Small Business
Marketing News

In this issue:
A Note From Our Sponsors
Thought For The Day
"Are You Enjoying the Profits Hidden In
Your Own House Mailing List?" by Bob Leduc
Editor's Comments
On-line Marketing Quick Tip
Off-line Marketing Quick Tip
A Note From Bizine.com

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Food For Thought:
"Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it."

- Jim Rohn

ARE YOU ENJOYING THE PROFITS HIDDEN IN YOUR OWN HOUSE MAILING LIST?
Copyright 1998 By Bob Leduc.

During 30 years in business and consulting with other business owners, I've found the three most cost-effective sources of business are always the same - regardless of the type of business. They are:

1. Existing customers
2. Referrals
3. The business's own "house mailing list".

These sources may not produce your largest block of business. However, they always produce your most profitable block of business. That's because there is little or no advertising expense involved in getting business from these sources.

Every business should have programs operating to promote repeat business from existing customers. Every business should also have systems in place to produce referrals from existing customers, prospects and contacts. However, the volume of business you can generate from these two sources is limited by the number of customers you have and contacts you know. Plus, you have very little control over the flow of business generated by these sources.

By comparison, the volume of business you can develop from you own house mailing list is predictable. You can also control the flow of business from this source.

WHAT IS A HOUSE MAILING LIST?

Let's start by defining "house mailing list"? A "house mailing list" is any list owned by a business and compiled as a result of inquiry or buyer action. Your customer list is a house list. However, we won't talk about your customer list in this article. Instead, we'll talk about your prospect list. For this article we'll define house mailing list as "the stored database of contact information for prospects who have expressed an interest in your product, service or business opportunity but have not yet done business with you".

Contact information in this database should include some or all of the following:

* Person's name * Company name (if applicable) * Postal address * Email address * Telephone number * Fax number

If you don't save this contact information from every inquiry you receive, begin saving it now. You'll pick up a lot of very profitable business in the future by using it to make future offers to these prospects. Let me use my own business to illustrate the value of saving this information.

I maintain a house mailing list of potential clients and customers for my consulting and business publications business. The list includes contact information for everybody who at sometime requested information about my services or publications.

Every 60 to 90 days I contact everybody on this list with a special offer related to their original inquiry. About 50% of my profit every month comes from business generated by these special offers made to prospects on my house list.

USE LOW COST METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

Here's the best part. The cost of contacting prospects on my house list is very low... lower than any of my other advertising. I keep the cost low by using two very inexpensive methods of communication - email and postcards.

I use email whenever I have the prospect's email address. The cost for email is close to zero. I use postcards when I don't have the prospect's email address. The cost of preparing and mailing a postcard by First Class Mail is only about 24 cents in the US (20 cents postage and about 4 cents materials and preparation). Postcards provide another benefit in addition to the low cost. Nearly 100% of the recipients will read my message because it's delivered "already opened" on a postcard.

If you don't already have your own house mailing list, start building it today. Keep expenses low by using email and postcards to communicate with prospects on your list. You'll soon discover that a house list is a very cost-effective marketing resource that adds substantial profits to your business.

Bob Leduc retired from a 30 year career of recruiting sales personnel and developing sales leads. He is now a Sales Consultant. Bob recently wrote a manual for small business owners titled "How to Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards" and several other publications to help small businesses grow and prosper. For more information... Email: BobLeduc@aol.com Subject: "Postcards". Phone: (702) 658-1707 (After 10 AM Pacific time) Or write: Bob Leduc, PO Box 33628, Las Vegas, NV 89133

E d i t o r ' s C o m m e n t s

Are you just starting out in business? Think you don't have an "In House" Mailing List? Well, think again . . .

I have started and managed several successful businesses and I am often asked how I got started. Well, let me tell you one way to start . . .

You need to build your first mailing list. Do this by making a list of EVERYONE you know. Friends, family, former business associates, your husband's or wife's friends, family, former business associates. Be sure to include anyone that you have done business with. IE: Accountant, Barber/Hair Dresser, Daycare Provider, Mechanic, Car Salesman, Realtor etc.

Then create a short announcement. Send it out to your list. Let them know about your NEW business venture. Invite them to do business with you, and to refer business to you. Use the postcard method mentioned in Bob's article. It's cost effective and will get your message read.

To save even more money, you can create the postcard message yourself and have it photocopied on card stock and then cut them apart yourself. If you're on a limited budget you can always mail out a few each day so that you don't have a big upfront expense.

Now here's the key . . . follow up, follow up, follow up! Either call or send out additional mailings. I send out a customer newsletter every other month. It goes to all my clients, prospects etc. I get TONS of referrals after every mailing. If they don't need your product or service, ask them who they know that might.

And remember, just because you've told your best friend what you do, don't expect them to remember. Everyone forgets . . . so be sure to keep your products and/or services fresh in the minds of everyone you know and ASK for referrals.

Terri Gray
Bizine.com Helping Your Business Succeed

Quick Online Marketing Tip
by Terri Gray

SAVE TIME - GENERATE MORE LEADS Autoresponders are one of the coolest Internet tools available. If you're not using them - you should!

Here's some reasons why:

1. It saves time - if you find yourself sending out the same information on a regular basis you NEED an autoresponder. This tool will automatically send out your message and notify you who it was sent to so you can follow up.

2. Generate leads - offer additional informtion to your prospects via an autoresponder. That way they can have the information sent to their email box where they can review it later. It saves them time from wading through a website, keeps your message in front of them longer, and provides a way for you to generate a prospecting list.

For more information on using autoresponders, read this online article: http://www.Bizine.com/autoresp.htm

How do Autoresponders work? Here's a few examples: Want to learn how you can increase your online profits? email this autoresponder: webinfo@bizine.com

Would you like to have your Home-based Business profiled at Bizine.com? Request our questionnaire by sending any email message to: profile@bizine.com

Interested in our freelance opportunities? Just send any email message to: reseller@bizine.com

So where do you get one? If you already have a domain name account with an ISP, chances are you have access to some free ones. Ask your ISP if you do. If not, feel free to contact us at: sales@bizine.com for a free quote on providing this service. Autoresponders are an affordable, time saving, money making business tool that you can't afford to be without.

Off-line Quick Marketing Tip

Converting New Customers To Clients

Last time, I told you how I'd get new customers by offering something for free.

So how do you turn a new customer (one-time buyer) into a loyal client (multiple buyer)?

Here are 5 proven, time-tested ideas to get new customers to buy a second time:

1) Wow them with awesome service This costs virtually nothing and is hard to find anymore. Hire a $7.00 an hour friendly person whose only job it is to smile and take care of any customer problem. Copy the Disney World atmosphere.

2) Offer a discount It's a fact -- people rich and poor love to save money.

3) Give away a free gift The mystery of a free gift could be a compelling enough reason to come back.

4) Enter them in a raffle Who doesn't like to win something? Warning: be careful of individual state laws. You might need the disclaimer, "No Purchase Necessary" on your contest rules.

5) Blitz 'em with postcards As you know, I love postcard marketing. Postcards are cheap, easy to produce, and get immediate response. Keep your name in front of new customers every other day (yes, every other day) during a two-week period for maximum impact. Then, send a postcard every 30 days to stay in touch.
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Markus Allen is the president of MailShop USA. His latest special report 'How to Market with Postcards' is available for $15 (includes FREE shipping anywhere in the US) by calling: (800) 618-6050 Ext: 3274. You can order by mail at:

MailShop USA 4679 West Chester Pike Suite 3274 Newtown Square, PA 19073

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