I recently received a direct mail piece from the Crescent Bluffs Hotel and it was SO good, I just had to share it with you.  The mailer arrived at my office, hand-addressed and not pre-sorted in a 5×7-inch manilla envelope.  I opened it as I headed back up stairs and was shocked to see a hand-written note to me on a bar napkin along with a hotel room key.  Was I being propositioned from the most marketing-sophisticated ‘escort service’ in town?  Did I follow it down the rabbit hole?  Get more

All over the country, companies exhibit at trade shows and events with hopes of being face-to-face with ideal buyers and the gatekeepers to the most lucrative channels. The reality of it is, you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your competition and everybody ends up shouting their value to anyone who will listen.  However, if you do what everybody else is doing (try to shout a little louder), you’re lost in the noise of the show.

It’s all about standing out by thinking creatively rather than just shouting a little louder. Consider the following… Get more

I’m sure you’ve already heard about the national “Shop Small Saturday” campaign sponsored by the (not-so-small) guys at American Express. Thought about a campaign, but feel it’s too late.  Not so.  Consider the following “Shop Small” campaign idea to run AFTER Shop Small Saturday…

The way the AMEX campaign works is, on Small Business Saturday (November 26th), shoppers are encouraged to shop at businesses that are locally owned and operated. By doing so–and by spending $25 using their American Express credit card-shoppers will receive a one-time $25 credit on their statements.  All they have to do is sign-up on Facebook.  With 2.4 million Facebook likes already, the movement seems to be gaining traction.

The “Shop Small” Movement

Isn’t it too late for a Shop Small campaign?!

Nope.  In fact, waiting to run your own “Shop Small” campaign may be an advantage.  It would automatically cut through the clutter by letting the masses quiet down before you send your marketing message.   After all, the majority of retailers (particularly the not-so-small ones) view Black Friday — so named because that’s when many stores become profitable — as a bellwether for the entire holiday season.

They spend a lot of money leading up to black Friday, then spend very little immediately after so they can pick up steam in the run up to the holidays.

According to a Bloomberg Business article from last year:

[quotes]“[We're seeing a trend where] many shoppers are waiting for even deeper price cuts, says Roxanne Meyer, a retail analyst for UBS Securities in New York. “The consumer does seem much more willing to spend when the product and the price is right, but consumers are increasingly waiting closer and closer to Christmas in the hopes that the deals will be better.[/quotes]

Last year we expected a last-minute shopping stampede and that’s exactly what we got.  I see no reason this year won’t follow suit.

“Shop Small” Campaign, in 4 Steps

Do I have your attention?  Good.  Here’s 4 easy steps to run your own “Shop Small” campaign in the weeks after Black Friday.

01.  Gather Your List

The number 1 most important aspect of any small business campaign is a killer list.  Look at current customers for [tooltip content="That is, upgrades or selling on other, related products or services." url="" ]up-sell and cross-sell[/tooltip] opportunities.  Look at lost customers you may be able to win back.  Look at lost prospects (if you can) and re-engage.  If you’ve got a CRM solution or a robust [tooltip content="Like Magento, for example." url="" ]eCommerce solution[/tooltip] you should have no trouble developing a highly targeted and relevant list to send your irresistible offer to.

02.  Develop an Irresistible Offer

You don’t get more than one shot at this.  “Free consultation” is NOT an irresistible offer.  Sweepstakes or other contests are also not going to cut it.  Come up with a really strong offer.  20% off, [tooltip content="Buy One, Get One (or any variation thereof)." url="" ]BOGO[/tooltip], a [tooltip content="more of a B2B thing, really..." url="" ]corporate event for customers[/tooltip], charity work/challenge — whatever you can to engage, entice and stimulate action.

03.  Communicate Small with a Big Message

So if you’ve got a truly irresistible offer, you’ve got a pretty big message.  Now you need to “communicate small”.  Small, targeted, frequent communications will work better during this hot advertising time.  Don’t send a one-off newsletter or email.  Use BOTH online and off-line mediums.  Don’t bother with TV (if you’re small).  Look into a grass-roots, duct tape, ‘root-for-the-little-guy’ campaign.  Remember, if ever there was a time it’s ok to look small — this is it.

04.  Allow Direct Response (Instant Gratification)

Never make it hard for prospects/customers to give you money or take the action you want.  This is no time for lead nurturing, white papers, webinars, or free samples with 10-day delivery times.  Create channels for prospects to respond to your message and take advantage of your offer — quickly and easily.  I can’t stress enough the importance of those last two.

Need a hand?

I know it all sounds so damn easy, but if you get a few days into it and need a hand, give us a call.  We’re always happy to help our fellow small business.

What can we do for you?  Anything digital — and then some.

In the meantime, download your “Shop Small” marketing pack, courtesy of American Express.

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Marketing guru, Guy Kawasaki explains the two keys for positioning success as: know thyself and niche thyself. According to JDM, there’s a new niche strategy in town: “Micro-Branding.”  Get more