One particularly effective strategy in business is that of niche marketing. With more and more competition arriving daily, businesses are discovering a need for effectiveness, of which niche marketing fills the bill. Physical product sales require it just to stay alive.

Let's take a look at some specific examples of how some of these larger companies have exploited a specific market niche, so they own their little corner of the market. A lot of the time the companies that are FIRST to market often get the lead and stay there.

1. Coca Cola – Coca cola is a universal brand. It has spread its businesses to all corners of the world. You can see coca cola painted on walls in little villages in India to the big electronic screens in New York. Coca cola as a brand targets a wide audience and competes in a very tough commodity market. As almost everyone drinks Coca Cola what niche can the company focus on?

In this case, niche marketing informs us that a potential problem with Coca Cola for some consumers is the excessive number of calories ingested with each drink. Independent studies were done and proved the case that sugar-laden soda pop drinks added hundreds of calories to one's diet, leading to weight gain. This is a problem for many people and Coca Cola, using the niche marketing model, offered a solution. They brought out Diet Coke, thus solving  the problem.

It wasn't long before all the other soda pop companies came out with their own versions of their diet sodas. Then Coca Cola came out with a caffeine free version, and the competition followed suit. While not being first to do so, it was still necessary for them to do so, just to keep up with the number one company. Coca Cola still reaped the greater reward of customer loyalty by being the first to discover a niche and then marketing to the needs of that niche. In spite of already being number one for carbonated beverages, it was a smart move to keep them in that position.

2. Citizen watches. A watch is a watch is a watch, and Citizen produces some of the finest around the globe. Anyone who wants a watch can get one from Citizen, who does not target any one group specifically. But when it came to thinking in terms of niche marketing, however, Citizen came to realize that there is a segment of the population concerned with the environment, and from this concern, Citizen developed the Citizen Eco Drive watch. It is a solar-powered watch that does not require batteries. So, there are no batteries to charge or add to public landfills, something that appeals to the eco-crowd. Niche marketing at its finest.

3.  MTV – The MTV music channel introduced itself as a channel that showcased all the music that was popular. There was no distinction, it was just all about the music. Soon with the advent of many other music channels. Mtv lost their edge and then had to turn to niche marketing to find it again. Niche marketing led them to targeting the youth. MTV now has become a channel for the youth. It created shows specifically to target the youth. It is a youth channel and is doing great as that.

A Summary Of Niche Marketing Strategy

What will it take to be number one, to get over and rise above your competition in your chosen business?

Take a few minutes and list 3 things that make you completely different from your competitors. Why are you better than they are and why should you be number one? no generalizations, be clear and specific. Put your thiking cap on and really work on this

You NEED to be different and VERY different, not physically in what you do, but perceptively in the eye’s of your prospects.

You have to know what your customers' needs and wants are, more than your competitors do, becasue without this keen understanding, you are going nowhere.

Coca Cola, MTV, Citizen and all the leading brands know their market that’s why they are leaders.

 If you take nothing else from this, remember these things:

1. Poll your current clientele, send them surveys and ask them specific questions about their needs and wants until you truly understand them.

2.  Develop a key difference that is geared towards the expectation of the feedback.

3. Continue refining your marketing strategies, both in the offline world and online.

Ninety percent of personal trainers are trying desperately, at this time, to find new clients and increase their financial flow. Giving oneself a raise requires a fitness marketing plan that is intelligent and shrewd.

The сhаllengе arіѕeѕ whеn fіtnеѕs prоfеssionals were never tаught markеting for fitnеss. Lеt's faсe іt, pеrѕоnal trаinеrѕ arе paѕsionаtе abоut еxercise ѕcіеnce, and not markеtіng. Unfortunаtеly, thіѕ fоrmula often leads tо аn еmpty wallеt.

The gоod nеwѕ іs belоw thеrе аre 5 prоvеn fіtneѕѕ traіnеr mаrkеtіng tіps уоu сan uѕe tо instantly boоst уоur сhancеѕ of fіnancial suссеsѕ. Plеаsе do nоt nеglеct yоur fіtnеss mаrketing. Doіng sо іѕ thе quіck rоаd tо fruѕtratіоn!

5 Hot Tips To Increase Personal Trainer Marketing

1. The benefits of continuing your fitness training marketing education

Besides your basic physical science course, you should also take some marketing courses to educate yourself in the fine art of marketing your fitness business. This can only lead to an increase in income as you become aware of the tricks of the trade. You can only better your situation by reading and learning all that you can about niche mаrketing for fіtnеss professionals.

