Quick Tips

Entrepreneur, July, 1999 by Debra Phillips

A brief marketing brush-up

Talk the talk: What's one of the key secrets of getting through to reporters? Speak to your audience. If you're talking to a business reporter, use hard numbers--dollar growth, financial projections, initial investment, number of employees and the like. If you're talking to a tech editor, talk about how your company uses technology to improve sales. TV and photo editors understand visuals, so use phrases such as "picture this" to better communicate your idea. If you tailor your pitch to each specific reporter, you'll create a better rapport and improve the chances of seeing [your product or service in] print.

Sell the American dream: Know the value of "Made in America." The USA name retains tremendous selling power in much of the world, so promote your company and products as American. Put a "Made in the USA" label on all products, and tout the fact that your company is U.S.-based in all your written communications, marketing materials and ads.

Kid stuff: Many companies have found that if they put a widget that appeals to children in their product's package, the parents will follow. Fast-food franchises learned this trick a long time ago. Their smartest marketing ploy has been the invention of the "kid's fun pack" meal. Each month, a new, inexpensive plastic toy is bundled with a child-sized burger-and-fries combination to draw kids and (drag) parents in for a meal. To get in on the action without shelling out a lot of cash, partner with a children's business or toy manufacturer that can provide you with goodies.

Excerpted from 303 Marketing Tips Guaranteed to Boost Your Business (Entrepreneur Media Inc.). To order a copy, visit www.entrepreneurmag.com.