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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
May 3-9 is Teacher Appreciation Week
– OfficeMax partnered with Marvel Entertainment and TeachersCount in a nationwide contest to find the “OfficeMax Super Hero Teacher of the Year.“ Of the 4,200 entries submitted, six winning middle school teachers and the students who nominated them were announced in June, 2008.
The 12 winners are now featured as illustrated characters in the new custom comic book.
Send your favorite teacher a card, bring an apple to school (or a whole bushel) or a beautiful bouquet of flowers!
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
The Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Contest is officially over!
The “rules” were to “Create a fun, quirky, unusual card message as a promotion for your company, product or service and tell me what you did. The message should be creative and promote something you want to spread the word about. It can be a product, a new product launch, an event, a celebration, a strategic alliance, does not matter. As long as the message can be expressed on a greeting card or postcard.”
What surprised me is that some people did just that and others sent in cute cards with no purpose in mind. They did not have a clear message nor did they promote their company in any way, shape or form. Having said that, we did have a few people who followed the directions and sent us some cute and/or quirky cards. It was a tough decision, in fact so much so, it took the judges an extra week to decide who to bestow the honors to.
Honorable Mention goes to the following:
Honorable Mention winners receive a half page ad in WE Magazine for women.
Kristine Sheehan of The MerryBird.com for her Valentine Postcard announcing her pen and Ink portraits for your Valentine.
Lisa Moren Bromma of Wise WomenInvestor.com for her postcards announcing her services and invitation to visit her website.
3rd Place winner in the Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Challlenge is Jessica Sellers of Chrysalis Logos.com – her card focused on “Make up Your Own Holiday Day” and offered an economic stimulus incentive (discount on services) to anyone who placed an order on that day. Way to Go, Jessica! Jessica won a One-year Charter Membership in the Women’s eCommerce Association.
2nd Place winner in the Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Challenge is Mr. Jim Barber. Jim promoted his company Tooter Talk (www.TooterTalk.com) with a picture of him on the cover standing in on stage at the IMPROV with the headline “Do You Know What Today is?” The inside said simply… “Today is the first day of the rest of your new career!” Talk about perfect timing in this economy! Jim won a full page ad in WE Magazine for Women!
1st Place winner in the Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Challlenge is …..drum roll please………………
Racheli Smilovits of WCS Lending! Racheli didn’t send in the required one entry – she sent in SIX! And each one was clever and unique. The one that cinched the winning was the postcard attached to a bag of peanuts that said “It will be NUTS to Navigate throught the Real Estate Waters without a Professional Lender.” And her contact info, etc. The graphic she used was a walnut shell and her beautiful face peeping out of it. Racheli won a two page article interview in the Spring Issue of WE Magazine, a copy of her choice of one of the fabulous books in our library AND a $25 gift certificate from SendOutCards (choice of Visa Gift Card, Candy, Brownies and more).
Each of the above entrants will also receive a frameable Certificate customized with their names and date of the Quirky Marketing Contest as well as a mention in the accompanying media release announcing the Winners!
Several of the contestants grabbed their free account at SendOutCards.com/Heidi. THANKS!
Look for our next contest in the summer!
And if you haven’t yet picked up your copy of Quirky Marketing, go here: www.QuirkyOffer.com. More than $2,000 worth of bonuses are waiting for you when you do!
March 25th, 2009
March 17th is Saint Patrick’s Day - Time to serve up some Irish Coffee ~ Invented by the a chef at Foynes Airforce Base, Irish Coffee was intended to warm up passengers during long waits between flights. On one occasion when a flight to America had to suddenly return to the base, the chef brewed a pot of coffee, sweetened it and added some Irish Whiskey. Little did he know it would spread from the Atlantic to America. Here’s the recipe: In a large mug or goblet, pour in one jigger of Irish whiskey. Add one spoonful (to taste) of sugar and fill the cup with strong black coffee (leave one inch of the brim to add sweetened whip cream). Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Drink through the cream. Yummy!
To market your company, buy some scratch-off lottery tickets (void where prohibited) and include with monthly statement that say’s “In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, try your luck with the enclosed ticket. May you win big!“ We have done this with our customers and have had great response. We love it when someone calls to tell us she or he is a WINNER!
Want to really stand out from the competition? Send your customers a Saint Patricks Day Card!
March 16th, 2009
My business hasn’t used formal advertising in years. Well, very little. And the advertising we do is mostly “traded” for products and services. Most of our new business is referral based. We have kept track over the years and at least 80% of our business comes from a referral.
In Part One I talked about creating a list of your CHAMPIONS – those who refer your company to others on a regular basis. Next, review your list every 3-6 months. When someone on the list hasn’t sent you business in a while, pick up the phone and call them. Just call to say HI. To see how she or he is doing and find out if there is anything you can do to help them. Don’t ask for business or a referral. Just listen.
Now that you have reviewed your list, focus on those FANS who love doing business with you but don’t think to refer others. Here’s a few tips to help you turn those FANS into World Class Champions:
1. Make it a habit to ask every customer why they chose your company. They will appreciate the opportunity to tell you and their trust and confidence in your company will increase.
