1) Site search: You need to get customers to your web site so you need a good proper search engine optimization. But there is also a question of site search or native search, the search function on your site, i.e. finding products on your site with a search tool can fall into different categories, natural language search, parametric & keyword, but the most common and most accurate is navigation or faceted search.
2) Proper merchandising: It seems that in this age of web marketing and selling merchandising is become a lost art. It is and will always be a key ingreadent to the overall retailing experience. There are rules when it comes to retailing. As a marketing manager you might want to take control of this complex roll and not let your web designer do it for you. You need to decide how products are categorized, how they are sorted, how they are found, how different products are tied together and how products are cross-sold.
3) Content: Consumers are not just looking for good content. They EXPECT good content. They need an online experience and perhaps user generated content like ratings, reviews, and a blog to talk about specific products. Make your site a destination rather than only a placed to shop. Even online people do take the work of other people over that of the company’s verbiage. Find ways to get them to your site and keep them on it.
4) Quick checkout: People; use the internet as a way to be more efficient not getting bogged down at the checkout line. Heck they can go to a brick and mortar if they wanted that. Keep your check out clean neat and fast. You might want to do a little cross selling if it does not get in the way, or give an incentive on their purchase on your site if it does not get in the way.
5) Analytics: You need to know! Gone are the days of just measuring the click on your landing page. You should be knowing your conversion rate at the product level. The technology is out there, why not use it.
Larson note: Make the experience worth it! As online selling becomes an even greater part of the market place and a major source of income for straight online marketers and mixed online/brick & mortars you need to be making sure your site is competitive and hooked up with the best e-commerce offerings to make your customers experience spectacular and worth it for them to come back and buy again. Always be vigilant for the latest in tools and gimmicks. That is part to the online experience.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Week Ahead June 29 – July 3
Monday:
Tuesday: June consumer confidence, April Case-Shiller home price index
Wednesday: June institute for Supply Management index, June vehicles sales, May construction spending
Thursday: June unemployment report, May factory orders, Weekly initial jobless claims
Friday: Markets closed (do we really care?) Real people still working
Larson note: We are not into any growth patterns yet. We need to push though this in order to get to the other side. Last week we say Boeing delay its 787 Dreamline (again) but we did see an overall income for American workers of 1.4% (did not see that coming) as unemployment climbed higher.
We well be seeing grown in most areas of a month ago as we attempt to find the bottom of this recession. For use here at Larson’s we saw an increase in our ratios in getting our clients appointments and the opportunity of get in front of new prospects. I am thinking that July is your or should be your set up month for solid sales increases in August and beyond.
Look of stabilizing in home prices, higher vehicle sales and construction spending with a slow recovery in factory orders starting to trickle in. Unemployment? Ha, forget it!
For Larson & Associates our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of June & July are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones. We are also looking for sales persons in New England, Texas and Southern California.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday:
Wednesday: Marathon Training 6:30amThursday:
Friday: Saturday: Marathon Training Long Group Run
Sunday:
Trade show schedule:
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show Stevenson Convention Center
> September 29- October 1, 2009: Motivation show McCormick Place
> October 22nd, 2009: 2009 Midwest Fall Business Expo Serb Hall Milwaukee, WI
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday: June consumer confidence, April Case-Shiller home price index
Wednesday: June institute for Supply Management index, June vehicles sales, May construction spending
Thursday: June unemployment report, May factory orders, Weekly initial jobless claims
Friday: Markets closed (do we really care?) Real people still working
Larson note: We are not into any growth patterns yet. We need to push though this in order to get to the other side. Last week we say Boeing delay its 787 Dreamline (again) but we did see an overall income for American workers of 1.4% (did not see that coming) as unemployment climbed higher.
We well be seeing grown in most areas of a month ago as we attempt to find the bottom of this recession. For use here at Larson’s we saw an increase in our ratios in getting our clients appointments and the opportunity of get in front of new prospects. I am thinking that July is your or should be your set up month for solid sales increases in August and beyond.
Look of stabilizing in home prices, higher vehicle sales and construction spending with a slow recovery in factory orders starting to trickle in. Unemployment? Ha, forget it!
For Larson & Associates our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of June & July are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones. We are also looking for sales persons in New England, Texas and Southern California.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday:
Wednesday: Marathon Training 6:30amThursday:
Friday: Saturday: Marathon Training Long Group Run
Sunday:
Trade show schedule:
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show Stevenson Convention Center
> September 29- October 1, 2009: Motivation show McCormick Place
> October 22nd, 2009: 2009 Midwest Fall Business Expo Serb Hall Milwaukee, WI
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Have a written Marketing Plan ?
These are the results of a totally unsientific pool from the ning SM site TeamCircle http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
These are people who are fairly active in SM marking but do they have a writing Marketing Plan?
3 yes
3 no
Larson note: Personally I would have expected a higher rate of written plans out of this group! I can only encourage more people to write out where they want their companies to go. Use us or another service to do it if you can’t do it yourself, you will be ahead of your competition if you do.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
These are people who are fairly active in SM marking but do they have a writing Marketing Plan?
3 yes
3 no
Larson note: Personally I would have expected a higher rate of written plans out of this group! I can only encourage more people to write out where they want their companies to go. Use us or another service to do it if you can’t do it yourself, you will be ahead of your competition if you do.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
Importance of Backlinks
If you have done almost anything with SEO you have probably come across the word “backlinks” or “reciprocal links” several times. For those new to the SEO, you might wonder what backlinks are and how essential they are for the success of websites.
In short, a Backlink indicates a link from another site to your website. These are also known as inbound links and their number indicates the popularity of the website. Backlinks are considered as votes by search engines: more the number of votes (backlinks) your website has, and based on the importance of websites linking back to yours, your site is assigned a trust rank.
