As the owner of Maxima Marketing for 25 years, I know a good idea when I see it. I am a marketing copywriter, marketing expert and publicist for plastic surgeons, and marketing expert and publicist for hair and skincare salons. Today’s tip? Well, why not consider a publicity stunt for your business? Staging an event to put your business in the public spotlight can be very effective. Remember, the Miss America pageant started in 1921 as a way to attract tourists to Atlantic City – and look at how popular the pageant is today. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade started as a publicity stunt in 1924, when six employees walked six miles to the Macy’s store, from the city zoo. One of the earliest publicity stunts in time was the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when patriots dressed as Indians threw 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor, to protest excessive taxation by the East India Company. If you’re going to stage a publicity stunt, think about doing it on April Fool’s Day, when you can make a joke go a long way. That’s what Burger King did once, when it advertised a Whopper for left-handed people. Give the media a good news story with your publicity stunt, and they’ll reward you for it.

September is almost here, and it also happens to be National Coupon Month. Coupons have come a long way, baby, and it’s expected that in 2011, 88.2 million consumers will use online coupons. And they’re popping up all over the place – in bank statements, for example, In partnership with BillShrink, more than 2,000 banks monitor customer spending and provide coupons based on how you shop. You’ll also find coupons on the back of ticket stubs, on mobile phones, on Social media, and in the back pages of phone books. And you know those extra coupons that come with your receipt at the grocery store? They’re called Catalinas, and chances are, they are for products you actually want to buy. What does all this mean to you, the business owner? It means that there are more and more sources where you can place coupons about your business. So get out there and help your customers and patients save money. I say this as an experienced copywriter, and marketing expert and publicist, and owner of Maxima Marketing in Westwood, Mass.

Mmmm good…that was the marketing phrase that’s always been attached to Campbell’s soup. And while that catchphrase is still used, marketers have found that shoppers just weren’t making purchases. So, they did a series of studies, many of them using neuroscience methods that tracked eye movement, pupil dilation and facial expressions as participants shopped. As a result of that, Campbell’s made changes to their soup products. They removed the spoon from the label, added steam and redesigned the bowl, so that the contemporary look would have consumers think of the soup as nurturing. They also specified a particular variety of soup as a Classic Favorite, or as Great for Cooking. So the tip today is to try to understand how your product or service connects with consumers’ emotions, and always try to improve your in-store merchandising. I say this as a Marketing Expert and Publicist for a wide variety of businesses, including Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Dentists, Hair Salons and Skincare Salons. For more information, check out my website at Maxima Marketing. I specialize in low-cost and no-cost marketing tips and strategies for your business or practice and am the author of the bestselling book OFF THE WALL MARKETING IDEAS.

I’m a crackerjack copywriter and editor, and I love words. That’s why I excel at being a plastic surgery marketing expert and publicist, and a cosmetic dentistry marketing expert and publicist. So…..Are you owner and president of your own company? If you’re self-employed, it is really smart marketing to give yourself and create for yourself an unusual title, because that will help to make you and your business memorable, and that can lead to more clients and customers. For example, at Maxima Marketing, my business, I list myself not just as the owner, but also as the ‘Queen of Creativity.” You’re apt to remember that, aren’t you? Let’s say you own a coffee shop or a Dunkin Donuts franchise – you could call yourself the “Bean Queen.” Likewise, if you specialize in importing tea, why not call yourself the TeaEO instead of the CEO? If you’re a plumber who does outstanding work, why not simply list yourself as “Boston’s Best Plumber” on your business card and website. When you think outside of the box – your clients will appreciate your efforts, and even be inspired themselves. This is marketing that costs nothing — it only requires creativity! Check out my blogs at Maxima Marketing and call me at (781) 407-9305. As I said, I love words and can use my wordsmith talents to write you a press release, edit a speech or a book, proofread, devise a marketing strategy, name your product or service, or craft a signature tag line. And some of my best marketing tips are offbeat!

Yes, it’s July, and that means, well, now’s the time to get your press releases for Christmas out to the media. Remember, magazines, have a 4- to 5-month lead time, so you need to act now to make it into the pages of publications for December. One smart way to write your press release, other than asking for your product or service to be part of their holiday gift guide, is to show that your product or service is part of a trend. For example, if you own a spa, you might show that your products and services for teenagers are part of the larger nationwide trend of young people going to spas. And make sure to include some catchy, clever information, such as “Three out of three wise men agree that your product or service is a good value.” You also can’t go wrong with making up a quote from Santa or Rudolph. Every journalist who gets your press release will appreciate your wit and humor. I say this as a plastic surgery marketing consultant and publicist, and a cosmetic dentistry marketing consultant and publicist. I’m also a crackerjack copywriter and editor, so if you need a press release written or a marketing strategy crafted, give me a call at (781) 407-9305 and check out my business at Maxima Marketing.

