A look at different marketing strategies

Most businesses, small or large, need effective marketing strategies to make themselves known to the public and all over the globe. Good publicity and good management skills help to keep existing and new customers happy. Know who your targeting prospects are and direct your message to them. Keep them happy through offering great prices and services using appropriate distributors and effective sales people.

- Have a great marketing team:
The team is in charge of being the company's eyes and ears through keeping in touch with the customers and through finding out what the market needs. They also develop and deliver marketing communication using the press, brochures, the media, the phone and the internet. They market new products and service ideas. Each team has a specific assignment to work on and see that it gets done.

- Have a great advertising campaign:
Customers buy your product if you can capture their attention through appealing commercials with vivid colors, humor, pictures and words that are easy to remember. Use the tools of today to communicate to customers such as the internet. Develop a web page and create images that move and talk. Focus on the product you sell to attract and motivate the customers to want to buy. Continually keep yourself updated on new advertising and marketing methods to face the changes in the market.
- Keep your ad simple and short:
Use a small size ad and have it run more often. It seems to attract a higher response, giving you a better return for your money. Print your ad along with your web site on post cards, then mail them to prospective customers. Use simple but convincing words or phrases such as "Save big", "Free food", "No sales tax", "You can save up to...",etc. Also, convince the customers what they will lose if they don't act now. Most people fear to lose a good opportunity for a bargain.
- Spice up your sales by selling combination packages:
Most people like to save time and money. They like to look for special deals in the stores or online. Combine two or more related products or services into a combination package. It motivates the customer to buy the combination package knowing it costs him less than buying products and services individually.
- Keep in contact with your customers:
Follow up with your customers on the service or the product they received. Encourage your satisfied customers to refer you to their family and friends. Hand out your business card or brochures that they can give out. Also, give out rewards if they bring referrals to use your service or to buy your product; for instance give them a $20 visa gift certificate if they refer up to 5 people to your business. After so many visits to your restaurant, their next meal is free. These incentives will please your customers who in return will reward you by doing free advertisement for you to their families, friends and colleagues.
- Promote special upcoming events.
If you plan to have a special sale on a specific day, make your customers aware of the event through invitations, phone calls or email. Some people appreciate having a personal invitation to the events that interest them.

To have success in your business, keep a strong and good relationship with customers, prospective customers and other retailers. Strongly promote the value of your product or service. The customers like to believe they are getting the best value for what they pay.

There are different marketing strategies you can use to promote and advertise your business. You can use the local classifieds, the yellow pages, the magazines and of course the internet to market your service or product. Make sure your ad states clearly what you are selling and who your prospective clients are. Remember, no matter what business you are in, your main objective is to make sure you bring the customer satisfaction at a very high level. Handle customer's complaints quickly. Give them the best quality of service and in return they will give you their loyalty. They will also help you bring new customers by referring their family, friends and associates.