Backlinks today are an important part of the SEO process because when you build quality backlinks, your website stands a higher chance of getting indexed faster by the search engines. Also, from the long term perspective, it will help in boosting quality traffic to your site. Apart from this, building backlinks serves your bottom-line of website visibility by improving your page ranking and ultimately your ranking in the search engines.
Additionally, it is not just enough to have lots of backlinks, but, it’s also the quality of the backlinks that helps in achieving a better ranking in search engines. When calculating the relevance of a website to a particular keyword, search engines usually take into consideration the number of quality backlinks to that website.
Search engines like Google give a lot of importance to websites that contain more number of quality backlinks and also consider those websites as more relevant when compared to others in search results.
A backlink is considered as a quality link if:
a) It links back to your site with the keyword which you are optimizing for.
b) The website linking back to yours has the same theme as your website – this means that when your website contains an inbound link from another site, and that site has content related to your website, this inbound link will be considered as more relevant to your website. However, if this inbound link comes from a site that is totally unrelated to your site content, then it is considered as a less relevant backlink. Therefore, higher the relevancy of backlinks, the greater will be their quality.
For instance, if you have a website about furniture and you receive an inbound link from another website also containing furniture, then this backlink will be considered more relevant and of higher quality when compared to a backlink from a florist website.
Today, search engines watch out for websites that build quality backlinks slowly over time. Though it is quite easy to maneuver links on webpage's in order to attain a high ranking, it is much tougher to manipulate search engines with inbound links from other sites. This is also one of the reasons for backlinks gaining increased importance in search engine algorithms. Recently, search engines assessment for quality backlinks has become even tougher as there are many webmasters out there who make use of unethical techniques and deceive search engines to attain a higher ranking. These techniques are not only illegitimate but can also lead to your site getting banned.
Lastly, building quality backlinks could be a very time consuming and tedious process requiring a lot of patience, efforts, and also funds. However, it is a crucial step in creating blogs or any website since the quality and relevancy of backlinks can determine the success or failure of the site. Therefore, it is very important that you prioritize this in your SEO activity and hire professional SEO experts to whom you can outsource this task and achieve a better search engine ranking.
Larson note: If you are serious about getting your site ranked high up look into finding backlinking or reciprocal linking. The more difficult your market area or keyword usage the greater the importance these links become. Somehow someway you need to find a way to get up to page 3 on a keyword search. This can help!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
In short, a Backlink indicates a link from another site to your website. These are also known as inbound links and their number indicates the popularity of the website. Backlinks are considered as votes by search engines: more the number of votes (backlinks) your website has, and based on the importance of websites linking back to yours, your site is assigned a trust rank.
Backlinks today are an important part of the SEO process because when you build quality backlinks, your website stands a higher chance of getting indexed faster by the search engines. Also, from the long term perspective, it will help in boosting quality traffic to your site. Apart from this, building backlinks serves your bottom-line of website visibility by improving your page ranking and ultimately your ranking in the search engines.
Additionally, it is not just enough to have lots of backlinks, but, it’s also the quality of the backlinks that helps in achieving a better ranking in search engines. When calculating the relevance of a website to a particular keyword, search engines usually take into consideration the number of quality backlinks to that website.
Search engines like Google give a lot of importance to websites that contain more number of quality backlinks and also consider those websites as more relevant when compared to others in search results.
A backlink is considered as a quality link if:
a) It links back to your site with the keyword which you are optimizing for.
b) The website linking back to yours has the same theme as your website – this means that when your website contains an inbound link from another site, and that site has content related to your website, this inbound link will be considered as more relevant to your website. However, if this inbound link comes from a site that is totally unrelated to your site content, then it is considered as a less relevant backlink. Therefore, higher the relevancy of backlinks, the greater will be their quality.
For instance, if you have a website about furniture and you receive an inbound link from another website also containing furniture, then this backlink will be considered more relevant and of higher quality when compared to a backlink from a florist website.
Today, search engines watch out for websites that build quality backlinks slowly over time. Though it is quite easy to maneuver links on webpage's in order to attain a high ranking, it is much tougher to manipulate search engines with inbound links from other sites. This is also one of the reasons for backlinks gaining increased importance in search engine algorithms. Recently, search engines assessment for quality backlinks has become even tougher as there are many webmasters out there who make use of unethical techniques and deceive search engines to attain a higher ranking. These techniques are not only illegitimate but can also lead to your site getting banned.
Lastly, building quality backlinks could be a very time consuming and tedious process requiring a lot of patience, efforts, and also funds. However, it is a crucial step in creating blogs or any website since the quality and relevancy of backlinks can determine the success or failure of the site. Therefore, it is very important that you prioritize this in your SEO activity and hire professional SEO experts to whom you can outsource this task and achieve a better search engine ranking.
Larson note: If you are serious about getting your site ranked high up look into finding backlinking or reciprocal linking. The more difficult your market area or keyword usage the greater the importance these links become. Somehow someway you need to find a way to get up to page 3 on a keyword search. This can help!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Questions Before E-Commerce
Here are some things you should be asking yourself before jumping into e-commerce
1. Why are you selling online? Think about it. How will e-commerce play out in your business? Do a little research. Will your site be only for transactions, or will it be more about brand building or driving traffic?
2. Who are the customers who will use the site? Who are you building this site for? What are these customers needs, goals, desires? Then ask, “How can I help them achieve their goals?”
3. What is my competition doing? Knowing your competition is always a good idea. Doing some industry wide benchmarking to know how you stack up is always good. You might even want to take the next step and actually buy something from your competition to really get the customer experience.
Larson note: If you understand why you want to sell online and know what your customers expect from the process you are well ahead of the game. Selling is not just flashing out a web page and thinking people will flock to you and buy. It’s like any other kind of selling. Plan your attack and attack your plan.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your company city, regional or nationwide.
1. Why are you selling online? Think about it. How will e-commerce play out in your business? Do a little research. Will your site be only for transactions, or will it be more about brand building or driving traffic?
