You Need A Cake Marketing Plan!

Are you passionate about cake decorating and are ready to take it to the next level? Are you finally up to starting a cake business from home? Starting this business from home will be an amazingly fun adventure but you need to prepare yourself from day one.

Starting a cake business from home is just like any other business, you need a plan. You have your business plan and a crucial part of that includes a marketing plan. You can ask any business owner and they will tell you that marketing is going to be one of the most crucial elements of running your business. You have to reach customers to sell to, without these people; your business is nothing but equipment.

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Before you start your cake business, let's get the marketing aspect under control. A budget is crucial but sometimes frustrating. Most people don't have thousands of dollars to throw into their new company so budgeting is absolutely necessary. If you have your market strategy in place, stretching your budget will be much simpler.

So, your question is? How can I market for little or no money? Good questions, let's answer it...

1. Ask local schools, churches, YMCA's, Boys & Girls Clubs, Recreational Centers and libraries if you can post some flyers. Make these flyers at home for relatively no money. You just need paper and a printer.

2. Take photos of the finished products and place them on these flyers.

3. Offer some free or reduced priced cakes to your friends and family for their events. Ask your neighbors and people you work with or your spouse works with if you can use there event as a stepping stone.

4. Ask for testimonials from your customers, friends or family. Use these testimonials in your flyers or website.

5. Search for local events in your area and ask if you can sponsor or participate in the event. Offer samples or demos of your product for free. You will be surprised at the results you get.

It is very difficult when starting a cake business from home or any business for that matter to spend NO money. You are going to have to invest money in your marketing. Once you get out there and get noticed, the possibilities are endless. Offer cakes for all types of occasions and soon you will notice your calendar is never empty! Just remember, you must have a marketing plan in order to be successful in your new cake business! So, start planning, good luck and have fun!

You Need A Cake Marketing Plan!

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Church Marketing - Top 10 Items to Include in Your Church Welcome Packet!

So, you put a marketing plan together, even got a budget that didn't have "shoestring" associated with it, ran your campaign and guess what? It all came together. People have started to flow into your church. And if you have read my past articles, you are saying that you are done and have done the warm hand off to others as these folks are on their way to becoming regular visitors and perhaps even members. You job is done.....almost!

Let's face it, marketing's job is never done, but there is one thing that you should give some thought to before the marketing team's job is considered done. And that is a good welcome packet.

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Why have welcome packets?

A welcome packet can be a marketing tool to provide new visitors information about your church, its' doctrine or belief's and some of the ministries or activities that go on there. It gives the guest something to review when they have left the church and have some time to reflect.

There are several objectives of insuring your guests are given a welcome packet when they visit:

* Makes them feel welcome! You want to express your gratitude for allowing you to share and to also indicate that they are welcome to return

* Understand your structure. One of the reasons visitors come is to learn something about your church. How it is organized. What sets you apart from the other churches in the area. Welcome packets can accomplish that.

* Become familiar with your worship style (is it more singing then they would like?) and church beliefs.

* Review activities calendar. Visitors want to know the upcoming schedule of events and ministry meeting times.

What should go into the packet?

While there is no absolute must have list, here are some ideas that will help to make a great impression and give guests a reason for returning:

1. Video or DVD of your organization

- It could be a video tour of the entire grounds or maybe just a 30 second clip that tells about each ministry in the church. Perhaps it is the vision for where you want to get to.

2. Refrigerator magnets

Are you looking for an inexpensive marketing tool that has long term staying power? This may be better than you think! According to a study at Purdue University, the average American visits their refrigerator 22 times a day. What else could you get that is going to get that much exposure? And strange as it sounds, even if people don't like them, they tend to put them on their refrigerators.

3. Letter of Greeting from the Minister

Perhaps a personalized message with an invitation to return the following week. Studies have found that a personal interaction with the Minister can have a dramatically positive effect on whether someone returns or makes a church home. (So, don't forget about the Minister making a personal phone call to follow up the next week either!)

4. Information on the membership process of your church.

Some visitors are ready to become members from day one. They may have just moved and want to keep their denominational affiliation intact. Others just feel good and know when they have found their new church home. It takes the awkwardness out of them having to ask.

5. Invitation for on-line survey.

A quick survey of a visitor's church experience is good. But they may feel uneasy filling out one in church especially if they are the only guest that day. Online surveys provide an easy way for you to determine how things really are since they are truly anonymous.

6. Audio recording -

Could be a recent Sunday Message or perhaps something more of an invitation. Keep in mind that at the least we are a CD world. Cassettes are dead. Podcasts or downloads are a great way to get them to your website.

7. Informational brochure

- General info about the church and its' ministries (if you can't do a video or want to cover your bases). It could also include a brief history of the church, or the denomination if that is deemed important.

