Are Reduced Rates Your Key To A Larger Customer Base?

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Although our site is somewhat a competitor to eBay, I will be the first to admit that eBay is a good site, and comes up with some really neat ideas. Once in a while I will check on there if I am looking for hard to find items. Their website really is no longer that place where you will find good bargains, like you used to.

While browsing around on their site I noticed they were running some kind of special where if you were selling something they would reduce the cost from their normal fees to ten cents.

This got me to think about what a wonderful idea that was. Not only was it an enticing reduction in price, but since it was only for a limited time, it made sellers want to post as many things as possible as quick as they can.

Regardless of whether your business is online, brick and mortar, or an on the road services company, this type of marketing technique may work well for you. If business is slow, and in this economy chances are you are slower than normal, this may be a good way to jump start it.

Do your homework and see what you can afford as a reduced rate. Keep in mind not only are you creating business to make yourself busier, but you are also building your customer base. Once you build an extensive customer base, obtain contact information from them, i.e., phone, email, address etc., and then your other marketing techniques can kick in.

If you provide an excellent service to your new customers, chances are they will tell others about your business and in turn there is no better value than word of mouth advertising.

We do something similar where we provide coupons to reduce our rates for a limited time. Since the coupons we provide are not limited to a one time use, we urge customers to share it with their friends and business associates. This practice has done well for us.

Get those reduced rates going today to jump start your business in this slowing economy. It may help you build your customer base as well as your bottom line.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Use the Follow Up Process to Earn More Customers

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A friend of mine recently went on a job interview. After many years in one industry he decided it was time for a change. He spent somewhere between six to eight months obtaining education in a new field that really excited him. Once his education was complete it was time to start hitting the pavement looking for a job.

Days and even weeks went by but finally he found something that was really what he wanted do. Sure he had to start at an entry level position, which he knew going in, but in the long run the new career path would not only pay off financially, but as he said, "you can't put a price tag on happiness."

During his process of interviewing for potential positions his routine was to research various companies, obtain the department contacts and then send out a cover letter with a resume. Sounds like the standard normal process does it not? He received many scheduled interviews and at the end of each one he told me about how great he did. He answered the questions without stopping or hesitating, as if he almost knew what they were going to ask before they did so.

Then I asked him how many offers he received at which he replied none. You could imagine the frustration he was feeling inside as he kept going on great interviews only to end up never getting a call for second chance.

I asked him if he did any follow up and he said, "What do you mean?" I told him after you interview with someone you really should send them a letter thanking them for the interview, their time, and mention the courteousness of the staff that you interacted with at their company.

So he started to write his follow up thank you letters and it wasn't long before he started getting second interviews. Now no one can guarantee that this is what led to the position he finally obtained, but it sure did not hurt him to take the time and effort for the follow up process.

This brings me to my topic today and that is as a business are you following up with your customers? The customers of today want to feel important. They want to know that they are not just some number on your board or in your computer system. Even though they may not have purchased something from you when they visited your website or walked into your store, the follow up could be the key to future sales.

Regardless of the business you are in, it is important to obtain contact information of all your customers. It can be an email, phone number, fax, or address. Whatever it is, try and get it. I am sure you have seen stores that ask businesses to drop in their business cards. This is a way to obtain contact information. Once you have that contact information you can then follow up with them, asking them various questions as to how their experience was with your company, products or services.

You do not want to bombard them everyday with such questions, but every 3 to 4 months will do.

Following up sales leads is a very important step in business. Not only can it lead to a sale of the customer you are reaching, but that customer can tell others as to how great they were treated and recommend your company over someone else's.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Marketing Agencies: What You Need To Know

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The aim of marketing agencies is to help the business take its product or service to the customer. In other words, the marketing agency eases the process of marketing that is so crucial for any business.

A marketing agency has a lot of work to do. These agencies are responsible for research and analysis to identify the target customer base for a business and then try through various exercises to turn them into clients. They also work on ways to retain the clients while extending further development of contacts with them. However, the principal role that marketing agencies play involves increasing the turnover rate and also the average statistical purchase value while keeping the target addressees well informed about new products, services, etc.

What Do Marketing Agencies Do To Be Effective

To achieve the tasks effectively, marketing agencies adopt several means including using Direct Mail, Telemarketing, Database Marketing, List-Broking, Unaddressed mail, BTL-Event support, Client/Customer Loyalty Program and Web Marketing. Marketing agencies also oversee the advertisement channels that include promotion through television, radio and newspapers. And also `point of sale` advertising.

While Direct Mail is a personally addressed mail sent by post that is mostly self-explanatory, providing the information about a product or service along with ad matter in the form of glossy printed text with or without images, Telemarketing on the other hand is done through the telephone. However, Telemarketing may not always be a direct sale, it may provide the client`s credibility in producing goods that are beneficial to consumption or use.

Database marketing is more or less a kind of tailored marketing where the marketing agency creates the database, keeping in mind the client`s targeted audience. For example, creation of a database of pork eating communities in Brooklyn will prove futile to a client selling canned vegetable products. Database marketing is important because it helps the business reach out to the existing customer by first creating a list, which is a great starting point.

Some marketing agencies act as List-broker as the intermediary in the lease of databases (personal data as well as juridical data) created by their owners under the current law of the particular state and help a client to deal with it.

There is nothing funny about unaddressed mail. We all get scores of them dumped into our mail-boxes everyday, un-addressed and unsolicited. But their effectiveness is fairly good, at least among those people who do not get these many mailers. Leaflets, brochures and promotional matters received through the mail-box sometimes make the kid go for a breakfast food that others detest. In any case, these flashy fliers often stir up tempests in tea cup on the breakfast table. And here is its efficacy – to raise controversy – to raise interest.

