CaliberPulse

Part of the “Low-Cost, High-Impact” Smart Marketing Workshop One way to reduce your marketing cost and a simple one, is to share your advertising. Take a 60-second radio spot and share it with two other businesses. That gives you 20 seconds each. Develop a direct-mail piece that advertises two businesses and share mailing lists and the costs of the development and postage. Find the right partner. The best business partnerships are ones that have similar customers and credibility. Clothing store and shoe store Drywaller and Painter Restaurant and Nightclub Green products and Recycling plant A great example is Tucson Originals, www.tucsonoriginals.com. A number of Tucson restaurants formed this organization to market their businesses as a group. Their Web site features all of the businesses in the partnership as well as upcoming events and specials. By working together they not only get to share advertising costs but also harvest the power of a larger customer base.

Part of the “Low-Cost, High-Impact” Smart Marketing Workshop It’s one of those simple things that a lot of businesses overlook: putting their logo on clothing. If the clothing is cool, interesting or free, it’s likely that customers are willing to be your walking billboard. You can go with the typical t-shirt or baseball hat, or think creatively. Pictured is the Bookmans bicycling team. Bookmans paid for the jerseys and shorts and they get cycling billboards found riding all over town and in major events such as the Tour de Tucson.

America’s increasing dependence on cell phones is creating a new marketing medium for businesses. The Associated Press recently reported that more than one out of every six of households have only cell phones and an additional 13 percent have landlines, but get most of their calls on their mobile. The data was based on a study compiled by the National Health Interview Survey and conducted by the CDC. Stephen Blumberg, senior scientist at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an author of the report, said that the nation’s current economic status could increase the number of cell phone holders. "There's clearly a reason to give up a landline phone if budgets are tight," he said in an interview. "Given the current economic environment, I'd not be surprised to see more and more people give up their landline phones for economic reasons." The growing number of people using cell phones exclusively could force companies in all industries to change tactics and communicate differently – eliminating annoying telemarketing and robocalls. In response to changing consumer behavior, The Detroit Free Press is changing their printing and delivery schedule to send more news out through the Web and SMS (text messaging) to reach consumer demand for information on their laptop or cell phone.

If you’re not online, your business is sooo last decade. Entire generations have now grown up without having to open a phone book. They know they can get the same information – plus a summary of the business, perhaps some photos, customer reviews and ratings – quicker and more conveniently online. Nearly one out of every three Pima County residents is between the ages of 10 and 34. You can’t afford to ignore that many would-be customers. Here are some simple steps you can take to capitalize on the Web. Introduce your business online. If your business doesn’t have a Web site, build one. A Web site advertises your business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It costs on average between $25 and $300 a year for a registrar to host your domain name. Where else can you get that kind of exposure for that price? Capture an online audience. Interactive marketing has become a specialization that commands high prices. But there are things you can do to maximize visits to your site without paying an expert to help direct Web traffic to your company. Focus on your company’s mailing lists, providing customers with your Web address via signs, business cards, promotional fliers, holiday cards, promotional gifts, etc.

Restaurants and other businesses looking to attract consumers shell shocked by the economy might consider discounting their gift cards rather than their products/services. Scarborough Research says nearly half (47 percent) of Tucsonans bought a gift card during the past year.

A non-existent marketing and advertising budget doesn’t mean your business is banished to the land of invisible. One of the most effective ways to keep your brand in the community’s mind is to support charitable causes near and dear to the community. “When a business supports nonprofits, it lets the community know the business is engaged in the community. They’re not just there for the customers,” said Deborah Dale, chief development officer at the Primavera Foundation, a local nonprofit supported by volunteers and donations. “They’re supporting the customers’ children or causes and that builds rapport with their customers.” Studies support the idea that customers respond to the businesses which support their pet causes. Find out what charities your customers or staff support and help out. Let your customers and staff know by inviting them to pick a charity to donate to through your business, suggested Dana Robbins-Murray, account director with Caliber Group. One example would be to host a canned food drive or pet supply collection for the Community Food Bank or Humane Society of Southern Arizona.

Bling’s out, paper’s in. No longer comfortable flashing frivolous signs of indulgence, Americans are grabbing their scissors and bragging about coupons. Iconowatch reports the savvy are saving as bargain bragging rights quickly replaces the family gas guzzler as this season’s must have. More than half of American households are clipping coupons from their Sunday newspaper. While Internet usage is up 83 percent since 2005, it still pales in comparison (11 percent) to the number of households combing their Sunday newspaper for savings opportunities (53 percent), according to Scarborough Research.

A recession doesn’t mean small business have to spend the next few months hiding in bunkers under Broadway Boulevard. In fact, many marketers and brand specialists will tell you now is the perfect time to build on and establish lasting relationships with customers/clients. Don’t let a small marketing budget hold you back. There’s plenty businesses can do with staff resources. It just requires a little good, old-fashioned know-how and people skills. Think you’re not the person with those skills? Find someone in-house who enjoys meeting and talking to people. Odds are you’ve got a star waiting to shine. Don’t let a non-existent marketing budget hold you back. There’s plenty businesses can do without spending a penny on experts. It just requires a little good, old-fashioned know-how and people skills. Think you’re not the person with those skills? Find someone in-house who enjoys meeting and talking to people. Odds are you’ve got a star waiting to shine.