2. Who are the customers who will use the site? Who are you building this site for? What are these customers needs, goals, desires? Then ask, “How can I help them achieve their goals?”
3. What is my competition doing? Knowing your competition is always a good idea. Doing some industry wide benchmarking to know how you stack up is always good. You might even want to take the next step and actually buy something from your competition to really get the customer experience.
Larson note: If you understand why you want to sell online and know what your customers expect from the process you are well ahead of the game. Selling is not just flashing out a web page and thinking people will flock to you and buy. It’s like any other kind of selling. Plan your attack and attack your plan.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your company city, regional or nationwide.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Marketing\Sales Basics
The keys to targeted direct marketing success are not one dimensional but multifaceted.
Define the goals of your program with a clear and concise call to action. Create and clean your list. Good compelling creative approach to push through the mundane clutter. Have multiple touch points and follow up with live sales calls throughout the process.
Pretty basic right? I get postcard mailings every day. Do I get a call back or follow up on them. Hardly ever. There might even be a follow up mailing, but no phone call. I’ve heard my cat walking louder than my phone range. I might have even wanted what they were promoting but still the phone stayed silent.
Larson note: You got to close the deal. You got to make the call and ask for the order. As I always have told My customers when they apologize for not calling me back, “It’s my job to remember you, not your job to remember me.” No matter how good your marketing is, you need to have a closing strategy to get them to buy. I know what mine is, what’s yours?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
Define the goals of your program with a clear and concise call to action. Create and clean your list. Good compelling creative approach to push through the mundane clutter. Have multiple touch points and follow up with live sales calls throughout the process.
Pretty basic right? I get postcard mailings every day. Do I get a call back or follow up on them. Hardly ever. There might even be a follow up mailing, but no phone call. I’ve heard my cat walking louder than my phone range. I might have even wanted what they were promoting but still the phone stayed silent.
Larson note: You got to close the deal. You got to make the call and ask for the order. As I always have told My customers when they apologize for not calling me back, “It’s my job to remember you, not your job to remember me.” No matter how good your marketing is, you need to have a closing strategy to get them to buy. I know what mine is, what’s yours?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. No sales staff? Use us as your complete marketing/sales department and take your sales city, regional, nationwide.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Small Budget Marketing
Marketing budgets (if you even have one) have been shrinking. Yet there is pressure to still maintain the same amount of exposure.
Reaching into the magic bag of tricks, here 3 inexpensive, easy things you could be dong to get the job done.
1st offer customers and prospect s something useful. A whitepaper, coupon, invitation so an open house. Then promote the heck out of it through an online channel(s) like a blog, e-newsletter, twitter, ning, Facebook or MySpace promotion. If you can include a way for people to leave contact information to get the information you are on your way to building your contact list.
2nd, use your in-house expertise. Every company has experts who are knowledgable in your area of business. Arrange for your in-house experts to take on speaking engagements are industry events, trade shows, a company blog, etc. Become the company of answers and ideas.
And 3rd, ensure that your company and its offerings stay relevant to your customers. Track trends; send out questionnaires, talk to your customers to make sure what you are offering is what they need to buy.
Larson note: Budgets and resources might be getting scarce for you and you might want to sit tight and ride it out. Yet, the cost of doing nothing will end up costing you customers to those who are ready to move forward. If you try to grow your business now, when time are tough it will only get easier when things get better
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Reaching into the magic bag of tricks, here 3 inexpensive, easy things you could be dong to get the job done.
1st offer customers and prospect s something useful. A whitepaper, coupon, invitation so an open house. Then promote the heck out of it through an online channel(s) like a blog, e-newsletter, twitter, ning, Facebook or MySpace promotion. If you can include a way for people to leave contact information to get the information you are on your way to building your contact list.
2nd, use your in-house expertise. Every company has experts who are knowledgable in your area of business. Arrange for your in-house experts to take on speaking engagements are industry events, trade shows, a company blog, etc. Become the company of answers and ideas.
And 3rd, ensure that your company and its offerings stay relevant to your customers. Track trends; send out questionnaires, talk to your customers to make sure what you are offering is what they need to buy.
Larson note: Budgets and resources might be getting scarce for you and you might want to sit tight and ride it out. Yet, the cost of doing nothing will end up costing you customers to those who are ready to move forward. If you try to grow your business now, when time are tough it will only get easier when things get better
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Week Ahead June 22 – June 28
Monday:
Tuesday: May existing home sales
Wednesday: May durable goods orders, Federal Reserve meeting, May new home sales
Thursday: Revised first quarter GDP, Weekly initial jobless claims
Friday: May personal income and spending
Larson note: There were no surprises last week and I expect none this week as well. People are feeling good about things and that in and of itself makes and paints a rosier picture. There were only a couple new big bankruptsey to the growing list, that being Eddie Bauer and Extended Stay Hotels. All we need to avoid now is as I alluded to “Bankruptcy Fallout” where those companies extended on credit goods and services, now will get nothing back in return because they (you) were not secured. All ready we see the auto parts industry asking for federal help with the bankruptcies of Chrysler and GM and GM’s asset buyout plan. This is a cute little deal to walk away from your debts and keep your assets.
Home sales will be good, factory orders ok, jobless claims will continue to grow but slow income and spending better. At least that is what my foggy crystal ball is telling me.
Yet as we move out of the 2nd quarter and into the 3rd quarter look for real growth. The experts are predicting ½%, but if you play your cards right you should be looking at being able to grab a minimum of over 15%. If you can’t achieve at least 10% in the 2nd quarter you are not one of my passionate readers.
