When creating and building your online presence, it’s important that you get noticed and you’re remembered. Sure, you might grab the attention of potential customers, but you also need to have a great marketing campaign to make sure they remember your company. So, this week’s marketing tip will focus on standing out and getting noticed.

Getting Noticed & Being Remembered

Here are a few tips on what you can do to gain potential clients:

• Create a clear-cut marketing plan so potential customers know who you are and the services or products you offer.
• Be branded. Create a well-defined brand to entice customers to want to get to know you better.
• Engage your customers with your website and anything that represents your company. Let them see that you offer value and trustworthy with the services and products you offer.
• Create an integrated marketing and social media platform. Social media is a major part of marketing today. So, engage, entice and serve your potential customers.
• Be consistent within your marketing strategy. Make sure everything is cohesive and consistent among all marketing platforms. You’ll send mixed signals and people won’t understand your company.
• Attend conferences. Are there trade shows and conferences within your industry? Attend these, make yourself known and get your name out there. This puts you as a professional.
• Get well-known in your community. Serve your community through volunteer work or just interacting with activities that go on within your community.

There are plenty of tips out there that can help you get well-known and noticed. The important thing to remember is to get noticed first, but learn how to keep those Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Stand Out and Be Noticed” »

Are you wanting to reach a new target market? There are multiple ways you can achieve this. One way is building partnerships. Yes, some of you already know this. However, it’s important to stay ahead of the competition with this tactic and think out-of-the-box. This week’s marketing tip will focus on building the right partnerships.

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   Marketing Tip
   Where are your future clients already fans? Where is your target market already at? What are they fans of already? Take a look at where they’re currently at and consider joining forces with that business. One way to create a partnership with that current company is to maybe host a trade show or workshop together where potential customers for you and your partner will attend. This will give you and your partner the opportunity to get to know them and let them learn more about the companies.
2. Search out a partnership with the same values. It’s important to find a business with the same core values as you. Having a partnership is truly reflective on you. If their reputation or values aren’t great, that reflects on you. However, maybe you share the same philanthropy, this will get your business noticed and build you a good image among potential clients.
3. Create a rewards program. Even if you’re a small business, you can still create a rewards program. How does this work with a partnership? One way is that you can let your clients work towards getting a coupon, discount or even a freebie in your store. Then, you can let your customers work towards getting credit with your partner. Your partner can do the same thing as well. It benefits both of you by hopefully gaining new clients.

Can your store use a partnership to gain new customers? Are these ways that can be effectively implemented into your store? Building the right partnership can truly be Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Reach a New Audience with Partnerships” »

There are many forms of marketing that you may be using to promote your business. However, it’s smart to use only the strategies that are working for you. You must use the strategy that reaches your target market. So, is direct mail one of them? This week’s marketing tip will focus on helping you create a strong direct mail strategy.

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   Marketing Tip
   The Letter - Yes, the envelope has to be creative for them to open it for the first few times, but if the letter isn’t interesting it will definitely end up in the trash. Make sure the letter contains useful information in a creative context.
2. Create a Deadline - Create a sense of urgency for your customers to respond. Whether it’s a sale or a special in your store, always create a deadline. If they think it’s always at your store, they won’t feel the need to visit and then they’ll soon forget. Creating urgency requires them to spring into action.
3. Information - Don’t forget to include your phone number, address, email and URL in the header of the letter. They’ll be able to easily locate it.
4. Testimonials - Including testimonials in your direct mail campaign is always a wonderful idea. Use quotes from your customers that love shopping with you and even include their photo if they don’t mind being featured. It shows that you connect with your customers and makes you more trustworthy.
5. A Little Incentive - Give your customers a little incentive for coming into your store. They can even bring the direct mail piece they received to ensure they saw it and are reading it. An incentive, like a discount, is always a nice little way to entice your customers more.

Direct mailing may work for your business, but do you have a strong strategy? These tips will help ensure you have a strong direct mail campaign to attract more Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Create a Strong Direct Mail Strategy” »

It’s important to stand out among your competitors now. With so much to compete with, you have to stand out to be noticed. How do you get noticed though? This week’s marketing tip will focus on how to stand out against your competitors and gain those profits. Make your presence known.

