Sell More Handcrafted Jewelry with NEW "Seminar in a Box"

If you truly want to make more money with your artisan jewelry, I highly recommend this program by David Weiman. It will help you target customers who will pay the price you're asking without you having to discount your jewelry! In fact, he tells you why you should NOT offer regular discounts/low pricing.....you may be hurting your jewelry business and NOT even know it! He offers a guarantee so if you don't feel you got your money's worth.....just return it (but I will be surprised if you do!)
-To your success,
Randi-Sue
www.Designing-Diva.com



The 5 Keys to Selling Handcrafted Jewelry
is a DVD and 30-Page Workbook that
Shows You How to BOOST Sales
of Your Handcrafted Jewelry...
and You Learn it All from HOME!

How much MORE JEWELRY could you sell if you knew...

• how to set and achieve your goals in a way that would help you, even when you're not consciously thinking about it...
  
• how share your goals with others so that you are more likely to achieve them...
  
• how to start taking massive action for maximum success...
  
• how to identify any obstacles you might face in pursuing your business goals and dreams...
  
• why you should write a business plan and an outline that will help you write one quickly and easily...
  
• what the elements are of a successful marketing plan...
  
• why you should focus on what you love to make...
  
• how to write a great description of your products...
  
• how to assess your competition...
  
• how to price your jewelry correctly and avoided under-pricing...
  
• how to identify the prospects who are your ideal customers...
  
• how to identify the right places to sell your jewelry...
  
• options for promoting your jewelry selling business...
  
• how to correctly handle the common objections that prospective buyers raise about your jewelry...
  
• how to raise the level of your selling skills...
  
• how to increase your product knowledge so that buyers feel confident and comfortable with you...
  
• why story-telling is so important to selling jewelry and how to do it well...
  
• how to represent yourself in the most effective way so that you form a strong relationship with prospective and current clients...
  
• how to develop a set of customer service principles that will ensure you give extraordinary service...
  
• what books, magazines and websites you can read to supercharge your business knowledge...

Here's an Example of
What You Will Learn:

This is from a section of the seminar where we're talking about how to price your jewelry.

It's a discussion about why people buy artisan jewelry, and I mention that it's not because of price, although many jewelry makers become obsessed over trying to find a price that's so low no one would refuse to pay it.

I make this important point: A bargain hunter is NOT a good prospect for artisan jewelry. You shouldn't lower your prices to please the bargain-hunter, because artisan jewelry is not sold on price -- it's sold on other qualities, such as original design, the fact that it was hand-made, and the buyer's connection to you.

In fact, you should avoid selling at low prices (and possibly discontinue lower-priced items) because you'll never compete successfully, with discount stores, and TRUE artisan jewelry buyers don't care that much about price.

This is an actual excerpt from the program:

"Your ideal customer is not somebody who’s shopping on price, and is not somebody who’s going to question your price based on what they know the market to be.

If you’re dealing with someone who says “well I could have bought that citrine at Michael’s for five cents,” that’s not a true artisan jewelry buyer.

I’m telling you that people will pay for what they love. We do it all the time. People don’t need jewelry. No one does. You need shelter, you need clothing, and you need food. You do not need jewelry.

So, if you’re encountering people who are questioning your price, you need to dig a little bit deeper and we’re not really at that part of the seminar yet, we’re only really dealing with how to price your jewelry, not responding to questions about it, but nobody needs it.

[There is an entire section of the seminar where I demonstrate how to smoothly and effectively handle objections that prospects raise.]

