Search Results for ‘in the black’
Surfing the WEB for tips to make your company stand out on Black Friday
Think of Black Friday as an opportunity to bring in new customers by offering a few good Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Not only will this kick off your holiday season on a positive note (and hopefully add to a healthier bottom line) you can take advantage of the fact that people will be shopping online and therefor traffic will be stronger on these two days.
Since Black Friday is all about promoting your business and selling more, here are several ideas to help you plan a killer selling day (or days).
Be sure to grab your share of sales
The average Black Friday corresponds to around-the-store lines before the sun rises. Now, of course, we seem to be in a recession, but that may make November 28th an even more profitable time for every business that has something to sell.
Insane deals tend to get people moving on Black Friday, and folks who would prefer to get some sleep may join the mobs due to their financial situation. Like major retailers, you can try to draw them in by offering big discounts on a few items, and then see what else they spend while they’re in the store.
Read the rest of the Black Friday Boom Forecast here: http://www.smallbusinessnewz.com/topnews/2008/11/17/black-friday-boom-forecast
Small Business Can Make Big Plays on Black Friday
Black Friday is like the Super Bowl. It’s a huge event that draws millions of people. But only the big boys get to play on the field. People like you and me only get to watch.
At first glance, Rafi Mohammed seems to reinforce that with his advice for retailers to woo customers with steep discounts on Black Friday. He encourages retailers to use loss leaders to welcome people back from discounters.
For anyone tempted to compete with the big boys on price, this is a pretty good reason to abandon that strategy. It also looks like a pretty good reason to stay in bed Friday and let the big retailers deal with all those people.
To read more visit http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=16424
Black Friday Bargains for Small Business
Black Friday — and the following Cyber Monday — can also be a great time to go shopping for your small business. Just ask Rhonda Abrams of USA Today. She suggests the following:
Strategies for successful small business Black Friday shopping:
1. Make a list of stuff you really need. Don’t buy just because something’s cheap. It’s tempting, I know.
2. Check to see which version of Windows 7 you need. If you have a server you’ll need at least the Pro or Ultimate edition. Upgrades are very expensive so buy the right one.
Read the rest of the article “Black Friday Bargains for Small Business” at USA Today ~
http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/abrams/2009-11-20-black-friday-bargains-for-small-business_N.htm
Over at online betting zone Bookmaker, they’ve put out their oddsmaking team’s predictions. The majority of the team says between 161 million and 180 million of us will hit the stores and websites on Black Friday, and we’ll spend between $300-$400 per shopper. Second-best odds were for 131 million to 161 million shoppers spending $250-$300 apiece.
To read what else they have to say read Black Friday and Cyber Monday…Will They Rock? on the Entrepreneur.com blog here http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2009/11/black-friday-and-cyber-mondaywill-they-rock.php
And if you happen to be out shopping on Black Friday, here’s a few tips for you:
Make list: In any shopping maneuver, a list can help you plan ahead and shop more efficiently. Look through sales fliers and check out www.black-friday.net for information on which stores are offering what deals. Then you can prioritize the items on your list, and plan out a route according to what is most important to you. Also list any coupons you have that can be used to further reduce the prices of desired items.
Visit the store the day before Thanksgiving: After you know what you are looking for, visit the stores ahead of time. Familiarize yourself where the desired items are located in the store. Make friends with a sales associate to find out if there will be additional discounts, or if you can reserve something ahead of time (for most doorbusters, though, associates aren’t allowed to do this).
Read the rest of Holiday Shopping: Tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday here: http://www.moolanomy.com/2135/holiday-shopping-tips-for-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-mmarquit01/
While you are at it, read 10 Fascinating Facts about Black Friday http://www.pcworld.com/article/182224/10_fascinating_facts_about_black_friday.html
November 23rd, 2009
August 19th is Lifesavers Day ~ Life Saver mints were formulated in 1912 by Clarence Crane, a producer of chocolates in Cleveland, Ohio. He had the candy manufactured by a pill maker who discovered that his machiner only worked if it punched a hole in the center of each candy which lead to the name Lifesavers. And on August 19, 1913 the trademark was issued about the same time that Edward Noble bought the formula, manufactured the sweets and had them sold as Pep-O-Mint Life Savers. He established the Mint Products Company in New York City. With takeovers in the confectionary industry the formula has been resold many times but Life Savers survives as a distinctive product.
This advertisement shows an enduring example of good product design: the ring shape of Life Savers represents a miniature ‘life preserver’ (a life buoy, vest or jacket), a safety device that originated in the mid-19th century. The sale of Life Savers in small aluminum-foil rolls contributed to their distinctive branding. Edward Noble encouraged retailers to place them next to their registers to promote them and increase sales, which is still a practice today.
