Marketing Tips for doing business within the US only

[Kestral]

Hello Everyone,

I am trying to brainstorm with my partner about new effective ways to locate leads and new clients. We have traditionally sent out a direct mail piece, but as you can imagine the cost is very high and the results can be dismal. Cold calling is another thing we are doing, but the grind of locating the person to speak with and then getting them on the phone is very difficult. We are a US business located in Florida.

Our question is: Has anyone found a more effective way for locating clients or at least locating potentials for the purpose of participating in a proposal process?

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Tony

[sk8Krog]

guru.com has helped me. Most of my work is done for local places that I have connections with. Nothing is better advertisement then word of mouth.

[hurricaneone]

Do yourself a search, richard - not to be mean, but there's a lot of threads about this.

Just as an aside - why only tips for within the US?

Seems to me, sitting here in Brrrrrrrrrazeeel, I might just have a simply super marketing tip, but, unfortunately, you've cut me out of the loop.

Oh well.

[Kestral]

Thanks sk8, I will check it out.

have a great day...

[Enterfaze]

Wow. I was going to post some helpful advice, but I believe I will refrain.

Although I will add this: As a marketing professional who has run campaigns in many areas of the US and done business with several other countries, I can tell you that despite cultural nuances, the basics of business work the same everywhere. Of course, anything you do must be tailored for your audience, but anyone can have good ideas that would carry over or could be modified for your audience.

[OddDog]

Richard a great piece of advice i can suggest for you is to never ever burn a bridge.

[Kestral]

You are right OddDog, my post is now edited, certainly would not want to miss out on any goodies. I am especially interested in seeing if Enterfaze really had anything to say beside cookie cutter comments pulled from a text book or at least can provide an example from real experience :-)

[OddDog]

mine too.


Ok onto your question.

I can only speak from personally experience but i reckeon it holds true in most marketplaces.

NETWORK. I mean talk to people you know, ask them to talk to people they know. Tell them that each lead is worth XX dollars or each lclosed deal or whatever formula you are happy with. Then start going to the local chamber of commerce or whatever it is called were you are. Network, go to meetings organised by official organizacions like Floridas enterpernuer society. Take lots of business cards with you. Collect loads of them. Then call.

Then you go back to all the people you know personally and ....

get the picture.

This may sound old fashioned, but it has worked for me. I have no web site. Well nearly nothing, no fancy portfolio, just good network. And do not forget to tell your granny. She also knows a lot of people, and who knows if one needs a web site ect.

If you are organised enough this will do it for you. We now recieve enquires from companies that do business with companies we have done work for !!! And that is a top notch lead.

[vampstko]

you can always hire the top online promotion company <cough> i'm sure if you email them sales@******************.com they can put togther a package to fit your companies budget