ForumsStarting a Business

Thanks LUCKIEST. Yes, I am well aware of SCORE and all that it does for small (and large) businesses and have used them before on our current business. I do have a Marketing Plan. The business is a Community and Business Event Listing Service in Maine. Businesses, Non-Profits, Community organizations can submit their event (i.e. Bake Sale, Bean Supper, Car Wash, Fundraiser, Walk/Run etc.) and it will get posted to the site for viewing of a wider community than local print advertising can provide them with. My hope is that a greater awareness of events will be generated by not only local residents, but people who visit the State looking for events and things to do as well.

My website will be launching in the next couple of weeks and I know that advertising is somewhat based on viewership. I'm looking for ideas on the best way to approach the ad sales since it is not my forte'.

Thanks for the response.

ResearchSight: Thank you very much for your input. I value your honesty. Our other business is a web development business, so I am aware of obtaining the statistics for site visitors and where they come from, but it was very helpful to know about the Media Kit. I have the specifics as to what the pricing will be and what type of ads are available. I'm hoping to launch the site in April and will be able to gather enough information by end of May to pull together a Media Kit.

Regarding working with a partner or hiring a consultant - All funding for this project are coming from me, so this business will start small with plenty of growing room. Taking your information into consideration, instead of hiring a consultant I think I would like to find a Mentor who could help me over some of the larger bumps I may encounter. This may prove to be a better working relationship without the legal ties.

Thanks again for the advice.

LUCKIEST: Thank you - I will take your offer into consideration as I progress further in the next week or so.

Try the old proven method....call every business appropriate to the ad space. Ask...ask...ask!!!!

Pound the pavement!! Hire salespeople too.

Joe

Try what few understand.

Don't sell, rather, eliminate those who don't choose our invitation to "buy" your product or service.

Challenge....You will need to have a widget that when demonstrated, illustrated, teased with or lured by, that your prospect (suspect unless you have qualified him first, oh, I'm sorry, His/Her) to quantify needs, desires and can afford it.

Otherwise, you will enter the turf of sounding like a salesperson that does not know how to take "NO!" for an answer....remember, sales is a numbers games. Babe Ruth, didn't hit much over 300, if that ...and he made the hall of fame.
So, if you are too "sensitive" to take NO after NO, .....AND you don't appreciate getting, at least, some kind of response, (your biggest challenge) even if it is a NO!........
KNOW THIS....as long as you are selling to your correct target market, and you are providing a NEED, or perception of need,.and you can create desire for the same and your prospect has money to pay for it NOW.....you will not fail.
10 calls to talk to one suspect (not a prospect/qualified yet),
Out of those 10 that took one full 8 hour day of smiling and dialing, you will have warmed up NO LESS than three warm leads.
You should close 50% of those "warm leads" within the first, second or third sales cycle. This is just average work.

If you are not able, willing, smart and strategic to boot....then advertising space you may have to purchase yourself as in "business for sale." Best of luck.