Did you know that major corporations and government organizations are actively seeking women-owned businesses as their vendors? They have entire entire diversity departments set up to scout for companies that have obtained WBE (Women Business Enterprise) status.   

Perhaps you’re a woman business owner or independent contractor in the promotional products industry who has considered getting WBE certification for your business but were not sure if you qualified. Or, maybe you looked into the process but felt it was too time consuming and overwhelming.

I can tell you from actual experience in my own promotional products business that getting WBE certification was one of the smartest things I ever did. It took months to obtain the status,  and much time and documentation,  but my business revenues dramatically increased the years after I obtained my WBE status.

Want to learn how you can qualify and start dramatically increasing your sales?

Contact me anytime at Rosalie@promobizwoman.com or 877-570-6766. 

By Rosalie Marcus,

Click below for handout for Find Your Perfect Niche Now: 

http://www.promobizwoman.com/NicheMarketing.pdf

Many years ago, when I first start selling promotional products I thought everyone was a good prospect for me, but it wasn’t until I concentrated on a niche market that my business quickly doubled and became one of the fastest growing companies in my region.

As a business coach, my niche is working with promotional products distributor owners and sales representatives. I teach them proven strategies to get more business, choice clients and make more money. I encourage the people I coach to develop one or more of their own niche markets and focus their energies there for maximum profitability.

     Here are 5 ways to define your promotional products niche market:

• The industries you serve ( health-care,  education, etc.)
• The products you most enjoy selling ( apparel, writing instruments, etc.)
• The problems you solve ( fast service, fulfillment etc.)
• The programs you market ( safety, motivation etc.)
• The demographic you target ( seniors, teens etc.)

You can sell outside of your niche market, this is just where you will concentrate the majority of your marketing efforts.

Once you’ve decided on a niche, learn as much as possible about it by visiting related web sites, subscribing to magazines and joining organizations. The idea is to be as visible as possible in your niche.

Posted by Rosalie Marcus, Rosalie@promobizwoman.com

Need some help convincing your prospects and clients that now is the right time to promote their products and services? 

Here are some new marketing tools that fit the bill:  

New end user marketing tools were  posted by Don Mennig,  Executive Director, Marketing at ASI. These prove the excellent ROI, (return on investment) of using promotional products. These would make a great addition to any mailing you may do. You could also post a download of these at your web site. Check the tools out at the following link:    http://cdn.asicentral.com/MKTGemails/MarketingMicrosite/

Another excellent marketing tool is this “white paper”  posted in the PPAI newsletter: Why Incentive Programs Endure Recessions. http://www.incentivecentral.org/pdf/why_incentive_programs_endure_recessions.pdf

If that’s not enough material , here is a third study by Harvard Business School on: Marketing Your Way Through a Recession. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5878.html

I’d love to hear what you think about these marketing tools and how you plan to use them. You can post a comment below.

Below is a video clip I did at the ASI Show in Dallas. It’s an excerpt from a class I taught on The 8 Biggest Mistakes Promotional Products Professionals and How to Avoid Them. ( Since I made many mistakes in my own distributorship. I felt uniquely qualified to teach this class!)

Click below to see the interview. Let me know what you think.
Dallas Interview

By Rosalie Marcus  http://www.promobizwoman.com

Rosalie@promobizwoman.com

No doubt about it, we’re in a recession and what some are calling a “new economy.”  

As a sales professional what can you do to stay positive, selling and in action? Click on the link below to download 10 + Specific Actions to stimulate your sales, regardless of economic conditions.  

 http://www.promobizwoman.com/2009%20Sales%20Boost.pdf

Here’s to your success

Rosalie Marcus

Rosalie Marcus, teaches motivated women in the promotional products industry how to get more sales, better clients and a higher income. Reach her at Rosalie@promobizwoman.com or 877-570-6766. Get a free Promo Biz Woman Success Kit with 8 great sales tips at  http://www.promobizwoman.com