Define Yourself - It’s important that you have a clearly defined brand.

Brand Awareness - Create a cohesive brand awareness. Make everything from flow from one thing to another. People reocgnize your brand so you want to make sure everything matches. If they see your store front sign as something and then your business card with a different logo, they may think it’s a different company. So, make sure everything goes together.

Engage Your Customers - Be engaging with your customers in all forms of marketing. Grab their attention and give them a reason to visit you. Research what catches your target market’s attention and the best way to reach them.

Integrated Marketing & Social Media Platform - Connect, engage and interact with your customers through all forms of marketing that is used to best reach your target market. This is a great way to reach all your customers and to build a relationship with them.

Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – How to Stand Out” »

Twitter isn’t about gaining the most followers that you can. Most of your followers will never actually have any involvement with your brand. And, companies never actually engage with their followers to add value. How do you make the most with Twitter? FGmarket’s marketing tip will focus on turning your followers into customers.

Engage Your Followers - Instead of focusing on how many you actually have, start giving your followers engagement. You want quality followers instead of quantity; the ones that will follow you back. You are targeting your target market on Twitter.

Give Them Something to Read – Establish your brand through your tweets. Make sure you tweet valuable content to your customers about your business. Tell them about exciting updates or ongoing sales in your store. Give them something that will attain their attention.

Respond Promptly to Your Followers - You want to show your customers that you care about them. They may give you a shout out, re-tweet one of your tweets, ask questions or have a problem with your product. Make sure you respond to them. It could be a thanks or you can tell them you sent them a direct message so you can deal with their issue that they’re having with your business. This shows that you actually pay attention to them.

Be Fun with Your Tweets - Of course, give them something more than just what’s going on with your business. If you find great articles about something related to your industry or exciting events going on in the world, tweet them. Your followers may get tired of just reading about your business, so offer them up something exciting Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Engage Your Twitter Followers” »

Now is a great time to assess your business. Analyzing your sales, your business role in your industry and inventory of all things are a great place to start. It’s important to size up your business from time to time to know exactly where you stand and to understand it completely. So, this week’s marketing tip will focus on taking stock of your business.

Taking Stock of Your Products

First, analyze your sales. Are you making profit and do your products align? It’s also a great time to take a look at what you didn’t sell. You’ll understand what’s working in your store as well as what’s not. Do you have products that are selling very well or noticing new trends? Or, have you noticed a decline in some of your products? Now is the time to analyze sales and products. This will help increase your revenue.

Taking Stock of YOU

It’s also a great time to understand your role in your business. Your business may have grown since last year and it may be hard to juggle all the responsibilities. Maybe it’s time to delegate out some of those responsibilities. You’ll be more successful focusing on what you love to do. You may be running around taking care of marketing, accounting, social media, customer service and various other tasks. Start delegating priorities or even hire new employees. Once you’re free of those tasks, you can really focus on what you love to do, which will truly help your business grow even more.

So, analyze your business and see what you need to eliminate, add or delegate out. Take a look at your business and understand what’s going on throughout it’s entirety. Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Taking Stock” »

One of your main priorities for your business is marketing your store so you can attract new customers. It’s important that you get new faces into your door so you can increase sales, as well as actually growing your business. So, this week’s marketing tip will focus on ways to attract new clients.

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   Marketing Tip
   Who is your target market - Who are you even trying to target? Which target market and you marketing your business to?
2. Understand what your customers want - They key to attracting new customers is actually understanding them. What products best suit your target market and what’s the best way to market to them? Answer these questions to understand them. Once you do, you can start attracting new consumers.
3. Serve them up what they want - Once you completely understand what they want, you know how to achieve their desires. Package your services or products to them that will achieve the end result they are wanting. You know them, understand what they want, so now it’s time to figure out how to deliver them just that.
4. Create an offer they can’t refuse - You’ve offered them exactly what they’re wanting, they can’t refuse. It’s all about understanding your customers and knowing what they want.
5. Now, go find them - So, you’ve defined your target market, understood what they want, figured out the end result and how to achieve that, now it’s time to go find them. Where can you market your store so they’ll see? What publications do they read, television stations or are they more prone to be reached through the radio? You know this, since you understand them. Just make sure you market to them where they can be reached.