Marketing agencies are today doing an extremely important work. But sometimes the work done by them crosses path with the advertising agency and the in-house marketing department of a big business house. In many cases, while the job of the advertising agency is to advertise, the role of the marketing agency is wider. That is because advertising is just a small part of marketing, which is a bigger subject.

By James Copper

James Copper is a writer for http://www.bigstrategies.co.uk where you can find information on a marketing agency

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

The Draw of a Powerful Press Release

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As a business owner or even someone looking to promote an event you are part of at your church or non-profit group, you should know that a press release can be very powerful.

A friend of mine was president of a youth baseball league for five years. He tells me the use of press releases far outweighed the return then most paid advertising in the same newspaper.

So what makes a good press release? Here are some handy tips to help get your press release going.

The headline of your press release should not be made up of some infomercial gimmick where your readers think you are trying to con them. A bad headline would be, "Miracle Product Cleans Your Floors For You". You can tell the headline is a bad one, and chances are no one will read the release. However if you reword it to grab the readers attention can make all of the difference. For example, "Self Cleaning Product for Floors Hits the Shelves in Record Numbers", might do better. Come up with a good headline.

Every press release must, according to my friend, answer the whos, whats, whys, wheres and hows of what it is you are trying to talk about. In his case he was trying to promote his youth league. He had to talk about who they are, what the league is about, why they exist, where they are located and how the readers can get in touch with them. If you cover all of these questions you will have all of the information in there that you need.

The content of your press release should read like a news story not an advertisement selling your product. In my friend`s case he wrote press releases talking about a variety of things, but all were made newsworthy. For example, after games were completed, he would write up small snippets to be placed into the sports section of the local paper, that gave a nice write about the game, who won, who were the stars etc. The local media loved, and my friend claimed that his small articles appeared almost daily while the season went on. You could imagine the impact this had on the success of the league.

Whatever it is you are trying to promote through the use of a press release, chances are you can make it newsworthy. If you don`t the editors that you send it to will more than likely will just throw it in the trash. Throw in some quotes from professionals and experts in your field, some statistics of your industry and you will have yourself a winner.

Once you have your great headline, awesome content, you need to throw in how people can get a hold of you, your company or product. A good way of doing this is to fit it in over the course of your content. For example you can add a quote earlier in your content that reads, "according to John Smith, General Manager of ABC Toy Company located in Anywhere, USA...", you get the point. Now that you have been mentioned, near the end of your press release, tell readers how they can get a hold of you. "For more information on that ABC Toy Company, Mr. Smith can be reached at...", would do just fine.

So there you have it! The meat and potatoes of how to write a press release. It is not as difficult as you think, but spend some time on it to polish it and it will surely be a hit for you.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online resource and social network, where you can advertise your business, products or services throughout the world without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

You can now download Indocquent`s free social bookmark utility for your website or blog at http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html.

Don`t forget to follow Indocquent on Twitter at http://twitter.com/indocquent

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Using Online Social Networks To Help In Marketing Your Business

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Social networks like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and of course our site, are all the rage right now and have been for a couple of years. They are a means by which people from all over the globe can come together, meet, socialize and learn new things. You make new friends, share ideas and so much more.

The downfall of social networks as it relates to business is very few companies have been able to figure out how to use these websites wisely to build a customer base or a following.

Here are some suggestions that you can use that might help your business in the realm of social networks.

According to Michael Bush of Advertising Age, "If ever there was a place in the world of marketing where the motto of `look before you leap` held much credence, it`s here. Any marketer worth its salt is going to spend a good deal of time studying the dynamics, rules and language of any social network before attempting to establish a presence there. To think you can just waltz in and begin spouting off about your product is totally wrong."

If you walk into a social network and start acting as if everyone should be your friend, join your club, or have an arrogant persona about you, chances are no one will listen and even worse you might get banned from the site.

Bush says, "If there are any marketers out there who still believe the world of social networks is filled only with young nerdy types and weirdos looking to hook up, they need to take a good second look. Not only is it a prime target for marketers looking to reach moms-the all-important gatekeeper of the household-but within some of the most popular networks, a significant percentage of users are over the age of 35." The demographics for social networks are changing daily. Not only are the age ranges changing, but more and more people are joining. These people are your potential customers. You need to become a part of any social network and really should be a part of all of them to get your business name, products and services out there.

Studies have shown that using mainstream marketing and advertising methods will not work. If that is the case, what is the purpose of social networks then? According to Rick Murray, the president of Edelman digital, "Frequency of message is not the idea here, Frequency of contact is."

Social networks are areas where consumers go to ask questions on products or services they are thinking about buying or using. This presents a great opportunity to you. Not to throw an ad in their face in the hopes that they buy, but to socialize with them by answering their questions. This helps them with their issue and helps your business by presenting you and your company as experts in an industry.

Although social networks have been around for a little while they really are still in their infancy. You need to become a part of them, get involved in helping consumers with the expertise in your field, and start building your friend`s list. That list will eventually turn into your customer base.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Advertise or Content, Which Should You Be Using To Attract Website Visitors?

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With an online website and/or business you are probably sitting their wondering what the best option would be to draw more attention to it and attract visitors. There is a debate that has been ongoing in regards to this very question. Should you pay a search engine for targeted advertising or add more content to your website so that people come back to learn.

According to Jon Fine of Business Week, "The old guard of media forever struggle with the degree to which they`re comfortable engaging with the newer players online. (To pick just one example: Viacom sued YouTube over copyrights last year, while many other programming giants partnered with it.) But a variant of this tension also erupts inside some big online portals--Yahoo!, AOL, and, most recently, Microsoft--which are media operations themselves, since they produce content and sell ads around it."

So what is the right answer? Simply put…both of them. If one works well and so does the other, it makes sense that applying both techniques to work together doubles your efforts. It is what we do on our web site, and it works very well for us.

