Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68174
MAXIMIZE YOUR MARKETING POTENTIAL WITH THE FREE WEBSITE, EMAIL ADDRESS, AND ONLINE CLIENT BROCHURES THAT COME WITH YOUR ABMP MEMBERSHIP. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ABMP.COM. Use every opportunity to get your business card into the hands of anyone who may be a prospect. you should enlist the help of a good copywriter and graphic designer. While this will add to the initial cost of your brochure, the results will make the additional investment worthwhile. A business brochure may seem too costly to be a shoestring marketing tool. In truth, it's not. Done properly, your brochure, distributed at every opportunity, will prove to be one of your lowest-cost marketing techniques. 6. GET MORE MILEAGE FROM YOUR BUSINESS CARDS Business cards are among the most inexpensive, yet most underused, shoestring marketing tools. A carefully designed business card functions like a miniature billboard. Held at arm's length, it registers in the viewer's eyes as apparently the same size as a 30- foot billboard viewed from a distance. And a good business card contains more useful business information than many full-sized billboards. That's why you should make sure that your card is attractively designed and professionally printed on good stock. Use every opportunity to get your card into the hands of anyone who may be a prospect. Don't wait for someone to ask for your card. Ask for the other person's card first, take the time to look it over, and then present your own. 7. GRAB YOUR SHARE OF FREE PUBLICITY First, learn what makes a good story. Then, learn how to sell it to your local news media. Your news item doesn't have to be of monumental importance to gain a free spot in the media; it just has to be newsworthy. That simply means there is something about you or your practice that the public might find interesting. Following are some newsworthy story ideas about your practice. EMPLOYEE NEWS Many neighborhood newspapers and websites run columns dedicated to residents of the community. Such things as hirings, promotions, and special awards are ideal candidates for submission. Another area of interest is employees or owners who have unusual hobbies or who have performed public service in the community. CHANGES IN YOUR PRACTICE Most newspapers and area websites are keen to run newsworthy items about local businesses. Any time you make a change in your practice— whether it's an increase in the size of your staff, remodeling, relocation to new premises, or the addition of a new product line—you have an opportunity for some free publicity. YOUR OWN ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Don't be shy when it comes to publicity about yourself. If you are involved in community service, invited to speak to a local service club, have an unusual hobby, operate your practice in an unusual way, or participate in any events that have news potential, don't hesitate to grab a spot on the free publicity bandwagon. You may get additional invitations to contribute. To get free publicity for your practice, you have to seek it actively. The media isn't going to come looking for you. While it isn't necessary to have a contact in the local press to get your share, it doesn't hurt. That's another reason to put networking to work for you. The good news is that the more news organizations transition onto the Web, the more they're looking for reader-generated content. You can provide them a service while promoting your practice. consultant and corporate executive who writes on business and financial topics for a number of consumer and trade publications. His book, Money: How to Make the Most of What You've Got (iUniverse, 2000), is available through bookstores. He can be reached at wlynott@cs.com or www.blynott.com. William J. Lynott is a former management connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 67