Promotional Tools for Your Tool Box Part Tiga

To survive in today’s competitive marketplace, organizations must work to make customers aware of their products or services. Some promotional tools cost money (known as marketing), and we examined those in our last blog post. Today in part tiga (three) we provide 25 low- and no-cost promotional tools (known as public relations).


Our tip for entrepreneurs today is: to compete in today’s competitive marketplace, you should employ many different Marketing and Public Relations Tools. If you can’t afford to employ a marketing staff or use an advertising agency, use the following list, which is in no particular order.

(We’ve included “Uploading Videos to YouTube” in this list because it will only require your time if you already own a decent video camera and a computer with video editing software.)

Public Relations Tools

1. E-mail Blasts
2. Internet Blog
3. Online Bulletin Board/Discussion Posts
4. Twitter Posts
5. LinkedIn Account
6. Uploading Videos to YouTube (product demonstrations, customer testimonials, humor)
7. Internet Podcasts
8. Pinterest Account
9. Instagram Account
10. Exhibit Booths (such as State Fairs, Job Fairs and College Campus Fairs)
11. Product Demonstrations
12. Develop cordial relationships with the business reporters at local media outlets

13. News Releases

14. Press Kits
15. News Conferences (only for major announcements or crisis situations)
16. Opinion-Editorials (taking a stance on issues and writing about it for your local newspaper)
17. Write Articles on Topics in which you are an expert for newspapers and magazines
18. Offer Your Expertise on those topics to Local TV News Departments
19. Publish Compelling Photographs
20. Magazines and Newsletters
21. Annual Reports
22. On-Hold and Answering Machine Messages
23. Create an association for your industry or offer a better organization than currently exists.
24. Host Ceremonies and Special Events (such as Ribbon Cuttings, Open Houses, Parties, Anniversary Celebrations, New Product Introductions, Contests and Chamber of Commerce Mixers)
25. Barter (one of the oldest tools in the world)

That's David and Diamond in the Rough at our nearby Chick-fil-a in North Little Rock last Christmas season. This may hurt our chances of raising money to build our business dream, the Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure, but we thought it was important to voice our support for our favorite fast-food restaurant back home.

The recent flap over Chick-fil-a's president saying he supported the biblical definition of marriage is a reminder of the potential danger you may face when you use tool number 16--taking a stand on issues of the day and writing about it for your local newspaper--and one more tool we will offer in our next post.

You should seek to encourage as much word-of-mouth publicity as possible. Nothing is more persuasive than a satisfied customer telling other people about your product or service, so be sure to include testimonials in your promotions, and send a thank you note when you read a testimonial published in a magazine or online.

In part empat (that's four in Balinese) we will present six more tools for generating and encouraging word-of-mouth publicity. Please add your comments if you have other low- and no-cost tools you would share that you've found effective.

Promotional Tools For Your Tool Box Part Dua

Today’s tip for struggling small business owners is: you need to employ many marketing tools to reach potential customers. Today in part dua (two) we offer 32 marketing tools that range in cost from relatively inexpensive—such as creating a logo or slogan—to expensive—such as television ads.

Our Top 10 is listed in order of importance, the first eight being absolute musts for every organization; then pick and choose from 11-32. The list is evolving. For example, local phone book advertising may no longer be crucial next year because of smart phones.



Marketing Tools

1. Phone Numbers
2. Easily Identifiable Logo
3. Websites
4. Phone Book Ads
5. Easy-to-Remember Slogan
6. Facebook Pages (this is free, but it belongs in your Top 10)
7. Business Cards
8. Letterhead and Imprinted Note Cards (for the all-important handwritten note!)
9. Signage
10. Pair of Good Walking Shoes (for running to your old and new customers)

We placed signage at number 9 because some home-operated businesses may not need a sign. Good shoes are in our Top 10 because personal visits, otherwise known as sales calls, are important whether you are a pastor, a physician or a plumber. On the other hand, if customers come to your business, you should walk quickly to them or their table to ensure they are satisfied. Great visuals, polls and behind-the-scenes looks are considered good content for Facebook pages.

