It could be any number of things, but quite often it’s the fact that most people fail to use powerful headlines. So what’s the secret to a powerful headline? Well, shock value can obviously play a part in it (proven by the fact that you are here reading this), but if you want to be a little more subtle with your message, you could simply tailor it to be unexpected rather than shocking. Another technique is to phrase your headline as a question instead of a statement. Leave the cute and funny headlines to other people, since it usually doesn’t work.

Do you remember the last time you went to the mailbox? Chances are that you shuffled past the bills, set aside the credit card and mortgage offers and perhaps glanced at a postcard or two but when you got to that handwritten envelope , you probably stopped what you were doing and opened it right there on the spot. You’re not the only person that reacts this way and you can use that to help market your company.

Handwriting adds a personal touch that can’t be achieved with any graphic design technique or font. It’s that personal touch causes response rates to increase dramatically when it’s used in direct mail. Obviously you can hand-write names and addresses on envelopes but it doesn’t have to stop there. Handwritten sales or thank you letters can have a tremendous impact and you can even add handwriting to any of your printed marketing materials.

Jeremy L. Knauff, the founder and CEO of Wildfire Marketing Group, has recently written a book on marketing geared towards smaller businesses that handle their own marketing. The book is anticipated to be published this summer. Be sure to check back regularly for updates.

Since we’ve been discussing blogs a lot recently, it’s probably a good idea to dispel many of the myths regarding copyright and copyright infringement. Because of these myths, many bloggers have accidentally (and sometimes intentionally) put themselves or their company in violation of copyright laws. This should help you avoid ending up in that situation.

Myth 1: I can use anything that doesn’t have a copyright notice ? That is incorrect. Anything from writing, to art to music is protected upon creation and the creator does not have to file for copyright protection, or even put a notice up.

Myth 2: Since it’s online it’s public domain and I can use it ? That is incorrect also. The internet is just another medium, like television or radio, for people to transmit their message. Content on the internet is protected just the same as anywhere else.

Myth 3: I can use anything as long as I’m not profiting from it ? Regardless of how you intend to use something that someone else created, you still need their express written consent. Besides, profit is a matter of perception. You may not be making any money from it, but you may be using it to promote an idea or belief which would be considered a benefit to you.

Myth 4: I can use anything as long as I give credit to the original creator or include the original creator’s copyright notice ? Same as above.

Myth 5: I can use anything as long as I take it down when the copyright holder objects ? While you can try, we certainly don’t advise it. You may get away with it in some cases but it is more likely that you will face hefty fines enforced by the court and be ordered to cease using it.

Someone worked hard to develop their content, whether it is writing, art, music or something else, and it’s not fair to them for you to use it with out their permission. Think of how you would feel as a clothing retailer if someone came into your store, took your inventory and then sold it or even gave it away ? would you think it was ok as long as they told everyone where it came from or if they didn’t make any money?

As we move into yet another holiday season, business has the opportunity to increase dramatically…provided we’ve done our homework. That includes having our seasonal marketing and advertising ready to roll, enough inventory to sell, and last but not least, a staff capable of handling the workload.

If your marketing and advertising isn’t ready, you do still have a little time, but you need to get moving - especially if you’re planning on including television, radio or newspaper in your campaign as they often mover deadlines forward during the holidays. Many commercial printers also have a heavier workload during the holidays so don’t assume that they will be working on the same timelines as usual. You’ll even need to make adjustments when it comes to your direct mail since it is often delayed during this time of year.

When it comes to your inventory, well, we can’t help you there - every industry is different. Keep in mind though, the best marketing in the world won’t help if you have nothing to sell to your consumer.

When it comes to staffing during the holidays, if you think that you may need more employees, you should get ready sooner rather than later. Since many of the people that will be looking for jobs during this time of year are often looking for temporary (and usually part-time) work, you may want to consider a staffing firm. They are able to fill most positions very quickly with quality employees because they are in constant contact with job seekers in many fields which will save you from the hassles of advertising for, screening and interviewing potential employees.

Now, with everything in place - don’t forget to enjoy your holidays!

Many business owners put off beginning to market their business until sales increase. While this may make perfect sense to an accountant, it is more often than not a poor choice for a business owner to make because until something is done to increase the sales they will usually stay where they are or decrease.

It can often be difficult for established companies to set aside the time and financial resources necessary to effectively market their company, and it can seem impossible for a fairly new company. You can solve half of this equation almost immediately by hiring a professional marketing company. Now you just need to figure out where to find the financial resources to complete the other half of the equation. This can be accomplished with a little bit of research. There are many reputable marketing companies out there that will be willing to work with a company that may have limited financial resources but under the circumstances you will need to be realistic with your expectations.