8. Calendar of events -

Announcement flyers of public events such as fall festivals, Christmas programs, etc.

9. Coupons!

A coupon to turn in at the church book store or on the website for a free token of appreciation or a discount. I love the coupon that entitles the user for a free cup of coffee with the minister!

10 Tote bags or bookmarks -

Both of these have become very inexpensive and help to keep your church in the guests mind. Be sure to include your website address on these!

While these are not all-inclusive, they do make a favorable impression on any church guest. A good welcome packet can make the difference if a visitor comes back for a second look. It can provide the answers to some of the questions that arise after they have left the church. Of course, nothing beats a personal note or phone call from the minister

How do they get distributed?

Don't leave it up to chance whether a visitor gets a welcome packet or not. While my experience has gone from having to look for them myself or being told to pick one up on the way out, anything short of personally handing one to me loses some of the welcome packet's purpose... to make me feel welcome. Make sure your church doesn't make that mistake!

Church Marketing - Top 10 Items to Include in Your Church Welcome Packet!

Grow Calendar 2011

Church Marketing - Top 10 Items to Include in Your Church Welcome Packet!

So, you put a marketing plan together, even got a budget that didn't have "shoestring" associated with it, ran your campaign and guess what? It all came together. People have started to flow into your church. And if you have read my past articles, you are saying that you are done and have done the warm hand off to others as these folks are on their way to becoming regular visitors and perhaps even members. You job is done.....almost!

Let's face it, marketing's job is never done, but there is one thing that you should give some thought to before the marketing team's job is considered done. And that is a good welcome packet.

Grow Calendar 2011

Why have welcome packets?

A welcome packet can be a marketing tool to provide new visitors information about your church, its' doctrine or belief's and some of the ministries or activities that go on there. It gives the guest something to review when they have left the church and have some time to reflect.

There are several objectives of insuring your guests are given a welcome packet when they visit:

* Makes them feel welcome! You want to express your gratitude for allowing you to share and to also indicate that they are welcome to return

* Understand your structure. One of the reasons visitors come is to learn something about your church. How it is organized. What sets you apart from the other churches in the area. Welcome packets can accomplish that.

* Become familiar with your worship style (is it more singing then they would like?) and church beliefs.

* Review activities calendar. Visitors want to know the upcoming schedule of events and ministry meeting times.

What should go into the packet?

While there is no absolute must have list, here are some ideas that will help to make a great impression and give guests a reason for returning:

1. Video or DVD of your organization

- It could be a video tour of the entire grounds or maybe just a 30 second clip that tells about each ministry in the church. Perhaps it is the vision for where you want to get to.

2. Refrigerator magnets

Are you looking for an inexpensive marketing tool that has long term staying power? This may be better than you think! According to a study at Purdue University, the average American visits their refrigerator 22 times a day. What else could you get that is going to get that much exposure? And strange as it sounds, even if people don't like them, they tend to put them on their refrigerators.

3. Letter of Greeting from the Minister

Perhaps a personalized message with an invitation to return the following week. Studies have found that a personal interaction with the Minister can have a dramatically positive effect on whether someone returns or makes a church home. (So, don't forget about the Minister making a personal phone call to follow up the next week either!)

4. Information on the membership process of your church.

Some visitors are ready to become members from day one. They may have just moved and want to keep their denominational affiliation intact. Others just feel good and know when they have found their new church home. It takes the awkwardness out of them having to ask.

5. Invitation for on-line survey.

A quick survey of a visitor's church experience is good. But they may feel uneasy filling out one in church especially if they are the only guest that day. Online surveys provide an easy way for you to determine how things really are since they are truly anonymous.

6. Audio recording -

Could be a recent Sunday Message or perhaps something more of an invitation. Keep in mind that at the least we are a CD world. Cassettes are dead. Podcasts or downloads are a great way to get them to your website.

7. Informational brochure

- General info about the church and its' ministries (if you can't do a video or want to cover your bases). It could also include a brief history of the church, or the denomination if that is deemed important.

8. Calendar of events -

Announcement flyers of public events such as fall festivals, Christmas programs, etc.

9. Coupons!

A coupon to turn in at the church book store or on the website for a free token of appreciation or a discount. I love the coupon that entitles the user for a free cup of coffee with the minister!

10 Tote bags or bookmarks -

Both of these have become very inexpensive and help to keep your church in the guests mind. Be sure to include your website address on these!

While these are not all-inclusive, they do make a favorable impression on any church guest. A good welcome packet can make the difference if a visitor comes back for a second look. It can provide the answers to some of the questions that arise after they have left the church. Of course, nothing beats a personal note or phone call from the minister

How do they get distributed?

