How to use the information to market your business
Information is a powerful and underutilized marketing tool that can set your business apart from the competition and dramatically increase revenue. By educating your prospects and customers, you can build credibility in your field, establish yourself as an expert, and demonstrate your company’s solutions without a hard sell.
Information can be delivered in a variety of formats, including books, e-books, special reports, brochures, workbooks, newsletters, articles, teleseminars, and workshops. Many information marketers use a combination of methods.
The goal is to offer value in your information products. When you provide useful information, the reader will usually want to learn more about your business. Unlike brochures and other marketing materials, information products with practical information are more likely to stick around and be mentioned again and again.
The following are some examples of ways you can use the information to market your business and increase profits.
e-books and special reports
An eBook is an electronic book that can be downloaded from a website and read on a computer screen or portable device. A special report is usually shorter than an ebook, although these terms may be interchangeable. Generally speaking, a special report is usually between two and 20 pages, while an e-book is 20 pages or more.
Special reports and e-books can be fantastic business generators as you can use them for customer incentives and promotions. Here are some examples:
*A mortgage company might give away a report called “10 Ways to Build Equity in Your Home” as an incentive for site visitors to sign up for an e-newsletter.
*A career counselor could send prospects an e-book called “How to Accelerate Your Job Search” that includes a variety of job search tips along with a short section on how a counselor can help a job seeker.
*An accountant could send clients an e-book called “The Ultimate Tax Planner” with instructions and checklists that clients use to collect the required documentation for annual tax filing. Clients will not only appreciate this valuable resource, they will save countless hours in phone calls and meeting time as clients will be more prepared for their tax meeting. Additionally, submitting the information electronically will save hundreds of dollars compared to the costs of printing and submitting similar information.
work books
If you have a lot of information to share with your prospects and clients, a workbook might be the answer. Spiral bound workbooks are relatively cheap to publish and have a high perceived value. These are especially effective for interactive businesses where you need to collect more information from the customer or if you provide some type of consulting service. Workbooks are also great companions for talks and workshops. Here are some examples:
*A business consultant could create a workbook called “Take Your Business to the Next Level” and include strategies and processes to improve business practices. You can also include worksheets where clients describe their goals or follow a process to identify weaknesses in their business.
*A personal trainer could create a workbook called “30 Days to Better Health” that includes tips on diet and exercise along with a journal component that allows clients to track their progress.
*A motivational speaker could create a workbook called “Achieving Your Dreams” that demonstrates a goal-setting method along with worksheets that readers use to build timelines for completing their goals.
brochures
To educate your prospects and customers on a specific topic or set of information, a brochure can be a perfect solution. Most booklets are saddle stitched (folded and stapled in the middle) and can range from four pages to twenty or more pages. Covers can be printed in full color (although this increases the cost of production) or with black ink on colored paper.
Booklets are unique and inexpensive giveaway items for trade shows, client meetings, networking meetings, direct mail campaigns, and just about any other way you can think of to get them into the hands of your prospects! Here are some examples:
*A home cleaning company could create a brochure called “25 Ways to Reduce Allergens in Your Home” that provides information on how to eliminate dust, pet dander, and other allergy triggers.
*A real estate agent could create a brochure called “Essential Local Resources” that includes a list of contact information for people moving into new homes, such as local pizza delivery, the Chamber of Commerce, pet sitting services, carpet cleaning services, landscaping, phone numbers for all local utilities and more. These could be distributed to clients when closing a housing transaction as a way to make sure the client remembers you. These can also be distributed in neighborhoods and through networks as a way to generate leads.
*A virtual assistant could create a brochure called “25 Ways to Save Time and Work More Efficiently” and offer tips on how to be more productive by better managing daily tasks. The end of the brochure could list the services provided along with contact information.
*A day spa could create a brochure called “Getting the Salon Look at Home” that offers skin care tips and information on maintaining new hairstyles. These are a great reminder for clients to return to the spa that goes the extra mile by providing tools like this for their clients.
Take your business to the next level
When you start using information to market your business, your business has the potential to reach a new level of success. This is an opportunity for you to impress your prospects and customers and go above and beyond what your competitors are doing. With a small investment of time, you can create memorable information products that your recipients can use again and again.