Most marketing companies probably won’t be willing to offer you extended billing terms. They have to cover themselves financially and if you are unable to make the investment now they may feel that you will be unable to pay them in the future. You may have to work with them for a while before they will be willing to offer you any sort of extended billing terms. Don’t take it personally - you don’t expect to walk out of the grocery store with a cart full of groceries and then pay next week. Until your marketing company is comfortable with the situation you shouldn’t expect any different. If you don’t have the resources available to invest in your marketing then you may want to consider taking out a personal loan from your bank or using credit cards.

Some of the marketing companies that you approach may be willing to reduce the price of their services to help you get started. If this option is available to you, it can make a significant difference in what you can accomplish with a particular sum of money. There are some things to consider in this scenario. If you are paying reduced rates you should expect that the marketing company may not be able or willing to meet with you and take your calls at times that are convenient to you. By offering lower rates they may need to fit you in when they are able to. Most will also not offer extended billing terms for clients that are already getting reduced rates.

If you’ve gone through all of the marketing companies but have been unable to find one that you felt comfortable with and would work with your situation, then you may be forced ( at least temporarily ) to handle it yourself. This is still a workable situation - you’ll just have to be creative and put a little more time into it. Below are some tips to stretch your marketing dollars.

1. Produce a co-op brochure or direct mail piece. You can collaborate with other companies related to your business but in non-competing niches. For example, if you own a restaurant that specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine, you could find a grocery store that specializes in Mexican foods and produce a brochure or direct mail piece with them. This would cut your cost in half and allow you to expand your exposure, you would both benefit from a similar clientele, and you could both immediately benefit from each other’s existing customers.

2. Offer to volunteer your services in exchange for recognition. If you owned a catering company you could offer to cater a networking event in exchange for them mentioning your company in their handouts. You now have the opportunity to market your company to all of the attendees of the event.

3. Offer to do a Q & A session to the public on a local talk radio channel. They usually discuss various subjects throughout the course of their radio program and many companies have used this to their advantage. A mortgage broker using this method of marketing would quickly be established as a local expert and would remain in their prospects minds since they would hear them at least once each week.

4. Offer a contest to create a buzz about your business. A great contest for a car dealership would be to offer contestants that compete to win a car by simply putting there hand on a part of the car and not allowing them to move it. As the contestants become fatigued they will move their hand from the car, becoming disqualified. The last person remaining wins the car. Many car dealerships have used (and continue to use) this method with much success because people will usually jump at the chance to win a car and it’s the sort of thing people talk about.

Yes, and the same goes for Hanukkah, Kwanza or your holiday of choice during this time of the year. You’re probably wondering why you should worry about marketing for the holiday season so early when you clearly have many other things to worry about now. There are actually quite a few reasons.

First of all, the longer you put off the preparation for this the more hoops you’ll have to jump through down the road, causing rushed projects and sub-standard results. You could also miss deadlines all together since quite a few companies wait until the last minute, casing advertising companies, newspapers and anyone else that has to handle your ad to be bogged down.

Second, your competitors are doing it. If you’re not, then you’re putting yourself in a reactive position rather than a proactive position giving your competitors an advantage over you. If you’re ahead of the game, your competitors will be kept off balance trying to catch up with you and their marketing will be less effective.

Third, and this only applies to the SEO aspect of your marketing, is that it can often take up to six months to see a result from your efforts. If you wait until November to start optimizing your website for your December goals you will miss the mark by a long shot.

Fourth, you’ll have less stress during the holiday season so you’ll be able to focus on running your business more effectively.

If you start getting everything in order now you’ll be able to sit back while everyone else is franticly having their ads designed and scheduled, optimizing their website and trying to react to your marketing. So get to work now, then when you’re standing under the mistletoe with a glass of something festive in your hand you can smile knowing what your competitors are going through because they waited!

A lot of people ask the question “How much is it going to cost to market my company?” The short answer is “It’s going to cost more than what it would cost to not market your company.” The question that you really should be asking is “How much is it going to cost in lost business opportunities if I don’t properly market my company?”

The fact of the matter is that good marketing is an investment. Sure, it will cost a certain amount of money, but when your marketing is done properly you will make far more money than you had spent. Plus, when you don’t take advantage of the opportunity to market your company, you make it even easier for your competitors to take business away from you!

A good marketing company should take the time in the beginning to learn as much as they can about your company and what you want to accomplish. If they start pitching you during the first meeting then they are more interested in filling their pockets than they are in helping your business grow.

So whether your budget is $500 or $500,000 get your message out there! When you see what it does for your bottom line you’ll really wish you had done it sooner.