In a recent interview in Business Week, Wenda Millard, president for media at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, who formerly ran ad sales at Yahoo after stints in print says, "What AOL and MSN and Yahoo have become are tech companies--infrastructure companies that will facilitate some of the [ad] buying and selling processes. They are not heading toward becoming media companies."

Fine says, "Millard`s infrastructure comments allude to the arms race among all major online portals to buy and build platforms for massive online ad networks, which sell and place ads across multitudes of Web sites. (The ad network argument for Microsoft-Yahoo: Such networks make more money from ads on sites they own, since there`s no sharing of revenue with an outside content owner.)"

As the big names, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google battle it out for internet supremacy in the advertising world, while confusing what media content is, you can take a much less cut throat approach, add some content to your website, run a few ads, and get those visitors you have been wanting. Of course none of this will matter if you have a website that people do not know how to use. That is for another article.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Promoting Your Product the Smart Way

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When a customer hears the name of your business, what do you want them to think? You want them to think of your business as one of professionalism and quality, right? Well, then guess what you have to give them? Professionalism and quality!

As you are designing your advertising campaign, keep returning to the question of what your customers will think. Too many businesspeople – especially ones just starting out – make the mistake of "cutting corners" in the area of product promotion. The see the relatively high cost of good, quality printing and cringe. They think they can save a few bucks to let a company of questionable quality produce their printed material, and they end up paying for it in the end.

Let's take business cards, for example. You can take two full color business cards, one from a very high-quality company such as Print Place.com, and another from a company that is less professional, and set them side by side. You will instantly be able to tell which is better made. Cheap printing is painfully obvious, even to customers. Do you want your customers to see your ads, and think "cheap"?

Yes, quality costs money…but it is always worth it. When you get your brochure printing done, make it of the highest quality. Believe me, the increased profits that you see from it will quickly make you forget the anguish you felt from paying extra.

Even something that seems trivial, like the quality of your newsletter printing, can have a profound affect on your bottom line. Usually, newsletters are sent to people who have already provided you with business. The idea is to get those customers to come back. Do you think that they will come back if they see poor quality in the newsletter that you send them? That, my friends, is highly doubtful.

The fact is, customers want to see that you care enough about your product to spend money to tell them about it. That may not be what they are thinking, exactly, but that is really what it comes down to in the end. They want quality, and sometimes you have to pay a bit more to deliver quality. When the time comes to count your sales increase, however, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Do yourself a favor, and invest in high quality printing in your advertising efforts. Your customers will think much more highly of you if you do.

by Kaitlyn Miller

For more information, you can visit this page on brochure printing and newsletter printing

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Using Offline Means To Promote Your Online Business

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The other night I was out walking my dog. I have a chocolate lab mix. Although I think the mix part is with being crazy. He can be a bit active, very jumpy, but for the most part is a great dog.

While walking him the other night, I ran into a neighbor of ours that lives on the opposite side of the development. He took was walking his dog and the irony about his dog is that he acts just like mine. Needless to say both dogs get along really well.

So while walking our dogs together I started to talking to him about how things are going with work with his job (he is in the trade show industry), and just about life in general. Of course he did the same, asking about our company and how things are fairing in this slowing economy.

This got me thinking of better ways to promote an online business using offline means. What I mean by that is, what are better ways to promote a website, blog or some type of online content with the use of offline advertising or socialization?

In the course of a month I will meet a ton of new people through various business meetings, family gatherings and helping friends or associates with their own businesses. While assisting them I give them information on our website. Either through a brochure, a flyer or a business card I make sure information about our website gets into their hands.

All the rage is online social networking, however this is a great way to social network offline and is just as if not more so important.

If you are like us and have an online business venture, you need to spread the word offline as well. Get your website or blog information into the hands of anyone and everyone that you think would be interested.

It does not need to be some type of elaborate marketing package. A simple business card with your website information on it will do. Business cards can be one the least expensive ways to promote your business. At your local office store, such as Staples, Office Depot, or OfficeMax, you can get up to 1000 of them printed for less than $25. Now that is a steal!

Once you get your information printed, start handing them out. Always carry about 10 to 20 on your wherever you go. When you do hand out your information, make sure you give the person three copies. One for them and two more for each of the two friends they are going to hand them to. It is great offline viral marketing.

Results won't happen overnight, as they normally don't. However, a consistent and persistent approach to this type of offline marketing will work wonders for you overtime.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Advertising Holiday Villas and Apartments

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So you have bought yourself a beautiful villa or apartment in Spain (I guess this is true elsewhere as well) and you have hardly got any bookings, despite what that nice salesman and your property agent told you. What do you do next? I get asked this all the time and the response is always the same, the first thing to check is the prices you are asking, invariably they are way too high. I see people trying to get the same for a 1 bedroom apartment as you would pay for a 3 bedroom villa and then wonder why nobody has booked it. So be realistic, do your home work and find out what they actually go for throughout the year. This is important as anyone can get bookings during the peak season but if you can get bookings all year round it should be all profit. In the winter if the pool isn`t heated you can discount the pool as well, only the mad would use it in January.

The next most important thing to is make sure you have good photographs and by that I mean ones that sell the dream, after all that is what a holiday is. I have seen over the years that if the main photo is a nice one of the villa or swimming pool with a blue sky background, it will get many more visitors than a similar one with a cloudy or grey sky background. Even worse is to use a photo of your sitting room as the main photo, you might be very proud of it, but it won`t attract visitors!

Thirdly, take your time to write a good description, include everything that holiday makers would want to see, don`t assume they already know. The description of your holiday rental should contain details such as how far away is the pool, bars, restaurants, beaches, night life, water parks, golf courses, airport etc. At the very least some basic information on all these attractions should be shown as well. Remember most visitors probably haven`t a clue about the area your rental is in, you need to tell them, don`t rely on phrases such as "phone for more details", most people will not and why should they as the next advertisement gives them everything they could possibly need to know.

