There are so many businesses out there that finding a way to make your stand out amongst them can seem near impossible. While being noticed is rarely easy, it can be done. With the competition nipping at your heels, you have to use every trick at your disposal, to leave the competition in the dust. Ways to make an impression that lasts:

Work your butt off.

When you have a client that comes to you to solve their problems, whether through a product or service, do everything in your power to make them happy. Bend over backwards for them, dance for them, eat off the floor, anything as long as they know you WANT to help them. If you cannot solve their problem, then being able to recommend someone that can, can make for a memorable conversation. People remember when someone helps them, as well as when someone tries all they can to get them what they need.

When you make a promise to your customers, never back out.

If this means you have to run outside naked in freezing temperatures, then do it. Your character in business, as in life, is everything. Never promise something that you may not be able to deliver. Promise less, and give more. Make your customers feel special, and they will want to seek your services in the future. They will also be more likely to recommend you to their friends and associates.

Adapt your business before you have to.

Don’t wait for a major downfall to happen before adjusting your techniques. Find novel ways to do business, even if what you have been doing in the past is working. Give your customers new reasons to need you. Make your business as versatile as possible. Give your customers new products and services to try. You will run into people who don’t care for change, but the ones that do, will more than make up for them.

Do things that are unexpected.

Give your most loyal customers an occasional gift. Nothing fancy, just a token that reminds them that you cherish their business. Just do not give then any reason to think that you are trying to bribe them to buy you products or services. When you know your clients personally, you can make them feel special by offering things they find interesting.

Stay in touch with your customers.

Many people do not do this nearly enough. Just call to see how they are doing.  Don’t use it as a sales call. Let them know that you care, and are thinking of them. If you go on vacation, send your clients a postcard. Do things that are out of the norm, and you will be surprised how it can take your business to the top.

To understand the importance and the value of direct marketing you need to understand what a powerful marketing tool this technique can be.  Although this is considered to be a marketing sub-discipline, it is still a viable technique that is constantly being employed in most promotional campaigns.  Despite techniques currently employed in both offline and online sectors, direct marketing is still one of the most cost-effective, efficient, and profitable forms of advertising.

What Differentiates Direct Marketing from Other Types of Advertising Venues?

There are two distinct aspects that differentiate direct marketing from all other types of promotional techniques.  Most importantly, direct marketing techniques attempt to deliver messages directly to the consumer without media intervention.  In other words, commercial communication venues such as direct mail, e-mail, or telemarketing are just a few of the venues of choice.

Secondly, purchases that are stimulated by a particular “call to action”, namely those utilized in e-mail marketing on the internet or sales letters, have proven themselves to be a viable option when it comes to direct marketing and a good return on that investment.  Additionally, these forms of direct marketing rely heavily on measurable or trackable results based on customer response.

Why is Direct Marketing so Effective during Lean Economic Times?

Based on the above aspects, direct marketing is often referred to as “direct response marketing.” In other words, if the consumer is asked to take a certain course of action, such as calling a toll-free number or visiting a specific website, this promotional effort is referred to as “direct response marketing.”  It is the type of marketing that evokes a response by the consumer.

Characteristically, there are 10 different channels of direct response marketing inclusive of the following:

• broadcast (or bulk) faxing
• coupons
• direct mail and business card exchange
• direct selling
• direct response TV marketing
• door-to-door leaflet distribution
• e-mail marketing
• integrated marketing campaigns
• telemarketing
• voicemail messaging

From an economic standpoint, direct response marketing involves interaction between an advertiser and consumers, therefore eliminating the middle man such as a distributor or a retailer.  This is an ideal advertising venue when local, state, or national economies are in a downswing and every business is literally counting their pennies.  There are 4 primary elements that are characteristic of direct response marketing:

• an introductory offer
• explicit consumer information regarding the product or service
• a specific “call to action”
• means of responding to the offer – e.g. an e-mail address, a toll free telephone number, or a website URL

The Pros and Cons of Direct Marketing

Since the positive effects of direct marketing can be measured or tracked, this is an attractive form of advertising.  Typically, a 1% response factor is acceptable and equally profitable.  In other words, if you send out a million solicitations and 10,000 consumers respond to this, you’re considered successful with this endeavor.  Conversely, certain direct marketing techniques are criticized as being intrusive solicitations.  For example, direct mail that overloads your mailbox is considered “junk mail” and unwanted e-mail messages are considered to be SPAM.

