Okay, so you've papered the neighborhoods, created your alliances with other non-competing businesses and even have your employees families involved in promoting you. You also chose a good friend to go mixer hopping with and shamelessly promote one another at all of the events around town. So now that you're staking your claim around your place of business, the question now is HOW do you KEEP your territory?
KNOW YOUR TERRITORY. This means doing some homework and if you're like me you don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on accessing top notch numbers from a marketing firm. So what's a business to do? Research through your local government websites or libraries. Since this is research based, your information sources will differ from mine but I at least hope to point you in the right direction!
Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Go to your city government's website. All cities should have demographic facts on their city. Most should cover total demographics breaking the information down by land, ethnic profile, and population projections.
http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Demographics/dem_links.htm
2. Census Bureau - Most city government sites should also include the Census information that the US Government does every ten years too. These can be even more useful since they're filtered by districts within the city. So you can see by your zip code the number of people, ethnicity, unemployment, etc as well.
Houston Links:
Census Information for City Council Districts
2000 Census Index by Council District Boundaries (detailed information)
City of Houston Maps by Council Districts
3. American Community Survey - found on the US Government site, The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing. It is a critical element in the Census Bureau's re-engineered decennial census program. The ACS collects and produces population and housing information every year instead of every ten years. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/
With the ACS, you can get more update information concerning your community, district, etc. The downside of the ACS is that it's not available in all areas, so you would still need to rely on local government surveys and the US Census survey.
4. Organizations and Chambers - Most large cities will have organizations that do their own research or compile research into a more readable format, ie, so you an I can understand it! For example, Houston has a very large organization called the Greater Houston Partnership. They include the US Census data but also include other local data such as:
Business Incentives
Economic Forecast
Economic Indicators
Major Employers
Job Growth by Sector
Industry Profile
Arts and Culture
Follow the link below to get the information on the topics listed above.
http://www.houston.org/facts-figures/
The above is just a snippet of the information available on the Greater Houston Partnership's website. http://www.houston.org/
If you're part of a chamber or any other organization, ask about their statistics on their members as well. Within these organizations, you can get a headcount of businesses similar to yours or businesses who could use your service/product.
Remember to think outside the box when you're researching your businesses possible consumers. Information is everywhere, sometimes you just have to do a little digging!
Well, I hope I was able to help you with some possible ideas.
Thanks for reading my posts and letting me kick it old school!
Keep checking back to read more on marketing from i-marketing, to u-marketing, social media, mobile marketing and anything that strikes a chord with how to make your business even more profitable with marketing.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Pimp Your Friends: Street Lessons #2
How many times have you attended a networking event and heard, " I do this" , "I do that" "I know this", "I know that"... blah, blah-blah, blah-blah! It gets really annoying sometimes to hear a person talk about themselves in such a way that you would think they had a cure for the common cold. It's not that I haven't sounded this way before either, trust me, I know, I've listened to myself before! Which is why it dawned on me that maybe I should try something different.
I know, I know. That's what networking events are for, to hear people talk about themselves and their companies. Yes, this is true, but not too many networking individuals know how to properly sell themselves without sounding like narcissists. So, I've decided that the best way for someone to network at an event is to Pimp Your Friends. Yes, it means exactly what it says. You're selling your friends to other networkers and not talking about yourself at all. Like a Pimp and his, um, property (which I by NO means advocate at all!!!) you are selling your friends traits, personality and style to every one you meet and reap the rewards of your pimpin'. How does this work if you're selling Sally instead of yourself? Okay scene:
You're at a wine bar, noshing on a fabu ostrich slider while your friend grabs you a drink from the bar. Harry slides on up next to you, introduces himself and quickly begins asking "how are you", "what do you do", yada yada. YOU, tell him you're doing fantastically well, tell him you're an internet specialist but Do NOT go into further detail. Instead you ask him what he does. As he starts his conversation, you catch Sally's eyes, your pimpee, and "tell" her to come over. She is engaged in conversation with another woman, Jane, but gets your drift. About a minute into Harry's sales pitch, you say, "you know what, Harry, I came here tonight with a friend I'd like you to meet" and make your way to Sally. Sally sees you, says the same thing to, Jane, and makes her way to you at the same time. Harry and Sally exchange hellos, Jane and You, and Harry and Jane. At this time, you've created a natural break in the conversation by moving. So by this point, you already know that you will be explaining to Harry AND Jane what Sally does and Sally in turn will explain what you do. This ONLY works if you both know what the other one does!