Finally and you would think this was obvious, make sure you include a phone number or numbers that they can actually reach you on, if you are out most of the week include your mobile or even work number. I have found customers generally will not phone back or leave a message, they just go on to try their next choice. In the same context, check your emails regularly, once a week is not good enough, for best results I have found replying to emails immediately and phoning them (if they included their number) worked extremely well.

by Gary Cotter

For more information see Advertise Holiday Rentals

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

The Added Weight of Logos for Businesses

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Off the top of the head, I am betting almost every person in this country can think of at least one company logo. We live in a society filled with logos.

How many cars have you seen lacking a company logo on the front? When you look at any car odds are the first thing your eye will be drawn to is that bright, silver logo. The mere fact that you will recognize what company it is proves how effective logos can be. When accompanying a company name a logo can help shape opinions about the business, and, best of all, stick with a person for long after they are done looking.

Logos are almost always composed of simple and colorful designs for a reason and purpose. For most people, company names are not always the easiest thing to remember, but when accompanied by a nifty little image, people find it easier to remember them both. That fact alone is reason enough for a business to put serious thought into creating a well-balanced logo attached to their company name and to embody their business.

No matter how good a logo is people have to see it in order to remember it. Your duty is to make sure you place it on everything you can think it. Of course your base of operations should be labeled with it, just as every product you send out needs to have your logo in an easy to see position.

Those car logos are front and center for a reason, not to mention how much the silver shine almost forces you to shift your gaze to look at it. Make sure your logo does just the same thing. The colors you use and the design you pick need to create an image people want to look at.

So you have your logo made and you have it placed on every product you sell: what should come next? Commercially printing business cards for mass distribution is the most obvious way to get people to see your logo outside of the actual products, but why stop there?

Every letter you send out, every brochure, magazine, postcard, and everything else you can think of should carry it as well. When people think of your company you want to make sure they think of that logo first. The more mass commercial printing you do the greater the odds people will quickly come to associate the logo with your company.

Do not make the assumption that something like a logo is only for the large corporations. The history of effective logo use is all around you.

Next time you glance at that logo and immediately recognize the company it represents, just ask yourself how much you would enjoy people being able to do the same with your company.

by Kaye Z. Marks

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in commercial color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

How to Utilize Large Format Poster to Influence Your Clients POP?

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by Owen M

When was the last time that you bought something just because of how it was presented in a large format poster? Just when you thought that you don't need this new product, their appearance in the poster changed your impression.

The time that you have changed your decision and went to buy the advertised product is your Point of Purchase or POP. As a business owner, you must also learn to capitalize on that and gain from its advantage.

Other forms of advertising materials can also be used for this purpose. But a large format poster has a bigger impact. It is because of the size and what it can contain.

Impulse Buy
Consumers always plan to lessen what they buy. They aim to save more. To do this, they promise themselves to get only the things that they need. But when they actually visit a store, that decision turns a different path.

As a business owner, this means one thing. That is sale. To arrive at that decision, you must have the right materials planted out to lure your clients. Your aim is to dissolve their first goal. And you want them to opt for POP.

• Last minute purchases are common to most consumers.

• About 70 percent of POP decisions are actually being done in the store.

• More than 50 percent of the purchases made in store resulted from impulse buying.

• As a business owner, you must not only focus on your products to lure clients. You should also make your products look good and worth it through your ad materials.

What Can Lead to POP?
If you believe that your products are worth seeking out, then match that with the advertisements that can illuminate such trait.

If you will be using posters to achieve this goal, then make sure to follow the following steps.

1. The image must look very real. The customers must be convinced that they ought to have what they see on your posters upon seeing the image.

2. You must have a tag line to match the whole concept. You have to make them understand what your product is all about. You have to dissolve their armor. You have to get pass their first decision that they won't purchase something that is not on their To Buy List.

3. Make it easy for them to find the product. Help them decide fast. Include the price. Tell them where they can purchase it. You can also add some information about how they can further utilize the product.

All those will make them lean more on their POP. Make sure that your customers do not only lean. They must decide to buy.

Think about your own purchases when deciding on the right elements that you will include on your large format poster. Ask yourself what makes you look at the ads. And ask yourself further what about it encourages you to make that purchase. Apply it on your own advertisements and make the consumers' POP work towards your advantage.

Loves to read and talk anything under the sun. From current events, magazines, social life, metro lifestyles, traveling etc. Not a born writer but experience could make a difference. He also loves to eat especially travel in different places. Going to beaches and mountains really completes his life. For more details you may check out Large Format Poster

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About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Ads Made Through Digital Graphic Printing – The Proper Placement Matters

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As an advertiser, you have many choices in terms of the printing process. You can easily go online and avail of digital graphic printing services for your advertising materials.

Do not be discouraged just because the trend in marketing is gearing towards the high-end of technology. Even the billboards are now moving. If you can't afford placing ads on digital LCDs just yet, make yours as effective.

This can definitely be achieved without spending so much. You have to rely on the right printing company to give you digital graphic printing services. Do away with the common stuff. Make your ads stand out.

Instead of the usual flyers, postcards, catalogs and brochures, you can change yours to break into the trend. For a change, use vinyl banners, static cling, artist canvas and adhesive vinyl to make a statement.

Your ad, even if it's not moving can compete with those on the digital LCDs. You cannot make them move. But at least you can make the graphics come alive with the right colors. You cannot have music and other sounds come out from your ad like those in high tech LCDs. But you can make your ads shout by making them appear loud.

Now that you have the right tools, your only concern should be with the proper placing of those ads. Postcards, catalogs and brochures can be mailed. Flyers can be easily handed out. You can carry your business cards with you all the time and give them out to people that might be interested.