Don't leave it up to chance whether a visitor gets a welcome packet or not. While my experience has gone from having to look for them myself or being told to pick one up on the way out, anything short of personally handing one to me loses some of the welcome packet's purpose... to make me feel welcome. Make sure your church doesn't make that mistake!

Church Marketing - Top 10 Items to Include in Your Church Welcome Packet!

Grow Calendar 2011

A Child Care Center Marketing Plan

One of the leading factors that will contribute to your success or failure when you start a child care center is marketing. In order to win customers and grow into a larger business with more than one facility or just to maintain your existing group sizes you need a solid marketing strategy in place.

Here is an outline of a child care center business plan to guide you.

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Identifying a Hungry Market

The first step in putting a child care center marketing plan together is to identify your market. This may seem obvious at first but there are many niches or sectors in this industry. These range from infant care, regular child care for preschoolers, after school care, weekend and evening care. The niches vary by the age of the children, location, what time the children are there and also increasingly by the quality and style of care, facilities and educational program.

The most successful operators identify a niche that is not being catered to sufficiently in their local area and they move into and dominate the market. Doing extensive market research for your childcare business and working on differentiating yourself from competitors are the keys here.

Packaging and Pricing Child Care Services

Once you have defined your niche you can then look at clearly defining the services that you offer to meet niche demands and you can look at ways of packaging your services in a way that appears to enhance their value. While still being flexible in what you offer you can put together attractive packages with catchy names such as 'Saturday Koala Club' for example. List what is included with each package and offer discounts for customers signing up for a full package (clients who prepay for every Saturday for three months in advance get 10% discount for example).

It is also important to do research into child care pricing so that you can come up with rates that make your business marketable.

Branding

By now you should have a fair idea about the child care brand that you will be establishing. Give some thought to thinking about how you want the public to perceive your business and note down a company philosophy and the values that you want to project to the community. Then you can meet with a graphic designer and start discussing how to visually represent the brand that you want to create with a logo design.

Child care Center Advertising and Promotion

The next step is to get word out about your new child care center and the services and packages that you offer. Advertising is an important part of any marketing plan and you should look at the many options available and start running some campaigns several months before opening for business.

Networking and Cross Promotions

Advertising is not the only way to go about attracting clients. You should look at ways of cross promoting your services with other local business and network in your local community to meet a wide range of people.

Don't write off working together with competitors to cross promote each other's services respectively. If you get an enquiry and find out that the child in question would be better suited to a program at another daycare then you are doing the parents a favor by letting them know. And if the other daycare center is also referring children that they feel are more suited to what you have to offer then this arrangement is a win win for all involved.

Word of Mouth Marketing

If you serve your existing customers well they will refer friends to you. This kind of 'word of mouth' advertising is free and can be fully exploited by giving your clients every reason to talk about you to their friends. Providing a great service is one thing but there are many other ways to get customers talking about you. Make their interaction with your business so unique, interesting and memorable that they can't wait to bring your center up in a conversation with their friends.

Refining a Sales Process

If your advertising and networking efforts are successful you should start to receive a good number of enquiries from families. At this point you need to have developed an effective sales process right through from making the appointment, the interview session, a tour, some soft selling and then closure of the deal.

Don't Stop Marketing to your Customers

Keep marketing to your existing customers even after they have signed up with your service. There are always additional products and services that you can sell to maximize the revenue that you make off each client.

Many small centers spend too much time focusing on the day-to-day work of running their business and neglect their marketing. To make your child care business a success you need to ensure that you, as the owner, or another trusted staff member can devote a large part of their day towards marketing. This will ultimately help to determine how successful and profitable your business will be.

A Child Care Center Marketing Plan

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Improve Your Assisted Living Marketing Plan by Adding Integration

Don't Think Piecemeal

Even a growing market (like assisted living) is effected by the down economy. In this type of environment, those with a more effective marketing plan will attract a larger share of the available move-ins. Those with weak plans will suffer. So its critical to hone and strengthen your plan. One way to do this is to weave integration into the strategy.

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What do I mean by integration? The commonly designed marketing plan is designed to be piecemeal...elements of the plan are treated independently and executed separately. For example, a marketing director will visit professionals in the community and hand out their brochure to "earn?" referrals. When the visit is over, they may send a thank you card and set their calendar for the next visit. (After all, it is the visiting part of their plan.) But they will seldom think about interviewing the professional while they are there and including that professional's expertise in an advertisement for their facility or on their website.

If they would, they would acquire valuable content (along with its credibility) for their ad and/or website. At the same time, they would also be building a stronger relationship that can turn a professional into an ally, and even a key referral source. And the new information on their website would help them to serve their community. This one effort would inject continuity and synergy into their plan, making it more dynamic and effective. The end result, more people take notice, are attracted and are referred. That leads to move-ins.