The whole point of this networking exercise is that you meet two people at once. Sally has laid the groundwork for you and you for Sally. Hopefully, you each have found someone who can actually use your talents. If Sally has run into someone that you can't use, that's okay, she still has to explain to your partner what you do and hopefully he can use you, if not, that's okay, he's still a warm "lead" that can potentially blossom into a partnership or friendship later down the road. And vice versa for Sally.
Networking this way, instead of trying to meet each person on YOUR OWN, cuts your networking time down by half probably even more. So you're not stuck there till 10 o'clock at night taking shots with Jake from Things r us who just will never be an asset for you . Instead you want to be at the bar at 10pm with Linda from We NEED YOU NOW, INC. drinking whiskey shots until 3 am in the morning!!
Having a networking buddy who can sing your praises for you makes for better conversation because people are not hearing, "I, I, I", They're hearing "she can do this, ... her company does that,... they've worked with so and so" and it adds to your credibility because someone else is saying it about you.
These type of networking exercises work really well, if you've made great friends with a client who truly believes that you're the best because it sounds even more geniune coming from them. They're doing the same thing you are, trying to make money, and if they know that you're there trying your hardest to sell them, they're selling you even harder then they were before because you're going the extra mile to help them out at these networking functions.
The morale of the story is grab a friend, rehearse your sales pitches, gain some knowledge on you chosen friend and start pimping him/her at the mixers, business events and galas!
So that's how you Pimp Your Friends. Or at least, how I like to Pimp My Friends.
Stay Funky! And watch out for the next topic, "Know Your Territory"
I know, I know. That's what networking events are for, to hear people talk about themselves and their companies. Yes, this is true, but not too many networking individuals know how to properly sell themselves without sounding like narcissists. So, I've decided that the best way for someone to network at an event is to Pimp Your Friends. Yes, it means exactly what it says. You're selling your friends to other networkers and not talking about yourself at all. Like a Pimp and his, um, property (which I by NO means advocate at all!!!) you are selling your friends traits, personality and style to every one you meet and reap the rewards of your pimpin'. How does this work if you're selling Sally instead of yourself? Okay scene:
You're at a wine bar, noshing on a fabu ostrich slider while your friend grabs you a drink from the bar. Harry slides on up next to you, introduces himself and quickly begins asking "how are you", "what do you do", yada yada. YOU, tell him you're doing fantastically well, tell him you're an internet specialist but Do NOT go into further detail. Instead you ask him what he does. As he starts his conversation, you catch Sally's eyes, your pimpee, and "tell" her to come over. She is engaged in conversation with another woman, Jane, but gets your drift. About a minute into Harry's sales pitch, you say, "you know what, Harry, I came here tonight with a friend I'd like you to meet" and make your way to Sally. Sally sees you, says the same thing to, Jane, and makes her way to you at the same time. Harry and Sally exchange hellos, Jane and You, and Harry and Jane. At this time, you've created a natural break in the conversation by moving. So by this point, you already know that you will be explaining to Harry AND Jane what Sally does and Sally in turn will explain what you do. This ONLY works if you both know what the other one does!
The whole point of this networking exercise is that you meet two people at once. Sally has laid the groundwork for you and you for Sally. Hopefully, you each have found someone who can actually use your talents. If Sally has run into someone that you can't use, that's okay, she still has to explain to your partner what you do and hopefully he can use you, if not, that's okay, he's still a warm "lead" that can potentially blossom into a partnership or friendship later down the road. And vice versa for Sally.
Networking this way, instead of trying to meet each person on YOUR OWN, cuts your networking time down by half probably even more. So you're not stuck there till 10 o'clock at night taking shots with Jake from Things r us who just will never be an asset for you . Instead you want to be at the bar at 10pm with Linda from We NEED YOU NOW, INC. drinking whiskey shots until 3 am in the morning!!
Having a networking buddy who can sing your praises for you makes for better conversation because people are not hearing, "I, I, I", They're hearing "she can do this, ... her company does that,... they've worked with so and so" and it adds to your credibility because someone else is saying it about you.
These type of networking exercises work really well, if you've made great friends with a client who truly believes that you're the best because it sounds even more geniune coming from them. They're doing the same thing you are, trying to make money, and if they know that you're there trying your hardest to sell them, they're selling you even harder then they were before because you're going the extra mile to help them out at these networking functions.
The morale of the story is grab a friend, rehearse your sales pitches, gain some knowledge on you chosen friend and start pimping him/her at the mixers, business events and galas!