2. Makе а wеekly сommіtmеnt tо mаrkеt your sеrviсеѕ.

Making a plan to spend a specified amount of time each week to marketing your business will ensure new clients. This requires time, resources and commitment on your part, but you will reap the benefits in short order.

You must first understаnd, аnd aсcерt thе imроrtаnсе оf реrѕоnаl traіning mаrkеting.

3. Hear--really hear--what your current clients are saying.

Clients can tell you what the want; you need to listen. If you listen to the wants and needs of your existing clients, you benefit two-fold. You make your current customers happy, which increases their loyalty, and you already know what to offer new clients to encourage their faithfulness. So listen up!By listening closely to what your existing clients tell you and implementing their suggestions you increase your chances of success in two things: their loyalty to you, and the ability to give new clients what they need without having to ask for it. They'll be wild about your services if you provide what they need before they need to ask.}

Yоur еarѕ arе а grеаt aѕѕet іn аny fіtnеѕs buѕinеsѕ. Alѕo paу сlose attentіоn tо whаt уоur comрetіtorѕ arе dоing. This informatіоn саn be vаluаble!

4. Make your plan, then work it.

If you do not have a suitable marketing plan, then you will not have that necessary edge over your competition. Without a good, workable fitness marketіng plаn, you are going nowhere.

This is the step that many try to skip. Trust me, your competition--the successful ones--are not skipping this step. Neither should you.

A trainer who fails is the one who failed to plan. He wasn't smart about his business, as you must be. You have the smarts, use them to make a worthwhile personal trainer marketing plan and succeed!

5. Once you have created your custom-made plan, use it to schedule your work.

Now that you have your plan, scheduling the individual aspects of it is the only way to ensure your plan goes off without a hitch, guaranteeing success.

Let's bottom-line this: creating and working a business marketing plan is not only a requirement, it is the only path to the true success of your business.

Think of your website as the "main display" to your online store. Extremely careful consideration and strategizing needs to go into your niche marketing online, just as you would in organising a storefronts display that is open to the public, so they feel inspired to walk inside your shop.

WEBSITE CRITIQUE - Est Time: 1 to 3 Hours

Open your website. Think of yourself as a new visitor to your site, and ask these questions. Or even better, have a respected colleague who hasn’t seen your site previously and have them respond to the following points

1. What draws your immediate attention?

A new web visitor only has a few seconds before they decide to stay, or LEAVE forever. So it’s your primary job with your website to have a great “HOOK” so they look twice.

2. Can you see what the site is about INSTANTLY?

Knowing that you have under 10 seconds to put your message to your visitors. Does you site have a lot of distractions which take them away from your single key message?

3. Is critical information “above the fold?”

If your prospects don’t see ALL your details high up on your page (we call this “Above The Fold”) they will likely leave before you get your message across, which equals a lost sales opportunity for you. So be sure that you’re Most Wanted Response (MWR) and tagline about the problem you help solve, is very easily understood. Visitors don’t like scrolling down your site, or clicking on buttons, unless they know there’s a clear advantage for them to do so.

4. Can you identify the problem solved by the product or service?

If you can’t quickly help a visitor identify your benefits then you can pretty much say goodbye to them forever! Most sites talk all about themselves and the features, which are critical also, but you need to address “What’s In It For ME!” first and foremost. Testimonials in video are fantastic proof of your benefits, and if your testimonials are very happy with you (as they should be!) you can get their permission to add their phone number and an invitation to call them to ask just HOW GREAT your benefits are… This offers amazing proof and the conversions of your sales will go way up because of it… Unfortunately not many do this and that’s ashame, because it REALLY separates you from the other competition who are too scared or afraid to do it.

5. Is the call to action clear?

The concept of a simple “Call To Action” is so simple, that a lot of web masters, make it complex. Once you have your visitors liking what they see, then you need to give them a couple of options toward your “Most Wanted Response” only. You might offer a free product, or the alternative might be a trial for $1 for a month, then they decide… But whatever you do, don’t confuse your visitors with too many options and make the “Call To Action” clearly and quickly.

6. Is your websites colour scheme, images and layout pleasing?

If your site is unkind on the eye, laid out badly and confusing you’ll lose visitors (even if your information is good) because first impressions really do count. Go to 99designs.com and have designers bid on your site layout and graphics so your site looks professional, while not breaking your bank account.

7. Are the fonts easy to read?

Simple Arial or Times Roman based fonts work best. A dark colour font on a light background is perfect, be careful of light coloured fonts on dark backgrounds, they’re hard to read and lose interest quite easily… Simplicity is best here!

