Marketing Articlestxt2

Measuring the Value of PR
Want to know what effect media coverage is having on your business? Here are th
e best ways to find out.
By Mark Nowlan | August 31, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/publicrelations/prcolumnistrachelmera
nus/article164816.html
PR adds value. While many entrepreneurs take this as a given, it's not always fu
lly appreciated. The reason: PR doesn't translate well to the bottom line. Most
business owners value black-and-white data; PR is shaded in grey.
Where news is published, how many people read it and, most important, the way in
which messages are perceived all have a tangible impact on a company's fortunes
. But without a method for accurately collecting and analyzing such data, it's d
ifficult to measure the effectiveness and impact of your PR efforts. Yet there a
re ways to measure your PR's value--and not all of them are expensive or elabora
te.
Do-It-Yourself Media Monitoring
Counting clips--the physical number of articles a company's name appears in--is
the simplest measure for quantifying the success or failure of a PR campaign. Kn
owing the number of stories (or hits) a company generates--and how those numbers
stack up against the competition--offers a window into the mindshare that a com
pany has among reporters and those who follow the news.
The most basic form of media monitoring involves manually clipping articles from
a predefined set of publications and tabulating the numbers by hand. This do-it
-yourself method has its advantages in terms of cost and connection to the news
(all good PR practitioners should monitor their media space and beat reporters);
however, this method is extremely time-consuming and usually not comprehensive
enough.
A step up from physically clipping articles is using online tools to create aler
ts for specific keywords, such as your company or product's name. Google, Yahoo!
and many news sites that use RSS feeds offer these services for free. Most deli
ver clips from at least a few sources, although they vary in selectivity, sensit
ivity and range.
One concern with monitoring via search engines and RSS feeds is information over
load. Web alerts are likely to grab articles that aren't always pertinent, so yo
u need to review each clip for relevance. This can be almost as time-consuming a
s manual monitoring and can also lead to inaccuracies in data collection.
Clipping Services
Clipping services provide the best means for accurately and efficiently tracking
coverage. Before the advent of the internet, clipping services were staffed by
individuals who would read, clip and mail each individual article to their clien
t. When you received the articles, you'd then have to manually catalog each piec
e of news. Such clipping services are still available today, but the cost and un
wieldiness make this option unattractive to most business owners.
Electronic clipping services, however, strike a perfect balance between accuracy
, efficiency and timeliness. Such services offer companies the ability to track
a huge variety of media, including print, TV and online sources. The best clippi
ng services can scan tens of thousands of media outlets within a short time peri
od and then deliver reports to your inbox on a continuous basis or as daily repo
rts.
Of further benefit, electronic clipping services can be programmed to monitor a
multitude of company names, keywords and phrases. This gives you the opportunity
to have them not only track your own coverage, but that of your competitors and
your industry. This kind of industry awareness can help you react quickly to un
usual events and potentially alter your communication strategy as a result.
Some of the better clipping services will also prioritize coverage based on publ
ication type, readership and geographic region. This additional data can be quit
e useful in assessing the impact of your coverage.
The only downside to an electronic clipping service when compared to do-it-yours
elf methods is cost. However, for a company intent on monitoring news coverage a
nd determining the ROI of their PR efforts, the expense is justified.
Measuring and Analyzing Your Success
In addition to monitoring various media for clips, you'll also want to analyze y
our success. Measuring the true value of media coverage is a topic that continue
s to confound marketing and PR executives the world over. The reason is simple:
The task requires you to objectively analyze something that's largely subjective
--a balanced article to one person may be a hatchet-job to another.
One traditional and largely objective method for measuring the value of an artic
le is to assign it a monetary figure. This is done using "advertising value equi
valency" (AVE). AVE assesses the value of an article by weighing it against the
cost of related advertising space. The dollar figure is based on the publication
's rate card. For example, a large, front-page ad is generally more expensive th
an a small, mid-publication ad.
While AVE will give you some indication of the value of your exposure, it fails
to recognize how the news was actually reported: Was the company portrayed in a
favorable light? What was the overall tone of the article? What messages were pi
cked up? What's the enduring positive or negative effect on the brand?
PR is far too subtle an art for its value to be measured by quantitative data al
one. To gain a thorough understanding of the impact of an article and an overall
PR campaign, you must also consider the qualitative impact. Criteria such as th
e tone of the article (positive, neutral, negative), the presence of key corpora
te messages, and the overall quality of an article based on its length, placemen
t and publication type are the essence of PR. Measuring this information, howeve
r, isn't easy.
There are two major challenges here. The first, very simply, is being, well, obj
ective. In most cases, media evaluations are conducted by someone in a company's
marketing or PR department who reviews each article and assigns it a score base
d on some predetermined criteria. While the intent is to quantify the tone and t
enor of an article, the method still relies on the opinion of the reader. Furthe
r complicating matters, the person evaluating each article is, very often, the s
ame person who placed the article and whose own worth is determined by the stren
gth of the coverage. Needless to say, this isn't a good recipe for impartiality.
The second challenge is devising a set of measurements that allows for a compari
son of results. Without the ability to compare and contrast coverage, it's diffi
cult to get a true measure of your company's image in the press or the effective
ness of your PR campaign. Again, it's possible to devise a grading system that p
rovides a basis for comparison, but if the underlying means of evaluation is per
sonal preference, the results will always be questionable.
Fortunately, as with media monitoring, there are computerized systems that autom
ate much of the process and, in doing so, bring a measure of objectivity to the
subjective data. These systems combine the features of an electronic clipping se
rvice with a series of algorithm-based measurements to capture, categorize and a
ssess company-specific coverage, as well as coverage of competitors and the indu
stry at large.
Media measuring systems offer three advantages:
1.
2.
Since each article is weighed according to a set of mathematical equatio
ns, the results are completely objective. Human frailties, such as pride, insecu
rity and anger, are removed from the equation.
3.
The predetermined set of measurements makes it very easy to compare cove
rage from different periods of time, PR campaigns and messaging exercises, as we
ll as between your company and its competition. The better-equipped media monito
ring systems also provide the ability to drill down to specific criteria and det
ermine whether one factor, such as publication type, has an impact on another, s
uch as tonality of coverage. This depth of information can be extremely helpful
in instances such as crisis situations, when companies may prefer to work with t
hose reporters who generally issue more favorable coverage.

4.
Automated measurement systems generate easy-to-understand, graphically e
nhanced reports that can be appreciated by those who don't have a PR background.
Report information is condensed into color-coded bar graphs and pie charts that
offer a simple yet effective representation of how your PR efforts contribute t
o your company's success.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to computerized measurement. The first is co
st. Fortunately, with advances in technology, the price of automated measurement
and analysis has dropped significantly, making it a viable option for more smal
l businesses.
There's also an issue with the limitations of objectivity. While the objectivity
of automated measurement is one of its fundamental benefits, PR is still more a
rt than science. So no matter how accurate the scoring system, the ultimate meas
ure of PR is how the individual reader perceives the coverage.
There's little question that strategic, proactive PR can have a positive impact
on a company's bottom line. For small businesses, the ability for PR to accelera
te overall growth is even more substantial. However, if PR is done haphazardly,
with little regard for outcome (beyond scoring a hit), then much of the effort w
ill go underutilized.
To get the most out of all your PR efforts, you should carefully consider the be
nefits of media monitoring and measurement and choose the system that best suits
your company's immediate and long-range needs.
Mark Nowlan is Entrepreneur.com's "PR" columnist and senior vice president of ma
rketing & communications at PR Newswire. Nowlan is a frequent lecturer on media
relations, strategic communications and crisis communications at industry confer
ences around the country. Get more information about PR Newswire and public rela
tions with their PR Toolkit for small businesses.
Kim T. Gordon: Marketing

Become a Business Evangelist
You're all fired up about your company's products and services, so make sure yo
ur employees are, too--and that they let everyone know it.
By Kim T. Gordon | Entrepreneur Magazine September 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/findingcustomers/article165864.html
Company evangelism is reaching new heights as more entrepreneurs place staff mem
bers in this important role--or take it on themselves. Individuals in the new ro
le of "company evangelist" are reinventing what was once thought of as PR, with
the principal goal of building a community of customers who are passionate about
the company's products and services.
Passion is contagious and, when channeled properly, leads to increased sales. He
re are three tips to help you spread the good word through organizational evange
lism.
1. Get customers fired up. Being an effective company evangelist requires taking
your individual passion a step further and creating a message or cause that sti
mulates others to join your company's movement. Events, for example, are great w
ays to spread your message--whether from the podium or in less formal ways.
Brothers Alan, 55, and Hanz Scholz, 45, are co-founders of Green Gear Cycling, b
est known by its product name Bike Friday. The brothers and everyone in their sm
all Eugene, Oregon, business, which custom-crafts folding travel bicycles, are e
vangelical about worldwide travel and adventure and have built a following that
includes Bike Friday Clubs. When a Bike Friday leader wants to organize a ride,
Lynette Chiang, the company's customer evangelist, e-mails all the riders in a 6
0-mile radius to notify them of the event. The company sells Bike Friday T-shirt
s to participants--regardless of what type of bike they own. This spreads the wo
rd and the Bike Friday movement even wider.
2. Listen to your community. Your customers constitute a unique community with a
powerful voice. If you're providing a great product or service, you can bet the
y're talking or writing about their experiences. Have you provided a friendly ho
me for your community by inviting ideas, comments and participation? Bike Friday
's website is as much about its community as its products. The main page poses t
he question, "What do you do on a Friday?" and is the jumping-off point for coun
tless stories and photographs submitted by customers using their travel bikes.
Create a community space on your website that allows customers to interact and s
hare feedback. In addition, consider setting up a customer advisory board or spe
cial users group. Your best customers will be glad you asked for their input. Yo
u can gather information through online surveys and share special invitations an
d advance notices of upcoming products and services with them through e-mail. Be
prepared to accept input--good and bad--gratefully. A Bike Friday customer who
shares a complaint with the company's ownership is likely to receive a gift cert
ificate and special thanks for the insight.
3. Create more evangelists. Once converted, customers become powerful evangelist
s. Give them the tools to send leads your way, and they'll happily do so. Becaus
e Bike Friday owners are often stopped and asked about their distinctive bikes,
the company supplies them with pre-printed referral cards. They simply fill in t
he contact information for the prospective owners they meet and mail the referra
l cards back to Bike Friday, where the leads are diligently pursued. A sale earn
s the zealous rider who sent the referral either a $50 check or a $75 credit tow
ard bike parts or another bike.
Everyone in your company has the power to spread the good word about your busine
ss. The key is to have them all focus on a unified, motivational message. Create
a one-paragraph, 30-seconds-or-less positioning statement built around your cor
e passion or cause, and share it with all employees. Be sure they understand you
r company's mission and why it matters to customers. And whether they're at the
mall or the gym, when someone asks them what they do, each of them can become co
mpany evangelists by spreading the right message.
Contact marketing expert Kim T. Gordon, author of Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dol
lars: The Top 50 Ways to Grow Your Small Business, atwww.smallbusinessnow.com. H
er new e-book, Big Marketing Ideas for Small Budgets, is available exclusively f
rom Entrepreneur at www.smallbizbooks.com.
Ivan Misner: Networking

Don t Sell to Your Network--Educate Them
Educate your network on your product and your customers so they can help expand
your client base.
By Ivan Misner | August 30, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/networking/article165868.html
When entrepreneurs try to develop a qualified, consistent and dynamic circle of
networking partners who are going to provide them with referrals for new busines
s, their tendency is often to "sell" those individuals on their product. It's as
if by showing them all the finer points of what's available, convincing them to
try their product and closing the sale with their networking partners, they'll
somehow realize an influx of referrals.
I don't disagree that in order for the members of your networking group to refer
you effectively they must be familiar with what you have to offer; however, it'
s important to resist your urge to sell to group members. What do I mean by that
?
Educating your networking group's members about the type of referrals you want-specifically, where applicable, even the names of the individuals with whom you
want to meet and develop relationships--is much more important to the success of
your networking in a closed contact network than selling to other members. This
demands a shift in how you see your networking partners. They're not the client
s; they are, in effect, your sales force. And for your sales force to sell you e
ffectively, they have to know who to sell you to and how to sell you.
Below are four tips for incorporating this educational style into your networkin
g meetings:
1. Teach your network members what your "dream referral" looks like. If you coul
d go to your next networking meeting with a walking, talking dream referral in t
ow, what would he or she be like? Describe this person in detail to your network
ing partners. The more details you can provide, the greater the chance that your
partners will recognize that person when they come across him or her outside th
e meeting.
2. Share customer profiles and case studies of current customers. This is a high
ly effective way to educate your networking partners about what it is you're loo
king for in a new client. By sharing the qualities of your current clientele, yo
u're illuminating the canvas for the rest of the group so they can see the pictu
re you're painting for them. When appropriate, consider bringing in a customer o
r client to talk about how you've helped him or her. These kinds of interactions
go a long way toward educating the group as to the type of person you wish to h
ave referred to you.
3. Break your business down into its lowest common denominators. It s very temptin
g to start your personal introduction with a statement like: "We're a full-servi
ce XYZ." Resist this urge! When you have 52 opportunities over the course of a y
ear to talk about your products and services, don't waste the opportunity to hig
hlight one aspect of your business by painting with the full-service brush. Get
detailed! Educate your networking partners week by week about the specific thing
s you provide. Bring support material to provide a visual. Do demonstrations, wh
en possible.
4. Ask specifically for the referral you want. I often hear members of networkin
g groups say things like "Anyone who needs . . ." or "Everyone who s looking for .
. ." Usually, when I hear "anyone" or "everyone," I tune out, because I know so
many anyones and everyones that I end up referring no one. This is an interesti
ng dynamic that has to do with information overload. When you re asking for a spec
ific type of business referral, your request from your networking partners shoul
d be specific. Using a broad, generic catchphrase will limit the effectiveness o
f your results.
By keeping your focus on educating your networking partners about what type of r
eferrals you wish to receive, you'll find that the referrals you begin to get wi
ll be of a higher caliber and offer more chances of becoming closed sales than i
f you try to sell the members on what you re offering. You should be trying to edu
cate a sales force instead of trying to close a sale. Shift your intention in th
e group, and you'll find that the quality of your referrals will improve.
Dr. Ivan Misner is Entrepreneur.com's "Networking" columnistand a New York Times

bestselling author. He's also the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's larg
est referral organization with thousands of chapters in dozens of countries arou
nd the world. His latest book, Masters of Success, can be viewed at www.Masterso
fSuccess.biz.
8 Opt-In Offers Your Visitors Can t Refuse

Look beyond newsletters in your online marketing efforts to find customers for
your e-mail list.
By Derek Gehl | August 31, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/ebusinesscolumnist/article165874.html
These days, consumers know that their personal information is gold, and they won
't give it to you unless you give them a really compelling reason to opt in to y
our list. And it s definitely worth your while to give them the incentive because
a good opt-in e-mail list will start generating profits for you immediately--and
continue to do so well into the future.
Your opt-in incentive should:
Offer specific benefits
Relate to the reason people are visiting your site in the first place
Give visitors a reason to look forward to your e-mails or keep returning to your
site
There are tons of different incentives you can use to encourage people to give y
ou their personal information, but not every offer will suit every website or bu
siness.
Most people think of newsletters right off the bat, for instance. But for some b
usinesses, a free newsletter just won t work. Suppose, for example, that your site
sells washers and dryers. You're going to be hard pressed to come up with inter
esting, relevant information about laundry for your free newsletter every month.
Before you start a newsletter, think about how much relevant information you can
deliver to your audience and how much time you have to put it together so it ca
n be delivered regularly. If it turns out that a newsletter isn't a good fit for
your business, here are eight other ways to collect your prospects' e-mail addr
esses:
1. Offer a free course.
If you have a lot of know-how in your field, you can turn your "expert" status i
nto a free multipart course. Ask yourself what kind of information visitors are
seeking when they come to your site and what you can teach them.
Your course can contain text, audio, graphics--even video--whatever suits the ma
terial you're delivering. Just send your subscribers a link to the web page wher
e your course can be found. Unlike e-mail, your website doesn't put any restrict
ions on how much rich media you can feature.
Once you ve developed the course, you can use delayed autoresponders to e-mail it
to your subscribers at specified intervals, exposing them to your business and y
our offer repeatedly. And the best part is, you re contacting them with informatio
n they ve specifically requested.
2. Offer a free e-book.

An e-book doesn't need to be hundreds of pages long to be useful. An information
-packed e-book can be as short as eight to 10 pages and still provide major valu
e for your opt-in subscribers.
You can also make your e-book viral by encouraging your customers to send your e
-book to others. Your message can spread like wildfire--and help you attract ton
s of highly targeted, potential customers.
3. Offer downloadable articles.
If your site contains a lot of useful, original, content-rich articles, one of t
he best ways to collect e-mail addresses is to require that visitors to your sit
e opt in to your list if they want to download those articles in full.
As long as you offer useful information and as long as the downloadable articles
contain something that people can't get for free in the version you've posted o
n your site, you can expect to get a ton of sign-ups using this strategy.
Now maybe you're not comfortable writing, or your business isn't suited to a wri
tten opt-in incentive. The following opt-in offers don't require much writing at
all:
4. Offer other "downloadables."
Articles aren't the only items you can offer for download on your website. Why n
ot offer e-cards, screen savers, desktop wallpapers or templates that your visit
ors can use in exchange for their opt-in information?
For instance, if you sell books about pet care, you can offer e-cards or printab
le greeting cards with photos of cute animals. Or if you sell beach home rentals
, you could easily create a screen saver with pictures of some of your most beau
tiful destinations.
You can even offer a free monthly subscription or members-only area for these sp
ecial items.
5. Offer a regular contest, puzzle or game.
Depending on the kind of business you run, there s a multitude of different option
s for this type of opt-in incentive. Some examples include:
A contest to win one of your products. But remember, don't offer to give away th
e primary product you sell. People will enter the contest hoping to win--and lea
ve your site without considering an actual purchase.
A contest to win an item (or a coupon for a percentage off an item) related to y
our product. Say you sell party favors--hats, toys and streamers. You could hold
a contest to win a free birthday cake from a bakery in your area or a coupon fo
r a party rental place.
A weekly puzzle, game or quiz. The type of puzzle is up to you. You can set it u
p as a contest and draw a name from the winning entries to award a prize, or you
can require that people give you their opt-in information to get the answer.
6. Take a survey.
Surveys give you a good excuse to appear in relevant newsgroups, forums or relat
ed newsletters and provide a link to the survey page on your website. Let partic
ipants know you ll send them the results if they give you their name and e-mail ad
dress. Because participants have to come to your site to fill out the survey, yo
u should be able to take advantage of all that new traffic and generate a signif
icant number of new opt-ins.
7. Offer a members-only forum or discussion board.
Members-only forums and discussion boards can be a major draw for people in nich
e markets. You can step in and provide a place where like-minded people meet and
discuss their hobbies or their concerns.
Besides attracting opt-ins, this will also give you a great opportunity to learn
more about your customers and what kinds of products or services you can develo
p to further meet their needs--and grow your business. You'll need to establish
some community rules and moderate the forum, but in the meantime, your subscribe
rs will be creating valuable content for you.
8. Offer members-only specials.

One of the easiest ways to encourage visitors to opt in with their personal info
rmation is to offer them a chance to save money. It can be as simple as somethin
g like this: "Do you want to receive our special MEMBERS-ONLY offers? Every mont
h we bring exclusive deals to our subscribers that you can't get anywhere else!
To start saving now, just sign up below." This is a great way to drive opt-ins a
nd sales and to make your potential customers feel appreciated before they even
buy your products.
There are many different opt-in incentives available--you just need to apply a l
ittle creativity to choose the one that's right for you and your target market.
The first step in creating a solid opt-in strategy is to consider the people you
want to opt in to your list. Just as the best businesses are created in respons
e to the needs of a specific niche market, so are the best opt-in offers. With s
ome customizing, any one of these ideas could build you a highly targeted opt-in
list.
Derek Gehl is Entrepreneur.com's "E-Business" columnist and the CEO of the Inter
net Marketing Center, an internet marketing firm that has helped thousands of pe
ople learn to start and run their own online businesses.
Why You Should Encourage Online Product Reviews

Online reviews by your customers can turn browsers into buyers.
By Melissa Campanelli | Entrepreneur Magazine September 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/onlinemarketing/article166012.html
What do customers think of your products? Let them tell other shoppers by postin
g their comments on your website. As plenty of e-tailers have discovered, online
reviews by happy customers carry more weight with other buyers than most forms
of marketing communication.
"The more clutter we get in traditional media, the more consumers are talking to
each other," says Peter Kim, a senior analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridg
e, Massachusetts.
Tom Cox of Golfballs.com is a believer. "There [are] lots of great reasons to ha
ve reviews," says the 38-year-old co-founder and CEO of the $7.5 million busines
s. "People who are shopping love to leave reviews. They provide relevant content
for both readers and search engines."
The Lafayette, Louisiana, online retailer of golf equipment decided to add revie
ws to its site last year. Giving customers the opportunity to speak their minds
has paid off so far. "Customers who have left reviews have purchased 58 percent
more golf equipment than customers who haven't," says Cox. What's more, customer
s who leave reviews have a higher average transaction size and a greater lifetim
e value than nonreviewers.
Managing all those comments can get tricky at times. "Our customer service folks
usually catch [inappropriate reviews] and clean [them] up," says Cox. "But if s
omeone leaves a legitimate review, even if it's bad, we leave it."
A number of companies offer tools to help you get started: PowerReviews offers a
free outsourced solution. Bazaarvoice's hosted and managed solution, which star
ts at $2,000 a month, monitors reviews and updates them regularly. The Prospero
CommunityCM platform lets you manage online reviews yourself for about $395 a mo
nth.
Sam Decker, vice president of marketing and products at Bazaarvoice, has these t
ips for making reviews work.
1. Encourage customers to talk. "A simple gift certificate offered to customers
to share new opinions can increase review volume 500 percent to 800 percent in a
matter of weeks," says Decker.
2. Have them log in. "This best practice ensures that reviewers are invested in
sharing their opinions [and] increases the credibility of the community," says D
ecker. "It also makes it easier to moderate and analyze the community."
3. Use customer comments in your marketing. Decker suggests you use average rati
ng icons in ads and catalogs, or repurpose review text as copy for marketing col
lateral.
Melissa Campanelli is a marketing and technology writer in New York City.
Gail Goodman: E-Mail Marketing

Attracting Customers With a Free Consultation
Show prospects what you can do for their business by offering a complimentary a
ssessment.
By Gail Goodman | September 07, 2006
One of the best ways to show prospects your business's value is with a compellin
g customer case study coupled with an offer to repeat your success with their bu
siness.
To find the perfect case study to offer up to prospects, think about how your bu
siness has already solved problems for your satisfied customers. Maybe your prod
ucts or services have saved them time and money or helped their efficiency. Iden
tify and quantify how you've successfully met your customers' needs, then use email marketing communications to share that case study and package an enticing s
ervice introduction as a "free consultation."
Done correctly, potential customers will feel they're getting a tremendous value
for free while you'll have created an opportunity to bid for their actual busin
ess. Here are a few suggestions for how to use e-mail marketing to show prospect
s what your business can do for them--and get your phone lines ringing:
Show by Example: Support the Offer With a Compelling Case Study
You already have success stories from customers happy with your product or servi
ce. Ask if you can interview a preferred customer for a short case study that pr
esents their problems or challenges and shows how your business provided solutio
ns. (You can also present the case in more generic terms if you wish the client
to remain anonymous.) Quantify how you helped that customer, either in terms of
gained business, lowered costs, higher efficiency, increases in revenue--whateve
r made your relationship successful. Then outline your methodology in broad step
s, and include testimonial quotes if you have the client's permission.
Publish your short case study in your e-mail newsletter or via a separate e-mail
marketing campaign. Alongside it, run a sidebar offering a "free consultation"
(or "complimentary assessment," "project evaluation," "service overview," "intro
ductory consultation"--whatever language works best for your business). The case
study should be the main feature while the sidebar extends your offer.
For instance, let's say your business specializes in the collections process. Yo
ur case study would describe how you revolutionized collections for a business,
saving it time, streamlining the process and increasing cash flow. Your sidebar
would be a call to action to contact you for an assessment. It should say someth
ing like, "Want to do this for your own business? Contact us for a free evaluati
on." Your "Contact us" link could go to a landing page that further explains the
offer and asks the prospect for more information about their particular busines
s needs.
Don't Wing It: Use a Structured Methodology to Evaluate Customers' Needs
Potential customers may be wary of businesses offering something for free and re
luctant to share their phone numbers and other personal data with you. Be very c
lear when wording what the free consultation involves so customers know exactly
what they're getting into. Here are some tips for writing a compelling offer:
"
Put a time limit on the assessment. "Give us 10 minutes, and we'll evalu
ate your savings potential."
"
Keep it short. "Call us for 3 ways to improve your marketing ROI."
"
Frame it as a self-assessment tool. "Take our 10-minute self-assessment
test to learn if we can help lower your IT costs."
"
Market an event. "Join us for a two-hour seminar to learn more about how
search engine optimization can help your business."
You don't want prospects to feel like you're saying, "Call us, and we'll sell yo
u." It's not a hard sell. A "quick assessment" is more digestible to customers s
till in research mode.
You'll want to put your best foot forward with these hot prospects, so make sure
whoever takes these sales calls is up to the task and does their homework based
on the information prospects submitted and what you know based on their past ac
tivity (learn what their past activity means for you in this previous article I
wrote).
Another important tip: Draw in your customers without giving away so much that t
hey could do what you offer themselves. And if you say your consultation will ta
ke 10 minutes, don't let it yawn on to 45--or even 15.
To make your assessment short and effective, develop a rigorous methodology base
d on your past experience with evaluating customers' needs so in 10 minutes, you
'll know whether you can help a prospect or not. The more structured your assess
ment and ROI tools, the more successful your free evaluations will be. It's your
one chance to win your prospects' confidence and take the relationships to the
next level-getting the go-ahead to create a proposal for their business.
To reach even more prospects, you should reach into your e-mail tracking and rep
orting data--it'll show you who clicked through to your offer page but didn't su
bmit a form. Those warm prospects are worth a phone call as well.
E-mail marketing is a wonderful way to generate leads and build customer relatio
nships.
It's the first step in a process that moves prospects to phone contact and culmi
nates with you pitching the client in person. If you've conducted your complimen
tary assessment correctly, you should already know what the customer needs and h
ow your product or service can help. Your proposal should be informed, insightfu
l and right on target, offering solutions to the customers' specific problems. C
lose the deal with the confidence that comes from knowing you've done your homew
ork on a newfound customer.
Gail F. Goodman is the"E-Mail Marketing" coach at Entrepreneur.com and is CEO of
Constant Contact, a web-based e-mail marketing service for small businesses. She
's also a recognized small-business expert and speaker.
Make a Great First Impression

You never get a second chance to grab your audience s attention, so give center s
tage to a headline that really turns heads.
By Catherine Seda | Entrepreneur Magazine October 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/gettingtraffic/article167634.html
How do you get prospects to read your online press releases? Sway subscribers t
o open your online newsletters? Stop shoppers from leaving your website immediat
ely? You write a headline that attracts attention. If you want your audience to
take action, you ve got to give them a reason to read on.
A headline is the first line of copy. It can be the title of a press release, th
e subject line of an e-mail or the first few words on a web page. It shouldn t sel
l your product or service, but it should compel readers to read a little more.
It should also be set apart from the rest of your copy. A press release title or
e-mail subject line seems obvious enough. The headline on a web page could be a
different font, size or color than the rest of the supporting copy. Grab the at
tention of readers visually as well as emotionally.
So what gives headlines emotional power? First of all, pinpoint your readers pain
. Second, sell a result, not a feature. And third, make the result easy to obtai
n.
Pretend you want to lose weight. Which of these headlines would grab your attent
ion? Lose weight now. Money-back guarantee or Tired of diets that fail? Discover th
e 5 secrets to enjoying delicious food while losing 10 pounds in 10 days. Whoa. B
ig difference. Why? The second headline taps into people s pain of having tried di
ets that didn t work. Five steps seem simple enough. And promising a specific resu
lt within a specific time frame taps into people s need for instant gratification.
Brainstorm a list of headlines that strike an emotional chord with your target r
eaders. What problems are they dealing with now, and what will your company s prod
uct or service help them achieve? Come up with several ideas, and test each of t
hem out. You can then use your highest-performing headline in all your online ma
rketing materials.
You only have seconds to make a first impression. Use a headline to tap into the
needs and wants of your readers, and you ll turn web surfers into customers.
Catherine Seda, a leading internet and search marketing expert, is dean of inter
net marketing for LA College International and creator of the new Search Marketi
ng Mastery Pay-Per-Click training course and free lessons.
Increase Business With International Customers

How to know when to take your business global
By Nichole L. Torres | Entrepreneur Magazine October 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/growyourbusiness/internationalexpansion/article
167846.html
If the Tears for Fears song is true, everybody wants to rule the world. OK, mayb
e it s not exactly world domination you re after, but rather a world presence for yo
ur company. How do you know when to take your business global? First, ask yourse
lf if your startup is running well enough domestically to give you time to focus
on an international presence, says Stephanie Frank, business expert and author
of The Accidental Millionaire: Leaping From Chance to Mastery in the Game of Lif
e. Delve into what you might need, at a minimum, to do business in a foreign coun
try, she says. Maybe you need education on language or business customs. Make sure
you plan first to learn some of the foreign ways.
Your next big task is to determine whether or not your product will translate ov
erseas. Just because you have a product that sells well [in the U.S.] doesn t mean
it s going to sell in other countries, says Frank. Think about how your product or s
ervice needs to be changed. Consider the clothing or shoe size translations. Does
your product have to be retooled or rescaled? Then, says Frank, do a cost analy
sis. Is your product affordable in the local currency? You might find your barga
in U.S. product would have to retail at a higher foreign price point, taking you
out of the running in that market.
Just ask Mark Chaplin, who brought Disc-Go-Tech products from his Langley, Briti
sh Columbia, location to 50 countries around the world, including all of Europe,
Egypt, Japan and South Africa. Manufacturing a high-tech machine to repair comp
act discs, Chaplin took his business global in 2003. His plan was to find an ove
rseas distributor who could penetrate the European marketplace. The biggest chall
enge in working with distributors is [navigating] different languages and time z
ones, says Chaplin, 32. With our European [distributors], we have a biannual meeti
ng [over there]. We really try to keep in touch with them. Today, the company boa
sts sales of $5.3 million.
Finally, don t forget the internet as a key tool to research your company s internat
ional potential. Go to the international Amazon, eBay, Google and Yahoo! sites t
o get a feel for the products and price points of your market. If done right, sa
ys Frank, your international push can be a huge source of revenue.

Simplify Your Company s Story
Learn how to communicate what you do in a way that s relatable to your referral s
ources.
By Ivan Misner | September 26, 2006
Central to the referral-marketing process for any entrepreneur is teaching peopl
e how to send you referrals. To do so, people must know exactly what you do--wha
t product or service you provide or make, how and under what conditions you prov
ide it, how well you do it, and in what ways you re better at what you do than you
r competitors.
You re responsible for communicating this information to your referral sources. An
d to communicate effectively, you must know your information inside and out.
It may seem like a no-brainer--don t we all know what we do for a living? Of cours
e, but can you communicate it clearly and simply to your potential sources? If y
ou think about it, you may find you re not quite as clear on the facts as you thou
ght. And if you can t tell your potential sources what you do or what you sell, ho
w can they send you good referrals?
To ensure that your referral marketing campaign is as effective as possible, tak
e a few minutes to get a clear picture of where your business stands today. You
may think you know why you re in business, but perhaps it s been years since you ve gi
ven it serious thought. Now is a good time to reexamine why you re doing what you re
doing. Ask yourself these questions and write down your answers:
Why are you in business (other than to make a living)? Why do you do what you do
? How does your business serve others?
What do you sell? Most important, what are the benefits--not the features--of yo
ur products or services?
Who are your customers? What are your target markets? Be specific. Look at all s
egments of your business to determine the niche or niches you prefer to work wit
h.
What are your core competencies, and what do you do best?
How well do you compete? How do you stand out from your competition?
Answering these questions will help you tell others what your business is all ab
out. And it ll make you more effective at implementing a comprehensive referral sy
stem.
After you ve written down your answers, think about how you can effectively commun
icate this information to your referral sources. How you communicate with others
is very powerful. In From Selling to Serving, Lou Cassara talks about how impor
tant being clear what your purpose is. He says, Your PVS (personal value statemen
t) provides the opportunity for your clients, staff and family to market you eff
ectively. You can build a distribution channel of people who can effectively com
municate your value.
I bet you re so accustomed to the ubiquitous What do you do? question at mixers, bus
iness events, seminars, etc. You hardly give a thought to how you re answering tha
t question. It s not enough to simply tell your contacts your job description--for
instance, I own and operate a sporting goods store. In order to deepen the relati
onship, you must talk about what you do in a way that, as Lou says, communicates
the magic of your vision expressed through your words.
Too many business professionals and companies try to be all things to all people
. Don t do that! Focus on the things you do well, and document those things and yo
ur vision in a way that you can communicate to others. By clearly understanding
what you do, you re better able to communicate this to your referral sources, and
this helps teach your referral sources how they can refer you. And that s what net
working is all about.
By the way, what do I tell people about whom I am and what I do? Well, one of th
e things I say is that I m changing the way the world does business by teaching pe
ople that when it comes to referrals, givers gain.
Dr. Ivan Misner is Entrepreneur.com's "Networking" columnist and a New York Time
s bestselling author. He's also the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's lar
gest referral organization with thousands of chapters in dozens of countries aro
und the world. His latest book, Masters of Success, can be viewed at www.Masters
ofSuccess.biz.
Research Your Industry

Before you launch, get to know your industry like the back of your hand.
By April Y. Pennington | Entrepreneur's StartUps October 2006

URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/findingcustomers/marketresear
ch/article168268.html
When Vicky Dionne, 40, and Tina Leuthner, 39, wanted to create handbags, they kn
ew jumping into an industry with no prior experience wasn t wise. Before becoming
stay-at-home moms, Dionne ran a portfolio and Leuthner did pharmaceutical sales
and marketing. When the idea to design handbags came up, the pair decided to gai
n experience by selling others handbags first.
Tina and Vicky s Picks started almost three years ago, after the partners did exte
nsive research and attended accessory shows. Choosing to work with smaller desig
ners, Leuthner and Dionne took small steps, first selling bags through home show
s, which allowed them unfettered customer opinions. It was kind of like being a b
artender, says Dionne. They would tell us what they wanted in a handbag and all th
e problems they had [with them].
In addition to doing market research like this, research the industry itself. He
idi Neck, assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College in Wellesley
, Massachusetts, notes that every industry has its distinct character and ways of
doing things. New entrants with little knowledge of the unspoken rules, etiquet
te, major players (people, not companies) and other nuances not found in publish
ed industry reports will have a difficult time establishing legitimacy.
Dionne and Leuthner were able to get a different industry perspective buying han
dbags from wholesalers, which helped them tremendously when they launched their
own line last year. Having already built a good retail customer base through Ti
na and Vicky s Picks, the partners intermixed their bags with other designer bags
and watched customers reactions. After one season, Dionne and Leuthner focused so
lely on their own line, calling the new venture Cristina Vasiliky--the partners r
eal first names.
Cristina Vasiliky bags are currently sold mostly in New York metro area boutique
s. Like the designers they first bought from, the partners have already secured
a booth at AccessoriesTheShow in New York City. They hope their line will be car
ried nationwide, but plan to take small, calculated steps. We don t want to leap to
o fast, says Leuthner, who projects 2006 sales of $150,000 for the Summit, New Je
rsey, company.
If you choose to gain experience by working for a future competitor rather than
starting your business right away, your situation may differ from Dionne and Leu
thner s. Many industries require employees to sign noncompete agreements, says Neck.
A would-be entrepreneur is wise not to sign such an agreement.
Tis the Season for Smart Marketing

6 ways to market to your customers and prospects during the holidays
By Janet Holian | October 02, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/marketingideas/article168270.html
Nothing drives sales and business relationships like a personal connection, and
there s no better time to make that personal connection than during the holiday se
ason. No matter what type of business you have, reaching out to your customers a
nd prospects over the holidays is critical, since it helps builds long-term rela
tionships with customers who buy from you--and keeps them coming back all year l
ong.
If you re not sure just what to do, here are a few tips:
1. Personalize your holiday cards.
Perhaps the most important way to network during the holiday season is to send a
customized and personal holiday card to each and every one of your prospects an
d customers. Standard cards purchased at the local drug store just won t make the
impact you really need to make that personal connection. Instead, consider purch
asing holiday cards that are customized--include your logo, your company name an
d even your photo on the front of the card.
Then write something personal on the inside instead of just Happy holidays or Best
wishes. Stories about your family or a funny (but tasteful) quote will help you m
ake a personal connection with your customers and prospects. Match the look and
feel to other printed holiday materials, such as return address labels, gift tag
s, gift stickers, holiday brochures and thank-you notes to carry the theme throu
ghout every aspect of your business during the holidays.
2. Show your charitable side.
When it comes to sending cards, one option to consider is the charity holiday ca
rd--a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of the card is given to a specif
ic charity. Holidays are a season of giving, and current and future customers li
ke to see that you support appropriate charitable organizations. Locate an organ
ization whose cause is close to your heart, or consider one that your customers
will appreciate. Regardless of the organization, a charitable contribution is al
ways appreciated over the holidays.
3. Remember that timing is everything.
The timing of your holiday card mailing is also something to consider. Is your p
roduct or service holiday related? If so, consider sending out Thanksgiving card
s in early November to remind customers to think of you when purchasing gifts or
services related to the holidays. Even if your product or service isn t holiday r
elated, Thanksgiving cards stand out because it s more than likely they ll be the fi
rst card your customers receive and open. Another alternative is to mail New Yea
r s cards, a nice way to help drive business at the beginning of the year.
4. Make a high-impact promotion.
Once you ve determined your holiday card strategy, your next step is to implement
special sales or promotions related to the holidays. Then send out a postcard or
two to drive sales for these promotions. Consider vertical postcards instead of
horizontal ones, and make sure they re full color, high-impact, glossy cards that
will stand out in a sea of promotional mailings. Use photos of your business or
products, or choose images that relate to your promotion.
5. Get out there!
Now s the time to get out there and network. When people see you in person, they re
more likely toremember you when it s time to make a sale. So attend industry confe
rences or other events related to your business. And depending on just what busi
ness you re in, consider participating in industry holiday parties or town celebra
tions. You might even want to sponsor an event that will provide you with the ri
ght target market visibility.
If that s not an option for you, think about throwing your own holiday party at yo
ur place of business and inviting customers and prospects to attend. Offer refre
shments, and put on some holiday music to set the mood. Another option is to par
tner with similar or complementary small businesses to throw a party. That way,
you can share the costs while making an impact. Be sure to provide giveaways, su
ch as calendar magnets with your company name on them, to all attendees.
6. Don t forget the thank you.
The final step in a successful holiday season are the thank-you notes. Handwritt
en thank-you notes make a strong impact on customers because they re proof you go
the extra mile to please your customers. It s especially effective, during the hol
idays, to send thank-you notes to your customers when they purchase large orders
or to thank them for referrals you ll attract a tremendously loyal customer base.
If you follow these steps for holiday networking, this holiday season is bound t
o be one of your best yet. And the best part is, the relationships you build dur
ing the holidays will surely carry over to the new year.
Janet Holian is the chief marketing officer for VistaPrint, a leading online sup
plier of high-quality graphic design services and customized printed products fo
r small businesses and consumers.
Market Research on a Budget

Don t think you can afford to do market research? Think again!
By Geoff Williams | October 19, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/answerdesk/article169322.html
Q:I m on a budget. Can I afford to do market research?
A: You can t afford not to. Whether you re starting a business or releasing a new pr
oduct, you have to know if there s a need for your product or service. If you re run
ning a business and plan on releasing a product or service that customers have c
lamored for, then obviously, you ve done some market research. In the case that yo
u already know there s a need for what your business is going to do, you might wan
t to collect thoughts from your existing customers about how much they d pay for y
our new product or service, and what they really want out of it.
If you are starting a business but aren t certain there s a need for what you re offer
ing, try contacting people or companies you think may be potential customers. If
you come across as earnest, competent and capable, most people are going to wan
t to help you by spending a few minutes talking to you, and you may find that so
me of these people will, indeed, someday become clients. You should also conside
r talking to the people at the top of your industry, whether at the chamber of c
ommerce or at industry associations. You could attend a trade show and just talk
to anyone you can find about the need for a business like yours, provided you re
sure you re not going to give away any of your own trade secrets.
Keep in mind that the chamber of commerce sometimes has its own market research
it can share with you. For instance, if you plan on opening a restaurant and are
considering renting or buying a property on a street corner, you may find that
your chamber of commerce can tell you how much traffic goes by the property on a
given day.
More Solutions
Gathering Competitive Intelligence
Do Research on Your Industry
Keep Up on Industry Trends

Why Getting Published Can Help You Network
It may take a lot of work, but branding yourself as a local expert will do wond
ers for your networking efforts.
By Ivan Misner | October 24, 2006
Recently, an associate of mine who s read my books and attended some of my trainin
g sessions, called me up and said, I really love your material, but [oh, I always
worry when there s a but ] why don t you emphasize your ideas about creating your iden
tity as a brand and how it affects your networking efforts more? He went on to sa
y, That idea has made a huge impact on my business, and I don t hear you talking ab
out it very often. Well, he was right. I haven t talked a lot about it in my materi
al, though I should. (You ll learn why I haven t up to this point at the end of the
article.)
When I first started in business several decades ago, I must say that I had no i
dea how important it was to focus on branding my company and myself in the marke
tplace as a way of enhancing my networking efforts. I understood the concept fro
m an advertising and marketing perspective, but as a small-business owner, I did
n t have the advertising budget to effectively mold myself or my company into any
kind of brand (at least, that s what I thought). So I ignored it. Big mistake. It
wasn t until the early 90s that I started to think about branding and how it would
help my networking efforts.
Networking is all about relationships. Relationships are all about establishing
credibility. And credibility takes time. What I needed to do was to expedite tha
t process while still creating genuine credibility with others. Not having much
of a budget, I had to get creative about how I could make this happen.
I decided that if I wanted to increase my visibility and enhance my credibility
in the community, I needed to be viewed as the local expert. The way I decided t
o start creating my brand was by writing articles. Now, you may say, What s so spec
ial about that idea? I ve heard people suggest it before. Well, the bottom line is,
hearing it and doing it are very different things.
Surprisingly, editors and reporters need good story ideas from wherever they can
find them. Too many people who seek to be featured in newspapers or magazines s
end the equivalent of a company brochure. They fail to realize that editors and
reporters need hooks, angles and other ways to relate to distracted, overworked,
frenzied readers.
Either by phone or letter, tell the editor why readers will be interested in the
feature idea you have or why it s newsworthy. What are you doing in your business
that strikes a chord in the community? What can you share that will educate tha
t specific editor s audience?
Think about the things you know and understand best. What elements of that knowl
edge might be of interest to the general public or to a segment of the general p
ublic, such as a specific industry or targeted demographic? Then review the type
s of media outlets that write for that audience. Consider not only newspapers, m
agazines and industry journals, but also online opportunities such as e-zines, o
nline newsletters and information sites.
The associate I mentioned at the beginning of this article told me he used this
idea and worked with it for some time. He s in the travel industry, so he wrote a
series of articles about travel and sent them to various outlets each month for
several months. He received some responses (all no thank you ), until one local new
spaper finally called him personally and said they d like to use his piece in the
next day s issue.
After it came out, they contacted him again and asked if he d like to do a monthly
piece. After a little while, another media outlet that had seen his work asked
him to write for them. He told me today that he writes regular articles for seve
ral media outlets. More important, he explained that it has totally changed his
business. He said that while most travel companies are going out of business wit
h the vast changes in the industry, he s actually growing and thriving because his
articles have created an identity, or brand, for him and his company.
He continues to be very active in networking, and the articles he writes puts hi
m way above his competition because they greatly enhance his credibility when me
eting other people. And he always brings some of his recent articles to the netw
orking meetings he attends. This is important because it creates a relevant conn
ection to your networking efforts.
When you get some of your pieces published, promote them! Your articles won t incr
ease your sales overnight; however, they ll enhance your credibility throughout th
e networking process, which absolutely increases your sales over time. In additi
on, my friend told me that he now includes links on his website to some of the o
nline articles he s written as a way of enhancing his credibility with existing an
d potential clients.
So if this is such a great idea, why don t I suggest it more? In my book, Masters
of Success, I talk about success being the uncommon application of common knowle
dge. If you ask a successful person what their secret to success is, you ll almost ne
ver hear a secret. Writing articles--consistently and for an extended period of
time--to increase your credibility and enhance your networking opportunities is
no secret. But it s an idea that most people are just too lazy to implement.
The bottom line is, 98 percent of you won t actually do it. Or you ll do it for a li
ttle while and give up. I told my friend this, and he said, Do it for the 2 perce
nt of people like me who will apply the idea. It ll make a difference for them lik
e it did for me.
Well, there you go. That s pretty good advice. So the question now is, are you par
t of the 2 percent or the 98 percent?
ofSuccess.biz.