Now that you have those shiny new business cards, what will you do with them? Far too many people leave their cards sitting inside of the box that they came in. Not only is this a waste of time and money, it is also the farthest thing from a good marketing strategy. Instead of leaving them inside of a box or locked away inside of a drawer, learn how to make your business cards work for you on a daily basis.

First of all, invest in one or two sleek business card holders. Taking your cards out of a new card holder always looks better than removing a few crumpled cards from your pocket. When someone else hands you their card, take the time to put it inside of your card holder – this will show the other person that you are handling their card with care and attention.

Next, keep your cards inside of pockets, wallets, and purses. Get into the habit of putting a few cards into every jacked pocket that you have – you never know who you’re going to meet! It’s also a good idea to place a few cards inside of your car. When you keep your cards handy, you are far more likely to hand them out regularly.

Now you’ll want to think about ways to network. If you are offering a local service that many people in your town might find useful, consider placing a few cards on a local restaurant or supermarket bulletin board. If you want to be even more selective, try and think of those locations that are in direct connection with your business. For example, if you offer homemade meals to go, then a local gourmet food shop might be a good place to leave a couple of cards.

Finally, never give up an opportunity to hand out a card or two. Whether you are sending a postcard or writing down a phone number, always think of ways to get your card out there. You never know who might pass along your card, or who might be interested in the services that you offer. Business cards can really be effective marketing tools if you know how to use them the right way. No matter what you decide to do with those cards, make sure to get them out of the box that they came in – they won’t generate any business if they can’t be seen!

You’ve done it! It is perfect! The design is unique, sure to pull the reader in. Your message is clear with a great hook line. Everyone on the team agrees this piece is sure to get a great response rate. All that is left is the envelope. Oh yeah… The envelope…

If a direct mail envelope had a title, it would be Director of First Impressions, yet too often it is an afterthought in planning a campaign. It doesn’t matter how effective the materials inside are; if the envelope exudes ’same old stuff’ it is doomed to the recycle bin unopened. It’s estimated that this is the fate of nearly half of the mailings sent. The question is how to pique the curiosity of your target market and make sure that your message (and all your hard work) is not for naught.

When designing a mailing, it is useful to think of the envelope as the store window of the direct mail world. There are plenty of ways to draw people in. You just need to decide what way will work best and most contribute to your campaign.

Custom printing is a great way to pull your market in. With words or images you can convey a clear message of what to expect within.  Tag lines and teasers can hint at what is to come if they’ll just break the seal and look inside. Envelope design should be used to enhance your piece as a whole, to reinforce your message, not just as a tool for luring the consumer in.

Consider the paper your envelope is made of. Envelopes are tactile as well as visual. Do you want the envelope to feel sleek in their hands, conveying a hint of glamour? Try a smooth coated sheet. If you are marketing high-end quality products, think of stationary envelopes made of uncoated paper with a textured finish. A watermark and diagonal seam construction are also subtle marks of investment.  If you seek to convey a message of environmental stewardship, consider using an envelope made of recycled or alternate fiber. Don’t forget to incorporate eco logos into your design too.

Envelopes of varied shapes and sizes attract attention. Consumers associate different sized envelopes with their content. Baronial and A-Style (also called announcement style) envelopes suggest an invitation. Catalog envelopes, which are larger with a center seam construction, suggest official documents are enclosed. Unusual or custom shapes and sizes may work to your advantage by removing preconceived association and eliciting curiosity.

With all of these options, be sure to keep a few logistical factors in mind. Custom sized envelopes take time to manufacture and can be cost prohibitive. If your piece is being prepared for mailing on automated inserting equipment, know the equipment capabilities. Likewise, to take advantage of USPS bulk mailing rates you should be sure your piece meets their standards.

Keep these things in mind, take your time on the envelope design, and your piece is sure to get a great response rate!

A lack of self-confidence can be detrimental to your success as a salesperson. Learning to have more confidence in yourself as a salesperson is not something that magically happens overnight. It can happen though, with a little more belief in your own abilities.

While cold calling prospects is enough to send shivers up anyone’s spine, when you are excessively shy, or have little confidence in your own abilities it can make it torture. Some people just generally go with the flow. If the customer tells you he isn’t interested, you say ok, and hang up. To make the sale, you have to realize that sometimes the customer doesn’t know what they need. It is up to you to prove to them that they need your service or product. Learning to do this is not always easy. You have to learn to be more assertive, and convincing. This can only happen through confidence in yourself, and what you want to accomplish as a business owner.