Flow From One Element To Another

There are seven key elements to any assisted living marketing plan are:

Referral Source Development Advertising Community Outreach & Inreach Public Relations Visits & Tours Inquiry and Family Member "Keep In Touch" Website & Internet

When executed well, each element can lead to move-ins. However, when organized as a team, each one can become more powerful and increase their results. For example, what is shown on a tour of the facility will be remembered and trusted more if it has already been seen on the company website. When a variation is also seen on a community bulletin board or in a follow-up mailing, the trust level increases even more. (FYI - Trust is critical to the assisted living selling process.)

Place The Website In The Center Of The Plan

The website is commonly thought of as an extended brochure and an independent element. Big mistake! It should be the hub of all marketing. Most (if not all) strategies should either start on the website or lead back to the website. Some should do both. The dynamics of the added continuity and synergy, as well as the use of technology the market has come to expect, result in a more effective plan. In addition, the staff can save a lot of time on the creative process and may even lower the expenses of execution. Here is an example of what I mean.

Visit and interview a local professional who serves seniors and/or caregivers... That leads to adding their information and a sample of their expertise to the "Support Services" page on your website... That leads to including that sample of their expertise in an advertisement in the local newspaper for your community outreach event... That leads to the community outreach event that involves the same referral source... That leads to a news story released to the local media outlets... The event is also added as an "Activity Scrapbook" entry on your website... The Scrapbook entry is easily converted into a new, quick, printed in-house handout... That leads to follow-up mailings and e-mails to event attendees, family members and referral sources... And the new handout is also added to community bulletin boards you have set up.

This one strategy blends together six of the seven key marketing plan elements - referral source development, advertising, community outreach or inreach, public relations, inquiry "keep in touch" and the website. It can also share copy, design elements and photos which saves time and money. Note: Of course, to do this effectively and efficiently, their must be systems in place that take advantage of technology.

Put Me In Coach

Adding integration is similar to managing a team sport. You have to recognize and understand the individual players at your disposal (marketing elements and people), then blend them into a cohesive unit that performs better as a team than as individuals. When designing a plan, you should look at your list of key elements, then weave (at least) some of them into each campaign. They could work together or they lead to one another. The goals of this integrated team include:

Creating added credibility. Building trust faster with the help of continuity and synergy. Providing tools to those would like to promote you. Saving time and/or saving money. Attracting more inquiries. Providing more incentive to offer referrals to your facility. Improving inquiry/tour/move-in ratios.

This concept of integration is not new, but it is underutilized. A big reason why is that it demands an organized leader who sees things differently, has the ability to blend the positive attributes of people and marketing elements, and works within a company culture that allows change to what has been done in the past. Is it worth the effort and the change? I believe it provides a marketing advantage that should not be overlooked or underestimated. An assisted living company that utilizes integration properly will come out of this down economy with added market share and will be well positioned for growth in better times.

Improve Your Assisted Living Marketing Plan by Adding Integration

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How to Create a Countdown Marketing Calendar

Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason to create a count down calendar. A count down calendar starts with Franklin Covey's philosophy, "start with the end in mind."
The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar is that it makes you think and focus harder as well as makes the planning easier.
First, you write down the exact results you want or expect. Let's say you have a teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you are delivering on X date. This becomes your D-day -- sort of speaking. It may be end of the event planning, however, it can also be the beginning of your follow-up plan. For simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day point.
Now you can prepare a count down calendar in several ways. One way would be to use a calendar with the days of the month filled in. You mark down the D-day and then you back track from there to today.
Count down the days until __________. Number of marketing days to go until __________.
Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 marketing days to go until seminar.
Any doesn't matter which calendar method you use, you will need to write down your measurements or your mini-results that will deliver the end results you want. I use the pivoting question, "What is it going to take to..." to get my thinking moving in the right direction. I like to think through and write these on the back of my calendars. This gives me a bird's eye view for that particular commitment that my software does not provide.
Another way would be to use a blank form like this with the appropriate number of days in between. Then cross out the days that you will do any marketing -- say Sundays or days filled with other requirements. For my teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular calendar for these. In fact, I use green color paper to print out the calendar.
If you don't want to create your own, visit your local office supply store, they have countdown calendars available for purchase (blank planning books).
A third way to complete a countdown calendar would be to complete it in a linear form.
Day 21: Speaking event results I desire -- describe those results.
Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinko's.
Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail to organizer.
To Day 1: Today.
Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, like teleclasses, you can create a linear countdown calendar like the one above. Eventually you will see a consistent pattern of to-dos.
At that point, don't stop doing this with the thinking you have it down pat and you don't need to. This will jump up and bite you in the assets fairly quickly by bogging down your mind and making you wonder if you are missing something. If that occurs, jump back into the habit, it is a great one to have. Even if it is frustrating because it takes thinking time.
Once you have your count down calendar completed then you can enter it into your automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or Act. This will track all your deadlines, goals, and projects. You will have a separate count down calendar for each one.

