|
Shoestring
Marketing Ideas for
Secretarial Services
by
Lisa Freeman
If you're just starting out in
business, you needn't worry about spending huge sums of money for
advertising your new business. Below are some tried and true methods of
marketing your services on a shoestring budget.
For more marketing tips, visit
the Marketing section of this web
site.
Place Flyers on College
Bulletin Boards
If you live near a university or college, typing student term papers and
writing their resumes can be an excellent way of generating immediate
income. Prepare a simple flyer with tear-off telephone "tags" at
the bottom and print or copy them on the brightest paper you can find (to
help them stand out of the myriad of other flyers). Place them on the
bulletin boards at your local college/university/technical school, and
don't be afraid to move the other flyers on the boards around to give
yours a more prominent position. You may need to get permission from the
campus student services office before putting your flyers up. Check back
every other week or so to replace flyers that have had all the
"tags" removed. Have your telephone number printed in the main
part of the flyer in case all the tags get removed before you can replace
the flyers.
Advertise in College
Newspapers
Ad rates for college newspapers can be very affordable -- possibly as low
as $10 for a business card size ad. You may even be able to negotiate a
discount for ordering repeat ads over a two or three month period. College
newspapers are usually run by students from the Journalism or English
department, but call your college's information line to find out exactly
who you should contact.
Make Referral Arrangements
with Complementary Businesses
Oftentimes local print and copy shops don't have the equipment, skills, or
personnel to handle the writing, typing, or page design services they
receive requests for. Contact these and similar businesses and offer to
set up a reciprocal referral arrangement -- you will refer your printing
or copy jobs to them if they will refer their resume, term paper, desktop
publishing (etc.) jobs to you. Leave a supply of business cards and
brochures with them, and take a supply of theirs with you.
Do a Postcard Mailing to
Target Customers
Postcard mailings are inexpensive and can be very effective if followed up
with subsequent mailings and a telephone call. To create a mailing list of
potential customers, go through the phone book or a business directory and
find businesses that you believe could use your services. Design a
postcard either on standard colored card stock that you cut to size or use
preprinted papers if you have a little more money to spend. If postage
expenses are a problem, just send cards to 50 to 100 of the people on your
list each week (postage would be $10 to $20). When you've run through your
mailing list once, start again with a new postcard. Keep in mind that 2 to
3 percent is considered a "good" response rate to direct mail
campaigns, but a follow-up telephone call can often help improve your
return.
Provide Services in Exchange
for Ad Space
Local civic and social organizations are frequently under-staffed and in
need of assistance with their printed materials (among other things!)
Offer to typeset their newsletter in exchange for ad space in it.
Establish a Referral Program
for Existing Customers
Once you've got a few customers, you can implement a referral program. At
the conclusion of each new client meeting, give the client a coupon which
offers them cash back, a percentage off, or dollars off their next order
for every paying customer they refer to you. Also give out three or four
extra business cards with each completed order and be sure to ask the
customer to refer people to you. Most people are happy to do so when
pleased with your work, but generally won't think of it on their own.
Create Bookmarks for the
Public Library
Contact your local library and offer to design bookmarks. The adult
section might like bookmarks with a saying stressing the importance of
reading and the library's name on the front, while the children's section
could have a real cute or cartoon type graphic on the front. (Remember,
the children's parents will most likely be reading them). On the back of
each, print a list of your services and your contact info. Print them out
on card stock, laminate or put clear contact paper on top, then put one
hole punch through the top and either tie a ribbon, or glue a piece of
ribbon on them.
Respond to Classified Ads for
Part-Time Administrative/Clerical Help
Many companies looking for part-time administrative assistance could use
your services instead, but aren't aware of the benefits of outsourcing.
Send a cover letter with your marketing materials and follow up with a
phone call in a few days. You can also contact businesses advertising for
full-time help and offer your services until they fill the position.
Leave Business Cards
Everywhere and with Everyone
Obviously, you should give out your business card to everyone that will
take one! In addition, get permission to leave your cards on the counters
of other businesses (buy some business card holders specifically for that
purpose - they're less than $1 a piece). Taking it further, you can place
a business card in the resume books and term paper guides at the library,
and if you're really bold you can place cards in the same types of books
at your bookstore.
Offer Seminars or Workshops
If you provide resume writing services, you can offer to give seminars on
the subject through local civic organizations, churches, or the adult
community college. It may seem counterproductive to teach people to do
their own resumes, but some of the participants will find it difficult to
write their own resumes even after attending the seminar and will contact
you to prepare it for them for a fee.
Copyright 1997-2001, Lisa Freeman
|
