Mulberry Street Marketing Tip - Marketing on a Net-Zero Budget

Ruth Danielson, Owner
Mulberry Street Intel

This is it, folks: The Chart-Topper on my Most Frequently Asked Questions list by small business owners. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve got all kinds of tricks up my sleeve on this. I’m going to share five with tips with you, followed by one big, fat, juicy piece of unsolicited advice.

This is a long post, because I’m giving a lot away here. If you want it, it’s right here on the page, FREE for the taking. Enjoy, entrepreneurs, Womentorz and other business adventurers!



Marketing Net-Zero Tip #1: BE VISIBLE
Come out from behind that computer screen and be seen! Don’t try to do all your promotion from your desk. Get out into the community and interact with real people.

• Be a strategic networker.
• Choose networking opportunities that will give you access to:
  • Potential customers
  • Other business owners who have contacts with your direct audience
  • Opportunities for bartering, co-promotion, co-marketing, or co-speaking with other businesses that will help propel your mutual success
  • Avoid mixers where everyone in the room is in your exact line of business. (You’re not likely to sell a lot of ice cream to the other ice cream men on your block.)
• Parlay your expertise into speaking opportunities, teaching a workshop or class, participating in or leading a small or specialized business group. (Keep an eye out for opportunities to get paid for these types of activities).
• Hang out where you are likely to interact with your most desired audience targets. What do you know about your the likes and habits of your audiences? This will give you some clues as to where to network where there’s a hope of interacting with potential customers, members of the press, or other businesses you want to network with.  Examples might include: participating in workshops, joining (or starting) a book club, attending free community events that your customers are likely to attend also, serving on a committee or board, attending craft fairs or art openings, or participating in community sporting events and fundraisers. Check your local entertainment guide for ideas!

Marketing Net-Zero Tip #2: TOOT YOUR OWN HORN
Some people are natural self-promoters and have no problem talking up their successes at every opportunity. For most of us, this is a real challenge!

Self-Promotion Tip: Know what your successes are. Define what constitutes a “success” and pay attention to when it happens. The best way to do this is to set daily, weekly and monthly goals for sales, positive customer feedback, increases in quality social media contacts and followers, securing local opportunities to speak about your business. Keep a running log of these successes. How many Facebook followers did you start with in January? How many did you want to have by April? Did you make at least some progress toward your goal? Even if you fell short of the exact goal, setting goals and keeping track of your progress will not only help you track your success, but it will allow you to shift your activities – and maybe your expectations – in productive ways.

Self-Promotion Tip: No sucess is too small to talk up.
Did you meet one or more of the goals that you set? Talk up your incremental wins on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, your blog, in your interactions with new or existing customers, with business contacts, partners and associates. Wins are very persuasive! Don’t be afraid that any single success is too small to talk about. Watch them stack up and see how that persuasive language translates into more followers, greater awareness, better opportunities, and more sales over time!

Self-Promotion Tip: Don’t let your WINS become one-hit wonders. Think “Green”:  Repurpose, reuse, recycle.
WIN = Product Review: Did you win a product review that you pitched yourself for? Crow about it! Make sure to get links to the coverage, whether it’s a link to a podcast, video, a PDF or direct link to an article online. Find out what the media outlet’s policy is on permission to post the coverage and abide by that policy.
Get your extra mileage from your coverage by posting an image of the magazine cover for the issue you appeared in, or the media outlet’s logo on your web site, in your press materials, on your Facebook page, and everywhere that you can.

The value of editorial coverage is that it is both informative and persuasive for your audience: it increases awareness and can be perceived as a recommendation of your product or service. Don’t limit how much of an impact the coverage gets you; talk it up in as many places as you can for a full year after the coverage (and sometimes longer than that).

WIN = Favorable Customer Testimonials:
If you receive great feedback from one or more of your customers, think green again. If the comments were made on your Facebook Page or in a Tweet, they should also make their way onto your other social media profiles, your web site, as your daily quote in y your email signature, into a news release, at the bottom of a product flyer, and elsewhere. You get the idea!

