START-UP TOOL KIT

Help a Startup Find the Right Marketing Solution (Part 1)

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Sometimes I get reader questions, and this seemed like a good one to share with readers of the Toolkit. Today I'll put forward the case, and during the next week, several marketing experts will forward me their opinions and I'll deliver the results next week in part 2.

Matt Pollitt, CEO of PTE Golf told me "We run a golf company that sells tournament enhancement items to country clubs for their first tee area such as embroidered table covers and special tournament cases for their starters areas. We have never done any marketing with the company, only doing 1-3 trade shows a year. Otherwise, all of our business is word of mouth."

He also noted "We've never marketed to past clients and I think that is a big mistake. We do get reorders, but our contact info has changed over the years." So unless customers actively look for his website, they can't reorder via the old phone number.

Matt wanted to know the best way to connect with his old customers. Some of the contacts at the golf clubs may have changed. One thought he had was a post-card mailer, since he has the addresses and contact info for all his previous customers.

Whatever method he chooses should allow him to make customers aware of new products, while also generating inquires and reorders.

How would you help Matt reconnect with old customers? And Marketing folks? Feel free to weigh in via the comments below.

Howard Greenstein

Howard Greenstein is a social media strategist and evangelist, and president of the Harbrooke Group, which specializes in helping companies communicate with their customers using the latest Web technologies.