ADVERTISING IDEAS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, Part 1

By Shawn Deacon, Independent Media Professional

http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndeacon

            In the early 1950’s, an interviewer for The Paris Review, George Plimpton, asked Nobel Prize awardee (for Literature) Ernest Hemingway, to explain the best “intellectual training” for an hopeful writer. Since then, many critics have had volumes to say on Hemingway’s reply. Simplistic? Maybe. Unreasonable? Perhaps harsh? Okay they’ve said that as well. Still, Hemingway’s point is clear and arguably still practical today as it was nearly 60 years ago. In fact, it is this single piece of advice that has steered me to putting these points to paper. In case you’re curious, Hemingway’s response:

“Let’s say that he should go out and hang himself because he finds that writing well is impossibly difficult. Then he should be cut down without mercy and forced by his own self to write as well as he can for the rest of his life. At least he will have the story of the hanging to commence with.”

It’s still the beginning of 2013, millions all over the world are projecting and making personal and professional commitments. I know of teachers who want to change careers, qualified engineers who are unemployed, lawyers, professional athletes, fathers, students and dozens of other groups of people who are writing tons on things they’ll be happier doing for 2013. We all have ideas and resolutions for ourselves and others. At the time of writing, I’m planning to move a step closer to unshakable faith in God. I have family members and close friends who are on the verge of launching their own small businesses and, if you’re like them and thinking of a career change or starting your own business, then you know that advertising is crucial and can be expensive. This article is for you.

1. Get people talking about your business. Word of mouth remains the most cost effective method of advertising and there, in that detail, lies its value. Encourage personal testimony of your product or service, beg if you must but generate talk. My personal brand, Cutting Room Studios, was launched in 2008 and people still walk up to me and ask if my work is as good as they keep hearing. They’re doubtful and I understand that. I would always smile and put two or three business cards in their hand. Why two or three? Each person I come in contact with leaves with an impression and eventually, they’ll be able to say to others “I happen to have an extra card, give him a call”.
2. Use the internet to you advantage. Its an amazing tool if you’re doing it right. Blog about it, upload commercials or videos of your satisfied customers to You Tube. Show samples of completed projects on your webpage, or Facebook or Twitter pages. Open a group in Linked In, have members comment on projects and ideas, hold discussions. Use your social network profiles for publishing. Write an eBook and offer as a freebie – and all of this gets people talking.
3. If you find yourself assuming that the costumer already has a similar product; or that they won’t like you; or your service costs too much; or the client won’t return – stop right now and take a deep breath. Believe that your product or service is unique to a particular market. Define your target, no one else is worth your time – and don’t be afraid to tell them that. “I decided to come to you first because I knew you’d be excited about it”. Then make an offer, don’t try to sell.
4. You’ll also want to make it easy for customers and potential customers to find you. Print your business name, address, email address and website (if you have one) on all business related correspondence including notepads, packaging slips, invoices, receipts and promotional items. Remember the name of the game is Competition. Business cards aren’t the only thing that a person will slip conveniently into a wallet, handbag or pocket.
5. Be proactive and monitor all ads. Find out how the customer found you (television radio, newspaper, magazine, flyer, word of mouth). This is a typical oversight for many business owners who spend resources like company time and money to produce expensive television commercials or full page newspaper ads, without first recognizing through research the media most effective for drawing customers. Don’t be like Schulz’s Charlie Brown who built a sand castle on the shore and stood watching as the water carried out into the sea. “There’s a lesson to be learnt here somewhere” he says to himself.  Have customers mention a radio or TV ad for an immediate discount. Offer a discount on the spot if people follow you and / or like your page and if they share a comment about you. Ask every customer how they found you.

It certainly sounds all very simple, right? Who says everything has to be complicated? When I started Cutting Room Studios just over four years ago with just a hand-held camcorder and a desktop computer, I had no idea that the three hundred attendees at a conference one weekend would be just a small part of my business. Now let’s get something straight – I don’t have three hundred employees. I network however (point #6), I join professional memberships and attend conferences with like-minded individuals. Now back to Hemingway. Certainly he was on to something when he gave that little scenario to the interviewer.

For a brief moment just imagine Ernest Hemingway in the year 2013.  Instead of George Plimpton, you’re conducting the interview. You sit at a table in his house maybe, across from each other. He leans forward in his chair, a shimmer in his eye. Your heart beat quickens, you know what’s coming but yet you don’t know. You put the tape recorder closer to his lips.

“You want to know the secret to success?” he says.

You can feel the beads of perspiration appearing on your forehead. The pause seems to last forever. Then he says “Stop being lazy”.

ABOUT CUTTING ROOM STUDIOS

Cutting Room Studios is an evolving company with a simple vision of becoming a household name synonymous with high end DVD and video productions. Our customers will already attest that we maintain equal, or exceed ideals and standards set by the industry. To you we will continue to deliver on this guarantee. Our approach to every client and every project is with one goal in mind – to leave a lasting impression.

For a free consultation or for bookings, please call 1 868 384 2167 or contact us via email at cuttingroom.ttproductions@gmail.com and liaise directly with one of our qualified team members.