Check out this black and white clip of the Lifesavers factory aimed at a 1920 audience: http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/lifesavers-advertisement/clip2/ Notice how it has all the elements of typical black and white movies of the time, villain, heroine, secret plot and solution.
Did you know: 54 miles of Life Savers roll candy is produced on an average day? More than 46 billion Life Savers are produced annually, weighing in at 57.5 million pounds. It’s estimated that there are a million locations in the United States where you can buy the famous roll candy.
How about a campaign called “Customers Like You are a Real Lifesaver!” Send them a mailing with lifesavers custom imprinted with your company name and logo.
Go here to grab a template and Make Your Own Personalized LifeSaver ® Labels http://www.wrapcandy.com/Lifesaver_labels.php
August 19th, 2009
– Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is called Fête Nationale (”National Celebration”) the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. (Source Wikipedia).
Today is Bastille Day
In honor of Bastille Day I thought it would be fun to showcase an event the *American Cancer Society hosts ever year called Jail & Bail.
Jail & Bail is an annual fundraising event that brings together community leaders and ordinary citizens for a common cause… to help fight Cancer!
Jo Walters, David Singer, Sabrina Singer and Marilee Maddox
For many years I was an active participant in Jail & Bail, serving as a Parole Board Member AND a Jailbird!
This year, the American Cancer Society’s annual Jail and Bail event, held recently at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel in Dania Beach, raised more than $150,000.
Here’s how it works: The fundraiser has community members “arrested” by local law enforcement officers and brought to the mock jail. While in custody, these “jailbirds” have unlimited use of a telephone to call friends, relatives, co-workers, business associates, etc…, to raise the bail in pledges to the American Cancer Society. The bail is determined by a “judge” at the “jail”. And, all donations are fully tax deductible contributions to the American Cancer Society.
The local ACS sends media releases with Parole board members names and companies and also provides volunteers with their own press release Template to send out to their own media contacts. This is also a great way to stay top of mind in the media when they are looking for a story or resource.
One of my good friends David Singer (an attorney in Hollywood, Florida) has been the local Jail & Bail chairperson for years. And he and his law firm have received prestigious placement in all the major media outlets in the tri-county area including print, radio AND TV. He works tirelessly to recruit Parole Board members who in turn find people to “arrest.”
And it’s a fun event.
What does Jail & Bail have to do with Marketing? It’s called Cause-related marketing. Whenever businesses support a cause that has potential to reach a lot of people in the community, it helps them not only create goodwill in the community, it often will gain incredible media attention. And that’s the kind of attention most businesses want. Because we don’t have to pay for it and we can feel good about giving back. As a “sponsor” you get visibility on marketing materials, mentioned during planning meetings and in media releases and much more. As a participant you get to work closely with other like-minded volunteers AND maybe even see YOUR name in the media.
Here are 5 tips to help you plan and execute a successful Cause-related Marketing Campaign:
1. Find a cause you can get your arms around. Something that feeds your soul AND does good in the community. You will find it more worthwhile and you will be able to relate better to the people who also believe in the cause – the volunteers, staff and supporters. Organizations are also looking for partners with similar agendas, those who can achieve their goals by partnering with the right businesses and individuals in the first place.
2. Set realistic, measurable goals for your program. Like any other marketing plan, you need to know what outcomes you hope to get from your participation. Include how you will achieve those goals.
3. Create a “partnership agreement” that both parties understand and agree to. A clearly defined agreement will include both “partners” obligations, rights and expectations. Remember this is like any other partnership and if you can add a little formality to it, then the chances of success increase and it creates a sense of comfort knowing in black and white what each partners responsibilities include.
4. Be an ambassador for your Cause. Let everyone in your own circle know what and how you are supporting the organization. You will be pleasantly surprised by how many people will give you a thumbs up and also will want to “help you in your cause.”
5. When all is said and done, do a thorough review to make sure the campaign met your goals, your needs and the expectations of all concerned. Remember that while you want to support a cause you believe in, the bottom line is your support should create awareness of, interest in and customers for your company.
So next time you are trying to decide what community event to support, look at your calendar and see what’s going on and find a local charity to align yourself with. And then let me know what you did. Maybe your story will end up in the next edition of Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays.
*The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem—by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer— through research, education, advocacy and service.
Grab a FREE copy of my ebook: GET MEDIA SAVVY!– The Ultimate eGuide to Promote Your Products, Services and Ideas to the World at: http://www.womensmediasummit.com/get-media-savvy/
July 14th, 2009
July 13-17 is World Who’s Who Week – Want to gain local media attention, exposure for your business and to become the Go-to person in networking? Do what the late Pamela M. Hutchinson of Davie Florida, the creator of Who’s Who in Black South Florida – a directory of black professionals. On several occasion, the local newspapers featured her directory and when she died wrote a glowing tribute to her and the service to the community her directory provided.
