To stay in business we all have to advertise and market our business. We have to remind customers and potential customers that we still have something to offer. If we don't, someone else will. These days, we instinctively turn to the internet which can be very effective. However, we still have to hope that customers remember to visit our sites to see what we offer, but there's a big chance that most people may never see your site.

Web sites are just one of the marketing tools we need to employ, and I’d like to offer you one more. One item that I believe firmly in is a news sheet which can be used to augment your web site. And if you don't have a web site, it can still payoff. It will allow you to package up your specials and send them off to your customers as a reminder. If they don't happen to make it to your web site on a regular basis, you can still keep them informed.

Newsletters and bulletins may seem a thing of the past, but in a pdf format which can be delivered within an email, there are some new advantages: No printing costs No postage fees No leftover outdated printed materials No trips to the printer or post office No web pages to update.

This is a sample news sheet: the business name has been changed. You can get the pdf by clicking on the image.

Some added benefits are:

• This is a pro-active method vs. passive.
• Your newsletter can contain coupons, discounts and offers, available only to newsletter subscribers.
• Newsletters can also be printed out in smaller quantities and placed at your business. Customers will be sure to take one if they know that there are usually some great deals enclosed... and will be returning customers.
• The content can be changed extremely fast, and your customers updated as frequently as you decide should you choose to publish more than monthly.
• You can cross advertise with neighboring merchants.

You can read my latest newsletter here as a PDF, and if you are interested in creating one for your own business, I'd like to be the one to create it for you. You can also view it here as an image.