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Archive for the ‘Small Business’ Category

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Postal Service (USPS) has launched a new promotional campaign called “Getting Started in Catalogs” that shows online retailers how to increase their sales through the use of direct mail catalog marketing.

Direct mail catalogs will increase online sales

Businesses can visit the USPS website and order a free DVD called “Catalogs and E-Tailing: Reaching Customers Beyond the Web.” The DVD contains case studies from successful retailers who have expanded their online business with direct mail catalogs. ... Read Full Story

USPS Proposes Postal Rate Increase

WASHINGTON, DC – The Postal Regulatory Commission began hearings on Monday, July 12, 2010 for proposed changes in for the U.S. Postal Service. The proposed changes being considered are postal rate increases plus the elimination of Saturday delivery plus shrinking the work force through attrition.

The end of Saturday delivery would bring about a major change from a six-day delivery week to a five-day day delivery week.

Included in the proposed rate changes would be the possibility of raising mail prices above the inflation rate. By law the USPS is limited to rate increases of no more than the rate of inflation. The inflation rate was 0.9% for the 12 months ended in May, 2010. ... Read Full Story

GetResponse.com Marketing Report

WILMINGTON, DE – The Implix company has released a new marketing study called “Email Marketing and Social Media Integration Report” at its website at GetResponse.com. The new report can be obtained as a free download here.

The report focuses on the use of social media links within email marketing and its affect on click through rates (CTRs). The marketing study analyzed social media integration and sharing using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Digg and MySpace. The study was derived from nearly 500 million e-mails sent out by 19,149 GetResponse customers.

The study compares emails sent out with and without a social sharing option. The study was eye opening because it shows that emails sent out with a social sharing option generated 30 percent higher click-through-rates that those that were sent out without one. ... Read Full Story

When starting a new small business or when overhauling the marketing of an existing small business do not become so focused on your main distribution channel that you overlook opportunities for additional outlets for your product or service.

Business Marketing

For example, as an owner of a small business, you open a brick-and-mortar business in a location with a street address and you rely on drive by traffic, walk-ins and business generated from local advertising. You have a few employees, a public area or showroom and a stock room, work room or office in the back. If you rely wholly on this limited scenario, you could be struggling to make ends meet. You can be missing out on another third, half, three quarters or more revenue simply because you have confined all your marketing efforts to this single channel of distribution. ... Read Full Story

Howard Stern

NEW YORK, NY – On May 1, 2010 in the New York News Today website, there is a good article by Small Business Marketing Coach, J D Moore entitled, 5 Things Howard Stern Can Teach You About Small Business Marketing.

Good call by Mr. Moore. Who would expect such business acumen from a radio “shock jock” and who would even bother to pay attention? It just “shows to go ya” that people will surprise you so it pays to pay attention.

Howard Stern’s advice is right on the money. He clearly demonstrates that he has a good sense of business and the branding that is necessary for success. I’m not a fan of Howard Stern. I don’t particularly like his brand of entertainment. But I have to hand it to him because he’s good at what he does. Here is a summary of the points in the article: ... Read Full Story