e-retailers expected to buy less holiday season merchandise this year because of the economic downturn, they need to sharpen their strategies in coordinating pricing promotions with available inventory, says Paula Rosenblum, managing director at research and advisory firm Retail Systems Research LLC.
“Plan a pricing strategy, plan your inventory strategy, and make sure the two are in synch,” Rosenblum says.
She adds that retailers this year, worried about overbuying merchandise in an off economic year, may experience unusually high levels of inventory out-of-stock. If that turns out to be the case, it will be even more important for... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on April 16th, 2008
The term "guerilla marketing" was first coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his breakthrough 1984 book Guerilla Marketing . The phrase has since become popularized to mean unconventional, think-outside-the-box marketing methods. The idea is to obtain the biggest results with the smallest amount of resources. Guerilla marketing campaigns focus on creating buzz around a product or service, to get people talking about it and to create a word-of-mouth frenzy.
One of the most recent examples of a guerilla marketing campaign that generated a huge amount of press was for the Cartoon Network’s new show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". In nine... Read more »
by Larry Slusser on March 14th, 2008
It’s no secret – people love free stuff. And guess what? That’s what your customers are hoping to find on your website-free stuff. You can definitely use this to your advantage; but what kinds of things can you give away without bankrupting your business or personal bank account? Below are some ideas that will help you to promote your business, using free gifts and promotional items.
Make it useful, but creative. People enjoy receiving free items; however, they like to receive things that will be useful to them. Coffee mugs can be a cheap and useful giveaway item; but another... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on February 6th, 2008
What exactly is grassroots marketing?
The name gets tossed around a lot but not many people really know what it is or how you do it. That’s because grassroots marketing encompasses a variety of promotional ideas. However, they all have one thing in common – getting involved (really involved) with potential customers. Here are some grassroots marketing techniques that have been successful for both startups and established businesses:
Free samples – Many business owners think, "If I could just get people to try our products I know they’d be hooked!" If you feel the same way, then think about ways... Read more »
by Larry Slusser on February 5th, 2008
Promotions and special deals are a great way to increase your sales and get more traffic onto your website. People love free stuff, and when it is something they can use it becomes an even more effective marketing tool.
Compensate your visitors for leaving you their email address
One good marketing idea is to offer people something in return for their email address. If you have a site offering advice or a newsletter and you are trying to build up an email list for your newsletter, you can offer something such as an e-book in exchange for an email address.... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on February 1st, 2008
If you live in a small town, you may appreciate how quiet it is. But for those contemplating starting their own business, this also is a cause for concern.
Does your small town have enough oomph to keep your business afloat? It can if you know how to use your community’s resources.
Let People Know You’re in Town
All towns have newspapers or circulars. It’s usually not too expensive to put an advertisement in these papers, and this is a great way to introduce yourself – and your business’ products and services – to the community.
Get To Know Your... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on January 11th, 2008
Handing out business cards can prove to be a powerful networking tool – but only if used properly. Too many business cards turn out to be wasted opportunities because of a lack of crucial information – for instance, what you or your company does. If your business card doesn’t have all the right information on it, there’s a good chance it will end up getting tossed because your contact can’t remember which card is yours or what your company does.
But, don’t worry, here are some foolproof ways to make sure your business cards not only contain all the right... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on November 8th, 2007
Every business, new or old, large or small, loves good publicity for their company. It helps to spread the word about their products or services, bring in new customers and create sales. The problem is getting that free publicity. It can be hard getting the right types of media interested in your company. Here’s what you need to do first:
Figure out your target audience - These are the people who are most likely to buy your products or services. For example, if you are selling baby carriers, then perhaps your main audience is pregnant women aged 22-38.
Find your... Read more »