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How to Create a Countdown Marketing Calendar

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How is a Smashed Finger Like Online Marketing?

Whew!

I've spent the past two days building my new garden area moving railroad ties and stacking them 4 rows high...

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Double whew!

My back is aching, legs are banged up, and a finger mashed...but it's done and it feels good.

That's what happens on Memorial Day weekend, right? It's the first 3-day weekend of the "summer" and we all get out work in the yard. It's a time to get all the stuff done that's been on the list since winter. And my wife and I got a ton of it done just 3 days.

But I did a lot of thinking too.

If you've got a minute, let me tell what I learned from building this raised garden. (It's got a lot to do with what I've learned about marketing too.)

I didn't know how to do this. Just a couple of years ago, I hired someone to build another raised landscape area like this. I didn't watch him build it, but I examined the finished product thoroughly. It looked simple enough.

So, a few weeks ago, I had the local lumberyard deliver 20 railroad ties.

I staked off my area with twine. Then I walked around the previously completed raised landscape area and noted how he had cut the corners, spaced the ties so the joints didn't overlap and fastened them together with 18 inch rebar (steel rods used to reinforce concrete.)

I put in the first row of railroad ties and immediately ran into trouble. Cutting these ties with a chain saw is like cutting rock. Really tough material. So, I went to Lowe's and picked up a chain saw sharpening guide. In between cuttings, I sharpened the saw. That helped tremendously.

On the second row, I began trying to drive the rebar directly into the ties with a sledgehammer. After driving two rods through the ties, I was completely spent -exhausted. On the third, I bent the rebar and broke the sledgehammer handle.

I called my friend Gene and asked him how he would do this...He said, "drill those ties before you drive the rebar." Off to Lowes, I bought an auger bit and another sledgehammer. Still, the sledgehammer work seemed to take forever! But it was getting better.

I thought there had to be a better way. Then, I remembered that I had 12-inch lag bolts left over from when I built my log house. I used my heavy duty drill to create the holes and the same drill to drive the lag bolts.

Much faster, more stable, less exhausting, and more rewarding.

By the end of the day Sunday, soaked with sweat and covered in mud (and bleeding from a scrape on my shin), I gazed at my accomplishment.

And it felt good.

It occurred to me that I began marketing online in much the same way.

I didn't know how to create an online business when I started, but I knew others were doing it. I bought the tools and ordered the products recommended to prepare for my online business. Some I needed, some I didn't. Some worked, many didn't. I studied marketers with more experience and success trying to absorb their knowledge and experience. I got a mentor who could personally lead me through the maze that is online marketing. He steered me toward the techniques that were time-tested and most reliable. I improved on some of the techniques he's taught me and made them my own. I tried new techniques until I achieved some success by analyzing my progress and adjusting to create a better outcome.
That seems to be the natural progression of any new endeavor. You may be somewhere along that path. And of course, you want to know how to get the end more quickly.

Here are a few suggestions...

Get a mentor. Make sure it's someone who has been where you want to go and can lead you there easily. Make sure they have the same values as you do too. Discover the tools you'll need and get them as quickly and cheaply as possible. But make sure they work for you. Hang out with the right people who have the same goals as you, and who can help you achieve those goals. Most importantly, get started. Just take action today. I looked at my pile of railroad ties imagining what the raised garden would like for nearly a month.
Everyday, the pile of railroad ties was just a pile. Until I put the first tie down, the garden was never real. Now, it's all there. Success...

Good luck in your success, too.

How is a Smashed Finger Like Online Marketing?

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How Does Your Marketing Calendar Look?

I love to sit down and plan things in my marketing calendar.

First, it really helps me to get a clear vision of what I have coming up.

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Second, it gets me excited about how I can expand and grow my business.

And last but certainly not least, it makes me accountable to do the things I say I'm going to do!

Planning a marketing calendar takes no more than a pen and paper. Sure, you can get as fancy as you like and set it up online, or you can do it like me and just use post-it notes on your wall calendar.

Whatever you choose, you should be sure to detail out what you want to do so that you can see how that looks in terms of impacting your workload and the people you want to market to.

By putting it all in front of you, you can determine timing for your product/service launch as well as the marketing pieces that need to go with it.