8. Are there chunks of text on the page?

Make your paragraphs EASY-TO-READ, there should be no more than 3 to 4 line paragraphs on the site. Extensive eye tracking tests prove that bulky paragraphs of 4 or more lines cause visitors to skip over them, or at worse leave the site all together.

9. Do the menus easily help with navigation of the site?

Keep your menu’s clear and to the point. Menu navigation and site usability is very easily overlooked and is one of the main causes visitors leave (through frustration). Be sure to have at least a “Contact Us” and “About Us” menu option, plus your critical products / services.

10. Is it simple to find contact details?

If your site serves its purpose well, then interested parties are going to want to contact you to learn more, ask questions and know that you’re available in person for service and support. Making sure your contact details and at least your phone number is PROMINENT is vitally important, as this might be the last stop they use before purchasing (tests have proven that it often is). So make it very simple for your clients & prospects to call you, give them a Toll Free number or use a service such as “Click To Call” so they don’t have to pay, it increases response and in turn sales!

11. Can you learn about the owner and staff easily?

Give your visitors every opportunity to learn about you, an “About Us” page is good, if you want them to learn about the company, but not enough, because you need to build trust and have them learn about you and your staff. Having a “Staff Profile” page, including the managers, owners and directors is CRITICAL, include a video for each of who they are, what they do, how they can help and why they do what they do. People love stories and relate to others through this, use videos over photo’s on these pages and watch your relatability and sales soar, and STAND OUT from your competition, not many do this!

12. Do you feel personally drawn to the staff?

As we’ve mentioned before, using videos to relate to your visitors and clients is incredibly powerful, use open and honest styles of communication and you will be simply in a class of your own.

13. Is the writing style personal or corporate?

You need to open with a very engaging, warm and open style of writing. Formal business writing is great for the large, COLD and disconnected organizations in the world, but not for a small / medium company with a personal message to it. Don’t pretend to be BIG when you’re not, actually being small and warm is what will win you MORE clients anyway.

14. Is there a form offer high up on the page?

If your site doesn’t have a form above the fold and collecting fresh leads for your business to grow, then you may struggle for additional clients. Make sure you have a simple, and easy to install webform for your site, and put it above the fold with an exceptionally valuable offer and you’ll create more leads in no time, but it has to be VISIBLE!

15. What’s in it for them? – Your Offer

Your opt-in offer has to be so IRRESISTABLE your prospects will find themselves putting their details in to fix the problems they have right now. Make it valuable, put a price on the offer, you need to PUSH the free line so it’s almost like you made a mistake and are giving away one of your high priced items… This gets them in your marketing funnel, but most importantly builds trust and establishes a connection.

16. Use multimedia!

As we’ve discussed before, videos are a great way to establish trust and a real connection to your audience. But don’t stop there, use audios, podcasts, tutorials, online video casts to engage your prospects in new ways that really appeal to them, options keep your clients open to how they’ll communicate with you.

17. Are there social media links?

You need to be connecting with clients in as many areas of the web as you possibly can. Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter are the main ones and you can always outsource this to social experts (actually it’s advised you do) if you’re not inclined to do this yourself. People may not give you their details or contact you from your website, but will easily like your facebook page and share the link with all their friends. So please don’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to a social media presence!

I obtained some e-mails in connection with my recent article on how to improve your copywriting. Rebecca Kalajian gave me a link to the Britain-based Plain English Campaign, "a detached pressure association fighting for public info to be written in plain English. The group has greater than ten thousand registered supporters in eighty nations."
 
What a great concept! We're all very busy - why should we need to muddle through tiresome, long-winded info in our personal or professional lives?
 
Simple, straight forward English is, Faster, Friendlier, Less complicated to absorb.

Below is a great 3 tips about simplifying your online writing...


 
Whether you are are writing an email, a product spec, content material or a proposal, you can attain a lot more when you write in basic English. You're not dumbing down your views - you are only expressing them more concise.
 
"It is not a newbie's means of communication," they declare. "Virtually all progressive senior administrators usually write in simple English... Unfortunately, thanks to the bureaucrats of public service sectors, local councils, insurance companies, building societies, banks and government offices, we have come to embrace a formal style of writing which is ineffectual and often unfriendly."
 
So how do you make straightforward your writing approach?
 
