Regular Mailings Keep in Front of Customers:

When I was reading this tip in the book “What No One Ever Tells You About Marketing Your Own Business” by Jan Norman, I thought it was fairly self explanatory. However, I think it’s the most overlooked and critical piece of small business marketing.

I know from experience and working with clients, when you are focused on uploading new stock, redesigning your website, offering new services, looking for new clients or innovative ways of marketing, we often forget the ones we already have. They can be our biggest allies if we just give them a bit of a push .

So when I brainstormed about how I could still keep in contact with my current clients without always sounding like a sales pitch, I thought of several ways regular mailings could help me market.

• Christmas cards
• Announcement emails of new developments
• Thank you letters when using my services
• Thank you letters when I reach my personal business goals
• Newsletters with information my customers would find valuable

Other tips recommended

• Make content as personal as possible
• Strive to make your mailings stand out. Don’t use white envelopes
• Make your emails clear and prominent
• Include “thank you for supporting me” discounts
• If you send post cards, keep the information concise
• Use first class postage stamps and not bulk mail or metered postage
• Use photograph, graphics or anything visually appealing
• When using print letters, enclose a few business cards to pass to others

Tapping into existing clients has a great benefit as you don’t have to convince them to try your services. If a previous customer knows you remembered them, they are more likely to remember you!

Invite your potential clients: Hosting a sales conference? Scheduling a talk? On the back side, create a referral card to make it easy to inform your customers of your next meeting. Leave spaces to write the time, date, and topics about the event. Also leave extra cards with your prospects to encourage them to give to others.

Coupons and Discounts: If you operate a store, offer discounts to individuals who have your cards. You could either offer a standard discount, or create a “punch” card for the number of visits a customer need to receive a promotion. Just as you would with referral cards, encourage your clients to hand them out to others to receive the same discount.

Magnets: Most printing companies offer ways to create your own business card magnet. You can either create magnets reprinted, or use “attach your own” magnet sleeves.

Stickers: This solution is perfect for people who are worried their business cards will be lost in the shuffle. Print your card on self adhesive labels and stick them close to the opening of packages, a booklet, brochure, or other marketing material.

Pad of Cards: Pads of cards are simple and inexpensive. Print off sheets of your business cards on lighter paper and bind them with a tear-able binding strip to create pads. These types of cards are perfect for any area people may need to wait and want something to read. Retail counters, bulletin boards, waiting rooms at offices.

Relevant information: If you are a travel service, create a list of airport codes or time zones on the back side. Or if you are a catering service, offer a conversion chart of weights and measures. By displaying useful information on your business card, a potential client maybe more inclined to look at your business card more often.

Message Cards: These types of cards are very good for salesmen who want their clients to remember key points of a meeting. Write notes or discussion points on the back side of your business card before you hand them to your client. This could be follow up notes, a contact name in your organization, or a specific product and pricing.

Quick index web card: For website owners, there may be pages you want your clients to visit first. Write the URL and specific description of each page on the backside. This could be pricing, products or services.

Mission Statement: Mission Statements summarize the essence of your business. They are perfect for the backside of your card. Use bold and simple text anyone can read at a glance.