For Larson & Associates our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of June are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones. We are also looking for sales persons in New England, Texas and Southern California.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday: Jury Duty
Wednesday: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday: Marathon Training Long Group Run
Trade show schedule:
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday: May existing home sales
Wednesday: May durable goods orders, Federal Reserve meeting, May new home sales
Thursday: Revised first quarter GDP, Weekly initial jobless claims
Friday: May personal income and spending
Larson note: There were no surprises last week and I expect none this week as well. People are feeling good about things and that in and of itself makes and paints a rosier picture. There were only a couple new big bankruptsey to the growing list, that being Eddie Bauer and Extended Stay Hotels. All we need to avoid now is as I alluded to “Bankruptcy Fallout” where those companies extended on credit goods and services, now will get nothing back in return because they (you) were not secured. All ready we see the auto parts industry asking for federal help with the bankruptcies of Chrysler and GM and GM’s asset buyout plan. This is a cute little deal to walk away from your debts and keep your assets.
Home sales will be good, factory orders ok, jobless claims will continue to grow but slow income and spending better. At least that is what my foggy crystal ball is telling me.
Yet as we move out of the 2nd quarter and into the 3rd quarter look for real growth. The experts are predicting ½%, but if you play your cards right you should be looking at being able to grab a minimum of over 15%. If you can’t achieve at least 10% in the 2nd quarter you are not one of my passionate readers.
For Larson & Associates our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of June are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones. We are also looking for sales persons in New England, Texas and Southern California.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday: Jury Duty
Wednesday: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday: Marathon Training Long Group Run
Trade show schedule:
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Friday, June 19, 2009
5 Tips Towards Going Green to Save Money
The US industrial sector is the largest energy user segment in the country. With this in mind manufactures and service businesses are identifying sustainable energy solutions that will drive their needed efficiencies. Any time is a good time to start saving on utility bills and begin working toward sustainability target goals. Do you want to reduce your energy costs and in turn reduce your carbon footprint?
1. Do your Homework: You won’t know how much you can save until you know where the money is being spent. You can go and do an energy audit of your company to determine use and where our facility can go green and same. There are specialists that can come to our facility to identify key energy saving areas as well as plans for future energy consumption.
2. Plant lighting: By replacing existing lightly with energy efficient products and controls, you can be reducing energy consumption up to 50% as well as eliminate the risk of mercury contamination in a very short period of time. There are easy to use controls that can help reduce energy consumption with smart schedules and automation.
3. Evaluate motors and drives: In industry electric motors are responsible for 70% of all energy consumed. There is beg savings to be made in this area so why not start a replacement plan by replacing existing motors with more energy efficient versions or try saving b y adding variable frequency drive systems to the motors. This can be an easy 30% energy savings area with a very quick rate of return.
4. Control of heating and cooling costs: Here is another 30% energy use area. Making smart decisions about your faculty’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning system can have a major impact on your utility bills. Adding drive and control systems can also play a sufficient part of reduced costs.
5. Keep monitoring the situation: Knowing and understanding your plant’s electrical footprint and monitoring energy use can help your company track its progress on your goals as well as establish benchmarks for achievement. Putting in intelligent energy monitors can track energy usage across multiple locations from a central source to ensure maximum efficiency and control.
Larson note: These are ready to have cost savings the help the planet at the same time. Map out a plan the works in the ones that have the quickest return on investment and put an entire energy usage plan into effect.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
1. Do your Homework: You won’t know how much you can save until you know where the money is being spent. You can go and do an energy audit of your company to determine use and where our facility can go green and same. There are specialists that can come to our facility to identify key energy saving areas as well as plans for future energy consumption.
2. Plant lighting: By replacing existing lightly with energy efficient products and controls, you can be reducing energy consumption up to 50% as well as eliminate the risk of mercury contamination in a very short period of time. There are easy to use controls that can help reduce energy consumption with smart schedules and automation.
3. Evaluate motors and drives: In industry electric motors are responsible for 70% of all energy consumed. There is beg savings to be made in this area so why not start a replacement plan by replacing existing motors with more energy efficient versions or try saving b y adding variable frequency drive systems to the motors. This can be an easy 30% energy savings area with a very quick rate of return.
4. Control of heating and cooling costs: Here is another 30% energy use area. Making smart decisions about your faculty’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning system can have a major impact on your utility bills. Adding drive and control systems can also play a sufficient part of reduced costs.
5. Keep monitoring the situation: Knowing and understanding your plant’s electrical footprint and monitoring energy use can help your company track its progress on your goals as well as establish benchmarks for achievement. Putting in intelligent energy monitors can track energy usage across multiple locations from a central source to ensure maximum efficiency and control.
Larson note: These are ready to have cost savings the help the planet at the same time. Map out a plan the works in the ones that have the quickest return on investment and put an entire energy usage plan into effect.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Online Retailer Cuts & Investments
How (30% of) Online Retailers Plant to Cut Costs
88% Cut back hiring and staffing plans
56% Spend less on search
46% Have no plans to change original budgets
Where (24% of) Online Retailers Plan to invest more heavenly
80% Search
65% E-mail
60% Social Marketing
* Source: The State of Retailing Online 2009, A Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research Inc. May 5, 2009 for a sample of 117 online retailers.
Larson note: The 3 areas of more investment come in the 3 areas of least cost. Search, yes if you have a web site you better do at least 3 search engine submissions on it. That will at least to give it a pop in the listings. If you have a good list you have permission to use or want to purchasing an email list, you can try this low cost marketing channel email can give your sales a (24 hour) spike. Social Marketing? Watch your time and be prepared for a long struggle. There is money out there somewhere but don’t believe the hype. Great place to find possible employees, especially in and thru LinkedIn.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
88% Cut back hiring and staffing plans
56% Spend less on search
46% Have no plans to change original budgets
Where (24% of) Online Retailers Plan to invest more heavenly
80% Search
65% E-mail
60% Social Marketing
* Source: The State of Retailing Online 2009, A Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research Inc. May 5, 2009 for a sample of 117 online retailers.
