Prospecting in a down economy

How do you successfully prospect in a down economy where every penny you spend has to count? Clear, concise, targeted marketing and spend your resources wisely.

In today's world you must build relationships. It's not good enough to mass market and hope someone steps forward. You must plan your work and work your plan.

Step #1. Who is your target audience? Define them. Who are they, what are their interests, how can you get their attention? Narrow down your target audience by location, industry, company size, etc. The best way to do this is to analyze your top existing clients and find out what they have in common. Then go after them.

Step #2. What is their biggest problem and how can you solve it? To figure this out you must think like them. What keeps them up at night? What problem do they have that wastes their time and money? Don't know? Ask them face-to-face or in a survey. What motivates them to make a buying decision? Remember, prospects never care about you or your company they only care about what you can do for them. When they see that you can provide solutions to their problems they will seek you out!

Step #3. What can you give away that has real value to your prospect? It doesn't have to be expensive. It is the perceived value that matters. In fact make sure it is low cost to implement, but has a high perceived value. The give away must be relevant to the prospect and must address their pain. What not to give away: a sales pitch, Free/discontinued products and services with lots of fine print and restrictions, etc. This will work against you. Remember at this stage they don't know who you are and if they get a bad taste in their mouth, they will turn and run, never looking back. The goal is to let the prospect get a taste of what you can do for them without giving it all away. When you genuinely care about your prospects well-being this comes through in everything you do and the relationship will start to be built. Focus on your prospects lifetime value not on the quick sale.

4. Stay in contact! Every month that you don't contact your clients you lose 10% of your influence. There are so many ways to stay in contact. A newsletter, e-mail, newpaper/magazine clipping saying "I say this and thought you might enjoy this article", cards (B-day, Thank you, etc.). The point is that it only takes a minute to do these and it means alot to your new client.

In summary, always give prospects more than they expect (service, value, time, energy, content, etc.). It will cost you a lot less than traditional advertising and will increase your profits dramatically.

If you would like some ideas that would help you get your foot in the door with your prospects please contact me. I would love to help you.

Wishing you success in your business,

Shana Anderson

Complete Workplace, Inc.

http://www.completeworkplace.com/

Stand out above the competition!

With so much competition how can your company stand out? Get up close and personal with them!

How do I do that? If you have a mascot, brand it. Use it in all of your advertising. Make it come to life. Have a costume made and take it to the streets. This is a great way to get your name out there. People love to take pictures with mascots. Don't stop there! Have a present ready for them so your company stays "top of mind". Give a T-shirt away and they advertise and endorse your company for you. Walking billboards for your brand!

Don't have a mascot. Put together a "street team". Put together a small group of "brand enthusiasts" to dispurse throughout an event or area. With a consistent look throughout, wearing the brand message and giving away your logoed merchandise, free products, etc. your event will be a success and will save you hundreds even thousands of dollars over radio, print and TV advertising. Great for lead generation as well!

The goal of the "street team" is to place your brand into the hands of the targeted consumer and build an immediate and intimate relationship. Outgoing personalities, fun giveaways, free items, etc. bring the consumer to them.

Consumers like street teams because they can touch and feel the product in a safe environment without the pressure to buy. They also put a face on your brand. Give the appearance of being a large company even if you are working out of your home office.

Before you send your street team out, spend a little time educating them on your company, the products and what you expect to accomplish.

Think through what you would like to hand out. Most business owners don't understand that there is a difference between a give away and a promotion. Which one do you want to do? A give away can not be tracked. It is handed to the consumer and you have no way of knowing if they ever used it. A promotion requests an action needs to be done in order to get to the next step. For example, hand out a key with a keychain that says "Bring this key to ________(company name) on ______(date & time). For your chance to win a new car. "

By really showing your target market that you understand them you ensure a deeper emotional connection.

Promotional ideas for your street team:

*At a tradeshow? Give away an item with your booth number. When they arrive they play a game which puts them in the drawing to win a grand prize.

*Drive consumers to your website. Give away a game piece that drives people to your site for a chance to win.

*Split your targeted consumers up into groups and go where they are. Example....Consumers: athletes, Moms, Partiers, etc. Location: parks, malls, night clubs, etc. Gifts: watches, beauty supplies, glow sticks.

*At Christmas time get into the holidays by dressing your street team in Santa gear. Give away items that are gift wrapped. Everyone likes gifts, especially when you have to unwrap it to see what's inside. Encourage everyone to celebrate the holiday's.


Street team checklist:

#1-Hire attractive, outgoing people that represent your brand & target clients. First impressions do matter.

#2-Create demand. If the consumers believe there is enough to go around then they won't jump on it. If they think they need to jump on it quickly to get their share they will jump!

#3-Don't be cheap! Spend a few extra dollars and get the results you want. Make the promotion memorable, useful or interactive. Surprise them. Delight them with your gift. If you go cheap the item will probably end up in the trash.

#4-Include a call to action. Drive foot traffic to the retail store or online for redemption. Request and incent your target clients to take action. Then keep track of the effectiveness of your offer.

Street teams are gaining in popularity. They save money, build your brand, generate leads and increase market share. What are you waiting for?

Need help with your street team promotion or any others? Just let me know.
Thank you,
Shana
Complete Workplace, Inc.

How can you stay top of mind with your clients 365 days a year?

Calendars! Probably the best value per view of any promotional item out there. It is viewed daily, even several times a day. It's used in front of others and they too notice your logo. It can start a conversation, referring business to you that would have surely been missed otherwise.

On average a calendar is looked at 12 times per day. That's 84 times per week. Over a year that's 4,380 times. That many views will keep your brand top of mind.

in 2006 approx. $500 million dollars were spent on calendars branded with company logos. In 2007 $660 million dollars were spent. That's an increase of more than 30%. Were you smart with your advertising dollars and purchased calendars or did you miss the boat?

We all want to be organized and with so many options out there what's the best way to do it? Calendars! Many believed the days of the paper calendar were numbered with the rise of the PDA's and BlackBerrys. NOT TRUE! Calendar sales continue to flourish year after year.

With only 3-1/2 months left in the year and the holiday season just around the corner what are you going to give to your clients this holiday season? Don't wait until the last minute and give your gift with everyone else. Make an impression and be the first to give your holiday gift. Showing that you are ahead of the crowd, proactive and that you are always there for your clients.

What are the best selling calendars? Wall hanging, appointment style calendars with a different picture each month. Which theme should you select? Timeless...something that everyone likes. Scenic, motivational, Americana, Norman Rockwell, etc.

What if I want to be trendier? Eco-friendly is the way to go. Printed on recycled paper. Printed with Eco images and tips.

What about the construction industries? Employees who spend the day in the field prefer day planners.

Need to motivate your employees? Do your clients want to motivate theirs? What's better than a motivational calendar? Positive messages and powerful images encourage anyone to be there best.

If you need help choosing the calendar that will fit your needs please let me know. I would love to help.

To your success,

Shana Anderson

Complete Workplace, Inc

Milpitas, Ca

Welcome to my blog!

Hi and welcome!

I decided it was time to start a blog so I can answer questions, give recommendations and share my passion for the promotional products industry with people around the world. I am very excited and know that I can help you with your promotional products programs.

Don't have a program in place? I can help you with that too. I love the creativity of this industry. I love helping people and I truly get excited every time a project is completed and I see the results of my work.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. If you would like me to write a blog about an item, program, etc. just let me know. I am here to help you be successful.

Best,
Shana Anderson
Complete Workplace, Inc.