11. Television Ads

12. Radio Ads (and Sponsorships)
13. Newspaper Ads
14. Movie Theater Ads
15. Billboards
16. Direct-Mail Pieces
17. Internet Banner Ads
18. IPhone Apps
19. Neighborhood Mail Inserts
20. Stadium Ads and Sponsorships
21. Public Transportation Ads

Here is a picture of Diamond in the Rough just a few blocks down the street from
Grandfather's house in Bali. Notice the bottom of the McDonald's billboard in the
background. It and most of the billboards we've seen for McDonald's in Bali have
a phone number listed for 24/7 McDelivery.

22. Partnership Promotions (with one of your vendors; for example: McDonald’s and Diet Coke)
23. Giveaways (such as notepads and T-shirts; make sure that you wear yours when you are out in public)
24. Distributing Samples of Your Product (TCBY was big on this when David worked there)
25. Brochures, Fliers and Posters
26. Vanity Phone Numbers (such as 1-800-ILUVMCD)
27. Vanity License Plates
28. Automobile Advertising on your car
29. Public Service Announcements (free to run but cost to produce)
30. Product Placements
31. Concert and Event Sponsorships
32. Celebrity/Performer Visits

Some of these tools will cost you nothing except your time. For instance, if you know how to create your own iPhone app, you’re in luck. It is a challenge to keep up with every new Internet fad, and you never know which ones will last and for how long. So, in addition to Facebook, you should also open a Google+ account.

In part tiga (three) we will give you a list of 25 free and low-cost promotional tools any organization can use. Meantime, please leave a comment below if you have any great marketing tools to add to the list.

 

Promotional Tools For Your Tool Box Part Satu

Since we have been in Bali, my father-in-law’s wife has toured us around to see several businesses. As we visited the very rustic buildings that serve as their homes and offices, we’ve been impressed at the quality of their goods in spite of the third-world country conditions.

Here are David and Diamond in the Rough at the Mahagiri Resort restaurant July 20. The outdoor restaurant overlooks a beautiful terraced rice paddy.

Our thoughts then turned to our family and friends back in the U.S. who run their own businesses. Several of them are struggling to survive. We dedicate the next three blog posts to them.

Many good businesses have failed, in part, because they did not make potential customers aware of their products or services. Business owners must “make the sale,” of course, and unless you have a monopoly, you must market your goods or services to customers. During the next few blog posts we will discuss tools any organization can use to make customers aware of their organization.

Our tip for entrepreneurs today is: to compete in today’s competitive marketplace, you need to employ many different Promotional Tools. A famous psychologist named Abraham Maslow once said, “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”

If you haven’t done so, you should develop a Strategic Plan. It may be part of your Business Plan, but your Strategic Plan should include a detailed look at the four P’s—your Product, Place, Price and Promotion—, your Competitors and the Marketplace.

The Promotional Tools you choose should flow out of your plan and from whatever thing(s) separates your product or service from your competitors. For instance, a McDonald’s restaurant may use expensive television advertising aimed at the masses, but a small business geared toward servicing computers may use more targeted and cheaper direct mail pieces to a few specific zip codes.

If you can’t afford to employ a marketing staff member or use an advertising agency, we are going to give you a list of 32 marketing tools you can use. Stay tuned for part dua.

A Successful Business Model Part Dua

I (David) had never flown internationally before our recent trip to Bali. I have a new appreciation for the people we've known through the years who regularly made overseas business trips.

We had the privilege--for lack of a better word--of flying to Tokyo on a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380, the super-jumbo airliner introduced a few years ago. My father-in-law was several rows ahead of us on the upper deck of the plane, but he was cordoned off from the rest of us because he was in business class.

Robyn, Diamond in the Rough and I were back in economy, though it wasn't nearly like the Southwest Airlines flights we've become accustomed to through the years. That brings us to our tip for entrepreneurs this week: emulate the customer service of successful companies.

Exceptional customer service has pretty much gone the way of the VHS tape in America. You find examples every now and then, but they are the exception and not the rule. Our tip for small business owners is: fly with Singapore Airlines if you need to fly to the Far East, and go business class if at all possible.

First, think about your typical experience on any American airline. A flight attendant may or may not speak to you as you enter their airplane, and then you are charged for blankets and pillows, luggage and any food. Now consider our recent experience flying the friendly skies with Singapore Airlines.

As we walked onto the plane, several smartly dressed flight attendants warmly greeted us and pointed which aisle we should take. As we walked down the aisle, another smiling attendant greeted us and showed us to our seats. A pillow and blanket were waiting in every seat. Other attendants came by several times to see if we needed anything. Yes, it is their job, but it felt as though they really wanted to make us as comfortable as possible.

