One simple way for a small business to create a mailing list and print a database is by using Microsoft Excel. Here are some simple steps for building and printing your mailing list in Excel: Experian also has an easy-to-use small business mailing list builder tool. Once you've built your list, you can easily export it in Excel (or any other) format. Step 1: Open Excel Step 2: Type the names of your data labels in the first row (e.g. First Name, Last Name, Address 1, Address 2, City, State, and Zipcode): . Step 3: Type or paste in your customer or lead list directly into Excel. Step 4: Save your mailing list. Step 5: Open a MS Word document Step 6:Go to the Mailings Menu > Start Mail Merge >Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard If you have an older version of MS Excel, you can access a similar wizard with this by selecting:  Tools > Letters and Mailings > Mail Merge Step 7: Choose how you want to print your mailing list. You can choose to print letters, envelopes, directory, etc. In this example,  we will print address labels for a direct mail campaign so I'm selecting labels. After making a selection, click on "Next: Starting document" at the bottom. Step 8: Click on "Label Options" Step 8: Select the Label Vendor you will be using to print your labels. Step 9: Click on "Select Recipients"   Step 10:  Select "Browse" to find your mailing list excel spreadsheet. Step 11: Select "Ok" when you get the "Select Table" window. Step 12: You will get an option to remove anyone on your mailing list that you don't want to include — and then press OK. Step 13: Arrange your labels on the label or document you are working with. Step 14: Save, Update All Labels, and Print.

If you are tryng to sell something you don't always have to appeal to your customer's logic.  If you can play off of emotions, you can easily make a sale.  In many cases actually appealing to emotion is stronger than appealing to logic. Each spring gardening enthusiasts spend hundreds of dollars on annuals that will only be in bloom for a few summer months.  Annuals can also be cheap, but true gardeners want to buy plants that not only make their property look good, but make them feel good as well.  It's an emotional -pride type of issue. I asked my neighbor who is a true gardener through and through why he doesn't wait to buy his annuals on sale or at the bigger box stores (since he buys in such vast quantities) and he answered that discounted flower products are perceived to be low in quality because they are cheap to buy.  And he didn't want to plant flowers that may make him look bad in front of his fellow neighbors. The specialty gardening store that my neighbor frequents is able to supply annuals for pennies on the dollar, but the store owner keeps his prices a bit higher than the competition.  It's not that the owner can't make a profit charging less money, but it's because his customers perceive his flowers to be better when they are priced higher. The take-away is: when you are pricing your product or service you shouldn't only base it off of your costs or what your competition is charging.  Rather, you should also base pricing off of what your customers are willing to pay for your goods.  You may end up noticing that if you charge more money, you'll actually aquire more customers.

It doesn’t take a ton of money to market your small business. All it takes is determination, combined with a little strategy. In this, the first of a multipart series, I’ll walk you through basic, low-cost marketing techniques that any small business can use to boost their marketing to the next level. On the agenda today: Become an online expert. By showcasing your expertise, you’ll gain customers’ and prospects’ trust. They’ll see you as a credible authority on topics related to your products and services. And with repeated exposure to your brand, they’ll become loyal customers. The first step to becoming an expert is to research blogs, forums, email discussion lists, social media sites and other user-generated content relevant to your company. Start getting involved in these conversations. Offer insightful tips and advice that  solves problems and answers questions. You can carry these conversations into your email campaigns, too. Simply create e-newsletters with content that answers burning questions. For instance, if you own a bakery, you could write about the differences between baking soda and baking powder. Not only does this approach provide a valuable service to users, but it also casts you as the resident expert on the topic. With time and persistence, you’ll generate plenty of new and repeat business.

Ah, the gift of summer time.  Seems like summer is the time when many businesses slow down a bit. People take holidays and family vacations. They focus in on anything exept business.   What should you do during the summer months to keep your business running smoothly?  Here are 10 easy ways to get the maximum use out of your summer slow time. 1. Take a holiday and get away. Small business owners traditionally find it hard to take a break.  This is the one time of the year when it's considered "okay" to take a vacation and your customers don't stress if your business is closed for a short time (a few days).  So plan accordingly and take a quick break to recharge your batteries. 2. Take care of your health. Running a small business is always stressful.  Small business success often relies on the health of the owner.  You certainly can't grow your business if you are sick or in the hospital.  Take time out to care for your health. 3. Make a business planning day. Take this time to map our your strategy in terms of business direction, marketing plans and business goals for the remainder of the year.  Use this time to reflect on what has worked, what needs to be improved and what you are going to do next. 4. Make updates to your website. With so much to do on a daily basis, most business sites tend to become outdated.  Take a close look at your pricing, product information as well as any content that no longer reflects the direction of your business. 5. Refresh your marketing material. Look at your business cards, brochures, profiles, signage and newsletters.  Work out what needs to be updated for maximum impact. 6. Clear the clutter. Unfortunately clutter does creep into every business over time and can sap energy.  Archive material and files you no longer need, review your filing system, delete old emails, etc.  Doing this now means you are more likely to be able to quickly find things when business picks up again saving you both time and stress. 7. Write articles. Articles and posts are a terrific way to help boost your business credibility.  Share your ideas with customers and potential clients.  Develop a cache of articles you can match to your marketing calendar throughout the year. 8. Maintain your computers. All computers need mainenance.  Take time to check your computers, make full back-ups of everything and generally run a system tune up. 9. Update any emergency procedures. No one likes to think of the "worst," but it does happen.  Make certain you have back-ups that work.  Update your insurance and store key documents in a  safe place.  How would you be able to function and how long would it take to get up and running if the "worst" did happen? 10. Touch base with your best contacts. It's so easy to fall out of touch with key clients, colleagues and partners.  Use summer to reconnect.  Working with trusted colleagues is a great way to gain ideas, share resources and grow your business. Summer's slow down is a great time take stock of your business and tackle tasks that often get overlooked due to time constraints.  Use your time wisely and these simple summer actions can help your business stay on track.

Can you think of business to which you are regular, repeat customer?  Why?  What does that business do for you to make you loyal? Is it extraordinary customer service, quality product, personalized service, all of the above?  For me it’s Dick Ponds, my local running shoe store.  They understand my needs, have a great staff, extend special offers and keep me well informed on the latest trends and information on running.  For small businesses, building customer loyalty translates to big business. One of the keys to building customer loyalty is through consistent communication.   In my case, the running store keeps me informed through frequent, yet well-timed communications through both direct mail and email.  Regular communication with your clients and potential clients is an opportunity to position yourself as an expert in your field which helps people feel more comfortable spending money with you.  A recent study from Experian showed that email campaigns targeted to current loyalty program members have 40% higher open rates compared to bulk campaigns. No matter if you have an online business or a regular brick and mortar store, staying connecting with your existing and potential customers is a good approach to grow your business and develop loyalty. For more information on building customer loyalty in your small business, download Experian’s white paper, “The Loyalist: Leverage relationships with existing customers to increase return on investment.”