Networking Trends: Education and Technology Are Key
The relatively new formal networking arena is poised to grow in importance--and
entrepreneurs are still leading the way.
By Ivan Misner | November 14, 2006
In the early 1980s, John Naisbitt wrote in Megatrends about the emerging importa
nce of the formal networking process in society. Later, Tom Peters wrote in Thri
ving on Chaos that this process can be systematized.
When you stop to think about it, these two statements weren t made all that long a
go. Organized networking is a fairly new kid on the block. From the mid 1980s th
rough the 90s, systems and structures began to emerge that shifted a lot of busin
ess owners from the single-minded focus of direct selling to a broader scope, wh
ich included relationship marketing and networking.
There are several emerging issues and trends surrounding the process of networki
ng that are being created out of the need to find an effective way to develop bu
siness for entrepreneurs and salespeople in this new century. I ll address three o
f the most prominent trends that I believe will become more important in the com
ing years.
1. Online and face-to-face networking will both continue to flourish. I m a propon
ent of online networks like Ecademy.com and others. I think they ll continue to su
ccessfully grow and help many of their members. However, they aren t the only answ
er to business marketing or networking--they re another great tool that helps peop
le connect with others, especially outside their local geographic area.
On my blog, I recently had someone say, I don t know that it s true anymore that refe
rrals are about relationships. He went on to basically say that technology is cha
nging the rules and that just participating on a website will be good enough. We
ll, in one word, I d have to say he s WRONG!
Referrals are, and will be for the foreseeable future, all about relationships.
Whether they re relationships built online or face to face, they re still relationsh
ips. People refer people they know and trust. They won t regularly refer someone j
ust because they re listed on a website--that s called advertising, not networking.
Online networking works, but relationships must still be part of the process. Us
ing the internet to exchange ideas, share knowledge and increase your visibility
will be imperative in the coming years. Virtual networking is a trend that s real
ly catching on in many circles.
Some people involved in face-to-face networking feel threatened, as if online ne
tworking is going to replace their tried-and-true system. Those who foretell the
demise of face-to-face networking fail to note one important thing--the facts.
Face-to-face networking groups continue to expand. The growth rate of my own ref
erral networking organization bears this out. Since the internet first became po
pular in the mid 90s, my business has experienced a 1,186 percent growth rate. Th
at is not a typo.
The more high tech business owners become, the more they really need to foster tho
se high touch opportunities that face-to-face networking affords. Virtual networki
ng can be an effective way to increase your business, and the internet is a grea
t tool for staying in touch with those with whom you re currently networking, but
I don t think it ll replace face-to-face networking in our lifetime.
Technology flattens the communication hierarchy and provides opportunities to im
prove--not replace--your networking efforts. People who understand this will use
technology to take their marketing to new levels in the years to come.
2. Networking and social capital educationwill gain in popularity. Don t hold your
breath for the colleges and universities of the world to begin teaching network
ing and social capital. At this point, there are only two colleges anywhere that
offer regular, core-curriculum college courses on networking and social capital
. One is at Davis College in Ohio, and the other is at the University of Michiga
n. That s it.
College systems are behemoths of bureaucracy that are so far behind the curve of
small-business development that I m beginning to despair that they ll ever catch on
. Most professors have never had a real job in the business world and are comple
tely out of touch with what s happening in real life, especially in small business
.
I predict that the current trend in networking and social capital education will
continue to grow in the form of private professional training organizations in
much the same way that private industry has controlled the educational market on
sales techniques (another area that colleges fail miserably). Companies that ar
e offering training series on the techniques and systems of networking, social c
apital and referral marketing are starting to pop up more and more, and many hav
e very refined, polished slates of seminars and training sessions for business o
wners who want to learn how to harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Small companies will continue to have the edge over big companies in business
networking. For the most part, big companies are clueless about building sales
through the networking process. They continue to teach salespeople traditional m
ethodologies while relying heavily on advertising to create buzz. Mind you, ther
e s nothing inherently wrong with these strategies. The problem is, big companies
don t effectively add referral marketing into their processes.
When it comes to developing social capital and using the networking process, sma
ll business is king. Big business is slow to move out of the mind-set of splashy
ad campaigns, big dollars spent on traditional marketing and the same-old sameold sales techniques.
If big corporations ever get it, watch out! But so far, they ve been slow to act.
Even programs like the Do Not Call registry haven t moved big companies into underst
anding how to train their people to network effectively . . . yet.
If big business does ever get it, they ll likely run over the little guys. They ll l
earn how to develop extensive networks, and they ll teach their salespeople about
true relationship marketing. Most big businesses are just a notch or two above t
he universities in the you can t tell me anything new department. For now, there are
only a few (and I mean very few) forward-thinking big companies who consistentl
y apply these concepts. For the rest, it s a trend to watch for in the far distant
future.
When my book, The World s Best Known Marketing Secret, came out in 1994, it was on
e of the few books that talked about networking. Now there are dozens, if not hu
ndreds, on the subject. An entire industry has been born over the past decade th
at s now being codified and refined. Over the next several years, you ll see more an
d more about the importance of networking in building your business. It s developi
ng into a science as well as a way of life.
And these trends are not just an American phenomenon, but an international one.
Small-business development through the process of building social capital will c
ontinue to grow in the global market. No one has a crystal ball, but based on wh
at I m seeing and what I ve seen in the past, I believe these are some of the key th
ings to look for in the networking and referral marketing arena over the next fe
w years.
ofSuccess.biz.
3 Word-of-Mouth Marketing Tactics

And as a marketing method, it s downright unbeatable. Get customers to spread the
word about your business with 3 simple strategies.
By Kim T. Gordon | Entrepreneur Magazine December 2006
Most everyone agrees: There s no better advertising than word-of-mouth. After all,
a customer who calls you following a personal recommendation from a friend or c
olleague is more likely to buy. And that makes the pursuit of positive word-of-m
outh every entrepreneur s holy grail.
Today, marketers have created a science out of winning word-of-mouth, or WOM. Th
ere s even a Word of Mouth Marketing Association for marketing professionals char
ged with building word-of-mouth for their companies. The truth is, the right kin
d of talk doesn t always come cheap, and you have to actively pursue WOM. For maxi
mum results, build a formalized WOM program using at least one of the following
three major tactics.
1. Marketing to influencers: Every community has them. Whether they re into electr
onics or fashion, influencers are at the head of every trend. Not only do they kno
w which restaurant has the in chef or where to shop for the perfect athletic shoe,
they re also happy to tell all their friends and associates about them.
How can you find influencers and get them talking about you? Open up dialogue by
listening to customers and welcoming their comments--both positive and negative
--through your website. Then identify the most active participants and invite th
em to become part of an influential group that s first to gain information on or a
ccess to new products and services. Another option is to pinpoint organizations
or groups whose members will be receptive to your message, and seek out the infl
uencers within them. For example, the manufacturer of a new flavored water enhan
cer focused its message on how its product helped people drink the recommended a
mount of water for good health without extra sugar or artificial ingredients, an
d it sent samples to dietitians and nutritionists across the country to distribu
te to their patients.
2. Winning PR coverage: Information found in editorial coverage is generally con
sidered more credible than the messages consumers receive in advertising. And PR
placements can play an invaluable role in a WOM campaign. There are dedicated p
ublications as well as thousands of websites run by aficionados covering every i
maginable subject, so it s simply a matter of identifying the top editors or journ
alists who write about what you market. Tailor your message or stories specifica
lly to them, then send your press releases or pitch letters. Follow up by phone
or e-mail where appropriate.
Editorial reviews are particularly critical to fueling new product buzz. But jus
t about any kind of favorable product or service mention in the right media can
get people talking--particularly influencers who may avidly read everything from
blogs to magazines looking for the latest news to spread. Best of all, media co
verage is often self-perpetuating. An interesting item covered in a popular blog
, for instance, may be picked up by many others.
3. Seeding viral marketing: Have you identified a single, clear idea you want to
communicate through WOM? Viral marketing succeeds when you have a topic that mo
tivates customers to talk and you give them the means to share that conversation
. Provide an infrastructure, such as an interactive website dedicated to creatin
g a strong online community, and facilitate connections by using a company blog,
message board or forums. Or give customers something interesting they can pass
along. When you put a special offer in an e-mail, for example, it becomes an eas
y-to-forward means of building buzz.
In addition to e-mails, blogs and message boards, some companies are creating sp
ecial websites with everything from online movies to downloadable games that dra
w customers by the thousands. Try adding an element of fun, mystery or excitemen
t--with a built-in product or brand message--and WOM will surely follow.
Contact marketing expert Kim T. Gordon, author ofMaximum Marketing, Minimum Doll
ars: The Top 50 Ways to Grow Your Small Business atwww.smallbusinessnow.com. Her
new e-book, Big Marketing Ideas for Small Budgets, is available exclusively fro
m Entrepreneur atwww.smallbizbooks.com.
Marketing Your Business on Craigslist
Learn how to showcase your products and services on this popular online marketp
lace.
By Shanon Lewis | December 06, 2006
From e-commerce websites to furniture wholesalers, small businesses both online
and off are realizing the marketing power of Craigslist.org. Founded in 1996 by
Craig Newmark, Craigslist.org gets an estimated 10 million unique visitors per d
ay. With an online classified ads format organized by either region or city, Cra
igslist connects buyers and sellers in more than 300 communities; for the most p
art, posting on the site is free.
If you've never heard of Craigslist or never considered using the site to market
your business, the following tips will help you determine whether it might be a
good fit for you and offer another outlet for marketing your products and servi
ces.
What Sells Best on Craigslist
From services like tutoring, car repair and real estate to products such as whol
esale furniture, consignment goods and retail e-commerce, Craigslist is the ulti
mate destination for online marketers. If you manufacture goods, provide service
s directly or sell products regionally, Craigslist is a marketing tool you shoul
d consider. You can also easily promote an eBay store, a franchise operation or
a referral partner. And it's a bourgeoning business opportunity for affiliates a
nd webmasters looking for new ways to find customers.
Identifying Your Market
Like any other advertising medium, Craigslist requires some strategy, though par
amount to its usefulness is simplicity. To start, you need to determine which ci
ty or cities you're going to post an ad. If you're a service provider, you can i
dentify available cities on Craigslist that encompass your service region. Keep
in mind that some regions overlap. For instance, if you're a mobile groomer work
ing in Orange County, California, but service from Los Angeles to San Diego, Cra
igslist reaches your service area across four cities. So you'd want to develop y
our messaging and a posting schedule in each of these regions to increase your e
xposure. If you sell a product or offer a service nationwide, the opportunity to
reach new customers is even greater.
Posting on Craigslist, either nationally or locally, requires an understanding o
f the rules. Craigslist has in place--a set of rules that prohibits advertisers
from over-posting or spamming users. You can follow these rules and still get ex
cellent exposure. To start, develop unique ads for each city you post in, focus
on specific products and rotate them on a promotional schedule. Never post the e
xact same ad within 48 hours, and be careful to delete your old ad. Craigslist u
sers are quick to spot businesses that misuse the system and can be quite unforg
iving. The Craigslist flagging system puts the power of spam control into the ha
nds of the users.
Building Ads
Building an ad on Craigslist can be as simple as typing in some text, or you can
incorporate html and images. Typically, what works best is the direct approach.
For instance, if you're a real estate agent using Craigslist to promote propert
ies for sale, build a text ad that incorporates images of the properties for sal
e--you don't need to know html to do this. Simply define what property specifica
tions best sell the property and keep the sales pitch to a minimum. Be sure to i
nclude important search words, such as three bedroom or condominium, as well as regi
onal identifiers including a ZIP code, city or community name. You do this so th
at people who search for specific items find you in the search results.
Craigslist s search function isn't based on a search algorithm; instead, search re
sults are displayed first by date, then by keyword. This makes the text content
of your ad extremely important. Ads with images only increase ad effectiveness.
And adding images to your ad isn't difficult. If you're not web savvy, use the "
upload image" function available during the posting process. (If you want to fea
ture a large image or more than one, you'll need to upload your images to your o
wn web server and reference them inside your ad using basic html.) Images, howev
er, are not required. Often the best performing ads on Craigslist are simple tex
t ads that get straight to the point.
Tracking Results
If you plan to post in multiple cities and offer specific promotions, tracking w
hich ads produce the best results is important. You can track a Craigslist ad by
e-mail, phone number or website referral. Each tracking mechanism should featur
e a unique component like a custom e-mail address, telephone extension or websit
e referral code. How you choose to track should depend on your industry and the
typical methods customer use to communicate with you. Unlike eBay, Craigslist do
es not provide you with any demographic or tracking data.
Regardless of whether you sell a product or service, it's important to understan
d the competitive landscape on a daily or weekly basis. Supply and demand for ce
rtain products or services will fluctuate. Take the time to get to know the othe
r players in your cities or categories. If you see a rush on a certain product,
focus on something complimentary. For instance, if you're a mattress wholesaler
and see that a large number of a specific brand and/or size mattresses are flood
ing your market, either price match or focus your energy on a different size or
bed frame until the market stabilizes. Also, take into consideration the season
and the demographic (both income and recreational) of the cities in which you po
st. In the winter, a snowmobile will not sell nearly as well in California as it
will in Vermont.
Community Commitment
As an open market, Craigslist welcomes sellers from all walks of life. Keep in m
ind that as a business owner, you're just as likely to compete with everyday peo
ple selling the contents of their attic as you are a national brand retailer wit
h sights on breaking into your market. The community element sets Craigslist apa
rt from its competitors. Harness the power of your community by doing more than
just posting. The most trafficked area of Craigslist is the forums. Use the foru
ms to communicate with fellow sellers and potential buyers or to establish an ac
tive, ethical voice for your business.
Selling Safely
Fraud exists in every corner of the business world, both online and offline. The
anonymous nature of Craigslist--the very thing that makes it so popular--is als
o the reason you should take measures to protect yourself against fraud. With no
member or seller ratings system, Craigslist can fall prey to scam artists. Make
an effort to talk to each new customer via phone, only ship items once payment
is received, and always use your best judgment when it comes to business transac
tions.
Craigslist continues to experience rapid growth--additional cities have come onl
ine in recent months and more are expected to launch throughout the next year. T
he buzz about this great resource is sweeping the nation, and every day people f
rom all over the world are visiting the site, looking to buy from trusted seller
s and service providers. Get in on the action by harnessing the marketing power
of Craigslist.
Shanon Lewis is a web-marketing expert who specializes in marketing on Craigslis
t. She's also the author of The Unofficial Craigslist Book and regularly shares
her wisdom on Craigslist and online marketing at her popular blog.
How to Use Online Surveys

Do them right, and online surveys can be very revealing.
By Melissa Campanelli | Entrepreneur Magazine January 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/sitedesign/article171918.html
By now, you ve probably used some sort of online survey tool to quiz site visitors
. These tools--offered by companies such as QuestionPro, SurveyMonkey and Zoomer
ang--allow you to find out what your customers like and what they don t. And with
costs generally ranging from free to about $20 a month, web surveys are a cost-e
ffective tool.
Gathering feedback from customers has [a] great impact on any organization s busine
ss model, says Esteban Kolsky, a research director at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, C
onnecticut. Feedback, when used correctly, can increase cross-sell and upsell tra
nsactions by 15 percent to 20 percent.
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs make the mistake of implementing web surveys w
ithout a concrete strategy--which can actually reduce customer satisfaction and
provide a less-than-ideal experience for customers. Getting effective and usable
results, according to Kolsky, means you should:
1. Understand what you want. Says Kolsky, It is essential to know before crafting
the survey what information is being sought.
2. Deliver surveys at the point of service. Effective surveys are usually deliver
ed at the conclusion of a service interaction via the same channel as the servic
e provided, he says.
3. Keep it short and simple. Customers are more likely to complete a survey when
the time to completion is explicitly displayed at the beginning of the process,
the purpose of the survey is clearly stated and the use of information is define
d, says Kolsky. He also recommends no more than four to six questions per survey,
one common topic, short and succinct wording, and a multiple-choice format.
4. Ensure consistent gathering. Handpicking the right respondents to achieve higher
scores is a common problem when gathering responses, says Kolsky. Don t discard pa
rticipant data just because a customer appears upset or biased--you ll rob your bu
siness of critical insight and end up with skewed results.
5. Examine the answers. As Kolsky says, A well-designed survey will reveal trends
, patterns and outright new information --all of which will be valuable components
to improving the customer experience.
Melissa Campanelli is a marketing and technology writer in New York City.
Let Customers Rain In

Get out your umbrella--hiring a rainmaker can make profits pour.
By Mark Henricks | Entrepreneur Magazine January 2007
Michael Lacey is in the business of IT consulting, not creating weather. But the
38-year-old Plymouth, Minnesota, entrepreneur knows that hiring employees who c
an make it rain is critical to the continued success of Digineer Inc., the 87-pe
rson company he founded in 1998. Three years ago, Lacey brought on a new salespe
rson he felt would be a rainmaker--someone with a marked ability to attract and
retain customers.
The company's rapid expansion since then--sales growth of more than 80 percent a
year to the current level of $14 million--is due largely to the direct and indi
rect effects of adding that rainmaker, Lacey says. "If I had hired another sales
person, a good salesperson but not a great one, we would have grown," he says, "
but I don't think it would have been as explosively."
Hiring a rainmaker is the most important task of any entrepreneur, according to
Jeffrey Fox, a Chester, Connecticut, sales training consultant and author of Sec
rets of Great Rainmakers: The Keys to Success and Wealth. "Sales is job one," Fo
x says. "It's the critical first job."
Hiring a rainmaker starts with finding one, and that starts with defining one. T
o Lacey, a rainmaker is skilled at understanding customer needs and then dealing
with customers the way the rainmaker would like to be dealt with. "The best way
I could describe a rainmaker is somebody who understands the Golden Rule," he s
ays. To identify such a person, Lacey looks at a candidate's track record, and h
e interviews intensively.
For Fox, a rainmaker can be anyone with great listening skills, tremendous energ
y and a hunger to prove himself or herself. He is less keyed on track record. In
fact, he thinks it's so important for potential rainmakers to listen to and fol
low worthy advice that he focuses on younger hires who lack preconceived notions
.
To hire a rainmaker, offer an environment that is focused on the customer, requi
res little bureaucratic paperwork and gives the rainmaker free rein. Oh, and be
ready to pay through the nose. "Pay steak and eat hot dogs," is Fox's advice. En
trepreneurs should be prepared to pay a rainmaker more than anyone in the organi
zation--including themselves--because rainmakers are motivated largely by money.
Structuring compensation is also critical. Don't just pay a big salary. Base mos
t compensation on performance. Put salespeople on 100 percent commission if poss
ible. And remember that not all rainmakers are salespeople.
Other types of rainmakers can be compensated with bonuses or profit sharing to p
rovide motivation to constantly improve their game. Otherwise, they're likely to
go elsewhere, Fox says.
A rainmaker who has the freedom and motivation to bring in business will likely
be a happy rainmaker who stays with your company. But you might drive away rainm
akers by saddling them with paperwork such as unduly detailed and burdensome exp
ense reports. You may also drive them away by micromanaging.
One common misstep is promoting a rainmaker into a management job where he or sh
e has little customer contact. Neither the rainmaker nor the company's sales wil
l benefit, Fox warns. "Rainmakers should be allowed and encouraged to stay in th
e field, keep selling and keep ringing the cash registers."
Not all companies are ready for a rainmaker, in Lacey's opinion. Companies must
reach a certain level of maturity and have a track record that lets the rainmake
r leverage his or her skills and turn them into dollars. "You have to have enoug
h success stories that they have something to trade on," he explains.
Perhaps the best news about rainmakers is that good ones can transform a company
's entire culture, making it more customer-focused, more driven and more capable
of attracting and keeping customers. But just as you can never have too many cu
stomers, no enterprise can have too many rainmakers, Fox says: "After you hire y
our first rainmaker, your job is to find another one."
Mark Henrickswrites on business and technology for leading publications and is a
uthor ofNot Just a Living.

The Importance of Sales in Networking
Even if you're getting all the referrals you need, you can't leave your sales s
kills by the wayside.
By Ivan Misner | December 26, 2006
Editor's note: The article below is based on material from Dr. Misner s recently r
eleased New York Times bestselling book Truth or Delusion? Busting Networking s Bi
ggest Myths.
Truth or delusion? If you re getting all the referrals you need, you don t need to s
ell.
Delusion. Anybody who s experienced and successful in referral marketing will tell
you that sales skills are absolutely essential. And they re needed in every part
of the process--not just in closing the sale with the prospect.
First, you have to sell yourself to your potential referral source--she has to b
uy the concept that there s value in introducing you to someone she knows. A refer
ral is not a guaranteed sale; it s the opportunity to do business with someone to
whom you've been recommended. You still have to close the deal.
You have to make it clear that you know how to sell, that you can and will provi
de the products or services you're expected to provide, and that your customer w
ill be happy with both the process and the result--which will reflect favorably
on the provider of the referral. If you can t make that first sale, your potential r
eferral source won t become your referral provider, because she won t be inclined to
risk her relationship with the prospect. That is, she won t do her part to sell t
he referral. Two separate studies, the one I conducted in the early '90s and ano
ther one conducted in Florida in 2006, found that approximately 34 percent of al
l business referrals turn into sales.
This is an outstanding number, but it s still not 100 percent. Therefore, sales sk
ills are still important in networking. Having the knowledge and skill to genera
te the referral, then having the knowledge and skill to close the sale, gives yo
u the one-two punch.
Beyond selling yourself to the referral source, you have to sell yourself to the
prospect to get that first appointment. Yes, the referral helps a great deal, b
ut you ve still got to convince the prospect that the appointment is worth his tim
e and likely to result in a favorable outcome. You should avoid being aggressive
, indecisive or evasive at this point; the prospect, having been in contact with
your referral provider, is expecting a high level of respect and professionalis
m in your approach. You can and should be confident that a mutually beneficial d
eal is in the works, and you should communicate this to the prospect by your att
itude and actions. Strive not to embarrass your referral source.
Then, once you've made the appointment, you have to persuade the prospect to buy
your product or service. This is the part that usually comes to mind when you h
ear the word "sale."
Your integrity is paramount at this stage. The prospect should know exactly what
to expect--no hidden charges, no unexpected exceptions, no bait-and-switch.
Even if you ve created a highly efficient system of generating referrals for your
business and you see a steady stream of referrals being funneled to you, there's
no guarantee you'll be capable of closing any of them.
Note, however, that in referral marketing, closing the deal with your prospect i
s neither the beginning nor the end of the selling process. To get to this point
, you'll have made at least two other "sales," as noted above. And in order to b
uild and maintain the long-term relationships that characterize referral marketi
ng, you have to follow up with both your new customer and your referral provider
--again, part of the total sales process.
Remember, the number-one rule in referral marketing is to make your referral pro
vider look good. You need to demonstrate that you know how to sell to the prospe
ct in a way that doesn t embarrass the source of your referral--that you re going to
consult with the prospect, discover his needs, offer solutions based on those n
eeds, give him some options and not force a sale if you know you can t provide a g
ood solution.
On the other hand, if your technique is to hold the prospect hostage at his kitc
hen table until he breaks down and buys, your referral source won't be pleased t
hat you ve abused your relationship with her and damaged her relationship with the
prospect. You may get the deal, but you ve shut yourself off from further deals w
ith that client--and with any future referrals from your source.
The bottom line about sales in referral marketing is this: If you re not comfortab
le with sales, or if you haven t been professionally trained, sales training is an
investment worth your while. It'll serve you well in every aspect of relationsh
ip marketing and referral networking.
Called the father of modern networking, Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder of BNI a
nd the senior partner for the Referral Institute. He has written nine books, inc
luding his recently released New York Times best seller Truth or Delusion? Busti
ng Networking s Biggest Myths.
Landing Media Placement for Your Product

How to get your product a starring role in a TV show or movie
By Geoff Williams | January 16, 2007
So you re in the movie theatre or watching a sitcom on TV, and you re thinking, How d t
his two-bit joke get into the script? They must have known somebody. Why couldn t
the audience be cheering for me?
No, you re not begrudging Will Smith, Julia Roberts or Jim Belushi their slice of
fame. You re wondering how Daniel Craig wound up wearing an Omega watch instead of
the brand your company manufactures. You re wondering how much dough Wonder Bread
had to cough up to be the sponsor of the car Will Ferrell drives in Talladega N
ights.
As long-time consumers, we're a savvy bunch. The term "product placement" is old
news to us. And we know it wasn't a screenwriter or director who insisted those
products appear in their films--Omega and Wonder Bread paid big bucks to get th
eir brands into the movies.
But anyone who watches a fair amount of TV or goes to the movies has also probab
ly noticed it s not just the Miller Lites and American Airlines of the world that
are getting their 15 minutes of fame. Every once in awhile, an average Joe-type
of product will be given prominent placement. And if you re a serious and ambitiou
s entrepreneur, you couldn't help but think, They re not a major conglomerate. How'
d they do that?
Or more important: How can I do that?
Product placement is almost no different than being an unknown actor trying to m

ake it into the movies or TV. And that s both good news and bad. Because if you ar
en t a company with an unlimited marketing budget, getting your product seen on TV
or in the movies isn t easy. But on the other hand, if you re willing to pay your d
ues--and if you have some pluck and a little luck--your product, too, can be a s
tar.
The encouraging thing to remember is that Hollywood wants your business, and get
ting your foot in the door doesn t always mean paying a huge fee to get it there,
says Joey Carson, CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions, which produces numerous reali
ty TV series including MTV s The Real World and Road Rules and FOX s The Simple Life
.
It s such an important part of what goes on in television, says Carson. Nowadays, you r
e either going to have a person in your company who works solely on business dev
elopment or, at the very least, a big part of a person's job will be focusing on
product placement and trade-outs.
For those not familiar with the term, trade-outs is a form of product placement
in which an entrepreneur pays nothing to get their product in a show or movie--e
xcept for what it costs to provide the product or service for free. That s how it
worked out for sisters Tag and Catherine Goulet, who own FabJob, a publishing ho
use specializing in career guidance books.
A Bewitching Product
It was June, 2004, when the set decorating coordinator for the movie, Bewitched,
called FabJob. He told Tag that Nicole Kidman, who was playing the witchy Saman
tha Stephens, would be looking for a new career in the movie, so she'd be lookin
g at career-oriented books at a bookstore and he wanted some of theirs.
The set decorating coordinator had found the FabJob website and was impressed by
their operation, but the film's director, Nora Ephron, looked at the website wh
ile Tag was on that first phone call and wasn't as impressed. Tag understood. Th
e site featured plain e-book images, rather than their actual printed books. In
two days, she quickly put together with sample print books and even had her art
designer create a fake book, titled FabJob Guide to Becoming a Witch or Warlock.
Almost two months went by without a word before Tag got an e-mail from a new set
decorator, saying they not only wanted to use the books--three copies of each-but that they also needed large cardboard book displays. And they needed it all
in a week.
Fortunately, Tag was able to jump through the appropriate hoops and provide Bewi
tched with the necessary props they wanted for close to $1,000. And although the
FabJob books aren't featured very prominently in the film--appearing so quickly
that Tag admits, It s unlikely people would notice them if they weren t looking for
them. --there s no question that the time and effort put into the product placement
was worth it.
The benefit to us hasn't been the fact that people can see our books in a movie, s
ays Tag, who notes that they received quite a bit of local media coverage, inclu
ding a feature story in the Calgary Herald. The benefit is that we can say our bo
oks have been featured in a movie starring Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman, which
is great for credibility.
Jumping Through More Hoops
Tom Berton agrees. The fact that you ve been on the show is actually more importan
t than the actual media and show. The publicity you get from that gives your bus
iness credibility," Berton says, "and from that point on, you can be relentless
with it.
Berton owns Shearwater Sailing, a tour boat business. In December 2005, his busi
ness received several minutes of exposure on The Apprentice when, as a reward, D
onald Trump sent two contestants on a boat ride around Manhattan on the Shearwat
er, a 1920s-era yacht owned by Berton.
He isn't quite sure how The Apprentice learned about his business. He'd sent out
packets of information to The Apprentice series, but those who called him seeme
d to know nothing about that. Regardless, Berton wasn t about to let the opportuni
ty slip away from him once the series came to him.
I signed the most Draconian contract I ve ever signed in my life, says Berton, expla
ining that he was sworn to secrecy to not tell anyone about his company's involv
ement with The Apprentice until the episode aired.
They can own your business if you ruin their ratings by gossiping to tabloids, say
s Berton, explaining that the series understandably considered the scene of the
contestants on the boat as proprietary information. If word leaked out from anyon
e related to Shearwater, it was understood they'd have immeasurable damage and t
hat we would be fully liable for it, says Berton. Basically, I was pledging my ass
ets of the company to them.
But he s not complaining. And he's using the experience to his advantage. He promi
nently mentions his boat s appearance on The Apprentice on his website, www.shearw
atersailing.com. And when he talks about the experience to people, the reply is
often, That was your boat? That was amazing. Although Shearwater had a certain cac
he to it, anyway--it is a luxury yacht--having Donald Trump s name associated with
it arguably increased it tenfold.
Landing a Gig
Of course, you don t have to wait for Hollywood to come to you to get your compan
y name in lights. Producers like Carson encourage entrepreneurs to approach them
. We do a lot of deals with small companies, says Carson, who thinks there s somethi
ng special about working with the underdog entrepreneurs. I m just a fan of busines
s in general, and I have a lot of respect for entrepreneurs. You re taking the ris
k, and the odds aren t on your side as a business owner. I m always happy if there s a
ny way I can give encouragement to a business by working out a trade-off or prod
uct placement deal.
That said, Carson--or any other producer--isn t just going to work something out b
ecause he likes the entrepreneur, and there is a definite way of going about the
art of product placement. For instance, once you learn the name of the producti
on company that produces a show (which you can get by watching the credits if yo
u somehow can t find it on the internet), don t call them ask to speak to the produc
er or someone in business development. You re just going to put them on the spot a
nd encourage a no, thanks.
Instead, send your pitch in writing. And when you do, pitch your product, not a
scenario of how you think the series or movie should use your product. That s a tur
n-off, admits Carson. The best way to approach it is to present an overview of you
r company in general, and whatever product line you have, and then just maybe sa
y, We welcome the opportunity of how our product might be a part of your show, and
leave it at that. On our side, we ll know if it s a fit or not.
While the bigger players the ones who can afford to spend big bucks to get their p
roducts placed in TV shows or movies--generally use an agency that specializes i
n product placement, like Norm Marshall & Associates, an international company h
eadquartered in Los Angeles, you don't need to do that to land a gig. You can sp
end just a few thousand dollars and approach someone like Betsy Green, CEO of Me
dia Matchmaker [www.mediamatchmaker.com], a service that hooks up entrepreneurs
with producers in the name of getting product placement deals worked out.
When it comes to placement, Green agrees with Carson. Every producer has a filter
ing system, and they ll only use your product if they deem it appropriate," says G
reen. "You really have to sell your product to the producer, and even then, ther
e are no guarantees. Someone else in the production entity may say the packaging
isn t good enough or the product stinks. Or the star may say they don t want it.
In the end, it all comes down to putting on a good show. It is a creative process
, says Carson. It s almost more of a gut-level decision that s made, because these are
creative people at work. But the one main guiding principle is that the product
needs to be organic with the show. It can t detract from the show in any way. One
, we don t want our shows to look like a television commercial, and that leads in
to the second rule, which is to protect the show. I think if you do something ov
er-the-top, where a character is holding up a product, practically modeling it a
s if he s on The Price is Right, that s not good for us--or your brand.
Your Product Placement Primer
Inspired to try to get your product or service some free publicity? Here are a f
ew quick steps you can follow that just may get your product or service a suppor
ting role in a movie or television show:
1. Put on your brainstorming cap. What type of show or movie would you like to s
ee your business in? When attempting to reach your target market, you really nee
d to think about the types of programming they're most likely to watch. If you re
marketing lipstick to teenagers, for instance, approaching teen-oriented sitcoms
would be smart. If your product is aimed at stay-at-home moms, you might want t
o consider everything from soap operas to daytime talk shows.
If you don t care about reaching the audience as much as building credibility amon
g the general public, then think about the characters on the programs who might
conceivably use your business or service. The important thing is to stay away fr
om thinking about your own personal favorite programs and instead think about wh
at s a good fit for your product. Put yourself in the shoes of the producer or bus
iness development person. If you can honestly envision your product being a help
to their show, then that show is probably one you should approach.
2. Once you have your list, start looking for contacts. There are a few ways to
get the information you need. If it's a TV show you're interested in, try search
ing the end credits of the show to find out who the show's producer is. A little
internet searching should turn up the production company's contact information.
Or you can go directly to the search engines to find the show's site where you'
ll find the name and possibly the contact information for the production company
. If it's not there, try searching directly for the website of the productions a
nd start trolling for the appropriate name of someone who might want to see your
media kit. One piece of advice: Be sure to approach several production companie
s--like cold calling, product placement success is a numbers game.
If it's movies you've got your heart set on, read the current editions of such t
rade magazines as Variety (www.variety.com) or Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywood
reporter.com). Most issues include listings of the production companies currentl
y working on projects, where you can at least get phone numbers and addresses, i
f not key names. You can also search the trade publications--or the internet--to
see what movies are currently in production or will begin soon. Both Variety an
d Hollywood Reporter offer a lot of invaluable information online for free; in s
ome cases though, particularly with Hollywood Reporter, you may have to subscrib
e to get the information. Or you could try an old-fashioned but reliable approac
h and check out the publications at your local library.
3. Send a media kit. Once you've located contact information for the companies
you'd like to contact, mail them a media kit that includes a cover letter, photo
s and descriptions of your product or service and contact information so they ca
n reach you if they're interested. Do not call anyone, unless it s a receptionist
to get the name of someone to send a letter to.
4. Don t oversell. Producers will either like what they see--or not. You aren t goi
ng to talk them into anything.
5. Be careful about suggesting a scene that the producers might use your produc
t in. For instance, a good way to go about it might be Since our doughnut shop is
based in Chicago and ER is set in the same city, please keep us in mind
Suggestin
g that Luka or Abby might want to share breakfast over doughnuts is also probabl
y safe, but even that may be more details than the producers would care to hear.
Deciding how to use your product is their business; bringing your product to th
eir attention, in a low-key and professional way, is yours.
Geoff Williams is a freelance writer in Loveland, Ohio.
Using an Online Trading Market to Predict Success

Businesses are using an innovative tool to see what their futures may hold.
By Mark Henricks | Entrepreneur Magazine February 2007

URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/marketresearch/article173208.html
Stephen Marcus wanted to predict the success of a new business book his company
was producing. So his company set up an online trading market where thousands of
people purchased imaginary securities based on how well they thought the book w
ould sell. When more than 85 percent of the market participants predicted that t
he book would rank among Amazon.com s top 1,000 sellers, Marcus breathed a sigh of
relief.
Based on the accuracy of previous prediction market forecasts, the president and
co-founder of 35-person Shared Insights likes the chances for the new book, to
be titled We Are Smarter Than Me. Standard forecasting tools, such as focus grou
ps, involve much smaller numbers of opinions, while the prediction market aggreg
ates thousands of opinions, notes Marcus, 42, whose Woburn, Massachusetts, compa
ny generates annual sales of more than $10 million helping corporations build on
line communities.
Prediction markets aggregate the opinions of many people by asking them to trade
shares or place bets reflecting their answers to questions about future develop
ments. Since prediction markets emerged about 20 years ago, they have usually be
at expert forecasters in predicting a wide range of events, including election o
utcomes, natural gas demand levels and even the weather.
Now businesses are using them to foretell sales and profits, identify the most a
ppealing product features, anticipate likely project completion dates and perfor
m other prognostications. Eli Lilly, General Electric, Google, Microsoft, Pfizer
and Yahoo! have all used prediction markets.
Small companies have been slower to jump on the bandwagon, notes Robin Hanson, a
George Mason University professor who has studied prediction markets for nearly
two decades. However, he adds, there is no reason why they should stay away. Gr
oups of as few as a dozen traders can constitute an effective market, and trader
s can include suppliers, vendors and other outsiders as well as employees. The m
onetary and time costs of prediction markets are also moderate, especially compa
red to the high-quality market research they can sometimes replace.
Small companies and large ones have similar questions about future sales, ideal
feature configurations and product development completion dates, says Hanson, wh
o even suggests companies elect to fire or retain their current CEOs based on pr
ediction markets. You could ask about any major corporate decision and how it wou
ld affect sales or profits, he says.
Prediction markets gain their effectiveness by harnessing the expertise of many
individuals instead of relying on only one or two experts. The idea is that lots
of people have a little or sometimes a lot of information about the likely outc
ome of a situation or event, so a decision that taps more of that knowledge will
be a better one. Experience with prediction markets in a wide variety of arenas
has shown that to be true in general, but it has also revealed some problems.
For one thing, the idea that tallying bets is better than asking an expert is ha
rd for many people to grasp. Employees need to be trained in why prediction mark
ets work and how to trade in the markets. They also need to be given time to do
the trading; however, David Perry, president of Nashville-based prediction marke
t software seller Consensus Point, says that spending just five minutes each on
three or so trading sessions per week should do it.
Cost is also a concern. Consensus Point charges $30,000 to $50,000 for its Fores
ight Server prediction market software. The company will also operate turnkey ma
rkets for clients for as little as $500 per month. Hanson says in the beginning,
he created prediction markets using paper and pencil--a solution that would als
o work for cash-strapped entrepreneurs who only want to use prediction markets o
ccasionally. But Perry still recommends that prediction markets be used to answe
r high-value questions such as sales forecasts, ideal product features and futur
e demand levels.
Entrepreneurs also have to decide whether they will have traders use real money
or play money. Hanson prefers real money because it motivates traders to do thei
r best. Most markets, however, use play money and encourage participation by awa
rding prizes. Hanson recommends that companies using play money include the empl
oyees prediction market performance in annual evaluations and reviews. Perry, how
ever, says motivation isn t a problem because trading is fun. The reason these work
so well in generating good predictive behavior is that people actually want to
participate, he says.
Some prediction markets have run into controversy, notably the Pentagon s efforts
to set up a market intended to forecast political developments in the Middle Eas
t. But Hanson and others think that is only a blip on the shining future of pred
iction markets. Over the long term, he says, it s golden.
Growing Your Biz by Reaching More Customers

Want to start catering to a new demographic? Here s how.
By Mark Henricks | Entrepreneur Magazine February 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/expandbeyond/article173224.ht
ml
When Tiffani Kim noticed female customers of Tiffani Kim Institute Medical.Spa b
ringing in husbands and boyfriends, she started reaching out to the male market.
After renaming men s manicure/pedicure treatments sports buffs, instituting couple
s nights to encourage women to introduce men to the Chicago spa and otherwise exp
loring the new demographic, Kim, 47, reports that a significant portion of the 8
0-person company s revenue now comes from men. It will never be like the women s spa
business, Kim says. But it has gotten to be a good 30 percent of the business. To b
ring your company s offerings to a new demographic market, consider these tips.
1. Do no harm. Don t expand in such a way that it s going to get you hurt, says Clarks
on University marketing professor Larry Compeau. Appealing to a new demographic
requires changing something about your offering. Before doing it, make sure the
changes won t alienate the customers who got you where you are. Retail businesses
should be especially aware of how a new group of patrons can change the experien
ce for existing customers. Kim clearly had to make sure that having increasing n
umbers of men in her spa didn t turn it into a boys club.
2. Look before you leap. Do your homework first, Compeau urges. Make sure the new d
emographic market values your product. Your market research could consist of hiri
ng a research company, talking to potential customers in the demographic group o
r, as Kim did, just paying attention to what goes on at the front desk.
3. Go slowly. Kim modified her offerings incrementally over a period of years to
make sure the effort and risk were worth doing more. That s the way to go, accord
ing to Compeau. I d advise changing as little as possible at the outset to see how
the market responds. The last things to change should be the hardest to undo. You
won t know for sure if the new demographic will really be profitable, not to ment
ion whether diluting your offerings will affect profits in other areas, until yo
u try. And you don t want the experiment to be irreversible.
4. Consider multibranding. It s what Toyota does with Lexus and what countless oth
er corporations do with their own brands. Entrepreneurs can reach new demographi
cs without alienating old ones by giving new offerings different identities. It
can be as simple as a restaurant using the same kitchen to serve two dining room
s, each with its own entrance, signage, pricing and demographic market, Clarkson
says.
5. Look at everything connected with your business and its value proposition to
see how it might be modified to enhance its appeal to a different demographic. W
hile it s easy and sensible to do as Kim did and change little more than the label
affixed to new offerings, you might need to do more. Look at your pricing, asso
ciated services, promotional techniques and even distribution methods. Everyone
knows Toyota makes Lexus, but you can t go into a Toyota dealer and buy a Lexus, C
ompeau notes. The products have completely separate distribution systems, which
helps keep them separate in the minds of completely different demographics.
For more tips on entering a new demographic market, visit www.entrepreneur.com/e
xpandbeyond.

Laser-Sharp Networking
3 tips to getting precision results from your networking efforts
By Ivan Misner | January 19, 2007
Did you know that the energy put out by a normal light bulb is equal to the ener
gy put out by a laser beam? A laser has a very tight beam and is very strong and
concentrated. A light bulb, on the other hand, releases light in many direction
s, so the light is comparably weak and diffuse. The difference between the two a
llows the laser, with focused energy, to have the power to do very fine and deli
cate surgery, artistic etching and play the broad, full sounds of an orchestral
overture.
Does that sound like the kind of precision you want from your networking activit
ies? I've found that there are three ways to bring your networking efforts into
laser-sharp focus to make it an even more powerful way to build your business:
1. When talking about what you do at networking groups, focus on one aspect of y
our business at each meeting. Remember, your goal in the networking process shou
ld be to train a sales force, not close a sale. Therefore, each time you have an
opportunity, focus on a specific product or service you offer, then train peopl
e how to refer you in this area.
Too often we try to cover everything we do in one introduction. When you have th
e chance to be in front of the same group of folks regularly, don t make the mista
ke most people make by painting with too broad a brush. Laser-sharp networking c
alls for you to be very specific and detailed about one thing at a time.
Sometimes I hear businesspeople say they have a full service business. I think say
ing this alone is a mistake--full service doesn t really mean anything to people w
ho don t understand the details of all the services you offer. Instead, talk about
what you specialize in or what you're best known for. There's something that se
ts you apart from the competition--let others know about that aspect of your bus
iness.
2. When asking for referrals from your networking partners, be very specific abo
ut what you want. Identify specific people to whom you wish to be introduced. Pe
rsonal introductions can open doors for you that would've otherwise remained clo
sed. If you don t know the name of the manager of another business you wish to mee
t, find out--then ask specifically for a referral to that person.
Give vivid examples of the type of referral you wish to receive. I'd recommend r
eviewing a case study from a current client or past successful referral with you
r networking partners. Define what the needs were of that prospect and how your
business met those needs. Be as detailed as you can be so your networking partne
rs can really visualize the experience and have a clear picture of how you were
able to meet this person s needs. This'll give them clarity and focus when they're
away from you and they meet another person with the same needs.
3.Meet with each person in your networking circle one on one, away from the gene
ral networking session, to deepen the relationship and dial up the focus of your
networking efforts.
I can't stress enough the importance of deepening the relationships with your ne
tworking partners. To really maximize the energy of the partnership you're forgi
ng with your referral sources, it's critical to spend time with them. Just going
to a social function or sitting side by side at some type of conference or netw
orking event isn t enough. You have to be face to face, talking and exploring comm
onalities and complimentary aspects of each of your businesses to be as powerful
a referral source for each other as you can be.
In our increasingly fast-paced society and business climate, it's important to t
ake your time to get to know your referral sources and cultivate long-lasting an
d mutually profitable relationships. It's true that "time is money," but I also
know that without investing a good chunk of your time in one-on-one relationship
s, you won't have the kind of strong and deeply focused referral sources you nee
d for successful word-of-mouth marketing.
By focusing your efforts like a laser beam, you'll fine-tune your networking mes
sage and increase your results.
Rachel Meranus: PR
Developing a PR Plan
Want to make sure your business's name gets heard this year? You need to plan f
or PR.
By Rachel Meranus | January 23, 2007
For most businesses, the new year is a time for assessment, goal setting and str
ategic planning. When it comes to PR, this is the time to set objectives and for
mulate a clear, defined plan that'll help your business achieve optimum results
in the media.
When planning your PR activities for the year, as a general rule, consider the f
ull year ahead, plan for six months, and expect to revise after three months. Li
ke most business activities, PR requires flexibility and a recognition that thin
gs will change over time. However, there are a number of factors that'll make a
measurable difference to your company's success if you take them into account at
this early stage.
Assess & PlanFirst, review the past year in terms of PR activity. If your busine
ss received media attention last year, review the resulting coverage with an ana
lytical eye. Determine the angles and pitches that worked well and resulted in p
ositive coverage. Take note of which journalists reported in your favor and whic
h didn't. Look at the overall amount of positive, negative or neutral coverage y
ou received. If you subscribed to a media measurement service, assess the result
s of your campaigns and, if possible, compare your progress against your competi
tors.
Next, consider your overall business objectives, and use these as a basis for de
veloping your key media messages. Make sure that what you say and how you say it
reflects what you're trying to achieve. Your messages will form the backbone of
your communication activity for the year.
Finally, develop a plan of attack. Review your business plan through the eyes of
a journalist--what would be of interest to your customers or investors? Identif
y potential media opportunities that could occur during the year, such as produc
t launches, expansion activities and new service offerings, and develop a calend
ar that lists the events. If you can, try to organize major news events to creat
e the most buzz. For instance, if your company is introducing a new line of beac
h apparel, time the launch in the spring to coincide with warming temperatures.
Always remember to put your goals and objectives in writing so you can refer bac
k to them throughout the year and evaluate your success.
Tools & TacticsOnce you've sketched out your plans for the year, it's time to co
nsider the activities that'll enable you to achieve your objectives.
"
Establish a news release calendar to plan out the news releases you inte
nd to issue throughout the year. You may need to revise this calendar as you mov
e through the year, but it'll give you some initial structure to adhere to and h
elp you stay focused on generating news.
"
Media outreach in the form of pitching reporters and placing articles is

still the essence of PR, and the foundation for any PR program is a solid media
list. Before engaging in any PR activities, take the time to carefully research
and build a database of key reporters. Your list should contain the contact det
ails of the publications and journalists that pertain to your industry and be or
ganized according to how valuable each is in terms of reaching your target audie
nce.
Once you've created a list, schedule time on your calendar for media outreach.
Contact each reporter individually to introduce yourself and to arrange informal
meetings where you can discuss the outlook for your company and industry.
"
Publications' editorial calendars offer an excellent vehicle for plannin
g media exposure. Researching them will enable you to identify opportunities to
offer yourself as an expert source, contribute an article or even suggest a feat
ure on your company. Once you've set your list of targets, begin contacting them
as soon as possible. Most editorial outlets have deadlines several months ahead
of their publication dates. Pay careful attention to the closing dates, or you'
ll risk losing out on the opportunity. For more on editorial calendars, see "Gen
erating Coverage Between Press Releases."
"
Contributed or "bylined" articles can be an excellent way to generate ex
posure and establish yourself as an industry expert. Research magazines, newspap
ers and websites to find those outlets that are open to such articles, then cont
act the editor to propose a topic. Remember to make sure the focus of the media
outlet is in sync with your business objectives and the article contains your ke
y messages.
"
Case studies are very attractive to the media because they offer a tangi
ble, real-world example of the benefits of your product or service. The challeng
e with developing case studies is they require active customer participation. So
talk to your clients and ask them if you can report on their successes. While t
his'll require your customers to share their "war stories," it offers them--and
you--a chance to shine.
"
Speaking opportunities offer another avenue for generating exposure. Whe
n planning your PR activities for the year, research conferences, trade shows an
d webinars for opportunities to nominate yourself as a keynote speaker or a memb
er of a panel discussion. The value in securing such engagements can be tremendo
us, especially for a growing business; however, they also require vigilant plann
ing because most speaking opportunities are finalized several months in advance.
"
Blogs and social media have grown in popularity as communications tools
because they offer a way to have an active discussion with a motivated audience.
When considering PR tactics, don't forget to research the blogs that relate to
your industry and get to know the styles and personalities of their authors. Tec
hnorati, the leading blog search engine, is a great place to start. A presence i
n the blogosphere can add to your company's perception as a thought leader. But
remember, all material published on a blog is open to a wide audience and can in
itiate a line of discussion that may not always jive with your point of view.
If you want to launch your own blog, there are free tools, such as Blogger and B
log.com, that enable you to do this easily. When it's all set up, make sure it g
ets listed on Technorati.
The internet also contains a number of social media networks such as del.icio.us
and Digg. These networks are used to store and share content and information--l
ike articles--among members. Additionally, if you have video content that you'd
like to share with a consumer audience, you should familiarize yourself with vid
eo sharing sites such as YouTube and Metacafe.
"
Crisis planning is also an essential part of your business's PR plan. Th
is should include all possible negative scenarios and the appropriate responses
to them. Ensure that other members of your business are aware of crisis procedur
es, and take time to do a test run to help iron out any inconsistencies or holes
in your plan.
Planning your PR strategy now will not only help generate new ideas and opportun
ities for you and your business to shine, it'll give you peace of mind in your d
ay-to-day operations. While PR plans are always subject to change, planning ahea
d will enable you to stick to your overall goals and maintain your focus.
Rachel Meranus is Entrepreneur.com's "PR" columnist and director of public relat
ions at PR Newswire. Get more information about PR Newswire and public relations
with theirPR Toolkit for small businesses.
Audacious Advertising
In-your-face marketing could be the best way to reach your audience.
By Nichole L. Torres | Entrepreneur Magazine February 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/article173464.html
You re brave enough to start a business, but are you bold enough to shout about it
? Entrepreneur Howard Brauner definitely knows how to boldly market his Bald Guy
z line of grooming products. Specifically designed for bald men, Brauner s product
line was created to help them embrace, not hide, their baldness. A former combover devotee himself, Brauner, 49, knew his target market would respond to his i
n-your-face initiative, including Bald is Beautiful Day in New York City, a six-mi
le walk for proud bald men with the Bald Beauty street team of attractive women
who pass out the product to potential customers. We were saluting the bald guys a
long the way, Brauner says.
Knowing your target market is key to any successful bold initiative, say Dan Ger
shenson, Tom Olivieri and Joe Paul, partners and experts at The Creative Undergr
ound, an advertising company in Boca Raton, Florida. The level of crazy really de
pends on your target audience, says Olivieri. In-your-face, bold moves might work
well with teenagers, but not so much with seniors, he points out.
Still, don t think ultra-hip products are the only ones ripe for boldness--even mo
re traditional industries like finance can sometimes benefit from daring marketi
ng plans. Use humor to appeal to your customers emotions, suggests Gershenson. An
d instead of spending your cash on a huge direct-mail campaign, a bold move migh
t be to print your message directly onto dollar bills and blanket them in prime
areas where your customers congregate, says Olivieri.
Knowing that his customers congregate at the NBA All-Star Game and the Super Bow
l, Brauner plans to take his Bald Guyz street team to those cities during the cr
aziness. Whether it s passing out bright blue and orange shirts that say Bald Guys
Are Sexy or encouraging customers to send in their photos to be the Bald Guy of t
he Week at www.baldguyz.com, Brauner is boldly getting his brand name to consume
rs and his products onto the shelves of drugstores and supermarkets nationwide l
ike Albertsons and Walgreens. He expects 2007 sales to reach seven figures.
Remember, there is no limit to where and how you broadcast your bold message, sa
ys Paul. Think everything from T-shirts and street teams to YouTube.com and podc
asts.
Adds Olivieri, It s always better to be brave and bold than to be safe.
Ray Silverstein: Leadership