Check Out These Reviews:

"He talks about creating goals, targeting a specific market, promoting your work, techniques for selling, and ideas for creating great customer service. All of these are important, and he gives a lot of practical advice and tips, much of which are tied into the workbook that comes with the package. As you listen and/or watch, he prompts you to work through different areas of the book. Though I'm a writer and designer, I'm also a teacher, so I was impressed with the fact that this package includes a lot of different learning style approaches. We all learn differently, and he took this into account by including auditory, visual, and tactile methods for working through the seminar package ... If you have seen David's seminars listed in some of the show listings you get in the mail or by e-mail and have thought how nice it would be to attend one sometime but couldn't due to the cost of the trip and/or the time, then this seminar "to go" will probably appeal to you, especially since the cost of this package is considerably less for most people than traveling to a jewelry convention. Plus, since you own the material, you have the advantage of watching, reading, or listening to it more than just once and can refer to it on an as need basis."
-- Tammy Powley
About.com Jewelry Making Guide
Click here to read the full review

What do Jewelry Makers Like You
Say about David Weiman?

"... you are the best I have found and I recommend you all the time. Thanks for doing what you do. You fill a much needed niche in the marketing world."
-- Wendee Brandenburg
Twin Lake, MI

"I really appreciated Dr. Weiman's gentle demeanor, but everything was loud and clear about marketing strategies. He really drove home that each piece is worth what the customer is willing to pay for it, which is really important for a lot of us who think "I shouldn't price things too high.'"
-- Sharon Davison
Morgantown, PA

How to Attract Customers to your Jewelry Booth

Want More Customers Visiting your Jewelry Booth??
.....Give them a REASON to visit

• If you've done this show/event before, who was your best customer? Does the promoter have an e-mails list that you can promote to before the event? Target your customers before they've even come to the show with a pre-show offer via direct mail or e-mail with an offer they can NOT resist!
• Is the event promoting goodie bags/swag bags or a silent auction? If so, promote your jewelry by donating actual product or a "stuffer" that gives them an incentive to visit you (free gift with purchase, show special, prize drawings,etc...)
• If promos are not in your budget yet, do your best at getting a visible spot with traffic. When potential customers stop your job is to KEEP THEM INTERESTED by telling your story. Please note, I did mention any selling. You must establish a relationship with your customer before they will buy from you. Get them involved....get them emotional...ask questions like, "Why were you drawn to that necklace?", etc...so you can engage them for as long as possible.
• Have an incentive to get their e-mail address (free drawing in exchange for sharing their details) so you can stay in front of them and offer a post show special.
• Make sure you have business cards, fliers or other marketing materials to hand out so they have a way to contact you.

Do NOT judge a show by the "sales" just at the show. I often get sales up to 4 weeks after the show (that post show special ) . Plus, increasing my customer base (via e-mail campaigns) is worth its weight in gold.

How to Get Sales from your Jewelry E-Newsletters

On my main e-commerce site, I have an e-mail address sign up box for those potential customers who would like updates. I also collect e-mail addresses at every show I do. Every month, I grow and nurture that list; it is my way of getting in front of potential customers every single month. I use an e-mail campaign service, Constant Contact, because I can track who not only opens e-mails but what they click on. With this information, I can craft "targeted" e-mails just for that individual and increase my chances of making a sale.

When I got this in my inbox this morning, I just had to share...it is so timely.....how to sell more through your e-mail promotions/newsletters.....who doesn't want to get more business every time they send out their newsletter???

Enjoy!
Randi

How to Make Your Email Promotions Sell More
by Alicia M Forest, MBA
Multiple Streams Queen & Coach

Just like writing a sales page for your product, program or service, writing successful email promotions can be easier than you think. There's a science to it, more than an art, and to get you started, I'd like to share a tested formula for you to follow.

Taking the time to consider and answer the questions below before you write your email promotion will make it easier to write, easier for your reader to engage with, and easier to turn your prospect into a buyer.

Here are 5 essential elements to writing email promotions that will increase your sales:

1. Who's your audience?

It's important to know exactly who your audience is before you start writing the copy for your email promotion. Obviously, you'll be sending your promotion to your list. But will it be for your entire ezine subscribers list? Or are you making an offer only to the people on your list who have bought from you before, your customers? Or are you targeting your one-on-one clients only?