Before the huge airplane took off, the attendants handed out hot towels for us to cleanse our hands and headphones for us to listen to an assortment of movies, TV shows and radio programs. I'm embarrassed to say that I watched three movies during the first flight. My father-in-law used his time more wisely and read two books during our three flights.

Within four or five minutes of takeoff, the flight attendants passed out glasses of orange juice and water, and within half an hour they brought out the first of three meals. We had a choice of a Japanese chicken dish and an "international" beef dish that easily would have been at home on our kitchen table. Charles got filet mignon in business class. After the meal was served, attendants came around with little cartons of Ben and Jerry's ice cream (chocolate brownie and cookie dough).

My only disappointment was with the seats. I had pictured in my mind a seat like the one Charles enjoyed in business class that reclined enough to lay down for the long flight. Even with its individual video screens and other amenities, the economy class seats were pretty much the same as other airplanes. The seat backs move back about four inches to help you get a dreamy night's sleep as you follow the sun across the Pacific for 10 hours.

Leaning back four inches did nothing for me. I was uncomfortable much of the flight, ... but the customer service was wonderful. The flight attendants were always ready to visit, always smiled and were always ready to help.

If you want to open, or keep open, a successful business, make sure you treat your customers the same way. Go the extra mile to make them feel special, to show them that you are only in business because they came to or used your business. Don't, and you'll be out of business, even if you have a great sign, the best commercials and the most amazing logo in the world.

By the way, dua is "two" in Balinese.

Swinging at Curve Balls

We are writing this blog far from our home in Arkansas, in fact far from the U.S.

We are not giving up on our dream of building a family recreation attraction we named the Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure, but it is going to have to wait this month. We are following the instruction of Galatians 6:2, which says "bear one another's burdens" by traveling to Bali Indonesia to minister to our dad/father-in-law/grandfather.

Our tip for entrepreneurs today is: when life throws you curve balls, be patient, wait for your pitch and take your best swing. There's not much else we can do right now except trust that God will take care of us and our dream and our family while we are out of the country. Right now we need to be with Grandfather.

Robyn's dad had a stroke back in May just weeks after our second oldest daughter's high school graduation. He flew in from Bali to be there for the big occasion and looked fit as a fiddle. But one night two weeks later while at Robyn's brother's house in Los Angeles, he had a stroke that left the right side of his body paralyzed.

Robyn is a physical therapist and David is working on establishing this business dream, so it seemed like a good fit for us to help Grandfather with his recovery and with his business. We escorted him back to Bali this past week (through four airports and 19 hours of flying time) and are staying with him for about five weeks while he recovers.

Here we are on the beach in Bali Saturday night. (Interesting note: 7 p.m. Bali time is 6 a.m. Arkansas time.) That's Diamond in the Rough playing in the waves in the inset. Unlike the beautiful white beaches of Destin, Fla., the beach we walked last night pictured here is made of black sand. It is still beautiful and the waves are bigger than Destin's.

We will try to continue to blog from overseas, and we hope interest in our business dream will continue to grow. But our priority for the next few weeks is bearing Grandfather's burdens. We covet your prayers during this time.

For those struggling to start or keep open a business, our best tip for entrepreneurs today, put another way, is to trust God and roll with the punches.

The Power of Logos

In our recent post "The power of signs," many of the points we made are also true of logos. A company sign--such as the big Holiday Inn signs we discussed--and a company logo--such as the Apple logo--are important symbols. Our tip for entrepreneurs today is about the importance of using such symbols.

Company signs are a very important part of your marketing effort, and word of mouth is the most vital form of publicity, but research shows that logos also are important to any organization's public persona.

For centuries churches have been immediately recognized by clearly identifiable symbols such as crosses. In recent decades successful firms also have been recognized by symbols such as a "swoosh" (Nike), a large black eye (CBS), a yellow "M" known as the golden arches (McDonald's) and even a simple apple with a bite taken out of it.

Just as a good sign adds value to your company’s image, a good logo does as well. Your logo is your organization's brand. It represents your name and the ideas, reputation and feelings associated with your organization.


What makes a good logo? They are simple, memorable and make a statement about your organization. A good logo gives everyone who works for your company a sense of identity and your customers a shared sense of your mission. Vivid colors and a unique graphic design element make your logo instantly recognizable.