Where are you going to put ads that are printed on vinyl banners, static cling, artist canvas and adhesive vinyl?

You can start counting the ways.

1. Elevators

Place those ads outside and inside the elevators. People will look at them while they are waiting for their turn. They will also look at them while they are inside and it's taking too long to reach their destination floor.

2. Comfort Room

Place your trendy ad outside the doors of each cubicle. You can do this in public places and those that are inside the malls, offices and other establishments. Again, you will be able to use the waiting time for people to read your ads.

While you are at the comfort room, why not place the ads inside the cubicle as well. You never know, the occupant might take too long inside with nothing to do. It's a great chance to read your ads.

3. Other public places

Where do people usually wait? Place your ads on bus stations, waiting sheds, airports and the likes. Capitalize on the waiting time that people have. Don't make them waste those time by doing nothing. Make them look at your ads.

For your ads to be effective, they have got to be made by the right printing company. Make use of digital graphic printing to have the ads that shout. Make sure to place those ads on the right places where people can afford to look and read what you have to say.

By Carla San G.

This composition is projected to give the readers information about digital graphic printing and how it can help you in your marketing schemes. For more topics and tips about Digital Printing jobs please refer to Digital Printing Company

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Update Your Website Content To Keep It Fresh And New

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My wife and I were shopping the other day for some clothes for an infant girl our friend just gave birth to about a month ago. Being a parent I know and understand the joy of having a child. They bring a smile to your face everyday.

We wanted to get her a new outfit or some type of cute clothing that our friend can put her in and of course like. We visited a local department store and immediately went to the infant section, specifically girls. I say immediately, because if my wife wanders we could be there all day and never buy what we went in there for in the first place.

My wife and I decided we would buy an outfit for down the road, meaning that we would pick up something that would fit our friend's daughter in the six to nine month range. We felt this was the best option as we already know she has plenty of things for the zero to three month range.

While browsing the different clothing options I could not help but notice the variety of styles, fashions, colors and of course sizes. Who would have thought infants need that many choices?

This led me to start thinking about our website and more importantly the websites of our clients.

I started doing some research on the big name sites such eBay, Amazon, Microsoft and so on and wanted to see the color layouts and page design on what they offered. I also put some contacts in to see how often they change these things up. I was surprised to see and learn that although the layout may at times seem the same, they really do make noticeable changes every 3 to 4 months or so.

Whether it is moving some things around, offering specials or adding new products, they make changes to keep things looking fresh.

This leads me to this question. Are you changing the content of your site so your visitors feel like it is always new and fresh? I can tell you that we do at our site. We are constantly adding new features to enhance the services we offer. It gives our registered users the satisfaction that we are always updating the site to meet their needs.

You should be doing the same. Maybe change up the colors once in a while, or post different content on your home page every few days or so. Whatever method you use, you should implement it to give your visitors the sense that you are always improving your web site. This lets your visitors know that they are reaching a web site that is current and active.

It does not have to be anything drastic or a life altering change. Subtle changes to let your visitors know that you are on top of your web business. So go ahead and make those changes today.

In the end my wife and I purchased a six to nine month outfit for the summertime. I would never imagine in my wildest dreams that the same outfit came in about seven different colors.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

My Product is Better Than Yours…But Can I Say That?

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Comparative advertising continues to be one of the most popular forms of promoting consumer products in the marketplace. According to Advertising Standards Canada, this type of advertising consists of comparing the advertiser's products or services with those of another, with regard to their characteristics, performance, consumer preference or value. If properly set out, the typical comparative advertisement will instantly convey to consumers that your product is simply better than that of the competition, without the public having to go through the time and expense of making this comparison themselves. This type of advertising does, however, have its pitfalls, and an improperly conceived comparative advertisement could result in civil liability for trade slander.

An action for trade slander is one of several legal remedies that can be used to combat anti-competitive activity in the marketplace. Other related legal remedies include the tort of passing off (sometimes referred to as common law trade-mark infringement), as well as statutory provisions under both the Competition Act and the Trade-Marks Act which protect against false advertising and unfair competition. In fact, it is not uncommon to see all of these causes of action lumped together in one claim.

Trade slander occurs when untrue information about a competitor's products or services is conveyed to the public with the intent to harm the competitor, and which results in the competitor suffering economic damage. Also known as injurious falsehood or trade libel, this tort is designed to protect the reputation and goodwill a business has established in its goods and services.

At the outset, is it important to note that not all technically "untrue" statements made in comparative advertising will give rise to an action in trade slander: it has long been held by the courts that the promoting of goods by comparing them to those of others is acceptable, as long as such comparisons do not bring the goods of the latter into disrepute. This type of statement is referred to in the case law as "puffing," the most common form of which are statements that simply claim in various forms that "my product is the best." Such general statements, which amount to an indirect statement that the product of a competitor is inferior, will not attract liability. This is because such statements are commonly employed by traders, are not taken too seriously by the buying public, and rarely result in economic damage to the competitor.

However, specific statements disparaging your competitor's product which are untrue will constitute trade slander. These statements include ones that point out that the goods of a competitor are defective or substandard in some way. If the court is satisfied that a "reasonable person" would believe that such claims made in the course of comparative advertising are true, then they may be actionable.

In order to succeed in an action for trade slander, each element of the tort as outlined about must be proven by the plaintiff to the court's satisfaction. Thus, as an initial first step, it is up to the plaintiff to prove that the statements complained of are in fact false. This is in marked contrast to actions for defamation of character, where the falsity of the defamatory statements is presumed to be true in the first instance. In either case, however, if the defendant is able to prove that the impugned statements made by it are in fact true, then the plaintiff's action will fail: this is known as the defence of justification.