Getting really specific about who you are writing your email promotion to will allow you to make it as personal as possible, and the more personal you can make it, the more sales you'll make.

2. What action do you want to your reader to take?

Decide what it is exactly that you want your reader to do. Is it to subscribe to your ezine? Is it to join one of your group programs? Do you want them to invest in a new product or take advantage of a sale you're having on an established product?

Choose only ONE thing for your reader to do (remember, 'a confused mind always says no') and they are much more likely to do it!

3. What benefits will your reader get?

If your reader purchases your product, how will they benefit? If someone subscribes to your ezine, what will they get out of it? If a reader signs up to work with you one-on-one, how will that make things better, easier, more fun or whatever it is that you can do for them?

Make the benefits your reader gets crystal clear in your email promotions. If you have more than one, use bullets to make them easier to read and digest, and lead the reader smoothly to your call to action.

4. What's your 'take action now' lever?

For each promotion you do, you want to choose and use a tactic for getting people to take action. We're all procrastinators, so you want to strongly encourage your reader to take action right away.

Some tactics you can use are to offer a limited availability, a limited time, limit spots, special price, free shipping for a limited time, etc.

5. What's your format?

Couple of notes on the format of your email promotions:

- Testing shows that HTML emails with bullets tend to generate higher response rates, as long as they are between 1-2 pages.

- Make sure your call to action ('Buy Now', 'Visit This Page for More Info', 'Order Today') is near the end of your email promotion, after your list of benefits and your 'take action' lever.

- Include contact information at the bottom of your email promotions, with an email address and/or phone number for people who have questions.

- Don't forget your unsubscribe information as well, to comply with CAN-SPAM laws.

- Include a PS, which is the second most read part of any sales copy. One effective use of a PS is to ask for the order again, including the link.

Use these 5 elements as a framework for your next email promotion and track your conversion rates. You should see more results and make more sales by doing so!

Want to know how to write sales copy that sells every time, even if you think you're not a writer? I can help! Go here for more...

© 2008 Alicia M Forest and ClientAbundance.com

Reprinted with permission: Alicia M Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Queen & Coach^(TM) teaches self-employed professionals how to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately live the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to create wild abundance in your business, visit www.ClientAbundance.com

Blogs & Social Networking-Why You Should be Including this in your Marketing program

Whether or not you have an e-commerce jewelry site, you should be making using of the internet to market your jewelry by allowing your potential customers to get to know you.

Blog......It doesn't matter which blog you choose (paid vs free) but you must start right now! This is a fantastic way for potential customers and that includes MEDIA to get to know you and your jewelry products offered. This is a fantastic way to share your design inspirations, your muse, your story, etc....this personal close-up will let you connect in ways that just doesn't happen in "sell mode"! Through The Switchboards, several members have been contacted by NATIONAL MEDIA from magazines, newspapers and TV (like Martha Stewart), etc....because of a post they had written had gotten the attention of an editor or a producer. Now, how does that sound to you??? Personally, I was just recently contacted by Australian Beading to write a jewelry tutorial and offer a fused glass jewelry kit for an upcoming issue with the possibility of another article in the fall. I've been blogging ever since I started my jewelry business (yes, even when I did NOT have an e-commerce site) and I can't tell you how many times a blog post has gotten me PR or a contact that I wouldn't have had a chance of getting (you know the term when pigs fly!).

I currently use a FREE blogger account and have 3 blogs that I post to. I will be switching to WordPress this summer but I've heard wonderful comments about TypePad as well.

Blogging is the "absolute minimum" you should be doing for online "social networking". Does that mean you should have an account on every popular Social Network from MySpace to Facebook? NO....it just means that you have to find what fits you personally so you come across as being authentic. Find people who have similiar interests to you.....maybe you're a fitness buff, like old movies, etc...always have your information in your signature tagline and include a new jewelry design every now and then again in a new post. The point of social networking is to reach out on a personal level and business will follow because they have a "relationship" with you even if they have NEVER met you!