Is a good logo really that important? Think about how many people will see your company sign. Maybe 10,000 cars a day pass by your sign. But if you have a great logo and you place it in every advertisement that you run and everywhere else that you should place it, potentially hundreds of thousands of people will see it.

It may be hard for you to believe that logos could impact behavior, but research has found that indeed they do. David has said for years that advertising doesn't work on him, but he cannot deny the power of those Holiday Inn signs. Even years later that symbol brings about an emotional response in him, and if given the option, he would choose to stay at a Holiday Inn based on the warm feelings and memories associated with that sign.

Our hope is that our Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure logo captures the essence of our business dream and will one day make people of all ages want to return to our family recreation attraction to enjoy a unique experience hosted by friendly folks.


Today's tip for business owners: Ask yourself if your logo looks modern and colorful or old and dated? It may be difficult to let go of it, but help your business and replace an outdated logo.

Our tip for entrepreneurs: Don't skimp on logos and signs. A good logo should add value to your image. Hire a talented graphic designer to ensure that you use the right color, font and illustration to make it aesthetically pleasing. Then make sure you place it on everything you use from ads and business cards to product packaging and websites.

Dear John Williams...

Our tip for entrepreneurs today is about the power of music.

When David was in high school, his youth choir performed a musical on their annual summer choir tour/mission trip. When the choir returned home from these mission trips, it always performed the musical on the following Sunday evening at church.

This is a picture of David's youth choir performing at a church in Idaho the summer after his senior year in high school.







One year David suggested that they ask their pastor if they could perform during the Sunday morning service to reach a bigger audience. Their choir director, Jean Pilcher, called David a cockeyed optimist for thinking Brother John would give up preaching on a Sunday morning for the youth choir to perform. Ever since then David has considered himself a cockeyed optimist.

Through the years David has pursued numerous paths with this mindset. Most recently, as we have prepared the groundwork to raise funds for our Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure, we have tried to think of anything we could do to generate interest and excitement and hopefully get people to invest or donate to our dream.

One thing we've thought of is commercials. To give our business more credibility, we think it would be good to come up with a musical tag or zinger, kind of like the four musical notes played at the end of Intel TV commercials. We also like the musical tag on the insurance company commercials: "We are Farmers. Bum be dum bum bum bum bum."

With that in mind, David decided to call one of the musical geniuses of our day, John Williams, composer of so many great movie soundtracks including the Raiders March from the Indiana Jones movies. (Congratulations on your latest Oscar nomination in February, Mr. Williams.) We were hoping he would let us use the first 7 notes of the trumpet solo in "Raiders" or better yet create a musical tag to go along with our logo. The only thing we know about John Williams is that he conducts the Boston Pops once a year, so David started with the Boston Symphony.

He called and was transferred to the woman on staff at the Tanglewood Music Center who assists Mr. Williams. David left a voice mail and was surprised when a day or so later a gentleman from her office called. He very nicely explained (or tried to. His cell phone cut out so much David could only hear about one-third of what he was saying. Do you miss the old phone attached to your kitchen wall that seldom cut out but you could sometimes listen to your neighbors' conversations?) that as the winner of many awards and such, Williams was under great demand and wouldn't have time to speak to me. Apparently he only takes calls from people named Spielberg and Lucas.

He said we could go to the BMI website and find out who owns the copyright to the Raiders of the Lost Ark March and request permission from them to use the music, but because it was so popular, he said our chances were "slim to none." He also made it very clear that we would violate copyright laws if we used any portion of the music (even 4 notes) that sounded anything like the Raiders soundtrack.

So we asked Devin, our musical nephew who performs regularly at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, if he would try to come up with something to match our logo. He hasn't yet, so to our musical friends, we issue the same challenge: come up with a music tag to play at the end of our commercials and feature on our website and Facebook page. Compose a winner and you will get an Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure T-shirt and two free passes to our dream when it gets built.

If you own a small business or want to start one, keep in mind the value of a jingle. Small business owners should take cues from successful companies such as McDonald's, Coke and Chevrolet, and many of them have used great jingles in their commercials to separate them from their competition.

David vividly remembers the broadcast of the 1971 Arkansas-Texas football game. Perhaps it was because Arkansas won that game, but he also vividly remembers the songs from the TV commercials played during the game (Chevrolet "building a better way to see the USA" and "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there"). Think of all the music jingles you can remember from TV commercials in your childhood. Do they bring back warm memories?