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September, 2011

Global Vs. Local Marketing Campaigns - How To Choose What's Right For Your Business 

  

Planning a full-fledged marketing campaign can be time-consuming and sometimes expensive - in order to get the most out of the money and time you put in, you must make some tough choices. Deciding how to advertise your consumer durables inventory can be easier when you examine the differences between global and local marketing strategies.

  

For today's entrepreneurs, the Internet provides a platform for "global" selling that can happen anytime...anywhere. Business websites offer virtual storefronts stocked with a dizzying array of electronics, furniture, and large and small appliances. However, most of your profits probably still come from good, old-fashioned selling on your store's retail floor. Therefore, you need to decide how to approach the problems of appealing to "digital" clients while also enticing local customers.

 

Sometimes, a combined initiative that factors in all the variables can be successful. Here are some things to consider as you plan your next media campaign -

 

The Appeal Of Global Marketing - This type of marketing evokes a sense of emotion or passion that is universal. If you choose this platform, you will be playing into the commonality of all people from all walks of life. You won't be basing your ad campaigns on a specific demographic or region. This type of strategy would include Nike's pivotal, "Just Do It" campaign, which encourages men, women, and young people to be active and to motivate. Finding a global passion you can use to help sell your products can actually create a worldwide phenomenon. However, this approach often requires the savvy and experience of advertising whiz kids and seasoned pros. Finding the right images, catchphrases, and media channels can be quite an undertaking. If you're looking for ways to promote your web retail outlet, consider adding elements of global marketing to your web content and online promos. Look for an emotion or passion you can fulfill with your products - for example, do you offer cutting-edge technology that makes life easier, faster, and more fun? Find an edge and exploit it in every Web ad you make.

The Enduring Value Of Local Marketing - Reaching out to the community is the key to local marketing, and this can be easy to do. Local trade associations, community centers, and conferences provide lots of ways to spread the world about your business. Finding your ideal customers can be easier when you study your own sales records and do a little market research. Once you know who buys from you, and where they come from, you can tailor your local marketing campaign to the right people. Local magazines, regional radio stations, and cable access provide other affordable ways to communicate with a specific region. When you do local promos, you should stress some involvement in your community - show your region that you care about the special problems they face. Climate, trends, and local dialect can all factor in here. Devise a campaign that is based on some charitable initiative, such as a food drive for a local food bank, to amp up goodwill for your business. If you're clever, you won't have to pay for all of your local ads - simply contact editors and station personnel to "pitch" ideas for stories - they are always looking for new grist for the media mill. If you're lucky, you can waylay charity or community involvement into valuable free publicity that attracts new business to your consumer durables store.

Combining Approaches - The big trick with combining these two types of marketing is proper fund allocation. You must decide which sort of ads should get the biggest piece of the pie. In general, putting most of your money into regional advertising is the safest solution. To decide, compare profits from your online retail outlet to profits at your local store. Whatever is making you the most money is what you should focus on. However, always allocate a smaller portion to growth initiatives like Internet ads for your website - these streams of income should be nurtured with global advertising techniques.

How To Choose The Best Business Credit Card 

 

Finding the perfect business credit card for your company can be tiresome - after all, there are so many special offers, interest rates, and other important details to sift through. To get the best card for your needs, it is definitely worth it to do a bit of research and compare different cards, brands and financial institutions. With this detailed guideline, you'll be able to get more out of your credit card every time you (or an employee) must use it:

 

Investigate A Wide Range Of Options - In today's shaky economic climate, financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, are offering interesting perks to prospective corporate cardholders. You can afford to be choosy, as long as you don't anticipate problems with getting a credit card for your business. Start locally, and compare terms and perks with those being offered nationally, or globally.

 

Read The Fine Print - Credit card companies want your business, and they will throw lots of special offers on the table in order to get it. However, these special offers will all be governed by plenty of terms and conditions. Some special offers will be temporary, and others will be of longer duration. Understanding the pros and cons of these offers should be a priority before you fill out a single credit card application. It's vital to know what you're getting into so you don't get burned. Generally, you can expect to receive very low interest or even no interest for a special introductory period. However, this will end, and you may be saddled with crushing interest rates afterwards.

 

Look For Practical Rewards Schemes You Can Use To Build Your Business - Aside from interest-rate related perks, you may also be offered a choice of additional rewards. These may include air miles every time the card is used, or special savings from a list of suppliers, airlines, and so on. To get the best rewards, think about what your business really needs - are you generally local, or is national and global travel a part of doing business? The card you choose should offer rewards that have tangible value for your company. Many rewards may be wasted on certain people or types of businesses - it's important to realize this at the outset, and to choose carefully.

 

Set Boundaries For Your Staff - Choosing a company credit card is just the beginning - you must also be certain your employees don't abuse the card, or cards, once they are distributed. Look for company credit cards that allow you some flexibility with regard to setting different credit levels for different employees - this can protect you from unwanted charges.  