Are you nervous? Don't be! It will take time to find your writing voice or maybe you have hidden talent for writing. You can always write a few posts for a few weeks and save them as drafts (not publish them) until you're comfortable with your style/voice.

And please don't forget that anyone can read what you write on your blog or social network so please remember your manners and refrain from bad language in poor taste, etc...you are still making an impression without coming face to face......just be yourself and sit down and type like you were talking to a good friend!

Here's to your online social networking success to grow your business!

Have a comment , question or rant? Drop me a line!

Personal Invite to Preview My Spring/Summer Glass Rock Candy Jewelry Collection

I'm apologizing in advance....the next few weeks the blog posts will dwindle a bit as I'm getting down to "crunch time" for unveiling my new Glass Rock Candy -a fused glass jewelry collection at Shecky's Girls Night Out shopping events in Dallas on May 6th and Houston on May 9th.

If you live in Dallas or Houston and would like a FREE general admission ticket which are normally $10 to the event, please contact me by e-mailing me with the following information:

Full name (first and last)
Phone Number
E-mail Randi at: tickets AT designing-diva DOT com

I only have a limited number of tickets left so please respond by April 30th if you would like to attend ! Hope to see you there......I would love to meet you and get the opportunity to discuss my passion CREATING JEWELRY & MARKETING!

Do You Work in a Constant State of Creative Clutter

I totally admit that sometimes (well, ok normally) my jewelry & glass studio is messy aka "creative clutter".

I have several different "stations" in the studio:

• jewelry bench (cut, saw & polish)
• soldering & lamp work torch area
• glass grinding area
  
• glass cutting area
• photography area
• supplies & displays
• general work area
• kiln
• computer & printer-"the office"
• packing area

At times, I'm overwhelmed by how much "stuff" I have laying around and so just keep walking on past....I call it the don't look, don't see syndrome???Maybe you have it too? :)

One of my goals is to be MORE organized as I get busier with wholesale and retail shows to cut down on my stress level. I was tickled to stumble across an e-book that is a measly $9.95 written by an ARTIST,Diane Dobson-Barton, not a professional organizer on how to get your work area organized!

As a working artist, Diane knows how difficult it can be to have materials take over a work space.

Hmm, does that sound familiar or what? Quit procrastinating & check out Diane's e-book on Controlling Creative Clutter .

Time is my biggest challenge to getting organized (or so it seems). What is yours?

**I am not affiliated with this e-book and do NOT profit from it in any form. It is just a personal recommendation.**

Study and learn -How to Be a Jewelry Marketing Expert for your Niche Market

Many artistic entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to "learn and test marketing methods" on their own with less than stellar results. Instead of "testing" ,why not "study and learn" from jewelry business' that are already successful and have the customer base (niche market) you are interested in targeting.

Every week in the media (tv, newspaper, magazines,direct mail, etc..), you have the opportunity to see a huge variety of marketing methods for different jewelry business' . Get out your scissors and cut the ads that catch your attention. Paste them in a notebook (each on a page). Now, sit down and look at the ad. What initially caught your attention ? Was it the picture, words, perhaps a story, price?

After doing this for a few weeks, you will notice certain patterns emerging. You can mimic your marketing & PR campaigns based on what you've learned by "adding your voice-your unique story" to share your jewelry/wearable art.

By using methods that are working for other companies, you are ensuring a higher success rate for your marketing and not wasting your valuable time by trying to reinvent the wheel!!

What the heck is a media ready photo?

No matter how you sell your jewelry-online, craft shows, boutiques, etc.....at some point, you may want to send a press release or you get a request for a media ready image....Are you ready?

Whenever you have pictures taken (whether by you or a professional), you always want to have the "master" in its RAW format, a "media" ready photo at 300 dpi (dot per image), and a web ready shot at 72 dpi of the jewelry or art.

Often, media photos are shot with a white background for seamless integration.