Marketing Net-Zero Tip #3: DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL
Sometimes, thinking outside the box is over-rated. Instead, learn from the experts.
Model the behaviors of your competitors that you admire the most! Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Buy their business books; sit in on their (free) webinars). What are they working on and how are they promoting themselves? You may not have a marketing budget for some of the big deals that they negotiate, or for the slick marketing collateral and whiz-bang graphics and video media that they’re pumping out, but they are probably doing a lot of things that don’t cost them a dime – like being good self-promoters. Model the successful behavior that you observe in others – just remember to be true to your own brand, personality and style when you do it.

Marketing Net-Zero Tip #4: UTLIZE HIGH-QUALITY, FREE RESOURCES

Join Womentorz or other Group Marketing Networks – If you’re a woman inventor or entrepreneur and you’re already a Womentorz member, you already know a lot about this. If you’re a woman entrepreneur with an innovative service, business book, software application, or other genius idea, check out the Services channel at Womentorz. If you’re outside this network entirely, look into other group marketing opportunities – or create some! Contact Mulberry Street or Womentorz if you’d like to discuss this in more detail. We’d love the chance to network with you and hear your ideas!

Wear Out Your Library Card – Check out top-selling business books from your local library instead of buying them. Purchase only the ones that you want to refer to over and over. Chances are, taking a few notes on the things that really grab you will suffice.

Find a Mentor – If there is someone in your network who has business experience that you covet, ask them if they would be your mentor. Set limits on how much time you will request from them in any given month (don’t wear out your welcome) and think of ways (or ask them) how you can benefit them as well.

Get a SCORE Counselor: If you’ve managed to launch your business without learning about SCORE and using their services, you probably worked a lot harder than you needed to. If you did find SCORE and use their services, you probably feel like you couldn’t have launched without them. SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit organization that educates entrepreneurs to start, grow and succeed nationwide. SCORE currently has 13,000mentors, 364 chapters and more than 500 skills to help you grow your business. What are you waiting for?

Marketing Net-Zero Tip #5: (From the Department of the Glaringly Obvious) USE SOCIAL MEDIA

This is perhaps the most obvious and first choice in the current marketing environment. Everyone’s doing it: some are doing it exceedingly well, with stellar results! For specific tips on finding and marketing to your audience using social media, see my article, “What’s the Best Social Medium for Finding New Customers?”

And finally, here is my unsolicited advice:
Don’t set net-zero as your marketing budget goal.
Make yourself and your fledgling business a priority. Invest in yourself!
How, you ask?
Open a bank account dedicated to saving money for marketing and make it an absolute priority.
Where to get the funds?

1. Can you eat out less/make more meals at home?
2. Can you buy fewer lattes and enjoy some home brew?
3. Can you skip frivolous purchases?
4. If you have a regular saving plan, dedicate a portion of this to invest in marketing your business.
5. Set aside 5 – 10% of sales and put it in your savings account for marketing.

Most importantly, understand that in order to have a sustainable business, you have to create a sustainable marketing budget. When you set up the fund, know what you plan to use the budget for. Talk to your SCORE counselor, mentor, or give Mulberry Street a call to discuss where is the best place to invest your marketing dollars for the greatest return, once you’ve reached your first savings goal.
Happy Marketing Tip Monday and as always, cheers from Womentorz and Mulberry Street!

Shoutout to Rita, aka “YippyMomma“, blogger, baby product reviewer, photographer (and so much more…) who posted today’s question on the Womentorz wall on Facebook. (@YippyMomma)

Join the discussion! What’s the best marketing investment you ever made? What was the worst? 

Geek Women Interview Series Opportunity

Womentorz is all about sharing fun and unique opportunities to our network.  I met Geek Woman on Twitter where I promised I would share her new Interview Series as an opportunity for you to promote your businesses.