Having established the falsity of the defendant's statement, the plaintiff in a trade slander action must next show that the defendant either made the untrue statements maliciously, or made them with a lack of bona fide intention. This element of the tort is notoriously hard to prove, as it involves showing to the court's satisfaction what the motive behind the making of the false statements was. In some cases, however, the overarching facts of the particular case can give rise to a finding of malice sufficient to support the cause of action. Because proving malice is difficult, prospective plaintiffs should therefore always consider if they can also bring a claim under Section 7(a) of the Trade-Marks Act, which is essentially a codified form of an action for trade slander that has removed the requirement of proving malice.

The final element that must be established in making out a successful claim for trade slander is proof of resulting economic damage. At common law, the plaintiff is required to prove it has suffered special damages, which typically consist of lost sales, contracts or customers which can be directly or reasonably attributed to the defendant's false statements. Proof of such damages, like proof of malice, is also a major stumbling block in trade slander actions. In Ontario, however, provisions of the Libel and Slander Act have removed the requirement to prove special damages in situations where the trade slander occurred in print form.

Finally, it is important to note that, as a creature of the common law, the tort of trade slander continues to evolve. Recent Canadian court decisions, for example, indicate that some judges are willing to allow actions for trade slander even in cases where the competitor or its product are not directly identified in the defendant's advertisement. This is especially true in cases where the participants in the relevant market are all well known by the public, such that the identity of the targeted competitor can be garnered by implication.

It is therefore clear that the law of trade slander continues to expand and to apply to new scenarios, such that the line between acceptable and unlawful advertising is now more blurry than ever. In light of this, obtaining the proper legal advice prior to publishing any comparative advertisement is vitally important for the protection of your business and its reputation.

By James KatzJames Katz is an associate lawyer with BrazeauSeller LLP. He practices in the areas of intellectual property and litigation matters.

BrazeauSeller.LLP is an Ottawa business law firm that provides expert legal counsel, innovative solutions and responsive service to its clients. As the exclusive Ottawa member of Meritas Law Firms Worldwide, BrazeauSeller is able to provide its clients with access to trusted, dependable legal representation anywhere in the world, that their business takes them. (613) 237-4000 http://www.brazeauseller.com

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Work Creatively With Radio Stations and Other Advertising Outlets

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If you are even a little bit like me you love music and love listening to the radio while you work. For me, it is a good way to pass the time during the day while sitting at my desk.

Recently a friend of mine, who runs his own promotion company, expanded his business to concerts, bands and other musical acts. His first show in this genre is a style of music called freestyle. To me, freestyle music is old school club music, although there are some newer acts on the card, from what I was told.

Being that this was his first event, as you can imagine, he was a bit nervous. A slowing economy, music that is not so much main stream anymore and to top it off the show is booked at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ which holds about nine thousand people.

To his delight and not really any surprise to those that know my friend, the show sold out in a few weeks. He used a wonderful marketing effort combined with some creativity on a local radio station out of Philadelphia, PA.

The first step was to get the radio station to agree to plug the concert. That was fairly easy to do since he paid for that portion of it. However he wanted the radio station to go above and beyond just the normal advertising package that he purchased. He wanted them to plug the show every hour or so leading up to the date the tickets would go on sale. My friend's request, however, did not stop there. After the tickets went on sale he wanted the station to plug the show every hour. At first they thought he was crazy and said there is no way they could do that. So here is what my friend offered.

Beyond the normal cost of what he had already agreed to he offered them two things. The first being the radio station would receive compensation on every ticket sold. This meant each ticket sold would produce more revenue for the station. By accepting, the station agreed to the terms above. The second part of what my friend offered was 200 comp tickets to the show. Once the show sold out, the radio station used these tickets as a way to maintain listener ship to their station. Listeners had to stay tuned throughout the day and when they heard a certain song they were to dial the station's phone number and be the 96th caller. The winner would receive a pair of tickets to the show.

This was a win-win situation for everyone. My friend was willing to part with a portion of the profit, knowing that if the radio station had not plugged it as often as they did, it might not have sold out. The radio station made out because they earned more revenue then what they originally expected and were able to bolster their listeners to the station by keeping them tuned in throughout the day.

Whether you are working with radio, television, newspapers, online advertising agencies, are you thinking of creative ways that will benefit everyone involved? This is a great form of partnership that everyone enjoys. When making partnerships, such as my friend's, everyone involved has to equally benefit from it (or close to it as possible), otherwise one side will seem like they were taken advantage of.

Get your creative partnerships going to jump start your business, product sales and services that you offer. It worked wonders for my friend, it works well with us, and it should work well for you.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Trends In Logo Design For 2008

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Your logo is one of the most important tools you can have in your marketing arsenal. In fact, your logo is your most fundamental mark when it comes to distinguishing your company from the rest of the competition. Hence, your logo would be the most ubiquitous in your marketing tools such as your business brochures, advertising flyers, and even your color business cards. For 2008, here are three from the numerous logo designs that graphic designers and marketers have predicted to become popular trends this year.

Web 2.0
The Web 2.0 is a trendy logo design that speaks of modernity and technology that is being used by many customers nowadays. The name was borne out of the actual use of many consumers of particular technologies such as the Ajax and Ruby. And because of its popularity, the internet has a notable number of tutorials that lets designers create their logos into the web 2.0 design.

What makes this logo design different? They are characterized by brilliant colors and color levels, with smart and appealing icons and 3D effects, shiny surfaces, shadows and reflexions. The fonts used are typically simple and most of the time rounded. Sometimes graphics designers use the color levels, shines and 3D effects on the actual lettering.

Transparency
Transparency have always exuded a more elegant quality that's why it has always been a fashionable logo design ever since it came out in the industry. With transparency, many designers were able to create quality perspectives that suggest growth, development, as well as both combination and connection especially in brochure printing jobs. In addition, transparency allows you to design effects that are considered unique that can effectively grab the attention of your target audience. Transparency also lets you develop a design that is much brighter, and provides for the fine transition from one element to the next.

