STARTING A BUSINESS

MARKETING & SALES

You can't have a successful business without selling. Find out what it takes to be successful in sales, get powerful hints for low cost marketing, and learn how to add that 'marketing magic' to your sales efforts. And remember, you don't need to do it all on your own. Peter Switzer will show you how to learn from the marketing success of others to give your start-up business the best chance of success.

Marketing and complaints

Winning customers and keeping them is the number one strategy for businesses determined to have an impressive and long track record -- but there are some important lessons we all must learn or remember.

The referral

A referral is the greatest complement a customer or a supplier can give to you and your business. It is a clear indication that you have done something right.

On the home front

For those working from home, marketing can be a daunting task. Marketing experts advise home-based and other micro-businesses to be very realistic about their operations.

Low cost marketing

There's no doubt about it, marketing is a popular buzzword for people in business. As a business owner you know you should be doing it, but do you really understand what marketing is? And how can you go about it without it costing you a fortune?

Learning to sell

When a person opens up their shop or becomes a consultant for the first time, they can be surprised that they're actually in sales. Those who work as professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc) often don't realise the sales side of their business.

Standing out in a crowd

Your business is special to you, but customers need to be convinced that it is special to them too.

Thinking outside the square

Effective marketing is integral to any new business. By thinking outside the square, developing a marketing strategy that will not blow the budget is possible.

29 characteristics of an entrepreneur

So you want to be an entrepreneur? Years ago, the word 'entrepreneur' fell into disuse because of the negative connotations attached to it. But hard working business owners have in more recent times resuscitated the word.

Networking nous

Let's look at a common question many SMEs ask themselves: how much time, money and most importantly energy do I have to expend on networking to achieve rewards for my effort?

Money talks

Money Talks. Being an effective salesperson comes naturally to some people and the experts argue there are several key characteristics of the top sellers.

Marketing magic

Can you learn by reading about other's success? The whole point of reading about successful small business operators is simple - you want to be told something you don't know.

Effective communication

The great business builders are champions at communicating and reaching their audience. And just about all of them used that Communications 101 technique of public relations to get the business noticed and growing.

Podcasting your business

Ever thought about podcasting and how you could benefit from it in your business? It could be a new way of communicating with your customers.

Be market savvy

One of the most fascinating and successful businesses in Australia is Working Dog, the company that has produced such great movies as The Castle and The Dish. The team behind it became famous during the '90s as 'The D-Generation'.

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