Here's her message to all of you:

Hi there!
After a very successful response to our Women in Games Interview series this year it's time to start the New Geek Women Interview Series over at GamingAngels!
http://www.gamingangels.com/category/geek-women/

Please go to your female clients and associates, and tell them that it is a good opportunity to speak directly to the female gaming community. This time we are also opening it up to women employed in tech, gaming or geek culture as well as female gamer clan members.
If you know a lady who you think would be a good candidate please send along her information such as a URL or a Bio.
:)
Geek Woman
The 'Barbara Walters' of video games.
Games Editor, Interview Coordinator
Http://www.gamingangels.com
http://twitter.com/geekwoman
Geek Woman Speaks
http://geek-woman.com/wordpress

Promote Your Business with Green Halloween and Womentorz

Womentorz is going to be hosting Green Halloween for a second year in our local Downtown Edmonds, Washington Halloween festivities.  We're not only hosting the event because of the great message it brings to families, but because it was also a huge hit with wonderful marketing opportunities. We will have a booth in the center of town that's visited by LITERALLY thousands of families.  You see...the city of Edmonds is completely shut down where the Chamber and all of the local businesses come together to celebrate Halloween and provide a family friendly environment.  It's a sight to see for sure!

Our booth was one of the only booths in the center of town, and there was a line as far as the eye could see.  Families had so much fun seeing the unusual products and healthier food choices being passed out.  The fun tent and Green Halloween banners were certainly eye catching.

Here are some photos catching just a taste of the action:

It was non stop action the entire time!  We could barely keep up with the crowd.

What we're offering our entire network is an opportunity to promote your business for FREE during the festivities.  If you're here locally please come on down and demonstrate your product and pass out promotional material.  How many events have thousands of families right in your target market ....the people who want to buy your product ....for FREE?  This is a very creative and unique marketing opportunity.  

All participants will also get a special Womentorz shout out on the blog, which will link to your website when covering the event.  This is great online marketing. :)

You may say, "Well, my product isn't green! How can I be part of such a great opportunity?"
There are literally countless and creative ways to be a part of this! There are many things that could be passed out that would be considered green with your product/business information.  This could mean printing on recycled products like the ones found at Recycling is Cool: http://www.recyclingiscool.com/
Just let me know if you're interested and I can assist in the brainstorming process.

On a personal note, the reason why I support Green Halloween is because my son has a life threatening peanut allergy,so Halloween is an unsafe time for our family.  Had I not gone through this experience personally I don't think I would understand how important it is to provide alternative solutions to the typical "all candy" inundation our society takes part in when celebrating Halloween.  Think of all of the children with diabetes....especially this day and age.  I'm personally not anti candy by any means, but I think it's important to provide healthier alternatives besides candy all of the time.

This is a very fun way to promote your product and support an important message.  Email info@womentorz.com if you're interested in being a part of the booth.    

This event is part of the national Green Halloween event network.  For more information and to support Green Halloween visit www.greenhalloween.org.

Kabongo - Online Brain Games Kids Love

 

When I visited Kabongo right off the bat  I was impressed by the interactive, colorful and high quality graphics that I was sure would appeal to kids.  I found myself enjoying the graphics just as much as a child would!  The level of quality could seriously be compared to Pixar.  What I didn't expect was how much my son Payton, who is seven years old and reading at a 5th grade level, would enjoy the site.  He has been begging me to visit the site for the past two days since we started checking everything out.  He couldn't get enough of the everything it had to offer. 

My son Rylie, who is four years old, was completely enthralled with Kabongo as well.  The fact that both children with different levels of ability could spend hours going through the different learning environments, and each bring away something to improve their learning skills is testimony to how much thought went into planning this educational platform.

 Payton is so over the moon about about the site that he would like to share his experience in his own words: 

As you can see, he could go on and on.  I promised him that if he let me record him he could spend another hour on the site.  That's how much he loves Kabongo!

