Every time the Garden Center Group calls to hire me as a speaker for their annual fall convention, I’m compelled to ask, “Aren’t you guys sick of me yet?” But secretly, I’m always delighted to get the call.

Over the years, I have taught members of the group about the financial efficiency of advertising on the radio vs. other forms of media. I’ve given workshops where individuals learn how to write different kinds of copy to different female customer segments. And last fall, I plunged them headfirst into the deep end of social media, introducing them to the power of Facebook.

What I love about the Garden Center Group is that no matter what topic I choose, the attendees are like sponges. And they don’t just listen – they DO.

Case in point: Grossman’s Country Nursery, based in Rochester, NY.

After our last workshop, Larry and Frances Grossman returned to Rochester and immediately set up a Facebook page for their business. Ever the long-term vision type of folks, they took the “build it slowly” perspective. Visit their Facebook page and you find a commitment to fans that few local businesses provide – direct contact with customers; blog posts on gardening tips; photo albums of gardens and “before/after” shots; even videos of on-site events.

I emailed Larry, asking how it was going for them in this economy. Here’s an excerpt of his reply after a recent, highly successful event that grossed them tens of thousands of dollars over what was expected:

“Retail sales are keeping pace with last year, people love the LG connection on the business side along with the blog tied in to both the website and Facebook. Day to day I head up Design/Build and am booked out to mid July; again my connection to the customer…

And from a profit perspective, traditional advertising expense is way down from last year. We don’t do paper ads. Nothing has been on sale either. Gotta love sending the dollars to my bottom line instead of slinging mud against the wall. HooAh!”

If you’re on Facebook, look up Grossman’s Country Nursery and see how they’re using social media to not only benefit the bottom line, but also create a lifetime connection with their customers.

Not interested in Facebook? Then you might want to consider picking up your marbles - I think I hear your mother calling.
 

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Last September I spent an entire lunch hour hunkered over a picnic table in deep discussion about the power of social media and Twitter in particular.  At the time, Wayne Hastings (Senior VP of mega-publisher Thomas Nelson) said, “I just don’t get the point of this Twitter thing.”  By the end of the hour (having been coached by me and a couple of colleagues from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association), Wayne agreed to explore it more thoroughly and give it a try.

Fast-forward 7 months.  Yesterday, the Washington Times wrote an article about the brilliant use of Twitter by none other than Thomas Nelson Publishers.  With one Twitter post - offering a free download of an ENTIRE Bible that will be published next August - - they captured the attention of readers, the notice of reporters, and the hearts of consumers around the globe.  Read more about it here.

Publishers – indeed, businesses of all sizes – face critical economic challenges.  Now is the time for thinking beyond your own backyard.  How do YOU connect?  Are you plugged in to the future of online communication?  If not, you’re missing many marketing and customer-building opportunities.
 

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I order clothes from J. Crew.  I know my size, so a lot of my ordering is done online.

When I opened the package of a recent order, this card was carefully placed on top:

Acknowledging and thanking your loyal customers is probably the most effective marketing tool you can use during a recession; and if it’s like the card from J. Crew, it costs only pennies.  

When was the last time you thanked your customers for hanging in there with you?
 

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As a marketing consultant, writer, and presenter, I am often asked how I "stay on top" of all I have to do on a daily basis.

I’ve read my share of books and articles on time management and have tried various systems and electronic alternatives.  But they all seem just, well… so complicated.  I always end up returning to my tried and true process, which involves the basics of pen and paper.

Here’s what I do to not only stay organized but also overcome that dreaded feeling of being overwhelmed:

1.  Determine Your Life Categories.  I have created a set of six “categories” or roles in my life under which tasks can be listed.  My life categories happen to be:

- Personal
- Family/Friend
- Business Owner
- Advertising/Marketing Consultant
- Writer
- Speaker

I would recommend no more than six categories – you can certainly have less.  Your categories will be different from mine, but remember that you need at least ONE personal category.  If you’re not giving time to your personal life, you’re not living in balance.

2.  Purge Your Brain.  Once a week (usually on the weekend), I spend 15 minutes purging my brain of all the thoughts and tasks that literally haunt me.  I create a free-flow list of all tasks, to-do’s and worries that play pinball inside my head.  If I were to leave them there, they would eventually clog all neural pathways and anxiety would cause me to implode.  Try making a free-flow list.  Don’t worry about getting organized - just get the list out of your head.  More often than not, you’ll discover that what you’re writing down is less significant and more manageable on paper than it was inside your head.

3.  Make Your Weekly List.  I then spend 5-10 minutes going through my latest “purge” list to determine what are the most important achievable tasks ONLY for the coming week.  I mark them with an asterisk, then list them under whichever “category” they best fit.  I usually put no more than 3-4 things per category; otherwise the list is unachievable and ends up leaving me overwhelmed.  