Here are a few tips as you plan yours:

1. To start your calendar, put your regular marketing activities on it (ie if you have a weekly newsletter, put that on your calendar; if you do social media marketing, indicate that as well). It really gives you a good idea of what you are doing when you can look at it right in front of you.

2. For a new product or service promotion, pick a date for when you want to do your launch. Put that date on your calendar.

3. Working back from that date, start to fill in when and where you are going to do your promotion. If you are promoting in your newsletter, indicate which date(s). If you are promoting via social media, indicate those dates as well. Your calendar will soon start to fill up! If you are doing emails to your list, indicate when those need to take place.

4. You will start to see your calendar fill up as you add all of these pieces. Move things around as you need to, to be sure that you are not bombarding your followers with sales promotion. You want to be able to let them know about it a little at a time. You also want to be sure that you are giving yourself enough lead time with any promotion so that you are not missing out on promotion time - and you are also allowing yourself enough time to properly develop your product or service.

5. Finally, you want to be able to give your audience a 'rest' from your promotions. You don't want to be trying to sell them something every time they hear from you. Look at your marketing calendar to ensure that in your 'down' times you are providing them with really great content (which is why they want to stay connected with you!).

Once you get the hang of planning your marketing calendar, it will become an important part of your business planning.

You can make it fun by using color coded sticky notes, or markers and pens - but the idea is to get planning, and then hold yourself accountable to do what you say you are going to do.

Try it out, and let me know how yours looks!

How Does Your Marketing Calendar Look?

Grow Calendar 2011

12 Month Marketing Calendar - Your Turn-By-Turn Navigation System To Business Success

As every smart business owner knows, marketing your business should be a CONSTANT effort. It's something you need to continuously doing in order to keep your pipeline full of interested and qualified prospects.

However, for many, life simply gets in the way, obstacles arise, and all the good intentions seem to fade. As a result, you come to your senses one day and realize your pipeline's dry as a bone and you're struggling just to survive.

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One way to make sure this doesn't happen is to create a detailed day-by-day calendar of marketing tasks and activities to be completed over the next 12 months.

Creating this calendar acts very much like the GPS turn-by-turn navigation system in your new car. You tell it where to go (writing out your goals) and as you move along the journey (going through the year) the system tells you where to turn (the marketing activities to complete) in order to arrive safely at your final destination.

In order to help you create a magical marketing calendar, here are 7 key steps to keep in mind:

1. Plan out the entire 12 months in advance.

By laying out the full 12 months ahead of time, you lay out the entire year's journey ahead of you. This is what gives you the turn-by-turn direction needed to achieve the goals you've laid out for your business.

2. Plan a 'campaign' every month.

As you plan the full 12 months, it's important to create an 'activity' or 'campaign' for each and every month of the year. This does a couple of things for you.

First, it gets you in the marketing mindset. Doing something each and every month forces you to think about marketing more consistently and it should encourage you to study and learn good marketing principles.

Second, it helps develop name recognition with your target market. While small businesses should NEVER waste money on branding type marketing, developing some name recognition as a side benefit of good direct response marketing is a good thing. Being consistent with your marketing helps make this happen.

3. Pick a theme for each campaign.

One of the biggest sins of marketing is being boring. With as much advertising as your prospects are subjected to, it's important to be interesting and picking a theme for each month's campaign helps generate interest.

To create an interesting theme use current events in the local or national media, holidays, movies, or anything else that you can create a character or story around.

4. Target your efforts at prospects, customers, and partners.

To create a pipeline that's always full, you need to tap as many resources as possible. It's impossible to rely on just one method to create a steady stream of interested, qualified prospects and by directing your activities at generating new business via prospects, your existing customers, and joint venture partners, your chance of filling your pipeline increase substantially.

5. Be flexible.

Now, even though your plan is for a full 12 months, there may be obstacles or detours in the road the cause you to adjust your course. Be flexible enough with your plan to accommodate these changes. Doing so will ensure you the ability to make the necessary adjustments that will allow you to reach your destination.

6. Schedule periodic checkups.

A big key to success with your plan is the ability to check your progress and make changes as needed. To make sure these periodic check ups occur, schedule appointments in order to make sure they happen.

7. Stick to your plan!

This is quite possible the BIGGEST key to success with your 12 month marketing calendar. After going through the time and effort required to create your calendar, it would be a shame to not put it to use.

So, as soon as you finish creating your step-by-step marketing roadmap, make the resolution to STICK TO IT! Don't allow life's ups and downs deter you from carrying out your plan.

If you know where you want to take your business in the next year, the only way to ensure your safe arrival at the final destination is to clearly map out your path. Creating this 12 month magical marketing calendar will give you the direction you need to achieve some phenomenal results.