Larson note: The 3 areas of more investment come in the 3 areas of least cost. Search, yes if you have a web site you better do at least 3 search engine submissions on it. That will at least to give it a pop in the listings. If you have a good list you have permission to use or want to purchasing an email list, you can try this low cost marketing channel email can give your sales a (24 hour) spike. Social Marketing? Watch your time and be prepared for a long struggle. There is money out there somewhere but don’t believe the hype. Great place to find possible employees, especially in and thru LinkedIn.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
AAMCO Targets Car Owners
As the ranks of car dealers shrink in the industry's worst year in a long time, AAMCO wants consumers to know the auto-service chain can fill the void.
Positioning an owner's car as an "old friend," the TV and radio spot tells drivers that their local car dealer isn't the only one who can take care of their old friend. "So if your dealership is closing, don't despair. Come to AAMCO for all your car-care needs, from tune-ups to transmissions," the narrator says.
AAMCO is also trying to overcome an image among consumers that it is only a transmission specialist. The company expanded its service offerings in 2000 and is introducing a new logo in the ads intended to help bust misconceptions.
AAMCO is urging his fellow franchisees to beef up their TV ad budgets for the blitz to roughly 90% of their spending from the 50-50 media split with radio the dealer ad groups have used for the past three or four years.
Larson note: Ones loss is anthers gain. Dealers disappear and others come along to fill the need. Are there areas like that your businsses could be filling a void with? Has some of your competatoin going out of businesses? Take control of yoru destiny and grow
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Positioning an owner's car as an "old friend," the TV and radio spot tells drivers that their local car dealer isn't the only one who can take care of their old friend. "So if your dealership is closing, don't despair. Come to AAMCO for all your car-care needs, from tune-ups to transmissions," the narrator says.
AAMCO is also trying to overcome an image among consumers that it is only a transmission specialist. The company expanded its service offerings in 2000 and is introducing a new logo in the ads intended to help bust misconceptions.
AAMCO is urging his fellow franchisees to beef up their TV ad budgets for the blitz to roughly 90% of their spending from the 50-50 media split with radio the dealer ad groups have used for the past three or four years.
Larson note: Ones loss is anthers gain. Dealers disappear and others come along to fill the need. Are there areas like that your businsses could be filling a void with? Has some of your competatoin going out of businesses? Take control of yoru destiny and grow
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Coffee Wars Continue
Have not said anything about the coffee wars for a while, so I thought I would give you an update.
The coffee wars generated a flurry of advertising in May. McDonald's launched its first McCafe blitz, Dunkin' Donuts made its first concerted doughnut push in more than a decade and Starbucks began its first pure branding campaign. While it's too soon to say what the impact on sales has been, all three marketers saw a major uptick in buzz, as measured by Brand Index.
Dunkin' began May with a 24, peaked at 33 mid-month and settled at about 32 this week. McDonald's started with a 15, peaked around 24 and had dropped off to 16 by June 9. Starbucks' campaign, which has been confined to newspapers and select outdoor markets in its initial phases, has been more cyclical. The company began May with a score of 1, shot up to 11 within a week and plummeted again. In the past week, the chain's buzz has shot up to double digits again.
But when consumers want to treat themselves, all these numbers may go out the window. According to Brand Index, 43% of adults asked where they were most likely to purchase a "premium coffee drink" said Starbucks, 15% picked McDonald's, 11% sided with Dunkin' and 31% had no preference.
Larson note: Adverting pays off. Weather we are talking about increased market share, taking control of the perception your company has to consumers or gaining market share. When you can hit your target marketing with a multi-channel attack you stand a much better chance to get to where you want to go. Pick your tools and use them at a peak level for maximum results
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
The coffee wars generated a flurry of advertising in May. McDonald's launched its first McCafe blitz, Dunkin' Donuts made its first concerted doughnut push in more than a decade and Starbucks began its first pure branding campaign. While it's too soon to say what the impact on sales has been, all three marketers saw a major uptick in buzz, as measured by Brand Index.
Dunkin' began May with a 24, peaked at 33 mid-month and settled at about 32 this week. McDonald's started with a 15, peaked around 24 and had dropped off to 16 by June 9. Starbucks' campaign, which has been confined to newspapers and select outdoor markets in its initial phases, has been more cyclical. The company began May with a score of 1, shot up to 11 within a week and plummeted again. In the past week, the chain's buzz has shot up to double digits again.
But when consumers want to treat themselves, all these numbers may go out the window. According to Brand Index, 43% of adults asked where they were most likely to purchase a "premium coffee drink" said Starbucks, 15% picked McDonald's, 11% sided with Dunkin' and 31% had no preference.
Larson note: Adverting pays off. Weather we are talking about increased market share, taking control of the perception your company has to consumers or gaining market share. When you can hit your target marketing with a multi-channel attack you stand a much better chance to get to where you want to go. Pick your tools and use them at a peak level for maximum results
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Week Ahead for June 15 – June 19, 2009
Monday:
Tuesday: May producer prices, May housing starts, May industrial production
Wednesday: May consumer price index,
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, May leading economic indicators
Friday:
Larson note: There goes Chrysler off to be a part of Fiat. And there goes all the unsecured creditors’ money, out the window. Now how many other little companies will go out of business or needlessly struggle because of it? Glad I did not do work of Chrysler and have them owe Me money. I have a drawer of papers of companies that went bankrupt on me still owing me money. Bankruptcy IS NOT GLAMEROUS!
Yet, as I write this I think we have basically bottomed out, even if it is a much lower level that a year ago and it is summer. We will start to see a steady climb out of the hole we are in. At least that’s my opinion.
As for this week’s reports, the only bad thing I would be projecting would be industrial production (inventory levels are not quite low enough) and housing will continue at its slowly growing pace and the inventory level of unsold homes shrinks.
