1. Create trust. By asking clients questions it shows that we are interested in understanding the unique problems of the client and tailoring our solutions based on what we learn. This in turn, creates tremendous value for both the client and ourselves.

2. Foster Alignment. In order to establish alignment, it is imperative to understand where the client is now (Point A) and where the client wants to go (Point B). In most situations, the designer usually starts off the conversation with asking the client their goals for this project. In this approach if the goal is not met, the designer has not met the expectations of the client. By focusing on

3. Help better evaluate vendors. It is important for the design firm to help the client establish clarity. By helping the client establish clarity, it is less likely for them to compare your services with other vendors.

4. A web design project is not an expense but an investment. It is important to emphasize the expected return of a project for a client vs. just displaying the costs involved. When you start off talking about price with a client, you’re putting your needs ahead of theirs.

5. Inspire Action. Paint a picture of what Point B looks like in order to inspire action on both your part and the clients.

6. Help clients make informed business decisions by offering more than one option. Present the client with options that have distant prices, like a menu.

7. Build a trusted partnership. As soon as a client’s investment translates into real value for them, you become a trusted partner, someone they will continue to work with.

Overall, the book has provided a paradigm shift for us here at Chillik Media and we hope to implement the principles that have provided success for Mike McDerment. If you’re interested in learning more check out the book on this link. (It’s free).

“Any of a number of unconventional methods of marketing with minimal resources for maximum results; any marketing campaign that use non-mainstream tactics and locations.”

That pretty much sums it up. This is the answer to the small business owners continuing dilemma of a small advertising budget.  A lot of creativity can outweigh the problem of not enough cash.

You don’t have to pay for expensive newspaper or television ads to get noticed.

Here are 10 unconventional marketing ideas to get you started:

1. Give your product away. When Mrs. Fields couldn’t sell any cookies, she loaded up trays of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and walked through the mall giving them away. Once people tried one, they had to go back for more.

2. Create your own competition. Start a friendly rivalry with another business. Harry Houdini did this with his own brother. He got tired of competitors making money with his ideas, so he set his own brother up with a competing act, Hardeen, and they had a publicity fed rivalry for years.

3. Host an event for a local charity. Have a car show or a chili-cook-off. It will show you’re community minded and care about people as well as business.

4. Print flyers that tell about a great offer. Put them in every restaurant, coffee shop, grocery store, bar, and beauty shop in town. Don’t just tell about your business, though. Make sure you’re offering a valuable discount or grand opening special.

5. Write a column for your local newspaper offering tips and advice regarding your industry. This will brand you as the local “expert”.

6. Give presentations to local schools, service clubs, libraries, and churches. Always have your name and webpage address on the worksheets you hand out. Have plenty of business cards, also.

7. Write press releases for every thing you do that’s community minded and gives back to the local economy. Host a blood drive or toy give-a-way for children at Christmas time. Donate books to the local library. Let your name and your business name be synonymous with community spirit.
8. Have your employees dress up for Halloween. Let children come by to trick or treat at your office or retail store. They can sign up to win a $50 gift card at a local toy store. Holidays are an excellent time to do news worthy things and spread some goodwill.

9. Use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to make business announcements. Let everyone know when you publish a new article, make a new blog post, or launch a new product.

10. Post video’s on YouTube. Google Gary Vaynerchuk and see how this worked out for him. Be passionate about your business and let it show in your videos. They don’t have to professionally done, but they do need to offer concise information and have decent sound quality.

Marketing your business doesn’t have to be expensive. Block out some time when you can sit and plan your marketing attack for the next year. Some creativity and a lot of brainstorming will build your business even without a big budget.

These top ten factors will help you form a Google local pack listing.

1. Claim your business on Google local listings.You can submit your business to Google local listings if it is not already listed. If it is, you can just click to claim it, and you will be given the ability to update information on it after you confirm it is yours.

2. Be sure you have a local address. It will be useless to customers if your corporate address is listed rather than the address of the actual establishment.

3. Assure that you have the correct category tags.You will be able to add tags to your business profile to help customers find you. Your tags should be simple, like “bakery” rather than “fancy pastries.” Use other search terms to your advantage. For a high-end French bakery, effective tags would be “cookies,” “cakes,” and “French.” Predict the search terms that customers might use to find your business locally.

4. Use your product or business category in the title of your business claim. For example, rather than “Coco’s,” use the title “Coco’s French Cupcake Bakery.” This should help direct customers to your search result.

5. It helps to be close to the city center. Sure, you can’t do much about this, but it is one of many factors that affects search results.

6. Use relevant keywords in your Google Place Pages description. Fill out the description page to help customers find what they need to know about your business or products and services.

7. Add photos to your Google Place Page. Take photos of your products, your interior, and your exterior. Add a video if you can. This will turn views into paying customers. Consider this part to be mandatory! It is one of the more effective steps you can take to using Google to your business advantage.

8. Ask for customer reviews. Good reviews will help build trust between you and your customers, even if they are making business with you for the first time.

9. Add a local phone number. If you have business spots in more than one location, be sure to make certain that each has an accurate phone number. Also be sure that the main number listed on your website is the same as the Google map listing number.

10. Create or review your website. Create a business website with a domain if you have not already done so. The information on your business website should have the same details as your Google maps listing. The address and phone number should be clearly listed on the home page, and photos and links

Here are the top reasons to redesign your webpage:

Your design looks out-dated  –  You may have set up a webpage several years ago that was on the cutting edge of technology. But the internet world changes quickly. Make sure that your site stays current with the fast-pace of technology.

Your site hasn’t evolved with your business growth – You set up your webpage when your business started, but now you’ve grown and expanded. Be sure your webpage evolves with your business. If you’ve upgraded your products or services then keep your site current with all the changes.

It’s not user friendly – If your site is hard to navigate visitors will click away. Internet searchers are not patient people. They won’t waste their time with a poorly planned site.

It’s not getting traffic – You need to rethink your SEO if you’re not getting enough visitors. Effective keyword marketing can make a lonely site popular. If you don’t understand search engine optimization consider consulting a professional.

It doesn’t connect with your visitors – Does your site look like there’s a real person connected with it, or a faceless company? Do you clearly explain to visitors how you can help them and how they’ll benefit from your products and services?

It doesn’t work properly – Do you have outdated links? Does it load too slowly? How does it look in various browsers? Have you checked all the popular browsers or just the one you use? Does your order processing system work correctly?

It’s boring – Let your website have personality. Write with a personal voice that relates to your target audience. A technical site will obviously need to be written in a different style than a guitar webpage or comic book web store. Show some excitement about your products.

It gets traffic but doesn’t make any sales – If you’re not getting any sales then there could be several problems with your site. Do you explain how your products benefit your potential customers or do you talk about features only? Does your site have a clear call to action? Can visitors easily figure out how to place an order? Is there a buy button or similar way to make a purchase?

It doesn’t build your list – Your page should have an easy way for visitors to join your mailing list. Have them sign up to receive your newsletter or a free ebook. Keep your site current, workable, and readable. SEO techniques are constantly changing, so market your site armed with current strategies.

If your site has any of the above problems, then it’s time to consider getting it redesigned. A good web design company can give you a quote and explain the process to you. Don’t let one of your most effective marketing tools become obsolete.

If your website isn’t as effective as you’d like, maybe it’s time for a make-over. A tired looking, static, site is not an effective marketing tool. 

Keep your site current, workable, and readable. SEO techniques are constantly changing, so market your site armed with current strategies.

If your site has any of the above problems, then it’s time to consider getting it redesigned. A good web design company can give you a quote and explain the process to you. Don’t let one of your most effective marketing tools become obsolete.