Whether you are just getting started with your new business development plans or whether your are attempting to grow a business that has been in place for some time, it is easy to waste your time on ineffective marketing. Many times, business owners will try to make a big thrust by running a large ad in a local newspaper or a television commercial during the most expensive time slot. While these will probably be seen, they most likely won’t have much impact because there is often no repetition. The business owner runs them once (or a few times) and then simply stops with the conclusion that advertising doesn’t work. In order to achieve results from any form of advertising, you need repetition of your message. This has always been true, but it’s even more important with the number of marketing messages that today’s consumers are presented each day.

So, if you are set to embark on an advertising campaign to promote your business, consider focusing on  the below four proven basic promotion building blocks before you try higher risk, higher cost and less proven methods.  Then grow your business from this foundation.

Business cards — Of course, are necessary for effective networking and sales calls. Don’t overlook the abundant ways you might distribute them. Give your cards out to everyone you come in contact with and give more than one out at a time. Business cards are a low cost building block for any business to use for introductions and promotions.  (copy the following link in your browser address bar for a story on how one business claims business cards were their most important advertising asset: http://www.galleriaventures.com/articles/how_important_are_your_business_cards.htm)

Direct mail postcards — Sending an advertisement to a list of 50,000 is NOT required to be effective with direct mail advertising.  Developing a consistent and repeatable message is far more important for success. You could create 1,000 postcards with your advertisement printed on them. Then put on the required postage and address labels yourself.  Mail out 50 or 100 of your postcard advertisement to the identical targeted listing each week.  As you start receiving some return in increased sales from this, you can commence to increase the size of your mailing listing. You have just created a direct mail marketing campaign with carefully controlled costs which will not increase until you see a return from the advertisement investment.

Web site presence — Any business that ignores having a presence is not taking advantage of one of the lowest cost ways to promote their what they have to offer.  Plain and simple, they are only hurting their chances of success. Web sites aren’t just for e-commerce, nor are they just for large companies. These days, people use the internet for comparing companies and without a web site, you’re out of the running. You don’t need all of the bells and whistles, but you do need a web site presence that is easy to find and easy to understand.  (like your postcard and business card).  If you are easy to find and it is easy to understand what you offer, you are in the running to win business over to you.

Network — many networking functions can be located around most any city or town. Since you may find you are short on time when your business is open, you may need to concentrate on the functions that run after your business hours.  In a lot of cases, these networking functions are offered at no cost, consequently your major expenditure is your time. Participation in these networking functions gives one considerable opportunity to converse with potential prospects without the distractions one has to face during regular business hours. All that is required to be effective is a small number of business cards, a charming smile and a friendly attitude.

If in your business development plans you concentrate on these four proven building blocks for marketing your business you will create a strong marketing foundation.  You do not even have to do all these at once, but you ought to do these before you spend your time and money on things like search engine optimization, television and radio advertising, or billboards. Start growing your business from a strong marketing foundation and then you can add more to your marketing campaign.

So how can we help?

At SedonaDPS.com we are offering a basic marketing foundation package.  It is a package of three services to cover 3 of the building blocks  (we cannot do your networking for you).   The three services are:

  1. Design and printing of business cards.
  2. Design and printing of marketing postcards. ( we can add mailing services )
  3. Design, setup, and updating of a basic business website.  ( we can add hosting services )

One advantage of working with us on this marketing foundation is that we can tie the design work on all three building blocks together to give your business a recognizable branding which gives greater repetitive value to your marketing.

Since this is a step-by-step process we recommend starting with the business cards.  We will work on this design first.  Then after we achieve your approval on the design and printing order, we will move on to the next step of designing your marketing postcard.  Then similarly we move on to the website after we have your postcard design completed.  For your website, similarly, there will be a charge only after you have approved of the design.

What is the package deal ?

It is a discount of 20% on our normal printing pricing for working with us on all three building blocks.

Get Started:

There is no cost or risk to you to start.  You only pay for your business cards and postcards when you put in a printing order.

So if you are interested in taking advantage of our Marketing Foundation package then please use the form on our Inquiry Page to send us a message and select the Interested in Marketing Foundation subject.  We should quickly reply by the next working day.  We look forward to working on these building blocks for your business’s marketing foundation.