Small Business Report Helps Startups Win First Customers

A new resource for small and home-based business startups that details how to generate initial customers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Small Business Report Helps Startups Win First Customers

MERRIMAC, Mass. – February 24, 2003 – Small and home-based business startups now have an affordable and quick resource to help generate initial customers. Im Open; Now What? 25 Strategies to Attract Your First Customers," is a special report that details online and offline low-cost marketing strategies that newly-opened small businesses should implement to generate sales.

The key to generating customer interest for any new business is to tap into your existing network of friends, family and associates," said Sharron Senter, report author and founder of sharronsenter.com, a marketing communications firm that helps small businesses deploy low-cost marketing strategies. Its particularly difficult generating initial customers when youre working from home, mostly because you have no storefront and its not as obvious youre open. However, you can generate interest immediately by tapping into your friends and familys networks and ask them to refer you customers," said Senter.

Senter writes about the following marketing tactics in her report and encourages new entrepreneurs to implement these marketing strategies as soon as possible.

Distribute a New Business Announcement -- Generate a mailing list of everyone you know including, friends, family and associates. Mail them a personal note describing your new business. This is also the perfect time to hunt for old address books and rolodexes and reconnect with people youve lost touch with. Mail out an Im Open" announcement detailing what business youve started, what youre selling and a detailed description of the type of customers youre looking for. Simultaneously, announce a referral program that encourages friends and others to refer business to you. Finally, include a P.S. at the end of your communication that reads, P.S….If youre able to post my sales flyers at your business or workplace, please let me know."

Partner with Complementary Businesses –- Think about surrounding businesses. Do any of them complement your business? Do any of them have similar customers youre looking for? If so, approach these businesses and ask to cross-promote your businesses. Theres no quicker way to generate interest in your business than to draw on another business database whose customer profiles match yours. For example, if youre a personal chef, then it makes sense for you to approach an errand service, since the errand services customers are also short on time.

Im Open; Now What? 25 Strategies to Attract Your First Customers," retails for $12.95 and can be purchased at www.sharronsenter.com/fs.htm

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Contact Information: Sharron Senter
Founder of sharronsenter.com
sharron@sharronsenter.com, http://www.sharronsenter.com
(978) 346-4086

ABOUT SHARRON SENTER
Sharron Senter is the founder of sharronsenter.com, a USA-based, Merrimac, Mass. marketing firm that specializes in helping small and home-based businesses deploy affordable online and offline marketing strategies. Senter is best known for her free weekly emailed marketing tips, found at www.sharronsenter.com. Shes also the author of several marketing reports that help small businesses make more money while spending very little.