The Easiest Small Business Direct Marketing Tip You?ll Ever Get

This really and truly is the easiest (and most profitable) small business direct marketing tip you'll ever get. And when I say easy? I really mean EASY.

It's a no-brainer.

Once I tell you what it is you're probably going to say, "Oh that? I already knew that."

But if you own a small business and are doing this I can tell you right now you're an exception. "If this is such an easy and profitable small business direct marketing tip why isn't everyone using it?"

That's a good question. I don't know. Maybe most small business owners think it's too much of a hassle?

Not so.

It doesn't take much time. Costs little. You could even pay a high school geek to do the computer stuff for you if you don't feel like messing with it.

The financial rewards can be huge... if you do it right. But this seems to be a small business direct marketing tip most people are happy to ignore.

So what's the big tip?

Simple.

Every time you do business with a new customer ask them if they'd like to sign up for your free "e-mail alert." Tell them you periodically offer specials and discounts for customers and ask them if they'd like to be included on your list so they can know when you have them. Many customers will gladly sign up.

Then ? use your list.

Offer your customers something?

? specific ?

? limited ?

? and of value to them as well as yourself.

Let's pretend... just for discussion's sake... you're the owner of Little Town Diner in Smallville.

You'd place a little E-mail address sign-up book right next to the cash register. Include spaces on each page for customers to write-in both their name and a Email address. Have the cashier invite customers to sign it.

Build up your list of names. It's valuable.

Suppose every Wednesday is a slow day at the diner. On Wednesday mornings you start sending out an Email like this one to your list.

**********

Hi (Customer's Name),

Pat here? from the Little Town Diner. How'd you like for me to do the cooking tonight? I just got a HUGE shipment of chicken breasts in today and I've got to move these babies out!

So I'm running a SPECIAL today?

Pat's 2 for 1 Special (today only- - eat in or take out)

2 juicy, tender barbecued chicken breasts... 2 baked potatoes or French fries on the side... 2 servings of string beans or cole slaw...AND...2 slices from any of our delicious pies-of-the-day (your choice).

Don't want to eat out? No problem.

We can have your dinner packaged and ready for you to pick up at your convenience if you place your order before 3pm. Let us know about what time you'll be in for your pick-up.

**********

Or? here's another way you could apply this small business direct marketing tip ?

**********

Hi (Customer's Name),

Pat here. I want to say, "thank you" for making Little Town Diner a part of your dining experience. Serving folks like you is what makes our business so enjoyable.

To formally say, "thanks" I'd like to offer you a special discount this week. If you visit us between now and Sunday tell your waitress you want the "Thank You Discount." You and your family can order anything on our menu and get 20% off.

Now remember - - you have to ask for the discount to get it. This offer is just our way of saying, "thanks" for choosing us to serve you.

Thanks Again,
Pat

**********

There's no limit to how you can use this.

If you're a tree trimmer you could use this small business marketing tip too.

Let's pretend you drop off some of the wood from your tree cutting business to someone who makes mulch. This person tells you one day, "I've got a LOT of excess mulch here I'd like to get rid of for cheap. Do you know anyone who might want some?"

So you e-mail your list?

**********

"Hi (Customer's Name),

Fred here? from Smallville Tree Trimming Service.

I've got a friend who has a lot of mulch. They practically want to give it away. You can have as much as you want for $xxx per yard. Every yard of mulch covers xxx square feet.

If you'd like some call 800-555-5555 and place your order. It'll probably go quickly at this price so call and reserve yours now.

I'll even drop it off at your home to save you the hassle of having to pick it up.

Sincerely,
Fred

**********

You then split the profits with your friend who is in the wood mulch business. The people on your list know you. They trust you. You've done work for them before. They're more likely to buy from you than from anyone else.

Many on your list aren't going to be interested in mulch. Some of them will... and they'll be glad you contacted them with a great deal to help them out.

This small business direct marketing tip applies to ALL types of small businesses.

Get your message out. The people most likely to buy from you are waiting to hear from you. You can contact them for next to nothing. Anytime you want.

Joe Farinaccio is a direct-response copywriter. In addition to writing sales letters for online clients Joe specializes in putting together successful direct mail packages for small and medium sized businesses. You can learn more about how to market your business successfully and sign up to receive his free monthly Ezine at http://www.sales-letters-and-marketing.com