Selling to Your Best Prospects
Don't worry about selling to everyone. Use these tips for identifying and targe
ting your best sales prospects.
By Ray Silverstein | January 22, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/leadership/leadershipcolumnistraysil
verstein/article173512.html
If I were to ask you to describe your best prospect, how would you answer? If yo
u sell to consumers, do you know your prime demographic? If you sell B2B, can yo
u describe your target customer in terms of size, industry or some other factor?
Whatever you do, please don t tell me you sell to everyone.
Many entrepreneurs buy into the myth that the bigger their market, the greater t
he opportunity. The fact is, the bigger your market, the greater the likelihood
you're wasting your time with undesirable prospects.
When you re in business for yourself, you have to work smart. You don t have the tim
e or resources to sell to everyone. The more you can define--and refine--your ta
rget customer, the better you can concentrate, and therefore maximize, your sale
s efforts.
Identify Your Best Prospects
If you don t already know who your target prospect is, ask yourself "Who is most l
ikely to buy my product or service? Who will appreciate the value of what I have
to offer?" And if you re still not sure who your target market is, you may find
the answer in your current customer base.
Make a list of your top 10 customers. You know who they are. Then, think about w
hat it is they have in common. If the answer isn t obvious, look beneath the surfa
ce. For example, maybe your B2B customers work in different industries but share
common priorities or a similar work flow. Once you figure out what the common d
enominator is, you can use it to identify your best sales prospects.
Take this exercise one step further. For each customer, identify why they buy fr
om you. Is it something unique about your products? Is it your speedy turnaround
time? Some facet of service you provide? Now not only do you know who your prim
e customer is, you know what your unique selling proposition should be.
Here s an example: I know an entrepreneur, John, who sells boxes. One of his bests
ellers is a tall, wardrobe-style box with a bar for hanging clothing. The box is
a favorite with moving companies. However, John began selling these boxes to a
menswear store. Then to another. And somewhere along the way, he became a bit of
a specialist. Realizing he had something to offer, he began to concentrate his
sales and marketing efforts on menswear stores. Instead of trying to reach the e
ntire universe of companies that need boxes, he's targeting his efforts to the men
swear industry--a group that has already demonstrated a need for his products.
Target Current Customers, Too
For most entrepreneurs, getting repeat sales from current customers is essentia
l. But not all customers are created equal. You know who your A-list customers a
re. And I bet you could just as quickly name those whom you d assign an F.
And I ll hazard a guess that you re actually spending more time and energy on your F
-level customers. Whether you re conscious of it or not, that s one reason you assig
ned them a failing grade. The squeaky wheel most often gets the oil--but when yo
u re the one filling the oil can, it pays to give this some thought.
Let s go back to your list of A-level customers. Now identify why they scored an A
. Do they order more? Buy your most profitable products? Always pay promptly? Ar
e they easiest to deal with? It may very well be a combination of factors, but t
hese are the factors that are most important to you. These customers deserve you
r best, most attentive service because you want to keep them around.
If you re like most entrepreneurs, time is your most valuable asset. Accounts that
require constant handholding or habitually pay late are costing you money in lo
st opportunities. Stop bending over backwards for them. If they go away, you ll be
better off.
Similarly, when you re prospecting, wooing customers outside your target market is
simply less profitable. You re less likely to get their business, and you may not
want it once you get it.
The moral of this story is, you can t sell to everyone. Nor should you try to. Whe
n it comes to targeting prospects, less is truly more.
Ray Silverstein is the "Sales" columnist at Entrepreneur.com and president and f

ounder of PRO: President s Resource Organization, a network of advisory boards for
small-business owners.
Market for Instant Sales

Cut to the chase with these tips to reach prospects who are ready to buy.
By Kim T. Gordon | Entrepreneur's StartUps February 2007
If you re like most new entrepreneurs, you can t afford to wait months or years for
your first sales. You want marketing tactics that produce results quickly, and t
hat means learning all you can about search corridor media--media customers use wh
en they ve made a decision to buy something. These will put you on the fast track
to the leads and sales you need to get your business up and running.
Search corridor media are an essential component of a smart media mix because th
ey shorten the sales cycle by bringing you prospects who know what they want and
are looking for the best place to buy it. Consider these four search corridor m
edia options and how you can put them to work for you.
Newspapers: In most major newspapers, regular readers are accustomed to shopping
for what they need in the right section on the right day. Major daily newspaper
s also often have leading web portals in their geo-graphic markets, and they off
er advertisers the options of making combo buys--combining print and online--or
buying solely online. To save money when advertising on your paper s website, bypa
ss the main pages for content-rich pages where you can place your ads surrounded
by rel-evant editorial content. You ll reach fewer readers, but they ll be better q
ualified to act on your message.
Niche magazines: There are magazines for dog owners, kayakers, boaters, golfers-you name it. And you may even find local special-interest publications that car
ry ads and editorial for your type of product or service, making them ideal sear
ch corri-dors for you. For best results, place large, visible ads in a small num
ber of well-targeted specialty publications often enough for your message to pen
etrate.
Print directories, such as the Yellow Pages: These often claim the largest porti
on of a new entrepreneur s resources, so make sure you get the most for your money
. To be effective, your ad should contain exactly the information your prospects
are looking for, and it should differentiate you from your competitors.
Advertise in the directories with the most listings and ads because these are th
e ones your prospects will search first. And consider spending some of your dire
ctory advertising dollars online, particularly if you re targeting shoppers under
age 35.
Search engines: These are the ultimate search corridor tools because the vast ma
jority of shoppers do research online before purchasing. Online search also has
a profound effect on offline sales, so even if you sell primarily through your b
rick-and-mortar store, you ll need to be effective in the search engines and have
listings or ads that link to a great website.
Because most online searchers rarely click past the first page of search results
, it s essential to seek high rankings. You can optimize your site by getting high
-ranking sites to link to yours, sprinkling keyword phrases throughout each page
and including local tags. You can also have a paid search campaign that guarant
ees your ads appear at the top or down the side of search result pages. You ll rea
ch qualified prospects when they re actively considering a purchase and be ideally
positioned to transform these hot prospects into customers.
Kim T. Gordon, author of Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars: The Top 50 Ways to
Grow Your Small Business. Her new e-book, Big Marketing Ideas for Small Budgets,
is available atwww.smallbizbooks.com.
The Power of Social Shopping Networks

Looking for ways to get people talking about your products? The new social shop
ping trend can help you build buzz.
By Kim T. Gordon | Entrepreneur Magazine March 2007
With the vast majority of Americans researching products on the internet before
they purchase them in stores or on the web, it s no surprise that a whole new form
of shopping is emerging. Social shopping is the intriguing offspring of social ne
tworking and online shopping, and it can offer your growing business just the ma
rketing leg up it needs.
Unlike the many retail sites that display products for sale, many increasingly p
opular social shopping sites (some still in beta testing stages) consist of prod
uct listings from site users who recommend their favorites, often with a strong
emphasis on what s hot, new and exciting. And insiders know that listing their own
products on the right social shopping sites can build buzz that leads to sales.
This accessible form of word-of-mouth marketing offers a wealth of opportunities
for entrepreneurs with limited budgets. To help you navigate these new waters,
let s take a look at why and how social shopping works.
1. Online research leads to sales. Almost 90 percent of respondents to a BIGrese
arch Consumer Intentions and Actions survey conducted in June 2006 said they occas
ionally or regularly research products online before buying them in a store. Whe
n it comes to online purchasing, a study released by Yahoo! and OMD found that n
early three-quarters of the people surveyed use trusted, familiar websites when
purchasing online, and the majority (54 percent) say the internet is their most
trusted shopping information source. So no matter whether you sell exclusively o
nline, through a brick-and-mortar store or both, influencing online shoppers can
have a profound effect on sales.
2. Peer-to-peer recommendations deliver credibility. Social shopping websites al
low for word-of-mouth marketing at its best. The internet empowers consumers and
accelerates the flow of information. Product recommendations that come from pee
rs may be more trusted, so site visitors may return more often and be more likel
y to spread the good word and purchase the products they learn about on the site
s. Social shopping sites reflect users personal tastes and allow for online conve
rsation. Visitors can learn what s popular, get shopping ideas and follow links to
products they wouldn t necessarily find on their own.
3. Sites have distinct personalities. Here s a sampling of the hottest social shop
ping sites.
ThisNext.com: Users can browse recommended products, add them to their wish list
s, recommend or find out where to buy them, and create themed lists of their own
.
Crowdstorm.com: This site measures the buzz around products based on user recomm
endations. Popular items go to the top of the list.
Kaboodle.com: Users create wish lists with photos and links to products for sale
online. It s easy to post a summary of anything found on the internet.
Stylehive.com: This is the hot site for women s fashions and interests.
Wists.com: Users tend to focus on interesting new products and share links to th
e ones they want to buy.
4. Social shopping sites are An open door for entrepreneurs. Right now, any busi
ness owner can use them to build positive word-of-mouth that leads to sales. But
you d better move quickly. Some sites are testing free-use models as they build t
raffic and will likely adopt paid structures as they reach critical mass, perhap
s through revenue generated by marketing agreements with vendors and retailers o
r by selling the trend information generated by users.
As with any marketing campaign, your first step is to get to know the media. Boo
kmark your favorite social shopping sites and learn how they work. Test the wate
rs by posting one or two products with their URLs, taking special care to send y
our click-throughs to specialized landing pages so you can measure your results.
Then have fun and stay active--and keep your postings interesting by sharing pr
oducts others will want to buzz about.
Kim T. Gordon, author ofMaximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars: The Top 50 Ways to G
row Your Small Business. Her new e-book, Big Marketing Ideas for Small Budgets,
is available exclusively from Entrepreneur atwww.smallbizbooks.com.
Rachel Meranus: PR
Drive Media Interest at a Trade Show
Follow these steps to get your business noticed before, during and after the sh
ow.
By Rachel Meranus | February 19, 2007
Trade shows are a key component of most companies marketing efforts. And for smal
l businesses, trade shows are especially beneficial because they provide an oppo
rtunity to reach a plethora of potential customers, investors, industry analysts
and journalists over a very short period of time. However, the limited resource
s of most small businesses mean you have to extract the most from each appearanc
e as possible. Want to know the secrets to making the contacts you want? Susan M
cPherson, vice president of global trade show services at PR Newswire, shares he
r tips for leveraging your participation in a trade show.
Entrepreneur.com: What tools and resources should a small business use to plan f
or a trade show?
Susan McPherson: Trade shows begin booking exhibitors at least six months in ad
vance. An important step is finding out if the trade show management offers any
tools to help exhibitors reap the full benefits. These might include media lists
, a website for posting exhibitors' news before, during and even after the show,
and special packages and pricing with service providers. These benefits can be
especially helpful to a business with limited resources.
You should also consider asking the trade show management about their PR plans.
In many cases, there'll be opportunities for riding the coattails of the show's
promotional activities. For example, if they're issuing a news release about the
event, consider asking if your company can be listed in it as an exhibitor; or
offer your participation as a case study for their marketing materials.
If you're launching a new product or service, make sure to target the daily show
magazine or newspaper, both online and in print. Also consult the editorial cal
endars of industry trade publications. Many will run show editions. Keep in mind
that most magazines have long lead deadlines, so be sure to make contact early.
And last, but certainly not least, if you're launching a trade show-specific web
site, be sure to have it populated with relevant content at least three to four
weeks beforehand, and make sure that you're able to update it while you're on th
e road. Use your special event URL in all show-related correspondence, press rel
eases and invitations, and include a link to it from your main website. A well-m
anaged site could be the difference in converting leads to customers.
What's the best way to manage a product launch at a show?
McPherson: There are a few simple steps for getting the most out of launching p
roducts at a trade show:
Plan ahead. Develop a calendar of tasks to complete prior to the launch. The cal
endar should extend at least a month in advance and should account for such acti
vities as drafting and finalizing the launch release and marketing materials, pr
oducing graphics or product photos, securing customer testimonials and performin
g media outreach. Then, align these activities within the timeframe of the trade
show. Some tasks may need to be adjusted based on trade show rules and deadline
s.
If media coverage of your launch is a priority, preview your productforselect jo
urnalists and analysts ahead of the event. Doing so will enable those reporters
to break the story the day of your official launch. Make sure to obtain the trad
e show media list as far in advance as possible.
A well-orchestrated product announcement is key to generating publicity. Check w
ith event organizers to see if there s an official newswire sponsor and if there a
re any regulations for issuing news at the event.
Create a standalone website or product page that can be updated quickly and easi
ly. Populate the site with information about the launch, including marketing mat
erials, the official launch release, photos, fact sheets and a link to encourage
further communication.
Make sure you have the right people staffing your booth. Product managers are es
sential if you're going to be demonstrating a new service. If you have happy cus
tomers who have used your product, you might consider asking them to act as live
testimonials at the booth.
Unless you're introducing the next iPhone or similar product, don't hold a press
conference. The cost will outweigh the benefits.
How should a company structure its product launch announcement if the news is be
ing issued at a show?
McPherson: Follow the same basic news release writing guidelines as you would fo
r any other announcement. Make sure to address the five W s--who, what, where, whe
n and why--avoid jargon and write a catchy headline that directly relates to the
news.
The only major difference between a trade show-based announcement and a standard
release will be the dateline. The lead paragraph should indicate that the launc
h is taking place at the event. This'll add an element of timeliness to the news
and attract the attention of reporters assigned to the show.
What's the best way to secure media interviews?
McPherson: Again, plan ahead. Use the media list given by show management, and
send out e-mails to reporters who'll be attending. If the show doesn t supply a me
dia list, search for past articles on the event and develop a list of publicatio
ns and reporters on your own. The same reporter may be assigned to cover the sho
w again. And if not, he or she should be able to point you in the right directio
n.
Be sure to initiate contact at least two weeks prior to the show. Remember, your
company won't be the only one trying to set up an interview. Reporters calendars
fill up quickly. And give the media a reason to take notice. Offer breaking new
s or a unique angle that distinguishes your company from the other businesses.
Also look for opportunities to secure speaking engagements, either as a keynote
speaker or as a participant in a panel discussion. Speaking engagements require
extensive planning and creativity, so start early and identify several themes yo
u re comfortable discussing. Don t focus solely on topics directly related to your b
usiness. The most enticing speakers are those who can branch out beyond the stan
dard subjects.
What marketing materials should you have on hand?
McPherson: Minimal ones. No journalist wants to carry reams of paper, and with c
oncern for the environment growing, no one likes to see waste. Consider placing
all your marketing materials on branded jump drives. You should also include the
se materials on your trade show website for easy download by journalists when th
e show is over.
Rachel Meranus is Entrepreneur.com's "PR" columnist and vice president, public r
elations at PR Newswire. Get more information about PR Newswire and public relat
ions with theirPR Toolkit for small businesses.
Brad Sugars: Startup Basics

How to Research Your Market
Do your homework before opening your doors to avoid business-busting mistakes.
By Brad Sugars | March 02, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/startupbasicsco
lumnistbradsugars/article175276.html
Starting a business is a little like buying a car: You need to do some research
before taking the plunge. First, figure out if there's demand for your product o
r service. Do a competitive analysis. Find a place to set up shop. And create a
plan to differentiate your offering.
Doing your due diligence can mean the difference between success and failure, an
d it doesn t have to cost a penny. Networking, online research, informal focus gro
ups and other do-it-yourself methods can often do the trick.
Consider the case of an event facility in the South. It started as a place to ho
ld weddings. Located in a beautiful old house, it attracted wedding business, bu

t wasn't turning a profit because it usually sat empty on weekdays.
So the owners contacted members of a nationwide wedding planners' association wi
th similar estate-type settings in other geographic markets. They discovered tha
t others in their situation filled the gap with corporate meetings and by offeri
ng bed-and-breakfast arrangements. Today, 40 percent of the facility s business is
corporate events, and the owners are building a lodging facility on the grounds
to expand their offerings.
Before you get the research ball rolling, you need to come up with a solid busin
ess concept. Once you have a concept, you need to determine if it's viable. To f
igure out if you should go ahead with your business idea, you need to ask questi
ons like these:
Is the market saturated? Does your city really need another hardware store or fl
ower shop? How much money is spent in your industry each year in your area? Is t
here room in the market for one more business?
Does the market want what you re offering? If you re thinking of providing day care
for dogs or a facility where people can cook a week s worth of meals in a group se
tting, will anyone care? Or if you re developing a new online service for day trad
ers, is it something they can t live without?
What s the competition doing? What do they do well? What do they do poorly? What s u
nique about them? Can you offer something different that'll encourage customers
to patronize you instead of more established businesses?
Can you reach your target audience? If you re selling inline skates, are you openi
ng in an area with a population of the right age and disposable income?
Once you're sure of your business idea, dig in deeper. You need information that
'll help you develop a unique business proposition that'll give you a competitiv
e advantage. The best sources of information will vary depending on the type of
business and circumstances, but options include the following:
Trade information. In the wedding site example cited earlier, the trade associat
ion for wedding planners provided a direct pipeline to the information the event
facility was seeking. Other trade information can also be found in print or onl
ine trade publications, or by walking the aisles of a trade show.
Demographic and economic data. Try the U.S. Census Bureau s American FactFinder, S
tate Data Centers or most recent Economic Census to find things like age range,
income, number of businesses by type in a geographic area and total sales in you
r category. For even more information, a reference librarian can point you to ot
her specialized databases.
Business groups. Your local chamber of commerce may be able to help you find the
information you need. Also try government-sponsored Small Business Development
Centers, which assist entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
Local universities. Sometimes professors at business schools are interested in h
aving their graduate students do a market feasibility study for course credit.
Local competitors. If you re starting a local business, shop the competition and c
heck their websites. Or find a similar business in a similar city and ask to tal
k to the owner. Also look for similar businesses for sale and contact the broker
s for information like why they're selling and what their financials are like. Y
ou may be interested in buying that business yourself.

National competitors. Do an online search of businesses in your industry and eva
luate what they offer to help fine-tune your idea.
Potential customers. Run your idea up the flagpole with informal focus groups. T
alk with friends of friends--but not your own friends or family, since they may
not tell you the truth--and old customers or existing customers if you re already
in business. This is the acid test to see if your plan is ready for prime time o
r needs tweaking.
All this detective work will pay off, either by helping you validate your busine
ss plan, sending you back to the drawing board, or convincing you to shelve it a
ltogether. And don't worry if that happens--inspiration will strike again.
Brad Sugars is Entrepreneur.com s Startup Basics columnist and the founder of Acti
on International, a business coaching franchise.
When Public Speaking is Enemy #1

From your opening line to fielding questions, learn how to wow an audience of a
ny size.
By Erika Prafder | March 26, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/publicrelations/publicspeaking/articl
e176212.html
It's happening again. Your pulse is racing, your palms are sweating, and your vo
ice is choking up. No, you're not being robbed at gunpoint; you're about to addr
ess a group of your most promising potential investors.
Can public speaking actually cause such panic and dread? "Some people fear it mo
re than they do death," says Kim Dower, author of Life Is a Series of Presentati
ons and owner of Kim-From-L.A. Literary and Media Services. "The idea of failure
in front of a group is terrifying. The anxiety is so real and so physical."
Whether it's a new business prospect or a band of venture capitalists you're try
ing to influence, the fear factor can drastically inhibit the delivery of your p
itch. Even experts in their field often experience "imposter syndrome," Dower sa
ys. "We think when we get up, we won't know what we know. We don't believe our o
wn talk."
And if you think your type of business excuses you from having to perform under
such scrutiny, think again. Defeating your nerves and developing a gift for pers
uasive gab is critical to success in business.
"The two most important skills to your career success are the ability to speak a
nd write well," says Diana Booher, a communication consultant to Fortune 500 cli
ents, key-note speaker and author. "Ideas are a dime a dozen. It's what you have
documented, e-mailed and filed for the world or what you've spoken in front of
a group that gets noticed," she says.
The Power of Preparation
The good news is you can transform the apprehension and dread that consumes you
prior to a presentation into the passion and positive energy you need to wow an
individual or crowd. Preparation is what gives most polished speakers an advanta
ge over others. This means knowing your audience and mission.
"Everyone listens and takes in information in a different way," Dower says. "Tai
lor your talk accordingly. For example, school teachers like to have an outline,
as opposed to salespeople who tend to shoot from the hip and are more impromptu
."
To make a winning first impression, you'll also need to look the part. For insta
nce, if you're a woman talking to a group of businessmen, don't show up in a lon
g skirt and shawl, Dower says. "Look like the people you're talking to." A good
rule of thumb is to dress like the senior decision-maker in the group. You shoul
d also ensure your look doesn't compete with your message. Don't wear loud jewel
ry or anything that reveals too much cleavage.
Since people judge how credible you are by your appearance, your posture, moveme
nt, gestures, facial expressions and demeanor should be smooth and natural, Booh
er says. "If you're standing rigidly still, are breathless and not pausing, peop
le can see through to your lack of self-assurance." If possible, she advises to
behave as you would when with a group of friends, focusing on your facial animat
ion, hand placement and energy level. If you're launching a new product line or
trying to get a budget passed, it's that one-on-one connection you need to get o
thers to believe and invest in you.
Also, before a presentation or speaking engagement, listen to the radio and watc
h television. Analyze why you switch from one station to the next and what makes
certain guests annoying. Are they argumentative or defensive? Take note of thes
e turn-offs and don't emulate them. Discover what is alluring about someone's st
yle and copy it.
To relax before your opening remarks, Booher recommends finding your fans. "Don'
t glance at sour, grumpy-looking people who aren't with you. When you first star
t, you're the most nervous, so pick out smiling faces who are eager to be there
and focus on them," she says.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
To draw your audience in early on, make sure you begin with your bottom line mes
sage. Poor communicators try to cover all their bases before giving the punch li
ne, Booher says. People, however, tend to get lost in the details and start look
ing at their watches. Instead, walk in and start with your main point, then prov
ide background and fill in the gaps, she advises.
Your likeability factor will also increase if you're perceived as humble, inform
al, kind, genuine and funny, rather than arrogant and aloof. However, Booher say
s to never start with humor. "If you're not good at it and people don't react fa
vorably right off the bat, your confidence will be destroyed, and you may not re
cover."
Another common mistake is relying on PowerPoint presentations. "You become a sli
de narrator and put people to sleep most of the time," Booher adds. "Audio-visua
l technology should be your support--a reminder of what point comes next, not a
crutch."
When organizing your speech, it's wise to overprepare. Anticipate questions so y
ou're not caught off guard. If you get a question you didn't plan on, you can st
ill save yourself by changing spots in the room or taking off your glasses to yo
u buy yourself a few extra seconds. Honesty is another good policy to follow whe
n you've been stumped. "People will respect and empathize with you if you respon
d honestly, saying, 'That's a very good question. I don't want to give you an in
complete answer,' or 'I'd like to double-check my figures. May I get back to you
on that,'" Booher says. You can also use humor to deflect your embarrassment.
Above all, if a comment comes at you from left field, don't take it personally.
Stick to the points you want to make, regardless of what you're asked. Don't go
off message or on a tangent. Remain fueled by the passion you have for your idea
s, Dower advises.
If you find yourself truly falling flat and losing your audience, rely on your p
resentation arsenal to switch gears. Use personal examples, statistics or jokes,
or physical aids like brochures, quizzes and business cards to divert a questio
n or change the direction of the conversation.

Overall, remain confident and remember the reasons for your talk, Dower says. "W
hen we are there for some sort of higher reason, it takes away the self-consciou
sness, allowing us to focus and give to the group."

Networking Faux Pas
Think you're a good networker? Make sure you're not making 1 of these 3 big blu
nders.
By Ivan Misner | March 28, 2007
After two decades of running the world s largest networking organization, I've cer
tainly seen a lot of networking faux pas. I ve put together a few of the most glar
ing blunders in networking etiquette I ve seen over the years that you should avoi
d.
Faux Pas #1: Not responding quickly to referral partners
This one really troubles me. I can't imagine getting a call from a networking pa
rtner and not responding immediately, but unfortunately, this seems to happen wi
th some regularity. Not long ago, someone I know had a referral to give a gentle
man in his networking group. He called the associate and left a message at his o
ffice as soon as he knew the referral was viable. A day went by without a return
call, so he called again, saying it was important to connect.
He was finally able to speak to his networking associate at their next meeting.
He asked him why he didn't return his call and the associate said, "If I knew yo
u had a referral for me, I would've called you back immediately." He still gave
the referral at the meeting, and, to no one's surprise, the person referred ende
d up working with another vendor because no one got back to him in a timely mann
er.
Treating each of your networking partners as one of your best clients is critica
l. Return phone calls from them immediately, as it speaks to your credibility an
d reliability as a professional.
There are countless examples of people receiving referrals at networking groups
and then contacting the referral a few days later. The old phrase, "If you snooz
e, you lose," is apropos here. If the referral knows you had her name and number
on Monday and took your time calling, that sends a negative message about your
business.
Faux Pas #2:Confusing networking with direct selling
One of my company's directors struck up a conversation with a woman business own
er at a networking function. When the business owner asked our director what she
did, she said she helps owners build their businesses through networking and re
ferrals. The business owner smiled and said, "I m really good at networking. I ve be
en doing it for a long, long time."
Curious, our director asked her, "So what s your secret?" She stood up straight an
d said, "Well, a friend and I enter a room together. We imagine drawing a line d
own the middle. She takes the left side; I take the right side. We agree to meet
at a certain time to see who collected the most cards. The loser buys the other
one lunch."
The director curiously inquired, "So what do you do with all those cards?" Again
, proudly, the business owner said, "I enter them into my distribution list and
begin to send them information about my services. Since I have all their informa
tion, they re all good prospects, right?"
This is a classic example of an entrepreneur not understanding that networking i
sn't about simply gathering contact information and following up on it later. Th
at's nothing more than glorified cold calling. It gives me the chills. I used to
teach cold calling techniques to business people. And I did it enough to know t
hat I didn t want to ever do it again. I've devoted my entire professional life to
teaching the business community that there's a better way to build long-term bu
siness.
Faux Pas #3: Abusing the relationship
There are many ways I ve seen networking partners abuse relationships, but the fol
lowing story is one of the most glaring examples.
A woman I know was invited to attend a 50th birthday party of an associate who u
sed to belong to a networking group in which she also participated. They once ha
d a long-term working relationship, and, out of respect, she decided to attend.
When she got to the door, she looked through the window and noticed people were
arranged in a semicircle, listening to a presenter in front of an easel board. W
hen she stepped in, it was very obvious the partygoers were being recruited for
a business opportunity. As resentful as the woman felt, she and other mutual fri
ends found it difficult to remove themselves from the "birthday party," despite
the fact that the only refreshment being served was the company s diet shake!
Never mislead your networking partners. For that matter, never mislead anyone. T
rust is everything when you're talking about relationship networking. Inviting p
eople to a "birthday party" that turns out to be a business opportunity pitch is
n't being honest with the very people with whom you want to build a trusting rel
ationship.
All these faux pas directly relate to good people skills. The prevailing theme o
f all three is to treat your referral partners and potential referral partners w
ith professionalism and care. Use networking opportunities to meet people and be
gin the process of developing a genuine relationship and treat your referral par
tner like you would a top client. Lastly, always network in a way that builds cr
edibility and trust--be candid in telling your referral partners what you need a
nd what you re asking of them. Do these things and you ll avoid some serious mistake
s in relationship networking.
Rachel Meranus: PR
The Art of the Bylined Article
Do you have what it takes to be published? If so, this PR tactic can really hel
p your business.
By Rachel Meranus | March 29, 2007
Have you read a magazine or online article and thought to yourself, "I could wri
te an article just like this," but soon came to the realization that you're not
a reporter and probably never will be? If you have, you're not alone.
But you don't have to be a reporter to get an article published. There are plent
y of opportunities for you to put pen to paper and see your name in bold type. T
he trick is knowing where to look, then understanding how to write an article pe
ople want to read.
Authored or bylined articles are more common than you might think. Many media ou
tlets accept and publish such articles as a way to add perspective and "in the k
now" expertise to their publications. In fact, this very article is one such exa
mple. I'm not a reporter with Entrepreneur.com. As the bio at the end of this ar
ticle attests, I have a day job, which I fully intend to keep.
So how, you may ask, do you go about getting published? And why, other than a bo
ost to your ego, would you want to spend time writing an article for somebody el
se to print?
The Benefits of Bylines
A bylined article is one of the most effective tools available for establishing
credibility with a target audience because it showcases you as a thought leader
in your field. And in doing so, the article draws attention to the stature and
strength of your company and helps differentiate it from competitors.
Bylined articles are also useful for drawing attention to issues important to yo
ur company. For instance, a company that offers a more efficient method for subm
itting insurance claims could write an article about the difficulties physicians
have in recouping money due to laborious paperwork.
Placing Your Article
Once you've decided a bylined article is a good PR strategy for your company, t
he next step is identifying your target publications. Very often, finding target
publications for your bylined article is as easy as flipping through your favor
ite magazines and websites.
Once you've identified possible opportunities, call or e-mail the editor to conf
irm the writing policies, potential opportunities and specifications for the art
icle. Most publications will have a set of simple rules about what should and sh
ouldn't be included in an article. Word count, style and format, use of source m
aterials and attribution will all be spelled out.
The vast majority of byline opportunities will stipulate that you not reference
your company or product in the article. Overt promotion is frowned upon and coul
d result in your article being dismissed or severely edited. To avoid such penal
ties, it's best to err on the side of caution.
Writing the Article
Before an editor accepts your pitch, he or she will likely ask you to submit an
outline and a one-paragraph abstract summarizing your proposal. Even if such ma
terials aren't required, it's good practice to prepare an outline before you get
started.
The subject of your article will be largely determined by the publication you're
targeting. Some editors may even assign a specific topic. A common theme of byl
ined articles is proposing a problem and providing a solution. While you may not
be able to directly cite your company in the article, a well-written byline wil
l present the reader with a problem and a recommended solution--a solution your
company just happens to provide.
Another favorite theme for bylined articles is the lesson learned. This approach
involves using actual examples from your career or your company's history to il
lustrate instances of overcoming obstacles. The benefit of this style is it lets
you directly discuss your company and its products. However, the catch is you m
ust be candid about situations when you and your company experienced difficultie
s, or perhaps failure.
Case studies that involve your clients, with their permission, are also excellen
t for offering an impartial, third-party viewpoint. An additional benefit of usi

ng a client case study is it'll serve to further showcase the value of your comp
any.
Promoting Your Business With Your Byline
In your byline, if the editor allows it, include a web address and contact detai
ls. Make a note of when the article will be published and ensure you'll be avail
able to answer inquiries.
Usually, once your article is published, it becomes the copyrighted material of
the publication, so you must adhere to its copyright rules. However, you'll like
ly have a chance to buy reprints. These can be used in customer mailings, at tra
de shows or as part of a press kit. Some publications offer electronic versions
for online posting.
So do you think you're up to the challenge? Though bylined articles take time an
d effort, the rewards of becoming a thought leader in your industry can be immen
se.
Tamara Monosoff: Inventions

Researching the Inventions Market
Want to know if your new product will be a hit? Start your research today.
By Tamara Monosoff | April 10, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/inventing/inventionscolumnist
tamaramonosoff/article176834.html
Market research is one of the most essential steps in the product development pr
ocess. Yet, it's also the step most commonly skipped. By ignoring it, you may be
missing out on feedback critical to your product's success, as well as an accur
ately defined target market.
Most inventors begin with some idea of what defines their target market. If you'
ve invented a new video game, your market is probably loosely defined by preteen
s and teenagers, for example. If it's a newfangled tool belt, it's probably an a
dult male majority. However, you may be surprised by the valuable subtleties mar
ket research can turn up. You may discover that twentyand thirtysomethings also
offer big sales potential for your video game--or that women absolutely love you
r tool belt.
As important to understanding "who," is knowing "why" and "what." After all, con
sumers are getting by today without your product. What are they using now to sol
ve that problem? Why would they switch to your product, and how much would they
pay?
This is why market research is so important. While you'll begin with an educated
idea about your target markets, your research will fine-tune this information a
nd provide feedback on how to potentially improve your product.
Let's start by defining the two types of market research: primary and secondary.
Secondary research will turn up data that already exists. I like to think of it
as big-picture research. It's information that'll draw a picture of your market

potential, such as population numbers, gender and other demographic information
. This type of information is readily available through magazine articles, in wh
ich journalists have already done the research for you. You can also find import
ant population data about your target market at Census.gov.
Primary research fills in the blanks left by your secondary research and usually
pertains directly to your product. This is information you'll gather through fo
cus groups, interviews and other methods that define your market's habits and be
haviors as they relate to your product. For example, "I only shop for video game
s online."
The data you collect can direct you in very specific ways. And it should definit
ely be completed before you mass produce your product. I've known businesspeople
who've completely designed, developed, packaged, manufactured and patented thei
r ideas and then ended up saying, "Help! No one is purchasing my product, and I'
ve spent a fortune." At this stage, there are a number of things that could've g
one wrong:
There's a disconnect between the product and the consumer. In some cases, the in
ventor may feel it's an idea that can't miss because it's been validated by a be
st friend or a family member--but they've never really critically analyzed it. E
ven large companies with huge budgets can misjudge demand. Remember New Coke?
There's a problem with price. If the price is too high for the problem the produ
ct aims to solve, people simply won't see the value in purchasing it.
The packaging misses the mark. Perhaps it's not clear what your product actually
does. Maybe the packaging is dull and gets lost on store shelves, or it's too l
arge for the retailer to hang on a peg. Potential customers will lose patience,
and you'll lose the sale.
There's a product that's already working. Even if your product is original or pa
tented, it may be so similar to something consumers are already using, they won'
t see the value in it.
You can avoid many of the above problems by testing for the following:
Product functionality. Before mass producing your product, do some focus group t
esting to be sure people want it--and like using it. The most important thing at
this stage is for focus group participants to be completely candid. For instanc
e, the first product I invented is the TP Saver, which prevents toddlers from un
rolling the toilet paper from the holder. In my focus groups, I wanted participa
nts to tell me whether my final product prototype was easy and intuitive to use
and if it was something they'd purchase or recommend to solve the problem. I wan
ted them to point out any potential flaws or functional difficulties, so I could
improve the product before mass producing it.
Comfort level with price. Everyone likes to solve a problem, but at what price?
For instance, I assumed customers wouldn't be willing to spend $50 to solve thei
r toilet paper problems outlined above. But I figured $5.99 might be worth it to
end the aggravation. I was right. This price was agreeable to my test market--a
nd later, to the market at large.
Packaging effectiveness. Yes, your packaging should be eye-catching; it should b
e aesthetically pleasing; and the design should represent your brand. But don't
forget to effectively communicate your product's purpose. If it's completely new
and different, your customers won't know what they're looking at on store shelv
es. Be sure to communicate your product's features and benefits quickly and succ
inctly on your packaging. Think of these questions when developing your packagin
g communication:
What specific features make it unique?
What problem does it solve for my customer?
How will it make my customer's life better or easier?
Keep it short and simple. You only have about three seconds to capture a new cus
tomer's attention. You don't want the customer to lose patience or be overwhelme
d by too much information.
Potential competitors. Find out from your test market if there's a product they
believe solves the same one yours does--and if they're using it already. If so,
what are its strengths? What does it lack? And what would make them buy yours in
stead? For example, dryer sheet fabric softeners have been around for a long tim
e. A new invention--essentially a small spiked ball you throw in the clothes dry
er--claims to work as effectively as dryer sheets. The two products may solve th
e same problem, but some may prefer one to the other. Perhaps some like the drye
r sheets' scent while others are sensitive to its chemicals. This is the type of
information you'll discover through market research.
Additional markets. Your research may uncover a market for your product you neve
r considered. Take national electronics retailer Best Buy. Traditionally, the co
mpany targeted adult male consumers. But after research revealed an increasing n
umber of female electronics buyers, Best Buy created an in-store experience that
would better meet women's needs. With the TP Saver, my own research uncovered a
market I'd never considered--pet owners. It seems dogs and cats take as much pl
easure in manipulating the toilet paper roll as toddlers do.
So you can see why it's so important to do market research before investing too
much in your product. Although it takes some time and financial resources, your
discoveries can help set you on a more focused path and avoid expensive mistakes
.
And for inventors with multiple ideas, gaining this knowledge and information is
a great way to help decide which product to take to market first.
Tamara Monosoff is Entrepreneur.com's "Inventions" columnist and the founder and
CEO of Mom Inventors Inc., a product development and manufacturing company. She
's also the author of The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea In
to the Next Big Thing andSecrets of Millionaire Moms.

Debunking the Six Degrees of Separation
Do you believe that anyone in the world is only six people removed? Here's why
that theory's wrong and what it means for networking.
By Ivan Misner | April 30, 2007
What do Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Six Degrees of Separation have in comm
on? People around the world believe in them. Since I don't want to do an expos on
Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, I'm going to tackle the six degrees of separat
ion theory instead. This is the widely held belief that any person is connected
to any other person through no more than six intermediary connections.
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but it just isn't true. The myth stems from
several "small world experiments" conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s and
'70s that involved sending folders or letters from a group of people in one par
t of the country to a specific person they didn't know in another part of the co
untry. The people were told to get the material to someone who might know someon
e that would know the individual.
It was, in fact, found that the letters or folders took, on average, between fiv
e and six connections to reach the intended recipient. Though the average number
of links was five or six, the majority of the connections ranged from two to 10
links. What's more, the overwhelming majority of people in Milgram's studies ne
ver got the material to the intended recipient. His most successful study only y
ielded a 29 percent completion rate. In one study, the number was only 5 percent
.
So we aren't "all" connected to everyone else by six degrees of separation. But
why would I, who has devoted most of his professional career to business network
ing, be telling everyone about the inaccuracy of this iconic concept upon which
a lot of networking pros hang their hats?
There are two reasons. First, I believe this myth creates complacency. The notio
n gives some people a false sense of expectation that connections are bound to h
appen sooner or later, no matter what they do. If this were the case, you wouldn
't need a networking columnist, would you?
Secondly, and most importantly, the studies' findings clearly indicate that some
people are better connected than others. This means networking is a skill that
can be developed. With reading, training and coaching, people can improve their
networking skills, increase their connections and become part of the roughly 29
percent of people that are, in fact, separated from the rest of the world by onl
y six degrees.
Milgram's work was revolutionary. It opened up a new world of discussion and und
erstanding. It has, however, been romanticized. The mythical version of his find
ings doesn't serve anyone well. It gives people a false sense of security and an
erroneous understanding of the networking process.
The good news is that it's possible to be a successful networker. By understandi
ng that you can be connected to anyone through the power and potential of networ
king, you can set yourself apart from the competition. Just remember that being
able to make connections isn't an entitlement.
ng Networking's Biggest Myths.

