Quick Fix Marketing Strategy #3 – Office Supply Stores
Just about every marketing principle I teach can be applied to an office supply store. It’s a veritable goldmine of profits if approached properly.
The absolute first thing you should do is capture your customer’s names and addresses. Almost none of the office supply stores I’ve ever been in do this. They just take your money over the counter and that’s it. Once you get your list together, mail special offers to those customers. Remember – your current customers are your best prospects for future business. Before you try to get a new customer, sell to an existing customer first.
When you’re ready to do some ‘prospecting’ to find new customers, the most effective medium is direct mail to smaller businesses in your market area. Offer a free calendar or paper clip holder to anyone who comes in by a certain date. Hire people to give free delivery on regular routes to local area businesses for 10% to 15% commission. Use eight to twelve page catalogs for your customer list, with advance notices of special offers. Set up joint ventures with a local print shop to mail to each other’s list.
Read my Quick-Print Shop example. Try using the same young men and women to pick up and deliver for both you and the printer.
By ‘piggy-backing’ your distribution, you’ll help ensure more loyal, prosperous employees, since they’ll make more money doing ‘double duty’ for both of you.
Quick Fix Marketing Strategy #2 – Travel Agents
Most travel agencies simply react to their clients’ requests. Instead, develop a proactive marketing strategy by regularly contacting clients to determine their future travel plans, geographical areas of interest, preferred modes of travel and any special needs and desires. At least 50% to 80% of everyone’s travel needs are known to them in advance.Keep careful, detailed records on each customer/prospect.
If you can make advance recommendations to clients in a way to save them money, time, last-minute panic, and overall grief, don’t you think they will favor you with most or all of their travel business?
Quick Fix Marketing Strategy #1 – Bakeries
Try these powerful strategies to increase your customers:
- Mail to your local area, offering free samples of your special Bread, ‘homemade’ apple pie or cheesecake.
- Set up a free drawing for a special cake, a dozen of their favorite donuts every week for a year, or whatever.
- Use a huge sign in high-traffic locations to announce ‘Free Cheesecake’ to stop traffic and pull in the crowds.
- Capture names, addresses, and birthdays of all family members. Send a letter with a special birthday cake offer. Give special offers for weddings, graduations, catered parties, etc.
You’ll be amazed at the amount of front-end traffic this will bring you. If you deliver quality goods, they’ll come back again and again.