I could talk forever about the good, clean humor used throughout the site.  Payton and I had so much fun building the customizable characters.  The witty banter that seems to effortlessly flow from scene to scene makes you feel like it's the first time you've been to the site.  It doesn't feel like they recorded the same dialogue that is the norm for most other sites.  Even Disney doesn't put that much thought into their interactive online graphics.  I had so much fun playing the games with my son that there were times he had to fight me for the mouse!

I highly encourage every parent to visit Kabongo today and go through the site with your child.  You will be amazed at how much they will love the site, and you can feel good that you're providing a great learning environment for the entire family!

 Use the Coupon Code below to have access to
Premium Games:

Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday - How can I sell more product with my existing web site?

Here's the question that Jennifer Powell from Fat Cat Phonics left for Ruth Danielson with Mulberry Street Marketing Intel to answer:

" Fat Cat Phonics I am driving a moderate amount of traffic to my site but these visits rarely convert to sales. Any advice on what changes I could make to my home page?"

About Fat Cat Phonics
Fat Cat Phonics is an incredible invention and tool for teaching your child the fundamentals of reading and math.  It has been repeatedly proven that young children learn best by touching, feeling and experiencing materials.  Based on this research, their interactive learning approach uses bright colorful manipulatives, a dry erase marker and hundreds of reusable worksheets to encourage your child's natural love of learning.  To learn more about Fat Cat Phonics visit www.fatcatphonics.com.  It can also be found on the Womentorz forum.

Here's Ruth's invaluable tips to help increase business
utilizing your current website:

Amy's Invent View - EZ Bouquet

-Reviewed by Amy Porterfield -

Is EZBouquet really easy?

It sure is!
I like everyone else, go to someones house and look around and take inventory of how they decorated.  I take mental pictures and think "Can I afford to do that in my house?", "Do I have room for it?"  and most importantly; "Is it easy to do?".  Admit it, you do too. We judge the houses we go into and picture their stuff in our own homes.  One thing I have admired and always noticed is fresh flowers.  A botanist I am not though.  Flowers elude me for some reason because I can never take them out of the plastic wrap they came in and oh so delicately and artistically put them in a vase.


And then... (drum roll)...EZ Bouquet.  You can literally take any vase, bowl and even a veggie platter and turn it in to a living art piece.  And it takes little time and effort.  I put together a vase of heavy flowers in a plastic pot in the amount of time it took let my husband know I was upset I had to buy the flowers for myself... I kid, but seriously, this product works for itself.


All you have to do is get the flowers and put the stems in the holes.  No more holding a bundle of flowers and working in pieces fumbling around so you don't drop the whole thing.  You just put the stems in the holes of this geometrically designed sphere.  I'm serious, it's that easy.  Big pots, little pots, big vases, little vases, candy dishes, candle holders, upside down hats.  You can put this sphere in anything.  The great thing is you can take the sphere apart so it is two sides and put one side on a flat surface creating a pretty centerpiece to a cracker platter.  All you need is some glue dots to hold it in place.  You can also decorate for a wedding by putting the little size in smaller pots to put on wedding tables.  The sphere also allows you to make kissing balls which are also great for weddings.  This product is so versatile...I just had to own one myself.    Versatile, easy, and inexpensive... Isn't that what we are all looking for. 


The product is packaged two ways.  A Hat Box that has a 5.75" a 4" and a 2.2" sphere, or you can also get the 4" on it's own.  Go to www.EZbouquet.com or you can also check it out on www.womentorz.com in the "shop" section under home and garden.

To get your product reviewed email us at info@womentorz.com and we can get you in line for this awesome way to promote your product to tens of thousands of people!!!

Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday - Volume 2

Every other Monday Ruth Danielson, Owner of Mulberry Street Market Intelligence, which is a full-service, world-class public relations, marketing and market research agency, answers your burning marketing questions left on the Womentorz blog and soon to be left on the Womentorz Facebook page.  Not only will there be invaluable information shared by Ruth every other Monday, but it's also a great time to promote your business.