In networking, you may feel like you wish you could dissolve into the floor. You are not the only one. Almost everyone feels shy and apprehensive at social gatherings sometimes. It takes time and practice to get to where you feel comfortable talking to others, and convincing them that you can provide them with a needed service unlike anyone else. Practice is the key word in learning to get rid of your shyness.

To build up your confidence level, practice selling to friends and family. They will be able to tell you if your strategy is working or not. Have faith in your services and abilities, and it will show in everything that you do. Your potential customers will know right away that you are a professional on a mission to get the job done for them.

When you call a potential customer, make them believe in you too. Let them know why you can do a better job, and that your skills are unique. Selling yourself can be hard, but it is crucial to having a profitable business. Open up to customers and make them see you for who you really are. Let them see the hard working, caring side that wants to please their customers. By putting yourself into positions where you must interact with others, you can effectively begin to get over your confidence issues, and become a much better salesperson.

When you lack confidence, it makes selling anything to people a difficult ordeal. With practice, and belief in your own abilities, you can become the salesperson you always wanted to be.

The postcard. It’s a common enough piece of paper. Most people are familiar with it and it’s been in circulation for decades. But believe it or not, there are still things you can do with postcards that sell your business or promote yourself in a whole new way. I know! I was just as surprised as you are. But I’ve come across a few tips that should revamp your outlook on postcards. What follows are three ideas to keep your marketing fresh and, as an added bonus, best utilize any leftover card stock you may have.

A Coupon Built In

One way to use postcards is to make the entire thing a coupon. Sure, there should be your company logo and a few words about your company on it. Address, location and other contact information are a must as well. But instead of investing hours of time in designing a compelling graphic, instead print a coupon on the card.

Not only will this move inform potential customers about your business, but it will also give them a reason to stop by your website or physical store. And that’s half the battle right there. Plus, a coupon offering makes it much more likely recipients will actually make a purchase.

Announce a Special Prize

Business postcards are an excellent way to get people into your store, but sometimes, you have to give something away to get business. Instead of making your postcards the standard advertisement, let your potential customers know that if they come to your store-or visit your website-they will receive a free gift.

It’s really as simple as that. Half the battle is getting people into your store, so by offering up a free gift of some sort-it doesn’t have to be expensive-you can eliminate some of that hard work. People are attracted by their very nature to the word “free” so by indulging your audience, you make customers happy and boost your chances of doing business.

Get With the Season

Being timely is a great way to appeal to potential customers. That means advertising for the major holidays and seasons of the year. You can include just about anything you want in these seasonal postcards, just make sure the content and imagery is relevant and enticing.

The whole point of this sort of seasonal postcard is to help your customers or potential customers remember you. You might feel uncomfortable about sending out a postcard every few months to people in your target market, but you shouldn’t. Consumers are flooded with information from advertisers on a daily basis, so you have to work your hardest to stand out. A postcard that arrives a few weeks before Christmas, let’s say, should show an image that is reflective of the season (a snowman, a fireplace or perhaps, stockings?) but even more importantly feature an offer or ad that entices people to come into your store or visit your website.

So far, the articles presented on this website have focused on how to make money using Twitter. Suppose that you operate a non profit organization. Can you benefit from using Twitter? Yes you can.

Non profit groups often provide their members with business cards. Each of those cards could have a Twitter account printed on it. The non profit group issuing those cards could then use its Twitter account to expand the size of its membership.

Suppose you run an organization that seeks to improve the environment. By demonstrating your group’s concern for the environment, you could attract other “nature lovers.” You need to make use of a Twitter account.

Your organization should put out information about new laws and regulations that relate to the environment. By having a Twitter account, your organization should find it easy to share updates on new laws and regulations. By having its Twitter account on a business card, your organization could encourage potential members to check out the information that your organization has sought to make public.

Suppose that you run an organization that seeks to help patients who suffer from a particular health condition. In that case, you might want to send out a notice on Twitter each time that researchers announce a finding that relates to the condition in which your organization wants to demonstrate a special interest. Your organization might also want to announce via Twitter the release of new drugs or health aids, whenever those items can benefit the group that your organization wants to help.