Category Archives: Services

How Can I Start My Own Marketing Company?

Services, Starting Out

I’ve recently started a small business marketing company.My focus is to help small businesses in local markets reach more people and improve their brand. I’m located in Columbus,OH. I’ve put together a website (www.mentlowinc.com). I guess I’m at a point as to how I should present the company. I want to know what services should be offered compared to doing this for a large company. Mainly where should I start, I’m not very experienced so I’m aware that may not help. But I feel if I get one client right now I’ll learn under fire! How did you get it started?

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Jay’s Answer:

Let’s start with your website.

The first thing (viewing it on a Mac/Firefox) was that the clock in the upper left is underneath your logo.

Your tagline (“Where small businesses come to grow”) isn’t quite right: small businesses don’t necessarily want to grow – they may want more clients, more income, more reliable income, etc.
The first paragraph begins awkwardly (“What we at Mentlow Inc. want to do is provide marketing and promotion as well as business development”). Your prospective clients don’t care about what you want to provide – they only care about what problem of theirs you solve. Also, “want to” means that you’re not yet doing the work.

As a fellow marketer, you know that they key to finding clients is to focus on a specific niche and get to know it well. The services you should offer are those that your niche needs (and can’t get anywhere else). So, what’s your niche? Small business? Small local business? Small local business in a specific industry? The narrower you get, the more value you can potentially offer: people want to hire specialists that know their needs intimately (and can address them effectively).

Since you don’t have experience, get it. Volunteer with not-for-profits to get some experience (and help them out). Next, have a reason for people to connect with you – regularly publish a newsletter that’s full of useful information (either write it yourself, or republish other’s articles with permission).

Improve your website from a Yahoo standard template to something a little bit more professional (it’s just like dressing nicely for a party – you want to dress to impress). Get rid of the counter. Put your contact information prominently on your site: in your banner and/or footer.

That’s what I did to get it started. I also had to learn patience – not everyone will need your services the first time you meet them. The key is to be the name they think of when they need your services (or someone needs a referral).

Any Good Ideas For Advertising Life Insurance?

Services

I work with life insurance agents. I teach them how to use direct mail, referrals, networking and web to get new clients and keep existing clients. I feel like I’m running out of things to tell them and have exhausted trying to get anyone excited about doing postcard marketing or newsletter marketing.

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Jay’s Answer: Have you researched what has worked? If you can show ROI of a specific technique, then you’ll get a lot of interest. Otherwise, your ideas aren’t any better than anyone else’s.

Life insurance doesn’t benefit the buyer – it benefits the buyer’s next of kin. Therefore, focus on major life events where the importance of family is highlighted: birth, start of school, graduation, marriage, divorce, and retirement. As appropriate, congratulate the achiever, and remind them to keep investing in their family’s future.

What’s An Eye-Catching Name For An Asphalt Sealing Business?

Names + Taglines, Services

I need to come up with a very eye catching name for a asphalt sealing business that a very close friend of mine is starting. Do you have any creative names or even a catchy slogan? The owner’s last name is Wolcott, if interested.

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Jay’s Answer: I’m assuming that the owner wants a catchy name/tagline to attract customers. That’s not enough – they need a marketing strategy. Are they trying to attract residential or commercial? Big jobs or small? Any guarantees? Special techniques/materials?

If I’m looking for an asphalt sealer, I’m not looking for a cute name – I’m looking for quality at a good price.

Here are a couple of names for you:

  • Sealed By Wolcott
  • Asphalt Artistry

What Is a Good Headline For A Home Communication Advertisement?

Services

I’m working on an ad for a company that installs complete home communications systems — entertainment, computing, security, etc. They want to say that they’re the “One Company” or “One Source” that can provide the homeowner with all of the technology needed to create the perfect home environment. These systems are customized to the owners’ specifications, and operate with just a touchpad. Very high tech! I’m looking for an idea that says “#1” or “leading” or “one company.”

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Jay’s Answer: The problem is that the client doesn’t provide the various technologies, they provide the communication between the technology. Communication in itself isn’t a benefit – simplicity or efficiency is.

  • One Home. Multiple Electronics. One Solution.
  • Untangling Home Remotes Since XXXX
  • Your Custom Home Technology Manager

How Should I Propose A New Marketing Operations Plan?

Services

I work for a large national telecommunications company. My company separates sales (outside sales reps), sales operations (inside sales reps and warehouse staff), sales support (corporate retail call center and training) and marketing (corporate channel marketing, customer retention, and creative services). I work in the field at a small regional office doing marketing, but report within the sales structure. They are talking about having us report through the sales support structure, since our efforts support the outside sales team. I think this is all backwards. We should be working with the corporate marketing team. The way the various departments works is very silo’d. There is poor communication, we are often focused on fire fighting rather than strategy, opportunities are lost due to inter-department red tape, regional offices aren’t given access to all the same resources, and I could go on and on.

My question is, how do I propose a corporate structure change that would involve a much needed addition of marketing operations in addition to redefining a portion of the reporting structure? I have written marketing plans before, but this seems to be different. Plus I’m not very high on the totem pole so I need to be sure it would be clear and convincing. Any tips or advice would be helpful in addition to any ideas for an outline.

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Jay’s Answer: First, you need some “proof” that your idea is good. Find case studies of organizations that made similar changes and the effect on the bottom line.

