Summer is a notoriously slow selling season for most businesses worldwide. This trend applies to the miniatures & doll makers world as well. Kids are out of school, families go on vacation, and the yard needs attention. So if everyone knows it's a slow season, why bother to push hard to get your name out to the public? Because in the fall, when you are ready to jump back into the selling mode, you will have to start all over again to get your name out to the buying public. If you haven't planned ahead, you may not be ready!

So what can you do to ward off the dreaded summer slump in sales? Do at least three things every day to promote your business, even when sales are slow, because in the immediacy of day-to-day life, it is easy to let sales and marketing activities fall by the wayside. Keeping on top of and servicing existing customers seems to always take precedence over developing new accounts. Keep your momentum UP by doing at least three sales/marketing/promotional functions every day. Start With The Simple Marketing Ideas. There's no doubt that there are a seemingly endless number and variations of ways to market your business. But doesn't it just make sense to start implementing the simplest marketing ideas first? You may even find that some of these simple techniques are all you really need to grow your business to the levels you want. Remember, simple does not mean you don't have to do the work. It just means not complicated.

While plans do sometimes change, one of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs is how to be proactive rather than merely reactive. Having a plan in place and following it allows you the entrepreneur to move the business forward.

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Newsletters - Your Silent Sales Force Do you have hundreds of little salespeople working for you? You should. When done correctly, newsletters are like having your best salesperson go out and deliver your message perfectly every time. And they'll do it at a fraction of the cost.

Business Networking - Make Your Connections Count With all the demands on our time made by our business, personal lives, and creative tendencies, it's tempting to assign a lower priority to networking your business needs. After all, we have so many day-to-day commitments -- to co-workers, family and friends - that it is difficult to set aside extra time to bring even more people into our lives. Keep in mind though, for most small businesses, networking is probably the number one marketing tool that you can use. You are constantly being introduced to new people anyway, every day, with no disruption to your schedules.

Establishing a relationship with a potential customer though, insuring that they feel that buying from you is important, it also insures a future loyal buyer. If you do not consistently widen your circle of acquaintances and contacts, you may be severely curtailing your chances for advancement and success. It takes only a moment of conscious decision to become a networker, with no change in your daily life. All it requires is a small change in attitude and adopting one simple rule: make each person you meet feel that you will stay in touch whether its through newsletters, announcements of new creations or general emails.

Customer Feedback In fact, the key to your marketing success might be as simple as changing your mindset. Quit focusing on what you want to get (more customers, greater revenues, etc.), and begin to focus on what it is your customers and prospects want to buy. Most buyers want the magic of the art. They want what appeals to their personal taste. Find out what that is from feedback from your customers. Determine what it is that made them come to you in the first place. Simple feedback from your collectors: Learn from what they say, expand on the inter-personal relationships. Continue to encourage their input..

Pick one of these simple marketing ideas and start putting it to work for you. When you have it working well, then you can move on to implementing the next idea. Just keep the momentum rolling.

"Genius, that power that dazzles mortal eyes, Is oft but perseverance in disguise."
-- Henry Austin

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CDHM offers a means of watching out for the members interest by promoting your Gallery to magazines, search engines and other online venues. CDHM's main purpose to is to push traffic to your website or gallery. We continually review and optimize target audiences that have expressed interest in your art form. We take care of all the details for you. We get your art work on the web and into the markets of interest where it can be found quickly and easily!

Let CDHM take care of all your marketing needs.



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