My name is Lorraine Ball, and I spent more than twenty years in corporate marketing roles. Today, as the owner of Roundpeg, Iam focused on small business. We help small business owners become big business owners
We know great marketing is not driven by how much money you spend, but how well you spend the money you have. In this lens, I'll share practical techniques, time saving tools and real resources you can use to grow your business through effective marketing.
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Business Notes from Roundpeg
A small business marketing firm, serving the Indianapolis community, we offer web design, social media, public relations, ghost blogging, graphic design and branding services, and marketing planning services to help you launch your ideas and most importantly, close sales!
If you are looking for marketing tips, ideas and strategies for small business owners, be sure to check out our newsletter and blog.
If you are looking for marketing tips, ideas and strategies for small business owners, be sure to check out our newsletter and blog.
Videos of Lorraine Ball
More Than a Few Words
Practical Tips for Small Business Owners
- Entrepreneur's Notebook
- Every company, large or small faces the same challenge - to create effective marketing. The difference? Large companies typically have a systematic process for the development of their marketing plans.
Now you can learn the secret to big company marketing. Based on twenty years in corporate marketing roles - Lorraine has boiled this process down to a few easy to follow step
In this combination reference manual and workbook, you are presented a step-by-step process to make your marketing investments more effective. - Confessions of a Networking Junkie
- Savvy networkers know that it is healthy for a business to get its BUZZ from networking. With a solid base of contacts and referral sources, a true networking junkie can say goodbye to cold calling and scale back on expensive advertising.
In her new workbook, "Confessions of a Networking Junkie", Lorraine Ball presents a simple 12-step program to help any novice create a plan for their networking addiction. - Business Map
- As a small-business owner, you need a map - a business plan! Without it, you are traveling blind. Often, the road to achieving your goals is a series of small steps. Creating a schedule for these interim steps or milestones will help you track progress toward the overall goal.
In this combination book and companion CD, Lorraine Ball guides you through the step-by-step process while including numerous examples to help a new business owner create a viable business plan. Accompanied with blank forms and outlines, "business map" provides you will all the necessary information to get your started.
Small Business Marketing Articles by Lorraine Ball
More than a Few Words
In addition to all the articles listed here, check out Business Notes from Roundpeg which can be found at www.roundpeg.biz -
- The Map is the Key
- If I suggested that you drive to a place you have not visited before, without a map or a clear set of directions, you would probably tell me it was a bad idea. Why? Because without one of these tools it is likely you would get lost, arrive late, or perhaps never arrive at all. It seems obvious, if you are not sure how to get to your destination, you need a map!
- Break the Habit
- Habits are easy, and they help us get through the day. Do them too often, however, and you end up in a rut. Let the ruts get too deep and it is hard to find a new solution to a problem or challenge. Sometimes drastic measures are needed to break out of the rut.
- Secrets to Trade Show Success
- Are you considering participating in a trade show, home show or business showcase this year? If so, here are a few tips which will help you make the most of your investment!
- Brochures that Sell
- Practically every business creates a brochure, but it's often an exercise in futility.
- Contact Management - Your Competitive Edge
- You return home after a networking event and empty your pockets, putting the business cards you collected onto the desk.
What comes next? If you are one of those people who organize them in neat piles, tied with a rubber band and a promise to get to them someday, just toss them in the trash! Why - because people have a short memory.
Be honest, do you remember what you had for lunch three days ago? I bet you don't. - What's it Worth?
- The value of your product has absolutely nothing to do with the cost of producing your product.
- Build Loyalty
- If you want to build loyalty you must icrease purchase volume on every transaction! Why?
Because loyalty is not static. Your competitors are always out there, trying to make even your best customers try something new. - What Coke Already Knows
- I haven't had a Coke since 1982, and Coke knows it. Not because they asked me, but because they know women in my demographic segment, don't drink Coke...
- Lessons from the Kitchen - Recipes for Successful Teams
- Years ago my mother told me the secret to making a great stew. I am not much of a cook, but her advice makes a lot of sense when you are trying to build a great company, product or brand.
- Save Green When Buying Blue
- Often when the bill comes for printing, it feels like you are carrying the whole $90 billion industry by yourself. There are, however, ways to save money on printing, if you know the right questions to ask..
Marketing Tools
Cool Marketing Resources
Marketing tools and information to grow your business
- Entrepreneur.Com
- The Sales and Marketing section of Entrepreneur.com all has new information.
- Marketing Profs - Marketing Concepts and Strategies: Expert Articles and Commentaries
- Visit MarketingProfs.com for the latest techniques and provocative commentary on today?s marketing concepts and strategies. Log on for more information.
