Marketing 2 Women International

You may or may not know it but December is National Write a Business Plan Month. It’s the perfect time to shine the spotlight on how your company’s products and services can help other companies increase their revenue in 2009. The smartest strategy to get your company in front of a receptive audience is cross marketing.

Cross-marketing at its essence is nothing more than joining forces with compatible companies so that everyone involved can more effectively capitalize on each others’ existing client base. Partner up with a few businesswomen to capitalize on National Write a Business Plan Month. Incorporate the 10 cross marketing strategies below into your December marketing plans and watch your sales skyrocket.

1. Newsletter – Create a special newsletter in celebration of National Write a Business Plan Month. Get each of your cross marketing partners to submit a tip article on how their company’s products and services can be used by a company that wants to increase their 2009 revenue. Have a meeting in advance of putting together the newsletter to review the different parts of a business plan to determine which part each company supports. For example, a sales coach could develop an article on creating the sales strategy section of a business plan.

2. Teleconference – Host a teleconference with your cross marketing partners for all of your clients and newsletter subscribers. Invite a business plan expert to be the special guest. Provide each of your cross marketing partners with an allotted time to discuss why their company should be incorporated into the participants 2009 business plan.

3. Introduction Event – Help your clients line up new clients for 2009 by giving a virtual holiday party with your cross marketing partners. Introduce your clients to each other and have fun. Make sure each person brings a “gift” to put under the virtual Christmas tree so you can play Secret Santa. Send out eVites and provide cocktail recipes for guests who want to “bring their own drinks”.

4. Blog – Create a blog series in which each of your cross marketing partners writes an article pertaining to National Write a Business Plan Month. Post a mini site map for the articles on each of your blogs to drive traffic them.

5. Social Networking – Cross network with your cross marketing partners on social networking sites to bring awareness of National Write a Business Plan Month as well as each other. Share how your cross marketing partners can help a business person develop key sections of their 2009 business plan.

6. Send Out Cards – Team up with your cross marketing partners to send holiday cards utilizing the services of Send Out Cards to all of your clients. Include season’s greetings from each of you and a special offer. The cost is only about $1 per card.

7. Confirmation Page – The confirmation page that your newsletter subscribers are directed to is a prime piece of online real estate. Offer your new subscribers special offers provided by your company and cross marketing partners as thanks for subscribing to your newsletter.

8. Focus Group – Develop joint info products and services for 2009 by putting together a focus group. Together you can identify new revenue streams by filling the specialized needs of each others’ clients.

9. Sig File – Turn your email signature into a mini billboard by promoting your cross marketing partners. Promote their blogs, web sites, events, special offers, etc.

10. Season’s Greeting Audio – Create a joint season’s greeting audio with your cross marketing partners to let your clients and site visitors know that you will be there for them in 2009 to help them navigate the recession. Place the audio on your blogs and web sites.

Join Marketing 2 Women International’s Niche
B2B Cross Marketing Group

Marketing 2 Women International is launching four virtual groups that will serve as models for its metropolitan consortium groups. The groups will be comprised of 10 complementary women owned companies chaired by 4 power house business women with distinct businesses.

Steffi Paskow will chair the Business Growth Group. Steffi is a Management Consultant & Principle at Smart Performance, Inc. based in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. She is an entrepreneur, sales professional and seasoned consultant to companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500. LinkedIn profile – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/961/97a. The group is open to companies that provide services that will help other companies increase their revenue.

The Business Growth Group will develop cross marketing projects that will allow them to tap into each others’ client base, share advertising space in women’s business journals, split the cost of expo booths, invest in niche direct mail campaigns, and much more. Contact jerrilynnbthomas@ivwcc.org to discuss locking in one of the 10 spots.

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