2. Let them know you are building your business from referrals and that you appreciate and value any business you send their way.
3. Educate them about the products and services you offer. When you providing a product or service, give them a little more. When we send a floral arrangement or plant to a customer, we include care instructions. Our brochures and fliers tell customers about the value we provide our customers. Share these things with your FANS. Arm them with enough info so they can go out and “sell” for you.
4. Reward them. When they share their “circle of influence” with you, be very grateful. Tell them, show them. Make a referral to your FANS in return when possible and appropriate. Every time your FANS receive something of value from you it will remind them to send more referrals your way.
5. Follow up. The FAN may send customers your way or give you names to call. When they give you names, make sure you follow up. Call and introduce yourself and mention where you got their name. One of my biggest accounts came because a FAN told me to call a new hotel that was about to open. I called, offered to help with their Grand Opening Celebration and they are now one of my best customers. And they refer their patrons to us! That FAN became a CHAMPION because we rewarded her. What comes around, really does go around.
Remind your FANS that you value them. Provide impeccable service all the time and you will turn those fans into your greatest CHAMPIONS. Having CHAMPIONS on your team is like having an uncompensated sales force working for you all the time!
It’s Day Two of Make a Referral Week. The perfect time to go out and MAKE some REFERRALS and put your system in place to get referrals in return.
March 10th, 2009
Creating champions from your fans is all about creating a strong referral system for your business. And what better time to create a system than during MAKE A REFERRAL Week!
Although businesses benefit greatly from referrals how many of us actually have a SYSTEM to cultivate those referrals from your best sources? In my opinion, there are two kinds of referral sources. One comes from FANS. FANS are those who love your product and service and might occasionally tell someone about you. FANS like or love doing business with you but either don’t know that you want more business or think of sending business your way. They might refer someone if she or he asks for a referral.
The other type of referral comes from your CAMPIONS. Champions not only love what you do, they like to tell others about your products and services. They have either memorized your phone number or have it in their cell phone, PDA or speed dial. Close at hand to share with others.
How do you cultivate your champions? First identify who they are. Write down your top 20-25 best customers – those you know have referred you in the past. Then create a plan to stay in touch with them. Call them, email them, send them thank you notes, small gifts, flowers, tickets to events, buy them lunch, enter them in special drawings.
The important thing here is to stay at the top of their minds. Show them how much you appreciate the referral. Doing so will encourage your CHAMPIONS to keep sending business your way. In part 2, we will share the steps to take to turn your FANS into CHAMPIONS. Happy Make a Referral Week!
March 8th, 2009
That’s right! We have had so much interest in this contest, we decided to extend the deadline for submissions.
To enter simply send your greeting card/postcard to
Redhead Marketing Inc.
Attention: Quirky Contest
P.O. Box 550856
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355-0856
Must be postmarked by midnight February 28th.
To read the “rules” visit: http://www.redheadmarketingblog.com/quirky-marketing-greeting-card-contest-launches/
You can come up with your a card using your own software program or you can test out the card using the system I use to send out cards and that is, you guessed it… SendOutCards.com. When you click on SendOutCards.com it takes you to my SOC website and you can have a FREE card on me just to try it out!
In fact, tonight at 8pm EST Heidi Caswell and I will be doing another demonstration of the SOC system and you are invited to attend. Just call the teleconference bridge line ~ 1-641-715-3840 participant access code is 361467# (it takes less than half an hour).
If you’ve already signed up for a FREE SOC account, and would like to know how to upload your own pictures, click on this cool video Heidi created: http://screencast.com/t/KU3SSLMNN
You can also learn more about the system tomorrow with Diane Walker during a live webinar.
Date:Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Time:1:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/326348428
This is for those looking at SOC as a business OR as a customer. Login with invitation number: 55997
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Heidi
February 3rd, 2009
Okay, you are probably wondering what the *Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Contest is, right?
Glad you asked!
In celebration of the launch of my new book Quirky Marketing Calendar – 365 Ways to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business we are hosting a contest.
And there are lots of prizes.
Here’s the rules:
Create a fun, quirky, unusual card message as a promotion for your company, product or service and tell me what you did.
The message should be creative and promote something you want to spread the word about. It can be a product, a new product launch, an event, a celebration, a strategic alliance, does not matter. As long as the message can be expressed on a greeting card or postcard.
And you can even test out the card using the place I use to send out cards and that is, you guessed it… SendOutCards.com. When you click on SendOutCards.com it takes you to my SOC website and you can have a FREE card on me just to try it out!
Send your entry to:
Redhead Marketing Inc.
Attention: Quirky Contest
P.O. Box 550856
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355-0856
Cards will be judged by a panel of marketing experts from the Florida Direct Marketing Association.
Contest ends February 28th so you have to hurry! Winners will be announced during Quirky Marketing Month in early March in honor of the launch of Quirky Marketing!