Last week’s Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show was so so. Still too many sales people sitting there playing with their blackberry’s when they should have been selling, but what do I know? Was only stopped 2 times during the entire show to inquire if I was interested in their company. Big ouch there! If they want to hide in their virtual face when it was time for f2f meeting so be it. I guess that is why I do training for trade show salespeople.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday: May producer prices, May housing starts, May industrial production
Wednesday: May consumer price index,
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, May leading economic indicators
Friday:
Larson note: There goes Chrysler off to be a part of Fiat. And there goes all the unsecured creditors’ money, out the window. Now how many other little companies will go out of business or needlessly struggle because of it? Glad I did not do work of Chrysler and have them owe Me money. I have a drawer of papers of companies that went bankrupt on me still owing me money. Bankruptcy IS NOT GLAMEROUS!
Yet, as I write this I think we have basically bottomed out, even if it is a much lower level that a year ago and it is summer. We will start to see a steady climb out of the hole we are in. At least that’s my opinion.
As for this week’s reports, the only bad thing I would be projecting would be industrial production (inventory levels are not quite low enough) and housing will continue at its slowly growing pace and the inventory level of unsold homes shrinks.
Last week’s Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show was so so. Still too many sales people sitting there playing with their blackberry’s when they should have been selling, but what do I know? Was only stopped 2 times during the entire show to inquire if I was interested in their company. Big ouch there! If they want to hide in their virtual face when it was time for f2f meeting so be it. I guess that is why I do training for trade show salespeople.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized) and looking to add more accounts in the eastern and pacific time zones.
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Friday, June 12, 2009
How Companies Will Grow In 3 to 5 Years
49% Expand Regionally
43% Acquire Another Business
34% Expand Nationally
28% Sell The Business
25% Merge with Another Business
20% Expand Internationally
12% Find Successor
5% Go Public
1% Franchise
*source Everything Channel Research
Larson note: Wednesday was what ways companies are using to grow. Thursday we looked at how they (you) are paying for this growth. Earlier today how some companies are finding the money to grow. Now how they will grow. We sent down a plan to grow regionally and nationally (USA). If you want to grow, pick your poison and go for it. Write your plan down so you have a road map to your success and be prepared to change and revise it as you move along. If it is not written you not serious about growing your business. If you need help I know excellent business and marketing plan writers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
43% Acquire Another Business
34% Expand Nationally
28% Sell The Business
25% Merge with Another Business
20% Expand Internationally
12% Find Successor
5% Go Public
1% Franchise
*source Everything Channel Research
Larson note: Wednesday was what ways companies are using to grow. Thursday we looked at how they (you) are paying for this growth. Earlier today how some companies are finding the money to grow. Now how they will grow. We sent down a plan to grow regionally and nationally (USA). If you want to grow, pick your poison and go for it. Write your plan down so you have a road map to your success and be prepared to change and revise it as you move along. If it is not written you not serious about growing your business. If you need help I know excellent business and marketing plan writers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
How Companies Will Manage Growth Costs
54% Improve Business Process
45% Rein In Variable Costs Like Energy, Phones, and Travel
38% Use of Technology
21% Renegotiate with Suppliers
19% Renegotiate Leases or Other Long-Term Costs
*source Everything Channel Research
Larson note: The money to grow needs to come from somewhere. You can take it out of cash flow but if you can find it in areas that you are now overspending on it is like “free” money. Finding money this way is all about managing your business as a business and not a toy.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
45% Rein In Variable Costs Like Energy, Phones, and Travel
38% Use of Technology
21% Renegotiate with Suppliers
19% Renegotiate Leases or Other Long-Term Costs
*source Everything Channel Research
Larson note: The money to grow needs to come from somewhere. You can take it out of cash flow but if you can find it in areas that you are now overspending on it is like “free” money. Finding money this way is all about managing your business as a business and not a toy.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
How Companies Are Financing Their Growth
56% Financed Through Profits
50% Self-Financed
45% Financed Through Cash Flow
29% Bank Finance
18% Business Credit Cards
12% Vendor Financing
10% Person Loan
10% Joint Venture
7% Person Credit Cards
7% Venture Capital
*source VRA Business
Larson note: Yesterday was what ways companies are using to grow, today we look at how they (you) are paying for this growth. You need a plan. Most small businesses just start a marketing plan and take the money out of their cash flow. Big mistake! You can finance out of Profits but make sure it is profit and not operating funds, the old wish and prayer money. Seat of your pants marketing is a long and established tradition with small business. Think it through and plan, your expenditures and you will have a cohesive consistent marketing and growth plan working for you rather than against you.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
50% Self-Financed
45% Financed Through Cash Flow
29% Bank Finance
18% Business Credit Cards
12% Vendor Financing
10% Person Loan
10% Joint Venture
7% Person Credit Cards
7% Venture Capital
*source VRA Business
Larson note: Yesterday was what ways companies are using to grow, today we look at how they (you) are paying for this growth. You need a plan. Most small businesses just start a marketing plan and take the money out of their cash flow. Big mistake! You can finance out of Profits but make sure it is profit and not operating funds, the old wish and prayer money. Seat of your pants marketing is a long and established tradition with small business. Think it through and plan, your expenditures and you will have a cohesive consistent marketing and growth plan working for you rather than against you.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
How Companies Are Planning Their Growth
70% Grow Market Image & Presence
68& Increase Marketing Activities
60% Build Customer Loyalty
58% Improve Sales Skills
57% Review and Enhance Sales Techniques
51% Increase Effectiveness/Streamline Existing Business Processes
43% Create More Impactful/Useful/Interactive Web Site
38% Better Understanding Competitive Landscape
35% Investments in Software that will Enhance/Increase Productivity
32% Create Incentive Programs for Repeat Business
32% Search Engine Optimization
14% Contingency Planning
*source VRA Business
Larson note: For the last year I have been working on a Marketing Plan that was put together before the melt down in the financial sector? At that time I sent out to double, yes double my companies size. To date we are 3 customers away from that goals achievement. How did it happen? Grow Market Image & Presence, Increase in Marketing Activities, New Web Site, Better Understanding of Competition, and using the same marketing attack We use for our client companies.
