neon for Education and Training |
Customers use the Internet heavily to research programs and classes prior to making a decision. If your business provides training programs in any categories (career, health care, personal development ..), you have to establish a strong online presence. |
 Web site - general info & design |
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Tips:
- Describe in detail your experience and credentials
- Show off your facility, equipment, lab ...
- Post your customers' testimonials on the home page. (You will have an opportunity to get other business owners to recommend you in the Networking section below.)
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 Action content - detailed offerings & customer actions |
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Tips:
- List all the classes and programs as separate items with details and photos
- Put a price range for each item (with terms and conditions if you wish)
- Post your schedule of classes
- Invite them to contact you online or phone to make an appointment
- For common classes and programs, offer discounts through coupons to generate referrals
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 Email marketing - top-of-mind awareness |
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Tips:
- Collect email addresses by passing out feedback form, or simply ask your past customers for their email address so that you can send them tips, updates ...
- Use neon to send out regular emails. Talk about the other programs and classes
- In these emails, don't forget to remind them to send you referrals. One way to do that is to ask them to forward your tips or coupons to their friends and family.
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 Networking - customers trust referrals more |
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Chances are, you already network with other business owners to get referrals. Many of your customers could be business owners and refer their customers to you. Let's take this networking online.
- Find a business you like, and recommend them (use neon tools)
- We'll notify them and ask them to reciprocate
- Their nice notes automatically become testimonials on your site (important to customers)
- Link to your neon becomes visible on their neons (unless they choose to block it)
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Tips:
- Networking with other businesses. (It would help if they have a neon.) When you make recommendations of businesses you like, chances are they will reciprocate and you get the extra exposure on their sites. Also, customers will find your neon more useful, a place to get your personal recommendations for other services.
- Print your neon URL on your business cards, flyers, classified ads, etc. You might want to get your own domain name (example: www.yourcompanyname.com) and forward it to the neon URL.
- Expect your customers will forward your promotional emails to their friends. So design your campaign thoughtfully.
- Use the popular community sites to promote your neon(s), such as craigslist, facebook, myspace, forums ...
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