Oh, and the prizes…
Grand Prize winner will receive a two page article interview in the Spring Issue of WE Magazine, a copy of your choice of one of the books listed below AND a $25 gift certificate from SendOutCards (choice of Visa Gift Card, Candy, Brownies and more).
The Prizes:
2- $25 gift certificates from SOC for brownies, truffles and more!
A dozen Roses delivered anywhere in the US
Several books including:
Power and Wisdom, the New Path for Women by Dr. Priscilla Marotta
Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget by Heidi Richards
Full page ad in WE Magazine for Women
Half page ad in WE Magazine for Women
A one-year Charter Membership in the Women’s eCommerce Association
and more!
1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Honorable Mention Winners will also receive a frameable Certificate customized with their names and date of the Quirky Marketing Contest as well as a mention in the accompanying media release announcing the Winners!
Be sure and go to SendOutCards.com/Heidi and sign up for a free account.
And send me your cards!
FYI: Heidi Caswell and I will be hosting a live demonstration of the SendOutCards system on Thursday January 29th at 9 PM EST. You are welcome to join us and see what all the excitement is about and learn how to use Send Out Cards to grow your business. Call the teleconference bridge line ~ 1-641-715-3840 participant access code is 361467#
Note: Greeting cards or post cards are acceptable entries. And you do not have to use the SOC site, but we hope you do! Multiple entries are also acceptable. All entries must be postmarked by February 5th in order to qualify.
The fine print: If we receive less than 7 entries, contest may be cancelled or postponed due to lack of sufficient samples to “judge.” In addition, if judges don’t feel entries warrant a first, second or third place honor, no prize will be awarded in those categories.
(*void where prohibited by law).
January 28th, 2009
The origins of Hanukah or the Festival of Lights are an event that happened 200 years before the birth of Christ. A king named Antiochus attempted to have all Jewish persons under his reign to follow the Greek religion. Under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, there was a rebellion. After three years of fighting, the Maccabees drove the Greek soldiers away. The Maccabees wanted to rededicate the temple, but were only able to find enough oil for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days; long enough to make new oil.
Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday.
Hanukkah is not a “Sabbath-like” holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath, as specified in the Shulkhan Arukh. An important part of the Hanukah celebration is the menorah. This is a candleholder with eight candles and a shammash or servant candle. One candle is lit by the shammash for each of the night of Hanukah. After the lighting of the candles, people give gifts to one another. People sing and make merry. A popular food for Hanukah is potato pancakes, or latkes, cooked in oil in honor of the miracle.
People go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close for the whole week of Hanukkah.
Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.
Whether you spell it Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanuka, or Channuka, you’re probably right. Because of the linguistic differences between English and Hebrew, there is no “correct” spelling, though depending on your priorities and taste, some are more correct than others.
Children enjoy playing the dreidel game. This is a top game played with nuts or gold-covered chocolate coins. There are four letters of the top which stand for nun, gimmel, hay, and shin and give the directions for what to give or take during the game. The letters also stand for “nes gadol hayah sham” or “a great miracle happened there.”
Sources: http://www.cstone.net/~bry-back/holidayfun/dec.html ~ http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Spell_Hanukkah, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
Be sure and recognize the holiday and wish your Jewish friends and clientele a very happy Hannukah either in person, by phone or with a greeting card.
Here are two videos to enjoy for the holiday:
Watch Tim Harrington of LES SAVY FAV as he celebrates Hanukkah on the mitzvah tank in soho.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=BGnJizajCPA
This is a beautiful traditional song: “Hanukkah O Hanukkah”
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=_VthR66p_3c
Mazel Tov!
December 21st, 2008
If Tradeshow marketing is in your plan for 2009, now is a good time to begin thinking about and creating a plan of action to make the most of the tradeshow experience for your company.
Here are my twelve tips for Successful Tradeshow Exhibiting. Print them out and include in your “tradeshow checklist.”
1. Bring plenty of brochures, business cards, flyers and other informational literature to give out to all attendees.
2. Create a tradeshow special and promote on flyers, coupons and in the show program.
3. Plan and pre-arrange your display table prior to the show.
4. Always dress appropriately and comfortably for your business.
5. Bring a change of shoes. You may start the day with a comfortable pair of shoes, however by days end, your feet will be tired and a change of shoes will give you some relief.
6. You will need one or two people to staff your booth. If you have extra help, have them walk around the show inviting other exhibitors to stop by.
7. Add color to your booth, either in the form of flowers, a plant or balloons (if appropriate and allowed).
8. See who else is exhibiting and introduce yourself. You may just find a complimentary business to cross promote with.
9. When talking with people you meet, write notes about them on the back of the business cards you received.
10. Put the leads you receive in a database and follow up immediately – Send Out Cards are an excellent follow up system. You can upload the database and automatically send the cards through the Send Out Cards website.
11. NEVER take your booth apart early.
12. Smile and have a wonderful day.
Wishing you much success in planning and executing the perfect tradeshow!
December 13th, 2008
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