If you organize and catalog all your jewelry/art this way, you will be ready for editors requests or when pitching the media. There is nothing more frustrating to an editor to get fuzzy low resolution (<300 dpi) photos; it makes you like an amateur and you and your jewelry/art will not get the exposure you deserve!

Make sure you backup your images on a regular basis and store your CDs in a dry cool place.

Online Resource-The Switchboards-Connecting Creative Women in Business

One of my favorite online resources for picking another artistic entrepreneur's brain or learning something new by just reading is The Switchboards. I know I have blogged about this site before but I can NOT write enough GREAT things about it! I have learned so many awesome tips from PR to photography that it is worth another mention.

Plus, I just stumbled across a post by one of my jewelry heroes, Amy Peters, that is worth it's weight in gold. It is a list of various online blogs to submit your PR to. Plus, it is so timely that I found it considering my most recent post.....partnership and promoting your jewelry/art to online blogs. Just realize that you MUST do your research first by checking out what the blogs target audience is before you pitch the blog editor. Some blogs have paid partnerships while others if they feature you are FREE.

The point is this is a great first step to get you marketing your jewelry/art to the masses via the world wide web. Remember, you must spend at least 10-15 minutes every day marketing your business and don't expect overnight success....just be consistent and you will see results...sales and more exposure!

Have a fabulous Monday!

P.S.
If you live in the Dallas /Houston area, stop on by one of the following events and say hi!

• Oak Cliff Earth Day 2008: Sunday April 2oth
• Shecky's GNO-Dallas:May 6th *
  
• Shecky's GNO-Houston: May 9th*
• Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q Extravaganza & Trunk Show: May 18th

***I will unveiling my new Spring/Summer collection at the Shecky's GNO Dallas and Houston events. Don't live here or just can't make it? Make sure you sign up for the Diva 411 Newsletter to get a sneak preview and special pricing. Just remember to CONFIRM your subscription when you sign up!***

Joint Partnership-GiveAways & Promos

Funky Finds has a monthly giveaway that brings a lot of traffic when I participate. I've donated jewelry and a fused glass wine bottle stopper and have more than recouped my costs. Yeah! This is just one site online that you could possibly partner with to gain exposure for your handcrafted jewelry/art designs.

How do you decide which joint partnership is best for you and your business?

• Consider their target market and yours ......are they the same? or are you trying to break into or test their target market?
• How much traffic do they get and is it consistent? You can also do your own research to see how much traffic a site is getting through free services like Alexa for example.
• How long have they been online and do they have a good reputation?
  
• What do they offer you in turn for your giveaway?Do you get a full editorial or only a link?

These are just a few questions to ask yourself. If you are looking for more online blogs and websites to have paid and unpaid joint ventures, please leave a comment and I dig through my marketing files to help you! :)

Wear Your Jewelry Out Just in Case Opporunity Knocks

It has been a crazy "weather" week in N. Texas. We've had flooding, hail, tornadoes and now sunny skies. Spring is here!

Today, my two BFF's and I went to a local bead shop that was having a parking lot sale that included not only beads and bead supplies but STORE DISPLAYS! Yeehaw......I couldn't wait to see what goodies that I might find!

I was fortunate enough to get a 1/2 hanging mannequin that is literally BRAND NEW for only $35. I have priced them on the internet for over $170!!! I can't wait to show these off at my next show! Yeehaw!!!

I also picked up an incredibly LIGHTWEIGHT folding easel to hold my sign for a whopping $2! As the years go on, I'm always looking for displays that fold down, are lightweight and can function in more than one way!!! The great thing about an easel is you can set it up with a padded frame and hang jewelry on it too! Versatility, I'm telling you!! :)

Plus, being a N. Texas girl and the Dallas Designing Diva I just had to buy the acrylic cowboy hat. I will use it to collect newsletter and drawing information at shows. It is just too darn cute and ORIGINAL for all of $5! My kids thought it was a hoot and had to try it on and giggle themselves silly.