It was the impetus for my team creating the Who’s Who Among Women in Ecommerce Directory to promote women who do business on the web. You can check it out here: http://www.wecai.org/whoswho.htm What kind of Who’s Who Directory could you create featuring of a specific group of people or organizations in your community? (BTW, I created this holiday because I could not find one that focused on this topic).
July 13th is Embrace Your Geekness Day – “The future of advertising,” says Charlie Jones, chief marketing officer of RedPeg, an Alexandria, Virginia–based agency, “will be about creating unexpected connections to memorable, real-world experiences in ways that bring brands to life.” So how about electrical outlets in airport terminals? Bradley and Montgomery’s new campaign for Chase Commercial Banking includes ads just above 90 outlets around Indianapolis International Airport. When you plug in your laptop, you see the ad.
Source Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Grow Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays!
July 10th, 2009
May 18th is send an electronic Greeting Card Day – One of two Electronic Greeting Card Days (the other is November) … there are so many great electronic greeting card companies online. I like Jackie Lawson Cards the best! It is very reasonable to be a member for a year and she has many from which to choose. I like these for their traditional down to earth look. You could always make your own by purchasing a photo from Fotolia or Dreamstime (approx. $1 to $5 each). “Google” FREE clip art for others.
May 18th, 2009
May 16 is Wear Purple Day - Why was purple worn by royalty? Mainly because purple dyes were so hard to make. Using lichen, the plant had to react with ammonia (this meant urine in ancient days) and sit out in the air for 2 weeks. Then it was mixed with pot ash to be used as a dye. This was much harder than just boiling berries or leaves for other colors, so purple dye was only for the wealthy. Today, all you have to do is spill some grape kool-aid and everything turns purple.
It is probably no accident that Seth Godin named one of his national bestsellers Purple Cow. Purple, in addition to being a color of royalty, is one of those colors that stands out, gets attention. And in Purple Cow the whole point is to get noticed in a field of competition by being different. What could you do to promote Wear Purple Day to your clients and prospects? How do you stand out in a crowd? Today is a good day to consider additional ways you could get noticed by your target audience.
Excerpt from the book “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays (the original holiday marketing guide) ~ www.QuirkyOffer.com
May 16th, 2009
May 15th is International Virtual Assistants Day - Host a virtual event inviting your circle to meet your virtual assistant. Interview him or her about what types of projects they work on, how they can help small business and more. Post the interview to your blog and promote your VA in your newsletter, on your website and in emails. If you are a virtual assistant, host a virtual conference for VA’s inviting them to share their stories with guests.
VA can help promote the event to their local media and garner some publicity for them and you. In 2008 the Online International Virtual Assistants Conference took place and VA’s from around the globe participated. It was a great way to raise awareness of this emerging profession.
Loral Langemeier, The Millionaire Maker says if you want to build wealth you have to first create a Cash Machine and second become someone else’s cash machine. A Virtual Assistant can take the load off so you can focus on the parts of the business that will make you the most money.
May 15th, 2009
May 9th is World Fair Trade Day - “Fair Trade” promotes and empowers poor farmers in remote areas to participate meaningfully in the global economy and lead to a better life for all. Join the BIG BANG!! BEAT POVERTY BEAT CLIMATE CHANGE BEAT FINANCIAL CRISIS BEAT A DRUM 2009 by buying from companies that practice Fair Trade.
Go to the Fair Trade Resource Network for a host of resources including where to buy, how to make a difference and how to promote World Fair Trade in your community.
Excerpt from the book “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays (the original holiday marketing guide) ~ www.QuirkyOffer.com
May 9th, 2009
May 8th is No Socks Day - in Florida we call that No Pantyhose DAY – which is most days…. If you are in retail you could reward anyone who comes into your store sans socks, stockings, etc with a free gift! If you do not have a retail establishment, partner with one and offer your services or products as the PRIZE for anyone who comes in.
Be sure to get the list of prize winners to follow up with them. (Did you also know that May 15th is Nylon Stockings Day?)
May 8th, 2009
May 3-9 is also National Postcard Week – An excellent time to redo your postcard marketing campaigns. We use SendOutCards to send postcards to our customers, clients and people we meet. In fact, every time I attend a networking event, I upload the information of the people I met into the SendOutCards database and then create a simple,” nice to have met you” campaign.
Every single person I send a card to has either called or emailed me a thank you. I do not sell them anything, just tell them it was nice to meet them and ask “what you can do for them.” I might also offer a link to a special report or other free digital item I know would interest them. Not only is this a great way to stay in touch with prospects, it also is a great way to keep track of where and when I meet someone. You can make notes in the SOC database, create specific campaigns for each event, even customize the cards with a picture or logo (or both).
Excerpt from the book “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays (the original holiday marketing guide) ~ www.QuirkyOffer.com
May 3rd, 2009
Previous Posts