- Direct Marketing Strategy
- Web Direct Marketing Strategy Consulting Research Plan Services. This site has a terrific library of marketing articles
- Small Business Resources for the Entrepreneur from Inc.com
- Small business resources for the entrepreneur, home based business, advice and ideas for starting a business, writing a business plan, management, home office, franchises, incorporate, angel investors, venture capital, for startups.
- Business Notes from Roundpeg
- Marketing tips and resources for small business owners
- 866 MyNuBiz
- Resources for Small Business Owners
- Roundpeg
- Indy's leading small business marketing firm, offers marketing tips, videos and tools from their Business Notes from Roundpeg Blog.
Articles by Lorraine Ball
Information for the Small Business Owner
- Non-Profit Networking
- In an interveiw with Stuart Sobel, Lorraine Ball discusses how non-profit associations can leverage networking to build support.
- Price Does Not Always Equal Value
- One of the hardest things for a small business owner to decide is how much should they charge for their product or service. As you begin to think about this question, remember that the value of your product has absolutely nothing to do with the cost of producing your product.
Click on the link to read full article.
IndyBiz - Whats happening in the local community
New Twitter Follow
New Small Business marekting Tip from Roundpeg
If at First You don't Succeeed
ry, Try, Again.
When I was growing up my parents often encouraged me to try something more then once. I was 9 when we moved to the suburbs, and had never ridden a bicycle till then. Unwilling to admit to my new friends I didn't' know how, I got on and rode, briefly and then I fell. Ok, so I actually rode directly into a mailbox, suffering multiple minor scrapes, and a huge blow to my ego.. But I got up, got back on, thought about what I did wrong, and tried it again, and again. Today, bicycle riding is still one of my favorite activities.
There is a lesson here for small business owners. Your first marketing attempt, eMail or direct mail may not necessarily generate the results you hoped for. Instead of abandoning the strategy, get up, review what you did, make changes, and try it again.
For example - with both direct mail and Email campaigns, consider re-mailing.
Sometimes people are simply too busy when your correspondence arrives, and the email drifts to the bottom of their in box or the postcard, to the bottom of the stack of junk mail. Resending it may allow it to arrive at a more convenient time. With eMail I would recommend scrubbing your list - creating a new group which does not include anyone who opened the first email) before your resend. This is only possible if you are using an email tool which allows you to track open and click through. While there are many good tools out there we prefer Constant Contact.
With direct mail, you have no way of knowing, and research actually shows response rates go up with a second mailing as people who were intrigued, but did not act on the first offer, call after the second one arrives.
Also, there is a possibility your mail was not opened because your tag line wasn't compelling. Consider a modification before you try again. Or consider splitting your list, and testing two tags the first time. Then follow up with the one which received a more positive response.
This is just one of many interesting tips which can be found at www.roundpeg.biz
When I was growing up my parents often encouraged me to try something more then once. I was 9 when we moved to the suburbs, and had never ridden a bicycle till then. Unwilling to admit to my new friends I didn't' know how, I got on and rode, briefly and then I fell. Ok, so I actually rode directly into a mailbox, suffering multiple minor scrapes, and a huge blow to my ego.. But I got up, got back on, thought about what I did wrong, and tried it again, and again. Today, bicycle riding is still one of my favorite activities.
There is a lesson here for small business owners. Your first marketing attempt, eMail or direct mail may not necessarily generate the results you hoped for. Instead of abandoning the strategy, get up, review what you did, make changes, and try it again.
For example - with both direct mail and Email campaigns, consider re-mailing.
Sometimes people are simply too busy when your correspondence arrives, and the email drifts to the bottom of their in box or the postcard, to the bottom of the stack of junk mail. Resending it may allow it to arrive at a more convenient time. With eMail I would recommend scrubbing your list - creating a new group which does not include anyone who opened the first email) before your resend. This is only possible if you are using an email tool which allows you to track open and click through. While there are many good tools out there we prefer Constant Contact.
With direct mail, you have no way of knowing, and research actually shows response rates go up with a second mailing as people who were intrigued, but did not act on the first offer, call after the second one arrives.
Also, there is a possibility your mail was not opened because your tag line wasn't compelling. Consider a modification before you try again. Or consider splitting your list, and testing two tags the first time. Then follow up with the one which received a more positive response.
This is just one of many interesting tips which can be found at www.roundpeg.biz
by roundpeg
A 20-year veteran of corporate America, I teach business owners across the country how to use creativity and planning achieve exceptional results.
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