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Create your 2005 marketing plan today. If there is one tool that consistently has a positive effect on your marketing program is the use of a overview calendar. So download this 11″ x 17″ pdf file, take it to Kinko’s or another local printer and have it printed out in the large size.

Now, spend some time this week sitting with the planning calendar and deciding how you are going to integrate marketing into everything you do this year. On the top half of the calendar, list those things that you need to do every month. Then on the lower half, list those things you are going to do just once during the year.

Here are some ideas for you;

Monthly Repetitive Ideas…

Postcards to a unique industry niche
Alternate services promo included with invoice
Client and Prospect Newsletter
Telemarketing
Networking Events
Direct Mail Letter
Client Feedback Meetings

Yearly Planned Ideas

Facility Open House and Tour
Consumer Shredding Day
Trade Show Exhibit
Breakfast Seminar for Prospects
Tax Season Blitz on Radio

Just a few to get you started.

Here’s to a great year of marketing!

Have a great day today.

As we prepare for Christmas I want to wish you, your company and all you spend time with this season a time of joy and laughter.

I want to say a special thanks this Christmas to Jeff at OFFSITE, Lee and Rob at Andrews Records, John Ulmer, Stan and Jay at City Centre, Denise, Mike and Jacque at Corporate Records Management, Steve at The File Room, Joe at RecordsXpress, and Larry at Fry Wagner for the opportunity to serve you this past year.

I have often asked myself this question… “If I didn’t have a salesperson to sell what would I do?”

That answer is the foundation of your marketing plan. What steps would you need to take to find clients, qualify them, engage them and ulimately close them if you didn’t have the benefit of a person to do it? If you think it is impossible, then I suspect that your marketing program is limited in it’s ability to move prospects towards a buying decision. It probably smells of “Branding” instead of selling in other mediums.

Follow these tips for fighting spam:

Never respond to spam – never, ever, ever.

Do not use the “remove” or “unsubscribe” feature – you’ll only receive more unwanted e-mails. By replying to a spam or clicking the “remove” link, not only do you confirm that your address is valid, but also that messages sent to that address are actually read by someone. Nothing is as valuable for a spammer… who will resell your address to every other spammer he knows!

Uncheck any box—checked by default—on an online form asking you “if you wish to receive further information by e-mail.”

Avoid entering your e-mail address online – whether it is on a web site (including your personal page), in chat rooms, billboards or newsgroups. Spammers use scavenger bots (programs that scan the Internet for e-mail addresses) to “harvest” e-mail addresses to add to their lists.

Use an e-mail alias – if you must enter your e-mail address on the web, use an e-mail alias, an alternate address that moves incoming e-mail messages to another e-mail address without the sender’s knowledge. Most isp accounts give you the opportunity to create up to 10 aliases. Once you have an alias and the spam starts coming, kill the alias.

Stop it when you can.

I rant about this regularly, but positioning is critical. You must create a uniqueness that allows you to differentiate yourself in the market. And in our industry it can be done.

Check out this store that is doing it. Let it be a catalyst for you in defining your own position. It’s all about black and white.

If they can, so can you.

Seth Godin writes in Purple Cow

If you’re remarkable, it’s likely that some people won’t like you. That’s part of the definition of remarkable. Nobody gets unanimous praise — ever. The best the timid can hope for is to be unnoticed. Criticism comes to those who stand out.
Where did you learn to fail? If you’re like most Americans, you learned in first grade. That’s when you started figuring out that the safe thing to do was to fit in . . .

“Playing it safe. Following the rules. Those seem like the best ways to avoid failure. And in school, they may very well be. Alas, these rules set a pattern for most people (like your boss?), and that pattern is awfully dangerous. These are the rules that ultimately lead to failure.

Think about it.