Look over the list and figure out where your company’s growth might need a push. It’s always a good time to grow.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
68& Increase Marketing Activities
60% Build Customer Loyalty
58% Improve Sales Skills
57% Review and Enhance Sales Techniques
51% Increase Effectiveness/Streamline Existing Business Processes
43% Create More Impactful/Useful/Interactive Web Site
38% Better Understanding Competitive Landscape
35% Investments in Software that will Enhance/Increase Productivity
32% Create Incentive Programs for Repeat Business
32% Search Engine Optimization
14% Contingency Planning
*source VRA Business
Larson note: For the last year I have been working on a Marketing Plan that was put together before the melt down in the financial sector? At that time I sent out to double, yes double my companies size. To date we are 3 customers away from that goals achievement. How did it happen? Grow Market Image & Presence, Increase in Marketing Activities, New Web Site, Better Understanding of Competition, and using the same marketing attack We use for our client companies.
Look over the list and figure out where your company’s growth might need a push. It’s always a good time to grow.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Cloning For Employees
Cloning may not be part of your business plan but when it comes to looking for new people for your business cloning yourself or your best performs may be just what the doctor ordered.
The way to get the in terms of hiring and developing employees is to start by understanding the qualities that distinguish the very best you have right now and build on that. These people become your ideal model and profile to build upon.
Besides observing what works and doesn’t work in your companies employees getting referrals from valued employees already in your company can be a large step along the way. Not only do people tend to gravitate to people with like values but if a person is willing to promote someone, they are putting their reputation on the line.
While referrals do not guarantee the person will or can do a good job it is definitely a step up from hiring off the street. If you want this to happen reward the people who refer good like-minded people with a bonus.
If you are looking at applicants not referred by employees, you need to know the kinds of traits that make people work in your company. All companies are not created equally. Yours is equally unique. Some companies use tests for attitude and behavior. Others skill tests. Find a good balance that blends your needs and criteria.
Larson note: Find the traits that fit your organization. For me the most important are the ones that are customer-centric. You know, empathy, outgoingness, the ability to handle rejection, intelligence and a blend of aggressiveness and level headedness. These are mine. What are yours?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
The way to get the in terms of hiring and developing employees is to start by understanding the qualities that distinguish the very best you have right now and build on that. These people become your ideal model and profile to build upon.
Besides observing what works and doesn’t work in your companies employees getting referrals from valued employees already in your company can be a large step along the way. Not only do people tend to gravitate to people with like values but if a person is willing to promote someone, they are putting their reputation on the line.
While referrals do not guarantee the person will or can do a good job it is definitely a step up from hiring off the street. If you want this to happen reward the people who refer good like-minded people with a bonus.
If you are looking at applicants not referred by employees, you need to know the kinds of traits that make people work in your company. All companies are not created equally. Yours is equally unique. Some companies use tests for attitude and behavior. Others skill tests. Find a good balance that blends your needs and criteria.
Larson note: Find the traits that fit your organization. For me the most important are the ones that are customer-centric. You know, empathy, outgoingness, the ability to handle rejection, intelligence and a blend of aggressiveness and level headedness. These are mine. What are yours?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Week Ahead for June 8 – June 12, 2009
Monday:
Tuesday: April wholesale inventories
Wednesday: April trade balance, Federal Reserve beige book
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, May retail sales, April business inventories
Friday:
Larson note: Donnelley, GM, go bankrupt last week. Wondering when a company going bankrupt can be considered good? I could care less what the Federal Government says, to me it is bad! Who pays the price the real price of the bankruptcy? People, businesses who did work and gave terms get the shaft. When a company declares bankruptcy there are a number of untold companies that find themselves caught up in the spill-over effect of not being able to collect moneys due. Being an unsecured creditor they are at the end of the repayment line. Don’t get caught short. Watch your accounts receivable like a hawk.
As for this week’s reports. Look for good inventory levels (low) which means that companies will need to be doing some buying to get those shelves restocked. With people feeling better about things even with the high unemployment (remember real unemployment is probably twice what the government reports) when people feel good they will spend money. Go get your share.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized)
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday: Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
Wednesday: Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 9-11 2009. Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday: April wholesale inventories
Wednesday: April trade balance, Federal Reserve beige book
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, May retail sales, April business inventories
Friday:
Larson note: Donnelley, GM, go bankrupt last week. Wondering when a company going bankrupt can be considered good? I could care less what the Federal Government says, to me it is bad! Who pays the price the real price of the bankruptcy? People, businesses who did work and gave terms get the shaft. When a company declares bankruptcy there are a number of untold companies that find themselves caught up in the spill-over effect of not being able to collect moneys due. Being an unsecured creditor they are at the end of the repayment line. Don’t get caught short. Watch your accounts receivable like a hawk.
As for this week’s reports. Look for good inventory levels (low) which means that companies will need to be doing some buying to get those shelves restocked. With people feeling better about things even with the high unemployment (remember real unemployment is probably twice what the government reports) when people feel good they will spend money. Go get your share.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized)
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30amTuesday: Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
Wednesday: Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 9-11 2009. Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
7 Rules of Superior Recession Proof Business
1. Good Web Design = More Retail Sales
2. Create Incentives for Consumers to Visit Your Brand Website
3. Keep Best Customers Best and Migrate Near Best with Distinct Loyalty Programs
4. Focus on Branded Connections at the Point of Purchase
5. Brand Your Customer Experience
6. Empathize with Consumers' Need to Cut Back on Spending
7. Invest in Portfolio Programs and Partnerships with Like-Minded Brands
Larson note: No matter if you are a Brick and Mortar or a 100% online business, start with your website for a facelift to get your business ready for growth. Even before people walk in your store they are more than likely to check out your online presence. Sweep out the cobwebs and polish up the counter tops.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
2. Create Incentives for Consumers to Visit Your Brand Website
3. Keep Best Customers Best and Migrate Near Best with Distinct Loyalty Programs
4. Focus on Branded Connections at the Point of Purchase
5. Brand Your Customer Experience
6. Empathize with Consumers' Need to Cut Back on Spending
7. Invest in Portfolio Programs and Partnerships with Like-Minded Brands
Larson note: No matter if you are a Brick and Mortar or a 100% online business, start with your website for a facelift to get your business ready for growth. Even before people walk in your store they are more than likely to check out your online presence. Sweep out the cobwebs and polish up the counter tops.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Overcoming the Business Stress (Map)
How bad is bad and where is it bad?
