I fundamentally believe that individuals who are bold enough to face adversity in the face and stand strong to say, “Yes I Can! Yes I Will Do This!” deserves every encouragement.  As Caribbean entrepreneurs you are sometimes forced along a very lonely and often frustrating path having to rely only on your passion and pure determination to get through. The creation of TEN was to help those individuals like ourselves who believe better can be had and who deserves better!

We deal with alot of Caribbean entrepreneurs and we often hear the complaint about the high cost of marketing. Though this might be true in many cases there is always another way. The unfortunate thing is that many overlook the hugh difference the simple things could make in driving your marketing when money is short.

So to help some of our cash strapped entrepreneurs we decided to just state a few “no-budget” marketing strategies that are sure to give your sales a boost in troubled times.

1: Partnerships.

For many this could be a bad word but if business owners were to take the emotion out of this decision they would be able to realize meaningful benefits.  Seek out other businesses who compliment your product or service and look to offer both your customers bundled packages. This allows you to tap into a new customer source and keeps your product or service turning over. Eg: A Barber shop partners with a clothing store to offer their customers specials on hair cuts to compliment the purchase of outfits. There is a lot more that can be done through partnerships. This is but a small example.

2: Use your email signature.

This one always surprises me. So many persons loose out on the opportunity to educate potential customers by using their email signature as a tool.  For example: Every email a shoe store sends to its customers, suppliers or service providers could have a message which says, “The majority of back pain begins with your feet. Have your shoes checked to ensure they fit well and support your posture in the correct way. We can help.” This builds interest outside of the hard sell and is an easy way to have your message forwarded to others by the recipient. Also having your website and telephone numbers in your email should always be standard. Many entrepreneurs still miss this.

3: Ask your customer.

This one is so easy yet we hardly ever do it. If you are constantly known for delivery a good product and have been complimented by your customers take it one step further. Ask them to recommend someone who they believe could benefit from your product or service the same way they have. Just ask for one person.  Make that a habit in your business and you would be amazed at how many referrals you are able to act on.  Remember being in business is not about being shy it is about being proactive. So get to asking and the response might surprise you. Be aware however, you might not always get a willing participant but the objective of this exercise is to achieve success through persistence. when a person is treated like a king or queen he or she is likely to boast about their experience.

These are just but a few examples. The total cost is you only time and dedication. They are some of the many activities in the arsenal of the ”no-budget” marketing strategy.

Start your own strategy now or let us at TEN help you. www.tenspace.biz

Many might argue that the entrepreneur’s biggest investment could be in plant and equipment, marketing, a great sales team or an accountant. And they all would be right. Let’s however, for one moment consider another investment— The Network— that collection of individuals which make up your vital chain of connections to opportunities and advancement.
It is amazing how many entrepreneurs would not have this on the list of their most crucial investments. What is even more amazing is that it is often the least financially involved investment that pays the highest returns.
Today business has to be all about doing more with less so consider how much your investments are worth. It might very well be that your highest paying is the network you invested in. And what did it really cost you? Time and effort!
Begin investing in your network today, the return might surprise you!

As entrepreneurs we can never belittle the power and opportunity behind embracing networking.  The simple act of connecting with others to build relationships that extend far beyond our own circles is an investment in the future growth our companies.

We need to understand the dynamics of this very powerful marketing tool and realize that successful networking is not about looking for what you can get from others but seeking to help others grow by connecting with them and listening to their challenges and seeking to provide them with solutions. Helping others solve their own business challenges is one sure way of growing our individual businesses.

The reality is that the more more weak businesses we have around us the less economic growth there is to participate in.

As entrepreneur we must make part of our business development and marketing strategy the fostering of relationships that are designed around helping others achieve and in turn they will drive your success.

The end result?  EVERYBODY WINS!!

The Founder of TEN, Selwyn Cambridge talks about the benefit of businesses looking at the current economical challenges as great opportunities.

I am constantly confronted by a comment made by entrepreneurs which is an obvious indication of their belief. I get this a lot, “I can’t afford marketing.” Nothing could be more untrue.
What entrepreneurs can’t afford are misguided advertising strategies peddled to them by traditionalist.
The real truth is ANY entrepreneur can afford to market on ANY budget. The difference is clearly in the details.