Second, since you don’t have much authority/power, you need to align yourself with those that do. Selling a shift like this can be tricky, so you need a story to go along with the hard data. I suggest reading “Squirrel, Inc.” for a description of how to craft a story for internal company storytelling. Once you have your story, find people higher up in the organization (or think laterally – Human Resources or even a Quality Circle) who might listen to you.

Lastly, you might decide if it’s better to let it be, fight, switch positions, or even switch companies.

How Can I Organize Business Seminars on Changing Attitude?

Services

I am keen to know how to organise seminars on attitude changing and moral building in a organisation?

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Jay’s Answer: Teaching morals and changing attitudes to children is hard. Teaching it to adults is extremely hard. Instead of having a workshop saying “Do This. Don’t Do This.”, you’ll want to make the workshops fun and memorable. I suggest bringing in a professional storyteller that can craft business stories around morals & attitudes in business.

Following the stories, have groups of employees create their own stories around the same theme, ideally highlighting something they’ve witnessed at your company. You can even have an ongoing story of the week (email) – with prizes for contributions of stories by your employees.

How Should I Start HVAC Marketing Department?

Services, Starting Out

I’ve been hired by a HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) firm to start and establish a marketing department. Before my joining this company is working through its sales team who were doing good sales but the sales are primilary due to personal contacts of salesman or the discounts they offer to the customer. The CEO of this company wants to change the sales oriented approach into a marketing approach which he says is a much broader concept. plz help me out in starting a marketing department and moving this sales driven company into a marketing driven company. kindly list down main steps which in your view are required to do so.

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Jay’s Answer: I’d start by interviewing your top sales people, and finding out what approaches has worked for them. They no doubt understand the competition, what the prospect is looking for, etc.

I’d next study your competitors (SWOT analysis) to find out how your company stacks up.

Your marketing strategy would start by targeting under-served prospects with something unique. Perhaps it’s an energy audit/guarantee. Or a free mold check. Or an annual maintenance program.

The full plan would include how to reach your prospects, measuring plan effectiveness, etc.

What Is A Good Tagline For A Life Insurance Training?

Names + Taglines, Services

Hi, I am working with a bank, I am designing a name and tagline for a “life insurance” product training for our salesman. last time it was difficult to convince people to attend training so we are looking a for an attractive name and tagline for training program. product is “Life insurance” and training is to be given to salesman of the bank who helps in direct sellling of these products to our customers

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Jay’s Answer: The name/tagline should provide a key benefit for your audience. So, why should the sales staff care about the training?

  • To learn more about new offerings (for their own sake)
  • To make more sales
  • To help their clients more

Here are some ideas:

  • What’s New In Life Insurance? (to learn more)
  • What You Don’t Know About Selling Life Insurance (to sell more)
  • What Your Life Insurance Client Really Needs To Know (to help clients)
  • Don’t Let Selling Life Insurance Kill You (humorous)

How Should I Advertise My Website/Logo Design Business?

eMarketing, Services

I have a website and logo design company, and I am interested in targeting small business owners who do not have website, and offer them one at a nominal price.

What do you think the best e-mail campaign would be?
Should I rent a list? who to go to? any specific list?

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Jay’s Answer: It’s tricky, because if they have an email address, they might already have a website. I’d target the emails that are @yahoo.com, @msn.com, @gmail.com, @comcast.net, etc. Most of the rest will probably be a domain name that they own, which means they might have a website (you could manually check each one).

Your second problem is that if they have an email, but don’t have a website, there may well be a very good reason they don’t, and you’re unlikely to make them reconsider (especially via email).

I’d instead suggest focusing regionally. Find businesses that are just starting up, and see if they have a website/logo. Networking face-to-face with the right people is likely to produce better results than a email blast.

Also, don’t forget to place an ad on Craigslist – it’s the logical place for small businesses to look for something inexpensive.

How Can I Attract Real Estate Agents To Purchase Our Closing Gifts?

Services

We are a home decor etailer using offline marketing methods to promote our products and ecommerce website. Many of the products we carry are appropriate housewarming or home closing gifts. Real estate agents could therefore become a key audience.

We have been afforded the opportunity to set up a lunch and learn session in a real estate office for 2 hours. Our objective is to show the agents that our company and our products can add value to them and that our gift items are appropriate for their clients.

Question
1. How can we cut through the clutter of other FREE lunch and learn sessions and attract as many agents as possible to this session?
2. How can we help them to see that we can be a value add to their business?
3. What strategies can we use to pique interest and get them engaged while on site? What can we do that’s different and unique with a limited budget.

Some agents have an interest in the lunch only.

Note: We don’t speak at this. We simply set up a display in a boardroom and wait around for agents to come in and out.

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Jay’s Answer: (Temporarily) Redecorate the boardroom using your products! Create a vignette of a living/dining room, and show your products – not in a catalog – but physically.

For dessert, create a cookie bag, and put your materials in with the cookies. Or, create your own fortune cookies. Or, have the cookies baked in the shape of your logo, etc.

What you’re offering isn’t a value added service to their business – it’s a thank you gift. You’re not making it easier for them to sell homes, find buyers, or find sellers. The after-gift can be nice, but it’s the treatment during the home transaction that their clients remember. If you can show statistics showing that people remember their agents more favorably, give better referrals, etc. because of your gift – you’ve got something very strong to offer.