Smart marketing involves showing the customer real value. It means that you focus on what your product or service can do for them. It needs to solve a problem or improve quality of life. And effective marketing demands that you show the customer how your product or service does this. A list of features is [...]

Branding does not always have to be about the product or service. Dave Thomas of Wendys showed us that. Smart marketing can include using yourself in the brand marketing. Have you thought about yourself as part of your brand? Adding a human face to your product or service makes it more accessible. Plus, you can [...]

One way you can market your business for very little is to offer yourself as a speaker or to give seminars. These gatherings offer a great way for you to establish yourself as an expert, and a way to pass out business cards and do a little business networking. Think of some good tips you [...]

When it comes to smart marketing, there are few things that are more effective than business networking. Talking to other people, and getting to know others in your industry and in your local area (whether they are in your industry or not) is an important marketing tool. You never know when you will make a [...]

Smart marketing includes understanding who you are targeting with your marketing campaign. This means that you need to understand your target audience. Ask yourself: What is my ideal customer like? This means that you should understand the following characteristics of your target audience:

Age
Gender
Preferred activities
Attitudes
Values
Preferred way to get information

Using this information to develop a smart marketing [...]

One of the cheapest ways to advertise is to do it for free. And word of mouth promotion offers just that opportunity. Finding a way for your business to get a little extra free advertising is always a smart marketing. And you can do that when you engage in what is now called viral marketing. [...]

Marketing yourself is one way to help your business grow. But how are your marketing yourself? One of the ways to best show people who you are is to do so by marketing yourself as an expert in your field. Smart marketing takes into account that people like to make purchases from those who know [...]

People like to buy an entire package. And part of your product or service is, in a very real sense, you. Are you marketing yourself effectively. Smart marketing includes a human element, and you can have that when you take pains to market yourself as well as your product, service or business. No matter what [...]

While we always want to see a quick result from our marketing efforts, much can be said for the process of branding.  Coca cola is widely recognized for their familiar brand, because most of their advertising is just branding.
This year, Reynolds Wrap was found to be the favorite brand by consumers.  However, you’d be hard [...]

I’m not talking solicitation or spam, perish the thought.  I mean getting your name in front of your customers.
Studies suggest a person may have to hear or see a name 8 times before they recognize it or act upon it.  That means a one time ad will get you nowhere.  Don’t even consider advertising unless [...]