Why Introverts Can Be Great Networkers
You don't have to be a people person to network; you just have to be willing to
listen.
By Ivan Misner | May 23, 2007
A common assumption is that a "people person" is the best type of networker. But
this isn't necessarily true. Actually, the only people who can't profit from ne
tworking or referral marketing are those who don't like people at all. But they
aren't likely to be entrepreneurs or involved in sales in the first place.
Most entrepreneurs who depend directly on others buying their products or servic
es have at least a certain comfort level in dealing with people. Even if you're
not outgoing or gregarious, you can form meaningful relationships and communicat
e your ideas. A lot of people are like that, and if you are, referral marketing
is still one of the best ways to build your business.
Often, introverts eliminate themselves from networking because they aren't good
at initializing conversations. That's unfortunate, because they're actually bett
er at the part of networking that's more important to the relationship-building
process.
Networking is a two-part process. First, you have to meet someone new and share
information about yourself. The extrovert may be better at this first part of th
e process. But the introvert is better at the second part--listening to the pers
on he or she just met. The type of networking I recommend can actually be easie
r for an introvert because extroverts love talking about themselves, while intro
verts are better at listening and asking questions.
A good networker has two ears and one mouth and uses each proportionally. A good
networker asks questions and gets to know the other person. And once you know t
he other person, it's much easier to solve one of their problems or ease one of
their concerns.
So if you're introverted, stop using that as an excuse not to network. If you're
still feeling daunted, there are many techniques you can use to make the proces
s easier. For example, if you feel uncomfortable walking up to total strangers a
t a chamber business mixer, volunteer to be an ambassador for that group. In thi
s role, you are, in effect, a host for the chamber, which makes it easier and mo
re natural for you to greet people and say, "Welcome to our event. My name is [I
van Misner]. I'm an ambassador for the chamber." Before you know it, the ice is
broken, and you're engaged in conversation.
Many opportunities to learn the art of networking abound, and often in places yo
u may not have considered. Do you do volunteer work? Volunteering offers a great
opportunity for meeting new people, many of whom could be future clients. Other
people have become great networkers by joining their children's PTA, coaching i
n a sports league, working on a fundraiser, or even coordinating or speaking at
a political event for a local or national candidate.
Networking is a skill that can be learned--no matter your level of gregariousnes
s. If you remain ill-at-ease in environments where you have to mix and mingle or
meet new people, take advantage of training seminars and workshops that teach y
ou how to network effectively. You'll find that when you learn ways to handle th
ese situations, you'll become more relaxed and confident in a networking setting
.
luding his recently released New York Times bestseller, Truth or Delusion? Busti
Create the Best Brochure

Use these tips for putting together a brochure that clearly gets your message a
cross to potential customers.
By Melissa Crowe | May 25, 2007
As hard as you may try, you can only be in one place at a time. Your company bro
chure, however, can be in many places, helping you influence potential and exist
ing customers. An effective brochure clearly and succinctly outlines what a comp
any is about and what it has to offer. A poorly constructed brochure only confus
es, frustrates and chases potential customers into the welcoming arms of the com
petition.
The following tips explain how to design a brochure that will properly represent
your mission, outline what you have to offer your target audience and serve as
an effective marketing and sales tool.
A good headline is key. The headline on the front of your brochure should always
include the interests and perceived problems of your targeted audience, and be
followed by the solutions you can provide. Many business owners mistakenly lead
with their company's basic information. It's imperative, however, to capture you
r audience's attention and prompt them to read the rest of the brochure. Why bot
her taking the time to create a great brochure if your audience only reads the f
ront and then discards it?
Remember the basics. Don't ignore the basics when creating a brochure; it should
include standard information, such as company name, at least two types of conta
ct information, a logo and tagline. It should also include a headline on the fro
nt and two or three brief items outlining benefits your organization can provide
. All text should be in brief, easy-to-read blocks to provide clarity for the re
ader. Add graphic images and photos of your product, services and/or key personn
el for an eye-catching touch.
Don't confuse the reader. Avoid the temptation to list too much information on y
our brochure. Too many messages will confuse your audience and dilute your main
points. Focus on what interests your target audience in a succinct manner, and t
hey'll come away with an accurate understanding of what you can offer them and h
ow you'll do it. It's OK to be proud of your business, but not at the expense of
cluttering your brochure with irrelevant information.
Avoid big words. There's no need to impress your target audience by using hard-t
o-understand words that will send the reader scrambling for a dictionary. Your g
oal is to provide the reader with information regarding your organization, and t
riple-word-score Scrabble words and lengthy acronyms are hardly the best way to
accomplish this. Plain speak is the best course of action.
Include a call to action. Don't assume your audience will be moved to contact yo
u or purchase your product or services after they read your well-crafted brochur
e. An effective brochure should include a call to action, such as an offer for a
free product sample or a free estimate or gift. This will entice readers and gi
ve them an incentive to act. Sometimes people need that extra motivation to cont
act you.
Don't be flimsy. A firm brochure is the equivalent of a firm handshake; it promo
tes confidence and competence. The weight, texture and overall feel are some of
the first things someone will notice about your brochure. Use high-quality paper
with a glossy finish to create a brochure that stands out. Handing out or maili
ng thin, flimsy brochures will signal that you put little thought and even less
effort into developing your marketing materials.
Regardless of your business size or financial or design resources, the above tip
s will assist you in creating a brochure that will properly represent your organ
ization, impress potential customers and call them to action.
Melissa Croweis the vice president of marketing servicesat VistaPrint, an online
supplier of graphic design and printed products to small businesses and consume
rs. Please visit www.vistaprint.com for more brochure ideas.
Rachel Meranus: PR
The Multicultural Media Boom
Why you need to include multicultural media sources in your PR efforts
By Rachel Meranus | May 29, 2007
According to recently published census figures, approximately 40 percent of the
population under 30 is classified as "non-white" and minority groups are expecte
d to be the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population over the next 50 year
s. Just as companies have modified their product lines to meet the interests of
different market segments, they're seeing the benefit of using multicultural mar
keting and PR tactics. Gina Amaro Rudan, director of multicultural and internati
onal markets for PR Newswire, offers her insights into how small businesses can
leverage this opportunity.
Entrepreneur.com: Why should businesses consider multicultural marketing in thei
r communications activities?
Rudan: Reaching different cultures living within the United States can have a tr
emendous impact on a company's bottom line. For small businesses that have limit
ed time and money to devote to marketing and PR, the impact can be even more pro
found.
The combined buying power of the Hispanic, black, Asian and Native American comm
unities is currently in excess of $1.5 trillion. Hispanics, for example, underst
and the importance of supporting, partnering with and using small companies. The
primary reason for this enthusiasm is that Hispanics in the United States are o
pening small businesses three times faster than the national average, according
to the U.S. Census Bureau. Also, the infrastructure of Hispanic communities was
built by Hispanic small businesses and the commitment of entrepreneurs.
How influential are culturally focused media outlets?
Rudan: One word: extremely. The growth of culturally focused content and program
ming has exploded over the past 20 years. There is no greater proof of its influ
ence than the $3 billion price Viacom paid for BET in 2000.
On a more practical, day-to-day level, the power of culturally focused content i
s most evident in the Hispanic community. Overall, 2006 was an explosive year fo
r Hispanic print, television, cable, radio and internet. In total, there are 385
weeklies and 37 daily newspapers targeted to Hispanic readers. And it's not jus
t print. Univision, Telemundo (owned by NBC) and Azteca America, the three major
Hispanic TV networks, account for more than 100 local stations and hundreds of
cable affiliates through the United States. And, according to Arbitron, Spanishlanguage format radio holds 18.9 percent of all radio listeners aged 25 to 34.
What are some of the basic strategies, tools and techniques small businesses can
employ to reach specific cultural groups?
Rudan: First, do your research. Know your audience, where they get their news an
d the reporters who write the news. Once you've done your research, it's time to
get your name and business into the public eye. Introduce your organization to
the local ethnic media. Initiate contact with the editors, reporters and writers
, and tailor your press releases to multicultural media. It may also be a good i
dea to send the press releases in the language of their media.
Becoming a member of multicultural organizations is a great first step. For exam
ple, become a member of a local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. You don't have to
be Hispanic to be a member. This also goes for black Asian American markets, as
well as other minority groups.
Has the same growth in online communications--news sites, blogs, social media--b
een seen in the multicultural space?
Rudan: Without question. Many companies have neglected black and Hispanic online
consumers due to the belief that their rates of technology adoption lagged behi
nd the general market. While that perception may have been accurate in the past,
it isn't the case today. Cultural groups are now often ahead of the mainstream
in their use of the internet.
In fact, among teens ages 12 to 17, English-speaking Hispanics show the highest
rate of internet use of all ethnicities, and blacks are more likely than the gen
eral population to use a mobile device for internet access, to stream audio or v
ideo content online, and to use the internet for research.
Do specific business segments benefit more from engaging in culturally focused m
arketing and PR?
Rudan: All business segments have an opportunity with multicultural markets. But
the categories that tend to do the best when engaging in multicultural marketin
g efforts are: food and beverage, automotive, apparel, personal care, entertainm
ent, sports, telecommunications, health care, banking and finance, and insurance
.
Tamara Monosoff: Inventions

Taking Your New Product to Market
Start small and create a timeline for taking your product to national distribut
ion.
By Tamara Monosoff | May 29, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/inventing/inventionscolumnist
tamaramonosoff/article179084.html
So you've invented the next great gadget, and you're sure it'll be a hit. In fac
t, you've got cartons of inventory stored in every room of your house that you'r
e itching to sell, sell, sell. Your test market said they love it, but how can y
ou reach the legions of consumers you're sure will want to buy it?
Welcome to Sales 101. While there are countless books you can read about sales a
nd marketing, here's a relatively simple, proven strategy that'll enable you to
build your market and grow your sales.
Create a Sales Plan
First, define your market as accurately as possible so you have a deeper unders
tanding of exactly who you're selling to. For example, instead of all women, it
may be working women with above-average incomes and kids under age 5. Instead of
all men, it may be divorced men in their 40s with six-figure salaries. The more
specific you get, the more accurately you'll be able to target your sales and m
arketing efforts, choosing the sales channels most receptive to your product.
Next, you'll need to develop a sales plan. Before you groan, "Another plan," und
erstand this can be a simple document for your eyes only that'll help you organi
ze and think through your sales strategy. Write it in a way that makes sense for
you. Typically, it should include the following:
Sales goals: These goals should be specific and measurable, not something like s
elling a million units. Base them on the nature of your product and try to break
them down into manageable parts. For example, sell 50 units to end-users in 30
days and sell 100 units to local independent retailers in six months.
Sales activities: These are your tactics--how you plan to make the sale. You may
say you'll sell direct-to-consumer through a website or via craft shows, for in
stance. Or this part of the plan may include activities like developing a sell s
heet to send to independent retail stores.
Target accounts: Your sales plan should also include the accounts you want to se
ll to. If it's end-users, for example, plan how you're going to reach them throu
gh eBay, classified ads or your website.
Timelines: Put dates to all of the above elements so you can define your steps w
ithin a realistic timeline. Don't forget that your timelines should be fluid--if
you're underachieving, your sales plan can help you figure out why and define t
he corrective steps you need to take.
Finally, follow a proven process for growing sales over time. While it would be
fabulous to have Wal-Mart carry your product right out of the gate, it may not b
e realistic. Most large retailers want to see a track record of successful sales
before agreeing to take on a new product.
Build Your Market
To build your market, begin by selling directly to end-users. This'll give you c
onfidence that there's demand for your product and will also create referenceabl
e customers that you can contact for product and packaging feedback before you h
it the bigger leagues. So where can you reach your end-users?
The web is one highly effective channel, and you can reach your market through y
our own website or via a site like eBay. You can also tap into your own personal
network as you begin. Host a home party to share your product with friends and
friends-of-friends, sell through local community groups and e-mail your network.
Once you get feedback directly from your customers, refine the packaging and pri
ce point before approaching your next market--wholesalers. You'll probably start
with small, independently owned, local stores. It's a good idea to start with t
hem before hitting larger chain stores because it's easier to get in touch with
the direct decision-maker, and they're more inclined to take on new, unique or h
ard-to-find items to differentiate themselves from larger stores. To sell to the
se retailers, be prepared and bring a product sell sheet, photos, product sample
s (if possible) and a succinct introductory letter to explain what's in it for t
hem, highlighting your product's profit margin, features and benefits, and prove
n sales record.
Expand to New Markets
Once you've established sales strength with independent retailers and are ready
to support new markets, it's time to sell to the big guns. Of course, exactly wh
o those big guns are will depend on your product. For some, it's powerhouse gene
ral mass retailers, like Wal-Mart and Target, while other products will fit more
specialized but equally powerful retailers, like Williams-Sonoma, The Sharper I
mage and Sephora.
Note that when dealing with these major accounts, the sale is just the beginning
of the deal. Handling fulfillment, returns, rollbacks, slotting fees, advertisi
ng and more will require strengthening your business's infrastructure and resour
ces.
But back to the sale. What's the best way to approach a larger retailer? Here's
a quick cheat sheet:
Get the correct buyer: One of your biggest challenges is finding the right buyer
within a large organization, so do your homework. If you're experiencing roadbl
ocks, consider hiring a distributor or manufacturer's rep who already has establ
ished relationships in your industry.
Be prepared: Develop a presentation and have professional-looking sell sheets re
ady. Your product should also have packaging that's ready to go.
Know your target: Understand what products they already carry and how yours will
fit in. Don't waste your time pitching to a retailer who's unlikely to carry yo
ur product.
Take advantage of special programs: Some mass retailers, such as Wal-Mart, have
local purchase programs that give managers authority to try local items. And oth
er retailers may have different initiatives, such as minority business programs.
Be patient: It can take up to a year or longer before you see your product on st
ore shelves, so don't get frustrated. And if the final answer is no, try to turn
it into a learning experience.
Finally, remember there are other sales channels besides the traditional brick-a
nd-mortar retail store. Catalogs, TV shopping networks and online stores can als
o be excellent methods for reaching your customers.
Tamara Monosoff is Entrepreneur.com's "Inventions" columnist and the founder and
CEO of Mom Inventors Inc., a product development and manufacturing company. She
's also the author of The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea In
to the Next Big Thing andSecrets of Millionaire Moms.

Speed Networking and Beyond
Launch yourself into a new circle of people waiting to talk to you.
By Ivan Misner | June 28, 2007
Speed networking programs are showing up all around the world. These events tend
to be a fun, exciting and effective way to make a lot of initial connections in
a very different environment from the standard business networking meetings.
Speed networking programs generally involve people meeting each other one at a t
ime for a short interval and then moving on to the next person in line. They are
fairly structured in the way people queue up to meet. For example, one variatio
n is to have two concentric circles of people. The individuals sit across from o
ne another and after the set time period--generally one or two minutes--the outs
ide circle of people gets up and moves in one direction around the circle until
everyone has met.
As founder of the world's largest business referral and networking organization,
you might not be surprised to learn that I have some definite opinions and idea
s about how to best use speed networking as a tool for creating viable referral
partnerships. First, I think speed networking is a great way to meet other busin
ess professionals in a short period of time. It's a good tool for business peopl
e to apply the "visibility" stage of the VCP Process TM--Visibility, Credibility
, Profitability--that I mentioned in my past article, "Build Relationships that
Last."
The potential downside to speed networking is if someone thinks this is "all" th
ey have to do to network effectively. The key to making speed networking work, i
s to take those contacts and develop them over time into "credible" relationship
s that lead to "profitable" referral partners.
Some people have likened speed networking to speed dating. While there are clear
ly some similarities, there is also a subtle but significant difference. Speed d
ating is done to eliminate potential suitors and keep from wasting time on peopl
e with whom you share no common interests and no mutual attraction. The presumpt
ion is that you are going to follow up with only the ones you connect with durin
g the exercise.
This speaks to why I titled this article "Speed Networking and Beyond." I don't
feel speed networking can be used to its potential if you treat it as a means to
eliminate potential referral sources. If you're already familiar with my materi
al, you know how I feel about poaching at business events, looking for the big k
ill. Developing a strong referral base is about developing relationships with a
variety of people, even when it seems you have nothing in common.
So how do you go about participating in a speed networking exercise with the pro
per focus to make the most of your time? Here are several points to consider:
1. Start with the end in mind. You're not there to bag the big one. You're not t
here to eliminate referral sources or referral partners. You're there to find wa
ys to connect with each and every person you have the opportunity to sit (or sta
nd) in front of for that oneto two-minute period.
If you view the speed networking exercise as a type of catalyst event (see my pa
st article "Using Events to Gain Referrals"), you're already thinking with the e
nd in mind. While you will not, realistically, become close friends with every p
erson in the room, you're increasing your potential referral sources by meeting
many people in one setting.
2. Conduct the exercise as a mini interview. Think in terms of what you can find
out about the person you're meeting. That'll allow you to help further the goal
s of that individual. Forget about mining her database or trying to determine wh
o she knows to further your goals. In working to mutually benefit one another, a
sk questions that'll clarify where and how you can best help your new referral s
ource.
3. Make notes during the exercise. If you're not provided some type of contact c
ard on which you can jot notes while in the exercise, be sure to use your own pa
d of paper to write down the information you discover. Be sure to note the perso
n's interests and goals you could help achieve.
4. Follow up. If you don't follow up with those you meet during the speed networ
king exercise, you will only have succeeded in wasting your time--which is exact
ly what you were trying to avoid by attending the event in the first place. Coll
ect the business cards of each person you sit with during the exercise. The magi
c happens after the exercise, in the weeks and months to come.
Set appointments with each person, not to convince them they need your product,
but with the intention of becoming better acquainted, finding out what their nee
ds are and how you can positively impact their lives. You'll realize the reason
you went to the speed networking exercise in the first place: to develop more re
ferral business.
I believe speed networking can work if it's done the right way. It can be a fun,
energetic and dynamic way to further your own goals of having a thriving, succe
ssful word-of-mouth-based business.
Called the father of modern networking, Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder of BNI an
d the senior partner for the Referral Institute. He has written nine books, incl
uding his recently released New York Times bestseller, Truth or Delusion? Bustin
g Networking's Biggest Myths.

Spread the Good Word
PR is a do-it-yourself job when you use one of these 3 tactics.

By Kim T. Gordon | July 16, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/marketingcolumnistkimtgordon/article1
81760.html
Most marketing programs come with a healthy price tag. That is, with one excepti
on: public relations.
Several PR tactics can be mastered by do-it-yourselfers. You can use them to rea
ch and persuade customers at virtually no cost. Try any of the following three t
actics to spread the good word about your business:
Meet the press through media relations.
When you think of PR, media relations is probably the tactic that often comes to
mind. The goal is to gain coverage in print, broadcast and online media through
interviews and articles. To build relationships with members of the press, firs
t identify which medium your target audience looks to for information on your ma
rket. You'll find a searchable database of media outlets by clicking on "Media L
inks" at www.gebbieinc.com. Develop a list of editors and journalists and famili
arize yourself with each publication, website or broadcast program you plan to p
itch. This will ensure that your message is on target.
Next, send a press release or pitch letter to your target market's preferred med
ia outlet. Follow up the release with phone calls to the targeted journalists. D
on't be surprised if you're asked to send your materials again, since the media
is deluged with press releases. You may not get placements on your first calls,
but as you develop relationships with members of the press, you'll establish you
rself as a resource and eventually win coverage.
Get local attention with community affairs.
For some types of businesses, building a positive company image and high visibil
ity within the local community are primary PR goals. You can enhance your compan
y's position through a community affairs campaign that supports key issues, phil
anthropic endeavors and community events. For example, companies targeting the L
atino market often take visible roles in local Latino community life, from stree
t fairs and festivals to charitable giving. This establishes them as caring comm
unity members, increases their visibility and name recognition, and yields posit
ive PR.
The key to success in community affairs is to put your efforts into activities t
hat will gain recognition from your primary target audience and garner local pre
ss coverage. When a Washington, DC landscaping company refurbished a rundown inn
er-city playground, it built tremendous word-of-mouth and earned coverage in loc
al media and an entirely new level of name recognition in its principal market a
rea. Get the idea?
Become a recognized expert with a radio press tour.
Would becoming known as an expert in your field propel you and your business for
ward? Setting up your own radio press tour is easier than you think, and it's a
great way to spread your name and message while building sales. Once you're esta
blished as an "expert" you'll get ongoing requests for interviews and comments f
rom print and online media. A little coverage generally breeds more.
Talk radio programming nationwide covers a broad range of topics, from gardening
to child safety and business finance. What types of shows do your best prospect
s listen to, and what can you share that will interest them? Talk show producers
are looking for guests that can present unique, compelling ideas and present th
em in a way that won't put their listeners to sleep. Choose a story angle or top
ic that lets you shine, then write a media alert. This is similar to a press rel
ease but concludes with your availability for interviews and how to book you.
Fax or e-mail the alert to targeted producers (again, visit gebbieinc.comfor a d
atabase of radio stations) along with a separate page with information they can
use as a basis for your interview, such as "10 Tips for Back to School Safety,"
or "6 Ways to Save Money at Tax Time." Then follow up by telephone to pitch your
story. Be persistent. You may need to send several alerts and tips sheets for a
period of time before securing an interview. But once you give a great intervie
w, you can bet the producers will want you back for more.
Kim T. Gordon is the "Marketing" coach at Entrepreneur.com and a multifaceted ma
rketing expert, speaker, author and media spokesperson. Over the past 26 years,
she's helped millions of small-business owners increase their success through he
r company,National Marketing Federation Inc. Her latest book,Maximum Marketing,
Minimum Dollars, is now available.

Watch Your Word-of-Mouth
Word-of-mouth marketing is always working; it just may not be working in your f
avor.
By Ivan Misner | July 26, 2007
You may be thinking: Since I'm not asking anybody to refer me, word-of-mouth mar
keting isn't something I need to concern myself with. If I provide good products
or services and my customer service is up to par, I'll naturally get more custo
mers by word-of-mouth. Why bother with plans and strategies? Why spend all that
extra effort on getting referrals? I'm getting word-of-mouth every day, and it's
not costing me any time or effort.
Yes, you're getting word-of-mouth every day. It just may not be the good kind. T
he message you're sending may be unclear or too vague. It may even be negative.
"Negative?" you may be asking. "But I have plenty of satisfied customers."
While you have lots of satisfied customers, they're not the ones doing the most
talking. You may have 100 satisfied customers for every one customer who leaves
your shop less than happy, but guess who talks loudest and longest? It's that de
manding, unreasonable customer who thinks you're a lousy tailor because you woul
dn't take care of her snarling, yapping cairn terrier while she went next door t
o the bakery ("Don't go to that tailor; he was so rude to me."). Or the customer
who came in on the one day of the entire year you had to close early for an eme
rgency ("That store? Why, it's never open.").
Negative word-of-mouth has legs. A study conducted in Texas revealed that the av
erage dissatisfied customer gripes to 11 people about his experience, and these
11 in turn each tell five others. That's 66 or more horror stories about one unh
appy trip to your store. Ask yourself if your average happy customer makes sure
66 people hear about your great service. Of course not. Would business be easier
if they did? Of course, but they don't.
Also, passing on the gripe from a single dissatisfied customer to the next 55 ta
kes some time, which means that the negative word-of-mouth feedback is "out ther
e" a lot longer.
What's the lesson here? Good customer service is important because it reduces ne
gative word-of-mouth. But by itself, good customer service won't generate enough
positive word-of-mouth to build your business. So it's up to you as the busines
s owner to ensure the positive counters the negative.
Even if you discount the occasional disgruntled ex-customer, your word-of-mouth

may be so vague as to be useless: "Good tailor, eh? What does he do besides alte
rations? Does he do reweaving? You don't know?" Or it may be misleading: "Well,
he has a full lineup of men's clothing, but I don't know whether he does custom
tailoring or alterations. It may all be ready-to-wear."
Positive word-of-mouth that's inaccurate or aimed at the wrong target market may
hurt your business as much as negative word-of-mouth. Suppose somebody gets the
idea that you're in the trucking business when you're actually selling trucks.
The aggravation of straightening out an honest misunderstanding may leave enough
of a sour taste in the prospect's mouth to cost you future business and referra
ls.
The same is true if your business focus is on high quality but your source promo
tes you as a low-cost provider. It's important that your marketing message be co
nveyed accurately and realistically.
How do you keep up with the demands of running your business and making sure the
word gets out about how wonderful your business is? Start small with your famil
y and friends. It's amazing what a good word by a spouse or relative can do for
your business in the right place and time. Branch out to your friends or members
of organizations to which you belong. With family and friends, the key is ensur
ing they have up-to-date information and a thorough understanding of your compan
y. Don't forget the vendors who provide products or services to your business.
Remember that the IT consultant who helps with your server every other week will
visit (and talk with) many clients in between.
Word-of-mouth is always working; it just may be working against you. If you don'
t have a strategic plan, then you're not in control of what's being said about y
ou. And if you don't have a way to measure the results of your word-of-mouth mar
keting, then you have no idea if it's really working.
Called the father of modern networking, Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder ofBNI and
the senior partner for theReferral Institute. He has written nine books, includ
ing his recently releasedNew York Times bestseller, Truth or Delusion? Busting N
etworking's Biggest Myths.

Salespeople Don't Live Off Referrals Alone
Even if you're getting all the referrals you want, you still need to sell.
Anyone who is experienced and successful in referral marketing will tell you tha
t sales skills are essential. They're needed in every part of the process, not j
ust in closing the sale.
First, a referral is not a guaranteed sale; it's the opportunity to do business
with someone to whom you've been recommended. Therefore, show that you can and w
ill provide the expected products or services and that your customer will be hap
py with the process and the result. If you can't make that first "sale," however
, your potential referral source will dry up, and she won't do her part to sell
the referral.
In the early '90s, I conducted a survey as part of my doctoral studies, and foun
d that approximately 34 percent of business referrals turn into sales. Another d
octoral student replicated my original study in 2006, and the findings were near
ly identical at around 34 percent. This is an outstanding number, but it's still
not 100 percent.
Therefore, sales skills are still important in networking. Some people are bette
r at closing sales than others. Having the knowledge and skill to generate the r
eferral, then to close the sale, gives the business person a one-two punch. Ther
e are countless books, classes and seminars on how to close a sale. Classes offe
red online, on campus or even onsite at a large company can teach you these skil
ls. Webinars also abound, and many offer related online communities to interact
and exchange ideas with "virtual" peers.
Second, while the referral helps a great deal, convince the prospect that making
the first appointment is worth his time. Avoid being aggressive, indecisive or
evasive at this point; having been in contact with your referral provider, the p
rospect is expecting a high level of respect and professionalism in your approac
h. Be confident that a mutually beneficial deal is in the works, and communicate
this to the prospect by your attitude and actions.
Third, once you've made the appointment, persuade the prospect to buy your produ
ct or service. This is the part that usually comes to mind when one hears the wo
rd "sale." Integrity is paramount at this stage. The prospect should know exactl
y what to expect: no hidden charges, no unexpected exceptions and no bait-and-sw
itch.
If you've created a highly efficient system of generating referrals for your bus
iness, you'll see a steady stream of referrals. This doesn't guarantee that you'
ll be capable of closing any of them. It takes sales skills to turn prospects in
to new clients, customers or patients.
Note, however, that in referral marketing, closing the deal with your prospect i
s neither the beginning nor the end of the selling process. At this point, you'l
l have made at least two previous sales. And to build and maintain the long-term
relationships that characterize referral marketing, follow up with both your ne
w customer and your referral provider--again, part of the total sales process.
The No. 1 rule in referral marketing is to make your referral provider look good
. Demonstrate that you know how to sell to the prospect in a way that doesn't em
barrass the source of your referral. Show that you're going to consult with the
prospect, discover his needs, offer solutions based on those needs, give him so
me options, and not force a sale if you know you can't provide a good solution.
On the other hand, if your technique is to hold the prospect hostage at his kitc
hen table until he breaks down and buys, your referral source will feel you've a
bused your relationship with him and damaged his relationship with the prospect.
You may get the deal, but you've shut yourself off from further deals with that
client--and with any future referrals from your source.
The message about sales in referral marketing is this: If you're not comfortable
in sales or if you haven't been professionally trained, sales training is a wor
thwhile investment. Keep this message in mind and it'll serve you well in every
aspect of relationship marketing and referral networking.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misneris a New York Ti
mes bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNIthe world's largest
business networking organization. His latest books Truth or Delusion can be vie
wed at www.TruthorDelusion.comandMaster of Salescan now be ordered off the Entre
preneur Press. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute
, an international referral training company.

Deep Insight Without Deep Pockets
Adopt these low-cost research tactics for a revealing look at what makes your c
ustomers buy.
By Kim T. Gordon | August 27, 2007
83420.html
"Understand your customer" is marketing's primary mantra. Smart entrepreneurs ar
e always searching for new information on what makes their customers tick. This
goes way beyond knowing simply who they are; it goes into how customers live, wo
rk, play and think. And the most-sought-after information--marketing's Holy Grai
l--is up-to-the-minute insight into how, what, when or where customers buy.
As a small-business owner, you may be operating on a tight research budget, whic
h means that some of the primary research tools used by big businesses may be pr
ohibitively expensive for you. For instance, focus groups in multiple cities or
mall intercept studies that survey thousands of consumers may be out of your rea
ch. But you have one healthy advantage over the marketers in big businesses with
deeper pockets: you're closer to the customer than they can ever be.
Want to know how your customers think or behave? Just ask them. Here are three e
ffective and low-cost ways to gain insight into your customers or clients.
1. Survey your customer list.
Does your in-house customer list include e-mail addresses? If not, it's time to
update that database. One of my coaching clients, Media Specialists Inc., has ju
st finished calling its 900 customers to update the company database with e-mail
addresses. By augmenting its postal mail and telephone communications with e-ma
il, the company will save thousands of dollars a year and execute its campaigns
more quickly.
Once you have a current list of customer e-mail addresses, you can take advantag
e of the new, low-cost online survey tools available to small businesses. In thi
s age of "do not call lists" and voicemail, online surveys can be more effective
than costly telephone surveys. And you don't need any background in research be
cause the best of these online products provide professionally written survey te
mplates. ListenUp! Survey from Constant Contact, for example, offers dozens of c
ustomizable surveys and lets you easily manage and clean your e-mail list. It a
lso schedules and sends your surveys and interprets your results with comprehens
ible graphs and charts. Surveys can be sent to up to 2,500 customers as often as
you like for about $30 a month.
2. Make your website interactive.
There are several smart ways to turn your website into an effective research too
l. Add a box with a single polling question to your main page and regularly ask
questions that engage visitors and provide important customer data for you. Simp
le "yes or no" or multiple-choice questions work best. Questions can range from
opinions, such as a vote for the most popular new style of shoe, to behaviors, s
uch as a multiple-choice question concerning how frequently visitors dine out.
To gather more in-depth information than a polling question can reveal, offer an
incentive to complete a survey. For example, if you're a retailer, you can use
your print advertising to direct customers to a coupon on your website, and when
visitors select the coupon, ask them to complete the survey.
While not strictly research tools, blogs and message boards are effective mechan
isms for gaining insight into the chief issues and concerns of your customers--o
r at least the most vocal ones. These interactive tools also build a sense of co
mmunity and give visitors a compelling reason to return to your site. If you man
age your own website, you can begin your search for polling, blogging, chat and
forum software at WebBuilderZone.com.

3. Create an off-line information pipeline.
Savvy entrepreneurs also get their information the old-fashioned way--by directl
y asking questions and listening carefully to the answers. Since you're close to
your customers or clients, you have the ability to work with them individually
or in small groups for the express purpose of better understanding their needs a
nd the ways you can fill them. Whether you do your "digging" as part of a sales
call or structure an informal roundtable with a select group of clients, the ove
rriding goal is to focus on uncovering needs, expectations, areas of customer sa
tisfaction and dislikes relating to your product or service. The key is to make
this behavior consistent and ongoing, not just a knee-jerk reaction when sales a
re off or there's an unexplained disconnect between your message and the market.
Salespeople are your front line for customer and competitive information. Formal
ize the way you gather their input by structuring meetings between sales and mar
keting at least once a month. Ask salespeople to share their insights concerning
customer reactions to promotions, products and services. And ask the marketing
team to present its upcoming campaigns and new promotions to get a quick read fr
om your salespeople on how these new marketing campaigns will be received by cus
tomers. When you combine these tactics for off-line listening with online studie
s you'll get a revealing snapshot of your actual customer that will inform all o
f your marketing decisions.
r company,National Marketing Federation Inc. Her latest book,Maximum Marketing,
Minimum Dollars, is now available.
How to Get the Goods

Need a steady stream of inventory? Hit the web to make connections and build re
lationships.
By Julie Monahan | September 01, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/ebaycenter/article183882.html
It's easy to sell on eBay, but growing a business on eBay is a bit more complica
ted. It takes strategy.
Many eBay sellers continue for years selling the occasional find from a garage s
ale or thrift shop, but when you're ready to sell at the higher volume that crea
tes Power-Sellers, it's time to look for a reliable, affordable and, most import
ant, steady supply of salable goods.
While you're not likely to get anywhere by calling Apple and trying to order iPo
ds at wholesale, the marketplace does offer a plethora of supplier choices for a
growing business on eBay. The search for inventory often begins online with int
ernet searches that can identify wholesalers, closeout dealers, job lot traders
and liquidators.
Steve Barry (eBay User ID: 2kool4skool-music), of Carlsbad, California, started
on eBay selling guitars and keyboards acquired for his work as a studio musician
. After leaving the music business, starting a full-fledged business online seem
ed like the perfect segue. Barry, 33, has successfully used a variety of supplie
rs, from drop-shippers to trade show contacts to individual sellers, applying hi

s in-depth product knowledge at every step to build his business to between $60,
000 and $200,000 in sales a month.
Keeping in mind the many other entrepreneurs conducting similar searches, Barry
often bypasses the first 50 pages or so of search returns when he looks for prod
ucts on the internet. "A lot of people are selling stuff, but sometimes it's not
easy to find them," he says. This method increases his chances because other se
archers usually give up by page 50.
Digital and print magazines that print directories of domestic and overseas whol
esalers offer another way for budding eBay entrepreneurs to connect with supplie
rs. One company, The Closeout News, lets buyers request specific products by pos
ting free want ads on its website. Some sellers go directly to the manufacturers
themselves, which offers them to grow to another level of opportunity--and pote
ntially, more risk. But it made sense for David Stankunas, 26, (eBay User ID: da
veeyboy) of Los Angeles.
An avid poker player, Stankunas noticed how the TV champions received poker brac
elets as a reward. He wanted to do the same for his own informal poker gathering
s but couldn't find the bracelets anywhere. So he worked with a jeweler, develop
ed a prototype and found manufacturers in China and Vietnam to make them for him
. "I knew there was a market for this," Stankunas says.
The process took time, and Stankunas started by using the internet and search te
rms such as "overseas," "manufacturers," "jewelry" and "China." He painstakingly
sifted through the results, began writing e-mails to establish contact and wait
ed to hear back. He decided to only work with companies that responded within 24
hours and demonstrated a working grasp of business English. "When you're dealin
g with overseas [manufacturers], there's some risk involved," he says. "Check re
ferences as best you can, start out small, and see how the relationship develops
."
As Stankunas builds his business, it's been worth the effort and risk to contrac
t directly with manufacturers, because his sales margins are higher--projected s
ales for 2007 are between $100,000 and $150,000. "I've been fortunate," he says.
"I put in the hours, did the research, and it's paid off."

Why Referral Marketing Works
Think cold-calling is the most effective way to snag customers? Try referral ma
rketing and catch a new batch of clients.
When you have a fully functioning referral marketing strategy in operation, you
can predict approximately how many referrals you can expect and what quality the
y'll likely be. True, you won't know exactly who you'll be selling to or how lar
ge the order will be, but that's true of almost all marketing techniques. One mi
stake to avoid, however, is looking solely at the sale itself. When you do this,
you'll miss exactly how that sales opportunity came to you.
A few years ago, one member of a referral networking group (We'll call him Frank
) who was a well-liked business owner and had received plenty of referrals, deci
ded to leave the group. When asked why, Frank explained that the referrals he re
ceived seemed to be random coincidences and his clients couldn't be replicated.
He felt the group wasn't working for him the way it should. Plus, he'd been gain
ing so many new clients that he said he didn't need the group anymore.
When asked about the new clients he'd acquired, Frank named some individuals who
were familiar to members of the group. As it turned out, many of Frank's new cl
ients actually were referrals from other members over the past year. Frank said
that it was mainly by chance that he'd been introduced to these individuals and
didn't believe the results were an indication of any system at work; it was simp
ly coincidence that his fellow members had bumped into people who happened to ne
ed his services.
Frank's mistake was evaluating his success against the abstract standard of repe
atability. His professional training taught him that he and his employees should
call people from a list generated by the supposed demographics of his clientele
. To generate more business--as the theory goes--he should call more people.
Each referral he got, on the other hand, had a unique story attached to the clie
nt--something that can't be repeated. This led him to believe the results were c
oincidental--a misconception because he focused on the referral itself, rather t
han on the relationship that produced the referral.
Referral marketing is like fishing with a net. You think about how to cast the n
et to optimize your chances of catching fish. You choose a likely spot, throw yo
ur net and when you pull it in, you find a number of fish. You have a pretty goo
d idea of how many fish you're going to catch if you do this a few times, but yo
u don't know which individual fish are going to end up in your net. The fisherma
n concentrates on casting the net, not on the individual path of one of the fish
.
Frank focused on the referral and not the relationship because he didn't underst
and that building effective and profitable relationships is a system. In his ear
ly training, he learned about products, customer service and cold-calling. Howev
er, he'd never been trained to build mutually profitable relationships. When he
did receive referrals, he was unaware of his actions that had caused it, so he w
as simply thankful for his good luck and went back to what he knew.
When it comes to networking, "luck" is where persistence meets opportunity. Ther
e's no coincidence about repeat referrals. They're the outcome of the day-to-day
activities of building relationships. Although referrals can't be measured as e
asily as tracking cold-call ratios, the results are dramatic--and almost never c
oincidental. Repeat referrals happen because you've laid the groundwork through
professional relationships.
What are the odds of that particular five-pound largemouth bass ending up in you
r net? If you don't know about that fish in advance--what kind of fish it is, ho
w big it is, where it hangs out, what time of day it comes up into the shallows
to feed--the odds are pretty low that you'll catch that exact fish. But once you
've got it, it's yours.
Like the net fisherman, the referral marketer concentrates not on the individual
fish but on the process. He knows the process will bring him many referrals, he
just doesn't know who they will be or by what route they will take to get to hi
m.
Referral marketing may seem a bit messy and random to those who've been trained
to call a list of names in hopes of selling to one in 100. But it's a system tha
t works well because it ferrets out all those unpredictable, hidden, complex con
nections that exist between people in everyday life and in business.
Most big companies are still in the dark ages when it comes to networking. The p
rocedures and results of referral marketing are not as easy to measure as cold-c
alling. Therefore, big companies stick to the old ways when training their sales
staff. Someday, savvy people in corporate settings will catch on to this system
. In the meantime, small businesses are leading the way in this networking techn
ique.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN,Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Ti
mes bestselling author and author of Entrepreneur'sNetworking Now blog. He is th
e Founder and Chairman ofBNI the world's largest business networking organizatio
n. His latest books Truth or Delusion can be viewed at www.TruthorDelusion.com a
nd Master of Sales can now be ordered off the Entrepreneur Press. Dr. Misner is
also the Senior Partner for theReferral Institute, an international referral tra
ining company.
Tackling the Football Crowd

With football season in full force, don't miss your chance to score with this h
uge market.
By Geoff Williams | September 20, 2007
Bratwurst wafting from the grills at the back ends of trucks crammed in a stadiu
m parking lot. Fathers tossing the pigskin to their sons in backyards across Ame
rica. Even the spectacle of Larry King prattling on about O.J. Simpson every nig
ht. They're signs that football season is truly here.
If you're an entrepreneur, right about now, you should be doing an end zone danc
e.
Football season may not be as lucrative as the shopping days surrounding Christm
as, but 'tis the season of spending nonetheless. And if you're a business owner
with a little imagination, you may soon find that football months are your favor
ite time of year. The multibillion-dollar football industry doesn't just make pl
ayers and team owners rich; the wealth can spread down to any entrepreneur, no m
atter how unrelated your company seems to quarterbacks and touchdowns.
For instance, a 2000 study by a group of Virginia Tech economists discovered tha
t football fans spent approximately $1.7 million in their county every time a ho
me game took place. Down South, the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama conclude
d that Alabama football brings in an average of $12.7 million per game for the b
usinesses in the Tuscaloosa area. And after Katrina hit, one of the first busine
sses to be re-established was the New Orleans Saints, in part because the franch
ise made the state more than $80 million annually.
That's why some entrepreneurs like Dan McLean, 59, CEO of Chicago's MCL Companie
s, a developer of upscale homes and commercial units, are taking advantage of th
e football season. The company's newest addition to the Chicago skyline is going
to be MetroPlace. And since they're trying to attract young couples, the type t
hey suspect are into football, they're holding a raffle for free tickets to a Ch
icago Bears home game. "Chicago is a sports town, and more than anything, it's a
Bears town, so it makes perfect sense to tap the enthusiasm of Bear fans in the
market for their first home," McLean says. They're also planning on holding ta
ilgate-style parties at the open houses so that interested buyers can have a bra
t and beer while touring homes.
Voss Graham agrees with the approach. He's the author of The Three Games of Sell
ing, which draws principles of sales from football. He's also a rabid fan of the
LSU Tigers. "True football fans are subject to spending more money due to the e
motional level of the fan," observes Graham. "This means that they are prone to
spontaneous purchases rather than the non-emotional buyer who looks for deals or
low cost items."
Making a Play
So if you're an entrepreneur who is swiftly becoming convinced of the merits of

football season, how can you make that part of your game plan? Especially if you
r business doesn't have an obvious connection to football? Here are two key stra
tegies:
Throw a football-themed party. That might be as simple as decorating your busine
ss for the season to create a sense of camaraderie. "True football fans have a f
eeling of belonging to a larger group of people," Graham says. "They can have in
stant rapport with complete strangers creating interesting discussions and conve
rsations that most people would never get involved in with complete strangers."
If you can throw a celebratory party for your football fan customers, you'll lik
ely make an even stronger impression. According to Alison Minton, who owns Maple
mint Enterprises, a New York City event planning, fundraising and hospitality co
nsulting service, it's not hard to do.
She says to be very visual, using the colors of the teams playing in your city.
"That can really get people in the mood." She also suggests serving food that re
lates to both football and the community you live in. "If you're a business in C
hicago, and you're serving food, you might serve deep-dish pizza. If you're in P
hiladelphia, Philly cheese steak." Finally, display football memorabilia through
out your location. "The main thing to remember is that football is about having
fun," Minton adds.
Make part of your business about football. If throwing a party to attract custom
ers or potential investors doesn't fit with your business, consider following th
e example of Halcyon Jets Holdings, Inc., a New York City-based luxury private t
ransport company. Jonathan Gilbert, 36, the CEO, says that they've recently begu
n offering (extremely wealthy) football fans the opportunity to fly to the Super
Bowl. The package--which has varying degrees of costs--includes a ticket to the
game and admittance to a post-Super Bowl party.
Aside from simply trying to make customers happy--several had asked about charte
red flights to the Super Bowl--Gilbert sees this as an opportunity to foster and
build a rapport with football fans. And even though it's just one day out of th
e year, Gilbert says that if the Super Bowl flights are a success, they'll chart
er planes to other sporting events, such as the PGA and World Series.
Of course, if you want to capitalize on the football season, there are some cave
ats. "If a business chooses to show support for a particular team, then they rea
lly need to follow the team and know who the key players are," Graham says. "In
other words, be a real fan or you will totally lose your credibility when the fa
ns learns the truth." And we probably don't need to mention that now isn't the b
est time to hire O.J. or Michael Vick as your company spokesman.
Product Placement Takes the Stage

You can't escape products on screen, but now they're making their way to your l
ocal theater.
By Rich Mintzer | September 28, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/adsbytype/otherideas/article184830.
html
Product placement, long a staple in TV and movies, has in recent years become a
growing part of the theater world. From Van Heusen shirts in Thoroughly Modern M
illie, to a mention of Jose Cuervo in Neil Simon's revival of Sweet Charity and
Tiffany necklaces in the stage production of Legally Blonde, Broadway is finding
a role for products in shows. The placements are helping offset the rising cost
of producing a musical, which now can top $12 million.
"It can be an excellent way to raise money," says Stewart Lane, whose latest hit
musical, Legally Blonde, includes Red Bull energy drink and a UPS express deliv
ery. "If used correctly, it can have an impact in the show." When Shepherd Mead'
s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying returned to Broadway in the m
id 1990s, the show incorporated an Eight O'Clock Coffee Blimp that appeared on s
tage. "It was totally different from the original production, and audiences love
d it," Lane says.
On the other side of the equation, "Broadway is absolutely a viable platform for
sponsors," says Amy Willstatter, founder of marketing firm Bridge to Hollywood
and Broadway. It was Willstatter who worked Jose Cuervo into the most recent run
of Sweet Charity, with Neil Simon himself approving the line change in the scri
pt. "It's still a work in progress, but it's growing in popularity," she adds.
Coming to a Theater Near You
This latest technique isn't reserved for the Great White Way or large touring co
mpanies. From school productions incorporating props from local shops and restau
rants to community and regional theater, there's a growing sense that products c
an make their way onto any size stage.
"We have local advertisers who help us raise funds," says Peggy Burton, chairman
of performing arts for the South Jackson Civic Center in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
"We do product placement and also have actual on-stage commercials when we do ou
r fundraising shows." Along with the ads for local businesses, which often inclu
de a car dealership, jewelry store, shoe store and health food store, the Presco
tt Bottling Company of Tullahoma typically provides bottled drinks for actors to
quaff while on stage.
Steven C. Helsel, operations manager for the Altoona Community Theatre in Altoon
a, Pennsylvania, is just beginning to explore this advertising realm. For a prod
uction of Swingtime Canteen, his team was looking for Zippo lighters to use on s
tage. Since Zippo is manufactured by a company in northern Pennsylvania, they as
ked the company to send several for the show. "As it turned out, they had a box
of lighters that had the Swingtime Canteen logo on them, which they sent us to u
se in the show and sell in the theater," says Helsel, who at the time hadn't inc
orporated products into shows, but is now considering the possibilities.
"Now that Cats has reached community theater, there are many possibilities with
all the trash on the set," he says. "If we were doing Cats here, I'd reach out t
o Boyer Brothers candy company or Benzel's [Pretzels], both manufactured locally
."
Some local theaters aren't being shy about their tactics. On its website, the As
ian American Theater Company in San Francisco explains the benefits of product p
lacement and outlines the available packages. According to the listings on the s
ite, packages range from $100 to $400 and include as many as six product mention
s and a principal and secondary prop, in addition to an ad in the program and th
e company's logo or commercial on a plasma screen.
Proper Staging
But Lane cautions that such placement isn't always applicable. For instance, he'
s helping bring Cyrano de Bergerac to Broadway in November with Kevin Kline for
a limited run. "It doesn't lend itself to working in products in the same manner
as Legally Blonde, which is contemporary and incorporates products that are aro
und us everyday," he explains.
He adds that subtlety also is important when using product placement. "The stage
production of the hit motion picture Big was an example of how product placemen
t can backfire, even when it is intrinsic to the story line," says Lane in his n
ew book Let's Put On a Show. "In the film, Tom Hanks side-steps his way across t
he large on-floor piano keys in a memorable scene. In the stage version, however
, having FAO Schwarz prominently displayed did not work; it came across as crass
and too commercial. There's a fine line between subtlety and blatant commercial
ism."
Concerns over subtlety, however, didn't stop Baz Luhrmann, who posted billboardstyle ads for Montblanc pens and Piper-Heidsieck Champagne in his 2003 Broadway
production of Puccini's La Bohme. Brought to contemporary times, the ads enhanced
the set in what turned out to be an award-winning production.
While theater purists wrestle with the notion of commercialism on stage, product
placement has made its presence known, not just recently but over the years, in
lyrics such as "I could say life is just a bowl of Jell-O" from "A Cockeyed Opt
imist" in Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific. Whether it means mentions in so
ngs or Spam in Spamalot, product placement in theater appears to be here to stay
. For entrepreneurs, it's a way to put your name in front of a new audience ever
y night, while being part of the theater experience.
8 Ways to Revamp Your Business Card

From leather to vertical layouts, business cards are getting a new look. Indust
ry insiders weigh in on what's hip--and what's pass.
By Kristin Edelhauser Chessman | October 01, 2007
For a slideshow illustrating some of the trends in business cards mentioned in t
his article, click here.
In Japan, exchanging business cards is more of a ceremony than a business transa
ction. When presenting a card, it must be facing upward from the intended recipi
ent's perspective. While in the U.S. we typically accept a business card and stu
ff it into our pocket, that action is considered offensive in Japan. Instead, th
e card should be accepted with two hands and studied carefully. Perhaps the Japa
nese are onto something.
That small 3.5-by-2-inch card can have the power to get you noticed. Often, it's
the first impression you make on a potential client. Too much text can be a tur
n-off. Not enough color and it won't stand out. As a general rule, VistaPrint VP
of marketing services, Melissa Crowe, advises customers to keep their cards sim
ple. "Keep the design clean, relay a concise message and utilize the back of the
card," she says.
Quick and Creative
VistaPrint is no stranger to the $1.2 billion business card industry. The online
graphic-design service counts 10 million small businesses and consumers as clie
nts. To help their customers, a majority of which are entrepreneurs, get results
, VistaPrint has teamed up with OfficeMax to roll out VistaPrint's Design and Pr
int Kiosk. In minutes, customers can design, order and print their business card
s, brochures or postcards. Staples also recently launched a "Business Cards in M
inutes" program, promising customers professional-quality business cards in 30 m
inutes. The service allows users to print as few as 100 cards at a time, versus
the industry-standard minimum of 250.
For small-business owners looking for something with a little more pizzazz, Moo.
com's MiniCard is being used in creative and tech circles. And no two are identi
cal: 100 cards come in each pack, and users have the option of making each one d
ifferent. The front of the cards can be personalized by uploading pictures, port
folio samples, logos or designs, while the back is reserved for contact informat
ion, including MySpace names, avatar information or your company's website.

