Check Out Our Proposal on Indiegogo

Late last week we returned home from our trip to help take care of Robyn's dad. Our total travel time was 29 hours. That's hard on a body, but it's good to be home.

We learned a great deal on our first international trip. Perhaps we will share some of those lessons in future posts.

In our March 20 blog post we shared that our proposal was rejected by Kickstarter because they do not fund business startups. We researched other "crowdfunding" websites and read articles about them in the Wall Street Journal and other places and discovered Indiegogo.

We invite you to visit our business-funding proposal on Indiegogo to see our latest effort to raise money on the Internet for our American dream, the Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure. It is similar to Kickstarter, but this website allows people to seek funding for business projects and just about anything else.

Would you go to our Indiegogo proposal page and consider making a $2 donation (we get about $1.48 of that)? We need our family and friends to "prime the pump," if you will, so that Indiegogo will give our proposal more visibility. The more people look at our proposal and make donations, the higher it goes on the Indiegogo website, eventually making it to their front page.

Keep in mind that even if you pledge $10,000, you will not be charged a penny unless we reach our total goal. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement, and thank you for considering making a donation.

Promotional Tools for Your Tool Box Part Enam

Having spent the past five weeks in Bali helping Robyn's dad recover from his stroke, we have been fortunate to be exposed to the Balinese culture. The food is great; the sites are beautiful; and the experiences are amazing.

One thing I (David) have missed is the American broadcasts of the Summer Olympic Games. We had to watch the ESPN Hong Kong channel's coverage, and it was as dry as toast. I assumed that all Olympic broadcasts began with the famous Olympic fanfare music that NBC begins and ends every telecast with, but they don't.

All that to remind you that music is one of my passions. It is a big part of many people's lives, I'm told, and that brings us to our enam (sixth) and final post on promotional tools for your tool box, and our final post from Bali. We didn't include this in our list of 63 promotional tools for entrepreneurs and small business owners because it may be more costly than many small businesses can afford.

Our tip for entrepreneurs and small business owners today is: hire an ad agency and create a memorable jingle for your company. I mentioned music before in a previous blog asking our nephew Devon (and you) to come up with a zinger for our business dream, the Arkansas Diamond Mine Adventure. (I consider zingers to be a very short jingle such as: "We are Farmers, bum be dum bum bum bum bum," and the five-notes at the end of Intel commercials.)

I have no idea how much it costs to create a good jingle, but it is worth every penny when you come up with a catchy, memorable one. Mostly, large companies use jingles, but small businesses certainly can, too. When I lived in Atlanta I liked a local nursery's jingle about playing in the dirt again. That was 16 years ago. And I previously wrote that I remember the TV commercials from the Arkansas-Texas football game in 1971. That's 41 years ago. Music stays with you. That's why teachers use music to help children remember things.

Here are 14 (oops, I caught that after I published this) of our favorite jingles. Many of these bring back good memories, much like the Holiday Inn sign we previously discussed.

Number 14: "Wouldn't you like to be a pepper too?" for Dr. Pepper

Number 13: "Have it your way" for Burger King

Number 12: "Two scoops in a package of Kellogg's Raisin Bran"

Number 11: "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't" for Almond Joy and Mounds bars

Number 10: "Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar"

Number 9: "We're American Airlines, doing what we do best"

Number 8: "I am stuck on Band-Aids 'cause Band-Aids stuck on me"

Number 7: "My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R" for Oscar Meyer

Number 6: "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup" (I sang this three days ago!)

Number 5: "When you say Bud" (specifically the Christmas version) for Budweiser

Number 4: "And like a good neighbor, State Farm is there"

Number 3: "Chevrolet, building a better way to see the USA"

Number 2: "I'd like to teach the world to sing" for Coca Cola

Number 1: "You deserve a break today" for McDonald's

If you stop and think, it is amazing how many old jingles you can remember. As I typed this list, my mind wandered back to Saturday evenings and Dad making us watch "The Lawrence Welk Show." I don't remember what I did three days ago, but I remember Lawrence Welk and those ads for Geritol, Aqua Velva and the guy splitting diamonds in the backseat of a car on a bumpy road.

When I worked for TCBY, NBC Executive Pier Mapes spoke at one of our franchisee meetings in 1988 and played snippets from a bunch of old commercials. The attendees guessed every jingle correctly while laughing and singing. It made the impression that jingles are a great way for businesses to communicate ... and get people to remember your product.

