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:
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.