What's New
Of course, some aspects of business cards are industry-specific. What works for
a photography studio won't necessarily work for a real-estate agent. That's why
it's important to first think about the message you're trying to send. "We're fi
nding more and more business cards are an extension of the brand and the persona
lity of the company," says Rob Schlacter, VP of business services for Staples, I
nc. and head of the "Business Cards in Minutes" program.
With that in mind, here are eight of the top trends our experts highlighted to h
elp your company's personality shine through while looking professional:
1.
2.
Incorporate foil accents. These elegant accents can add an artistic flai
r and make your words "pop" off the cardstock.
3.
Add some color. Crowe says full-color backings are popular right now. Al
so, depending on your industry, unique, colorful illustrations or images can lea
ve a lasting impression.
4.
Use both sides. The back of the card, which was previously uncharted ter
ritory, can be used for more than just contact details. "Include a special offer
, highlight your website, insert a calendar or insert an appointment slot," sugg
ests Crowe.
5.
Try hi-tech. Worried you forgot to mention important details in your las
t meeting with a potential client? Then leave them with a CD. Another up-and-com
ing way to market your business is the USB business card. Print your contact inf
ormation on a USB thumb drive and share as many files and images as you want.
6.
Go vertical. If you're looking for a way to stand out, try giving your l
ayout a 90-degree turn. Crowe says she's seen more clients choosing to print ver
tically instead of the traditional horizontal layout.
7.
Stick with a traditional size. Though our experts recommend experimentin
g with the layout, they say you should stick with the traditional 3.5-by-2-inch
business card dimensions. That way, they fit easily into your client's Rolodex o
r wallets.
8.
Give your card texture. Hawthorne Leather Goods LLC, which manufactures
leather goods under the brand Rawlings Sports Accessories, makes business cards
out of authentic Rawlings baseball glove leather. The company says recipients of
the cards have an emotional response thanks to the scent and feel of the baseba
ll leather.
9.
Get social. Schlacter says high-school age teens venture into Staples to
create social networking cards that include information like Facebook and MySpa
ce links. If your business uses social networking as a marketing tool, consider
displaying that information on your cards.
Don't Go There
Following the "less is more" mentality, Crowe warns clients to avoid turning the
ir business card into a novel. "Too much information crammed in a small font siz
e simply won't look good," she says. For photos, select artwork that's relevant
to your product, making sure it meets the printing criteria to avoid a pixilated
image. Other business card faux pas to steer clear of: using vellum and rounded
edges, which were popular a few years ago. Though new trends continue surfacing
, Crowe says in many ways business cards are returning to their traditional root
s.
Business 911
Our team of experts gives 3 companies advice on overcoming their growing pains.
By Celeste Hoang | October 02, 2007

URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/growingyourbusiness/article184928.ht
ml
Whether you've been in business for one year or 20, no owner can say he's built
the company without any pitfalls or problems along the way. Below, three entrepr
eneurs with great products and services come forward with what's holding them ba
ck from their full potential--be it unreliable employees or bleak website traffi
c--and our experts offer their advice for getting past the obstacles. Chances ar
e, you'll recognize one of their problems as your own.
No Name Clothing
The problem: Robert Smith, 33, is the founder of No Name Clothing in Loves Park,
Illinois, a company specializing in selling T-shirts. He has been in business f
or two years, and despite solid numbers--he expects 2007 sales between $800,000
and $1 million--his search for reliable marketing and business development emplo
yees has been a frustrating process.
"Past employees didn't have the vision; they just wanted a job," says Smith. "Th
ey weren't proactive in finding ways to grow with the company."
Unfortunately, the experienced people Smith wants to hire ask for six-figure sal
aries, which he can't afford.
The solution: Smith needs to get creative and put together a compensation strate
gy that combines direct pay with deferred compensation, recommends Penny Morey,
a human resources consultant and owner of RemarkAbleHR in Boca Raton, Florida.
With assistance from professionals who specialize in developing these types of p
lans, he can explore alternatives such as restricted stock, phantom stock or a p
ost-retirement consulting agreement, among others.
To motivate his employees, Smith needs to make sure he's communicating the compa
ny's vision effectively and not assuming everyone understands the process. "Unle
ss management clearly defines goals for the company and for each individual, emp
loyees cannot be expected to know the big picture or how their roles are intrins
ic to the company's success," advises Morey.
Smith needs to set clear, quantifiable goals for each department and employee. T
o make achieving these goals hit home, he then needs to attach compensation to t
hem, Morey recommends. Bonuses paid out quarterly are more effective than annual
ly, and Smith can tie them to variables, such as company revenue, cost reduction
s, productivity and growth in the customer base.
As for potential employees, Morey recommends reviewing resumes for a career stor
y that makes sense. Does it show a nice progression of responsibilities or a dow
nward slide? Business owners should also take the time to put together sound job
specifications and then carefully review candidates who have the needed job qua
lifications. Morey suggests implementing aptitude or personality testing, which
are inexpensive and can reduce the time spent interviewing, hiring and training
people who don't have the right skills or character traits.
Away With Clutter
The problem: For the past six years, Dana Korey and Michaela Keuchenhoff have be
en providing residential and business makeovers in one to three days for the org
anizationally challenged. Whether your bedroom or office is in disarray, Del Mar
, California-based Away With Clutter comes to the rescue with a swat team of pro
fessional organizers who coach clients on what to keep, donate or trash. But des
pite last year's sales of $300,000, growth has frozen this year, and the owners
are looking for help with their publicity.
"We have a very limited marketing budget and our ads don't seem to pull people i
n," says Korey. "Our clients are disorganized and can lose the ad, and our websi
te traffic is dismal."
The solution: With a little creativity, entrepreneurs can boost publicity withou
t spending a lot of money, says Pam Newman, CMA and author of Out of the Red and
Boosting Your Bottom Line.
"Consider out-of-the-ordinary ways to advertise," she says. "Get involved with P
R campaigns in the local community. If there's a [fundraiser], find ways that ma
ke sense for your business to get involved. You'll be in the public eye, and you
just donate a little time."
Newman also recommends entrepreneurs market their knowledge by booking speaking
engagements with organizations, such as women's groups and small business groups
. In Away With Clutter's case, the owners can use the platform to put together a
presentation on "Five Easy Ways to Get Organized" and start creating buzz about
their services.
"When you share those tips, people might not go back and use them, but they can
say, 'Hey, this place can help me, let me call them.' It's about building awaren
ess of your company name," says Newman.
For generating website traffic, Newman urges investing in a professional who can
tweak the website with correctly embedded tags so search engines can easily pic
k them up. GoogleAds can also be a useful source of advertising, which allows us
ers to pay for their sites to be listed on a search results page within a pre-se
t budget; you don't have to pay until visitors click through your site.
Lastly, business owners need to be networking, says Newman. After defining your
target market, find organizations that fit in your target audience and start get
ting involved. "Go to chambers, business networking groups, PTA meetings," says
Newman. "People do things for people they know."
Granny's Natural Goodness
The problem: Jaci Rae started Granny's Natural Goodness in Salinas, California i
n 2006 as a healthy alternative to the harmful additives, preservatives and chem
icals found in traditional microwaveable popcorn. Her product, Granny's Natural
Microwave Popcorn, uses only natural ingredients and is packaged in an FDA-appro
ved bag without any text or images on the outside to prevent chemicals from seep
ing into the popcorn.
While her sales are close to $100,000 this year and the product is in high deman
d, the 35-year-old entrepreneur is doing all of the accounting herself, while st
ruggling to find the capital needed to cover production costs and investors to h
elp fund her business.
The solution: Tim Berry, president of Palo Alto Software in Eugene, Oregon, reco
mmends Rae start by working with a local counselor to help guide her through gro
wing a company and seeking investment. Berry suggests looking to the Small Busin
ess Development Center for an advisor or visiting a local community college or n
earby university to find professors teaching courses on entrepreneurship who mig
ht be willing to help.
Berry also warns that while healthier eating and organic foods is a popular mark
et right now, time is short since "all the other popcorn vendors can go organic
and they already have channels of distribution and branding." Rae needs team mem
bers who can help her in the areas where she has less experience so she can elev
ate the business at a faster pace.
Hiring someone to specialize in the investment area, whether it be a partner, an
employee, a consultant or a board of advisors, could be a big boost, advises Be
rry. Her most likely source of investment would be angel investors, particularly
those who are either local or know about the organic foods market.
"She's trying too hard to do it all by herself," he says. "She's doing the bookk
eeping, while developing the product and trying to build the company. Maybe she
has the food processing and marketing knowledge, but her team needs bolstering."
8 Ways to 'Bring It'

Drive your competitors crazy while driving your company to success.
By Guy Kawasaki | Entrepreneur Magazine November 2007
The desire to beat the competition can lead a company astray--or drive it to eve
n greater heights. Here's how to avoid the former and achieve the latter.
1. Know thyself. Before you can drive your competition crazy, you have to unders
tand what your company stands for. For example, Apple Inc. stands for cool techn
ology. It will never represent an "enterprise software company," a chief investm
ent officer's safe bet, or service and support.
2. Know thy customer. The second step is to truly understand what your customer
wants from you--and doesn't want from you. Your customer seldom wants to help yo
u drive your competition crazy. That's in your head, not your customer's. A good
company listens to what its customers say they want. A great company anticipate
s what its customers need--even before they know they need it.
3. Know thine enemy. You cannot drive your competition crazy unless you understa
nd their strengths and weaknesses. To do that, become your competitors' customer
by buying their products and services. I never truly understood what it was lik
e to be a customer of Microsoft until I bought a Sony Vaio and used Windows.
4. Focus on the customer. The best way to drive your competition crazy is not by
doing something to them. Rather, the best way is for you to succeed. Your succe
ss, more than any action, will drive your competition crazy. And the way you suc
ceed is by figuring out not what you can do to the competition, but what you can
do for the customer. You succeed at doing things for the customer by using the
knowledge that you have gained in the first three steps: understanding what your
company does, knowing what your customer wants and needs, and finding what your
competition doesn't do.
5. Turn customers into evangelists. There are few things that drive a competitor
crazier than an unpaid, thunderlizard group of customers who become evangelists
for a company. Create a great product or service, put it out there ("let a hund
red flowers blossom"), see who falls in love with it, open up your arms to them
(they will come running to you), and then take care of them. It's that simple.
6. Make good by doing good. Sometimes you can make good and do good at the same
time. For example, if you own a chain of hardware stores, you can help rebuild a
community after a natural disaster. You are bound to get lots of free publicity
as well as create bonds with the community. This will drive your competition cr
azy.
7. Turn competitors into allies. My favorite children's book, The Knight and the
Dragon by Tomie dePaola, is the story of a knight and a dragon who train to sla
y each other. Smashingly unsuccessful at doing battle, they decide to go into bu
siness together instead. With the dragon's fire-breathing ability and the knight
's salesmanship, they create the K & D Bar-B-Q.
If a Home Depot opens up next to your hardware store, let it sell the gas barbec
ues while you refill people's propane tanks.
8. Play with their minds. If you're doing all this positive stuff, it's OK to pl
ay with your competitors' minds. Consider the pizza company that ran a promotion
offering two pizzas for the price of one if customers brought in the torn-out Y
ellow Pages ad of its competition.

Stand Out to Your Customers
Throwing in some extras adds value to your offerings--and brings in customers.
By Kim T. Gordon | Entrepreneur Magazine November 2007
In a fiercely competitive marketplace, even the greatest products and services w
on't stand out unless they're presented as part of a valuable offer. Slashing pr
ices may reduce your profitability and weaken your marketing position, but "bund
ling"--combining a variety of features to create a compelling whole--can add the
value necessary to close sales.
Consider market value vs. price. Pricing among competitors is often similar, so
most customers buy with an eye toward value. Getting the most for their money is
often the deciding factor when choosing between multiple vendors.
Study competitive offers. Have you ever shopped for a particular product or serv
ice only to find that one vendor's prices were significantly lower than the rest
? You probably wondered if this company or its product was inferior in some way.
That's precisely how lowball pricing can negatively affect your marketing posit
ion, so align your pricing to make it competitive while also adding value. This
will enhance your company's position in the marketplace.
The first step is to evaluate the value propositions offered by your competitors
. Gather their marketing materials, shop their websites or stores, and look at h
ow they add value to their products or services.
Take a fresh point of view. Consider each of your competitors' value proposition
s from the perspective of your best customers. Shed your insider's knowledge reg
arding these companies and try to see them as a comparison shopper would. Is the
re something missing from their offers? Where do they excel? What can you market
that your customers will value more?
Meet with your frontline salespeople to explore the needs and desires of your cu
stomer or client base, and go directly to customers and prospects to learn what
they want most. Depending on your industry, you can conduct surveys by mail, pho
ne or e-mail. Consider adding a polling feature to your website so you can gathe
r visitor feedback. And add a message board or blog to your site that pulls in c
ustomer feedback and comments.
Package it. Bundling is the smart way to add value. You can create products with
additional features you know your target audience will want, or you can add ser
vice elements such as extended warranties, longer customer service hours and mor
e as part of your bundle.
In any highly competitive arena, value stands out as the deciding factor. You'll
close more sales by creating a bundled offer that presents a greater value than
what your competitors are marketing.
Contact marketing expert Kim T. Gordon, author of Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dol
lars: The Top 50 Ways to Grow Your Small Business, at smallbusiness now.com. Her
new e-book, Big Marketing Ideas for Small Budgets, is available exclusively fro
m Entrepreneur at smallbizbooks.com.
An A-Mazing Moneymaker
Family-friendly ag-tourism attractions like corn mazes are helping keep small f
arms alive.
By Laura Tiffany | October 25, 2007
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/growingyourbusiness/article185988.ht
ml
For city dwellers and suburbanites, the month of October may just seem like a 30
-day prelude to the spookiest night of the year. Far removed from "the land," it
's easy to forget that October is also harvest time, when the rewards of the gro
wing season are finally reaped. That also makes it the perfect time of year for
cornfield mazes.
According to the USDA, between 1974 and 2002, the number of corporate-owned farm
s in the U.S. increased by more than 36 percent, and between 2005 and 2006, we l
ost 8,900 farms. Family farms, as most folks know, need all the help they can ge
t--and ag-tourism like corn mazes is one way family farmers are increasing profi
ts.
One man in particular has pushed the corn maze craze to the next level in the U
.S. Brett Herbst started his own corn maze in American Fork, Utah, in 1996, afte
r reading about a similar enterprise in Pennsylvania. A recent agribusiness grad
uate of Brigham Young University, he rented land and got to work. Herbst then he
lped his sister and a friend create mazes the next year. After the second year,
the media began reporting on the mazes.
"So many people heard about [the corn mazes] from all different parts of the cou
ntry. That's when people started calling us, and saying, 'Hey, we want to do som
ething like this. What would it cost?' And we're going, 'Huh, we could probably
charge money for this,'" recalls Herbst, who then started The Maize, a company w
ith three full-time employees and many seasonal workers that helps more than 190
farms create mazes each year in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Designs are only limited to the farmers' imaginations: Past maze themes include
Napoleon Dynamite, Gerald Ford and John Wayne. Herbst, who still rents land to r
un his own maze in Lehi, Utah, but owns a farm in Springville, Utah, even won th
e Guinness World Record for the world's largest corn maze in 1999 with a cosmic,
space-inspired design.
<insert ad here>
Though most corn mazes are open to visitors only during October, Herbst starts h
elping his clients design the mazes in February. Some folks cut their own mazes,
which begins when the corn is low in June, while others pay The Maize to do it.
Herbst also offers marketing support, including a page on his website, though h
is clients arrange for their own aerial photographs of the mazes. In the late au
tumn and early winter, Herbst takes care of his financial tasks and finishes up
his own farming work. Then it starts all over again.
Out on the Farm
Laurie and Ken Graff are using The Maize's services on their family farm and ran
ch in Hondo, Texas, for the seventh year--though they do things a little differe
ntly. "Our maze is grown out of hay grazer, the stuff hay bales are made out of.
Corn doesn't grow well in late July when our maze is planted, due to excessive
heat and bug problems," explains Laurie, whose 900-acre farm and ranch have been
in Ken's family since the 1850s. They've had more than 110,000 visitors to thei
r maze, not including their current season.
Laurie says they first decided to create the maze to diversify and generate more
income. Herbst explains that's often the case. With multinational companies tak
ing over the agriculture business, it can be very difficult to compete. "The fam
ily farm has 20 acres or 100 acres. How do you compete with this corporate farm
that's got 50,000 acres and is bringing stuff in from Mexico or Australia," asks
Herbst, who has helped create more than 1,200 mazes since 1996. "Ag-tourism and
corn mazes are an avenue to drive people directly to your farm and get that inc
ome directly from the consumer."
Extending the Experience
Indeed, it's the value-added experience that brings visitors to farms. Most corn
maze operators offer other activities, like hay rides, bounce houses, farming d
emonstrations, apple picking, pumpkin patches, mini mazes or petting zoos. "Succ
essful mazes often are part of a larger ag-tourism business," says Dan Looker, b
usiness editor for Successful Farming magazine, who adds that some farmers also
have opened bed and breakfasts or started companies allowing customers to be a f
armer for a day.
"They aren't farming in the traditional sense," Looker says. "In fact, a maze i
s an entirely new business with a whole new set of planning requirements--crowd
control, parking, increased insurance liability, additional hired help and the n
eed to provide complementary services like food, refreshments, souvenirs, which
also increase revenue."
In Temecula, California, a growing area outside of Los Angeles, the Big Horse Fe
ed and Corona Ranch and Land Company offers different activities each weekend at
its corn maze like "Old Fashioned Farm Days," which features demonstrations of
blacksmithing, wool spinning and sheep shearing.
"It's family entertainment. Everybody can enjoy it from 4 to 80," says Rose Coro
na, who runs the family ranch and business with her brother Steve. They donate a
ll the profits from the maze to organizations like the YMCA and the Marine Corps
. "It's not anything fancy, but I think a lot of people think it's amazing becau
se they never get a chance to go on a farm."

Less Networking Can Mean More
Cultivating the relationships you have is more effective than planting yourself
at more events.
By Ivan Misner | October 29, 2007
Referral networking is more about farming than hunting. An overemphasis on runni
ng from one networking event to another looking for new relationships is a waste
of time, money and energy that you should be using to develop the relationships
you've already started. It's like running around knocking coconuts out of trees
, when you should be planting coconut trees for the future.
When we train people to network, we surprise them with one of the first things w
e tell them: Stop networking for a few moments. Stand still, look at what you ha
ve, prioritize it, database it, cull it, and then, rather than continue to work
on only the "V" part of the VCP Process (visibility, credibility, profitability)
, devote more time to the "C" and the "P." Credibility comes with a closer, deep
er relationship, and profitability is the goal that can be maintained only throu
gh constant nurturing of that relationship for mutual benefit. It's not "Nice to
meet you; now I've got to go talk to someone over there." It's "How are you doi
ng, and how can I help you achieve your goals?"
One reason that people feel compelled to "Network, network, network," is that th
ere aren't many sophisticated measurement systems that can tell you how successf
ul a given referral tactic is in getting the results you want. For want of a bet
ter system, the "more is better" instinct takes hold, and off you go to yet anot
her networking event. In actuality, all you're doing is adding to your cold-pros
pecting opportunities and looking for that one big sale.
The only measurable result of this sort of activity is whether you make an immed
iate sale. It becomes a lottery; for every contact made, it's a hit or, more oft
en, a miss. The long-range success of relationship building isn't measured, beca
use it doesn't happen. And yet, that's the real objective of referral networking
: you want to develop relationships that will serve as conduits to other custome
rs. The contact that counts, the one you turn into a referral connection by taki
ng the time to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with, may never even b
uy your product or service. If your focus is the immediate sale, you're going to
miss a lot of future opportunities.
Mike Garrison is vice president of the Referral Institute. Mike is a sought-afte
r speaker, coach and consultant on business networking, referral marketing and C
hristian business topics. He shared the following story with me recently:
I know one couple, a highly successful two-person real-estate operation, that ha
d so much business and developed so many referrals that they had to form a new n
etworking group to find enough people to pass them to. They weren't looking for
new referrals for themselves--just enough new people to handle all the business
they were bringing to the groups. But unless you are just overwhelmed with busin
ess to pass along, I wouldn't recommend doubling up your strong-contact referral
networking.
The truth is, you can attend too few networking meetings, but you can also go to
too many. If you're in a strong-contact referral group, you're probably require
d to show up at the weekly meeting. There's a good reason for this, and it has t
o do with building and maintaining relationships with your referral partners in
the group, keeping up with the different products and services they provide, and
being there not only to receive referrals but to pass them to your networking p
artners as well. But if you make all your required, meetings and then proceed to
spread yourself too thin by joining and attending a dozen other groups of vario
us kinds, you're quickly going to run out of quality time for your partners.
You can also spread yourself too thin by getting more referrals than you can man
age--in other words, too much of a good thing. Australia's top networking expert
Robyn Henderson, author of Networking for Success tells us, "Many people make t
he mistake of establishing dozens of strategic alliances, forgetting that mainta
ining these alliances takes time, money and a lot of energy." Keeping these rela
tionships healthy and productive means meeting your partners regularly and gener
ating lots of good referrals for them--at the peril of neglecting your own core
business.
Henderson's advice: "Aim for quality, not quantity." Set up your alliances so th
at you can conduct much of your face-to-face business over the phone or by telec
onferencing or videoconferencing. Focus on three alliances in a given year, rank
them in importance by your expectations, and scale your time on them accordingl
y. Track and evaluate your results. And don't over commit. Letting a referral re
lationship wither from neglect is more damaging than never having formed it in t
he first place.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York T
imes bestselling author and author of Entrepreneur's Networking Now blog. He is
the Founder and Chairman of BNI the world's largest business networking organiza
tion. His latest bookMaster of Sales can now be ordered off the Entrepreneur Pre
ss. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an interna
tional referral training company.
In the Market
For food businesses, farmers markets could be the perfect place to find a follo
wing for your products.
By Jennifer Grzeskowiak | November 01, 2007
For many gastronomes, the farmers market is a ritual. After selecting perfectly
ripe figs and peaches, they head over to the fishmonger's stand to check out the
weekly catch and then stop to chat with the pastry chef from the local bakery.
It's the shoppers' dedication to the food community that makes farmers markets t
he perfect place for food purveyors to build relationships, market their product
s and test new ones.
"The people who go to farmers markets are some of the most important prime consu
mers, especially for spreading word of mouth about a restaurant," says Joyce Wei
nberg, president of City Food Tours and Events and author of The Everything Guid
e to Starting and Running a Catering Business. "They are the most interested in
good food, and if you can get those people speaking positively about your produc
t or your restaurant, it can be very effective."
Building a Following
That proved true for Vince Pianalto, owner of La Maison des Tartes, a restauran
t and bakery in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Pianalto had been helping his family run
an Italian restaurant when he decided to start taking baked goods to the Fayett
eville Farmers' Market. He would stay up late on Friday nights packaging and lab
eling hundreds of tarts, cookies, artisan breads and other items to take to the
market at 6:00 the next morning.
The late hours were worth it. "After the first season, the reception was amazing
," Pianalto says. Knowing he had a customer base for his products, he spent the
next year preparing his restaurant and bakery while continuing to sell at the ma
rket. Four years later, he doesn't take as many products as he used to, but he s
till goes to promote his business and maintain a place in the local food communi
ty.
Part of Pianalto's success was taking products that fit in with the market's cul
ture. For instance, he would shop at the Thursday market for seasonal produce th
at would show up in his desserts and pastries on Saturday. This sometimes meant
explaining to customers why he couldn't bake them a strawberry cake in the winte
r.
Weinberg says that offering appropriate food items is key. "[Shoppers] are looki
ng for local breads, they're looking to see the local farmers they saw the week
before and who they've been buying their berries from year after year," she expl
ains. "If you're there to set up a stand with some kind of food that's not using
locally grown and natural ingredients, it wouldn't do you any good even though
there's a lot of people going through the market."
For Jenny Ross, owner of the restaurant 118 Degrees, her packaged organic and ra
w meals were a perfect fit for the weekly farmers market in Laguna Beach, Califo
rnia. "We like the clientele at that market," she says. "They are looking for or
ganics and really buy into it and understand the health benefits."
Ross had been offering her meals through a home delivery program for four years
before she opened her raw foods restaurant in Costa Mesa, California, this past
summer. She says the market not only allowed her to get products to customers wh
o had been calling about them, but also serve as a point of reference for the re
staurant and classes that she teaches. "It created a community space for what we
were doing," she says. "It made a huge, huge difference in the opening of the r
estaurant. The pre-opening party was packed with people from the market."
The Sense of Community
Market managers also are recognizing the relationships being forged between the
producers, chefs and consumers--and nurturing them. "The markets aren't just ab
out farmers, but about the local food system as a whole," says Darlene Wolnik, d
eputy director of MarketUmbrella.org, which runs the Crescent City Farmers Marke
t in New Orleans.
She says that chefs always had been involved in New Orleans' 12-year-old market,
but that there wasn't a place to showcase them. So shortly before Hurricane Kat
rina hit, they created the Green Plate Special, which allowed chefs to offer the
ir dishes every Tuesday for one month to shoppers. The program proved popular, b
ut it was after the storm that it really had an impact.
Many restaurants were destroyed and had to rebuild, including the 125-year-old l
andmark Commander's Palace. With its building closed, the restaurant came to par
ticipate in the Green Plate Special in early 2006. On the first day Commander's
Palace participated, Wolnik recalls hearing cheers coming from their booth, cele
brating their first sale of 2006. "It was much more than to come and talk to sho
ppers," she says. "They had a chance to rebuild their relationships."
Expanding on the popularity of this program, the market also recently launched i
ts Visiting Chef Station on Saturdays, which gives restaurants the chance to tes
t new dishes with customers, who are given comment cards to fill out.
Worth the Effort?
Despite all these benefits, the effort required to be at a farmers market every
day or even one day a week isn't worth it for everyone. Melissa Ewing, who found
ed Maple City, Michigan-based Undercover Vegetable Company with her husband, had
been selling their veggie-packed Yotta Bars at farmers markets when the product
first launched. But with a retail price of $1.49 a bar, the markets weren't exa
ctly lucrative. "You have to weigh off your time," Ewing says. "I feel like for
six hours, I could use my time in other ways to generate that income."
But instead of abandoning the company's presence at markets altogether, she scal
ed back and began selling the bars wholesale to a woman who takes Michigan produ
cts to area fairs and markets, including the Select Michigan Country Store and B
lue Ribbon Farmers' Market. It was here that a reporter from Fox News sampled he
r bars and included them in a TV piece. Ewing added the clip to her website two
weeks before a committee from Whole Foods met to decide whether to begin carryin
g her product. She secured the deal and believes the favorable news coverage hel
ped give her bars more credibility with the committee.
If you decide that dedicating your time to a farmers market is right for your bu
siness, Weinberg recommends the following:
Make sure your materials look like your logo so shoppers make the immediate conn
ection.
If possible, offer shipping for your products, since many people look for gifts
at farmers markets.
Bring plenty of paper copies of your menu. If your menu stresses local and seaso
nal ingredients, have people available who can talk about the purveyors and wher
e you get your ingredients.
Consider handing out coupons, but make sure they are upscale and include a code
so that you can track them.
If coupons aren't right for your business, invite shoppers to a special seasonal
meal or a harvest meal.
"It's a lot of work--back-breaking work," Ross says. "But if your business has a
nything to do with the community, it's a great thing to do."

Is Your Referral Networking Working?
Contrary to what you may think, the referral process is not difficult to measur
e.
By Ivan Misner | November 21, 2007
Anyone who has ever tried to keep an accurate count of how many "cold calls" led
to actual, cash-in-your-pocket sales knows it isn't an easy task. The good news
is that measuring success from referrals is actually quite easy. We know this b
ecause we've designed a networking scorecard for tracking referrals and the busi
ness that results from them. You might want to develop a similar one for your ow
n use.
On this card, record the nature and source of each referral, how you followed up
on it, how you handled it, and how you followed up with your referral source--t
hrough a thank-you note, a phone call, lunch or business. It's not hard to look
back at what you did and analyze how successful you were in getting business fro
m your referrals.
The referral process is about committing to a series of actions designed to crea
te a result not only for you, but also for the other people involved. It's about
measuring the results and improving the system. As long as you track your activ
ities, it's not hard to measure the results.
There's a concept we use related to the "tipping point" idea for referrals. What
's the difference between 211 and 212? At first glance, you might think not much
. But there is actually a huge difference: At 211 degrees Fahrenheit, you have s
ome hot water but at 212 degrees, you have boiling water. What can you do with 2
11-degree water, other than make bad coffee and warm up a hot dog? Not too much
else. But with 212-degree water, you can make great coffee, sterilize dishes and
start the Industrial Revolution. Can you feel the difference between 211-degree
and 212-degree water by sticking your finger in them? Probably not. But one deg
ree makes a world of difference.
Many networkers spend a lot of time "warming up" their referral sources. But sin
ce they can't tell the difference between someone who isn't quite ready to refer
and someone who is, they waste time and energy on the wrong person. This is why
it's important to have a system in place for measuring actions and their result
s.
How do you know when you've done enough to get a referral from a potential sourc
e? When you track the results, in many instances you will be able to tell what s
pecific action "tipped the scales" from a potential sale or client to real resul
ts.
Was it your last thank-you note that made a solid referral source out of your co
ntact? Or was it that tip on a special deal she could get from a new vendor? You
can't measure feelings per se, but you can discover what made the difference be
tween zero and success. Armed with this knowledge, you can replicate your succes
s at other times and in other settings. In networking, of course, people are dif
ferent and situations change, but if you track the results under different condi
tions, you'll begin to see patterns that will show you how to handle your networ
k.
If you choose not to track your results, or perhaps do not track them consistent
ly, you're essentially giving up control of your referral networking--which is O
K if what you're interested in is shrugging off your own responsibility and find
ing other people to blame for your failures. If you can't connect success or fai
lure to your own activities, it's easy to say, "This would have worked if my ref
erral source had prepared the prospect," or "The reason I failed is that nobody
told me what I needed to know." In reality, your failure to adequately train you
r referral partners and gather the information you needed is directly tied to yo
ur failure to set up a way to measure results.
Good referral networking is a lot like luck. As most people realize over time, "
good luck" happens to those who have worked hard to prepare for it. If something
happens "by chance," such as a good referral, go back and track it. There was p
robably some series of events--over which you either did or could have had contr
ol-that brought you the "good luck."
Every now and then, you'll get some business out of the blue, but it's hard to w
rite a business plan around that, let alone get people to want to do business wi
th you. Don't be blind to your referral marketing and make sure to plan this par
t of your business.
imes bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's larg
est business networking organization. His latest New York Times best-selling boo
k, Masters of Sales can be viewed at www.MastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also th
e Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training
company. He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

Referral Quality Beats Quantity
Show customers you appreciate them by maintaining quality relationships.
By Ivan Misner | December 20, 2007
While it's true that you want to get a good number of referrals, it's true only
up to a point. Taking it to the extreme, you could get as many referrals as you
could conceivably handle, but if the majority of them are of low quality--hard t
o close or not very valuable when closed--you're no better off than if you simpl
y sat at your desk and spent all day cold-calling. The same is true if you get s
o many referrals that you can't handle them with the professionalism your prospe
cts and referral sources expect.
Of course, at the other extreme, you might get too few referrals to keep your bu
siness healthy and growing. You might close a high percentage of them and provid
e top-notch service, but if you're not getting new referrals, your business may
become stagnant.
You want to be somewhere between these two extremes. You want a decent number of
referrals, but not more than what you can comfortably handle, and you want to b
e able to close a good percentage of them for business. You need the time and th
e ability to turn marginal referrals into high-quality referrals using your sale
s skills--and this is something you're not as capable of doing if you're worried
about the number of rejections you're chalking up.
One of the most important things you need to do is allow enough time to keep the
proverbial pipeline filled. A common mistake of many--particularly those who wo
rk alone--is to rush to one's "new" or "hot" referrals and spend all available t
ime on those, forgetting that there is a lag time on not only finding new "prosp
ects" but also in turning those prospects to closed sales. Make sure that you al
lot enough time every single week to keeping that pipeline filled.
There's a certain illusion that occurs in sales, as well as in referral marketin
g, to which inexperienced or untrained individuals often fall prey. If you get t
wo referrals and your closure rate is 50 percent, that's one sale. If you get 10
referrals and have a closure rate of 30 percent, that's three sales. In the fir
st case, you get one refusal; in the second case, you get seven. Even though you
're doing three times as much real business, the seven turndowns can create the
illusion that you're failing. Being rejected so often can be demoralizing. To co
mpensate, you seek more and more referrals, and your percentage falls even lower
.
It takes a certain amount of experience and self-discipline, backed up by a soun
d measurement system, to limit yourself to exactly the number of referrals you n
eed, at a known and achievable percentage of closure. The self-discipline comes
more naturally if you can get referrals to arrive when you need them and when yo
u expect them. A predictable and regular supply of high-quality referrals also h
elps you raise your closure rate, giving your referral source more confidence in
your ability to convert an appointment into a sale.
As I mentioned in my last column, it's possible to create a system that supplies
referrals in a reliable and predictable stream. In this system, you develop str
ategic alliances with referral sources and provide referrals to each other from
your database of contacts in an orderly and predictable flow--a virtual pipeline
of high-quality referrals. Having control of your referral business and having
a tracking system that tells you exactly how many referrals you're closing over
time is a great confidence booster. If you know that you're going to close 25 pe
rcent of your referrals, then you can shrug off the ones you don't close.
A tracking system tells you what each referral is worth to you. Suppose your ave
rage sale is worth $1,000. If your overall closing ratio is 25 percent, then one
out of every four appointments you get will bring you $1,000. This means that e
very referral you get is worth $250. So you should treat each referral as a thin
g of value and show your appreciation to the referral giver, whether you close t
he sale or not.
There are many ways to show your appreciation. A simple phone call always works,
or a quick e-mail. One of the best ways to show your appreciation is a handwrit
ten thank you card. In this day of voice mail and e-mail, a good old-fashioned "
snail mail" piece, addressed by hand, will certainly make a far greater impressi
on, and keep you in the mind of the receiver--your referral source--far longer.
For those of you who may have good intentions of sending out a thank you card bu
t just can't seem to get around to it, there are online services such as SendOut
Cards.com that actually do the work for you, including sending your card in a ha
nd-stamped envelope.
Remember, it's not about getting more referrals; it's about showing your appreci
ation for the ones you get and making the most of the opportunity, while strengt
hening your referral relationships to ensure that your referral pipeline flows s
teadily and reliably.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is aNew York Ti
mesbestselling author and author ofEntrepreneur's Networking Now blog. He is the
Founder and Chairman of BNI the world's largest business networking organizatio
n. His latest bookMaster of Sales can now be ordered off the Entrepreneur Press.
Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an internatio
nal referral training company.

Getting Referred By Friends and Family
Will people who like, care about and respect you always refer business to you?
Not necessarily.
By Ivan Misner | January 23, 2008
When was the last time you had a referral from your mom or dad? How about your s
pouse? Oddly enough, the people most familiar with you are often the most casual
about giving you referrals. With your family and friends, relationships grow ou
t of more personal associations; therefore, it may not even occur to a family me
mber to refer business to you--unless you make a point of asking for it.
Familiarity has its dangers. For example, as much as your mom loves you, she's s
een you at your worst--runny-nosed, squalling, tattling, lying and throwing tant
rums. Perhaps she secretly harbors the fear that if she referred her best friend
to you for business, you'd embarrass her. They know you, they trust you, but th
ey may be hesitant to mix business with personal relationships. Even more likely
, they may not understand how to refer you.
In 1987, at the invitation of a local resident named Bill, I went to a rural par
t of Wyoming to help kick off a new BNI group for about 30 interested people. He
introduced me to the group, and I spent the next hour telling them how networki
ng, and specifically BNI, worked. By this time I had done about 50 kickoffs in t
hree states, and I had learned to read my audience and recognize when the light
went on and they got the concept. Here in "No-Man's Land," Wyoming, on this kick
off morning, the light did not go on, and they looked at me with blank stares.
I finished my talk and asked if they had any questions. One guy--I'll call him F
rank--ignored me but looked over at Bill and drawled, "Bay-ull? What the hay-ull
we gotta come here every week for these meetings? Look, man, we got a referral
for each other--pick up the phone and call each other. We don't have to come to
these dang meetings."
At that point, I thought, Oh, man, I flew five hours to Wyoming to explain how t
his works, and this guy says, why meet, let's just give each other referrals.
But Bill looked over at the guy and asked, "Frank, how long have we known each o
ther?"
Frank said, "Oh, about 15 years."
"In 15 years," said Bill, "how many referrals have you given me, Frank?"
"Uh well, I don't think I've given you any."
"And in 15 years, how many referrals have I given you?"
"Well, shoot, you ain't given me any either, Bill."
And Bill said, "Frank, that's why we gotta get here every week and go through th
is, because otherwise, you know, we're all a bunch of friends but we're not help
ing each other in business."
And just like that, the light went on for not only Frank, but also the whole gro
up. Everybody there knew everybody else in the room, they were all friends, and
yet none of them had thought to help each other by passing business referrals.
Suddenly they understood that it would take a system, a referral-networking grou
p that met regularly, to get them to do what they could have been doing all alon
g.
Inexperienced networkers often don't think of seeking referrals except through t
heir customers, which severely limits the number and quality of referrals they w
ill get. Business people who join referral-networking groups expand their horizo
ns, but they still wrongly assume that additional referrals will come only from
other group members.
The fact is, anybody can be trained to refer business to you, including friends
and family. One of the first things you can do is get them to listen for key wor
ds--like "back ache," if you're a chiropractor--and to recognize circumstances w
here they can, through you, provide a solution to someone's problem.
A lot of research has been done on the reticular activating system. Remember how
as soon as you drove your new red Honda Accord off the lot, you started seeing
people driving red Honda Accords everywhere you looked--gigantic fleets of red H
onda Accords you had never noticed before? That's your reticular activating syst
em at work. You see the things that are relevant to you; you don't see what's no
t relevant.
Training your referral sources' reticular activating systems to hear the things
that are relevant to referrals is key. Even more important is alerting your own
reticular activating system to recognize when you have the opportunity to refer
one of your referral partners. When you do this, you are cultivating a true refe
rral mind-set in yourself--an awareness that referrals can come from anyone, any
where, anytime--and you're learning to speak the language of referrals, when app
ropriate or opportune, in all your relationships. If you are an unselfish and he
lpful partner in your outside relationships, others will be happy to reciprocate
with business referrals.
imes bestselling author. He is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's larg
est business networking organization. His latest book Masters of Sales can be vi
ewed at MastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the Referral
Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached atmisn
er@bni.com.

Stop Blaming Your Network
Not getting the referrals you want? Stop pointing fingers and start taking char
ge of your company's success.
By Ivan Misner | February 11, 2008
One of the problems people often have when they establish a referral network is
that once they feel unsatisfied with their referrals, they blame people in the n
etwork for not doing their jobs.
But the truth is that if your referral network isn't working the way you expect,
it's your fault. When you find yourself pointing out other people's problems, i
t's time to ask if you're the reason your network isn't delivering.
"My network's not motivated."
Maybe so, but what are you doing to compel them to refer you? Do you follow up o
n a regular basis? Are you interested in what they do, or are you more concerned
about how interested they are in what you do? In other words, are you helping
them in the same way you want them to help you?
"They don't know my business."
What have you done to educate them about what you do? Have you kept them abreast
of new products or services you've added? Have you given them digestible inform
ation so they're able to retain the vital points needed to promote your business
? Finally, ask yourself if you've provided them with the right amount of collate
ral material--brochures, pamphlets, and web-based information--so they can not o
nly educate themselves, but also educate those in their network.
You may cover these topics at business networking meetings. But do you set up ad
ditional times on top of the regular meetings to meet with your referral sources
--either individually or in small groups?
"The referrals are fickle. They only used me once and never again."
You may think your referrals are fickle, but consider this: Did you remember to
turn the single sale into a regular, loyal client relationship? Did you contact
the prospect in a timely manner or ensure that the client saw the best you had t
o offer?
"They don't have the contacts I need."
If you've gone through their entire database of contacts and disqualified every
one you may have underestimated your network's contacts, not to mention who thei
r contacts' contacts and so on. By doing this you're missing out on an exponent
ially growing number of possible buyers of what you have to sell. With the explo
sion of internet marketing, the world is a lot smaller. Take advantage of contac
ts your sources may have not only in another city, but also in another state or
even another country.
It's your obligation to teach your fellow networkers how to refer you. If they'r
e not doing so, then you're not teaching them effectively. You're responsible fo
r many of the actions people take on your behalf. It's up to you to choose the r
ight people, set the tone for your business, educate your referral partners, dem
onstrate competence and integrity for those representing you, and maintain the e
ffectiveness and strength of your referral relationships. If there's a breakdown
in your referral system, you've probably overlooked something.
Instead of turning over the responsibility to others and blaming them when thing
s don't turn out, work with your partners to prevent the same mistake again. Ack
nowledge responsibility to anyone who's been wronged, without equivocation. Don'
t say, "Mistakes were made." Say, "It's my fault that this happened. I apologize
for the mistake, and I promise to set things right." This straightforward accep
tance of blame has the added benefit of defusing the other person's anger. After
all, you created the system that caused the problem. What the injured party wan
ts to hear is acceptance of responsibility and a commitment to correcting the si
tuation.
One of the strengths of a referral network is that everyone becomes friends. And
one of the weaknesses of a referral network is that everyone becomes friends. O
nly those groups and individuals who recognize the need for responsibility and a
ccountability can make this process work for them. Those who are constantly blam
ing someone else for what's going wrong and doing nothing to change or fix it, w
ill not do well in referral marketing. Remember, if your referral-marketing prog
ram isn't working, it's your responsibility to make sure it does.
imes bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's lar
gest business networking organization. His latest book, Masters of Sales, can b
e viewed atMastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the Refe
rral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached a
tmisner@bni.com.
Learn to Market More Creatively

Knowledge of your industry can bring originality to your business.
By Jay Conrad Levinson and Jeannie Levinson | February 13, 2008
This article has been excerpted from Startup Guide to Guerilla Marketing by Jay
and Jeannie Levinson, available from Entrepreneurpress.com.
The Nestle Corporation in Geneva, Switzerland, asked Leo Burnett Advertising in
Chicago, Illinois, where creativity came from. The answer was revealed by asking
the same question to artists, dancers, writers, musicians, poets, engineers, an
d architects. All gave the same answer to the question. They said that creativit
y comes from knowledge. The more knowledge you have, the more creative you can b
e. Applying creativity to the arts listed above has the purpose of human enjoyme
nt. Applying creativity to your business has the primary purpose of generating p
rofits. If it doesn't generate profits, it's not creative.
Don't ever go down the garden path of beauty and creative expression in marketin
g. Sure, it's a plus if your audio and visual materials look and sound great. Bu
t that's not their job. Generating profits is their job. Get your artistic kicks
in the concert hall. There's no place for them in the boardroom.
The Knowledge You Need
Direct your creativity towards the accumulation of knowledge you need. The path
to that knowledge is illuminated by research, the start-up point for the start-u
p guerrilla. That training as well as your own adventures as a guerrilla markete
r starts with information you've really got to have. Much of it is published on
the internet. Lots of it is yours for free at your local chamber of commerce. Bo
okstores and libraries are bulging with just the information you need, and profe
ssional associations and groups will share it with you. Our favorite is the Univ
ersity of Google.
There's only one thing that accessible information lacks--specific information a
bout your customers. It's laden with data about groups, but as a guerrilla, you'
re more interested in data about individuals.
Research Your Consumer
The best way to get that data is to get it yourself. Do your own research. Prepa
re customer and prospect questionnaires (a different one for each group) that as
k a lot of questions. Have a notation at the top of the questionnaire that you'r
e sorry to ask so many questions, but the more you know about them, the better s
ervice you can be to them.
Ask Specific Questions
Ask questions with answers that open new doors, such as what is your favorite sp
ort? Favorite rock group? Favorite baseball team? Do you have a hobby? Do you ha
ve any pets? The answers to these questions can help you add immense power to yo
ur e-mail and website. There is an old proverb: "It is better to know something
specific about your spouse than know everything about marriage." The same holds
true for buyer-seller relationships. The "something specific" is what you get wi
th research and the way to switch a start-up marketing campaign into a higher ge
ar.
If you want a place to exercise your creativity, it's in your customer questionn
aire. Most business owners know most of the right answers. Guerrilla business ow
ners also know most of the right questions. Knowing the right questions to ask a
nd then asking them is one of the arts of the start-up guerrilla marketing campa
ign.
Examine the Answers
Processing what you learn is what it's all about because that's where the action
begins taking place. You notice a great number of customers in three zip codes.
That spurs a mailing to those codes. You must be doing or saying something righ
t. What can it be?
Naturally, a guerrilla's view of research begins with research into his own cust
omers. Important as they are, there are still many other areas deserving of furt
her exploration. First on that list are your prospects, those people who for som
e silly reason haven't yet purchased from you. Hey! Hold on a second. Maybe it w
asn't a silly reason. Maybe it was you doing a silly thing or missing an importa
nt detail in customer service. Always look at it like this: If your prospects ar
en't your customers, there's got to be a reason. Find out what that reason it an
d then correct it. Be relentless. Be pig-headed and single-purposed, but do ever
ything you can do to transform all of your prospects into customers. That may no
t happen exactly. But your efforts won't go unrewarded. My boss and idol Leo Bur
nett said, "When you reach for the stars, you might not get one, but you're not
likely to come up with a handful of mud either."
The best marketing builds confidence and invites a purchase. Best and most uniqu
e of all, the best marketing gets through to people. That's why knowing a lot ab
out your prospects will help you stand apart from your competitors and shine in
the minds of your prospects and customers.
Once you've learned all you can about your customers and your prospects, what's
the next area worth researching? A smart place to focus is your own industry. Re
search that industry--how did the world function before Google?--and get a feel
for what the winners are doing, the latest trends, and for signs of any competit
ors you might have.
Look at Industry Winners
One of the secrets to market domination is knocking yourself off. NOT cloning yo
urself, but creating a new unique selling proposition in the same market.
That's why Toyota created Lexus. It's why McDonalds started Chipotle. It's not j
ust big companies either; it's just as true with "little" guys on the internet.
In some of the most competitive markets imaginable, you see 11 real ads on the f
irst page, and most people don't know that two parent companies might be respons
ible for five or six of them.
Hey, if you've successfully gained a foothold in one market--and you understand
that market deeply--and want to grow your business why go to the trouble of lear
ning a brand-new niche? Do something in the one you're already in. Create a new
offer that's so appealing, it takes its place along with the other top dogs: New
product, new website, new Google account.
Don't ever forget that on the any search term there's a whole spectrum of tastes
and desires that the keyword represents. One website and one ad can only cater
to a handful of them. There are still others you're not serving. But you can.
Do Field Research
As lush and fascinating as the internet may be for research, we can't help but p
oint you in the direction of trade shows where you'll not only get a state-of-th
e-moment feel for your industry but you'll also get a lot of inside information
not yet published online. The networking at these shows may be more valuable tha
n anything on the trade show floor.
The product or service you offer also merits abundant research time. The better
you know your offering, the better equipped you'll be to talk about it, understa
nd it, market it. Eventually, you'll be called upon to prepare a benefits list,
that actual in-writing list of the benefits people gain by buying from you. We u
rge you to put a lot of effort and creativity into this list because it's what y
ou'll be communicating to your prospects and customers. They'll then make their
decision to purchase (or not to purchase) based upon the benefits you do (or don
't) convey.
Understand Your Competition
Your next point of research will be your competition, which you'll already know
pretty well because of your forays into studying your industry and your product.
Learn what they say and where they say it. Maintain vigil here because they'll
tip their hand frequently by how they adjust their message and their media. You
don't want to copy them but you do want to be aware of what they're up to. You c
an be sure that they're checking up on you. You might even buy the product of th
e leader in your industry. Get to see firsthand its sales presentation, display,
packaging, follow-up, and product itself. Learning from leaders is a guerrilla
strength.
Explore Media Opportunities
Don't fail to research life outside your own industry. Get to know the media, on
line and offline available to you. Get to know the internet on an intimate basis
within your industry. Start-up guerrillas engage in a monthly half hour surf of
the internet to catch the best that's online--in and out of their industry. The
research you put in looking for media opportunities for your company will pay o
ff every time.
Study the Latest Technology
That research should include researching the latest technology that might empowe
r your business. The move in entrepreneurship is toward automation. Happily, aut
omation is not expensive. Your company can give off the vibes of a huge, lavishl
y funded corporation with a constantly busy staff, when the truth is it's just l
ittle old you pushing the right button on your automated customer profitability
center. Technology can help you in the areas of marketing, production, finances,
distribution, and a whole lot more. Skip it if you don't need it, but don't mis
s it if it can contribute to your profitability. It probably can. More people ea
rn money while they sleep than ever before.
Because this is for beginning a guerrilla marketing program, we didn't explore a
totally different kind of research, one that we applaud and respect. But assumi
ng you aren't yet a wealthy and thriving company, we nudge you in the direction
of free research, which has been outlined above. Later, when you've taken this a
dvice and are a wealthy and thriving company, look into paid research, which tak
es over the entire research function, from asking the right questions to analyzi
ng the answers. The right question can be the making of a company.
Jay Conrad Levinson is the father of the bestselling Guerrilla Marketing series
, and authors 55 other business books. His books have sold more than 14 million
copies worldwide and have been translated into 39 languages. He is the chairman
of Guerrilla Marketing International.
Jeannie Levinson is the president of Guerrilla Marketing International and co-fo
under of the Guerrilla Marketing Association. With decades of sales and marketin
g experience, she is a sought-after consultant, workshop leader and radio guest.
For more information, visit gmarketing.com.