So that's how you Pimp Your Friends. Or at least, how I like to Pimp My Friends.
Stay Funky! And watch out for the next topic, "Know Your Territory"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Make Like A Graffiti Artist: Street Lessons In Marketing
Make Like a Graffiti Artist
Make like a graffiti artist and splash yourself all over town! If you have ever paid attention to billboards, sidewalls, old buildings, or depilated houses you may have well seen the artwork of a local artist. The angular lines, bright colors and cut out letters of someone’s name, gang or passion of the moment sprayed across their canvas of choice. These “logos” are not that hard to miss and in fact are made this way so you won’t miss them. The artist wants you to know who he/she is, what they’re passionate about or who they represent. They’ve done what most marketers think about doing but legally can’t. They’ve BRANDED themselves on a large canvas so the world knows who they are, or at least the neighborhood of choice. Although I don’t suggest running out and hiring a graffiti artist to splash your company’s name across the freeway billboards, I will suggest that you start thinking like a graffiti artist and contemplate how and where you can “spray” your name legally and at a relatively low cost. Just to get you started here some suggestions:
Make like a graffiti artist and splash yourself all over town! If you have ever paid attention to billboards, sidewalls, old buildings, or depilated houses you may have well seen the artwork of a local artist. The angular lines, bright colors and cut out letters of someone’s name, gang or passion of the moment sprayed across their canvas of choice. These “logos” are not that hard to miss and in fact are made this way so you won’t miss them. The artist wants you to know who he/she is, what they’re passionate about or who they represent. They’ve done what most marketers think about doing but legally can’t. They’ve BRANDED themselves on a large canvas so the world knows who they are, or at least the neighborhood of choice. Although I don’t suggest running out and hiring a graffiti artist to splash your company’s name across the freeway billboards, I will suggest that you start thinking like a graffiti artist and contemplate how and where you can “spray” your name legally and at a relatively low cost. Just to get you started here some suggestions:
- Start in your company’s area. Find out what companies would be willing to display flyers or signage in their storefronts or business offices. Think trade. What can you offer at a relatively low cost or no cost to a business owner to entice them to display your signage or flyers in their place of business? Sometimes, offering to do the same for them is enough.
- Work your neighborhood and ask your employees to do the same. Have them and you, post flyers in residential stores, other small non-competitive businesses and community gathering places, like coffee shops and community centers. Maybe even post your company sign on your lawn. It shows you’re dedicated. Most personnel live within a 25 to 45 minute drive from the office. If they’ll drive in to work with you, it’s possible people in their neighborhoods will drive in for your services as well. If your employees are not comfortable, respect their decision and move on.
- Leave your calling card everywhere. Whether it’s your business card, post card, brochures that never made it to that tradeshow, one sheet, it doesn’t matter, just leave it. Most coffee shops don’t care what you leave behind, just ask permission first. The same goes for small restaurants, nail salons, delis, drycleaners and gas stations. As long as you have your own holders, they won’t mind. Again, think trade. Do the same for them.
- Community bulletin boards. Think libraries, college campuses, high school campuses, HOA newsletters, Condo newsletters. Don’t limit yourselves. If you think of something weird, don’t dismiss it. There’s a 50/50 that it’s already out there and waiting for your business stamp.
- Think non-profit. What non-profits in your area could benefit from your business but don’t necessarily have the money to pay for your services? Whoever they are, start a relationship with them, offer your services, gratis of course, and in exchange they place your logo in their newsletters, brochures, or signage at one or some of their events. It will all depend on the value of your service of course. You’re smart, now go negotiate.
- Be bold. You’re a graffiti artist remember? Instead of your traditional logo, have a designer re-create your logo in a graffiti inspired art form. Too bold for you? Then, have some, not all of your text in a readable graffiti font or other non-traditional font somewhere on your flyer. Or just use bold colors or colored paper.
You’ll notice that I didn’t include anything about online social media. The reasons being that one, we’re thinking like a graffiti artist and two, everyone has a tendency to just focus now on being online rather than continuing to incorporate all types of marketing into their business and marketing plans. Not everyone has time to spend hours on end being online, answering questions, blogging, tweeting, and posting. So, you still need to think along the traditional paths of marketing. Where can your presence be felt other than online that is still relatively cheap? However, if you’re smart, and I know you are, you put your website, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn information on all of your signage and flyers, just in case someone doesn’t want to call but wants to connect online instead :-)
Check back in a day or two for the next lesson: Pimp Your Friends.
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