Hello. What are you doing to move your business forward? Do you seem to be stuck? Sometimes you just need to do something, anything, to get growing. That's what we'll talk about this time in Think. And, send me a note about what you are doing to grow your business.

Please forward this to a friend. Let's get started.

Cordially,

Harry Hoover
harry@hoover-ink.com

Ink Briefs
How much is a customer worth?

Find out by getting the Harvard Business School downloadable interactive workbook that helps you estimate the cost of acquiring a customer. It also has a feature that allows you to figure the Net Present Value (NPV) of that customer's business during his or her useful economic life. Very cool.


And you can quote me:

"Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?" - Monty Python And The Holy Grail.

"No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it." - Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet

If you ever need quotes, here are three resources that will put words in your mouth.

Brainy Quote

ThinkExist

Quotation Reference


So, you need to find out if that newspaper hundreds of miles away carried the story quoting you or your client. But you haven't paid the big bucks for a clipping service yet.

NewsLibrary may be the answer. It can search 683 US publications to see if you received coverage.


Event marketing is evolving as more companies try to build buzz around their brands. Here's a special report on how guerrilla marketing has grown up.

While we're on the subject of buzz, check out the Viral & Buzz Marketing Association.

Also, pick up this white paper about online viral marketing from VBMA founder Justin Kirby.


New research indicates that print media, particularly newspapers, are far more effective outlets than electronic media like TV and radio. A study on "influential" Americans with MRI's Survey of the American Consumer, finds that 41 percent of "influential Americans" are among the most avid newspaper readers.


About Hoover ink PR

Hoover ink PR helps position businesses that are serious about their success. Then, we craft and deliver bottom line messages that ensure it.

Who are we? We're a marketing communications firm with more than 25 years experience in providing services to financial, high tech, real estate, tourism and consumer products companies.

From employee relations and media relations to collateral material and e-newsletters, we develop the programs and communication tools that will differentiate you from your competitors. And that's the bottom line.

 
  One-A-Day Marketing Vitamins
Is your business growing, or are you on a plateau in need of a boost to move up? I know that I always tell you to it is best to have a positioning statement and a plan. But sometimes, you just need something to get you off square one.

Below is my list of 20 marketing vitamins that you should choose from daily over the next month.

1. Consider starting a monthly e-newsletter. They are a great way to communicate with existing customers, and to remind them of other services you provide.

2. Call a customer at random just to thank him for the business he has given you.

3. Develop a signature for inclusion on every email and ensure that all employees are using it. Here's mine:

Get Bottom Line Communication Ideas at hoover-ink.com
Hoover ink PR, LLC.
Harry Hoover
Harry@hoover-ink.com
704-953-3406

4. Send hand-written thank you notes to customers or other people who have helped your business.

5. Call a former customer to find out why she left you.

6. If well educated business professionals are your target, consider becoming a sponsor on your local public radio station. See the benefits of being a sponsor on Charlotte's WFAE.

7. Give a speech. If you need help with public speaking, sign up for Zipline, the e-newsletter I do for Ty Boyd, one of America's top presentation coaches. Even better, take one of his courses.

8. Read a marketing book. Check out the second article in a recent Think newsletter for a list of good marketing reads.

9. Write and place articles in ezines. See my article, Top 7 Tips For Submitting Articles Online.

10. Ask a customer what you can do to help his business.

11. Distribute releases about newsworthy events. Check here for my list of possibilities.

12. Set up a marketing and advisory group consisting of people from outside your industry.

13. Consider setting up a local online web search advertising campaign. Check out ReachLocal.

14. Gather competitors' ads and literature to see what they are promoting, and how they are approaching their target market.

15. Offer free samples of your product or service.

16. Call some current clients and ask them why they hired you and how you could expand your business with them.

17. Get a college student who is in a communications program to do a summer internship for you. UNC-Chapel Hill has a very good internship program.

18. Join - and get involved in - a professional or civic group.

19. Write a letter to the editor or an Op-Ed piece to establish your expertise in an issue. Read my article on writing Op-Ed pieces.

20. Hire me.
  Meet The Media

Although media relations is not all there is to PR, it is a darned good, low cost way to spread the word. So here are a few media contacts to help you out.

Tom Weber is the editor of The Wall Street Journal's "Pursuits section. It covers entertainment, food, fashion and travel. Contact Weber at 212-416-2207. While discussing the WSJ, it also has a new section called "Wealth Manager." If you have news story ideas on taxes, trust, charity, banking and investing, contact Robert Sabat, personal finance editor at WSJ, or reporter Rachel Silverman. They want email pitches. Email protocol at the Journal is firstname.lastname@wsj.com.

CNBC is a great place to book your business experts. Gloria McDonough-Taub is the chief booker, 201-735-2622.

Family friendly and aimed primarily at women, Doug Stephan's syndicated radio show, "Good Day" offers authors and entertainment figures an opportunity to reach people in 450 markets. The show, which airs from 4:00 am to 10:00 am, also is interested in experts on politics, health, technology, sports, and investing. Producer Beth Brelje can be pitched via email at beth@dougstephan.com.

Another high-end men's lifestyle magazine? Yes, it's a quarterly called Vitals targeting 25 - 35 year olds. Products and services that help you look good, feel good and have fun are what Editor Joe Zee wants to hear about, 212-630-3539.

And, finally, city magazines are a great place for travel-related information, as well as local lifestyle pieces. The Washingtonian is edited by John Limpert. Here's a full list of editorial contacts.

Spread the word.