A Great Business Card Assists With Superior Networking 

 

Your business card is still important - even in the digital age. Face-to-face meetings with new people can be very useful when you are able to hand over an appealing, attractive and memorable business card at the end of a new social or business encounter. There is something a little formal and old-fashioned about the classic business card - this is actually a positive, not a negative. In face, a nice business card may remain in a wallet for a very long time. When someone needs something you provide, this card may be thought of and pulled out. Then, you get an easy sale, without having to do very much work at all. If you're thinking about changing your current business card (or wondering if such cards are even necessary today), you'll benefit from some advice and tips on the proper design and correct usage for business cards:

 

Business Cards Should Always Be A Part Of Your Networking Toolkit - Different methods of networking should be used for different meetings and events. A text or email will never impress the way a beautiful business card will. Choose a pleasing design and only use the card for the right occasions, such as important meetings with important clients. You don't have to give out a card every time you meet someone new - use your judgment to avoid wasting too many cards. Be sure all of your email addresses and other digital contact methods (including Facebook business pages and even Twitter) are on your card - update it frequently to stay current. Order in slightly smaller batches so you have more freedom to change - nothing looks worse than blacked-out or scrawled over contact information on a business card!

 

Simple Elegance Is The Best Choice - Cartoonish graphics or wild visual effects won't really make your business card more attractive. It's better to keep the design simple, yet elegant. Your card should be easy to read, with a simple font that is familiar to most people. Spare, uncluttered design will be the most impressive. Ask a printer to advise you on the best business card designs - they will have a short list of popular styles you can choose from. What is tried and true for them will work well for your business card.

 

Avoid Using Your Personal Contact Information - Enforce the boundaries between work and home. Use your corporate contact information on your business card. You may be temped to throw on your home phone number, fax number, or email address - you will probably regret giving out this information in the long run. Remember, you wallet, sport jacket, or other vessel for carrying business cards may fall into the wrong hands. Anyone who picks up your business card can find out a lot of personal information, unless you keep it strictly corporate. Protect yourself by printing only office contact information on your business card.

 

Describe Yourself - You need a job title that looks great on your business card. If you're an owner or manager, be sure to let people know. If you're a sales whiz, clarify this on your business card. Adding a job title can be a clever way to share more of your credentials with a wider audience. If you have a special niche that you fulfill, now is the time to make that clear.

Push Your Inventory...With Point-Of-Sale Financing 

 

It costs a lot to support the business operation you run...in order to make money, you need to push your inventory every day. Sometimes, it can be hard to sell costlier consumer durables to your target audience...concerns about money, spending, and credit card debt may keep your regular customers from making new purchases. Every time the economy dips or rebounds, ripples flood through the marketplace, and consumers look for more affordable ways to get the products and services they need. For many of today's savviest consumers, in-house (or point-of-sale) financing is the way to go. If you don't offer this financial service at your retail outlet, you may not be able to push your inventory the way you should...

 

For starters, in-house financing makes bigger purchases possible for many different types of clients...from university students on a budget, to upwardly-mobile young professionals with big mortgage payments. Opening up affordability crosses lines of gender, class or race...everyone wants the ease and practicality of lower monthly payments, spread across a longer term. When you partner with Crelogix to offer instant online pre-approval for consumer loans, you'll be able to let your clients know whether or not they qualify for the loans they want within mere minutes. No more waiting...no more phone calls, faxes, or unnecessary paperwork. Your customers will appreciate the new options they have, and you will appreciate the way in-house financing closes more deals.

 

We offer a revolutionary new online system for quick and simple loan pre-approvals - it's called MyCrelogix.com, and it's available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our online system uses the power of the Internet to give you and your clients unparalleled service and speed. By entering in some data about your client, you can get the immediate answers they want. Once you know whether or not a client qualifies for financing, you can move a sales pitch forward. It's so easy to push your inventory when you have the power of Crelogix at your fingertips.

 

If you've hemmed and hawed, wondering whether or not in-house financing is right for your business, maybe it's time to make a firm decision. When you choose to partner with Crelogix, you'll be partnering with over 30 years of term financing expertise. Since 1974, we've been there, assisting businesses just like yours with improving their margins and enhancing their public images. We can do the same for you - call or email our team of specialists to find out more.

Crelogix is Expanding
 In an effort to better serve our valued partner relationships, we are asking you, our readers to recommend an exceptional achiever to be part of our team at Crelogix Acceptance. We seek to recruit and select the most competent, industry knowledgeable and expert professionals in the Power Product sales industry. Do you know a independent sales agent, a regular provider of services or supplies to your shop, someone that you feel confident in recommending to us? We would like to hear from that candidate.

More details are available on our website or click on the link below.
http://www.crelogix.com/positions.aspx

 

Contact our Team!

 

Andy 05/03/2010Andy Lalli


Managing Director
Consumer Durables

T: 800-667-6640 x2910
F: 800-360-9129

Scott Larson-Zutter

Sales Associate

T: 800-667-6640 x 2210

F: 800-360-9129
E: slarson-zutter@crelogix.com 

 

Linda Richards

Sales Associate

T: 800-667-6640 x 2333

F: 800-360-9129
E: lrichards@crelogix.com 

 

Terence Koh

Sales Associate

T: 800-667-6640 x 3841

F: 800-360-9129

E: tkoh@crelogix.com 

 

 

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