In last year's animated film Shrek II, a giant gingerbread man steps on a building and sends all the customers scurrying across the street. The name of the establishment they leave and the one they run into is "Farbucks" ? poking fun at the fact that an unending stream of patrons appears willing to pay four bucks for a cup of coffee.
While it's an exaggeration to say there is one on every corner, since 1992, Starbucks has exploded from 192 locations to more than 9,000 worldwide, and will average four new store openings every day this year.
Starbucks isn't the only retailer attempting to create density in the marketplace. Walgreen's and CVS are popping up locations everywhere ? usually across the street from each other, just like Lowe's and The Home Depot. In my small community, there are even two Shell stations on either side of the primary street; definitely a strategy of getting your customers coming and going.
As a small business owner, your challenges probably lie more in the area of finding new customers than in what area to open your new location. The first step in growing your business is to own the three-mile radius surrounding it. Before worrying about how to get folks from the other side of the city to do business with you, make sure you've taken the proper approaches to informing everyone who lives and works nearby that you are there for them.
There are many techniques for getting your name out to prospects, and you may already be utilizing some of them. Networking at community events is a great way to become visible to your potential customers. And don't be shy about asking your best customers to refer you to their friends and associates. Advertising in a local magazine is an excellent way to reach those in your target market. Direct Mail, billboards, Yellow Pages, radio/TV and even a magnetic sign hung on your car door are all proven forms of effective advertising.
An often overlooked marketing gem is public relations. Think of PR as free advertising?with one big difference. With advertising, you pay for the ad and control the message. When it comes to PR, a newspaper or magazine publishes a story about your company and charges you nothing, but they control the editorial content. Despite this important distinction, PR has the potential to send many new customers your way.
To get publicity for your business, write a press release containing your newsworthy information. Don't worry about making it fancy, just include the "Who, What, Where, When, Why and How" and your contact information. Find out the names of the editors of local publications who distribute in your three-mile radius such as the Tri-County News, Local Villager and Area Sun, then send them ? by fax or e-mail ? your press release. Be sure to follow up the next day with a phone call asking if they received it, and if there is any more information you can provide. They'll respect your determination and you'll rise to the top of their "possibilities" file.
Editors are always looking for news, but be aware they don't like press releases that appear to be promotions or sales pitches. One of the first things I learned in journalism school more than 25 years ago is "Dog bites man. No story. Man bites dog. That's news." Be creative in crafting your press releases. Start by thinking about yourself. What makes you unique?
One of our coaching clients is a former two-time individual world champion in his sport. When opening his business, he decided to separate the successful athlete of his youth from the aspiring business owner of his adulthood, so "people would take me more seriously." When we started working together, I immediately suggested he change that philosophy and capitalize on the champion angle. After sending out a few press releases, he started receiving many calls from editors who recognized the connection between perseverance as an athlete and a business owner. The ensuing articles led to speaking engagements at community events and, ultimately, to more customers.
The mythical kingdom in Shrek ? home of Princess Fiona ? is named Far Far Away, and some area businesses are able to attract customers from far away neighborhoods. The faux jewelry and fashion stores you would drive miles to visit are perfect examples, as are unique restaurants far far away. If your business doesn't fall into this category, remember to focus on owning your three-mile radius. There are plenty of potential customers within that circle just waiting for you to tell them how you will make things better for them.
Copyright ? 2005 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there ? as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader, and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.
monthly home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..Anything that lets managers achieve their managerial objectives is a... Read More
"Advertising is what you pay for. Publicity is what you... Read More
In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More
Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More
At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More
1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More
Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More
They can when they invest in the basics. The best... Read More
News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More
What is bad PR?Well, if you're a business, non-profit or... Read More
Recently I had a craving for... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager trying to get... Read More
One of the greatest ways to promote your product or... Read More
When special events and communications tactics rule the PR roost... Read More
Would you advise clients to buy a stock based on... Read More
As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More
Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More
The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers,... Read More
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
?makes the rules, of course.But when the gold takes the... Read More
Effective Media Relations Tips - What To Do After The... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
The message is determined by analyzing the brand being marketed,... Read More
Hundreds of thousands of News Releases are sent out all... Read More
scheduled maid service Mundelein ..Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
Just think about it.If I come to believe that you... Read More
And show it for what it is - a humdinger... Read More
Taking your ad and turning it into paragraph-style prose is... Read More
Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual... Read More
It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More
Like human nature over time, the power of good public... Read More
When developing a publicity campaign for their business many owners... Read More
Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top... Read More
If you leave a star player sitting on the bench,... Read More
Non-news professionals often have a hard time understanding why their... Read More
Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often... Read More
Ever get the feeling that your public relations program isn't... Read More
Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled"... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
China's media is booming creating opportunities for marketing-savvy businesses. But... Read More
Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More
The easiest way to meet city council members is to... Read More
Big corporations like General Motors and Coca-Cola spend thousands of... Read More
The call came into my office and the voice on... Read More
Imagine you're in the breakfast cereal business. You make the... Read More
There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More
Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More
There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More
Do you have a great idea for a story, but... Read More
Public Relations |