Why Advertise?

...Not only a website, but a good website. If you're waiting for your nephew Joey to put it together for you, you've lost out already. Get your act together! Invest in a website! Here's why you need one.

• 85% of people agreed the quality of a website is an important factor in earning the consumer's trust. (A Nielsen//NetRatings survey, September 2007)
• Obtain new customers
• Build awareness of your business
• Stay ahead of your competition
• Serve your existing customers
• Keep connected with your costumers 24/7
• Maintain a professional online appearance

Here's an example of a site you don't want: www.creativeservicesnj.com

Many business owners are under the false impression that during a down economy cutting their marketing budgets will save them money. What they don't realize is the catastrophic effect it will have on their business once the economy stabilizes. Take for example the story of Kellogg and Post:

"In the late nineteen-twenties, two companies—Kellogg and Post—dominated the market for packaged cereal. It was still a relatively new market: ready-to-eat cereal had been around for decades, but Americans didn’t see it as a real alternative to oatmeal or cream of wheat until the twenties. So, when the Depression hit, no one knew what would happen to consumer demand. Post did the predictable thing: it reined in expenses and cut back on advertising. But Kellogg doubled its ad budget, moved aggressively into radio advertising, and heavily pushed its new cereal, Rice Krispies. (Snap, Crackle, and Pop first appeared in the thirties.) By 1933, even as the economy cratered, Kellogg’s profits had risen almost thirty per cent and it had become what it remains today: the industry’s dominant player." (www.thenewyorker.com, 'Hanging Tough' by James Surowiecki)

Interesting, huh? It makes perfect sense. If you're currently controlling 20% (same as your other four competitors) of your market locally and decide to cut your marketing budget, less people will find you, you become less relevant, and some might even think you went out of business. This gives your competitor(s) a great opportunity to gain market share. See, you cut your marketing, your competition increased theirs, and once the dust settles, you'll have lost clientele. Your competitors now all have an extra 3%-5% of what used to be yours.

knimd7j2va

Here are some tips on how to run a successful catering business.

• Strive to exceed the client's expectations of food quality, presentation, and service -- every time.
• Stay abreast of culinary trends.
• Continuously work on menu development and offer a variety of set menus.
  
• Cross-train office and sales staff with wait staff to expand the available server pool.
  
• Develop a website where customers can learn about the caterer's style, menu offerings, and variety of services.
  
• Identify the target market and develop a marketing plan to keep new business constantly calling or walking through the door.

Here are some industry resources:

• National Association of Catering Execs: www.nace.net
• Catering Magazine: www.cateringmagazine.com
• Event Solutions Magazine: www.specialevents.com

Example of a Great Catering Websites:

www.dibariscatering.com
www.bassettcaterers.com

After speaking to dozens of Beauty Salon owners over the years, here are some tips that lead some Salons to success.

• Start and finish with the client on time. If a stylist is running late or cannot start on time, offer a complimentary mini-service (nail polish change or deep conditioning treatment).
• Answer every technical question that clients may have. Educational programs are offered at most successful salons, which stylists are often required to attend. This helps build trust and confidence in all stylists at a salon, so if one stylist is out for and extended period, clients can be referred to another stylist.
  
• Guarantee the work done by stylists. If clients are not 100% satisfied, agree to remedy the problem fully and immediately.
• Never assume clients will be happy with recommendations of what should be done with their hair; it's up to the client to decide.
• Always be upfront and clear of any additional costs the client will incur during their visit. There's nothing worse than going in for a cut (normally $20) and find out that the wash and styling of the hair is an additional $10.
  

If you're the average shop owner I'm sure you've tried all sorts of marketing. From yellow pages, to direct mailers, to newspaper ads and more. You notice an influx of clientele walking through the door or calling you, but how do you keep track of how they found you?

Try this exercise for 1 week:

1. On a blank piece of paper list your current advertisements on the left hand side.
   
2. Along the top of the page list the days of the week you're open for business. For instance Mon-Sat
3. This step is extremely important! Every single person that enters through your door or calls you on the phone this week simply ask them: "Thanks for stopping in, by the way, how did you find me?" If someone says: "I found you in the Bergen Record", BOOM! mark it under the 'newspaper' category for that day. Continue throughout the week and record your results.
   
4. If someone tells you: "I found you in the Yellow Pages", you should mark it under that category, UNLESS, you advertised in multiple directories in your area, at which point you need to have those directories out and have your customer point at the phone book where they found you.

That's it! It's that simple. This should be an ongoing tracking process if you value your money.

One of my clients is very creative in tracking his phone calls... He places a 3-digit number in each individual ad and when someone calls he asks:"There's a little box in the top right corner of the ad, what does it read?" Great way to track your ads!

One of the easiest ways to track your ad response is to ask your Sales Representative to place a "tracking" or "metered" phone number in your ads. It's usually free and THE best way to track your phone calls.

I hope this information is helpful to you. After you try it, let me know what you think of it.