The following are several advice from their Guide to Plain English:
 
-  Keep your sentences short
 
-  Make use of active verbs
 
-  Use 'we' and 'you'
 
-  Go for words appropriate for the audience
 
-  Make use of positive language
 
-  Make use of lists when appropriate
 
The guide then discusses the complex subject of expressing apology, then addresses a couple of the myths that can prevent clear communication. In addition, it comes with a blacklist of words to keep away from.

For writing on the web, here's a fantastic guide to follow, it's advice evergreen if you want real, sustainable results for your writing in your niche, it's called the NetwritingMasters Guide by Dr Ken Evoy of SiteBuildIt, the web's number one niche information marketing platform (it's well worth checking out also). 

Thanks a lot for your mails - don't hesitate to send some more!
 

Numerous advertisers are hesitant to try electronic mail marketing, because of the fact that they are worried they're going to be accused of "spamming" and get into complications. Allow me to share how to minimize the negative aspects.

Anti-spam people emphasize that spamming is unethical and that it robs online users and internet service companies of useful computing solutions. Whether you agree with this ethical argument or not, you're going to have to agree that spamming is a dangerous endeavor.

Spamming is greatly disliked among online people, and those folks who dislike the strategy are capable of doing serious harm to your business venture. Becoming labeled as a spammer can do much more than bring you to a deluge of unpleasant flame e-mail.

Many internet persons are capable of doing technological retaliation, like sending e-mail bombs -- huge e-mail messages which can clog up or even shut off an e-mail server. A firm naively recruited a bulk e-mailer to send out an ad for them. The firm got thousands of complaints. A person put up a robot that called their toll-free number again and again for three days.

Spamming can likewise get you in issues with your web service provider. Nearly all service providers forbid unrequested commercial email on their systems and will shut down your account -- or even take out your web site -- once they discover you have been involved in the practice.

As an email promotion specialist, I advocate that online marketers seek out safe practices for utilizing electronic mail. I have created an E-mail Advertising Hierarchy of Risk, which demonstrates email marketing methods in a spectrum from highest-risk to lowest-risk, which include so:

Highest Risk

Rented spam list

Self-made spam list

Targeted spam list

One-time unrequested offer

One-to-one cold canvass

Rented opt-in list

In-house opt-in list

Lowest Risk

The highest risk arises from engaging the services of a bulk electronic mail firm, which will send your advertisement out to a blind list of receivers, most of these folks will object to receiving your email message. Generating your own spam list or a so-called "targeted" list are likewise dangerous things. Sort of less risky is sending a one-time offer for folks to join a standing list. And a personal email message sent individually to a thoughtfully vetted group of email account owners might not be unwelcome -- provided that the mail message is correctly created, concise and prudent.

Least risky on my hierarchy is the opt-in list, whether "rented" or developed in-house. This is a list of recipients who have manifestly requested to be placed on a list. Opt-in receivers are going to welcome email from you, on condition that it is relevant to their needs, and on condition that you do not email so often it ends up being an annoyance.

"Most individuals think that the first draft is the big occasion and that revising is clearing up after doing that. However the first draft is basically installing the cups, tables, and chairs, and revision is not cleaning up right after the big event, it is the main celebration."

"All initial drafts are unpleasant. I don't care if you're Hemingway."

"What flows out unfiltered from anybody's mind is dirt."

The first two declarations are derived from writing professors whose names I've actually forgotten (and these instructors were quoting other folks whom they'd forgotten). The third one is one I just simply made up myself. But regardless of the source, the guideline is sound: no electronic mail should be mouse-clicked or sent out with no revision.

I've found that for your normal email, the number of revisions or modifications largely depends upon the number of receivers. The following is my experience:

1 to 5 receivers = 2 - 4 changes or revisions

five to ten receivers = 8 to 12 changes or revisions

Company-wide or to Administrative Committee = 30 - 50 revisions

Even the most simple missive to one individual gets something from a couple of extra passes, and if ever it is going to the management committee, expect everyone to have revisions (and revisions to those revisions).

Here's a checklist to look into when making revisions or modifications:

1. Remove redundancies. Mention it on one occasion. That is adequate. If you're redundant, the reader will discontinue reading and commence skimming. (Just like you quite likely just did.)

2. Employ numbers and particulars instead of adjectives and adverbs. "The endeavor is at this time considerably behind schedule on major tasks," is not as plain as "The project is 3 weeks behind schedule delivering hamburger buns to Des Moines." (When you do not have numbers, still eliminate the adjectives and adverbs.)

3. Provide lacking context. Does your reader know that hamburger buns in Iowa are needed for the business entity to gather $37 million? If ever you're not sure, inform them.