Waves
Waves are actually the new generation of swooshes, swirls and curves in logo design. Expert marketers and top graphic designers commonly apply this type of logo design to add flexibility and fluid transition into the design itself. It reflects the idea of movement, marked by a technique that applies fading from one color to another. The rounded shapes of the waves also allow for elasticity that provides for qualities of movement and communication. Unfortunately, they are not that easy to use. That's why most designers when they are able to apply the waves to their logo project can maximize its effect which makes it a stand out among the crowd.

These are just three of the trends that are predicted to dominate this year's logo design. Will they stay for long or are they just in fashion for a couple of months? They're definitely something new for the year 2008 that you can use to make your logo design more effective in getting you the leads you need to boost your business.

by Kaitlyn Miller

For more information, you can visit this page on brochure printing and business brochures

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Promoting Your Business with a Website

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Having a website is one of the most essential parts of having a home business. After the website is made, promoting the website is the next step you need to do, you want to get as many people looking at your website that you can. Without website traffic, it could lead to less customers and less sales. Websites are key to informing customers and non-customers about your company and product.

The first and sometimes the most important step in website promotion is to first get it listed on the main directories on the Internet. These directories include Yahoo, Ask, MSN and Google. The goal is to have your website be the very top listed item when someone searches for your product, something similar to your product or your company. Keywords are the essential part in making this happen. If you pick the right keywords, it will rank higher on the search pages and be easier for customers to find your website and the products or services you are selling.

Along with having your keywords come up as the top result in the search engine, most of these search engines also allow you to pay them so that you can be listed in certain advertising sections of the search engine. Let it be known that it won't show up in the same section as the search results but often to the site in a special column. This is known as pay per click marketing, and you will have to pay the directory a fee every time someone clicks on that link.

Another great way to promote your website is through word of mouth. Tell your friends, people you see on the street, anybody. This could have a chain effect and if the person likes the website and the product, they could tell their friends which creates more traffic and hopefully more customers. Other ways to do this is visiting online communities and forums where your target customers visit and tell them about the website.

You can also use current cutting edge methods to advertise your website. Podcasts are incredibly popular and you can use this as a place to advertise your precuts and update people about your website and new products you are selling. YouTube is another great place that essentially acts as a public broadcasting station where you can upload commercials and other video information to it for free.

Websites are essential to a business now, home or a corporation. However, websites do not promote themselves, so you need to become aware of all the options available to you to create traffic and get the word out about your business.

by Alan Falloon

Would you like to have real financial security? Alan Falloon invites you to visit his profitable business opportunity website for everything you need to start and run your own online business. Learn more here: http://www.thousanddollarprofits.com/87828

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Promoting Your Business with a Website

by Alan Falloon-11371

Having a website is one of the most essential parts of having a home business. After the website is made, promoting the website is the next step you need to do, you want to get as many people looking at your website that you can. Without website traffic, it could lead to less customers and less sales. Websites are key to informing customers and non-customers about your company and product.



The first and sometimes the most important step in website promotion is to first get it listed on the main directories on the Internet. These directories include Yahoo, Ask, MSN and Google. The goal is to have your website be the very top listed item when someone searches for your product, something similar to your product or your company. Keywords are the essential part in making this happen. If you pick the right keywords, it will rank higher on the search pages and be easier for customers to find your website and the products or services you are selling.



Along with having your keywords come up as the top result in the search engine, most of these search engines also allow you to pay them so that you can be listed in certain advertising sections of the search engine. Let it be known that it won’t show up in the same section as the search results but often to the site in a special column. This is known as pay per click marketing, and you will have to pay the directory a fee every time someone clicks on that link.



Another great way to promote your website is through word of mouth. Tell your friends, people you see on the street, anybody. This could have a chain effect and if the person likes the website and the product, they could tell their friends which creates more traffic and hopefully more customers. Other ways to do this is visiting online communities and forums where your target customers visit and tell them about the website.



You can also use current cutting edge methods to advertise your website. Podcasts are incredibly popular and you can use this as a place to advertise your precuts and update people about your website and new products you are selling. YouTube is another great place that essentially acts as a public broadcasting station where you can upload commercials and other video information to it for free.



Websites are essential to a business now, home or a corporation. However, websites do not promote themselves, so you need to become aware of all the options available to you to create traffic and get the word out about your business.


Would you like to have real financial security? Alan Falloon invites you to visit his profitable business opportunity website for everything you need to start and run your own online business. Learn more here: http://www.thousanddollarprofits.com/87828

Good Advice on Bolstering Your Customer Service

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I was on the phone the other day trying to get to customer support for an issue I was having with a product that I own. It seemed like forever to actually get through to a real live human being, and when I did, I think I landed the person who must have started with the company about twenty minutes before they took my call.

It seemed after every question I asked they had to put me on hold to go ask someone else. I really should have just said can you just put someone else on the phone? I think it would have saved both of us and the person she kept bugging to get answers, a lot of time and frustration.

In the end I was able to get my issue resolved, so the end result makes it well worth the aggravation…I think.

I do not know how you think, but for me, when I call in to get assistance on something, nothing is more frustrating then either one, not talking to a live person, two, constantly getting someone's voice mail, or three, getting a person who really isn't ready to talk to live people on the phone.

Does your business handle phone calls from the outside world? Either for help desk or customer support? If you do then you really should have your people prepared. In the case above the person I talked to clearly wasn't educated on the topics I needed covered and therefore cost people involved a lot of time. The best thing would have been to transfer the call to a more knowledgeable staff member and then have her listen in to learn how to handle the situation.

