Four Sizzling Summer Marketing Ideas

Summer is here so get outside and enjoy the weather.  Sunshiny days, blue skies and green grass boost your customer’s moods and they spend additional time outside of their air-conditioned homes.  That makes these warm months a great time to get outdoors and market in fun and creative ways.  We have some sizzling ideas to heat up your summer marketing campaign.

Participate in a community event.  The hot months in many towns accompany street fairs and carnivals, outdoor movie nights, concerts in the park and more.  Your chamber of commerce or city’s parks and recreation department can tell you about the events scheduled for these upcoming months.  Think about which events have potential and plan to host a booth and hand out samples of your product or show off your service.  Use a fishbowl to gather business cards.  Another way you can get your business name out there is to donate products to the event or sponsor an event.  In exchange, ask to have your business name on the marketing pieces related to the event such as programs or flyers.

Host an event for your customers.

Host a party, barbecue or even a wine tasting evening for your clients and prospects.  This is the perfect way to thank your customers, find out in more detail their needs and wants, and encourage more business.   If you own a restaurant or retail store, have a summer-themed event for loyal customers like an after-hours exclusive shopping night, or a specialty five-course dinner at a discounted price.

Fly a flag!

With the 4^th of July around the corner, this is a great idea.  American flags become a landmark because they’re so noticeable.  If you have a flagpole, that’s great.  If not, think about having a flag bracket installed on the side of your building.  Don’t have a brick-and-mortar location? You can give away miniature American flags as you attend summer networking events instead.

Sponsor a giveaway.

Krispy Kreme Donuts took advantage of National Donut Day on June 3^rd giving away a free donut to everyone that walked through their doors.  This gave the popular franchise the change to introduce itself to new customers and also scored some publicity countrywide.  While it isn’t feasible for you to give away something free to every American, that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of this tactic.  Giveaways are an incentive for customers to do something for you.  Sign up for an email newsletter, like you on Facebook or something similar.  Wile everyone who gets a freebie or discount won’t become a customer, you will get a lot of attention.  That’s exactly what you want, right?

What creative ways are you marketing your business this summer?

Photo Resource: www.printcopyfactory.com

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Where to Hire Freelance Writers

Successful companies typically use social media, email marketing and newsletters to help people learn about and discover their business. With the power of the internet, it's important to take advantage of the opportunity to get the word out. You are busy running and growing your business and may not have the time to focus on tasks that involve writing. It's likely the perfect time to hire a professional to help out.

Freelance writers can assist with blog posts, marketing, general content and information on your website. Companies will also utilize freelance business writers to do email and letter templates; this not only simplifies things but insures that you will send out professionally written correspondence every time. Your current and potential customers will take notice and look to you for guidance within your industry.

Now that you have discovered the need, where can you look to find someone? It's also important to know what to look for in finding the right fit for your business. Below are some suggestions to help get you started and off and running with your business writing.

The World Wide Web

Where else would you begin a search but on the Internet? Of course that would seem like the first place to start when looking to hire a freelance business writer, after all a lot of what they can do for your company will center around your own website. A Google search will return several hundred spots to check out; as with most things some are more reputable than others, and some free or fee-based. Ask for recommendations from friends or business associates, and if you don't have any, start chipping away at the list or try some more detailed searches. Elance, Guru and Freelance.com are a few to help you get started. These sites make it easy to see how many writers are available in a specific field. Freelancers can post  their skills and budget requirements, making it easy to quickly narrow down the choices to match your business writing needs.

Universities and Colleges

A lot of college students and recent graduates, especially journalism majors, want to practice their skills and have high hopes of having work published. The key to their journalistic futures often lies far outside their college papers. They may also require lower pay than their professional world counterparts which can be a nice bonus for you; they get a few bylines and you get a writer with fresh perspective, win-win. Obviously these students can be found online as well, but check out local universities and job fairs- it might be nice to meet your potential employee face-to-face. Always ask for examples of their writing and consider having a sample test to see how well their writing represents your company.

Hiring freelance writers is an important decision and can make a really big impact on your business; take the time to find the right person. Do you currently use outside writers for your business?

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Write Product Descriptions that Sell

Behind every good product is a good salesperson – but if you’re selling online, your writer is your sales person.  To sell your products, it’s essential you have a well-written product description.  The description must do far more than simply describe your products – it needs to sell them too.  A professional writer can help you with this daunting task or you can go at it alone.  Here are some simple ways to persuade your web shoppers to take a better look at, and hopefully buy, your products.

Focus on your ideal buyer.

As you write a product description, make sure you do it with the mindset of who will be shopping for what you offer.  When you write for a large crowd of buyers, your description may end up too vague and you basically don’t address anyone.  The best descriptions address your ideal buyer directly and in a personal manner.  As you create a product description, pretend you are asking and answering questions in a conversational manner.  Choose the words your ideal buyer would use and go ahead and use the word “you.”  Also think about the humor your ideal buyer may appreciate.

Persuade with social media proof.

When your prospects aren’t sure which product to purchase, they look for suggestions.  Customers are often swayed to buy the product with the most positive reviews. If you’re trying to establish credibility as a new business or are one who’s been around for years, include a photo of a person any quote – it adds credibility and also makes your company appear more personal and approachable.  Most buyers like to purchasing items that they know are popular so mention or highlight your customer favorites.

Photo via flickr.com

Avoid overused phrases.

When in a pinch, it’s easy to turn to fillers – words that every company uses when they aren’t sure what else to add to a product description. Professional writers can help come up with good descriptive words and may choose to describe each technical detail of the product and its benefit.  For instance, if you make shoes, an excellent description would share that the hand-sewn construction of the shoe provides additional comfort and durability.

Entice sellers with benefits.

As business owners sell their products, naturally they feel excited about the features each product offers.  However, potential buyers want to know what the product does for them specifically.  So instead of saying the soap you sell gets their hands clean, share that the soap has a holiday scent that adds festivity to the holiday season, therefore makes the time more enjoyable.  As you or your writer create a selling description, remember to focus on how the product makes your customers feel happier, healthier or more successful.  How can your products solve or ease your customers’ problems?

On your quest to write compelling product descriptions, make sure you share knowledge about your products.  Explain helpful details and tell stories.  Delight your customers with helpful and fun descriptions.  Your enthusiasm for your products is contagious, so the more excited you are, the more excited your customers will be.

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