I've never done email overtures. When I get them it's irritating and I delete them at once. Direct mail will work nicely locally and I've had great success with it. Choose small companies and send to the President or whoever Head Honcho "Private & Confidential" (which may get you past the gatekeeper), but specifically target solopreneurs.

- attend meetups of business/social people in your area - usually there is no membership fee, just a smalll sum and you pay for your own lunch.
- get magnetic signage on your vehicle (I got mine from Vistaprint). Where do you go? the supermarket, post office, library, kids games, the park? It's a rolling billboard - an advertisement wherever you go. There are so many options.

Lynne

Postcards are the most effective way to direct mail, however, the industry average for responses is 2%. Be sure to mail so they receive the card on Tuesday or Wednesday, as these are the receipt days that generate the best response. That is a little difficult to tell, but if it's local, mail them on Saturday so they get through the mailroom and onto a specific person's desk by Tuesday. Email is much easier to target the days. Soomeone started a thread about Jigsaw, and I saw a note about getting a list from the Chamber and these are good leads to start with, but you will need to follow-up if you want the business.

Originally Posted by kelli050

I think that I may also focus more on emails and other internet communication. I may still choose to send some mail here and there to certain markets or businesses, but so many things are computerized and nowadays people may respond better to email or information found on the internet.

I didnt think that people were allowed to market by email...I thought that was considered spamming....

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Rebecca Thompson
CLR Virtual Connection * fanTABulous fan pages

Yeah, it's been great to read the postcard success stories. I ordered postcards from VistaPrint and they should be in the mail soon. I've heard that some companies are getting stricter with email advertisements. One of my clients does this and believe it or not, some companies have had notices on their website about no-spamming. So be careful!

-Holly

I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and have been "experimenting" with face to face networking. When I meet someone who expresses an interest in what I do, I put their business card info into my contact database (I just use an Excel spreadsheet right now simply because I don't know what other contact management system to use yet). I send them a quick email to say nice to meet you and mention something that we talked about to refresh their memory of our conversation. This way they have my email signature that has all my contact information (as opposed to just what is on my business card). After that, I put them on my postcard mailing list, which I try to send out once every 30 to 45 days. I am thinking about creating a newsletter as another contact method.

I am a big fan of CJ Hayden's Get Clients Now! program. She states that you have to be consistent with keeping in touch with your clients and prospects and send them something every month for at least 7 months and preferably 1 year. You will update your list (deleting and adding) as you go along. You will know when to drop someone from the list, and of course, you will move a prospect that has turned into a client to another list (but you still have to keep in touch with clients too!).

I haven't tried a targeted mailing yet. I've been sticking to the "warm" contacts that I've met through networking (online or face to face networking). I should try it though I suppose.

Lisa Salem
Monarch Virtual Assistance LLC
www.monarchva.com

Great tips on envelope colors and postcards for direct mailings. We may try this a backup plan to social networking and online marketing for AM/PM.

Thanks,
Lynn

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Lynn Mallory
AM/PM Virtual Office Assistants, LLC

it has been great reading the reponses and it has given me some good ideas for mailings

I am an avid Vistaprint shopper and I love their customer service. I have recently ordered some business cards, postcards, return address labels, magnets and full color flyers. The only cost to me was the cost for extra color and backside printing of my business cards plus shipping. A box full of promo material for less than $40.00. Vistaprint also has mailing lists for sale so if you order postcards, you can have them tailor a mailing list (for example, small business owners in a specific zip code or people with homes worth x amount of money in a specific zip code) and they will mail the cards out to that list as well as send you a copy of the mailing list for your to keep. I think that is a very handy option.

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Nikki Johnson
The Millionaire's Assistant™

I just recently had to mail letters with my resume and referral letter to some attorneys in a small town in Washington state that I could not find email addresses for because I believe this is the only way I can contact them to seek work. I am glad to read some of the posts because I also used a different type envelope with a design as opposed to a basic white envelope so hopefully it will catch their attention.

I do believe that getting involved in the local associations and groups will be your best best for networking (at least for me since I will be relocating to a new area where no one will know me).

Best of luck to everyone!! Rey

I do a lot of direct mailings for a client who is in the house painting business. I send one bio letter, a postcard and a business card in a small manila envelope. I put the bio on a bright yellow paper, that way when the assistant opens it and throws it in an inbox pile, the yellow will stand out and maybe my client will get noticed first. I don't know if it works because I just do the mailings. I may have to ask them what kind of results they get!