Starting a Joint Venture

Unfortunately, many people in business think joint ventures are only for the big companies. McDonald’s can do those movie tie-ins with the big Hollywood studios, for example, because they have enough customers and marketing power to make most companies eager to work with them. But what if you’re a small business? How can you get [...]

Letting Your Staff Do the Marketing for You

Sometimes our best marketing assets are right under our noses, but we just don’t see them. That’s the case with your staff. Sure, they provide a good experience for your customers or clients and that’s important. But they can be a valuable asset in other ways, too. Upselling & Cross Selling Whether you run a [...]

Using Your Price as a Marketing Tool

When we think of marketing based on pricing, we usually think of advertisements for sales prices or special limited time discounts. But you can be using your price point as one of your most effective marketing tools. The best part is you don’t necessarily have to be the cheapest in town to use price to [...]

Getting Your Lost Customers Back

Your customers are your most important asset. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to stay in business or keep any of the other assets your company possesses now. But sometimes you lose customers and, usually, they aren’t going to tell you why. Sure, sometimes it won’t have anything do with your business, but that doesn’t [...]

Why Your Small Business Needs a Referral Program

Word of mouth marketing was once thought to be the only type of marketing a business needed to be successful. We all know that isn’t true. This type of marketing in which customers tell one another about your product or service to inspire them to also buy your products or services does work but isn’t [...]

How to Get the Maximum Benefits from Social Media Marketing

Marketing Monday Tip of the Week: Always have a Plan! Social media marketing sounds like a great idea, and it is but all too often small businesses enter into the marketing venue without any particular overall strategy. What that means is that they either hit it lucky (seldom) or they waste time and effort and [...]

Marketing with a Purpose – Leo Burnett Dares LeBron to Step in Michael Jordan’s Shoes

Chicago Ad Agency Leo Burnett Dares LeBron to Step in MJ’s Shoes using extremely bold advertising campaign If you are the Chicago Bulls, and you really want LeBron James to leave Cleveland and play with you, evidently, now is when you pull out all the stops. Rock Star Marketing Alert! You don’t ask LeBron James [...]

Marketing Like a Rock Star – My Sharona

This is part 4 of my Marketing Like a Rock Star Series. What do you have that can be your single most powerful door opener (conversation starter)? Did you play college ball in the Pac 10? Traveled to all 7 continents? Did Kobe Bryant crash into you when saving a ball from out of bounds? [...]

WordPress Beginner’s Guide

I am so happy to announce, that the FreeMarket Media Group e-book entitled “The WordPress Beginners Guide” is available. This e-book walks you step-by-step through everything you need to know about the WordPress blogging system. Even if you’re not a beginner, this book is for you. Why? Because this book will walk you through everything [...]