If you have employees who talk to customers over the phone, they really are your first line of good customer service. You always want people to leave a phone conversation more pleasant then when they called. If they are calling customer support, then chances are they are already aggravated by something that your company sells, services or supplies. Your customer support personnel should be well trained to be sympathetic to their needs and even though they might not be able to help them, have the ability to make them turn 180 degrees to feeling good about the progress and potential results of their phone call.

So many times I personally have encountered, whether it is over the phone and even in person, customer service just not caring about the needs of the customer. There is nothing more frustrating then trying to get help on an issue, only to experience that you leave more angry then when you started because the person you were working with just doesn't care.

Do your company, employees and your customers a favor, and spend the time to train your employees on good quality customer service. Let them know that customers, regardless of how irate they might be, should be treated with respect and dignity. You could even make a contest out of it as to see which one of your employees has the highest rate of customer service satisfaction.

Whatever method you choose to bolster your customer service department it should ultimately in the end yield happy customers.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

Is Your Business Rewarding Customers for Repeat Business?

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My wife and I were planning our next vacation. We were thinking of going to sunny Florida maybe hitting Disneyworld or Universal Studios. We both love going on thrill rides, visiting theme parks and so on.

While in the planning stages we were determining should we drive down which is about a 20 hour car ride or fly. Both means have pros and cons. The obvious for driving would be the time, although we both love to take road trips.

During the time of year that we wanted to go a cost for a flight was extremely high. It was nearly $300 per person round trip. So cost was a factor when it came to flying. However, we remembered we had some airline miles, but were unsure if we had enough. A couple of phone calls later, some Internet surfing and poof! We had two round trip tickets on coach.

The use of points in this scenario reminded me of some other companies that I shop with that do something similar. My grocery store is an excellent example. They use points for additional savings and coupons that I can earn by being a repeat customer. For example, during the holidays, specifically around Thanksgiving, each dollar spent counts as a point. When I reach a certain number of points I can redeem them for a free Turkey. It is a pretty good deal.

Are you currently implementing a points system with your business? Studies have shown that when you implement this type of procedure people are more likely to come back to increase that value.

There are some message boards that I partake in online and with each new post you create or respond to, your credibility rating points increase. The higher that number, the more credible you become in the user community.

You should be implementing this style of system with your business. It does not matter what kind of business you have. With some creative thinking you should be able to use it. For instance, let`s say you sell widgets. With each widget you sell the customer earns 5 points to their account. Now make sure you let your customers know what they get for all of those points. You could have a chart or something of that nature on display. The more points someone is willing to redeem, the better the prize. You get the point (no pun intended).

If you are a service oriented business, you can hand out business cards. As you respond to a person`s needs for your service you can sign a spot on their card, stamp it, or whatever method you choose, and the `x` time you responded the customer gets a discount.

My friend, who owns and operates a heater repair and service company, uses this technique. With each three services someone receives, the fourth one is free. He claims it has produced a lot of repeat business and a lot of word of mouth advertising.

There is no question this is a great technique that you can use for your business. If it were not, the bigger companies would not be using it.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.indocquent.com/, an online advertising and social network medium where you can promote your business, products or services without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.

A Trip To Vegas Sparks Helpful Marketing Tip

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A couple years ago my wife and I took a trip out to Las Vegas. This was obviously before kids, but when we landed, we were both enamored by the lights, and what the city had to offer that was just on display from the street.

From the Bellagio's musical water show to the Mirage's exploding volcano, the sites and sounds were wonderful. Besides the many things to do in Las Vegas, you aren't too far from the Hoover Dam which we did do a tour of and enjoyed very much. If you have never seen it I would highly recommend it.

Beyond all that, what I found out is not a lot of people know about "old" Vegas. Most people associate the city with the likes of grand hotels such as the Luxor and the Venetian. However tucked away a couple miles down the strip is what started it all, the original and now called "old" Vegas.

There you will find what Vegas used to be, with its small gambling casinos, little side shops for all kinds of things you can buy, and a plethora of items that you couldn't possibly imagine in your wildest dreams.

However while we were there, the entire area had a customer, advertising gimmick type of thing going on. Certain shops were handing out beads with purchases of different items and some were free. Those beads then can be turned in at other shops or stores for a free drink, one free roll of some wheel to win a prize and so on.

So my wife and I went on a bead scavenger hunt so to speak. It was a lot of fun, we collected a lot of things (and some drinks also), but the challenge of it all is what really lead us to partake in it in the first place.

This brings me to my business topic of the day, and that is trying to drive traffic to either your brick and mortar business or your company website. Did you know that on average a person must see your advertising, products, business name or marketing at least seven times before they decide to make a purchase? That is correct. Studies have shown that consistent exposure to the same thing will draw people to act upon it.

You need to drive repeat traffic to your website or business. The shops in Vegas did it very creatively. They knew that most people there are on vacation and will only be around for a short period of time. So they created a way to get people into their shops as many times as possible by the end of the night.

Unless you are in a similar business there is no need to go to those extremes, however repeat traffic is a key to your business's success. One good way is to offer something for free. Now as I have said in the past I am not big on freebies as freebies create free loaders. But in this marketing sense you can give away something that is useful to the consumer as well as to your business. A good example would be an eBook. This is good for online businesses. You can put somewhere on your website, that you are giving away a free eBook each week. In order to receive it they must enter their email address and then you will send them a notice when it is ready to be downloaded.

For brick and mortar businesses, let's say you run a store that sells music. You could work with local up and coming bands to obtain their music and distribute a free weekly mp3 download, cd or whatever format you choose. This helps you and the bands that give you their music. It is a win-win situation for everybody.

You will have to decide what items or methods work best for your business. Once you implement this strategy and run it properly, you are sure to get that repeat traffic you need that will eventually turn into sales.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services throughout the world without pay-per-click prices or auction fees.

You can now download Indocquent`s free social bookmark utility for your website or blog at http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html.

Published By: Indocquent.com- An online resource where you can promote your business, products and services around the world.