5 Ways to Upgrade Your Existing Marketing Materials for Practically Nothing!

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In addition to direct marketing strategies you want to be sure your existing passive, or indirect, marketing activities are as effective as possible. When is the last time you took a good look at your existing marketing activities?

Here are some fast, easy (and free to inexpensive) ways to update and upgrade your existing marketing activities.

YOUR VOICE MAIL MESSAGE

Does your voice mail message give additional information about your business? Use this opportunity (you have a captive audience) to provide some additional information. You can mention your website or newsletter, promote an upcoming event, or offer a free report.

YOUR E-MAIL SIGNATURE

This is a chance to send a marketing message along with every e-mail that you send. Remember, e-mails are often forwarded. Think viral marketing (if this term is new to you, check out Seth Godin. It's a good thing). Do you have an upcoming event? Do you offer a free article or report? Are you having a sale? At a minimum put a link to your website in your e-mail signature. In addition to interesting content, think about the color and font of your e-mail signature and create something that is attractive and fits with your brand.

YOUR BUSINESS CARD

Use the back of your business card. Don't leave this valuable space blank. Make an offer for something like a free report, your newsletter, a sample of your services, a discount, etc. Get your business cards out into the world so people can hear about your offer. Ask for permission to leave a few cards at places your clients frequent like stores, restaurants, gyms, waiting rooms, etc.

YOUR EXISTING PROFILES

I hope you have profiles on networking websites, directories, clubs, industry associations, and the like out there. Has your marketing message, your offer, and/or your products/services changed since you first created your profiles? I am betting that is a yes! Review all your profiles to make sure they are up to date. This is a great chance to take inventory of all of the places where you have profiles and create a list you can refer to later. If you have a photograph of yourself to add to your profiles, please do so. Add your photo to your own website if it isn't already there. Connecting your face with your company makes your company more human and personal. Remember, people buy from people they know, like, and trust. It will also help people recognize you at events.

YOUR COMPANY LETTERHEAD

This may seem like a no-brainer but I have seen business owners who don't have their contact information on their letterhead. Your letterhead needs to include your phone number, e-mail address, and website. This goes for your printed hardcopy letterhead as well as the electronic version.

The only way to know which marketing strategies are working for you is to keep track. This includes the activates above as well as all of your other strategies (networking, referrals, direct marketing campaigns, etc.)

Always, I mean always, ask people who contact you how they heard about your business and record this valuable information. It is easy to do, simply create a list of all of your marketing strategies and how many people respond to each one. It is easiest to do this electronically using a spreadsheet so you can easily calculate percentages and totals. You can also use old-fashioned pen and paper if you must. Whatever method you prefer, just make sure you do it!

It's time to get into action. Take some time and go through all of your marketing materials. What marketing tools do you have laying around that could be dusted off and upgraded up to work even harder for you?

(c) 2005 Stephanie Ward

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