Tips for Marketing Your Service Business
Maintaining strong customer relationships is the key to creating a strong campa
ign.
By Kim T. Gordon | March 21, 2008
91850.html
Most Americans can't get through a single week without purchasing a service from
a small business. Whether they're visiting the neighborhood car wash, having an
office painted, or getting a home refrigerator repaired, they need the services
of a local entrepreneur. It's the local, one-to-one aspect of service marketing
that makes it so different from marketing the average product. The very word "s
ervice" implies a more personal interaction. And if your company is all about pr
oviding a great service, a marketing campaign that builds relationships is essen
tial to your success.
1. Let customers know you.
Good relationships are built on trust. So it's natural that customers want to le
arn as much as they can about your company and the people that stand behind it.
Women shoppers, in particular, look for deeper information when deciding on whic
h company or service to choose, and the vast majority of both male and female sh
oppers do research on the web before making a purchase. Having a company website
is a smart and affordable way to convey in-depth information about your service
business.
Use any of the major hosting companies to create your own site using the site bu
ilding wizards. Showcase your service benefits on the main page, just as you wou
ld in an effective company brochure. Include your company's story, photos, staff
bios and affiliations. And show how well your company delivers on its promises
by providing testimonials, case histories or work samples.
2. Compete based on value.
What will make customers or clients select your company vs. your competitor's? M
ost choose the service provider that offers the greatest value for their money.
In many competitive markets, there's price parity among the principal players. S
o the best way to win business is not to cut your prices or rates, but instead a
dd products or services that elevate your offer--making it too good to resist. T
his is called "bundling."
Take time to develop a service bundle that you know will appeal to your best pro
spects. You may need to test various offers until you find a winning combination
; then modify your offer periodically to keep your incentives fresh.
3. Tempt customers with incentives.
Customers who've had positive experiences with your company's services in the pa
st will happily return. But tempting new customers requires making a special off
er. Businesses that provide home services, such as rug cleaning, painting, home
heating or air conditioning, can benefit by sending consumers coupons through a
marriage-mail provider, such as Valpak. You can choose households by ZIP code, a
nd your coupon offer will be mailed in an envelope with others. Although you won
't have the undivided attention of your consumer, mail from a known marriage-mai
l provider is often well-received, and runs for a fraction of the cost of standalone direct mail. For long-term results, create a special offer that will motiv
ate new customers to make more than a single purchase.
4. Keep in touch.
It costs considerably less to keep a customer than to win a new one, so it's sma
rt to maintain a campaign to upsell or resell existing customers. In fact if you
're not communicating with your customer database at least every four to six wee
ks, you're missing opportunities to grow your business. Use a combination of sal
es and marketing tactics to stay in touch, such as alternating sales calls with
e-mail and postal mail. Even with the best of offers, you can burn out your list
if you pitch customers too often. So rather than sending only communications wi
th hard-sell offers, intersperse them with e-newsletters containing case histori
es or other soft-sell but relevant and valuable information.
Make a habit of periodically using your marketing communications to ask for refe
rrals. You can e-mail a success story, for example, and ask the recipients to fo
rward it to friends or family members who would like to achieve similar results.
By providing deep information about your company for new customers and ongoing
offers and communications with existing customers, you'll create a synergistic c
ampaign that builds strong relationships.

r company, National Marketing Federation Inc. Her latest book, Maximum Marketing
, Minimum Dollars, is now available.

Customize Your Referral Strategies
To optimize sales, learn to tailor your networking approach to different person
ality types and occasions.
By Ivan Misner | March 25, 2008
One of the things I often tell people is to remember what Tony Alessandro calls,
the Platinum Rule: Treat others the way they want to be treated. This rule appl
ies to every transaction and relationship you have, including your referral sour
ce, your prospect and your customer.
To be successful, know the personality types you're dealing with and their behav
ioral preferences. You've got behavioral preferences of your own, of course, but
since you're the person who's seeking referrals and asking for a sale, you're t
he one who needs to adapt. In corporate sales, teams of mixed personality types
are often used for larger clients, to cover all the bases and ensure a closer ma
tch with the prospect's temperament.
If the idea of reshaping your personality sounds intimidating to you, think of y
ourself as being in a "partnership" with your referral source. If you and your s
ource have different temperaments, you're more likely to succeed if the partner
whose personality type more closely matches the prospect's needs takes the lead.
If face-to-face selling isn't your strong point and you're better at follow-up,
go to the first meeting with your referral partner, who's (hopefully) a better
salesperson.
In any case, one of the best things you can do for yourself is learn about your
prospect prior to the appointment. Most of this information comes from carefully
listening to your referral source. If you go blindly into your first face-to-fa
ce meeting with a prospect, you may misunderstand or misconstrue the prospect's
needs, responses and intentions.
There are several questions you can ask or research that will help you form a pr
ofile of your prospect:
Is your prospect a "family person?"
Does he have any hobbies? Like to travel? Is he a sports buff? A patron of the a
rts?
Is she a morning person, or is it best to close a deal with her later in the day
?
The tools and strategies you use will vary over time as well. Developing your ap
proach, growing a referral relationship and maintaining a mature business relati
onship requires different skill sets. This also applies to the age and maturity
of your growing business as well as where you and your contacts are in the busin
ess cycle.
Even with a full book of business, expect to replace one or more obsolete, low-q
uality client relationships with new, higher-potential ones each year. Selecting
new clients should be part of your networking strategy, and that strategy depen
ds on the timing for yourself, your referral source and each prospect. Furtherm
ore as you being developing a relationship with a new client, learn to adapt you
r style to make that person comfortable and more likely to use you again (and ag
ain).
The secret of successful referral sales is to acquire, develop and use all the t
ools you can. Match sales with the situation and the personality you're dealing
with. In referral marketing, the tools include not only your personal and profes
sional skills, but also the venues you use.
Referral masters will urge you to get involved in at least three different kinds
of organizations. These usually include a strong-contact network such as BNI, a
casual-contact network such as a chamber of commerce, and a charitable or servi
ce organization like your local Kiwanis or Rotary club. While most of your refer
ral relationships will likely develop from your strong-contact network meetings,
there are opportunities to meet wonderful sources of referrals (and revenue) at
the other meetings as well. Each of these organizations will also require a sli
ghtly different skill set to harness what they have to offer.
If you're networking effectively, you'll likely use most, or all, of these tools
. Don't just network with people like yourself; strive for diversity. Learn to t
ailor your networking approach for different occasions. Your most interesting an
d productive referrals can come from the most unexpected sources.
gest business networking organization. His latest book Masters of Sales can be
viewed atMastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referr
al Institute, an international referral training company.He can be reached atmis
ner@bni.com.

Practice Makes Perfect Networking
Implement these 2 simple strategies and watch the referrals pour in.
By Ivan Misner | April 16, 2008
These are the two things you should know about networking:
1. "Practice makes perfect" is not enough.
Practice alone is not enough. It must be "effective" practice. In martial arts,
the sensei (master) says, "Perfect practice makes perfect." In other words, if
you're just going through the motions, you are not learning and growing. Every t
ime you do a kata (a system of basic body positioning and movement exercises in
karate), you must do it as though you were in a tournament, or as though the sen
sei were there watching you. Only with that intensity of focus does one improve.
The same applies to your networking efforts. If you are applying the techniques
halfheartedly, you'll get less-than-acceptable results.
Practicing the skills necessary to become a good networker is important. But wou
ld-be networkers cannot expect to become master networkers by just going through
the motions. Take, for instance, the 60-second presentation or brief commercial
you make every week when you attend many types of networking groups or various
other organizations. Most people come to the meeting unprepared and unrehearsed,
with only a vague idea of what they will talk about. While others give their pr
esentations, instead of listening, they're thinking about how to say what they n
eed to say. When their turn comes, they stumble through an amateurish, marginal
presentation. Yes, they practiced, but it was far from perfect practice, and the
results prove it.
If you're a teacher, do you wing your lesson plan? The better teachers set goals
and objectives for what they want their students to learn. They spend time plan
ning exactly what they are going to cover in class, sometimes down to the exact
wording, and they prepare visual aids and handouts that reinforce the subject ma
tter and facilitate learning.
As a businessperson, you should have similar goals and objectives. Ask yourself
what, exactly, do you want your listeners to learn about your business that they
can pass along to prospects for a possible referral. If you're vague and unprep
ared, your potential referral partners are going to leave the meeting without a
clear idea of how to refer you.
You also need to practice delivering your message. Winging it is not going to ge
t you what you want. You have to practice it perfectly if your goal is perfectio
n.
2. Good networkers should talk about more than just business.
A referral relationship is much more than just, "I do business, you do business,
let's do business." A better approach is to find common ground on a personal le
vel, then relate your business to it.
The longer I've been involved in networking, the more I've seen the power of per
sonal interests in making connections. Networking is about building personal rel
ationships. If you remove the personal from the equation, you limit the amount o
f business that can happen. In one networking group I worked with, I introduced
an exercise I call the GAINS Exchange, in which people share personal and profes
sional information about themselves (including their Goals, Accomplishments, Int
erests, Networks, and Skills).
Two of the participants in this group had known each other for more than a year
but had never done business. During the exercise, they discovered they both coac
hed their sons' soccer teams. They quickly became close friends and were soon he
lping each other conduct soccer practices. After a few months, they began referr
ing business to each other--two guys who had barely spoken to each other the fir
st year because they seemed to have so little in common were now doing business
because of a personal connection.
Here's another example of the power of common interests. One of BNI's most insti
nctive, natural networkers and an avid sailboater, whom we shall call "Bob," fou
nd himself sitting in an airport shuttle, very casually dressed, next to a man w
earing a shirt with a Nautica label. "Do you sail?" he asked. "Yeah, a little bi
t," said the man. "Why?"
Bob started talking about his own sailing experiences. It turned out he had won
a national championship sailing in the harbor where this man lived. They got int
o a lively conversation about sailing, the man's hometown, and other common inte
rests and experiences.
After a half hour or so, the man asked, "So, are you a professional sailor?" Bob
said, "No, I'm in the training business, but it's a lot like sailing, and here'
s why." They talked a bit about that, with Bob using sailing as a metaphor for m
uch of what he did. The man expressed an interest in hearing more about it on a
professional level. At the airport, the two men exchanged cards and went their s
eparate ways.
If Bob had started the conversation by saying, "I'm a professional trainer," tha
t probably would have been the end of it. Instead, by finding a common interest
and starting with that, Bob made a connection that had a good chance of turning
into business.
Perfect practice makes perfect, and personal connections lead to business. Entre
preneurs who implement these two strategies into their networking efforts get a
lot more business than their competition.
imes bestselling author. He is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's lar
gest business networking organization. His latest book Masters of Sales can be
viewed at MastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the Refer
ral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached atm
isner@bni.com.

Make Your Ads Workhorses
Tough economic times demand productive ads. Learn the 4 most critical elements
for ads that get results.
By Kim T. Gordon | April 16, 2008
92906.html
Does your advertising work as hard as you do? For most entrepreneurs on fixed ma
rketing budgets, advertising has to pull its weight. Even some of the country's
largest advertisers who once ran ads for the sake of branding alone now focus th
eir efforts on advertising that produces a measurable ROI. As we teeter on the b
rink of a recession, advertising must be a workhorse not a show pony. And its fi
rst duty is to support sales.
Successful marketing campaigns have several essential elements in common. To tur
n prospects into customers, your ads must do four vital things:
1. Stimulate a response.
Every ad must direct a customer to do something, such as visit your website or c
ontact you by phone. But it's not enough simply to tell your prospects what to d
o, you must give them excellent reasons to do it. A great print ad, for example,
begins with a benefit-laden headline, supports the benefit in the opening sente
nce, and explains it with features--specifying how the advertiser will deliver.
Along the way, it differentiates the advertiser from other companies offering si
milar products or services. And it culminates in a strong call-to-action that te
lls potential customers how to take advantage of the benefit or offer.
2. Open minds.
Scientists have discovered that our brains "alert" to new information. We virtua
lly prick up our ears when something new is presented to us. That explains why,
as consumers, we're always looking for the latest and greatest versions of goods
and services. What's the latest wrinkle presented by your ad campaign? Good ads
provide prospects with small "a-ha" moments, when they realize there's somethin
g different--a unique product bundle, another layer of beneficial services, or a
revolutionary new concept--that you offer and no one else does. Whether trigger
ed by your company's point of differentiation or simply a special offer, this aha moment should open minds to the unique benefits of buying from you.
3. Engage the right people.
In this era of enormous advertising clutter and the bombardment with marketing m
essages in every environment, your ads must have immediate appeal to your target
ed prospects. In fact, a prospect who's exposed to your advertising should insta
ntly think, "This is what I need." Like a heat-seeking missile, your ad should s
ingle out your best prospects, and "speak" to them in their vernacular--includin
g any buzzwords. And visually, whether in print or on TV, it helps if your prosp
ects can also see themselves represented in your ads. Look beyond their age, gen
der, economic status and other basic demographic information, and put yourself i
n their shoes to think as they do. Then create an ad campaign to which your pros
pects can easily relate. Place it in the right context as well, by advertising i
n the media your prospects look to for information on what you market.
4. Ring true.
Consumers can spot a phony a mile away. What's more, they're often likely to dis
believe advertising claims, even when they're true. That's why it's essential to
make all your marketing claims credible, and substantiate them where necessary.
Avoid too much hyperbole in your advertising, as it often fails to ring true. A
nd create a campaign that integrates a combination of media to direct interested
prospects to a deeper story. Magazine advertising, for example, is one of the b
est tools for piquing interest and sending prospects to websites where they can
find more in-depth information, from industry affiliations, company background a
nd testimonials to copies of press coverage. Create ads with integrity that are
supported by in-depth information, and you'll successfully propel your prospects
toward a sale.
Credibility is King
In markets where every customer is an expert, authenticity is the key to succes
s.
By Justin Petruccelli | April 30, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/branding/article193322.html
Most business owners would give just about anything to have a guaranteed stable
of loyal customers. But imagine if almost everyone in that stable knew as much a
bout your business as you do--if not more--and one slip-up could drive most of t
hem away in one fell swoop.
That's the double-edged sword of the niche business owner. Wielded properly, it
can be used to slice up the competition.
"It's so important that you're authentic for the market and audience you're goin
g after," says Scott Tilton, co-founder and CEO of Loop'd, a social networking w
ebsite based in San Diego that connects action sports enthusiasts with their fav
orite companies and athletes. "Action sports is such a niche audience, and they'
re so particular about who they let in. It's very important that you're in tune
with that, or you'll immediately fall apart and you won't be accepted as part of
that audience."
Boomer Lowe knows how important reputation can be to the success of a niche busi
ness. He's the owner of Hyde Park Records in Chicago, where the customers prefer
latte to Red Bull, instrumental jazz to, well, whatever the kids are listening
to these days and, most important, talking to texting.

"It's all word-of-mouth," he says. "When we opened the store, we wanted to make
sure we had good stuff to offer, so we put all of our personal stuff in here. Th
e stuff we had in here was stellar. That made a great first impression and we're
still living off of that."
Crashing the Party
Tilton, 31, practices what he preaches when it comes to putting emphasis on cre
dibility. He competed in BMX and Motocross racing for 10 years, and everyone on
his sales and marketing staff has some form of action sports background. He says
the proliferation of technology has given more momentum to an already ultra-ded
icated market.
"These kids, they live online," he says. "They're texting and posting profiles a
nd blogs and telling people what they're doing via the web. We applied that know
ledge to the sports where these kids are highly passionate. That's what action s
ports is. It's a lifestyle. It's not something you do. It's something you live.
We've tried to marry that passion with social networking that helps them explore
the action sports lifestyle."
Loop'd, which, according to Alexa.com, averages about two million daily page vie
ws, works with some of the action sports world's biggest players, offering anyth
ing from traditional display advertising on the site to dedicated online communi
ties that can be built around a company's brand. From a business standpoint, one
of the biggest dangers in such a tight community can be the perception that com
es with success. For already successful companies trying to jump on the bandwago
n, Tilton says, getting a foot in the door can be even tougher because they're t
rying to appeal to tight-knit communities based on decades of camaraderie.
"You can't really set out to create that. You have to earn it," he says. "Nike i
s one of the better examples. They've learned from their mistakes of trying to e
nter the action sports community. Now they've done an exceptional job recently a
nd staying under the radar--intentionally not overexpanding and making people th
ink they're trying to buy their way in. They really want to make sure they're re
spectful of the other brands in the industry."
For business owners, the saying "hard work is the reward for hard work" is never
truer than it is in niche markets. Because once they've allowed someone into th
eir world, niche consumers want more than products and services. They want dialo
gue.
"It's really a two-way street," says Victoria Grantham, managing director of Ros
e Communications, an independent public relations firm with offices in New Jerse
y and Baltimore. "You have to pay attention to what's already happening. A lot o
f times, you're entering a robust existing community, so you really need to be l
istening and then interacting in a way that makes sense in terms of that communi
ty. It needs to be a continuous commitment. It can't just be a one-shot thing."
And it's not just about communicating, says Grantham. She says the timing and me
thod of the communication are almost as important as its content.
"The medium is key," she says. "Social networks can be very useful for certain t
ypes of audiences. They just have to be used properly. For somebody who doesn't
have a lot of experience online, I'd say really delve in there and find out wher
e your audience is online. You don't just want to blindly throw things out there
because that will undermine your authentic voice and your potential for establi
shing a good reputation."
Sales Rep
Lowe, 32, explains that, with the exception of the phone book, he doesn't do any
advertising, and he doesn't sell merchandise on the store's website, save for a
few eBay auctions. But knowing he has the "diggers"--collectors who go from sto
re to store scouring the shelves for that rare find--hooked, and that they'll te
ll fellow collectors where to shop is all the advertising he needs. Besides serv
ing a cultural community, Lowe says he also has the advantage of being able to c
ater to Chicago's distinct geographic dynamic, in which people tend to be very l
oyal to their particular neighborhoods.
"Where we are in the city, there aren't any good record stores," he says. "We're
like the only game in town as far as a brick-and-mortar store. When dudes in th
e neighborhood want to sell records, they know we'll buy them. When we got here,
people were like, 'That's where the record store is.' "
Once he had established his store's reputation with the locals, Lowe says, thing
s started to take off on a larger and unexpected scale when some of his eBay bid
ders--from as far away as Japan--began showing up at the store. Many of them rep
resent large record stores in Japan and spend twice what the entire store usuall
y makes on any other day.
"There's actually a guy in Chicago who's a guide for these Japanese record store
folks," Lowe says. "He loves us, so he brings those guys here. Now that our nam
e is synonymous with good stuff, we get at least one or two foreign buyers in he
re every week. Before, we didn't even know they existed. Now they come in all th
e time."
For Lowe, like most niche business owners, dealing with customers who know so mu
ch about his product creates a delicate balance--he has to be fair enough to kee
p them, but shrewd enough to stay in business.
"In the record buying market, if you get the good stuff, it's how you present it
and how you price it," he says. "There are some stores who don't know what they
've got. Diggers love that. They say, 'Great, you're selling this for 99 cents.
I'll sell it for $300.' There are other places, when they get the good stuff, th
ey sell it through the roof. Because we get such good walk-in stuff, we don't ha
ve to do that. Collectors appreciate that. It's helped us a lot that we price st
uff fairly. If you gouge, people who really have to have something might buy it
once, but they won't come back."
In addition to maintaining that balance within the business itself, Grantham say
s, it's also important for niche businesses to be transparent with their custome
rs because the line between the business and the community of its customers is s
o blurry.
"When you have a financial interest in something, that's fine," she says. "But b
eing upfront is very important. If something goes awry, fess up. Be honest about
what happened and make it right as quickly as possible. If you violate that tru
st, it can be a real issue."
For now, Lowe seems to have it down. Either way, he's content to focus on his co
re customers and let the chips fall where they may--because that's what they wan
t, and besides, he's one of them.
"We can't be all things to all people," he says. "The mom and pop stores that tr
y to do that are all closed. We're going to handle what the neighborhood wants a
nd that's it. If you want Celine Dion, go to Target."
Expanding Your Customer Base, One Customer at a Time

Get the most from your marketing efforts with strategies your customers will re
spond to.
By Al Lautenslager | March 27, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/guerillamarketing/article193448.html
Customers come and customers go, and some just stay around. The ones that stay a
round are ideal because they usually buy over and over, and tell people about yo
u over and over. But how do you get these customers in the first place? Of cours
e, this is the essence of sales and marketing, but let's look at a few easy, qui
ck and inexpensive ways to fill your sales funnel with prospects that become cus
tomers for life, and ways to expand your existing customer base.
1. Slyly get their information. Ever go into a restaurant and see that giant fis
h bowl begging for your business card to "Win a free lunch!"? If the restaurant
is smart, they'll take all the entrants, log them into a prospect database, and
continue to market to them over and over. You can do this by raffling off a book
at an event you're speaking at, or using a business card as a ticket for entry
at a networking event. The real activity here is getting prospects that are inte
rested in further conversation with you that'll lead to purchases. You can do th
is online as well as offline.
2. Offer them information. This is known as a "marketing hook." Offer something
of value that your prospects will be interested in so that they contact you and
request it. Information makes a great marketing hook. What report, top 10 list,
checklist, white paper or other information can you offer to your prospects that
's something they'll want to have? This is information of value and is viewed as
a marketing hook. Those that request it then receive notification of special pr
oduct offers, more information, appearances by the author, etc.--all in an effor
t to turn them into paying customers. I've seen food product companies offer rec
ipes. Free samples work as long as you can really put value forth to the prospec
tive audience. Free consultations used to work, but they're not as good a hook a
s they once were. Prospects recognize a free consultation as nothing more than a
sales call.
3. Display and use a guest book/ It still amazes me that many retail businesses
don't record who visits their business. Visitors to a place of business are more
than a warm lead; they're people who have expressed interest in you and your bu
siness. Interested prospects are the ones more likely to turn into paying custom
ers. Display a guest book for all visitors to sign in, requesting their contact
information. Ask for permission to let them know about future sales, future spec
ial offers, product information or other "hooks." This gives you permission to m
arket to them over and over, and eventually expands your customer base.
4. Actively pursue referrals. The biggest favor a customer can do for you (besid
es buy from you) is to refer another paying customer to you. Formal referral pro
grams can expand a customer base rapidly if done right. First, you have to proac
tively ask for referrals. They very rarely show up by themselves. Second, ask fo
r referrals at the peak of your customer's enthusiasm with you. This can be when
they pay you a compliment, when they write you a check for your services, or wh
en they send you a thank-you note or testimonial letter. Customer satisfaction s
urveys are another way to get your customers to talk to you when they're happies
t. If they fill out the satisfaction survey and rate you high, they're enthused
and more likely to share with you the names of others who would like the same le
vel of enthusiasm. Third, you can't ask a customer to think about everyone in th
e world that they might know. Ask them to narrow their universe when asking for
referrals. For example, ask, "Who do you know that you bowl with every week who
might be interested in receiving the same benefits from us that you have?" Final
ly, recognize, reward and provide incentives for referrals. My wife was ecstatic
the other day when she received two tickets to the movies from her dentist for
referring one of our neighbors to him. Her immediate reaction was, "Who else can
I refer to get more movie tickets?" Rewarded behavior gets repeated.
Integrating all of the above steps in other marketing efforts will yield results
. Use direct mail and direct e-mail to announce a contest, to offer a hook or to
ask for referrals. Use PR to announce the contest, the results of the contest a
nd a profile of the winner. Editors and producers also love to see new and uniqu
e ways to get customers and recognize customers. They also like unique methods a
nd techniques of communication. Never underestimate the value of connecting your
PR to all your other marketing efforts. The key to expanding customer bases usi
ng these simple steps is to do them on a consistent, focused and repetitive basi
s, just like all other marketing. Expanding your customer base is a process, not
an event.
Al Lautenslager is the "Guerrilla Marketing" coach at Entrepreneur.comand is an
award-winning marketing and PR consultant and direct-mail promotion specialist.
He's also the principle of Market For Profits, a Chicago-based marketing consult
ing firm. His two latest books, Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and The Ultimate
Guide to Direct Marketing are available at www.entrepreneurpress.com.
Exploring Multiple Marketing Options

When it comes to marketing, there's more than one way to get your message acros
s. Find out why a multipronged approach may be the best option for your company.
By Al Lautenslager | February 28, 2005
Marketing is made up of many, many, many, many things, all working together to g
et the word out about you, your product or service, and your company. (I purpose
ly repeated the word "many" many times.)
As small business owners, we cannot afford to use just the one marketing vehicle
of advertising to spread the word about our businesses, especially since there
are so many other free or low-cost things that can be done to increase revenue.
We therefore have to rely on the many other things that make up a good marketing
attack and put them together in such a way that they work with each other. Your
job as a marketer is to create marketing tactics that support, reinforce and cr
oss-promote each other.
Of course, every business is different as far as what vehicles work best and in
conjunction with each other. One business might use these four marketing vehicle
s:
1.
Networking
1.
Direct mail
2.
PR
3.
Direct sales
Another business might use a mix of these 10 marketing vehicles:
1.
Advertising
1.
PR
2.
Radio
3.
Cable television
4.
Networking
5.
Signage
6.
Trade shows
7.
Public speaking
8.
Article writing
9.
Coupons
And yet another business might only use:
1.
Networking
1.
PR
2.
Customer referrals
All these tactics might hit the business's target markets as intended by the mar
keters and generate a satisfactory amount of revenue to meet goals, if done on a
consistent basis. The difference in all cases, however, is that the comfort lev
el--both emotionally and financially--is different for each of the companies inv
olved. Some companies and marketers, for instance, get overwhelmed with all ther
e is to do when it comes to marketing; others like to do as much as possible--th
ese type of business owners can easily and successfully juggle many balls at one
time.
After a recent speech to an industry association, I was greeted by someone who a
ppeared to be totally relieved to see me. I asked her about the sense of relief
I could see on her face, and she told me it was so good to hear that she'd only
have to do what she was comfortable with for her new marketing attack. When I fo
llowed up with her later, I found out she'd been successful with her campaigns a
nd wasn't trying to do too much at one time: She launched what she felt comforta
ble with, what she could afford and what she could properly do on her own.
Taking on too much at one time risks something being done half way or, even wors
e, half right. Customers and prospects notice things like this. They also notice
the marketer who's thorough, complete and accurate in their marketing efforts.
Jay Conrad Levinson, in his Guerrilla Marketing books, points out that there are
easily hundreds, if not thousands, of tools, methods, tactics and strategies yo
u can use to market your business--and that your competition is probably only us
ing a few. He also emphasizes that if you just use a few more--but use them effe
ctively-you'll dominate your industry, your marketplace and certainly your area
of expertise.
It's also important for you to understand that customers and prospects react dif
ferently to different marketing weapons. That's why guerrilla marketing's basic
premise is that you need multiple marketing weapons in your marketing attack to
properly address your target market.
Marketing positioning guru Al Ries once said, "When you try to be all things to
all people, you end up being nothing." This is just another way of saying you ca
n't do it all, so do what's comfortable and do what you can afford.
Examine all the ways you market your business. Keep using those that work, get r
id of the ones that don't, and fix the marginal ones--if they're fixable. Then a
dd new weapons from time to time. Soon you'll have a set of methods and tactics
for generating business and growth. You'll find new comfort levels, and your mar
keting will grow as your business does.
Free PR Tactics
How to spread the word about your business without spending any money
By Al Lautenslager | November 22, 2004
If you're like many entrepreneurs, you haven't set your marketing budget. That's
because you haven't been effective in your planning, don't know what it will co
st, or can't afford to spend any money on marketing.
All are real-life situations. When any of these situations arise, though, there
are many free or low-cost things you can do to market your business. PR is one e
xample. The cost of sending out a press release is the cost of a fax, a postage
stamp or an e-mail. Doing this on a regular basis is key to keeping your name in
front of your customers' and prospects' eyes and in creating top-of-mind awaren
ess for you and your products and services.

In the spirit of guerrilla marketing, here are five more types of free marketing
using PR:
1. Writing articles: Writing about how to do something is always something of va
lue to readers. Writing articles gives you instant credibility. Submitting onlin
e, as well as offline, provides another good chance to get your name in print at
no cost. Not a writer? Write down 10 questions you think your prospects might h
ave about a particular area of your expertise and write out the answers to those
questions. This can be an article. Lists are great articles and can be top 10 l
ists, checklists, mistakes made and so on.
2. Free reports: Offering a free report online is a good way to get an e-mail fr
om prospects so you may market to them later. You can do the same thing offline
to get contact information. Offering the report offline is a good way to get a p
rospect to call or contact you. The information gained from the exchange can the
n be used for subsequent marketing over and over again.
3. Online forums: Participating in online newsgroups and forums is another way t
o get your name in front of a prospective buyer. Participating by answering and
asking questions will position you as an expert and a resource for others. Many
online forums will let you put an e-mail signature with a link to your website o
r an affiliate website.
4. Letters to the editor: A little-known secret that's a good follow-up to a pre
ss release is a letter to an editor. This is free PR. Many times, a letter to th
e editor has a better chance of getting published than the actual press release.
You'd be surprised how many people read this column in publications. You can ev
en write a letter to the editor about someone else's PR. Don't ignore this one.
5. Hosting an event: Hosting an event for your business or at your business can
be the equivalent to getting an article published in a targeted publication. The
event can take the form of an open house or a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Publiciz
ing the event is news in the eyes of an editor, a producer or a target market me
mber. Not only can you publicize the announcement of the event, but you can also
invite the media and publicize the event itself. Another kind of event is a sem
inar or presentation of some type. Again, the same PR leverages can occur.
These are just some of the many free PR avenues that can increase the top-of-min
d awareness with your target customers and prospects. You don't need a huge budg
et for any of these tactics. In fact, most can be done with no cost involved at
all.
Guerrilla Marketing for Your Retail Business

By using your creativity, you can put your retail biz in the spotlight with the
se lowand no-cost marketing tactics.
Guerrilla marketing has been in the news lately. Perhaps you've heard about Cart
oon Network's Aqua Teen Hunger Force promotion that drew out bomb squads in Bost
on and made front-page news across the country. Some say the attempt went awry;
some say any press is good press. Whatever the case, it was guerrilla marketing.
Just to refresh your memory, guerrilla marketing is about gaining the maximum ex
posure for a company, event, product, service or person with the minimum amount
of cash. Instead of a big budget, marketers rely on time, energy, information an
d knowledge to draw a crowd. Does lowor no-cost sound like a welcome relief to y
our budget? Let s review some easy-to-implement guerrilla marketing tactics for yo
ur retail business.
Many retail entrepreneurs are in a great position to use holidays for promoting
their businesses. Every month has a holiday except August. And if you don't find
one that fits, make one up: National Haircut Day, Treat-a-Dog Day or Buy Roses
for No Reason Day, for instance. These types of themed days can even get you ext
ra media coverage, so be sure to let the media know about your made-up holiday a
nd promotion.
Another way to get press is writing special-interest articles on relevant topics
, such as "The History of Valentine's Day" or "How the Poinsettia Became So Popu
lar." Feeding the news community with this information positions your business n
ot only as a resource for information related to holidays, but also as the place
to shop for holiday-related gifts.
Other guerrilla ideas for retailers are events or contests. The event could be a
n open house, or a meet the expert, meet the mayor or meet the press. Contests c
an be simple, such as guessing the number of roses in a car for a florist or pre
dicting the day a certain milestone will be reached--the thousandth guest or mil
lionth sale, for instance. These suggestions may sound corny, but hopefully they
'll get your creativity going.
The most powerful guerrilla suggestion for retailers is to keep track of your cu
stomers and prospects. Prospects have already expressed interest in you, so mark
eting to them should produce sales. Use a guest book in your business or hold a
drawing and collect names and contact information from the entries. This pool of
prospects will prove more valuable than any mass advertising. And remember, whe
n you get contact information, put it in a database and be sure to get permissio
n from your prospects before e-mailing them.
Guerrilla marketing can--and often will--push boundaries. It s OK to be on the edg
e, to test extremes, to get attention and to take calculated risks. Sending seas
onal greeting cards falls into this calculated risk category. Imagine getting a
greeting card from your favorite retailer wishing you a happy July 17. No specia
l day, really, just an arbitrary greeting--maybe including a promotional offer.
People love getting greetings at unexpected times, and you'll get attention for
your gesture.
Another easy way to get noticed is putting candy in with each item you sell, whi
ch will also help you gain attention and stand out from others. Brainstorm marke
ting ideas with co-workers and suppliers. Try a few. Repeat what works. Fix what
doesn t. You may surprise yourself with how well your marketing takes off with yo
ur budget still intact.
Al Lautenslager is the "Guerrilla Marketing" coach at Entrepreneur.com and is an
He's also the principle of Market For Profits, a Chicago-based marketing consul
ting firm. His two latest books,Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and The Ultimate
In Your Face! 10 Crazy Marketing Stunts

Say it loud and proud with these funky, spunky, cheap ideas to get noticed.
Marketing is made up of many, many, many things all working to support one anoth
er and to touch your customers many times. And yes--I meant to say "many" that m
any times. Marketing is a process, not an event; you have to think marketing all
the time.
All of the items that make up those many, many, many things don't have to be ela
borate campaigns; they can be simple marketing tactics. They don't even have to
cost anything. That's the beauty of guerrilla marketing. Guerrilla marketing use
s time, energy, knowledge, information and a whole lot of imagination rather tha
n writing big checks.
Here's a quick review of 10 guerrilla marketing tactics that can be employed wit
h little or no money, and are sure to give you results. Consistency and focus ar
e keys in guerrilla marketing, as is repetition, so repeat these ideas often.
1. Stage a protest for "good customer service." Imagine what would happen if you
had picketers outside your place of business with picket signs that read someth
ing like, "We're protesting good customer service at this location!" or "This pl
ace is full of nice people interested in customers!" First, you'll get noticed.
Second, you may get coverage by the local media. Stage a repeat visit of the pro
testers and next time publicize their intent of returning. You never know what m
ight happen, who might take notice and what it'll do for your business.
2. Conduct a random act of kindness. Pay the toll for the car behind yours and a
sk the toll collector to give your business card to them, telling them you paid
their toll. Sure this is a crapshoot, but it's imaginative and you never know wh
o might be on the road. It's a low-cost guerrilla marketing tactic that has imag
ination written all over it.
3. Nominate yourself for an award. Look around the internet. Ask your local cham
ber of commerce. There are many awards given by many organizations that accept s
elf-nominations. Once you're nominated, publicize it with a press release. Once
you're awarded the award, issue another press release. Use the award designation
as part of your bio when speaking or when writing an article. Prospects love "a
ward winning" people and businesses.
4. Award a "Customer of the Month" award and have many, many winners. Customers
like attention, especially if they're in a special group. Award a plaque or cert
ificate; these won't get thrown away and will remain at your customer's place of
business as a reminder of their relationship with you.
5. Tie yourself to a news event or current event covered by the newspaper. I do
this by reviewing Super Bowl commercials as a marketing expert and get free pres
s out of it. Another example I've seen are chiropractors commenting on stretchin
g exercises before local 5K runs or charity walks that are popular in many commu
nities. Find a news story and issue a press release to publications, radio stati
ons and television stations, offering yourself as an expert to comment on a rela
ted subject. It's one of the best ways to get free PR. Remember to use your imag
ination here. Just watch the news and do a reverse analysis. Make a list of comp
anies that would be appropriate to comment on each story you watch. Sooner or la
ter you'll find one where your company fits.
6. Provide special attention to trade-show attendees the night before a trade sh
ow you're attending. Stand out from the crowd at trade shows by hanging door han
gers on hotel room doors at designated trade-show hotels, offering a hook and an
announcement or a special offer. Leave bags of candies, aspirin, insole pads fo
r shoes or maybe a cloth carry bag to collect trade show information in. Your co
mpetition isn't doing this. You'll stand out, you'll be noticed, and you'll defi
nitely be thanked if you put yourself in front of your prospect again.
7. Hold a wacky contest. The beauty of contests is threefold. You can announce t
he contest to your prospects, customers and the media. You can then announce the
winners to the media and hopefully get press each time. Have multiple winners t
o delight multiple customers. Contests can be fun, wacky and imaginative: a mess
y desk contest, ugly tie contest, pet/owner look-alike contest, etc.

8. Pass out notepads with coupon offers intermingled in the pages. Even use the
back cover stock to print an offer. Use your fusion marketing skills here. I kno
w of a printing company that partnered with a pizza company and placed a coupon
for a free pizza as the last page of the notepad. Both companies realized an inc
rease in business with these giveaways.
9. Create a funky holiday. Today is "Orange Hair Day," or "Wear Army Fatigue Day
," or "Give Ice Cream to a Friend Day." These are made up and from a brainstorm
session. Your holiday that cross promotes your business, service or products is
only limited by your imagination. Don't forget to publicize it, announce it, mar
ket it over and over, and have fun with it. You'll get noticed and people will g
row to expect it if you do it on a frequent basis.
10. Create a unique association. This is a little bit more of an undertaking, bu
t imagine appealing to a target group, getting members, receiving paid subscript
ions, offering a set of benefits, and being at the center of attention. Many ass
ociations have been created with this in mind and to market a business. Get crea
tive here. I have often thought about creating the National Listeners Associatio
n, or the Tagline Association, or the Take Fridays Off Work Association. Remembe
r: You're trying to gain attention and awareness that eventually turns into sale
s. Also remember you're a guerrilla marketer and are without a blank check book
to spend on marketing.
These ideas are literally the tip of the marketing iceberg. Your imagination det
ermines the size of the iceberg. Your imagination also keeps your bank account f
rom going lower. Guerrilla marketers don't have blank checkbooks, so they must w
ork smarter, not harder. Using time, energy, knowledge, information and imaginat
ion is working smarter. Happy Marketing!
Al Lautenslager is the "Guerrilla Marketing" coach at Entrepreneur.com and is an
He's also the principle of Market For Profits, a Chicago-based marketing consul
ting firm. His two latest books, Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and The Ultimate
Land Customers With a Marketing Bribe

What's the secret to getting customer response? It's all about the offer.
By Al Lautenslager | December 27, 2005
When looking at the loads of mail you get, including e-mail, does it all blend t
ogether? Does anything ever jump out at you and say "Open Me!"? In the world of
marketing, getting opened is a primary objective.
Getting attention is the number-one goal of any marketing campaign. One of the w
ays to get this necessary attention is to offer something of value to your targe
t prospect. The offer can be in the form of an incentive to reply for more infor
mation, an incentive to buy something, or something of value to continue a relat
ionship and ongoing dialogue.
The goal of an offer is to get a response. If you get a response from your prosp
ect you know that your mail was sorted out of the pack and achieved its primary
objective. A response indicates their interest in you or your offer and also ind
icates that they're willing to learn more or even do business with you at that p
oint.
Most businesses and professionals love to send out mail that just talks about th
em: how many degrees and certifications they have, company history, size of equi
pment or staff, accomplishments and so on. In the world of direct marketing this
fits right into the "boring" category; if not boring, then something that's imm
ediately discarded without any consideration of a response. It immediately puts
the prospect in the position of evaluating whether they want to spend time on wh
at you have to say. This approach triggers resistance.
The alternative--and the thing that'll make your mail stand out--is presenting a
n offer. An offer can be information or time-based, which eliminates a true cash
outlay for something of value for your prospect. It can be a free report, a fre
e consultation, a list, an article, a sample or free trial. You can now see how
this could be of interest to a client or prospect and how it could stand out fro
m generic mail talking only about the company and not enough about the prospect.
Your target audience members are more apt to spend time with your material if th
ey're getting something of value in return.
Make sure your offer is value-oriented. I saw one the other day that offered $10
off of an automobile service appointment at a car dealer. I realize that $10 is
$10, but this amount of money off of a $250-$500 service job isn't going to aut
omatically entice me to take advantage of the offer. A free 21-point inspection
and free loaner car might have done the trick. Those would be valuable to me.
I even hesitated to mention free consultation above. While that's valuable, some
prospects will view that as a glorified sales call. If you use this approach, h
ave a purpose other than selling with it. For instance, maybe you have a report
that explains the results of a recent survey you did that would interest your pr
ospect that you could review during a "free consultation." I'm a big fan of audi
ts. Audits uncover problems that you can offer solutions for. If you're selling
office supplies, offer to do an office supply usage audit. If you sell insurance
, offer to do an asset/liability audit.
Here's a list of offers you can use (from the Ultimate Guide to Direct Marketing
, available at Entrepreneur Press):
Free tele-seminar
Paid tele-seminar
Free public seminar
Paid public seminar
Meet-and-greet session
Free special report
Free CD audio
Free consultation
Free product samples
Checklist/guide
Bundled products for discount
Double bundle
Tickets
Free gifts
Handbook
Toolkit
Top 10 list
Coupon
The whole world of direct marketing boils down to two activities: making an offe
r and getting a response. The more valuable your offer is and the more targeted
it is the higher the probability of getting a response. A response is the start
of a relationship, and one that can be marketed to on an ongoing basis.
Guide to Direct Marketing are available atwww.entrepreneurpress.com.
Let Your Imagination Take Off

A successful guerrilla marketing campaign takes effort, not cash.
By Al Lautenslager | January 24, 2005
Guerrilla marketing is often described as marketing using time, energy, imaginat
ion and information vs. your hard-earned profits. One of the key words in this d
efinition is the word "imagination." I run across many people that hear the many
stories about guerrilla tactics, and they always say "What a great imagination.
..That must be guerrilla marketing." To guerrilla marketers, that's music to the
ir ears.
Using your imagination doesn't cost anything. True, it costs you a lot of time,
blood, sweat and tears to get you to the point of being able to use your imagina
tion based on your education and experiences, but no money is taken out of your
checking account to pay for an imaginative idea.
Webster defines imagination as: "The ability to confront and deal with reality b
y using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness; an unrealistic idea or
notion; a fancy; a plan or scheme." Let's look at some unrealistic ideas or sche
mes that were hatched by a little bit of imagination:
I passed a realtor's sign the other day, and the agent's name was Lester. His we
bsite was www.lesterthelister.com. Sounds kind of corny, but it will get noticed
, and people will remember it.
Henderson's Appliance Store in St. Louis was in business for more than 40 years
and needed some revitalization. They had never had a tag line. Since they sold r
efrigerators, grills, washers and dryers, they dug deep on how they could convey
to the marketplace what they really do. The resulting tag line now used in all
their marketing is: "We cook it, we chill it, we clean it."
Here's one any company can use. Imagine (there's that word again) passing out fl
iers for your local high school football team's game with "Go Wildcats" (or what
ever their mascot is) on one side. Can you imagine every fan standing up cheerin
g and waving their free flier? On the reverse side, your logo and phone number a
ppears. Every time the flier is displayed, the fan stares right at your company
information. Sure, you have to pay to get the fliers printed, but in the total s
cheme of things, imagination is what generated awareness for the business on the
reverse side. That's guerrilla marketing.
Sometimes imagination leads to outrageousness. That's OK. That's what gets notic
ed, and that's what gets remembered. Best of all--and consistent with guerrilla
marketing--it usually doesn't cost a whole lot. Imagine (yes, I repeated it on p
urpose) a mailing that comes as a bank money bag, a printed paper bag or the lum
py mail pack that has a silver platter in it with a sales letter to correspond.
These are all low-cost tactics that a customer and prospect will see and eventua
lly act upon or remember.
As you can see, a creative idea can go a long way. People many times will talk a
bout the cool idea more than the product, but of course the product is always me
ntioned. It's almost like people go around saying, "I wish I would have thought
of that," and they start thinking of imaginative ideas for their products or ser
vices.
Brainstorm how you can use your imagination to market your product or service. A
s they say with anything related to your imagination, "You are only limited by y
our imagination."
Imagination doesn't cost anything; that's one of the primary components of guerr
illa marketing. Imagination is one of those things that can make your marketing
fun. Involve others. Involve customers and prospects. Break out of your typical
mode of doing business. That will definitely get you noticed.
Put some energy and enthusiasm behind your idea, and you'll soon have your marke
t talking about your imagination and, eventually, your products and services.
Marketing Your Business With Your Mouth

Promote yourself to the masses by becoming an expert speaker at your target mar
ket's events.
By Al Lautenslager | October 24, 2005
It's always amazing to me that when I speak at an association meeting, conferenc
e or breakout session at a convention, people always come up to me afterwards to
inquire about hiring me. It doesn't matter what the audience size is--it always
happens.
Which got me thinking: When I make a sales call on a prospect or customer, I'm r
eally making a similar presentation--with one exception: The audience size is on
e. So speaking in front of any larger audience is basically a mass sales call. A
nd the best part of that is, you're able to make your pitch at one time to an au
dience made up of dozens or even hundreds of potential customers.
Here's something to remember: Speaking in front of audiences gives you instant c
redibility. Why else would you be up in front of a group unless you were some ty
pe of expert? Remember, people love to buy from experts. They trust experts. The
y have confidence in experts, and they know experts are credible. Speaking solid
ifies all of that. The number-one reason salespeople get the sale is because of
trust and confidence. If your speaking is a mass sales call, the same rules appl
y.
Let me tell you how you can start marketing your business through speaking engag
ements.
Track Down Your Market
One of the cardinal rules of marketing is to put your marketing message where yo
ur target market is. If your target market consists of business owners and organ
izations, a local chamber of commerce would be an ideal audience. You can contac
t your local chamber and ask them if they have any educational sessions during t
heir programming year or slots open for speaking at their breakfasts or luncheon
s. If they don't have such programming, offer to help them develop it. I don't k
now of any chamber of commerce that would turn down a moneymaking opportunity if
it involved delivering quality information and benefits to their membership.
There are also many industry associations that may want to hear your message. Ta
rget state and local associations at first, then move on to national association
s. Contact the executive director or educational committee chair to gage their i
nterest. Offer to speak for free in return for contact information of those who
attend your session. If you can't make that arrangement, give away a book or a p
rize at the end of your presentation. And be sure to collect business cards from
your audience to use in a drawing, then keep the business cards to follow up wi
th and market to these people over and over and over. Remember the rules of freq
uency in marketing: 5 x 1,000 is better than 1 x 5,000.
You can also offer handouts when you speak that contain content from your presen
tation. This gives your audience something of value to walk away with that won't
cost them a dime. If you're smart, you'll also provide product purchase informa
tion and ways for prospective customers or their friends and associates to get i
n touch with you for speaking engagements or further contact. This is when the s
peaking component of your marketing becomes viral: having others market for you.
Another way to use speaking arrangements to market your business is to participa
te on panel discussions. Those organizations or companies that put on panels nee
d experts, and you're an expert in something. So find organizations and conferen
ces that need your expertise and offer yourself as a panelist.
No one can communicate the passion you have for your product, service or company
better than you. If that's what you're speaking about, your passion will be obv
ious, and audiences notice things like that. If you're not passionate about what
you're selling or what your company is all about, then don't get in front of an
audience. An audience can detect a lack of passion as easily as they can detect
over-the-top passion.
Speaking in front of a group puts you at the center of attention. So before you
step into that spotlight, make sure you're prepared:
Don't be boring.
Have solid content.
Have a message.
Audiences like to walk away with ideas to implement immediately. Developing "sal
es oriented" speaking content is similar to developing content for a sales prese
ntation. Here are some topic suggestions that make interesting speaking content:
A solution to a problem or a challenge
Top 10 steps to a goal
Seven mistakes people make when they don't use your service
Real live examples
Stories
Anecdotes
A review of frequently asked questions about you, your business, your product or
your service
Secrets and inside information on your product, service or industry
Tips, techniques and tactics
Strategic considerations
The good thing about this guerrilla marketing method is that it's free. It's jus
t you using your time, energy and imagination to get your message to your target
market.
Guide to Direct Marketing are available atwww.entrepreneurpress.com.
Marketing in the Recommendation Age

