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09.10.09 Professional Marketing For Your Small Site  By Stacy Karacostas I was recently talking with an aspiring copywriter friend of mine who's struggling to get his first clients. He thinks he keeps hitting the wall of not having a portfolio of writing samples in hand. But really, he doesn't need a big portfolio of client work…He just needs to get his own marketing act together. You see, he doesn't even have a business card, let alone a Website or other materials. So he is putting the cart before the horse (which never gets you very far). Marketing is all about perceptions… Right now, because he has no marketing materials, the perception is that he's just sort of getting started. On the surface there's nothing wrong with that. Except that if he doesn't look like a competent professional no one is going to take him seriously or give him their money. And why should they? With no business card or marketing materials, he looks like a beginner or hobbyist. He needs marketing materials that convince people to hire him. Otherwise nobody is going to pay him to write THEIR marketing materials. On the other hand, if his own stuff seems top notch, most folks will never even ask to see his portfolio. Seems painfully obvious, right? So, what's this got to do with you? Whether you are launching a business, event or a new product, you have to give the impression you know what you're doing from the get-go. Otherwise no one is going to spend their hard-earned dollars with you. It doesn't work to just test the waters with a few homemade-looking fliers and free Vista Print business cards (or worse, no cards at all). The Internet has created tons more competition in any field than there was just 5 years ago. So you've got to have your marketing ducks in a row before you try to sell a thing. Otherwise someone out there is sure to be making a better impression than you. Thankfully, creating a top-notch impression with your marketing doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Just use my…
10 Cheap Ways to Create a Professional Marketing Impression 1) Having a fancy graphic logo is often overrated and expensive. But you should have a unique look to your business name. Try looking at other company's logos (not your competitors) for a font that gives the right impression. Then search the Internet for something similar and download it to your computer. 2) Design a nice business card and have it professionally printed. Not sure how to design one? Look at a bunch of other people's cards for ideas on layout or use a Publisher template. You can now get 500 cards digitally printed for just $29.99. If you aren't serious enough about your business to at least do this, you have a long, uphill road ahead of you. 3) Buy a domain name and hosting at www.godaddy.com for about $50 a year. Then put up at least a single page Website with your products or services and contact info. Unless you market to senior citizens, this is a must. 4) Have your email connected to your domain name so it reads you@yourdomainname.com. This makes you look professional and drives people to your Website. Continue reading this article. About the Author: Practical Marketing Expert Stacy Karacostas, founder of SuccessStream Sales & Marketing Solutions, specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. She's the author of the 2-page marketing plan workbook Putting Your Business on the Road to Success, and The Small Business Website Bible. Stacy also writes the fun and informative Marketing Junkie blog and Bright Ideas weekly newsletter. For more practical, business-building wisdom help yourself to a copy of her free report The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins... Are You Guilty? |
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