Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing

Consider subscribing to my blog’s RSS feed. It’s stickyWant to know a great selling tool - the focus group.
Most people think marketing research when they think focus group but, with a nifty little twist on this concept, you can turn it into a sales conversion machine.
This works particularly well if you can focus on one [...]

Almost every small business marketer knows that they should gather testimonials to use in their marketing materials.
The problem though is that getting your clients, the ones who know your greatness, to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and crank out a glowing testimonial can be a bit of a chore. It isn’t that [...]

Marketing tactics come and go, but there is one tactic that always seems to pay off - commitment.
Small business marketers always want to chase the next new new thing and so their core message and marketing approach flails around so thoroughly that the market can never even hear it let alone come to trust it. [...]

Everyone knows that in order to find more clients it’s a good idea to define your target market. But, to really get a feeling for who your ideal clients are you must dive into areas beyond the reach of typical demographic characteristics.
Somehow you’ve got to start understanding what your clients value, fear, want, need and [...]

Here’s a technique that many businesses can and should use.
Want to close almost every deal you come across? Get your prospects involved before your ever make a call on them.
Here is what I want you to think about applying to your sales process.
You get an appointment with a hot prospect. Before your appointment, send them [...]

People do like to make referrals.
The problem often though is like everything in life, the squeakly wheel is using up all of their grease. So, instead of just squeaking louder yourself, give them some more grease.
Create a whole series of referral tools and put them in the hands of those you know can best refer [...]

There are lots of variations on this simple marketing tip, but the theme is always the same - do something well and do it a whole bunch.
That’s the one simple truth about marketing. Always has been, always will be.
Here’s one of my favorite small business marketing success strategies.
Take one rainy Friday afternoon and compile a [...]

There are certain laws of nature that even the most cynical are likely to admit exist.
Every religion or spiritual practice that I am aware of teaches that it is in the giving you truly receive.
I have found that this natural law spills over into marketing as well.
Small business marketers must work hard to develop the [...]