Good News Travels Fast

This newsletter is full of opportunities staring you in the face. If you don't believe me, write and tell me so--and by doing that you'd be proving me right.

That would make you a proactive marketer: spotting a marketing opportunity in an everyday activity.

For instance: Something most of us do every day is read the paper, and though they may not seem like business issues at first glance, editorials or news items offer one of those marketing opportunities. How does that merger, government legislation, tax increase, tornado--or whatever--affect your business, your industry, your clients? Take a position on the subject, and write a letter to the editor to tell them. Include your company name in the body of the letter. Readers often give more credence to opinions of business leaders, and it gets your name out there.

Act immediately. After reading the paper, set aside some time to respond. Then go over your response carefully. (It's easy to fire off a letter, but you might regret sending something not fully thought out.)

Your letters may not be used every time, but when one is, it goes a long way to building your image as an expert.

Another marketing opportunity arises when you see an article that might be of interest to one of your clients. Clip and send it to them with a note. Even if they've already seen it, your client will appreciate the gesture. It shows you take them and their business seriously.

That was easy. Now, what about all those items that don't directly relate to you or your existing clients? Some may mean more to you than you think.

Electronic or print, the news media are chock full of marketing information. As you read, watch or listen, be prepared to capture vital information. Pen and paper by your side can't hurt. Every day, companies you should be prospecting appear in the news. Jot down the spokesperson's name and title; if you're lucky the report may even provide a number to call. Companies like putting their people in front of the media (because they can say all the positive things about themselves the media won't). Pick out the companies you are interested in marketing to, and call them.

The news item doesn't have to be a positive story; the negative ones may hold more opportunity. However, don't assume a company facing tough decisions automatically wants you. They may react quite nastily to that assumption.

The person in the news story may not be the right one to discuss your ideas with, but they are an in, so contact them first. When you call, mention where you saw or heard them, make some positive comment on the coverage, then quickly move on to the reason for your call. They will appreciate knowing how their PR is working, and will, no doubt, feel that you're not wasting their time with insubstantial chit chat.

From this point, the call becomes like any other exploratory sales call.

You can't afford to sit on these opportunities. News has a short shelf life. Because of the number of news items we are bombarded with, you should only focus on a couple at a time. Don't worry if you miss some, we are fed a constant stream of potentially useful information, so you'll never run out of targets.

It's hard enough to keep on top of daily events pertinent to your field. It's harder still, when using them for their marketing potential, to stay up to date, and to act quickly. But it's vital, because with marketing, timing is everything.

Opportunities lie on every page and in every broadcast. Your success in using them for marketing depends on their relevancy to your field, and on your ability to act quickly.

Use the news to turn yourself into a proactive marketer.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/ma il.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line

---

Advertising Your Private Practice: 6 Tips for Maximizing Your Results-Part 2

As discussed in part 1 of this article, "Your Private... Read More

How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad

Forget what you know about your business Your goal is... Read More

Always Sell To New Eyes And New Ears

One of the hardest things for you to do as... Read More

Reasons Why People Usually Dont Buy Again

There are many psychological reasons why people will buy from... Read More

5 Tips to Heat Up Your On-Line Marketing Using Off-Line Tactics

The internet of course brings a huge arena of marketing... Read More

Marketing Success - Marketing Strategy - Brand Identity Guru

Marketing message x Credibility x Visibility = Marketing SuccessThese three... Read More

5 Steps To Help Fail-Proof Your Growing Service Business

Business startup and failure rates are scary...In The USA...- Every... Read More

Deciphering Marketing Lingo: Whats the Difference between a USP, Single Message and a Tagline?

Maybe you've heard these different marketing terms, maybe you haven't.... Read More

A Look at Color Brochure Printing

Brochures have become vital in today's workplace, serving a wide... Read More

Think Creatively While Reinventing Your Marketing and Selling -- Its For Your Survival!

We live in a world that for many has become... Read More

Has the Internet Killed Off the Direct Mail Baron?

Over the past 30 years, direct mail has been responsible... Read More

Top 9 Strategies To Attract More Clients Now

1. Advertise in trade journals, ezines, and web sites that... Read More

After Your Postcard Mailing: Follow Up with Finesse

I've heard a lot of people lament the fact that... Read More

Package Your Products for Thunder Thigh Women - Big Butts Too

Wake up women (and you men too). I think we... Read More

Four Simple Ways to Cut Your Trade Show Marketing Budget in Half

Many times when a trade show is planned for there... Read More

Small Business Marketing Tip - Get Attention and Be Remembered

We live in a world of noise ? not just... Read More

Marketing to the Affluent - with Wine

With its association to an affluent, sophisticated lifestyle, wine can... Read More

Unique Selling Proposition - Your Competitive Advantage!

To capture a larger market share and be viable, sustainable... Read More

Second Dose Of Marketing Vitamins

Organizations often get stuck in neutral when it comes to... Read More

What Is Better Than FREE?

Oh come on! FREE is free. Zero, zip, nada, zilch.... Read More

How to Set (and Get) the Right Prices

Which product feature of yours is every buyer keen to... Read More

How to Use Your Newsletter to Research Your Market

A few decades ago, in the early days of automatic... Read More

Focus...a Marketing Strategy

The secret to increasing sales doesn't lie in choosing just... Read More

Increase New Customer Traffic to Your Business

One person tells another, who tells another, who tells another... Read More

7 Proven Tips To Market Your Cleaning Business

Marketing your cleaning business is something that you will already... Read More

Copy SoapNet and Make Money

Whether you want to admit it or not, soap operas... Read More

Getting More From Your Customer

We are all customers of one product or another. How... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Market your Business or Professional Practice Without Networking

While focused, strategic networking is usually the most efficient way... Read More

Market Planning -- Getting the Word Out

"There are those who get things done and those who... Read More

Ready, Aim, Fire...Oops...Wheres The Target?

Everywhere you go on the Internet you find the words,... Read More

5 Tips to Help You Identify WHO To Market To

If you have your own small business, it's important to... Read More

Shine a Spotlight on Your Professional Service Firm

As a life-long dancer, I know a bit about the... Read More

Strategic Marketing and Tactical Marketing Know The Differences And Profit

Most people mistakenly assume that when you talk about marketing,... Read More