4. Put emphasis on the most powerful argument. Should those hamburger buns get delivered due to the fact that the delay is humiliating for the business entity, for the reason that it's costing children and kids their lunch time food, or because it is costing the business entity several millions of money? Maybe all 3, but one of such reasons (and it will depend upon your reader) will be adequate to get buns delivered.

5. Remove unrelated content. The finest emails say one thing and tell it precisely. One-topic emails also enable the audience to file the message right after they've done action, one thing any person who utilizes Outlook to maintain tasks appreciates.

6. Try to find equivocation and remove it. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" works for Dickens, never with e-mail reports.

7. Kill your faves. Is a certain thing in your email exceptionally pithy, clever, or amusing? Most likely, it isn't. When it sticks out, it is probably a tap-dancing gorilla in boxer shorts - very funny when you thought of it, awkward if it gets in your manager's inbox.

8. Eliminate whatever thing composed in the heat of feelings. Can this line prove to them who has been right about the burger buns from the start? Yes? Eliminate it.

9. Cut short. Do not forget the audience having a hard time to get your electronic message on the run - an iPhone or a BlackBerry receives about forty words for every screen. What appears concise on your desktop PC monitor is a long epistle on their mobile device.

10. Give it a day. With time, what appeared so pressing may not anymore need to be said. And 1 less email is something every individual will appreciate you for.

Do you concur that even late night emails sent from the bar have to be revised or modified before sending? (Have you ever viewed one the next day?) Have you daringly sent something unrevised only to make come going back to you? What is your finest recommendation for modifying or revising?

The ultimate way to learn more about niche email marketing is to visit create a niche website and study the email marketing guides they have their and implement, this will see ultimate success for your email markeing readability, get your guides today!

Is your fitness and health website getting new leads for you every week?

If it's not then you need to figure out why and FAST!

Do you have any knowledge as to how many folks are checking out your site? Do you have any idea where the majority of your website traffic is originating from?

A lot of personal trainers will give me an empty look when I ask this question.

Google analytics offers answers to all those questions for you. If you aren't making use of it then you have got to without delay!

It's a no-cost resource maintained by Google that enables you to keep track of the activity on your web site.

It tells you how many viewers come to your internet site daily, each and every week, every month.

It informs you how many of them are first-time guests and how many are returning website visitors.

Fresh site visitors means you're doing good at marketing or promoting and driving them to your online site. Returning guests means they appreciate what they saw and the info or facts you gave, therefore they returned for more.

It shows you which webpages they check out, which online pages they enter on and which page they leave your web site.

It informs you the length of time guests are on your web site and in case they were linked where they originated at.

Once you see these stats it is possible to adjust accordingly.

Therefore what do you need to do to make all of these things work?

Check out Google Analytics provide them a few particulars about your online site and they are going to then provide you a code. Save this code and give it to your website in-charge.

From there it is possible to begin monitoring the stats on your site. Just like all marketing you must know your stats.

You are likely to be generating leads from your online site each week, if not something must change.

I have a friend who has a kitten in his house. One time, he tied a ball with the ends of a string so that his kitten will have something to play with.

When left with something to play with, such as a ball tied to a string, a kitten can spend hours and hours chasing after it. It is an interesting sight to see, the kitten running and running, busy in its pursuit of the ball. The thing is, you have to know the difference between being busy and getting things done. The kitten is just busy playing and having fun but it isn’t really accomplishing anything.

This led me to think about some of my clients and their approach in internet marketing.

To paraphrase President Abraham Lincoln, “It isn’t enough to ask if we are busy; we must ask ‘what are we busy at’ “?

It is similar to how many internet marketers work nowadays; online niche marketers and brick and mortar marketers alike. They are busy spending many hours and effort on their internet marketing strategies --- SEO, SMM, PPC and all the latest and most popular tips and tricks in the industry. No one’s taken the time out to stop and ask themselves, “What am I really accomplishing? What am I busy at?”

The true measure of how worthy an activity is can be seen in the results. Has the objective been realized? Assuming of course that an objective had been set prior to the particular activity.

