Page 109 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

37 Ask your staff and your customers to give
you their opinions

We all get too close to our own businesses. A fresh pair of
eyes can often identify creative and innovative ways to
market and promote your business.

Putting a suggestion box in your workplace is another
one of those ideas that people sometimes cringe at. But
take heart, there are people with some fantastic ideas on
how to improve your business and some of them may be
working for you or some may already be your customers.

Putting in a suggestion box takes away any pressure that
a person may feel when voicing their opinion. Fear of
rejection or ridicule often prevents staff members from
suggesting ideas. It is a confidential way to have your say.

I have a number of clients who run very open busi-
nesses. They constantly ask their staff, customers, friends
and even their bank managers for opinions on all aspects
of their business but particularly marketing. I think that
they are very clever operators because in the end they get
the benefits of any good ideas that are suggested.

I was recently talking to clients who run a restaurant.
They wanted to cater more for families and we were
discussing the introduction of a children’s menu that could
be coloured in. At the same time we were discussing making
cardboard hats to give to children when they leave the
restaurant. A member of the team suggested combining all
three ideas into a hat with the children’s menu and a
colouring-in section on one side and a bright cartoon
printed on the other. Another great idea was born. We
produced the hats and they are a great hit.

Asking staff and customers for their opinion is also an
excellent way to get an honest appraisal on how your
business is performing. You can use a suggestion box or
you can write to people and ask for their opinion or

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