So, I have my purchases and I'm ready to pay cash when I get a chance to meet the owner of the shop. She was curious what I was going to do with my menagerie of purchases. I told her that I'm a fused glass & metal artist and wanted some great props on the cheap to spice up my retail and wholesale display for shows. Then she asked to see one of my designs.....I had to look no further than my neck-I was wearing a chocolate and pastel pink fused glass pendant. After a little more chatting, we decided that we should get together for coffee next week and see about her shop possibly carrying some of my art glass beads, a workshop /class, a video, etc.....When she asked, "Do you have a card on you?" I didn't even have to hesitate because I always carry a handful wherever I go (and I mean wherever...even when I walk the dog!).

As you can imagine, I walked away with a giddy feeling and NOT just from my "bargains"! :) Opportunity knocked today and I was ready not only by wearing my jewelry but also by always carrying a handful of business cards in my purse!!!

Sometimes we are presented opportunities but are NOT prepared......don't despair....learn and when another opportunity arises (and IT WILL)....you will be ready.

Here's to your success with your jewelry business! Have a fantastic weekend!

Have you Branded your Jewelry Business

According to the American Heritage dictionary, the word "brand" has the following definition:

1. A trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer.

2. A product line so identified: a popular brand of soap.
3. A distinctive category; a particular kind.

Think about what you feel comfortable buying.....the "unknown" brand or the "instantly recognizable" brand? Price is not always a factor is it. As consumers the unknown is scary because we don't know them, their product or what kind of guarantees may or may not be offered/included with the purchase.

This is why it is so important to brand your jewelry and jewelry business. Wondering where the heck to start?

Check out this article by Gina Watkins*, Branding is Smart Business Why and how to build a strong brand for your biz. I was so tickled to come across this free information and just had to share it with you because Gina explains the why and how simply which provides you with a road map of how to create a strong brand for your jewelry business!

Here's to your successful jewelry branding and being instantly recognized and purchased!

*Gina Watkins has more than two decades of sales, business development, and marketing experience. She's an expert in helping businesses create powerful lines of communication with their customers, members, constituents, and partners. Gina serves as a resource to help small and medium-sized businesses and associations throughout the Washington, DC region maximize the power of relationship marketing.

Attracting New Jewelry Customers Online & Off

A very simple way to attract new jewelry customers is to offer them something for free.

Do not worry if it's your marketing budget can not afford to give away jewelry or a promo item.

One of the easiest ways to attract new customer is to offer a FREE newsletter with an exclusive offer just for them.

What should you include in your newsletter?
*In order to establish a relationship with a customer, they need to feel like they know you. Share a funny story or picture so they can get a feel for who you are. This connection has power over time because they become emotionally invested in you and are more likely to purchase from you in the future.
*Establish yourself as an expert and offer free information on topics like how to care for your jewelry, what the different hallmarks mean, etc....
*Keep them up to date on new designs,collections & future retail dates that they can see your jewelry in person.
*Have an exclusive offer just for newsletter subscribers . This can be a BOGO, discount or free gift with purchase.......or whatever you think your customers would find valuable.

Promoting your Handcrafted Jewelry

“Without promotion a terrible thing happens, nothing!”
P.T. Barnum

What does promotion include?

• Press releases
  
• Advertising
  
• Marketing (yes, the dreaded M word)
• Branding
• Publicity
• Public relations

In order to attract customers and have a financially successful handcrafted jewelry business, you must promote you wearable art and your business. There is NO magic formula-it just requires consistent daily activities that produce results which means "work"! You can't expect your jewelry business to take off and be an overnight success without promoting your wearable art consistently.

It can be overwhelming as an emerging jewelry designer /artistic entrepreneur to have to deal with the business side so you must take the "bite size" approach when you initially start.