Here’s the thing: Your marketing goals can only be achieved if you’re focused on your marketing activities. Quit running after the ball on the string. Focus on these five steps to reach your marketing objectives:

1. Pick one marketing activity at a time (like Pay Per Click) that will help you get closer to achieving your marketing goals

2: Stick to that particular activity until you master it

3: Measure your results

4: Carry on with the activity as long as you see that it’s effectively propelling you towards your goals; if it’s not working, chuck it

5: When you have mastered that activity and it is giving you the results that you are aiming for, add another activity (like SEO)
 

As the discussion on the viral effect of articles for your affiliate marketing business is concluded, it is best that you take the next step up the ladder: producing a firm plan for generating those articles. List down the things that are crucial for your plan, like deciding on the topics, narrowing down the information that you want included, means to make use of in able to engage with your audience and lastly, the manner in which you put forward the affiliate product that you are endorsing.

Choose Your Topics

Make a list of topics that you'll enjoy writing about and that relate to the products you'll be recommending. Tip: Think about problems that the product solves and then write your article to address the problem but without giving away all of the answers.

You want to lead your readers to click on the answer... which is the affiliate product you recommend.

Arrange Your Thoughts

The intent behind affiliate marketing is to spread the knowledge that you have with your readers, about the resolution that they are searching for and the link to that resolution, which is your affiliate product. Make an effort to write the article as easy to follow as you can, the use of bullet points is one good example of how to achieve that.

The article that you write should able to give out first rate information that will be very helpful to your readers and their challenges, make sure that you only give away several pieces of the answer. Remember that the actual answer is your recommended affiliate product.

Link to the Affiliate Product

A good thing to keep in mind is that suggestions and links to your affiliate products shouldn’t be scattered all over the place. Think about where they can look the most natural and suitable, and place them there strategically. There is nothing more awkward and annoying to read than seeing an article peppered with “Click here to learn more…” or “I use _______ to help me…” in every other sentence. Then follow through with an appropriate outline of the pros and cons, features and benefits and advantages, etc. of the product.

You may want to link to the product again in your article summary or conclusion but read it over a few times to make sure it doesn't sound salesy. A good rule of thumb is to recommend only one or two affiliate products per article.

Now, depending on where you plan to submit your articles, be sure to check what the submission rules about affiliate links are. As discussed in "How To Boost Affiliate Marketing With Article Writing," affiliate links may not be allowed within the article but may be allowed in a sig file. Whatever the case, be sure to abide by the rules.

Good practice dictates that when you’re writing articles for affiliate marketing, you should try getting in the mindset of your target market. Consider what challenges they are seeking to overcome and what solutions they are looking for in order to do that. You can provide assistance by simply sharing high quality and useful information, and suggesting products that are related to their concerns.

Have you ever witnessed a disaster about to occur and know that you are incapable of stopping it?

Or pictured in your mind what is about to happen as a baby grapples for the breakfast cereal and in the process, pushes the milk aside?

Last week, I experienced that particularly helpless feeling. I came upon a documentary while channel surfing on cable television, about the story of a young couple living in the UK, resolute in opening their dream salon.

I reckoned myself a voyeur, peeping at a hole, watching other people’s lives as the documentary depicted the couple’s burgeoning financial involvement in the project. I watched the looming catastrophe, my hand over my mouth and I wanted to scream

“NO….don’t do it!”

FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS. Fell of your seats yet? That was how much they shelled out by the time of their opening day. A huge part of that sum was backed by their investors, who apparently have loads more money than sense.

An astounding almost one MILLION dollars. That was how much it amounted to. The salon looked amazing, and it had one famous ‘celebrity’ hairstylist that they hired. They went to Europe to attend trade shows and spent quite a fortune for pricey Italian fixtures and fittings.

Finally, the thrill of opening day. A brief rush of customers in the first two weeks – almost all of them family and friends. And then reality struck, hard. I could see it happening right from the beginning. These people actually believed that old nonsense about “Build it and they will come.”

Er, no, they won’t. Like a deer in the headlights, they’d  had been blinded by the ‘bright shiny objects’ of starting and running a business, oblivious to the harsh reality; that without customers, you don’t have a business. All you have is an expensive liability. In all that half million pound spend, not a penny had been set aside for marketing – the only thing that gets customers in ANY business.

Within two weeks, they were facing bankruptcy. The investors had finally woken up. You could have fired a cannon through the salon, without a chance of hitting anybody.

I kind of felt sorry for the…kind of. As harsh as it may sound, the failure that they experienced was warranted. Not too long ago, what one did was get in the car, drive to the library and research like mad. You attend seminars, wherever they may be held, and hired the right consultants if you’re smart.

Now, all the knowledge you need to avoid making such dumb mistakes is staring right back at you from your computer screen.

You don't need to feel the pain of doing your salon marketing all wrong, just follow the steps of successul salon owners and marketers and you'll avoid these nasty hidden surprises