Looking at my week on a calendar, I schedule time in for “appointments” - exercise, phone calls, meetings, and time for family.  The week is then laid out before me and I can see which days have more “work time” blocks as opposed to “appointment” blocks.  This helps me determine how many tasks to assign to each day ahead.

4.  Create A Daily List.  Each evening, I sit down for 5 minutes and create a “daily” list of what is to be accomplished the next day.   My “appointments” are already scheduled, so I know exactly how much time I have for that day and can prioritize (from my weekly list) exactly what needs to be done.  By creating the daily list the night before, I can go to sleep without worrying (too much) about what needs to be done and I wake up with a plan in place for the day.

What kind of tool should you use to make this system work?  I use a large Moleskine notebook, divided by Post-It Notes into three sections.  The first third of my notebook is used to write down my ongoing “purge” lists, the middle third for my “weekly” lists, and the last third for “daily” lists.

I have also used a loose-leaf calendar system with paper in the back for “purge” and “weekly” lists, and a daily calendar in the front with room for plugging in appointments and making daily lists.

Give this basic system a try.  It may not be as fancy or complex as Getting Things Done, but it's great for "getting things out of your head."  And it just might be enough to alleviate anxiety, helping you achieve all you’re capable of achieving.
 

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In a recession, too many businesses act from a position of panic, scrambling with ideas and distractions that are aimed at getting new customers in the door.

But you’re smarter than that, right?

You’ve probably realized that in today’s economy, an important strategy you should implement is the one that focuses like a laser beam on your already-existing customers.  You need to find a way that keeps you connected with your customer base even when they’re not in your store or office – a way to show your appreciation and extend your business’ brand.

Maybe in the past, you relied on email newsletters.  But with changes in society, culture, and technology, more customers than ever are looking for opportunities to have a conversation with you, not just be “talked at.”

If you’re interested in having an honest-to-goodness conversation with your customers, then Facebook is for you.  What began as a way for high school students to communicate with each other has evolved into a highly sophisticated, easy-to-use tool for businesses to create an open-ended customizable communication vehicle.

You can register for your free Facebook account and set up a page that features your business in less than ten minutes (often less than five).  Through your page, you can accumulate “fans” or “friends,” strengthening your already-existing customer base and letting your fans share the word about how great you are with other potential customers (remember: word-of-mouth is the most powerful form of marketing).   

Some advantages of Facebook are:
 

• It’s very easy to use, and a tool that reaches customers of all ages
• It allows you to offer “Facebook Friends” discounts or special offers, which means it’s both trackable and measurable for effectiveness
• It gives you a chance to strengthen your business brand with “inside” stories, photos, etc. of you and your staff
• It’s an excellent launching pad for contests – another great word-of-mouth generator
• It’s perfect for creating a real, authentic “conversation” with your customers – they can add comments, make suggestions, etc. in a way that’s community-based, safe, and full of enthusiasm.
• It’s FREE!

This week, why not take ten minutes to explore the advantages of Facebook, and its world of 150 million active users?  It’s an excellent marketing strategy for today… and tomorrow.
 

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Looking to start a new business that can sail the choppy waters of today’s economy?  Give some thought to opening a thrift shop or consignment store.

Goodwill reports that store revenue has increased 15% in the past year - $38 million and only 24 stores across the U.S.  These stores have become a must-visit on any shopping trip, especially with kids heading back to school and parents who are tightening their economic belts.

My Sister's Closet is one of the most successful local businesses in the Phoenix Valley with 11 resale boutiques and a reported 25% revenue increase in 2008.  Tamra Thomas of the Name Brand Exchange store says, "It is crazy busy right at this time.  People are selling clothes to get money for vacation, save up for college or for gas.  We make at least $10,000 to $15,000 more a month in sales than we did five years ago."

With relatives who have successfully run consignment shops in the past, I can tell you there’s fertile ground for profit (especially in today’s economy).  But there’s also more hard work than you’d ever guess.  If you think consignment might be an avenue to explore, check out Too Good to Be Threw, the website, blog and book that can answer all your questions and help you get started.

Who knew that Second Hand Rose just might be the richest person in town?
 

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Three, to be exact.  

Chapters 44, 58, and 59 in Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads discuss in great detail what it takes to create an effective long-term branding campaign on radio and/or TV.

In essence, sleep is the great eraser of memory – in order for yours to be the business that customers think of first and foremost when needing your product or service, they must come in contact with your ad approximately three times per week.  In the advertising business, it’s called a “Frequency” of 3.

As a Wizard of Ads partner, I work day-in and day-out using this rule with my own clients, to great success.  Yet it was only recently that I became the puppet rather than the puppeteer:

In the last ten years, the population of greater metropolitan Phoenix (AZ) has grown from 1.3 million to 3.8 million.  There are literally thousands of realtors, but only one who has had the smarts to make a valley-wide impact.

