Marketing can be a daunting task and can be overwhelming at times. Keeping a space just for your marketing tools can go a long way. All you need is some patience, a well-organized work area, and great excel worksheet to keep track of your progress. Implementing these tools right away will increase your revenue right away!
Business/Marketing Calendar (Also known as Editorial Calendar): There are many different ways to have a marketing calendar. You can use a monthly hanging calendar, a calendar app, or even a dry erase one. This calendar keeps track of your promotions, sales, and any other marketing materials you want to implement.
How to use a marketing calendar:
- Before writing down anything in your calendar, make a list of all the different types of promotions your business will need marketing for. (For example if you are a florist and you need to send out marketing for Valentine’s day) This is also where you will place your special events and sales like Black Friday. List them per month then down to the date. For each event, mark 3 months beforehand to set-up your marketing accordingly to the date.
- Place each event on the calendar, including the 3 months mark. Starting at the 3 month mark you’ll write what kind of actions you will take either bi-weekly, weekly, or monthly up until the event to promote the big day. (For example, if you are promoting your Boxing Day specials, you can send out early e-mails to your customers giving them exclusive deals. A month after that you can send out flyers. Then weekly after that you can promote on your social media sites.
- I recommend having a weekly calendar alongside it with all your online marketing efforts from your blogs, social media content, and sales and promos. This way you can place your online and offline marketing material together. Make sure that you use separate promo codes when you use “call to actions” so you can keep track of what is working.
E-mail signature: Placing a signature at the end of each e-mail is a low cost way to showcase what you do on every e-mail you send out. You can do a free one through your e-mail provider or you can invest in one that has all your social media links.
A car organizer: A great way to stay on top of all those unexpected moments when you meet potential clients or prospects is by having a car organizer. You can get this at any local organizational supply store. It hangs at the back of your car seat with different size components. Place your business card, brochures, post cards, samples, pens and blank papers, and any other marketing material.
Small sample kits: You can meet great contacts anywhere you go. Sometimes the person waiting in line in front of you is looking to use your services. Don’t get caught not having any information at any point.
Here are some examples of small sample kits that are easy to carry:
Business card & tiny sample: I have met a young woman that creates soaps from natural ingredients and gives out tiny samples with her business card in small clear bags.
Brochure & Business card: Keep brochures with your business card attached to them for those wanting a bit more detail of your business.
Laminated marketing material (different sizes): I recommend having a postcard size (5×7) and a legal paper size (8X11) of laminated marketing material with you at all times so you can do a quick presentation in seconds. This can be a laminated brochure.
Prospect list: Through my experience in sales, I have learned that having a contact list of prospects is very beneficial. Have both a paper list and an electronic database to keep track of who you have met in your travels. Get very specific as to the prospects’ family life, job, the type of car they drive, what area they live, and so forth so that you can be relatable and also you can market to them specifically. Make sure you have their contact information (phone and email) , plus where and when the contact was made.
Don’t underestimate the power of preparation when it comes to business. Clients and prospects are everywhere and having these tools will give you the edge that your competition doesn’t have. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed these tips.
For more information contact Jemi Echevarria at jemiechevarria@gmail.com and (647)785-5851