12 Month Marketing Calendar - Your Turn-By-Turn Navigation System To Business Success

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Calendars Are Innovative Marketing Materials

People are constantly looking for something new. When they deal with businesses, they always choose those who are able to offer them something fresh and exciting. For this reason, it is important that you continuously offer something new to your customers. This way you get to keep the interest of your customers.

So, how do you make your business exciting? You can start with your marketing materials. Why not provide new and refreshing materials to your customers. You can always design a unique business card, an impressive post card, or a compelling brochure. But chances are everyone else will be doing that. So, how do you make your materials stand out in the market?

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Well, for starters, you can always consider custom calendars. Aside from helping people keep track of their appointments or organize their schedules, the calendar can also be used as an effective and out of the ordinary marketing material. Why not consider designing your own impressive calendar that will stay with your customers for the whole year.

A lot of business owners though are hesitant in using these materials because they believe that they are expensive to produce. You need to make sure that you use high quality materials to guarantee that you materials will last for the whole years. This makes it look expensive to create these materials. However, with the technology and machineries available today, it is easy to find a printing company that will be able to provide you high quality printing at the most affordable rate.

You do not actually have to get rid of the important features of the calendar just to afford printing. You can still strike a balance between good design, quality and cost if you are able to find the right printer. In fact, if you are able to find the printing company that offers discounts in bulk printing, the better. You can be sure to save a bundle in these companies.

If you truly want the most practical way of printing your calendar templates, then why not try online printing. A lot printing companies are available on the internet these days, each offering high quality printing services. With the convenience they offer, you can be sure that your materials will be delivered to you on time and in less hassle. But you have to make sure that you are hiring the right online printer as there are plenty of fraud companies out there today. Do your research and price comparison in order to come up with the right printer. It is best if you read testimonials or ask for samples from the printers to see the quality of their work.

Once you find the right printer, it will help you save more if you order you materials ahead of time. Do not go with the rush such as having your calendars printed at the end of the year as you can be sure that everyone will be printing their calendars during this time. Plan ahead to eliminate the hassles and problems you may encounter when printing on a rush. In the end, this will give you great savings and less stress.

If you have not tried calendar marketing in the past, this is the best time to see what this marketing technique can do to your business. Produce your own calendars today and stay in the minds of your customers for the entire year.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Calendar Templates

Calendars Are Innovative Marketing Materials

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Extend Your Marketing Reach - Sponsor an Organization's Calendar

Are you worried that your calendar will get tossed out? Only a few calendars can be made successful and the rest will likely end up collecting dust. The cost of calendar printing will be worth it if you actually get to design a great concept and advertise it, but how would yours make the cut?

Before it gets your competitive juices flowing, consider a different approach. There are more ways than one to advertise and reach a wider network of people. Here's one effective way:

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1. Work with other non-competitive organizations that cater to the same or related market and consolidate your marketing efforts. It will go a long way in stretching your marketing budget and extending your marketing reach.

2. Sponsor an awareness campaign of a non-profit organization in exchange for publicity. Work out a deal that will work best for the both of you.

3. Offer to pay the cost of calendar printing in exchange of having your name, logo, and business information.

4. When you work with an organization, you tap into their established market base. The calendar will be given away through their distribution network and will land your advertisements on their client's homes. Better than cold calls, or presenting yourself as a stranger, the organization acts as your referral to the audience. You can use their credibility to build up on yours.

Remember that using networks who possesses the right demographics that matches your market is one of the best avenues to explore. You render yourself immediately available without extending too much effort and even time.

There are plenty of organizations and associations you can immediately tap into to sponsor and launch a calendar campaign.

1) Health Related Reminders

Health concerns are growing more popular and creating more buzz. If your business is concerned with health or general well-being, you can partner off with the local health clinics for your marketing campaign.

This is a good idea for gyms, spas, beauty centers, spots clubs, organic food market, acupuncturist, etc. But also, this calendar can work if your target market is an ageing demographic. They tend to explore a different approach by preventing health risks and more.

2) Earth Friendly Tips

When you're dealing with plastic household items, equipment, and chemicals, you can emphasize the eco-friendly feature of your product by sponsoring an energy conservation campaign. There are so many groups that work with different environment that they are so easy to tap.

A biodegradable and earth-friendly laundry detergent can work with marine conservation groups. You can have your calendar feature marine animals and sea life. Of course it goes without saying that you include a caption that explains the importance of your eco-friendly products.

3) Advertise to Kids

At the least, the kids in a household will most likely be considered in the choice of calendar. Most organizations have awareness campaigns targeted at children that you can use for your business. Recycling or promoting reading are some of the strategies you can employ.