The internet is fabulous way to get started. You can start your own blog and share you art or join social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc) to find folks with similiar interests; these are fantastic tools to share your personal stories and passions that will allow you to "connect and have a relationship" . Whether you realize it or not, you are in the business of having a series of conversations/relationships with your customers .....if you tell and do NOT sell, you will blow the competition out of the water. Engage your potential customers. Whether they buy from you today or not, is irrelevant; find a way to connect with them and stay in front of them and when the time is right, they will be knocking on your door!!!!

If you have a promotion question, leave a comment so others can learn too!

10 FREE ways to Find New Jewelry Customers

I found a fabulous article on ten free ways to find new customers that is a great start for emerging jewelry artists/designers who have little or no marketing budget. From experience, writing articles (Shel's number one free tip)has been a great way to establish myself as an expert and get much needed exposure for my wearable art and business!

Ten Cost-Free Ways a Business or Service Can Find New Prospects!
By Shel Horowitz, author of Grassroots Marketing:

Getting Noticed in a Noisy World

Unlimited permission granted to reprint or excerpt if byline and resource information are included in
full and the author is notified

1. Write and submit helpful articles and reports (like this one). Thousands of publications,
both in print and on line, will be glad to run informative, useful articles that help their
readers meet their goals. Include a resource box and grant permission to reprint as long as
your resource box is included.
2. Send out GREAT press releases and pitch letters. Your media contact materials should
highlight the NEWS angle and/or the BENEFIT to the publication's readers. They need to
be well-written, carefully proofread, and USEFUL—and they need to include full contact
information. Avoid press releases that have no real news. Publishing a book, opening a
website, or getting a promotion in your company is not news (unless you're already
famous). The news is what problem the website or book will solve, what story you can tell, how the promotion positions the company to make big changes in the marketplace, etc. (You'll find stepby-step instructions on how to write a great press release in my book, Grassroots
Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World—a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year
Award Finalist endorsed by Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerrilla Marketing and many
others.)
3. Write letters to the editor and/or relevant comments on websites and blogs. So many
people overlook this very obvious tool. Again, find a way to make your product or service
relevant to a recent news story. Perhaps refer readers to a specific page on your website
for more information (if your paper will print that information)
4. Appear as a guest on talk shows. Radio and cable TV shows often have a steady need for
great guests. And radio is easy to do from your home or office, even in your pajamas. The
story, again, is not your product or service, but what you can do for the listeners—or how
you can entertain them. Be sure to mention your phone number and URL a few times!
5. Find and participate in communities of interest on the Internet. Active, helpful participation in Internet discussion groups can lead to long-term branding and,
eventually, extremely loyal customers.
6. Put fliers on bulletin boards. Use a large, eye-catching headline, include tear-offs or a
stack of business cards, and combine great copy with great design.
7. Speak at conferences, seminars, and community meetings. You can even get paid for the
speech, paid again through sales at the end of your talk, and paid yet again when
attenders hire you.
8. Use one-to-one e-mail to introduce your offerings to prospects (DON'T SPAM!). Mine the
Internet for prospects and send a personal and targeted individual e-mail—NOT a form
letter—explaining why your offer will fill needs or solve problems that they've directly
expressed.
9. Obtain and distribute testimonials. When someone likes your work, get it in writing and
get permission to reprint! Someone else singing your praises has more credibility than
you yourself. (You can see some of mine at http://www.frugalmarketing.com/testimonials.shtml )10. Actively solicit referral business. Ask every client to recommend you. Consider incentives
or gifts for those who spread your name around. Be generous with business cards.

Copywriter and marketing strategist Shel Horowitz is author of Grassroots Marketing:
Getting Noticed in a Noisy World, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First,
Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers, and four other books. His websites at
http://www.frugalmarketing.com and http://www.principledprofit.com offer over 800
articles to help run your business better, slash marketing costs while boosting effectiveness,
and turn business ethics into a success driver. Shel is also available for consulting and
copywriting; reach him by e-mail or
by phone at 800-683-WORD (U.S./Canada)/413-586-2388.