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“Basically, you’re tapping into related target saidCathy Hagan, area director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of Nortyh Florida. “Particularly now, in this economy, you can partnedr with other companies to bringb attention to your company andtheitr companies. “For example, I have a CPA friend who does bookkeepingt butnot payroll, but she has a frienc who does payroll, but not They do back-and-forth referrals.” That is precisely what Ashleuy English, owner of in Jacksonville, does.
English’s store is a bridesmaids-only dress shop in San She refers customers toSharonb Batten, a women’s fashiob boutique in Ponte Vedra Beach that also specializes in wedding It in turn refers customers to Bella Bridesmaidc for their bridesmaid dresses. “I reached out to English said. “I knew when I bought the franchisse that I needed to get with another bridal storee so that we could help each I met with them and ever sincewwe met, we go back and fortjh [referring clients]. We have a good relationship and we talk many timessa week. “They call me and tell me about a bridew they met andvice versa.
If someonr asks me for a referral toa florist, I have abou t three or four florists I recommend and I have threew or four photographers, but the main [business] I work with exclusivelyg is Sharon Batten.” Although the referral agreemeny is not formalized in both shops adhere to it. “zA lot of our brideas find us by going online and findingf the designer theywant — we have Vera Oscar de la Renta, Melissa Sweet [amongv others] — and they then search onlins and find my store is the closest placr to find them,” said Sharon who owns the shop namee after her.
“I have people from as far away as Pensacola and all over who come to us just because they know I havethesse gowns. [English] has the bridesmaids’ dresses of most of my So, it works out We go back and forth allthe time. She’ great.” Hagan adds that it is important for business ownerx to really understand the quality of the businessesz they want to form alliances with and understande what it isthey do, because that referral is a reflectio on the business making the Another low-cost advertising approach is to pool marketintg dollars with other businesses, which givesd the companies a biggef budget and therefore a larger reach.
“Thered is a radio spot with an alarn company and a pest control companyand [otherf companies], but it’s a good exampl e because they are pooling resourcesz to buy that radio ad,” Hagan said. “Their customers are homeowners. Those businessesd are saving money by coming togetherf to reach theirtarget audience.” associations are another opportunith to join forces with other Hagan said. “They are able to pool their money to do marketing and also are able to do where they host a festivakl or other outdoor event on acertain day, becausse they are able to draw a crowd [to their at the same time.
” Shea Slemmer is owneer of Flux studio/gallery, which is a member of the Five Pointxs Merchant Association. “ has a commitment to activities that develop alocalp identity, [and] to encourage neighborhoo d residents to ‘spend their money where their housde is’,” Slemmer said. “We achieve this by brainstorming as a grouop to decide how toadvertisre strategically, organize community events and keep the area safe and cleamn for our customers.
“Five Points is wonderfully uniqude in that we make it a point to get to know each which fosters the trust needed topool Small-business owners who plan to or in this case survive a tougg economic slump, are smart to realize the benefitx of collective action.”
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