© 2006 Dream Merchant Dream Merchant • 2309 Torrance Blvd. #104, Torrance, CA 90501 (310) 328-1925 email: Jkm316@aol.com Kids Kreative Korner
USE PUBLIC RELATIONS TO GET CUSTOMERS Building Goodwill Between You and Your Customers is a Key to Better Sales
By Bonnie Drew
PUBLIC RELATIONS is another umbrella term (like "marketing") that means anything you do to build goodwill between you and your customers. Goodwill almost always results in sales, sooner or later.
In one sense, every contact you have with a potential customer is public relations. However, when writing a marketing plan, public relations means specific actions, events, or programs that build customer relations.
There are some successful public relations strategies for young entrepreneurs.
1. Volunteer on a Committee--Volunteering is a great way to demonstrate your skills and prove you can be dependable. For example, to promote your desktop-publishing business, you could volunteer to design flyers for a church or civic group. To show off your skills in lawn care, volunteer on a committee that's redoing the landscaping at your school or public library.
2. Cosponsor an Event--Go together with other young entrepreneurs to sponsor a dinner for the homeless, a fall festival, a contest, or a trade show. For instance, students at Alva Middle School in Alva, Oklahoma once worked together in vocational and science classes to put on a schoolwide tradeshow. Any student with a business or new invention could have a table to sell products or conduct market surveys.
3. Donate to a Cause--Almost every organization or business has a favorite charity. Offer to donate a percentage of your sales to their charity if you can have a table and sell at one of their meetings. You could, for example, sell candy at a PTA meeting and donate 20 percent to the school library for books. Or have a Christmas gift-wrapping service at a local gift shop, and donate 10 percent to feed the homeless.
4. Provide a Door Prize--Get the name of your business announced at a club meeting or school event by providing a door prize. If you make gift baskets, donate a basket filled with chocolates and hearts for a door prize at the next Valentine's dance. Put your gift on display during the event, and be sure to provide a 3 x5 card with the exact wording you want read by the announcer.
5. Speak for Free--Offer to speak, give a class, or put on free demonstrations of your skills. For example, inform the public about your puppet shows for birthday parties by giving a free puppet show at the public library.
6. Send in Your News--Getting your story in the newspaper is better than an ad, because readers pay more attention to stories than ads. When something newsworthy happens in your business, write up a short announcement or article and send it with a picture to your local newspapers and community newsletters. For example, send in stories about the opening of your new business or your free puppet show at the library.
When you do volunteer work, be sure to wear a brightly-colored T-shirt with the name of your business and your marketing slogan on the front and back. Hand out business cards to people you meet on committees or work crews. Make friends with people in the community and sales will come naturally as a result.
Bonnie Drew is the author of FAST CASH FOR KIDS (2nd edition), published by Career Press (1-800-227-3371). She is also the creator of the KIDS BUSINESS software for young entrepreneurs, available from Homeland Publications (713-332-9764).
Drew is also Editor of YoungBiz online magazine, published by Kid's Way, Inc., a company that helps youth prepare for business and the workplace of the 21st century. For more information, write to Kid's Way at 5589 Peachtree Rd, Chamblee, GA 30341 or call toll free 1-888-KidsWay (1-888-543-7929). YoungBiz magazine can be found at http://www.youngbiz.com
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