Here are the questions that were left last week that Ruth answers in the below video:

Kinzie Jones said...
 
How do I market my book with a grand total remaining budget of 0? I spent all my money and then some more on just getting my book and program developed. Now I am at a place where I am happy with how the book is but letting people know about it is a whole other (and bigger) problem. I am on fb, twitter, linkedin, and I have a blog. I just feel like I am running out of ideas. My book's name is Find Me Book. It is like a Where's WAldo or I SPY but you are searching for your family's faces. Thanks!! My website is http://findmebook.com/  


Kara Anderson said...

 Out of the three main social sites Facebook, YouTube and Twitter what would be the best resource for buidling/researching a new business or product. Sending love from The Bag Holder-Dont be left holding the bag http://thebagholder.net/

Tricia Morris said...
 
How can I make the most of out getting my product into the social media market? What are the best social media sites (other than the obvious twitter,facebook)to work with? I already use facebook and twitter but I'm finding I'm a) running out of ideas and 2) still not capturing a lot of the market. Thank you. http://www.crvacationrentals.com/

Click Here to read Ruth's article covering "What’s the best social medium for finding new customers?"

Healing Anaya- Healing Humanity

I recently learned of Anaya's story, which was shared with me by Michelle Cloney of LeBibble.  After learning Anaya's story I just had to share it from the eyes of her amazing and courageous mother.  Please keep Anaya in your thoughts and prayers and share her story with all of your friends and family.  It's an important message.

Our Story about “Healing Anaya- Healing Humanity”

Written August 14, 2011 by Anaya’s Mama. Camara Cassin

  

Her golden hair sparkles in the sunshine.  I bring my lips to her forehead and kiss her soft delicate skin.  Inhaling her sweet baby smell, my heart melts and my whole body tingles with the energy of mama love. Touching her hair with my fingertips I wonder at the little curls that spring up behind her perfect little ears.  I enfold her in my arms, and lay down beside her.  Just to be with her.  To enjoy every second of her.  She is dying.

On this day in 2009 I started having contractions.  Gut wrenching, make my legs shake contractions.  Inside my womb was a beautiful, healthy baby girl.  She was rambunctious and strong, kicking and stretching.  She’d push her little foot against the side of my tummy until you could actually see it.  Brent and I had already chosen a name for her.  Anaya.  It means “God’s Answer” or “Completely Free”.

We could never have known what the next two years would bring us.  Anaya entered the world on August 26.   She was completely whole and perfect.  Her apgars were normal, she squalled and waved her little fists about.  She nursed well and I took her home the next day.  For months everything was wonderful.  She had the most beautiful little smile, and would even mimic my sounds when I would coo at her.  She’d laugh.  I’d melt.

At four months the nightmare began.  She cried and was irritable all the time. She started choking at the breast.  We took her to emergency.  We were directed to the children’s hospital.  After weeks of intensive tests we were told that our baby Anaya’s myelin was disappearing from her brain, and her nerves.  That she would lose all of her abilities.  That we should take her home to die.  We left the hospital and drove home on Valentine’s day. 

We tried everything.  Naturopathy, Chinese Medicine, Conventional Medicine, Herbs, Homeopathy, Brain Gym, Faith Healers.  She continued to get worse.  I remember the last time she looked at me and smiled.  We were on the couch.  I was cuddling her.  She looked right into my eyes, into my soul, and she smiled the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.  Her hazel green and brown eyes seemed to have incredible love and wisdom in them.  I was entranced and stared at her until she looked away. That night she lost her sight, and her smile.