As customer review venues and their influence increase, business owners should
capitalize on this trend.
By Alexa Vaughn | May 02, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/techadvisor/article193516.html
If you're still talking about how to market in the Information Age, catch yourse
lf--that was so five years ago. We're now in a booming Recommendation Age.
Getting hundreds of search engine results from one keyword loses more of its nov
elty and efficiency every day as consumers opt for recommendations from real peo
ple. Instead of typing "hip sushi, Portland" into a search engine, consumers are
going straight to websites like Citysearch and Yelp, where they can find severa
l customer reviews for restaurants fitting that description. And as social netwo
rking websites like Facebook automatically import reviews into profiles, the exp
osure and influence of customer reviews are increasing.
Even consumers still primarily using search engines find customer review pages a
t the top of their search results. If you really type "hip sushi, Portland" into
a Google search, for instance, you'll see pages of review results before a resu
lt that goes directly to a restaurant.
The main reason: Studies, such as one done by Deloitte and Touche in late 2007,
are finding that 80 percent of readers' purchasing decisions are influenced by c
ustomer reviews. And 70 percent of them say they share business reviews with fri
ends and family online.
"It's critical for companies to respond to this trend because you just don't kno
w what influence that message board or blogger might have if you're not listenin
g and responding," says Toby Bloomberg, president of Bloomberg Marketing and a b
logger for Diva Marketing. "If you're not continuing the conversation in a bette
r direction, then people are left to their own conclusions."
Though turning customers into brand advocates online is still a conundrum for ma
ny business owners, Bloomberg says the most important thing to do is make a comm
itment to monitoring online conversations about your business and being proactiv
e and public in your response to those conversations.
Highly reviewed and rock-themed Birds Barbershop of Austin, Texas, did just that
when a customer wrote a bad Yelp review about his experience.
After finding the review, Birds Barbershop offered him a free haircut the second
time around. The same customer then went back on Yelp to graciously report the
act of redemption: "Kudos to Bird's for knowing what good customer service is, a
nd for reading Yelp!"
Instead of blatantly encouraging customers to write better reviews for his barbe
rshop, owner Jayson Rapaport prefers letting customers know the staff cares abou
t the feedback.
"What ends up happening is our stylists build relationships with their clients,
and they're checking out the reviews to see if they're OK more than I am," Rapap
ort says.
Businesses also become more conducive to online recommendations when customers f
eel the business supports a lifestyle they value.
Food Fight Grocery, for instance, is one of the most highly reviewed businesses
of foodies in Portland, Oregon, because of the political activism its vegan owne
rs encourage. The home page of the store's website even opts for a news and eve
nts blog over advertising its plethora of vegan products.
But Emiko Badillo, who owns the store with her husband, Chad Miller, says she do
esn't look at Yelp or their reputation online.
"I think people still appreciate that we're casual and that we're really putting
our own personalities into the business," Badillo says. "We run this business m
ainly for the activism side of it and to inform people about veganism."
For Seattle-based Theo Chocolates, the only roaster of organic cocoa beans and t
he first roaster of fair trade certified cocoa beans in the United States, facto
ry tours of its environmentally friendly operations as well as the causes it sup
ports help drive a high amount of positive customer reviews.
"Our overall brand draws a lot of traffic because the growth is driven by our co
mmitment to organic and fair trade products," owner Joseph Whinney says, adding
that taking a factory tour extends the consumer's understanding of the business.
To make sure your business doesn't fall behind in the Recommendation Age, consid
er the following tips:
1.
Make your business part of a lifestyle.
1.
Let your customers know you respond to customer feedback.
2.
Don't risk your company's reputation by faking reviews.
Advertise Creatively With Offbeat Sports

By sponsoring the likes of beach tennis and dodgeball, entrepreneurs are findin
g that the ball is in their court.
By Robert Jones | May 12, 2008
For an entrepreneur, it's not hard to understand the national love affair with s
ports. They can be exhilarating, unpredictable, even a little dangerous--not unl
ike the entrepreneurs themselves.
Businesses that sponsor sporting events can bust their budgets just as quickly a
s players can break their legs. Want to sponsor March Madness? Plan on spending
about $690,000 for 30 seconds of glory during the Final Four. The same spot in c
ollege football's BCS championship game runs about $900,000, and a Super Bowl ad
will set you back almost $2.4 million.
And then there's the National Dodgeball League, where, for about $10,000, you co
uld sponsor a bunch of fit, photogenic 20-somethings hurling balls at each other
for an entire season. If that's too violent for your taste, you might want to c
onsider a $500 team sponsorship in kickball, the old playground pastime now enjo
ying a national resurgence among thousands of young professionals in the World A
dult Kickball Association. How about beach tennis, lawn bowling, sand soccer, r
oller derby, or lawnmower racing? The fact is, if there's an offbeat sport you c
an dream of, it probably already has a league in place--and that league is looki
ng for sponsors.
"There is definitely a growing trend in 'fringe' or 'secondary' sports," says Ra
y Artigue, executive director of the sports business MBA program at Arizona Stat
e University's W.P. Carey School of Business. "The level of competition or parti
cipation is really relative. It's still a sport, and it often captures our imagi
nation."
Of all the new sports out there, probably nothing has captured more people's ima
ginations than lawnmower racing. Born 16 years ago as a promotional stunt for ST
A-BIL fuel additive, the wacky competition quickly took on a life of its own thr
ough countless media stories, TV shows like Home Improvement, and even its own v
ideo game, Lawnmower Racing Mania. This year, many of the sport's 17 national ev
ents will be featured on The Outdoor Channel, while more than 130 officially san
ctioned smaller races will get prominent coverage on the local news.
For Steve Gruber, president of Wolf Creek Productions, that kind of media attent
ion was too good to pass up. Gruber needed to make more viewers aware of his nat
ionally syndicated hunting and fishing shows, and traditional advertising wasn't
doing the trick.
"I never got much return from my full-page ads in hunting magazines, because tho
se are the same people I'm already talking to on my shows," he says. Gruber thou
ght NASCAR fans would be a good way to grow his audience, but he had to be reali
stic: "Let's face it, I'm not in the position to sponsor Ryan Newman," he says.
Lawnmower racing gave Gruber a NASCAR-like demographic at a fraction of the cost
. For $5,000 he sponsored a full season for Craig Pond, a Michigan racer on the
national circuit. Pond's tractor was painted with the Wolf Creek name and logo,
creating the "Wolf Creek Racing Team." Compared to a $250,000 entry-level NASCAR
sponsorship, the lawnmower deal allowed Gruber to reach race fans without dropp
ing a bundle.
Of course, not every business is looking for NASCAR's red-state demographic. Pro
fessional dodgeball is a growing phenomenon with younger, more urban fans in cit
ies like Baltimore, Denver and Pittsburgh. Kickball is a big participation sport
(and even bigger social event) among young office workers in at least 20 states
and the District of Columbia. And at the other end of the spectrum are lawn bow
ls, with refined clubs coast to coast that draw primarily the wine-and-cheese se
t as opposed to kickball's beer-and-potato-chips crowd.
No matter what the sport or the demographic, because these leagues are strugglin
g to get established, they are eager to work with entrepreneurs in structuring a
sponsorship that makes the most sense for their business.
"We understand that you're getting involved in a fledgling sport, and we're will
ing to pretty much work with you to do what you want to do," says John Rarrick,
with Beach Tennis USA. The company aims to introduce Americans to the tennis-vol
leyball hybrid through beach tennis clinics and tournaments.
The National Dodgeball League is also looking to get creative with sponsorships.
"We'd like to work with sponsors to come up with marketing that's more interesti
ng than just throwing a banner up on a wall," says Ed Prentiss, the league's pre
sident. "For instance, if Speed Stick deodorant were a sponsor, we'd have a Spee
d Stick Speed Throw contest to see who could throw the fastest ball. It just tak
es a little creative thinking on both our parts."
For his part, Arizona State's Artigue believes such creative thinking represents
a potentially smart investment for entrepreneurs.
"Sports sponsorship is all about borrowing off of the interest in a team or a le
ague and creating affinity with their avid fan base," he says. Given the proper
alignment between business and fan base, "it could be that one of these fringe s
ports presents the most targeted and efficient way to spend your money."
Rachel Meranus: PR
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks
Understanding the changing face of journalism can be the key to getting more co
verage for your business.
By Rachel Meranus | May 09, 2008
Media professionals today are taking on more responsibility, facing changing job
requirements, and are more aware of the commercial side of the business than ev
er. This evolution in reporting is a reflection of the changing face of all comm
unications, as traditional roles and practices are being challenged by newer for
ms of media borne from web 2.0. Social networking, blogs, online video, search e
ngines and RSS feeds have woven their way into the fabric of journalism, signifi
cantly impacting how reporters do their jobs and how news organizations structur
e their operations. For PR professionals, the changes offer both opportunities a
nd challenges.
New Media, New Roles
As traditional media outlets work to remain competitive, they are expanding the
ir online offerings to compete with new media. This has put a strain on many jou
rnalists, who are being asked to assume new responsibilities to support these in
itiatives. In addition, declining revenue has forced many outlets to reduce staf
f, leaving reporters to contend with more work, varied responsibilities and long
er hours.
The results of the 2008 PRWeek/PR Newswire Media Survey, which assessed the atti
tudes and ideas of traditional journalists and bloggers, bear this out. Accordin
g to the survey, 57 percent of respondents feel they are being asked to work mor
e today than in the past few years, while 56 percent say they are contributing t
o other media outside of their official duty. Forty-two percent of magazine jour
nalists and 39 percent of newspaper reporters are expected to contribute to the
website or online version of their publications, and 22 percent of media respond
ents are blogging for their traditional publications.
As journalists take on longer hours and fill more multi-faceted roles, it's more
important than ever to take reporters' needs and interests into consideration w
hen making a pitch. Spam is still a top concern of journalists. More than half o
f respondents to the study said that less than 20 percent of pitches received we
re relevant. Sending an errant pitch can lead to your e-mail address being place
d on a blocked sender's list, or in some cases, landing on a blog post as an exa
mple of a bad pitch.
Initial pitches should almost always be sent by e-mail, as nearly 90 percent of
journalists surveyed prefer to be contacted electronically. As you craft your email, focus on providing a short, enticing subject line that sums up your pitch,
followed by a brief synopsis of your story idea that is exciting and informativ
e. Maximize the impact of your words by minimizing the strain on the reporter's
eyes. If you can't summarize your idea in three paragraphs, reconsider your appr
oach.
Compelling Content
While reporters may be a bit more sensitive in today's competitive media enviro
nment, it doesn't mean that PR professionals should refrain from sending pitches
. The same pressures that require journalists to contribute to more outlets coul
d increase your opportunities for placement. A pitch that does not fit the param
eters of a reporter's print guidelines may be appropriate for his or her blog.
Competition among different forms of media is also causing journalists to put a
greater emphasis on creating compelling content. According to the same survey, 9
1 percent of reporters identified the creation of appealing content as the most
important aspect of their work. In addition to seeking hard news, reporters and
the editors are also searching for other content that will appeal to their audie
nce.
Take the time to consider how the story you are pitching will appeal to the read
er. Is the main demographic investors or stay-at-home moms? Consider how you wou
ld speak directly to this audience when tailoring your pitch. For example, if yo
u have a new product announcement that you'd like to pitch to both business and
consumer outlets, focus on issues like market opportunity and revenue potential
for business outlets; for consumer outlets, focus on product features.
Stay Ahead of the News
What are the hot topics in the industry? What's being said about your company?
Knowing what's being said about your company, competitors and industry can not o
nly provide valuable insight that can be useful to your business, but also help
you anticipate trends and get ideas for future pitches.
Stay up to date by setting up alerts from search engines such as Google and Yaho
o!, but also be cognizant of what's being reported in the blogosphere. Not only
are blogs a key influencer in many markets and industries, but reporters are als
o using blogs as a source for their own coverage. The survey found that nearly 7
3 percent of respondents sometimes or always use blogs in their research.
From a PR perspective, it's always better to be proactive rather than reactive.
If reporters are using blogs, then so should you. Blogs can be goldmines for unc
overing story angles that will likely appeal to a reporter. A quick look at cert
ain blogs could arm you with the necessary trends and data to craft a pitch that
could yield significant returns. Blogs can also provide a means for you and you
r company to gain validation in the minds of reporters. A positive mention in a
blog or a well-written response to a post could give your company additional cac
h and heighten your position as an industry leader.
While reporters are pressed for time and new responsibilities are pulling them i
n different directions, they still rely on PR professionals to direct them to in
teresting stories or fill in the gaps of their research. Reporters will apprecia
te the PR professional who takes the time to research their coverage areas and w
riting style, and who empathizes with the hectic nature of their job. Make yours
elf stand out by being an asset to the reporter.
Rachel Meranus is Entrepreneur.com's PR columnist and vice president, public rel
ations at PR Newswire. Get more information about PR Newswire and public relatio
ns with their PR Toolkit for small businesses.

A Referral Doesn't Mean Closed Sales
You shouldn't skip steps in the sales process, even with a recommendation. Here
's how you can make the most of your leads.
When one of your business relationships passes you a referral, don't assume that
the prospect is ready to hear a presentation on your product or service. When a
n associate passes you a referral, say thanks . . . then start digging for more
information.
You will want to determine if what you offer is a fit for what the prospect need
s. Taking the time to do this upfront saves a lot of time and energy--for both y
ou and the prospect. Exactly what does the prospect do? What products or service
s does he want from you? Will your offerings truly fulfill his needs? What is hi
s behavioral style? What are his business goals? How large is his company?
Even with the referral in hand, don't skip steps in your sales process. Before y
ou approach the prospect, decide on a strategy based on whatever you can find ou
t about him--the same as you would when preparing for any sale. Although the pro
spect was referred to you, all you've really received is an opportunity to appro
ach the prospect with a favorable introduction. (This is not a bad thing--a sing
le referral can open the door to a prospect it may have taken you weeks, months,
or even years to connect with--if you even could at all.) But whether the prosp
ect becomes a client or not depends on how well you convince him that what you o
ffer, at the price and under the conditions that you offer it, will fulfill his
needs.
There's quite a bit of difference between a basic referral and one that's well d
eveloped, and there are many levels in between. Here is a list from least to mos
t valuable, and you should consider which level your referral represents:
Name and contact information only. Unfortunately, this is what many of your pote
ntial sources probably think the first time you say the word "referral" to them.
It does represent a certain level of trust in you, but the networking value of
this kind of "referral" is low. It's better than nothing--but it's not much. As
a matter of fact, I would call this more of a "lead" than a "referral."
Authorization to use name. If he says, "Tell 'em Joe sent you," you can be fairl
y sure you've established a good level of credibility with him. This gives you s
ome leverage, but the work of developing the prospect still falls on you.
Testimonial or letter of introduction. If your source trusts you enough to say n
ice things about you, try getting him to go a bit further and write you a letter
of introduction or recommendation, including background information on you and
some words about your product or service.
Introduction call. A personal phone call on your behalf, preparing the prospect
to hear from you, takes significant time and effort in preparation.
Letter of introduction, call and promotion. A letter that's followed up by a pho
ne call advocating your business represents a high level of commitment by your r
eferral source and has a great deal of influence on the prospect.
Meeting. By arranging and working out the details for a meeting between you and
the prospect, your source moves beyond the role of promoter to that of facilitat
or, or even business agent. This demonstrates to your prospect a deep level of t
rust in you, and a willingness not only to make an introduction, but also to con
sider you and your services worth the time it takes to coordinate a meeting.
Face-to-face introduction and promotion. Combining an in-person introduction wit
h promotion demonstrates that your source is engaged in selling your product or
service, rather than just facilitating your sales effort. And this is a pretty g
reat referral, beaten only by the
Closed deal. Your referral source describes the features and benefits of your pr
oduct or service, then closes the sale before you even contact the prospect. All
you have to do is deliver the goods and collect the money. This is obviously th
e best kind of referral you can get (and, by its very nature, the rarest form of
referral). To get to this level of referral, you'll have to work with your sour
ces and tell them what you'd like from them. This takes time and education.
The better your source knows you and is confident of your character and your bus
iness, the more often you'll get the higher-level referrals. But keep in mind th
at you need to be making high-level referrals for your sources, too. Make sure y
ou spend your due diligence looking for ways to open doors for your referral sou
rces in the same way as you hope they will open doors for you. What goes around
comes around.
gest business networking organization. His latest book Truth or Delusion can be
viewed at TruthorDelusion.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the R
eferral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reache
d at misner@bni.com.
Nostalgia Sells
The oldies but goodies of baby boomers are all the rage.
By Robert Jones | June 30, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/article195234.h
tml
It's a Saturday night in Atlanta. Some 800 well-dressed, middle-aged adults are
sipping cocktails, listening to jazz . . . and playing Candy Land or Twister.
Welcome to "the new face of nightlife," courtesy of three 30-something guys who
realized they were too old to go out clubbing every weekend, but not old enough
for reruns of The Golden Girls.
"We didn't go into this saying, 'Let's create a new business that will change t
he way people think about Saturday night,'" recalls Imari Harvard, CEO of Timele
ss Entertainment Concepts. "My wife and I just wanted to put together an event w
here folks could come out for some nostalgic games, cocktails and conversation."
The 80 people who gathered at an upscale pool hall in 2005 had so much fun play
ing board games and acting like kids that Harvard decided to repeat the event th
e following month. This time 150 people showed up, and Play Date Atlanta was bor
n. Along with business partners Ryan Hill and Ron Gaither, Harvard has used a li
censing model to grow the concept into Play Date U.S., expanding into four citie
s and projecting $250,000 in sales this year.
Hill believes the appeal is simple.
"After you get out of your 20s and you have more responsibility," he says, "you
find yourself going, 'Why was I in such a rush to grow up?' "
Almost by accident, Timeless Entertainment Concepts tapped into a timeless truth
: Nostalgia sells.
"It's about trying to go back to a time when things were different," says David
Sprott, an associate professor of marketing at Washington State University and t
he author of several studies on the topic. "When things are uncertain in the pre
sent time, looking backward is a comforting thing for people to do."
From Juno's hamburger phone to Detroit's muscle cars, signs of the nostalgia tre
nd are everywhere. Bowling alleys are glam again, roller rinks are attracting a
new generation, and even drive-in movie theaters have halted their long slide to
ward oblivion. Young professionals are playing in kickball and Wiffle ball leagu
es, then going out to order drinks like the Harvey Wallbanger that were last pop
ular in their grandparents' day.
And board games? The trio behind Play Date may have stumbled upon their successf
ul business, but The Intelligence Group, a New York City-based market research f
irm, has since come up with hard data showing that progressive 14to 34-year-olds
known as "trendsetters" prefer board games to video games by a margin of 60 per
cent to 40 percent. Small wonder that in February a company named Winning Moves
re-introduced '50s favorites Parcheesi and Careers--complete with their original
packaging.
Of course, this love for the old isn't entirely new. Anyone who's ordered biscui
ts and apple butter at a Cracker Barrel restaurant knows that people seem to lov
e walls cluttered with nostalgic signs and advertisements.
Still, two things seem remarkable about the current craze for nostalgia. First,
it's likely to get even bigger as 78 million baby boomers with $2.5 trillion in
spending power grow older and more wistful for the "golden days" of their youth.
If consumers look back most fondly on their early 20s, as some research suggest
s, then aging boomers should drive a renaissance of all things 1960s-related.
<insert ad here>
Even more noteworthy is this: Younger people seem to be just as nostalgic. Sprot
t found that his research participants responded to nostalgic advertising themes

even though their average age was only 21. And those folks who turn out for a P
lay Date evening of Chutes and Ladders? They tend to be in their peak earning ye
ars, not their golden years.
Still, nostalgia does seem to work a little differently for Gen X and Gen Y than
it does for their parents and grandparents. The gosh-darned earnestness of Crac
ker Barrel might not have much appeal for younger consumers, who tend to be more
ironic in their outlook.
"There's a certain smile factor," says Dan Adamson, a partner and creative direc
tor at Farm Boy Co-op & Feed Co. "The audience is in on the joke."
The "joke" for Adamson and his business partner, Brian Goldenman, is a $2 millio
n company built on nostalgia for the American farm. Under the Farm Boy and Farm
Girl labels, the company sells T-shirts, caps and other clothing that celebrate
farm life with a wink and a nudge. "What do I eat first--the chicken or the egg?
" asks one T-shirt, while a ball cap proclaims "Livestock Jock."
Goldenman says the brand is hot with the 13to 28-year-old demographic because, "
People romanticize farming as a simpler way of life--sort of an 'unplugged' life
style. Everyone at some point kind of wishes for that."
Still, Adamson says they are careful not to treat their younger customers like t
hey are "kind of backwoods or country store. We've made farming a little sexy. N
ot crude, but a little bit sexy."
For Farm Boy, as for other companies, "hip nostalgia" seems to be working. And t
here's nothing old-fashioned about that.

Good Customer Service Alone Doesn't Win Referrals
Don't wait around for your excellent service to pay off. Instead, build a netwo
rk for word-of-mouth marketing.
Many entrepreneurs are under the impression that if they provide good customer s
ervice, people will refer business to them. Just like that. However, that's only
part of the picture. Sure, customer service is important. But good customer ser
vice is just a prerequisite--a minimum expectation.
Think about it. Would you refer somebody to me if I provided lousy customer serv
ice? Of course not. Your own credibility would suffer.
Good customer service is part of what the prospect expects when you refer him to
me. If you're recommending me to him, I must be something pretty special, right
? And if I want to keep that customer coming back, I'll need to give him more th
an the minimum expectation of simply good customer service. I'll need to provide
great, outstanding, memorable customer service to really stand out.
On several occasions, my colleagues and I have discussed a point I made in my bo
ok, The World's Best Known Marketing Secret, about how people were under the del
usion that good customer service alone was enough to enable people to build thei
r business through word-of-mouth. We shared stories about people who had gone ou
t of business by just sitting back and waiting for good word-of-mouth to rescue
them. This got us talking about all the other delusions people had about network
ing and referral marketing . . . including the misconception about customer serv
ice.
People don't refer business to you because you meet their minimum expectations.
They refer you because they expect you to do a good job which, in turn, enhances
their relationship with the person they are referring. They may not even be doi
ng business with you, so customer service may not be an issue with them personal
ly--but of course they expect you to provide outstanding value to the prospect.
They want the prospect to come back to them and say, "Thanks for sending me to J
oe Trueblue. He had just what I needed, and the service was great. You sure know
some outstanding people!"
Your referral source has a strong interest in making sure everyone comes out a w
inner. She knows that when the happy customer comes back to you again and again,
you're more likely to send business her way when the need arises. The great ser
vice you provide to the customer comes back to you in the form of a stronger rel
ationship with your referral partner.
One of my colleagues is Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals, and here is his t
ake on what it takes to receive referrals consistently:
We all know of companies and salespeople that couldn't stay in business, despite
having superior products. We're also familiar with companies and salespeople th
at were remarkably successful with just an average product.
Of course, having an excellent product is important. However, technology today h
as made that commonplace and expected. In order to have qualified prospects "bea
ting a path to your door," you must be able to network and to market yourself an
d your product or service in such a way that it makes people want to do business
with you and refer you to others. You need to provide them with such a great bu
ying experience that they know they made the right decision. However, to get the
m there in the first place, it's the networking and marketing that's most import
ant.
Being in a referral group like BNI is one of several important parts of an effec
tive word-of-mouth marketing plan. One of the things these groups emphasize is t
hat you need to be very specific in what you do and in how your product or servi
ce is uniquely valuable. If you use general terms, you're at the lowest level of
competitive effectiveness. And if you say, "customer service," that's not what
people are buying.
In the book Truth or Delusion, my co-authors and I say that you don't sell the p
rocess; you sell the result:
Talking about what you do does not motivate people as much as what happens to th
eir client or friend as a result of what you do. I used to sell copiers, and I n
ever met anybody who was buying good customer service. They were buying the abil
ity to make photocopies quickly and reliably. They weren't shopping for customer
service, because that's a prerequisite. It's part of what creates that end resu
lt.
As I have pointed out many times, unhappy customers are 11 times more likely to
talk about your business than happy customers. Good customer service only reduce
s negative word-of-mouth; it doesn't necessarily increase your business through
positive word-of-mouth.
If you provide outstanding customer service, and your referral partner has exper
ienced that as a customer, it can definitely increase the number of referrals yo
u receive. As already mentioned, good customer service is a prerequisite for cul
tivating your referral network . . . but great customer service to a referral pa
rtner can be a jump start.
Referral networks and other referral settings often feature third-party testimon
ials, in which someone who has used your product or service (in this case, your
referral partner) tells the group, "I've used Moe's products, and I'm here to te
ll you, they're the best I've ever found." Hearing it directly from someone they
know is often enough to get people to believe it and act on that belief.
Testimonials are crucial to the referral process, especially within referral gro
ups. Never underestimate the power of the third-party testimonial. When you stan
d up and say, "I've used this person, and you should use this person too, becaus
e . . ." and then go on to explain why, it changes how people view that service
provider. Your experiences become my experiences. This makes it much easier for
people to refer that provider--even if they haven't personally used his services
yet.
imes bestselling author. He is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's larg
est business networking organization. His latest book, Truth or Delusion, can be
viewed at TruthorDelusion.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Re
ferral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached
at misner@bni.com.

Generating More Referrals
There are plenty of opportunities to develop quality referrals--you just have t
o look for them.
By Ivan Misner | July 17, 2008
It is certainly true that larger networking groups can generate more referrals e
xponentially. True, that is, within each type of referral group. Among strong-co
ntact referral groups, such as BNI, studies consistently show that a group with
40 members will typically generate more referrals per member than one with 25 me
mbers. It stands to reason: The more people in your group, the more Rolodexes yo
u have access to. But the same thing happens among casual-contact networks like
chambers of commerce; a 200-member group will probably generate more referrals t
han a 100-member group.
However this doesn't imply that a 100-member chamber of commerce will pass more
referrals than a 40-member referral-networking organization. The strong-contact
group focuses primarily on generating referrals for its members and is structure
d so that there's time for passing information and referrals in each meeting, an
d members are personally accountable for generating referrals for other members
of the group. A chamber of commerce offers plenty of opportunities to pass refer
rals, including forming some special committees that can serve as a strong-conta
ct referral group. This type of organization is really made up of three parts: I
t is part information network, part service organization, and part referral grou
p.
Bear in mind that a master networker does not need solely a high-structured orga
nization to generate and receive referrals. She can do this in almost any settin
g because she has highly developed relationship skills. She constantly looks for
ways to help or benefit her networking partners, and she has a reputation as so
meone who can get things done, no matter what the organization or situation. For
her, a casual-contact group can serve her just as well as a strong-contact grou
p--perhaps better, because there are more possible connections in a larger group
, whether structured to make those connections automatically or not.
A master networker carries her entire network with her at all times and can make
connections that benefit people in different industries, interest groups and ge
ographic areas who probably would never have heard of each other without her hel
p. This requires a strong desire to help others succeed. Constantly be on the lo

okout for people who need the services a member of your network provides.
Despite the built-in structure and focus on referrals, a strong-contact group me
mber can fail to generate referrals for other members or to receive referrals fo
r himself. Networking skills are the No. 1 requirement; the setting only makes
it easier to use these skills. Simply being a member of a strong-contact group d
oes not entitle you to expect or receive referrals. Nor does being a member of a
casual-contact group limit the number of referrals you can generate or receive,
if you have the skills and use them.
One savvy--and extremely successful--networker loads the names and cell phone nu
mbers of every member of her networking group, and when new members join, she ad
ds them to her "tele-rolodex" immediately. She has found that she has a better c
hance of seeing closed business between her contact and the person to whom she m
akes the referral when she can introduce them immediately--right when she learns
her contact's needs.
For example, you are at meeting with a client, who mentions that his wife is exp
ecting twins, and he is consumed with trying to figure out the best life insuran
ce options for his family. You have an extremely knowledgeable life insurance pr
ofessional in your network, you tell your client, and that you would be happy to
provide his contact information--better yet, you say, "Let me just get him on h
is cell." You give off an organized and well-connected impression, and, if you a
nd this agent are close enough to be on a "cell-phone basis," you seem to know h
im pretty well, so your client's comfort level with your referral rises.
Whatever you pay to join a referral-networking group is only an admission price-it gets you into the room where opportunities may come your way, but it doesn't
entitle you to referrals. It's not enough to simply show up and participate. Yo
u must perform to make the most of these opportunities and new contacts.
gest business networking organization. His latest book, The 29% Solution can be
viewed at 29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the
Referral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reac
hed at misner@bni.com.
Rachel Meranus: PR
Reaching Beyond Borders
With Web 2.0, opportunities abound for small businesses to target customers far
and wide.
By Rachel Meranus | July 23, 2008
The explosion of Web 2.0 has impacted the way people gather information and comm
unicate. Large audiences around the world, as well as those with very specific i
nterests, have equal access to information through social networks, virtual worl
ds and video sharing sites.
While some may find Web 2.0 fragmented, confusing and uncontrollable, the social
nature of blogs and community websites offers the opportunity to communicate be

yond one's target audience at a fraction of the time or cost of traditional tech
niques. Geographic and socioeconomic borders have little meaning online, allowin
g information to be targeted to an array of groups that may be interested in you
r company.
For small-business owners, this represents a potentially exciting opportunity to
generate attention--and business--from customers who never would have had the c
hance to learn about your products or services.
Tips for Communicating Globally
Web 2.0 is about reaching a mass audience on an individual basis and encouragin
g an exchange of ideas that enflames interest and promotes passion. Blogs, socia
l media sites and video sharing portals enable companies to connect more directl
y with their customer bases and create an organic flow of information where the
consumer becomes an owner of your message. This leads the consumer to bring othe
rs to your message, triggering viral campaigns that build and multiply.
Global communications, however, involves more than just the widespread delivery
of a message. To take advantage of the global interaction that Web 2.0 offers, c
ommunicators must learn to speak the language--both literally and figuratively-of more than their core audiences. Although the nature of social media requires
companies to surrender some control of their messages, companies must still be d
isciplined in their approach and understand the nuances of communicating to audi
ences of varying languages, beliefs and motivations.
Careful research into target audiences--how they perceive your organization, its
products, services, brands, as well as those of your competitors--is an importa
nt first step of any campaign but is even more critical as you broaden your reac
h and engage a wider array of groups. Before reaching out, monitor what's being
said about your organization, as well as where those conversations are taking pl
ace.
Knowing your influencers--who they are, what motivates them, where they get thei
r information, and whom they trust--enables you to optimize your messages by ant
icipating the topics that will stimulate discussion.
Social media allows spans cultural and language barriers if created and position
ed correctly. But to be successful--and avoid embarrassment--companies should co
nsider how the words and intentions of their messages will translate. What may b
e a catchy slogan in one country could be offensive in another.
While it may be unrealistic to envision all interpretations of one's message, fa
ilure to consider potentially inflammatory outcomes could have dire consequences
. As effective as social media is at creating positive attention, unflattering i
nformation tends to spread twice as fast and twice as far.
For companies targeting specific countries or cultural groups, it s also important
to understand the subtleties of each country s language and beliefs. For instance
, in America the number 13 is considered unlucky. However, in Chinese, Korean, V
ietnamese and Japanese cultures it s the number four because when spoken aloud the
word sounds similar to "death." As a result, many international companies avoid
the number four in their product lines entirely.
As with language, knowing the holidays and observances of your target audiences
can be crucial. Companies should be aware of the dates and traditions of signifi
cant holidays and, when appropriate, utilize the information to their advantage.
Festive occasions offer an ideal time for building positive exposure, whether y
our company is celebrating the holiday or is an ocean away. Conversely, companie
s should refrain from language that references somber or deeply religious observ
ances. A harmless reference in one person s mind could be blasphemous in another s.
Avoid times when large segments of a population will be unavailable or uninteres
ted. For instance, if you want to make a splash in Western Europe, steer clear o
f August, when most people are on holiday. Similarly, if you re looking to reach a
n audience in China, avoid the entire month surrounding the Chinese New Year (la
te January, early February).
Now it's time to get your message out. The press release remains one of the prim
ary vehicles used to communicate messages to broader geographic audiences. Organ
izations that want to reach a number of worldwide audiences should take advantag
e of newswire international distribution and translation services to get the opt

imum global exposure. Also, companies can reach more markets by creating a multi
media news release enhanced with video, images and Web 2.0 tools, potentially in
creasing online visibility.
Harnessing the Power
Web 2.0 and social media are ever-evolving, and communicators who choose to lev
erage these tools have the opportunity--and sometimes the obligation--to direct
their messages to a global audience. The internet is an open playing field. It h
as no borders, allowing information to flow freely from person to person, no mat
ter where those two people reside or the different lifestyles they may lead.
Given this reality, companies must recognize that parties beyond their target au
diences have immediate access to their story--for better or for worse. People wh
o are miles apart geographically or financially are neighbors in the online worl
d. As a result, companies want to broaden their reach using Web 2.0 must conside
r messages that will resonate with audiences beyond a company s conventional borde
rs and speak to audiences of varying ages, ethnicities and languages.
Rachel Meranus is Entrepreneur.com's PR Columnist and vice president, public re
lations at PR Newswire. Get more information about PR Newswire and public relati
ons with their PR Toolkit for small businesses.
A Long-Term Commitment
Marketing to the LGBT community can extend far beyond the booming same-sex wedd
ing industry in California. The key: Be sincere.
By Elizabeth Wilson | July 25, 2008
There's a new gold rush in California, but the rush is to the altar. Gay and les
bian couples from any state can come to California to tie the knot. As a result,
a growing number of businesses are saying "I do" to the same-sex marriage marke
t, helping thousands of couples realize their dream weddings.
From a Macy's wedding registry ad featuring two men's wedding bands to an Indian
a stationery store whose heterosexual owner uses the internet to reach the marke
t, there are numerous styles and approaches to get the lesbian, gay, bisexual an
d transgender (LGBT) community interested in your products. But experts say ther
e are some key strategies to consider when marketing to the LGBT community.
"Hopefully most of us will only get married once in our lives. Those businesses
that service other events in our lives and whatever ongoing consumer needs--that
's better," LGBT marketing expert Dana Rudolph says.
LGBT buying power is expected to total $712 billion in 2008, according to a rece
nt study by Witeck-Combs Communications, a Washington, DC-based firm that specia
lizes in the LGBT consumer market. By comparison, the U.S. wedding industry as
a whole will ring up an estimated $62.8 billion this year.
Same-sex marriage licenses were first issued in California in mid-June, after th
e state's Supreme Court ruled in May that limiting marriage to a couple defined
as a man and a woman violated the state constitution. A proposition on the Novem
ber ballot, however, would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage
.
Massachusetts has allowed same-sex couples to wed since 2004. Connecticut, Hawai
i, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, Oregon, Vermont and Washington allow same-s
ex domestic partnerships or civil unions.
According to a recent study by UCLA's Williams Institute, same-sex marriages in
California would bring in $683.6 million and generate almost 2,200 new jobs duri
ng the next three years, both from 51,000 in-state couples and the projected 68,
000 couples traveling to the state to get married.
Rudolph holds a history degree from Oxford University and, most recently, was a
vice president at Merrill Lynch developing online business and marketing strate
gies. There, she grew the firm's global LGBT employee network and boosted busine
ss among its LGBT clientele.
Rudolph got married in Massachusetts--after it became the first state to legaliz
e same-sex marriage in 2004--to her partner of 14 years. Now Rudolph raises thei
r 5-year-old son and operates Mombian, a cultural, political and lifestyle websi
te she founded for lesbian mothers.
Learning a Lesson From Massachusetts
Rudolph says companies have learned marketing strategies from what worked, and
what didn't, in Massachusetts.
"Massachusetts being the first, I don't think as many companies knew what to exp
ect. Now, more are willing to jump in on it--certainly a lot of non-LGBT compani
es are going to the market," Rudolph says.
California is the first state to offer same-sex marriage to out-of-state residen
ts. Following suit, the Massachusetts Senate voted July 15 to repeal a 1913 law
critics said dealt with interracial marriages and was used to keep gay couples f
rom coming to the state to wed. Since 2004, only in-state same-sex couples have
been allowed to marry, with some exceptions.
A study by the Williams Institute for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Hous
ing and Economic Development projects that 32,000 same-sex couples will travel t
o the state to get married in the next three years, boosting its economy by $111
million.
Building a loyal clientele in the LGBT community requires more than just gay nic
he marketing, Rudolph says, in which advertisements appear in strictly gay-audie
nce magazines and websites.
"Just slapping a rainbow logo on something isn't enough--there isn't anything wr
ong with that, but you have to do more," Rudolph says.
<insert ad here>
LGBT consumers see through guarded or insincere marketing, she says. When choosi
ng a business, they often look for references, a track record of supporting the
LGBT community and a non-discrimination policy.
Make a Connection to the Community
Relaying a personal anecdote on a business website about why that business supp
orts the LGBT community is a good idea.
"But even if you don't have a gay relative or story to tell, it behooves small b
usinesses to do something within the community. Make a connection to the LGBT co
mmunity," Rudolph says, either through participating in activities, making a don
ation to the local branch of a national LGBT organization or sponsoring the loca
l high school's gay-straight alliance.

For Twisted Limb Paperworks LLC owner Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, marketing to the g
ay and lesbian community has been a part of her philosophy since founding the sm
all, Indiana-based stationery business 10 years ago.
She blended keywords into her website to attract the LGBT
ed that those customers--primarily online and from either
r because of a prominent environmental message. Having an
ped seal the deal. She says her LGBT customers are loyal,
for not only wedding stationery, but also other important
community and discover

coast--were finding he
LGBT-friendly site hel
patronizing her store
occasions.
Because of the market's momentum in the wake of California's tidal wave of marri
age ceremonies, Woodhouse-Keese is planning to carve out the "hour of time it wo
uld take to update the website," swapping out older terminology such as "commitm
ent" with "marriage."
Shannon Wentworth, founding partner and CEO of Sweet, a business that launched
in April and merges lesbian travel with social and environmental awareness, says
point of view is key in her marketing strategy.
"The whole value of having a lesbian vacation is the lesbian point of view gets
to be honored all the time--that doesn't happen in mainstream resorts," she says
. "Our perspective is, really know your consumer and how your company can help t
hem."
In partnering with LGBT and green-friendly travel and cruise agencies, Sweet ste
ps in, coaching them on how to adopt a new point of view.
"When we go on a cruise ship, we educate the staff," Wentworth says. "It takes a
few days for the captain to stop saying, 'ladies and gentlemen.' "
Sweet has several honeymoons booked and expects them, along with other life cele
brations, to be a significant part of its business.
The Right Words for a Long-Term Relationship
Terminology is important in marketing, Rudolph says.
"The word 'fabulous,' that's very much a gay male thing. Someone targeting lesbi
ans and saying 'fabulous'--well, they're really after gay men and don't understa
nd. I see that all the time. They're really going after the urban gay male," Rud
olph says.
Some businesses are waiting to see the outcome of California's November election
--and the proposed ban on same-sex marriage--before they begin marketing to the
LGBT community.
The state's top court decided July 16 not to remove an initiative--Proposition 8
--from the November ballot. If it passes, Prop. 8 would limit marriage in Califo
rnia to one man with one woman.
Nina Smith, founder and editor of Queercents.com, a website that helps young gay
s and lesbians learn fiscal responsibility, and Rudolph maintain that it's impor
tant for businesses to cater to same-sex celebrations, whether it remains legal
to marry or not. Smith says it helps the LGBT community when businesses recogniz
e them. She applauds companies that reject boycott threats and continue to suppo
rt the LGBT community.
"The more mainstream our lifestyle becomes, the better it is for all of us," Smi
th says.
And marriage is only one category of needs.

"My 'marriage' is more in line with the goods of the financial services industry
than with wedding planners," Smith says, listing areas such as assets, liabilit
ies, estate planning, second parent adoption, power of attorney and living wills
. "Advertisers take note."
"I think we're going to buy stuff whether we're married or not," Rudolph says. "
Companies that market now will have a little bit of an edge. And coming after us
in a respectful way can generate loyalty."
Stretch Your Dollar With Horizontal Marketing

Partnering with a company that shares your target market saves you time and mon
ey.
By Sarah Pierce | August 08, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/savingscenter/article196342.html
It's not an offer you see every day: "Buy a House, Get a Free Electric Car." But
that's exactly why Chris Schneider, owner of Honda Motorwerks, in La Crosse, Wi
sconsin, decided to use such an attention-grabbing sales tactic.
Schneider, 51, has been selling environmentally friendly cars for 30 years, but
it hasn't been easy to persuade people to make the switch to alternative-fueled
vehicles. Over the years, Schneider has tried many tactics to woo more people in
to buying energy-efficient cars, but it was teaming up with the real estate agen
t for his "free car" stunt in July that made the biggest impact.
"It certainly gained a great deal of attention. We did this on a Friday morning,
and by Friday afternoon I had already received three messages from people inter
ested in the car," he says. So far, no one has purchased the house, but foot tra
ffic at Schneider's dealership has noticeably increased.
Schneider has learned what many business owners have: Horizontal marketing--two
businesses with different products but similar clientele join marketing efforts-is a smart way to increase your customer base without increasing your marketing
budget.
"Horizontal marketing is easier and cheaper than just about any other form of ma
rketing," says Shel Horowitz, author of Principled Profit. According to Horowitz
, competitors can become some of your best allies.
"In the case of horizontal marketing, a competitor might be someone who overlaps
with you but doesn't duplicate your offering exactly," Horowitz says. "Both of
you benefit by being able to offer a wider range of services and by pleasing cli
ents who might otherwise have felt a need to go elsewhere."
Of course, you don't have to give away an expensive product like Schneider did t
o please your customers. There are many innovative ways to market your products
and services by getting together with another business. Here are three more crea
tive and cheap ways to jump-start your own horizontal marketing campaign.
Cross-endorsement. "If you're a small company without much brand identity, you c
an ride the coattails of a stronger brand by offering them some type of promotio
n for their customers, whether that be a product, coupon, etc.," says Denise Pat
rick, vice president of creative services for Pierpont Communications. "For exam
ple, let's say you own the local miniature golf park. Offer the big movie theate
r in your neighborhood a ton of 'Buy One, Get One Free' tickets. It's a free gif
t for the movie theater, credibility for you and access to all the teenagers loo
king for a fun place to take their dates."
Dr. Desiree Edlund, founder of OC Back & Body Doctors, a chiropractic office bas
ed in Irvine, California, that offers acupuncture and physical therapy, has been
cross-endorsing with a neighboring gym for seven years. Edlund, 37, offers gym
members discounts on services and periodically stations a representative in the
gym offering free on-site body fat analyses with the results written on her busi
ness card.
"Working with the gym has worked out very, very well because the type of people
who work out are people who care about their health and wellness, which is exact
ly the type of customers we like and who like us," Edlund says. "The discounts p
ay for themselves in repeat business."
Spread out the cost. Patrick encourages neighboring businesses to "think mall" b
y turning your businesses into a destination "buying experience."
"For example, say you're a bookstore owner located in a strip center along with
a children's clothing store and a discount linens store," she says. Together, yo
u can create 'Build a Fort' afternoon for children. The linens store provides th
e sheets for the forts, the children's store provides costumes and you host a re
ading."
Offer a full-service brand experience without increasing your overhead. What ot
her services would your clients like to receive? Michael Hart, a small-business
marketing consultant for over 20 years, helped one of his clients reach a wider
range of customers through a simple horizontal marketing tactic that any busines
s can use. Hart helped a heating and air conditioning company recruit eight othe
r businesses that had similar clientele to be featured in a full-color, 10-page
home services coupon catalog. The businesses in the catalog all offered differen
t services--termite and pest control, lawn care, carpet cleaning--but they all m
arketed to the same type of customers.
"Each vendor increased sales by 20 percent or more, reduced their advertising an
d mailing costs, and expanded their client base eight-fold," Hart says about the
catalog's success.
No matter what type of business you have, there are creative ways to increase yo
ur clientele through horizontal marketing. From product giveaways to coupons and
discounts, you'll be able to stretch your marketing dollars further by forming
a friendly alliance with other businesses in your area.