For more detailed information area by area go to:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/specials/interactives/_national/stress_index/index.html?SITE=YAHOO&SECTION=HOME
Companies going bankrupt. Car dealers closing, layoffs, salary cuts. From California to Michigan and only in the last month have we seen signs of bottoming out. So what can you do?
Be optimistic. Work in your micro-economic world and make good things happen. Being pesemestic will not do anything good for you or your company. You make your own luck; you make your own successes.
Companies going bankrupt. Car dealers closing, layoffs, salary cuts. From California to Michigan and only in the last month have we seen signs of bottoming out. So what can you do?
Be optimistic. Work in your micro-economic world and make good things happen. Being pesemestic will not do anything good for you or your company. You make your own luck; you make your own successes.
Larson note: Does it really make any difference in the country where your business is located? For some yes, for others no. People still need to be buying things. The question is, from who? Work on your market share and the rest will follow.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Is Using A Paid Blogger Bad?
There seems to be a big controversy surrounding this practice. Can hiring a paid blogger to produce good, relevant content be a bad thing?
We do paid searches. We do pay for clicks. We do paid banner adds. So what are people squawking about?
Most paid bloggers are thought leaders. They might be given key words and products to include in the blog they are producing but they are not told what to write. This is similar to a newspaper paying people to be on their editorial staff. We don’t question them (we might not agree with them but we don’t question their mercenary motive.) So is there a difference between the company that puts a blog writer on staff to write for them or the person or small company that jobs it out?
Larson Note: There is a place for your company using a paid logger. It helps to keep the playing field level, and that part of what the internet and Web 2.0 is all about. If you can’t write of formulate your ideas into full sentences that make sense, why not pay for it. If I remember my college days that is one the complaints that Karl Marx had about business, that they could or would buy what they needed from equipment to people smarter them themselves. We do it. We write blogs for companies who can’t or don’t have the time. We have a couple of customers where we write and publish their blogs. And yes it helps their web sites get higher up in the search engines. Is that a bad thing? Is it any different than getting a technical or creative writer to write the copy for your company’s brochure? I don’t think so
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. If you have any marketing, advertising or sales stories to share and want them posted on the Larson blog email them to me here or at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com. You and your company will get full recognition and links to your website.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
We do paid searches. We do pay for clicks. We do paid banner adds. So what are people squawking about?
Most paid bloggers are thought leaders. They might be given key words and products to include in the blog they are producing but they are not told what to write. This is similar to a newspaper paying people to be on their editorial staff. We don’t question them (we might not agree with them but we don’t question their mercenary motive.) So is there a difference between the company that puts a blog writer on staff to write for them or the person or small company that jobs it out?
Larson Note: There is a place for your company using a paid logger. It helps to keep the playing field level, and that part of what the internet and Web 2.0 is all about. If you can’t write of formulate your ideas into full sentences that make sense, why not pay for it. If I remember my college days that is one the complaints that Karl Marx had about business, that they could or would buy what they needed from equipment to people smarter them themselves. We do it. We write blogs for companies who can’t or don’t have the time. We have a couple of customers where we write and publish their blogs. And yes it helps their web sites get higher up in the search engines. Is that a bad thing? Is it any different than getting a technical or creative writer to write the copy for your company’s brochure? I don’t think so
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. If you have any marketing, advertising or sales stories to share and want them posted on the Larson blog email them to me here or at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com. You and your company will get full recognition and links to your website.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Week Ahead for June 1 – June 5, 2009
Monday: May institute for Supply Management Index
Tuesday: April personal income and spending, April construction spending
Wednesday: May vehicle sales, April factory orders
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, Revised first quarter productivity
Friday: May employment report, April consumer credit
Larson note: We said its happening last week, didn’t we? Consumer confidence up, The Dow average up for the 3rd straight month. Home sales up. Are you up?
This last week saw us put the 4th part of the Larson Marketing Plan into effect from the plan that was conceived 9 months ago and is unfolding like clockwork. Do you have a plan for your company’s growth for even the next 3 months? If not, get cracking on it! Of if you need help call us.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized)
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 9-11 2009. Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
P.P.P.S. subscribe to our newsletter "Mastering Marketing Monthly" at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com
Tuesday: April personal income and spending, April construction spending
Wednesday: May vehicle sales, April factory orders
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, Revised first quarter productivity
Friday: May employment report, April consumer credit
Larson note: We said its happening last week, didn’t we? Consumer confidence up, The Dow average up for the 3rd straight month. Home sales up. Are you up?
This last week saw us put the 4th part of the Larson Marketing Plan into effect from the plan that was conceived 9 months ago and is unfolding like clockwork. Do you have a plan for your company’s growth for even the next 3 months? If not, get cracking on it! Of if you need help call us.
Larson & Associates Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of May are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and a Graphic Design Studio, and Printer (small and mid-sized)
Howard’s out of office public schedule for the week:
Monday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: Marathon Training 6:30am
Friday: Saturday:
Trade show schedule:
> June 9-11 2009. Intl. Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show
> June 24, 2009: Destination Showcase, Stevenson Convention Center
> September 22-24 2009: Assembly Show
> September 22-24, 2009: Motivation show
> November 15-18, 2009 Fabtech Int. & AWS Welding Show McCormick Place, Chicago
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
P.P.P.S. subscribe to our newsletter "Mastering Marketing Monthly" at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
