Thursday, February 4, 2010

SALE Your Business

I am convinced that the greatest word in the world is “SALE”. Nothing gets your blood pumping faster than knowing you can get something you need, want or desire for a cheaper price. There is something so magical about knowing that what used to be expensive and outside your budget, is now just a credit card swipe away. We laugh because someone purchased your SALE item for full price, making your score that much sweeter. Companies all over world invest time, effort, staff, printing and money into exploiting, advertising and continually reminding you that everything you wanted before but couldn’t have is just a SALE away.

We as a consumer hold out for sales, because we know that the price will drop with the change of a season or for some random holiday. We aggressively go through newspapers looking for deals, coupons and comparing prices. We create accounts on the web to receive coupons and promotions via email and we go through the internet comparing prices, trying to get the biggest bang for our buck. The American consumer has never been more thrifty or stingy with their money.

So as a business person, how do you utilize the greatest word in the world? Easy: use the greatest word in the world to promote your business.

This starts with your business card. In 2009, Americans saved over 3.5 billion dollars from clipping coupons. Save your clients money and give them a reason to keep your card by putting a coupon on the back of your business card. That is valuable real estate that you are wasting by leaving it blank or just putting random extra information. Offer a free consultation, 25% off your product, or a free gift card for coming to the office for a consultation. Figure out what your business can spare and give back to the consumer. People like it when things are free, on sale or for a discount; give the people what they want. You want to give people a reason to keep your card.

The exchanging of your business card, generally, leads to receiving an email address. Send promotions, specials, and deals via email to your potential clients and current clients. Don't just send discounts and deals from your business, but also from other small businesses or from places you think the person receiving the email would like. This allows you to portray the image that you are not just interested in that person's business, but in their general well being (which you should be).

Let other businesses work for you; partner up with other small business owners and trade discounts and promotions with each other in a way they can promote and sell for you and you can promote and sell for them. Give them a stack of business cards or flyers about your business's services to display and hand out at their establishments.

Get creative with how you spread the word about your SALE. Post a discount on Facebook and Twitter, offer a raffle for a free something, have car stickers made to advertise your business on your car and offer a deal for mentioning the car, and sponsor something where there are lots of people who could use what you have.

Consumers want a SALE; they want to get excited about getting a deal. Give the consumer a reason to get excited about you and your business and most importantly, a reason to keep your business card.

2 comments:

  1. like the post and all the info you have shared..i wish to keep it in mind and will use if i need it for the design of plastic business cards.

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  2. Nice tips regarding to plastic business cards printing...i will always follow them...

    ReplyDelete