Attracting new clients is simple, you just have to understand them. Knowing what they like, dislike and where they can be reached is essential. Once you know this, Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Attracting New Clients” »

Spring is here! Now is the time to refresh your store. Clean up and revamp your marketing tactics. If you made New Year’s resolutions, now is the time to figure out whether they’re working or not, as well as evaluating your store. So, in honor of spring, FGmarket’s marketing tip will focus on tidying up for your store for the new season.

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  Marketing Tip
  Get Rid of the Old - Look at ALL your materials. Is anything old or outdated? If so, get rid of it. However, if you see some that could be of use later, save it and re-purpose it. You may find items have an old phone number, logo or even address. Now is the time to toss it out.
• Update Your Social Presence - Update cover photos, profile pictures, new store hours and store information. It doesn’t hurt to go through your Tweets or posts to see what grabbed your customer’s attention. You can start incorporating the ones that worked more into your routine.
• All About Timing - Timing is everything right? Pull out your marketing calendar and see what you have or haven’t got planned. How are things spaced out, too close or too far apart? Do you have marketing campaigns for holidays and are you promoting them enough beforehand? It’s all about timing and reaching your customers at the right time.
• Check Out Your Search Results - How are you ranking? If you haven’t researched or checked out how you’re ranking in a while, now might be the time. Google is always changing up on how they rank pages. It’s your job to stay up-to-date on all this and make sure your website is adjusted accordingly.
• Time for an Update? - Is it time to update your brochures, business cards, website or store? Now is the time to do it. Do you feel as if your look is outdated Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Spring Cleaning” »

How can you better your business? There are many ways you can try, but the best is to get feedback from your customers. Your customers know first hand what they would like to see from you. How do you get that feedback though? FGmarket’s marketing tip will focus on how you can ask for the information to better your store.

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   Marketing Tip
   Ask Them - The easiest way to get feedback is to just ask them. What would they like to see in your store or what services would they like? They’ll give you their honest opinion and it may help better your store.
2. Your Own Customer - Rate your own business. Act like you’re visiting any other store and rate yourself. Yes, it’s hard to critique your own business, but it works if you look at it from a non-bias set of eyes. If you see things you don’t like, you know you must change it.
3. Questionnaires & Surveys – Ask customers to fill out surveys and questionnaires when they check out or even mail it out to them. Having them put it in writing is a great way to learn about your business. Sometimes when you ask, they may feel intimidated and not want to tell you the truth at the risk of hurting feelings or making someone angry. Tell them you want their ideas so you can offer them the best that you can.
4. Your Staff - Ask your staff. They work with your customers everyday, so they know first hand. What have they heard from your customers or problems that are Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Getting Feedback” »

Email marketing may be a big part of your business plan. This is actually one of the most cost-effective tools to help market your business. Customers who opt in have the chance to build a great relationship with you and this is a great way to learn more about you. How do you get consumers to subscribe to your email campaigns? FGmarket’s marketing tip of the week will focus on getting those subscribers.

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   Marketing Tip
   Create a prominent call to action on your website or in store – Make your sign up visible. the more people who can see it, the more subscribers you will likely get. Also, make sure it’s up top. Most consumers will more than likely not scroll all the way down to the bottom of your page. They may skim through it, but they’re not going to read word for word.
2. Make it visible on every page - Normally, you just find it on the homepage. People may not always land on your homepage when they first visit your site, depending on what they search for. Therefore, having it on every page increases the chances that they will see it and want to sign up.
3. Ask - If people can show on your website, give them an option to sign up for deals and coupons before they check out. You can even ask in store. When consumers make purchases, ask them if they would like to sign up to be in the know of what’s going on in your store.
4. Ask subscribers to forward to friends - Word of mouth is a great way to get new subscribers, however, it must be interesting enough for people to want to pass it on. You may also want to give your current subscribers incentive to actually forward it along to their friends.
5. Have a link to past issues - This gives them an example of what they are signing up for. You must make sure your emails are intriguing enough to make them Continue reading “Marketing Tip of the Week – Get More Email Subscribers” »