As an independent realtor, Russell Shaw started advertising approximately five years ago with what had to have been the most miniscule of budgets.  Instead of pouring his money into newspaper advertising (the traditional media of realtors nationwide), he chose television, which can be expensive.  But Russell was smart.  He figured out that the best use of his budget was to buy one ad per night during the 5 o’clock news hour.  Every single night, that one ad would air at the same time.  And since folks tend to have a favorite local news network, he was repeatedly planting that seed in the same minds.

The message in Russell’s ads is acceptable; Russell himself is annoying.  I’m talking a syrupy delivery with a nasal voice quality that has caused me to dash for the remote more times than I can count.  I can hurry all I want to and switch channels, but guess what?  Over the last five years, Russell has slowly re-invested his profit into buying the same ad on all the other networks.  Apparently I can run, but I can’t hide.  I’ve come to hate the Russell Shaw ads.

So the other day I was talking with a friend who’s thinking of moving to Phoenix.  At one point during the conversation she said, “What I really need is a good realtor.”

My response?  “Well, there’s Russell Shaw…”

Hoisted on my own petard.

Points to remember:

1.  Buy smart advertising that will get you the most Frequency.  Even if all you can afford is a monthly postcard, make the message smart and keep sending the regular postcard out to the same group of people.  Embed your message into their brain then wait for their moment of need.

2.  Re-invest your growing revenue into an expansion of advertising.  If you’ve achieved maximum impact with your current mode of advertising, don’t abandon it – add on to it.  Russell Shaw is the perfect example of giving a small ad budget the power of a jackhammer.

3.  If people think your ads are annoying, that’s not a bad thing.  If you get calls and emails saying that your ad is annoying (ads in poor taste are another matter altogether), it means you’re making an impact.  And that ain’t bad.  Would you rather have an ad that leaves people remembering who you are and what you do, or a middle-of-the-road ad that the brain ignores altogether?  I’ll take annoying any day.

When you have advertising constraints, go for Frequency – done right, it hits the mark every time.

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If you’re a small business with a bite-sized advertising budget, there are two things you can do TODAY to improve your bottom line.

First, read everything on this site that Clay Campbell has written (he’s our “no dog is too small” expert) and order a copy of “Get Big Results From Your Small Ad Budget – More Bang for Your Marketing Buck.”  Clay really roots for the underdog, and shares his wisdom and expertise in a way that will inspire and encourage you to achieve more than you thought possible.

Second, consider joining the Society for Word of Mouth, a Facebook-type social media network for small business owners, marketing execs, consultants, and authors.  It’s a free service that will connect you with some of the brightest minds in the business.  And be sure to spend some time on the site reading through case studies that individuals just like you and me are posting.  It’s not uncommon for a small business owner to post a question about how to promote her local business and have thirty experts chime in with advice that you’d otherwise pay thousands of dollars for.

You can succeed with limited marketing dollars – it’s all about making the highest and most efficient use of them.  Why not let the experts help?
 

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A great, newer resource that a lot of folks aren’t aware of yet is the Small Business section of The New York Times.  It’s filled with articles, breaking news and my favorite, the “Tool Kit” for entrepreneurs.

One article that recently caught my eye was Harnessing the Simple, but Effective Art of Referral Marketing.  There, the experts give the following advice for getting business referrals:

1.  Start by making a list of all the people who might be a referral source for you. These may include people you do business with, such as your banker, accountant, attorney, printer, consultant, broker, and so on. This list will also include at least some of your existing clients.

2.  Zero in on the people who are already frequently recommending prospects to you. “Almost always, you’ll have better results by developing stronger relationships with a few referral sources rather than shallow relationships with lots of sources.

3.  Help those referral sources help you by telling them exactly what kind of clients you are looking for, explaining in detail how you can help those potential clients. Also, be sure to point out the types of clients you do not want. “When you are clear about describing the recommendations you want, you make it easier for your referral partners to identify prospective customers for you.

Excellent advice for anyone looking to develop one of the strongest marketing strategies around – positive word-of-mouth.
 

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Some experts will tell you that a successful business comes from being remarkable.  Others will tell you it comes from efficiency and productivity.  Bill Timmons figured why not do both, and he’s reaping big rewards from it.

While most dairy farms keep cows standing for hours on end to produce milk, Timmons knows that cows do best when lying down – lying prone eases digestion and increases blood flow around the udder.  So what did he do?  Invested $40,000 in… waterbeds.

Advance Technology’s Dual Chamber Cow Waterbed has taken knowledge about how cows produce and combined it with a technology that might make most farmers snicker.  But Bill is the one laughing all the way to the bank.  In the first two weeks after installing the waterbeds, milk production increased 20%.

Are you doing things the old-fashioned way, just because that’s the way it’s always been done?  Is there knowledge you have that could be combined with an outside force to increase your bottom line?  Give it some thought.
 

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