How do you get the word out? In a recent interview, when the successful artist Mark Poulin was asked what has been his best marketing strategy, he said, "Nothing will ever beat word of mouth, but advertising will get you pretty close!"
Certainly, word of mouth is not only the most effective, it is also the least expensive. If your customers are saying good things about you behind your back, you obviously have a good product, a good operation and are ahead of the game. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back, but never take your success for granted. Customers are fickle. The trick is to keep them coming back for more. But don't stop there. Not only do you want repeat business, you continually want to draw new clientele.
The next least expensive option is to get your message out there via social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram -- that is, if you do it yourself. The trouble is, it's time-consuming, and unless you keep on top of it, its effectiveness is pretty nil. Sending out mass emails or direct-to-inbox online newsletters are other cost-effective ways to get the word out, but they require a concerted effort to accumulate email addresses. Doing so isn't impossible, but again, the effort requires time and know-how. Consider the value of hiring someone to take care of this for you, someone who can also keep track of reviews -- both positive and negative -- on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor and can spearhead marketing strategies. Paying for a social media expert is an investment, but it may be worth it to grow your business because it is so effective.
Free publicity by way of newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations can be hugely successful, but generally they require a timely hook. Are you planning a special holiday meal? Do you provide live entertainment every weekend? Can you connect your business or the building's location to some piece of history, or is your story of human interest? If so, take advantage of the opportunity. You will need to provide a thorough press release with the details of who, what, where, when and how for your chosen media outlet. It should go without saying that you will need to provide contact information, but too often those who are not public-relations professionals forget this important detail. An internet search will lead you to the proper format for a press release, but again, if you don't have time or aren't sure how to do it, you may want to enlist the help of a professional.
Printed materials cost. The sorry truth is that mail-outs have a low return for the investment -- two to three percent is all you can expect to receive. Do the math up front to figure out whether spending the money is worth it to you. Not only will you have to pay for the printing and the cost of mailing, you will have to invest time or money designing it. All of your printed materials should complement your current brand and concept. In other words, if you're selling seafood, you might want to include images of the ocean or fish, and you might want to incorporate water colors, like blue and turquoise, in your materials.
Probably the most effective way to get the word out is some combination of all of the above on a regular basis, budgeted into your costs of doing business. A lot of money is invested in advertising, and much of it goes straight into the proverbial trash. The trick is to make sure yours doesn't.
~ Ellen Ritscher Sackett, for Good Taste Buds