Please let us know what are your favorite jingles.

Promotional Tools for Your Tool Box Part Lima

Living on the island of Bali has been quite an experience for us this month. Talking to the natives of this beautiful corner of the globe reminds us of the importance of one aspect of life which encompasses all 63 of the promotional tools we’ve recently posted.

Any tool you use to improve your business or any relationship, for that matter, is built on—drum roll please—communication. Where would we be in this world without communication?

Robyn tries to communicate with our driver, a Bali native, who
drove us, a couple from Moscow and a couple from Singapore
to a day of white-water rafting near Ubud Aug. 6. He spoke
almost no English.

Attempting to talk to someone who speaks a foreign language makes you realize how critical and challenging communication is. We sometimes have to be creative in trying to get one of the Balinese we encounter to understand what we are saying. Speaking slowly and using hand gestures brings scenes from old funny movies to mind.

In part lima (five) of our posts on promotional tools, we are examining communication. If you want to have a successful small business, or if you want to have a good marriage or be a successful politician or just about anything else you can think of, you have to be a good communicator.

The word “communication” comes from a Latin word meaning “common” and means to transmit or exchange information, thought or feeling through common symbols, signs or behaviors so that it is satisfactorily received or understood.

Successful communication requires three things: someone to communicate or transmit, finding shared or common ground, and someone to receive, watch or listen. Our tip for entrepreneurs today is: determine what you want to communicate and what is your desired outcome, and then choose several of the 63 Promotional Tools we've shared to accomplish those outcomes.

Communication is vitally important because people are curious and need to understand. Uninformed customers, spouses, employees, members or volunteers are not happy, and a lack of communication leads to mistrust. And, of course, customers who don’t know why they could use your product will never buy it.

"Experts" say that 55 – 90 percent of all communication is non-verbal. So successful communication means you also must be mindful of your eyes, facial expressions, hands, body language, makeup and clothes you wear and a myriad of other things.

The bottom line is: successful communication is no accident.

Promotional Tools For Your Tool Box Part Empat

When people build houses, they use more than just hammers. When trying to build a business, business owners also must use lots of different tools to make customers aware of their products or services and help them see why they are needed.

In our past three blogs we’ve discussed 57 promotional tools available in your marketing tool box to survive in today’s competitive marketplace. Today in part empat (four) we offer six more tools for generating and encouraging the all-important word-of-mouth publicity.

1. Volunteer to Give Speeches to Local Civic and Professional Organizations
2. Speak to Your Local City Council, School Board or Legislature (Lobbying)
3. Invest in Non-Profit Sponsorships (Community Relations)
4. Offer Community Seminars and Training (at venues such as public libraries and community recreation centers)
5. Make Time to Attend and Get Involved in Local Civic, Professional and Non-Profit Organizations that interest you. Networking with others who do or sell similar things is a good way to get your name out and get referrals. And research has shown that people prefer to do business with companies that support charities.

Finally, we like publicity “stunts,” though you must be very careful with this tool because it can very easily backfire. Stunts come in many forms including amazing acts and using dramatic messages or visuals that present a paradox. A stunt can cost money if it includes buying ads, but with hundreds of cable TV channels today, it is not difficult to find someone who will broadcast your stunt for free. Just like using a chainsaw, use this tool cautiously and sparingly. Here are three examples.

We recently toured the Wal-Mart Museum in downtown Bentonville, just a half mile from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. (We highly recommend visiting both) It includes photos and video of a reluctant Sam Walton doing a hula dance on Wall Street after the company met a challenge he had issued. 

Southwest Airlines Chairman Herb Kelleher arm-wrestled the chairman of another aviation company in March 1992 for the rights to an advertising slogan. Kelleher smoked a cigarette while they arm-wrestled. He lost, but his competitor allowed Southwest to keep using the “Just Plane Smart” slogan and their stunt generated lots of publicity.

One of the most famous stunts in recent years was the April Fools 1996 full-page ad Taco Bell ran in major newspapers claiming they had purchased the Liberty Bell to help pay for its upkeep.

The public outcry led to widespread exposure and a White House spokesman jokingly announcing another fundraising change: a new name for the Lincoln Memorial—the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury Memorial. Taco Bell won tons of publicity from this stunt.

These promotional tools lists are not exhaustive, but they give you a good list from which to start. Be creative, and don’t give up on your business without a fight.

We’d love to hear from you if you have other effective tools you would add to our lists.

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.