Win Sales From Recession-Minded Consumers
Here are 3 ways to woo shoppers this summer, when the spotlight's on saving.
By Kim T. Gordon | August 08, 2008
96344.html
Ask American consumers of all ages and income levels and they'll tell you their
focus this summer is on savings. In a recession economy--with gas and food price
s soaring--consumers are making serious choices every day about how and where to
spend their dollars. And everyone from kids to seniors is looking for ways to s
ave money.
As an entrepreneur, your challenge right now is to increase sales while giving c
onsumers what they want, without cutting into your profitability. That means off
ering savings that draw customers at a time when many are cutting back on purcha
ses. To ensure you're up to the task, master these four smart ways to woo summer
time shoppers with savings:
1. Market Special Promotions
Rather than across-the-board price cutting--which can wreak havoc with your bot
tom line--use special promotions to draw in customers looking for savings. These
can be short-term promotions on everyday items, or you can create a new, specia
l bundle of products or services that will appeal to your target audience and of
fer that at a tempting price point. Once in your store or on your website, custo
mers may make additional purchases.
One of the critical elements of recession-era marketing is understanding shiftin
g customer perceptions. Right now some products or services that were previously
viewed as everyday staples are seen as luxuries, while others have retained the
ir desirability. Mobile phones, for example, fall into the latter category, as r
ecent studies show that most Americans simply wouldn't give them up. Discover wh
at your unique customer base wants most that you can provide, and develop specia
l promotions that make your most desirable products or services more accessible
through savings.
2. Modernize Coupons
Coupons are back thanks to the recession. After a steep decline in popularity o
ver the past decade, now two-thirds of shoppers plan more coupon use, according
to a recent ICOM survey. In fact, consumers in the 18-to-34-year-old bracket, ar
e the most likely to use coupons in a recession, closely followed by 35-to-54-ye
ar-olds. Income doesn't seem to make a significant difference as coupons are equ
ally attractive to both upperand lower-income households.
Right now, online coupons of all kinds are a tiny percentage of the overall coup
on market. But they're gaining favor as more websites offer downloadable coupons
. And nearly 80 percent of consumers surveyed in the 18-to-34 age group say they
're much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons if they can download
them and have them automatically connected to an electronically swiped frequent
shopper card. Watch this trend, as it may be the way of the near future for cou
poning.
3. Woo Stay-at-Home Shoppers
With the rising cost of gas, consumers are saving money by making fewer individ
ual shopping trips, and online shopping from home has become a part of everyday
life. The vast majority of Americans now researches purchases on the internet be
fore buying them online or in a brick-and-mortar store. And many shoppers this s
ummer are looking to save money by ordering products online that ship free.
There's never been a better time to tune up your website and make it an attracti
ve, efficient and even fun shopping experience. Be sure to feature special promo
tions and savings on your main page. Specials that appear close to the top of yo
ur page will grab the greatest attention. This summer, combine promotional e-mai
ls to your in-house database with the announcement of special offers on your web
site to keep current customers coming back for more. And carefully track the res
ults of each promotion to determine which has the greatest appeal.
Character Counts
Marketing with a mascot is a cost-effective way to help consumers remember your
brand.
By Jennifer Grzeskowiak | August 25, 2008
You could pay Gwyneth Paltrow or Angelina Jolie millions of dollars to represent
your company. But if you don't have the budget of Estee Lauder or St. John, som
e creativity and a four-legged friend could take your business far. After all, w
ho doesn't immediately recognize Tony the Tiger, the Geico gecko or the Serta sh
eep?
Whether furry, scaly or feathered, animals can be particularly effective company
icons. "It's easier to involve yourself in the ads because most of us like anim
als," says Stan Richards, founder of Dallas-based The Richards Group, the agency
that came up with the Chick-fil-A cows campaign. Just think of the number of Su
per Bowl ads every year featuring animals, all seeking to catch the attention of
ad-weary viewers.
Even for companies that don't advertise on TV, animals still hold plenty of mar
keting power. When New York-based NexCen Brands bought MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and
Treatery last year, the company recognized Miss Maggie's potential and ramped u
p her visibility. When a new store opens, the "ice cream celebutante," who think
s she's human, will pick up coffee at a nearby Starbucks, get her driver's licen
se at a DMV or stop at a grocery store.
She also is getting media attention from magazines such as US Weekly and In Touc
h by teaming up with celebrities for charity events. Handing out treats to child
ren at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital with Mario
Lopez on Valentine's Day resulted in 230 million media hits with an estimated $3
million ad value, says Jennifer Johnston, senior vice president of brand market
ing for NexCen.
<insert ad here>
Potential for Grrreat-ness
When selecting an animal to represent your company, look for one that conveys y
our brand's benefits, says Daniel Howard, a professor and chairman of the market
ing department at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business. He exp
lains how research has found that showing a picture of a person without animals
next to him and then one of that same person with animals can make viewers perce
ive him as wealthier, happier and friendlier. And the same is true of brands, ra
nging from kid cereals to financial companies.
The key is to take advantage of people's preconceived notions about particular
animals.
With Merrill Lynch's bull, "Everyone understands what the bull represents, and w
hen they think about the company, it lends positive associations," Howard says.
He also praises the ads from Prada and other handbag manufacturers featuring cud
dly dogs in the handbags and Banana Republic's use of a St. Bernard with a scarf
around its neck.
Johnston, meanwhile, recommends developing a personality and backstory associate
d with the character.
"It should be an extension of the brand and live up to your core value and chara
cteristics," she says.
When The Richards Group tried to come up with a way for Chick-fil-A to steal mar
ket share from fast-food burger chains, it developed the story of renegade cows
who try to convince hungry customers to "Eat mor chikin" instead of beef--and wh
o can't spell.
The campaign, like the company's culture, is intended to be "great fun," Richard
s says. "We never take ourselves too seriously."
So when one franchise operator received a letter from an elementary schoolteache
r concerned that the poorly educated cows were teaching her students bad spellin
g habits, he didn't get angry or scoff and throw the letter away. Instead, he vi
sited the school, taking Chick-fil-A bags with misspelled words for the children
to correct, giving them coupons upon completion.
Another option is to choose a critter that will help customers remember your co
mpany name. In the conservative insurance industry, both Aflac, an acronym for t
he potentially forgettable American Family Life Insurance Company, and Geico, wh
ich stands for Government Employees Insurance Company, have managed to make thei
r companies household names.
"There's so much churn in that industry, and Geico has been able to keep the com
pany top of mind," says Jan Talamo, co-owner of Philadelphia-based The Star Grou
p, which is using a parrot as an icon for the Isle of Capri Casinos campaign. "T
hey're basically giving you entertainment value and telling you it only takes 15
minutes to get a quote."
One element to both the Aflac duck's and the Geico gecko's visibility has been f
eaturing them in as many places as possible. The Aflac duck not only appears in
commercials, but also flies across the company's website and has its own downloa
dable ringtones. People also can buy merchandise such as duck head golf club cov
ers on the website, with proceeds going to charity. Because of a limited budget,
the Chick-fil-A cows at first only appeared on outdoor billboards, an atypical
strategy in the advertising industry. But now they're in TV spots, at the Atlant
a Braves stadium doing "the chop" and in calendars. And since the cows debuted,
Chick-fil-A's sales have increased 600 percent.
While the goal is to grab potential customers' attention, animals in your ads sh
ould convey the right message. For instance, the singing hamster-like creatures
dressed as pirates, known as "spongemonkeys," garnered a lot of attention for Qu
izno's. While some critics praised the ads for being creative and edgy, others p
anned them for using animals that could pass as vermin to sell sandwiches.
Cancel the call to Will Smith. "You can create your own superstar," Talamo says.
"Create a character and personify it. There's huge upside."
Guerrillas Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing

It comes in many forms, but all of them are essential to your business.
By Jay Conrad Levinson, Mitch Meyerson and Mary Eule Scarborough | August 28,
2008
This article has been excerpted from Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet by Jay
Conrad Levinson, Mitch Meyerson and Mary Eule Scarborough, available from Entrep
reneur Press.
Is your message, product or service worth talking about? We certainly hope so, b
ecause a recent study conducted by eMarketer.com concluded that 53 percent of on
line traffic comes from recommendations made by family members and/or friends. T
his confirms what guerrillas have always known: Positive word-of-mouth "buzz" is
the best advertising money can't buy--whether offline or online! So every singl
e business person in the world should be spending a great deal of their time str
ategizing ways to acquire and retain profitable customers using word-of-mouth ma
rketing--especially since the internet makes it so much easier!
It wasn't too long ago that it took several months and even years before entrepr
eneurs derived the benefits that their positive word-of-mouth referrals generate
d. Before the advent of the internet, it simply took longer for news to spread b
ecause we relied on phone or in-person conversations and handwritten corresponde
nce. Additionally, business owners depended in large part on their happy custome
rs' willingness (and memory) to refer them to others--not a very efficient or ef
fective system.
But fortunately, thanks to the internet, those days are gone. Nowadays news trav
els at lightning speeds via instant messaging, e-mail, desktop computers and lap
tops, mobile phones, and SMS text messaging. In addition to more traditional for
ms, social media websites like MySpace, YouTube and many others allow guerrillas
to spread their message to potentially millions of people at the click of a mou
se.
Guerrillas are particularly fond of using three of the very best online word-ofmouth tactics--viral marketing, tell-a-friend programs, and online publicity.
Guerrillas Go Viral
You've probably heard of viral marketing but may not know exactly what it means
. If so, you're not alone. However, viral marketing is nothing more than a metho
d for encouraging large numbers of people to spread marketing materials to famil
y members, friends and associates. It's like planting seeds, adding water and wa
tching them grow! Because so many of the best internet distribution channels are
free or extremely low-cost, viral marketing is a guerrilla's best friend and sh
ould be an integral part of your online marketing efforts.
And how do you "go viral" quickly? Simple. Give something valuable away for free
. Please understand that there's a big difference between valuable and expensive
, so don't misinterpret what we're suggesting. People have a natural tendency to
help others, especially their close friends and relatives. Therefore, if they'r
e given something really special and encouraged to share it, they will. So befor
e you choose your "freebie," answer these types of questions:
What do my target prospects value?
Are they looking for instructions on how to build something?
Do they crave inspiration?
Are they in need of inspiration?
Are they seeking comfort?
Do they just want a good laugh?
Once you know this, you're on your way; the sky's the limit on what you can give
away. It can be as elaborate as an original video or something like a photo sli
deshow set to music. You can give away e-books, software programs, or daily joke
s. Or if you're a designer, why not offer free graphics, photos, or banners? Reg
ardless of what you choose, just be sure to include your name and website addres
s (and live link if applicable) so interested people can find you! If you'd like
to see a good example of a viral e-book go to GMarketingCoach.com/ HotMarketing
Tips.pdf
Guerrillas Use Tell-A-Friend Programs
If you've spent any time at all on the internet you've certainly been asked to
provide the names and e-mail addresses of others you know who would also be inte
rested in visiting websites. This is a great way to make it easy for people to r
ecommend your site to their family members and friends! All visitors have to do
is enter the requested information and an e-mail with your website's URL and a s
hort message is generated. And since the e-mails' "from" lines are from recogniz
able e-mail addresses, they're not likely to get blocked by spam filters and are
not considered spam.
So why not save your visitors a phone call and make it simple and convenient for
them to suggest your site to others? You'll only need two things to get started
: a tell-a-friend form and script.
Most shopping carts include scripts and forms in their packages, but if you need
one, go to Google and type in: "tell a friend forms" or "tell a friend scripts"
and you'll have lots to choose from.
Guerrillas Generate Online Publicity
As an alternative to utilizing traditional advertising, Guerrillas love using th
e internet to create buzz about themselves, their products and services, and the
ir companies. That's why so many smart online entrepreneurs take advantage of fr
ee and/or low-cost and highly effective traffic generation strategies, such as o
nline press releases.
There are a number of websites that offer free resources and guidance on writing
press releases and how to use them to generate traffic to your website and obta
in inbound links. To find them, go to Google (or any of the other big search eng
ines) and search for "online press releases" or "free press release information.
"
If you've never written a press release, we also strongly suggest that you use o
nline services such as PRweb. Not only do they provide tips for creating your pr
ess release, but they'll also distribute your release for you and have various "
contribution" levels depending upon the amount of exposure you want.
If you want to get the biggest bang out of your online PR efforts, let the follo
wing rules of thumb guide you.
Use an assortment of weapons. It's hard to get anyone's attention using one chan
nel. Use a combination of online and offline strategies and tactics such as reco
rding a radio interview and putting it on your website. Put your web address on
your business cards, mention it in your voice mail greeting, and include it in e
very one of your offline ads.
Find out what people are talking about. Then write a press release that ties you
, your company, or your products and services to the story or topic. Just pick u
p any national newspaper or visit online news sites to find out what subjects ar
e hot.
Send out press releases often. One-shot attempts won't get you anywhere, so any
time you have news worth mentioning send out press releases.
Add a little controversy. Nothing is worse than a boring story, so go ahead and
add a little pizzazz to your press releases. There's nothing wrong with controve
rsy, as long as you don't go overboard. So stick your neck out, stand up for som
ething, and shout it to the world.
Guerrillas Set Up E-Mail Signatures
Here's a strategy that's so simple you can have it up and running in less than
ten minutes! Open your e-mail program (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Entourage, GMail,
Thunderbird) and go to the "Tools" tab (or "Preferences" on Macs) and set up a
signature file--or "sig file." Once there, enter whatever information you'd like
to appear at the end of all of the e-mails you send, like your name, e-mail add
ress, contact information, active link to your website, graphic, and/or marketin
g message.
This is a wonderful way to capitalize on every e-mail you send! It doesn't get m
uch better than that! And who says you can't get creative? Just put on your Guer
rilla Marketing hat and go for it. As long as it's easy to read (no fancy fonts,
please) and contains a live link to your website, you'll be okay. Here are a co
uple of examples of good signatures:
Mitch Meyerson, author, speaker and consultant
Get Your Free Online Marketing Toolkit with
The #1 Multi-Media Mini Course on the Web
www.MitchMeyerson.com
David A. Scarborough
What's Your Big Idea Worth? Millions...
www.members.Ideas-to-Income.com
As you can see, this is another wonderfully effective, fast, flexible, and free
method for getting more and more people to your website.
This article has been excerpted from Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet by Jay
Conrad Levinson, Mitch Meyerson and Mary Eule Scarborough, available from Entre
preneur Press.
Jay Conrad Levinson is the author of more than 30 Guerrilla Marketing books as
well as 24 other business books. His Guerrilla concepts have influenced marketin
g so much that today his books appear in 37 languages and are required reading i
n many MBA programs worldwide. Visit his Guerrilla Marketing column on Entrepren
eur.com.
Mitch Meyerson is the founder of Guerrilla Marketing Coaching, author of 7 othe
r books and a leading internet marketing expert.
Mary Eule Scarborough is a former Fortune 500 marketing executive and independe
nt marketing consultant. Meyerson and Scarborough are also the co-authors of Mas
tering Online Marketing.

What Is Business Networking, Anyway?
It's more than showing up and shaking hands; it's about being proactive.
Business networking is leveraging your business and personal connections to brin
g you a regular supply of new business. The concept sounds simple, doesn't it? D
on't let that fool you, though. Because it involves relationship building, it ca
n be a deceptively complex process.
Think about it. How many people do you know? How many of these people truly unde
rstand what you do? How many of these folks have directed prospects to you as re
ferrals? And how many of those referrals have actually turned into business?
Business networking is much more than showing up at networking functions, shakin
g a
lot of hands and collecting a bunch of cards.
For example, imagine two people attending an event, sizing it up and drawing an
imaginary line down the middle. They separate, each taking half the room. At the
end of the event, they meet again to see who's collected the most business card
s.
Have you met these people? Sure you have. We all have. What did they accomplish?
They collected a lot of cards that will end up on a shelf, in a drawer, in the
trash, or--worse yet--scanned into a computer so they can spam everyone they jus
t met. Why? What does a business card represent? It's a piece of paper, with ink
and images on it. No relationship has been formed. This networking strategy, by
itself, isn't an effective use of time, money or energy.
Some people get frustrated with networking because they seem to be making as muc
h progress as a rear-wheel-drive truck on an icy hill: one foot forward, 10 feet
back--getting nowhere fast.
Networking for business growth must be strategic and focused. Not everyone you m
eet can help move your business forward--but everything you do can be driven by
the intention to grow your business. You have total control over whom you meet,
where you meet them and how you develop and leverage relationships for mutual be
nefit. You have total control over whether you enter into the unique 29 percent
of the population that is separated by six degrees (read The 29% Solution to lea
rn more), whether you stay there, or whether you never get there at all.
Networking your business means you have to be proactive. The core of networking
is doing something specific each week that is focused on networking for busines
s growth. Make a plan, focus and be consistent. When you understand exactly wh
at business networking is and step up to the challenge, you'll find avenues of o
pportunity that you may have otherwise never discovered, and you will be making
an invaluable investment in the steady growth of your business.
viewed at29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the
Referral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reach
ed atmisner@bni.com.
What's in a Name? Everything

Good company monikers suggest rather than describe; great ones have the flexibi
lity to survive unforeseen changes or expansion.
By Peter S. Sloane and David Perla | September 12, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/article196954.h
tml
Products may come and go, but company names can last forever. When starting a ne
w company, take the time to choose a name that distinguishes your business from
the competition. Otherwise, even with the best idea or invention, your customers
may have a difficult time finding you and your product in an increasingly crowd
ed marketplace.
All entrepreneurs face a classic marketing dilemma: They want a company name tha
t tells consumers exactly what they sell, but descriptively naming a new venue t
he Country Music Hall, Blues Center or Music Palace creates confusion with other
similarly named businesses. Ironically, even companies that specialize in brand
ing--The Brand Consultancy, Brand Design, and Name Development--fall victim to t
his misguided approach. Such descriptive names make it hard to stand out from th
e competition.
Indeed, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office won't even register a name that is
merely descriptive unless it has acquired a reputation. The standard used by the
USPTO in determining whether a name is descriptive is whether it describes an i
ngredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the pro
duct. Keep this simple test in mind when choosing a new company name.
It's All in the Name
Successful company names are suggestive rather than descriptive. When applied t
o the product, they require imagination, thought or perception to determine the
nature of the goods. A hypothetical example of a suggestive company name is the
Sunshine Orange Juice Co. Sunshine suggests the nature of the orange juice that
the company sells, without immediately describing it.
Even better than suggestive terms are arbitrary names that comprise common word
s, but when used to identify particular products, do not suggest or describe a s

ignificant ingredient, quality or characteristic of the goods. For example, Amaz
on has no meaning other than trademark significance when applied to book selling
, much like Apple for computers and Camel for cigarettes.
Another approach is to pick a fanciful name--one that has been invented for the
sole purpose of functioning as a trademark, such as Pepsi, Kodak and Exxon. What
a company does today may not necessarily be what it does tomorrow, so choosing
an arbitrary or fanciful name allows for future flexibility. Since Amazon has no
significance in connection with books, Amazon.com was able to expand into selli
ng music, electronics and most every other kind of product under the sun, using
the same company name. Similarly, the name Google has unlimited flexibility as a
brand because it isn't descriptive or suggestive of an internet search engine.
Even if one avoids choosing a descriptive company name, there's another issue to
consider: Some names are so common that they lack any real marketing strength.
Think of names like Strategic Solutions or Pro Express or Business Advantage for
a consulting service. They share the same shortcoming--failing to resonate in t
he minds of consumers.
In today's crowded marketplace, compound marks work better than one-word marks.
If one term is descriptive or common, the other term should help the overall nam
e stand out. Indeed, the whole may be more than the sum of its parts--DoubleClic
k or RazorFish.
<insert ad here>
How to Trademark
The USPTO may register common non-descriptive names, but they run the risk of c
onflict with other similar names. The more common a name, the less likely the US
PTO will register it.
An exception is when an entrepreneur owns a generic domain name--a word that can
not usually be trademarked on its own. For example, the company that owns Cars.c
om may want to use Cars.com as its name to make a direct association between the
company and the website.
The best approach to company naming is to create a list of five or 10 names and
send them to a trademark lawyer, who can quickly tell whether or not these names
can be trademarked. After whittling down the list, the trademark lawyer can con
duct database searches on the proposed names and determine the least risky candi
date.
Have a Story
Using an arbitrary name can set apart even smaller and growing companies--not j
ust large ones. Pangea3 (co-founded by one of this article s authors) is a legal o
utsourcing services company that uses the story behind its name to get people to
remember the company's services.
When consumers ask about the derivation of the name, they get a story: Pangea wa
s the single supercontinent that existed before continental drift separated the
world's continents. The second Pangea occurred when mass transportation reconnec
ted people from the separated continents, enabling global commerce. In the third
Pangea, the internet and global telecommunications systems have electronically
reconnected the continents and their inhabitants, making continental and nationa
l borders irrelevant, creating, once again, a single supercontinent.
From this story, people remember what the company is all about. Plus, the compan
y's application to register Pangea3 with the USPTO avoided conflict with other c
ompany names in a nascent but growing industry and saved the company legal fees.
Is there a story behind your new business name? If not, go back to the drawing b
oard and think of some suggestive or fanciful names that will help your company
stand out from the crowd. Finding a distinctive name that will interest consumer
s, will help brand your company identity and define itself in a congested market
place. Support your unique name with some creative advertising and gain that com
petitive edge from the start.
Peter S. Sloane, a partner at Ostrolenk Faber LLP and a member of the Associatio
n of Patent Law Firms (APLF), is an attorney specializing in trademark matters.
His work includes counseling clients in the adoption of new trademarks as well a
s trademark searching and filing in the U.S. and abroad.

David Perla, a lawyer by training, is co-founder and co-CEO of Pangea3, a leadin
g legal outsourcing company, with nearly 300 employees in India and the U.S. He
previously served as vice president of business and legal affairs at Monster.com
.

Specialists Win More Referrals
If you claim to do everything, your clients won't rely on you for anything.
You may perform a variety of services or offer a range of products, but if you w
ant a referral, your description of what you do should be detailed and focused o
n a single aspect of your business.
Your referral sources will find it much easier to get you an appointment with a
prospect if your sales message addresses the prospect's specific needs. You're a
n office-furniture wholesaler? No help. You specialize in custom-designed, madeto-order desks, shelves and file cabinets in large lots? Bingo. You've snagged a
n appointment.
It seems counterintuitive, but in reality the more specific your description, th
e more likely you will receive referrals. People tend to say they do everything
because they want to throw as broad a net as possible, catching everyone.
The problem is, a really broad net has big holes in it. When you say, "I'm a ful
l-service printer; I do everything," that doesn't mean anything to your prospect
s, or to those who refer you to them. What they're thinking is, I don't need a f
ull-service job. All I need is a particular kind of print job.
If I've come down with a serious illness, it doesn't help me much to know that t
here are three hospitals in town. What I really want to know is which hospital e
mploys the specialist who can cure me.
When you tell a referral partner you're a full-service provider, you ask her to
mentally sort out all the people she knows and cross tabulate what they do again
st all the things you do. That doesn't work; people aren't computers. A referral
partner needs to know the full range of your products or services--eventually.
She needs to know, immediately and with some precision, the specific needs you c
an fill, because that's what the customer focuses on in any given instance.
If you say, "Who do you know who's a sports enthusiast? Here's how he can use my
product," then you're letting your referral source do a simpler kind of mental
sorting. The more you can educate people about the different things you do--one
at a time--the more likely you'll get referrals in the long run. And getting ref
errals in a specific area doesn't mean you can't continue to offer other product
s or services.
<insert ad here>
When operating in a referral network, your immediate goal isn't to close a sale;
it's to train a sales force. You're training people to refer you, and saying th
at you're a full-service provider and that you do everything doesn't train anyon
e. You wouldn't tell a salesperson for your company, "Just tell them we do it al
l." As the specialist, you can more thoroughly articulate to your referral sourc
es what you do and how you do it, allowing them to present it readily to other p
eople.
A professed generalist will likely be considered a "relationship assassin." Supp
ose an insurance agent who's just joined your group comes up to you and says, "I
can cover all of your insurance needs. I have life insurance, medical insurance
, auto, home, business and every other kind of insurance you'll ever need. I'd l
ike to be your one-stop insurance shop." But you already have coverage from five
or six different agents, most of whom you have solid business and personal rela
tionships with. And she's asking you to dump all your relationships and replace
them with one relative unknown--herself.
A better approach for her would be to say to you, "I'm a life insurance agent wh
o specializes in executive benefits, specifically for tradespeople. My passion,
in my insurance practice, is to deliver executive benefits packages to owners an
d managers of contracting firms so that they're able to retire effectively with
tax-protected investments and be able to sell that business."
This way, she addresses a specific need you may have, but she's not trying to as
sassinate all of your long-standing relationships. She presents herself as an ex
pert in an area where you need expert advice, rather than a generalist with broa
d but superficial knowledge.
You may still not be convinced that narrowing your focus is a good idea. You may
think that if you present yourself as a specialist, you limit your potential re
ferrals and future business; that is, you can't do business outside your niche.
The truth is, whether you're a true specialist or a generalist presenting yourse
lf as a specialist in order to facilitate easy referral, you're not limiting you
rself by doing so. People are actually more likely to refer a specialist than a
generalist.
If you're like most specialists, although you generally do only one or a few kin
ds of business, you still offer related products or services. Yes, you've narrow
ed down your business to the things you like to do or do best, or bring you the
most profit, but you can do other things. And one good way to attract long-term
business is by stepping outside your niche and taking on the occasional odd job
that can win you a loyal customer for future business.
One last point: If you sell everything, you're not selling on value; you're sell
ing on price. That makes you a provider of commodities. And that strategy can wo
rk for you--but only if you're Wal-Mart.
viewed at 29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the
Referral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reac
hed at misner@bni.com.
Gail Goodman: E-Mail Marketing

A Business That Succeeds With E-mail Marketing
Fur-Get Me Not keeps customers well-informed with company news, events and stor
ies.
By Gail Goodman | September 24, 2008
Tammy Rosen, a certified pet dog trainer and founder of Fur-Get Me Not, a pet-si
tting and pet-training service that offers products for pets in the Washington,
DC area, exemplifies an entrepreneur whose business thrives despite today's econ
omy. I recently spoke with Rosen to understand more about her business and the i
mportant role e-mail marketing plays in her success.
Gail Goodman: How long have you been using e-mail newsletters to reach out to yo
ur customers?
Rosen: We started sending official e-mails from Fur-Get Me Not in 2002, but at
the time, we were sending plain text e-mails. I immediately realized I could be
more effective if I used something that was more design savvy, competitive and p
rofessional. After our first mailing, we immediately received positive feedback
on our newsletter. Our customers loved the look and appreciated the content.
What types of newsletters do you send out, and what kind of information do you i
nclude?
Rosen: My main e-mail communication is a monthly newsletter that goes out to 1,8
00 subscribers. I include details of upcoming local events we are sponsoring, hi
ghlight a partner or nonprofit we work with and share important updates like hol
iday closings.
I also share pet training tips and include a section for the "Employee of the Mo
nth" because our customers like to hear about our employees. Perhaps the most po
pular section of our newsletter is the feature on our customers' pets. We have p
eople write in all the time wanting their dog or cat to be in our newsletter--th
is is a fun way to keep our customers engaged.
What are you hoping to achieve with your newsletters?
Rosen: I want to instill loyalty in our customer base and remind my customers th
at I'm here when they need me. The newsletter lets me highlight the expertise of
my staff and the quality services I offer. It's also fun!
The best business comes from current customers. If they already use our services
, they are more likely to act on something they see in a newsletter. For example
, this month we're showcasing new fall collars and leashes, and we mentioned tha
t it's time to get rid of those smelly summer ones. Customers who see [the annou
ncement] in the newsletter are more likely to pick out a new collar when they pi
ck up their dogs from day care.
The newsletter helps us make sales, and it provides our customers with things th
at they need or want.
Do you think your newsletter is a success?
Rosen: Yes. The feedback I receive from my customers helps me understand if what
I sent was useful. I also measure results. Reports help me see who reads the ne
wsletter and what sections [customers] like to read. I try my best to send newsl
etters that hit the mark and contain the information that my customers will find
interesting and relevant.
What advice would you like to share with the readers who are just starting their
own newsletter campaign?
Rosen: Make building and managing your e-mail list a priority. Take every opport
unity to sign up customers who want to hear from you. That way, those who receiv
e your e-mails are more likely to open them and use your services.
I would also suggest working with a reputable e-mail marketing provider that off
ers reporting services. The information you can glean from these reports can hel
p you determine your contacts' interests, the best times to send your newsletter
s and more. It can also help track bounce-backs and see customers who might not
have looked at a newsletter for months at a time, keeping your e-mail list curre
nt.
Evade the Copywriting Text Trap

Use these 5 tips to give buzz words the boot and focus on actionable messages.
By Susan Gunelius | October 02, 2008
People are busy--too busy to read or listen to copious amounts of marketing copy
. The key to writing effective copy is to get to the point--quickly--using langu
age consumers are likely to respond to. That means every piece of copy used in y
our advertising and marketing materials should be there for a specific reason. E
ach word and sentence must work together to create a path for consumers to follo
w and lead to a way to take action.
Don't risk losing a consumer's attention with copy that drones on with extraneou
s information. Instead, focus on action-oriented messages that convey the benefi
ts and differentiators of your product, service or brand. Too much text, called
the Text Trap, creates visual and audio clutter in consumers' minds, which incre
ases the possibility that they will forget your most important messages.
By writing succinct, actionable copy that speaks to your target audience, you'll
boost your marketing response rates, the return on your advertising investments
and your profits. Here are five ways to avoid the Text Trap in your copywriting
:
1.
2.
Remove filler words.
Extraneous words should be deleted from your copy. Words like that, really and v
ery don't enhance a message. Instead, filler words slow down the pace at which y
our busy audience can read or listen to your copy. A slower pace equates to a lo
wer percentage of consumers who will stick around to read or hear your entire me
ssage. Keep them interested and make it easy for them to get to the next key mes
sage by omitting filler words.
3.
Put your thesaurus down.
While it might be tempting to fill your copy with gigantic, $10 words, big words
impress few people other than your high school English teacher--and probably no
t even her. It's the messages in your copy that matter, not your ability to use
a thesaurus. Big words slow your audience down, meaning fewer people will actual
ly get your message. The tone of your copy should match your audience, and you s
hould write for your audience, not your report card.
4.
Leave buzz words at the office.
While jargon and buzz words work in some B2B copy and technical marketing pieces
, compelling copy doesn't showcase your ability to use the latest buzz words. Yo
ur audience is unlikely to respond to marketing messages teeming with words like
grassroots, methodology and paradigm. Speak to them in a tone that meets their
expectations and remove jargon that does little more than bore your audience.
5.
Focus on actionable messages appropriate for your target audience.
While it may be tempting to include every message about your business in your ma
rketing copy, don't do it. Each marketing piece has an intended audience and goa
l. Those two pieces of information should make it easy for you to pick the most
compelling messages about your business. Remember, too much information works ag
ainst you when it comes to copywriting. Consumers are busy. If your copy doesn't
speak directly to them within a few seconds, they'll move on to the next advert
isement or marketing message with nary a backward glance at your campaign.
6.
Use the Red Pen Rule.
After writing the copy for your marketing piece or advertisement, take your red
pen and delete 30 percent of it. What's left will be far better than what you ha
d before you took your red pen to it. Of course, 30 percent isn't a required amo
unt, but the point of the Red Pen Rule is to delete a significant amount of your
copy so only the best, most targeted, most actionable messages remain. These ar
e the messages your audience is most likely to respond to, and these are the mes
sages that will boost the return on your advertising and marketing investments-as well as your profits.
Bottom-line--keep your copy simple. You never want your audience to say, "Hurry
up and get to the point." If there's too much information to absorb, consumers w
ill lose interest. Each word in your copy should help create a roadmap to bring
consumers to the ultimate goal of making a purchase, calling for information and
so on. Don't detour from that roadmap.
Susan Gunelius has more than a decade of marketing and copywriting experience w
orking for some of the largest companies in the world. Gunelius is an author, fr
eelance writer and marketing/branding consultant. Her latest book, Kick-Ass Cop
ywriting in 10 Easy Steps, is now available from Entrepreneur Press.

Cause Marketing Matters to Consumers
Social responsibility makes consumers take notice. Follow these 5 steps to crea
te a successful cause-based marketing campaign.
By Kim T. Gordon | October 14, 2008
97820.html
In this new era of social responsibility, what you don't do can cost you. "Cause
marketing" is now the norm, and customers who visit your website and see your a
dvertising want to know that you share their desire to make the world a better p
lace by supporting an important cause.
If your business or brand doesn't stand for a cause, consumers may turn to your
competitors. The number of consumers who say they would switch from one brand to
another if the other brand were associated with a good cause has climbed to 87
percent, a dramatic increase in recent years, according to a Cone Cause Evolutio
n Survey.
Even niche markets, such as the nation's college students, now show a striking p
reference for brands they believe to be socially responsible. According to a new
ly released College Explorer study from Alloy Media, nearly 95 percent of studen
ts say they are less likely to ignore an ad that promotes a brand's partnership
with a cause.
There's a strong connection between entrepreneurship and giving. The challenge i

s to make your socially responsible efforts a winning proposition for the nonpro
fit group you support, the community and your business. You can master this mark
eting challenge by following these five important steps:
Step 1. Give from the heart.
Cause marketing works best when you and your employees feel great about the help
you're providing to a nonprofit group. So work with an organization you and you
r team believe in, whether that means supporting the fight on behalf of a nation
al health issue or rescuing homeless pets. What matters most to you, your team a
nd your customers? You'll work hard to make a difference when you give from the
heart.
Step 2. Choose a related cause.
A solid cause-marketing campaign often starts with the right affiliation. So as
you go through the nonprofit selection process, look for a cause that relates to
your company or its products. For example, when Procter & Gamble's Olay brand s
kin-care line partnered with the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, its
campaign goal was to inspire women to protect their skin from the sun.. PR suppo
rt yielded widespread broadcast, print and online coverage, helping the program
attract more than 9,000 individuals for free skin-cancer screenings.
<insert ad here>
Step 3. Contribute more than dollars.
For many types of businesses, cause marketing involves donating products or serv
ices and not simply writing a check. This can help form even stronger consumer a
ssociations between what you offer and the good work you do. My own firm, for in
stance, works hard to support two local groups--a shelter for homeless women and
children, and an organization that helps cancer patients pay their rent and oth
er bills while undergoing treatment. As a marketing expert, I contribute service
s that include producing an annual Woman's Hope benefit concert and direct-mail
and public relations campaigns that in the past eight months have netted approxi
mately $250,000 for these nonprofits.
Step 4. Formalize your affiliation.
To make your affiliation a win-win for everyone, work with the nonprofit you cho
ose to define how it will help your business increase its visibility, brand or c
ompany awareness. If the organization has a newsletter or other communications w
ith its constituents, negotiate for opportunities to do joint promotions. Discus
s how you will use the organization's logo and name in your marketing campaigns,
and how it, in turn, will use your company logo and name in its press releases,
on the organization's website and in other materials.
Step 5. Mount a marketing campaign.
Success in cause marketing often means motivating an audience to take action, su
ch as making a donation or participating in an event.. Using a dedicated marketi
ng campaign, you can reach and persuade the target group while also raising awar
eness for your business and its commitment to social responsibility. For example
, to enhance its relationship with the black community, State Farm created the 5
0 Million Pound Challenge to educate blacks about the risks associated with bein
g overweight. A special Challenge website was created to provide ongoing advice
and support, and has helped hundreds of thousands of people lose weight.
The Basics of Greening Your Business

Run a more eco-friendly company with these 5 easy and cost-effective tips.
By Rich Mintzer
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/article198138.h
tml
This article has been excerpted from 101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green by Ric
h Mintzer, available from EntrepreneurPress.
The key to going greener is thinking greener, and today many people are already
in the environmentally responsible mind-set. It may be easier than you think to
get everyone in your company onboard. Just as every diet needs to begin with a h
ealthy meal plan, your plan to go green should also start off with a few of thes
e basics:
#3Start With an Energy Audit
One of the first steps toward becoming greener is to determine exactly how much
energy you are using now and at what cost. You can start with a simple energy au
dit. To begin, you will want to review your own energy expenditure and measure i
t on an ongoing basis by reading your energy bills and meters. Then, as your bus
iness grows and expands, you will be able to account for the additional energy c
onsumption and measure the increase by additional units of production or by addi
tional hours. This way you can see if you are maintaining a stable amount of ene
rgy use in conjunction with your growth. Of course, you will also want to compar
e your energy use with the needs of similar businesses. This will take some rese
arch, but will provide a benchmark, so you will know what a business of your siz
e (and type) should be using in your geographic location.
An energy audit will result in a report that lists your energy expenses and char
ts those numbers over time.
The next step is to reconcile your theoretical energy consumption with that show
n on your actual energy bills. After analyzing your specific needs and use of li
ghting, heating, air conditioning, machinery and office equipment (including com
puters) to determine energy efficiency, you can seek lower-cost solutions, as we
ll as change bad habits and adopt new company-wide business policies to decrease
your energy output.
Since audits are not uniformly available, Energy Star offers a software program,
Portfolio Manager, to help you do your own assessment. For more on Portfolio Ma
nager, you can go to energystar.gov. You can also call 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782
-7937) for more information during regular business hours.
#12Switch to Energy-Efficient Lighting
While changing light bulbs alone won't qualify you as being a green business, it
is certainly a step in the right direction and an easy and cost-effective one t
o take. It's also one of the many small steps that if practiced universally coul
d make a significant difference.
There are two types of light bulbs that are more energy-efficient than tradition
al incandescent bulbs: light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamp
s (CFLs). While these bulbs may cost a little more than the traditional bulbs, b
oth will prove cost-effective down the road, because they will last much longer
and use significantly less electricity. An LED bulb has a lifespan of 60,000 hou
rs, while a CFL bulb provides 10,000 hours of light--both significantly more tha
n the 1,500 hours of service provided by most incandescent bulbs.
#30Use Indoor Plants as Natural Air Filters
These eco-friendly assistants to your green campaign can improve air quality by
removing many indoor pollutants, including those from varnish and other laminate
finishes, carpet particles and fibers, formaldehyde, and toxins from chemical c
leaners and even from high-tech gadgets. In short, it's out with the bad air and
in with the good if you utilize plants as natural air filters.
Since not everyone is a whiz with plants, nor will all plants thrive in your off
ice lighting, you'll need to look for plants that require low maintenance and wi
ll do well with artificial (low) lighting. From the entrepreneurial standpoint,
the key is making a commitment to allowing plants into the office and letting th
ose who have some expertise in the area take the lead in purchasing and caring f
or these green friends.
Some of the better plant choices for indoor use as office air cleaners include:
Areca Palm
Boston Fern
Cast Iron Plant
Dracena
English Ivy
Golden Pothos
Hoya
Peace Lily
Philodendron
Snake Plants
Spider Plants
Weeping Fig
The number of plants to buy will be in part based on the dcor of your office and
the size of your space. According to researchers, you should have at least one p
otted plant for every 100 square feet of floor space. Therefore, if your office
space is 30 by 50 feet, or 1,500 square feet, you should have at least 15 plants
.
#38Consider Reusable Bags Over Plastic or Paper
Of course, the argument is made that paper bags can be recycled. The argument fo
r plastic bags is that they too can be recycled or reused as lunch bags, for gar
bage, etc. While there are plenty of arguments for either side being more enviro
nmentally friendly, the truth is that discarded bags, paper or plastic, are neve
r a boon for ecology. The processes of making both paper and plastic bags are de
trimental to the environment.
So, what can you do? As a retailer, you can help change the habits of your custo
mers. For starters, you can utilize plastic bags that are compostable or paper b
ags that are made largely from postconsumer paper. However, you can go one step
farther and promote reusable cloth or canvas bags for carry-out items. If you ca
n afford to give them away, do it. If not, sell them at a nominal cost. Customer
s can then bring them back each time they shop at your store, and as a bonus rec
eive a coupon, discount or some other incentive to make reusing bags an ongoing
part of their shopping ritual.
You can (and should) promote your business on the bag with the message that this
is a reusable bag. You can even check out reusablebags.com to get an idea of wh
at you can offer your customers.
Yes, there will be an initial cost, but, in the long run, once you have armed yo
ur customers with bags, you will spend far less buying paper or plastic bags in
bulk.
Another option, if you own a retail store in a mall, is to team up with other st
ore owners and buy bags together with the names of several stores or the name of
the mall, therefore making it the bag for shopping at a variety of stores.
The point is, as a retail store owner, one of the most obvious ways to go green
is to significantly decrease the use of disposable bags. Any environmentally fri
endly business owner should try to instill in his or her employees the understan
ding that disposable bags are unnecessary. Give out reusable bags for bringing l
unch, going on lunchtime shopping trips or other uses.
#64Encourage Alternative Forms of Commuting
Although it is encouraged by many local municipalities with carpool lanes, carpo
oling remains one underutilized form of saving energy. Vanpooling with a designa
ted (hired) driver is another alternative that is growing slightly in popularity
. Large companies may subsidize the entire cost, while small businesses may have
riders pay a minimal fee that amounts to less than paying for gas to commute to
and from work on a daily basis.
One step that a growing number of businesses are taking is rewarding employees w
ho use alternate forms of transportation. For example, Advanced Micro Devices (A

MD) in Austin, Texas, issues bus passes to all employees who use mass transit an
d rewards employees who carpool or vanpool with gift cards to local businesses.
Safeco Insurance offers subsidies and incentives to employees who use any of the
80 active vanpools it has set up throughout the country. New Belgium Brewery en
courages biking to and from work by giving each employee who has been with the c
ompany for a year a bicycle. Nice.
Many small businesses are helping their employees set up carpools and vanpools a
nd even encouraging bike riding with incentives such as free lunches, flex sched
ules, once-a-week telecommuting options, gift cards and other perks. While it's
not practical for all companies, some businesses provide an incentive to walk or
bike to work by setting up showers, lockers and private changing areas. To enco
urage biking and walking, businesses have also helped set up buddy systems, wher
e they help arrange for two or more people living in the same area to travel tog
ether.
If you'd like an easy-to-manage means of arranging your carpooling that rewards
those who embrace alternative transportation, you might contact RideSpring. Sinc
e the toughest part of starting and maintaining a carpool program is actually or
ganizing it, RideSpring takes the onus off the business by providing software to
handle the task. It also has a means of tracking the energy savings of your alt
ernative commuters.
You can also look into Zipcar or Flexcar as a means of having cars on hand for e
mployees who need them. Both of these are innovative ways of having a car availa
ble when necessary, and yes, they are low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles.
Rich Mintzer is the author of 101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green, available f
rom Entrepreneurpress.com and for sale at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Borders.
He is an expert in making complicated topics reader-friendly, including business
, technology and environmental concerns. He has written more than 45 nonfiction
books on a wide range of topics. He has also spent 20 years as a magazine journa
list and the past several years writing and producing web content.
David Javitch: Employee Management

Entrepreneurs Need Social Networking
Dan Schawbel, a leading expert in social networking and a Gen-Y branding expert
, explains what business owners need to know about the trend.
By David Javitch | October 24, 2008
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavid
javitch/article198178.html
Business people across industries and up and down organizational charts are buzz
ing about the merits of social networking. To gather state-ofthe-art information
about this timely topic, I interviewed an expert in the field. Dan Schawbel is
a leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y and the author of the upcoming book
Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success. His Personal Branding
Blog is ranked among the top 50 marketing blogs in the world by AdAge. Dan is c
urrently a social media specialist for EMC Corp.
David Javitch: Can you tell me about the trend that has employers hiring employe
es to take on social networking duties?

Dan Schawbel: It's a major trend that's been growing significantly, especially i
n the past three years. Conversations are happening and they'll happen with or w
ithout you; your choice is whether to participate or ignore this technological t
idal wave. Due to the current economy, there are clear restraints on marketing b
udgets, so free social marketing is the best alternative. As companies grow and
social networking continues to expand, the entrepreneurial boss simply cannot de
vote all of the time needed for a successful effort. He or she needs to hire som
eone else dedicated to assume this responsibility. This person will be the inter
nal community manager who will create, monitor and transfer information about th
e company between and among employees who have a voice and can influence or buil
d the corporate brand.
Externally, the community manager will reach out to current and potential custom
ers. This person will spark interactive conversations, market products or servic
es, and invite responses. In terms of public relations, this social media maven
will protect and promote the company's brand with customers and future employees
, and help with the corporate blog and social network strategy.
Javitch: What's the benefit of hiring an employee who manages the business's Fac
ebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other social networking accounts?
Schawbel: When it comes to social networks, readers have a high expectation that
sites will be refreshed and updated often and on a regular basis. As I said, th
e entrepreneur doesn't have time for this, yet the responsibility is overwhelmin
g, so someone needs to do this. This employee needs to be a content producer, pr
esenting current data, information, or video for weekly visitors to the site. Th
e community manager does more than simply create a site; he or she needs to work
hard to make it an attractive, interactive community where readers will consist
ently go and encourage their friends, social groups, and networks to go as well.
The major benefit here is that this network employee will reach out and interac
tively communicate with various communities; the business owner simply will not
have time to do this successfully.
Javitch: Can you list what social networking a small business should be doing no
w?
Schawbel: Small businesses should at least be involved in the largest social net
works, belong to forums and have at least one blog. Each of these websites is a
way of positioning yourself and your company to the world. You can create a vide
o, respond to questions or problems or start a discussion. For instance, when so
meone joins your Facebook group, the word spreads virally through that person's
newsfeed. Remember, people want to join groups; they want to meet people and buy
products or services based on their friends' recommendations.
Setting a Google Alert for your name and company's name is highly encouraged. Wh
en someone blogs about you, your company, or your products and services, you'll
be notified immediately through either e-mail or RSS [feed]. Then you can use th
eir name to get back to them for further interactive communication.
You also need a profile page on Facebook. It will tell readers about your compan
y, people, service or product. Remember, people are searching for information; g
ive them what they're asking for. And above all, the process is free; the only c
ost is your time.
Javitch: Do the different sites require one "community networking" employee to m
anage? Or does it also work to spread out such duties among many employees?
Schawbel: If you're Coca-Cola, then you need a team. If you're a sole practition
er, you have to do it yourself. However, whether you have five or 50 employees,
delegate the responsibilities. Let's say you have three people you trust as soci
al networkers; you can have individuals responsible for specific sites. But you
have to make sure you don't dilute the message or cause repetition of effort wit
h several people creating different versions of the same data. This delegation o
f responsibilities needs to be properly coordinated.
Javitch: What "bare bones" networking should small-business owners be doing on t
heir own (if they can't hire someone to do it for them) that will help them mark
et their business?
Schawbel: Small-business owners should get involved in social sites like LinkedI
n, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Friendfeed. They need to go where the people ar

e to promote themselves, recruit and maintain a relationship with specific commu
nities, while obtaining new customers and building bigger communities. They need
to draw accounts into their world. Above all, the owner must have specific goal
s in mind in order to strategize about what he or she wants to get out of these
efforts. Is it to increase business by 500 more customers? Increase visibility?
Sell more products or services? Without specific goals, the owner won't be able
to determine if the social networking process was a success or a failure.
While getting on these social sites, business owners must protect their name so
no one else can use it. This includes claiming your identity on social sites bef
ore competitors do or people with the same name do. These sites have a high Goog
le PageRank , which means they'll appear in the top results when someone Googles y
our name or your company's name.
Javitch: Can you break down which blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., are m
ost popular to the separate generations? Business owners who target a certain ag
e market need to know which social network to invest time in.
Schawbel: MySpace has over 185 million users, split evenly between men and women
14 to 34 years old. Twenty-five percent of them are in the U.S. FaceBook has ov
er 110 million readers, more women than men. The majority of these users--80 per
cent--are under 30 years old and half of all FaceBookers are located in the U.S.
, Great Britain and Canada.
LinkedIn has over 26 million readers, with the average age being 41. Men make up
64 percent of the audience. Their average household income is $109,000. Twitter
has 3 million readers, two-thirds of whom are men 18 to 34 years old.
Armed with this information, marketers can more effectively target specific age,
income and geographic groups.
David G. Javitch, Ph.D., is Entrepreneur.com's "Employee Management" columnist a
nd an organizational psychologist and president of Javitch Associates, an organi
zational consulting firm in Newton, Massachusetts. With more than 20 years of ex
perience working with executives in various industries, he's an internationally
recognized author, keynote speaker and consultant on key management and leadersh
ip issues.

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