When you find that competition in business leaves you with too few friends and a lot of enemies consider cooperating with organizations. Not only will it increase your calendar printing success, it will also make your business prosper.

Extend Your Marketing Reach - Sponsor an Organization's Calendar

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Growing Your Business With Marketing Gifts

The results are in and it's official. Everyone loves a gift. And despite the fact that most people believe you never get something for nothing, most people are happy to accept the free marketing gifts handed out by the companies with whom they do business. Marketing gifts can be a keystone in your branding and marketing strategy and help you grow your business by leaps and bounds. All it takes is some strategic planning to reap the benefits of printing your name on some nifty little tchotchkes.

What you can do with marketing gifts

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- Entice new customers by offering them a free gift for trying your services or product

- Reward your current customers with little thank you gifts and reminders that they're appreciated

- Build name recognition by exposing your current and potential customers to your logo and business information

- Supplement your media advertising by finding a permanent home in the homes of your target market.

Adverts and flyers are often tossed in the dustbin as soon as they're opened - if they even make it that far. By contrast, when you give your customers something that they'll use and enjoy, it will stick around, sometimes for years. A coffee mug with your logo on it, a key ring to hold the spare house keys, the calendar you check every day - each of these represents an opportunity for you to put your name in front of your customer, sometimes many times a day.

How to Choose Marketing Gifts

The key is to give away marketing gifts that people will really use, without breaking your budget. If you can be clever into the mix, you're far ahead of the game. Some of the most popular marketing gifts in circulation are:

1. Calendars are sent out by nearly 50% of small businesses each holiday. They're inexpensive, everyone uses them and they stay around for the entire year. Why wouldn't they be popular?

2. Desk Accessories and Office Supplies are second on the list of marketing gift giveaways. Pen tubs, imprinted pens, personalized sticky notes - they sit right there next to the calendar on the desk where they're seen every single day. Why shouldn't your name be on them?

3. Refrigerator magnets are another marketing gift that gets seen many times a day. Most people never have enough of them, and they can be created in so many different styles, shapes and colors that it's easy to make yours stand out from the rest.

4. Key rings are also up there among the inexpensive promotional marketing gifts. They're inexpensive and useful, and people carry them around with them every day.

5. Clothing is a bit more expensive but it can offer comparatively higher returns as a marketing gift. Caps and t-shirts with your logo and name on them turn your customers into walking billboards for your business.

You'll find an enormous range of marketing gifts from the least expensive to classic executive corporate promotional gifts and items from leading suppliers on the internet.

Growing Your Business With Marketing Gifts

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6 Reasons to Use Calendar Printing in Your Marketing Initiative

If you think people get enough calendars around the holidays, think again. People do not get enough calendars at the holidays! Especially smaller calendars that can be used at work or in a purse or car. Need more convincing to add calendar printing to your marketing plan? Here are six reasons you should use promotional calendars.

1. It is a low-cost marketing tool. When you think about how many times people are going to look at your name and your logo (at least once a day, if not more), promotional calendars are one of the most high-quality low-cost marketing tools you can use. If people look at your calendar at work, twice per day, 250 days per year and your calendars cost each to print, that would boil down to a penny per look!

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2. People start to look forward to them. My parents own a dry cleaning business and my father has bought promotional Norman Rockwell portrait calendars every year for the past 18 years and in the past few years, long-time customers have started asking about the calendars in October! The customers love the calendars and look forward to getting them each year. This builds loyalty between customers and my parents' dry cleaning business. Studies have shown that 85% of promotional calendar users do business regularly with the company that supplied the calendar.

3. You know who gets it and when. You can control the distribution of your calendars. You can hand them out personally or mail them, knowing that each person is going to receive his calendar. If you are using the calendar as a gift, you will know exactly how many to order because you know how many customers you have. (Of course you'll want to order more for any new customers.)

4. Customers see them as gifts, not advertisements. Because customers use calendars and need them, they do not see them as a blatant form of advertising. Customers are willing to accept promotional calendars because they are of use to the customer.

5. Calendars offer customers variety all year long. You can select whatever theme you would like, or more importantly, a theme you think your customers would like, and get a variety of photos on that theme. You can also choose from a variety of styles, like desk calendars, wall calendars, wallet-size calendars or day planners to give your customers something a little different.

6. Calendars gain value. As the year goes on, the busier people's lives get. This means more jotting of notes on calendars to remember dates, birthdays and important appointments. Some calendars are even used as a kind of phone book to jot down new telephone numbers. People are known to be lost without their calendars, and if they are using your calendar, they will feel thankful that you gave it to them, which will improve your business relationship even more.

6 Reasons to Use Calendar Printing in Your Marketing Initiative

Grow Calendar 2011