You need to capture every customer you can. That means you need to keep marketing, without it costing a fortune. Studies have shown that businesses that keep up their marketing even when the economy is in trouble emerge much healthier and with bigger market share when the economy improves.

Traditional Advertising —Print, Radio, TV - This is what most people think of when they hear the word “marketing”. But you don’t have to be on the main TV station or even in the leading newspaper. Instead, focus tightly on your target market, and consider less-expensive options such as:

  • Local newsletters: Think of church, community, even condo associations
  • Community newspapers: Especially free, give-away papers such as Super Shopper
  • Local or regional special interest publications: Such as Guam Sports or Marine Drive Magazine
  • Local public radio or TV stations: PBS Guam and KPRG Public Radio

Another hint: For any type of traditional advertising, ask for prices on “remnants”, left over space which is typically sold at deep discounts, and consider the audience for these shows (such as the midday K57 talk shows).

Person-to-Person Marketing - Small businesses know that one-to-one direct marketing drives most of their sales. But to really grow your business, you’ve got to work at getting people talking about you. One proven method is:

  • Networking: Attend every holiday, party, business and community group meeting you can. Bring your business cards and a friend to support you. Don’t overplay your hand, but let people know that you have a business, that you would appreciate their patronage, and ask for referrals.

Another hint: Make sure you take good care of your existing, happy customers. Keep in touch with them, and if appropriate, reward them for their loyalty by offering discounts and perks. This will ensure that they remain happy customers, and ensure that they continue to provide an excellent source for referrals.

Online Marketing – Such as:

  • Social networking: Start participating in online communities — facebook, myspace, linkedin – especially those appealing to your target market. This is really cheap — in fact, it’s free!
  • Email newsletters: To keep in touch with your customers and advise them of new promotions (check out www.constantcontact.com);
  • Leverage your website: Keep the design simple, limit the graphics, make sure it loads quickly (graphics add load time), and limit any advertising banners or outside links (that will distract your visitor’s attention). Then (1) offer free content (articles, tutorials, tips, reports); (2) give away something of value with your name, business, product or service attached (photo, ebook, or even a free course – if it proves to be popular, it will continue to circulate across the Internet); and (3) ask for your visitors’ name and email address (and create a database of potential customers).
  • Blogs: Writing a blog can take a lot of time, but if you’re an expert in a field, it can provide visibility and drive traffic to you. But you can also become a regular contributor to discussions on a successful blog appealing to your target market —which takes a fraction of the time and still brings you attention.

Sampling, Signs, & Other Marketing – Sampling is one of the least expensive ways to get your product or service noticed. Yes, even services can be offered as a free trial, free quotation, free initial consultation or limited free sample. This is one of the least expensive —and most effective —marketing techniques. Also consider specialty promotional items – you know all those trinkets you get from companies (inc. pens, mugs, & calendars). They’re advertising that sticks around. And they’re typically a lot cheaper than even one radio or newspaper advertisement

Another hint: The holidays are a perfect time to give out samples or promotional items.

The Golden Rule of Marketing: Repetition – Regardless of which marketing tactics you choose, a key rule of marketing is that you must repeat your message to the same audience over and over again. It may be annoying to see the same TV commercial so many times, but it takes many exposures before someone even notices it. By the time you become aware of any ad — whether on TV, on the Internet, in print or on radio — you may have been exposed to it at least a half-dozen times.

Another hint: Even if you use networking as your main marketing technique, you’ll still need to attend the same organization’s meetings several times to make them remember you.