Q: I'm having
trouble marketing my business. I currently own a small print and
copy shop, much like a Mail Boxes Etc. My store is located inside a
grocery store that has high-volume traffic. I have a lot of
competition in the neighborhood, and they'll slash their prices
to make a sale. We offer great service and quality in a
medium-price range. How do I market my business to reach the local
businesses vs. the general public? I'm also upgrading to
digital and need to promote this service.
A: It sounds like
you have a wonderful, high-volume location where you provide
consumer customers top service and high quality. It's easy to
understand why they're willing to pay a bit more rather than
shop around for bargain prices thanks to the convenience your
location offers.
As you begin your marketing program to build sales from local
businesses, it's important to stay with your strengths. Focus
on the reason your current customers use your
services—convenience not price. When making purchase
decisions, buyers generally place value above other considerations.
So while your competitors continue to slash their prices to make a
sale, why not offer something they don't? You could provide
free pickup and delivery for area businesses within a five-mile
radius. This would add value to your already high-quality service
and allow you to offer your business as well as consumer customers
the convenient service you're known for.
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To add a personal dimension to the launch of your newly expanded
business services, I suggest you make the rounds of select area
businesses to introduce yourself, and leave a business card with
literature announcing the new pickup and delivery services as well
as your digital upgrade. Then rent a list of all targeted
businesses within a five-mile radius for an ongoing direct-mail
program. Try large, color postcards that stand out in the mail and
allow you to showcase your printing capabilities; avoid long, wordy
brochures. Use your direct-mail campaign to offer special
promotions that induce new business customers to try your services
and keep existing ones coming back for more. Mail at least three
times to the same list, and track your results in order to
fine-tune your campaign as well as offer rewards to your best
business customers.
Kim T. Gordon is a multifaceted speaker, marketing expert and
media spokesperson—and one of the country's foremost
experts on entrepreneurial success. Her newest book, Bringing Home The Business(Perigee),
identifies the 30 "truths" that can make the difference
between success and failure in a homebased business. From formulas
for positioning a business and creating an image to Internet
marketing strategies and tips for work-at-home parents, by reading
just one truth per day, in one month, readers will master a
complete course on homebased business success. To read an excerpt,
get information on media appearances and seminars, receive free
how-to articles and advice, or contact Kim, visit http://www.smallbusinessnow.com.
The opinions expressed in this column are
those of the author, not of Entrepreneur.com. All answers are
intended to be general in nature, without regard to specific
geographical areas or circumstances, and should only be relied upon
after consulting an appropriate expert, such as an attorney or
accountant.