If you’ve read my blogs here on my Maxima Marketing site, you’ll know that I abhor much of the food marketing that goes on today. That’s why I’m excited about the new KidsLive Well program that 15,000 restaurants in the USA adopted a few weeks ago. Under KidsLiveWell, which was unveiled by the National Restaurant Association and Healthy Dining, the company that runs healthydiningfinder.com, more than 19 chains will offer healthy choices for children on their menus. That means that chains including Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Chilis, Dennys and iHop will offer kids meals that include a healthy entrée, side dish and beverage and contain 600 calories or less. These meals will carry the icon of a red apple. Today, children get more than one third of their calories from eating out, and eating out is a big contributor to obesity. If the KidsLiveWell program can counteract that, I’m all for it. If you have a restaurant, or any business that needs marketing and publicity, check me out at Maxima Marketing, where I mastermind marketing and public relations for all kinds of businesses, especially plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, and hair salons and skincare salons.

I’m a marketing expert and a crackerjack marketing copywriter, and I love the power of words and ideas. I mastermind marketing and public relations for plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, and hair and skincare salons, along with all kinds of retailers. In my bestselling book OFF THE WALL MARKETING IDEAS, I (and my co-author Nancy Michaels) offer a wealth of no-cost and low-cost marketing ideas that every business can use. Do you need inspiration in your marketing? Then I suggest you visit dollar stores and party-planning stores. When you stroll around stores like this, you’re bound to come up with creative ideas that you can work into a marketing and promotion plan. For example, a friend of mine visited a dollar store and noticed some potholders. She had been trying to get a story placed in the media about her business, and it wasn’t working. So she sent potholders – priced one dollar each – to some local reporters, with the message, “It sounds like you put my ideas on the back burner. It there something else I can do to make this a hot topic for you?” And it worked. Inexpensive stores always provide inspiration, and all you need to do is come with creative wording. For a wealth of unusual ideas, check out my bestselling book OFF THE WALL MARKETING IDEAS found on Amazon.com. And always read my blog that complements my website at Maxima Marketing.

As a marketing expert who specializes in marketing doctors, dentists, and hair and skincare salons, I know a great idea when I see one. One idea that always hits a high note with me, is to create a jingle for your business — why should the big companies be the only ones to do this? Having a jingle for your business, no matter its size, is smart and effective marketing. One company that has achieved enormous success, just based on the strength of their jingle, is Bernie and Phyl’s furniture stores…it goes like this: “Quality, Comfort and Price – that’s nice!” This jingle is so successful, it has a 97% awareness in the marketplace. That’s why Bernie and Phyl’s always uses it to their advantage. On one rainy, snowfilled day in March, more than 4700 people showed up to audition and sing their version of the jingle, in three different Bernie and Phyl stores. It was a resounding success, and every child who auditioned got a $5 gift card. Bernie and Phyl’s also partnered with Honda and gave away a hybrid Honda to the person who sang and created the most original arrangement of the jingle. Bernie and Phyl’s also goes out into the local community, and simply tapes people singing their jingle. Quite simply, it works. It may not be the “Meshuganah Marketing,” wild and crazy tactic that I frequently discuss, or typically advocate at my business, Maxima Marketing – but a jingle is a tried-and-true marketing idea that has withstood the test of time. Bravo to Bernie and Phyl!

As a marketing expert specializing in working with plastic surgeons, hair and skincare salons, and dentists, I have some great ideas for all small business people. Today’s tip? Get rid of your boring email, and personalize it with colorful stationery. It’s a great new way to make you – and your business – memorable, which is the secret to successful marketing. A brand new company called Meeble Mail puts the “me” in your email, with more than 500 designs that you can add to your plain-white email. The stationery comes in categories such as Contemporary, Men, Classic, Preppy, Trends and Seasonal, and in a rainbow of colors. It adds a pop of your own personality to your emessages. Creator Sharon Gaffney says that her focus groups went crazy for it.” It’s just $5 for a year’s worth of e-stationery, and soon can even upload your own logo. From this June 13 to July 13, my readers will even receive a 20% discount if you plug in the discount code “MMinute.” Having unusual email stationery is an untraditional, low-cost marketing strategy that can reap big results and make you memorable.

Today’s marketing tip is this: Do something good in your community – your new and potential customers will appreciate and remember your business for it. It reminds me of a civic marketing event I worked on, in which a bank wanted to express goodwill to the community. It created a special Senior Class Ball – but not for high school students. Instead, it was for Senior Citizens.The local high school gym was decorated like prom night, and all the senior citizens from one particular nursing home dressed up and enjoyed a night of dancing. All the women got corsages to wear, and the men, boutonnieres. The Senior Class Ball was a huge success, and the bank that sponsored the event firmly established its brand in the community. To market your business, think about your community, who you would like to benefit, and a special event you could create. This can be a very effective marketing strategy for any business, especially a small business. Check out my website for Maxima Marketing,my business.