Anaya never sat up, never learned to crawl, and never said the word “mama” – but I’ve heard it in my heart.  She has become my teacher.  My mentor.  She is God’s Answer in my life.  I needed to learn about compassion.  I needed to learn patience.  I needed to learn what the meaning of life was.  All my life I wanted answers.  I wanted to know why I was so different from everyone else I had met.  Why it seemed as though humanity had started to lose their sense of self.  Why I did not have a sense of self and a feeling of purpose.  I started writing an online blog about my life with Anaya, sharing the ups and downs, the joys and the hurts.  People read it and understood.  I expressed my heart explicitly and found support and love.

Anaya became known nationally in Canada as the “Breast milk Baby”, as she could not tolerate formula and was now tube-fed.  I pumped for 10 months but was unable to produce enough to feed her.  Almost a hundred women from across Canada shipped us their frozen milk, and it is still her main staple food at 23.5 months.  Anaya has supporters all over the world who think of her with love.  She has taught so many people, through me, about finding the true joys in life and living in the moment.

Right now Anaya has bi-lobe pneumonia.  We were discharged on Wednesday from the hospital.  The doctor said there was nothing they could do, unless we wanted to put her on more intensive life supports.  We had always promised Anaya, and ourselves, that we would never do that to her.  When it is her time to go, we will let her graduate from this life with dignity, respect and love.  We will hold her close in our arms, in the comfort of our home and celebrate all the joy she has brought us and the lessons she has shared.  So we took her home.  It upset my nurse, she disagreed with our choice.  After an emotional argument she quit, and my nursing agency withdrew nursing support from our home.

These past few days have been rough.  Anaya needs care 24 hours a day.  I need to stay with her.  I promised my baby that I would be there to hold her when…she flies to heaven.  I still pray and hope for a miracle.  That she will overcome the pneumonia.  That she will regain her eyesight.  That one day I will see her smile and hear the word “Mama.”  I have faith, it is possible.  Anaya will turn two in 12 days.

I’ve asked people touched by Anaya’s life to help us through this time financially by subscribing to my blog or making a donation.  I ask you, please, read it.  Anaya’s lessons will touch your heart and inspire your soul.

Please visit all of these forums and share with others:

http://www.healinganaya.blogspot.com

http://healinganaya.com

http://facebook.com/theanayainitiative

Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday - Post Your Question for the Week of August 8th!

Womentorz has partnered with Mulberry Street Market Intelligence to help our network grow their business!  Mulberry Street is a full-service, world-class public relations, marketing and market research services in a powerhouse of a boutique agency.

Last week's Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday was a HUGE hit with amazing questions left and great publicity for the winner!!!!

Every other Monday Ruth Danielson, Owner of Mulberry Street, will bring her marketing expertise by answering an issue or question you may have in regard to marketing your own business.  If your question is selected your business will get an amazing plug in the posting as well as a link to your website.  Don't miss this FREE and invaluable educational and promotional opportunity!!!!  Simply leave your question below this posting as a comment and stay tuned for next Monday's posting answering the winning question!  You can re-post your question from past postings since they were all excellent!!!!
 

Here's Last Week's Tip:

Click Here to Ruth's written advice on the Mulberry Street Blog!!!

Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday Answering Hugga-Bébé

Every other Monday Ruth Danielson, Owner of Mulberry Street Market Intelligence, which is a full-service, world-class public relations, marketing and market research agency, will be answering one of the many important marketing questions left in the previous week's posting on the Womentorz Blog.

Last week's winning question was left by Kimberly Davis of Hugga-Bébé, which is a patent-pending, innovative product that allows children 4-months to toddler years to experience comfort and security while playing in activity centers, jumpers, walkers, and park bucket swings. Hugga-Bébé's unique wrap-around design literally hugs your baby making those "one size fits all" seats really fit. 

It was tough to pick a winning question to answer because there were so many great questions left.  You were all winners in our book!  Thank you everyone for participating.  Keep posting your questions even if it's the same one from the previous week.  Stay tuned for the next Mulberry Street Marketing Tip Monday question request!!!!

Mulberry Street Marketing Tip for
August 1, 2011

Click Here to Ruth's written advice on the Mulberry Street Blog!!!