---

Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:05:30 GMT Arthritis Drugs Linked to Risks From Infection - New York Times WNCT Arthritis Drugs Linked to Risks From Infection New York Times - 6 hours ago By AP WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections. Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning WebMD Nation Digest 4 arthritis drugs get tougher warnings Seattle Times U.S. News & World Report - Reuters - Bloomberg all 491 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:38:34 GMT House committee widens probe of Vytorin safety - International Herald Tribune ChattahBox House committee widens probe of Vytorin safety International Herald Tribune - 7 hours ago AP TRENTON, NJ: A House committee investigating the safety and effectiveness of the popular cholesterol drug Vytorin and one of its components is turning up the heat on the drug's makers. Many Questions About Vytorin New York Times Drug Scare Shenanigans FOXNews Reuters - U.S. News & World Report - Forbes - MedPage Today all 547 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:32:18 GMT Stocks: A Terrible Thursday - BusinessWeek Washington Post Stocks: A Terrible Thursday BusinessWeek - 2 hours ago Major US indexes each tumbled nearly 3% as worries intensified over the health of the economy. All eyes are on Friday's jobs report Market players were probably wondering Thursday why they bothered to come back from their summer vacations. Stocks Are Broadly Lower Tracking Falls on Wall Street Wall Street Journal Stocks slide on economic worries CNNMoney.com Seattle Times - Los Angeles Times - Forbes - New York Times all 821 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:53:27 GMT Kilpatrick's rise and fall - Detroit Free Press Washington Post Kilpatrick's rise and fall Detroit Free Press - 37 minutes ago BY BILL McGRAW • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 5, 2008 Kwame Kilpatrick entered the mayor's office with extraordinary gifts -- charisma, savvy, flair, pedigree, connections, ambition and chutzpah -- everything a 31-year-old needed to make a ... Video: A Timeline of Detroit Mayor's Text Scandal AssociatedPress Detroit’s Mayor Will Leave Office and Go to Jail New York Times Chicago Tribune - San Jose Mercury News - DetNews.com - Wall Street Journal all 5,822 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:27:50 GMT Jesse Jackson hospitalized for stomach pains - Chicago Tribune United Press International Jesse Jackson hospitalized for stomach pains Chicago Tribune - 1 hour ago By Jeremy Gorner | Chicago Tribune reporter Rev. Jesse Jackson was being treated Thursday in Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after falling ill. Video: Rev. Jesse Jackson Hospitalized AssociatedPress Jesse Jackson hospitalized after stomach pains USA Today Atlanta Journal Constitution - Entertainment Tonight News - CNN Political Ticker - AHN all 328 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:00:48 GMT Tropical Storm Hanna aiming for Massachusetts - Boston Globe ABC News Tropical Storm Hanna aiming for Massachusetts Boston Globe - 3 hours ago By Andrew Ryan and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to churn up the Atlantic coast and lash Massachusetts this weekend with winds gusting up to 50 mph near the coast and up to four inches of rain. Video: Hanna Nears US, but Stronger Ike Looms AssociatedPress Area departments gearing up for Hanna's arrival Attleboro Sun Chronicle Sun-Sentinel.com - Opelousas Daily World - The Associated Press all 5,279 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:23:14 GMT UN warns of Haiti flooding crisis - BBC News BBC News UN warns of Haiti flooding crisis BBC News - 1 hour ago Several hundred thousand people need help in Haiti, which is suffering severe flooding after being hit by a series of tropical storms, the UN says. Attempts to Aid Desperate Haitians Hindered by Floodwaters Washington Post Storms line up to slam western Atlantic, southeastern US AFP Telegraph.co.uk - The Associated Press - Chicago Tribune - Bradenton Herald all 2,575 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:05:26 GMT RSS Feed Reader Website Traffic Promotion

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

How To Market A Seminar

Have you ever left a seminar thinking: "I could have... Read More

Educating Your Customers

One of the biggest marketing mistakes businesses make today is... Read More

Testing Your Way To Prosperity

I have always enjoyed talking to a Realtor friend of... Read More

2 Step Marketing

Do it Right.I receive postcards all the time. The other... Read More

Direct Mail Response Rates Mislead if You are Careless

I could tell you that the average temperature in the... Read More

Marketing is More Important Than Expertise

Being a master of your craft, skill, or talent doesn't... Read More

New Years Planning Critical Success Factors

New Year's is a good time for strategic planning or... Read More

Simplicity In Marketing

In a world that is spinning out of control; with... Read More

Design Direct Mail Postcards Back-to-Front to Boost Response Rates

Conventional wisdom says that the front of a direct mail... Read More

What Our CAT Taught Me About Marketing!

Toby is one of our two family pets (both cats).... Read More

The Role of Marketing for Boards of Directors

Small and emerging companies often do not put together a... Read More

How to Avoid Giving Away Free Consulting

After spending 30 minutes in a coffee shop with a... Read More

Identify The Ideal Target Audience With These 5 Tips

Narrowing your focus to one primary group of people is... Read More

The Future of Marketing Part 1

It used to be if you were a small business,... Read More

Six Secrets to Creating Successful Tourism Marketing, Websites, Ads, Tradeshow Booths, & More

If you want to substantially increase your tourism prospects and... Read More

Top Five Tips For Designing Marketing Strategies That Get Results

"But this won't work" said Steve. "I've tried it in... Read More

Overview on Qualitative Data Collection Techniques in International Marketing Research

This article is meant to be a brief review and... Read More

Have Something Good To Say

If you don't get this right, you can just forget... Read More

How Do You Know Your Clients Cant Pay More?

"My clients can't afford higher rates."When more than 330 business... Read More

Whats Your Marketing Attitude?

Entrepreneurs pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of... Read More

Are You Losing Business?

As a small business owner, you are grateful for all... Read More

Why Most Marketing Videos Dont Work

Every now and then I will meet someone who has... Read More

Viral Marketing with a Powerful Twist

What would you do with 500, 1000 or more additional... Read More

Non-Profit Success Requires Ongoing Marketing

In a crowded marketplace of ideas, it is important for... Read More

Five Joint Venture Marketing Skills A Small Business Owner Must Have

Joint venture marketing is a lucrative way of leveraging the... Read More