Was talking to a neighbor and fellow NWMer last year about marketing ideas....while we were both cleaning up our yards after Hurricane Isabel. He shared some pretty neat tips I'd call "community branding".
Here's just one "semi" inovative idea for you to chew on:
Participating in community charity activities. Just that simple....but with lot's of potential.
For example..... how about your group running in a local 5K for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.....all wearing T-shirts with your group/business name on it. Carry a sign across the finish line with "The Yada Yada company running for a cure" (or whatever....be more creative than that obviously....LOL). Talk to media covering the event. Network with fellow participants. Be involved.
How about your group volunteering to help at functions for your local YMCA ....or local library....or rec center....or PTA...or.... you get the idea.
Or...very timely for us....go out as a group and help clean up your neighborhood after something like Isabel.
Have something like a sign, banner, T-shirts that say who you are (special T-shirts only for something like Isabel clean-up). But don't pass out brochures and company material. Just network and create visibility. Maybe have a few business cards in your pocket and hand them only to those who ask. You could also have brochures etc. in your car maybe.
Just DON'T make it look like a big marketing gimic. The public will see right through it. Instead create an identity & branding within your community. This establishes a sense of acceptance and curiosity you can build upon by following up with contacts made during these events.
You might even make the local news as a community interest story. Nice publicity.
We have a couple groups who apply this concept very well in our annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life events. You could too.
Remember to adhere to any "rules" of the specific event sponsor (if an event) and your particular company.
Basically....just be seen & have fun.
Makes a good team building excercise too.
Is Skype Taking Over VoIP In North America??
If the news from broadband management company Sandvine is any indication...the answer is yes. At least for residential anyway. Calls using Skype account for nearly half of the VOIP minutes used (46.2%) and about 40% of the VOIP bandwidth used in North America, according to an analysis done by Sandvine. That puts Skype usage ahead of Vonage, Cablevision, and other popular branded residential VOIP offerings. In fact, Sandvine says Skype users account for 35.8% of individual VOIP callers on North American networks.
VoIP Training Center
There's a nice little VoIP training center courtesy of VoIP News anyone interested in VoIP should visit. Actually it's a comprehensive listing and review of training and certification programs offered around the world, online, and in CDs, videos and books. Perfect resource for every business considering deploying VoIP technology is some form or other.
MLM Company Directory....Use It!
If I've said it once I've said it a million times....when looking for a business for God's sake PLEASE do your homework. Part of that due diligence means you must learn as much as possible about the company (or companies) you're looking at. One very nice resource to help you do this is the MLM Company Directory at MLM.com. You'll find information on commission plan, sales method, product, their stock symbol and market reports if they are a public company, an expanded company description, any press releases from the company, and more. As most of this info is supplied by the company itself....be aware that it may sound a bit biased. But it is an excellent place to start and is reviewed for facts before publishing by InfoTrax Systems (owner of MLM.com).
