| p>What could Seinfeld possibly have to do with | | | | commitment. You're not building the next mega |
| marketing a small business? As it turns out, all small | | | | conglomerate (not yet, anyway), so ad money that |
| business owners could take a few lessons from the | | | | doesn't produce a positive ROI is wasted money. Jerry |
| show that brought us such popular phrases as "Man | | | | understood that if the early part of the relationship |
| Hands" and "master of your domain". | | | | wasn't perfect, the rest was bound to go downhill. |
| The Coffee Shop - Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine | | | | Apply that rule to your marketing and advertising |
| spent countless hours in the coffee shop, talking about | | | | purchases and you'll maximize the effectiveness of |
| "nothing." You should spend some time there as well, | | | | your advertising. If it works on a sample basis, consider |
| but instead of talking about your parents or your date | | | | a long term plan. If it doesn't work in the short term, |
| last night, get together with other small business | | | | give them the "it's not you, it's me" routine and move |
| owners and talk about your respective business and | | | | on. |
| marketing activities. Many of you already participate in | | | | The Superman Effect - Did you know that Superman |
| local business clubs and organizations, but the | | | | appears or is mentioned in every Seinfeld episode? It's |
| feedback and shared ideas that are generated in an | | | | true, largely because Jerry kept a Superman figurine in |
| informal business chat over a coffee are often the | | | | his apartment that popped up in the background |
| most valuable. My "coffee shop group" consists of 3 | | | | numerous times during each episode. For small |
| small businesses owners from different industries. | | | | business marketers, Jerry's Superman equates to your |
| Between us, we generate great marketing ideas for | | | | core business. With so many marketing opportunities |
| each other or in my case, new topics for small | | | | to consider, it's easy to lose sight of your primary |
| business articles. You can easily gather a few small | | | | business in pursuit of new revenue streams. |
| business owners together for this type of meeting. | | | | Unfortunately, this can often leads to the collapse of |
| Just be sure they are not competitors! | | | | your business. Take a page out of Jerry's book, and |
| The Short-Term Relationship - It seemed that every | | | | be sure to keep your core business (your "Superman") |
| Thursday, Jerry was dating a different woman. In fact, | | | | a part of everything you do, even if it is only in the |
| outside of Elaine he rarely dated a woman for any | | | | background. Every opportunity and every possible |
| length of time. Jerry understood that sometimes, you | | | | marketing strategy that you consider must relate back |
| don't want to be tied down to a long-term relationship. | | | | to your core product/service offering to ensure the |
| The same rule applies to your small business | | | | continuity of your business. Don't allow yourself to |
| marketing activities. Too many small businesses get | | | | become so sidetracked that you end up chasing |
| drawn in to long-term advertising relationships by | | | | marketing opportunities that detract from your current |
| committing to a certain amount of advertising in | | | | strengths. When evaluating a new business |
| exchange for a discount. Those who sell advertising | | | | opportunity, ask yourself "How will this new marketing |
| try to convince business owners that you can't | | | | or business idea impact on my core business?" before |
| evaluate a particular form of advertising based on just | | | | you begin a new marketing venture. |
| a small sampling period, and thus a longer contract is | | | | The next time you are watching a Seinfeld Rerun, be |
| required. This is simply not true. In the small business | | | | sure to look for the hidden small business tips in each |
| world, ads must at least pay for themselves before | | | | episode. You might find that it wasn't a show about |
| you agree to investigate any long-term advertising | | | | nothing after all. |