?_Slutsky:

I noticed on the Think Tank, several people got mad about the “spam” ad sent out about key tags.
How is the best way for a supplier to get their message out? What if a new small supplier really can save the owner time and money? It seems nobody wants emails, or junk mail and it has become a federal law not to fax.
How do they find a new supplier? The new little guy in business cannot compete for a minutes attention and that leaves everybody paying the big companies prices.
Then everybody complains about their cost going up!

Help!

Bob Copeland
BobCopelandSr@aol.com

I remember giving my food service company grief about showing up right at the peak of dinner to deliver…They then asked me if I wanted the “convenient to me” pricing versus the “convenient to them” pricing…On a rural delivery route it was very hard for them to deliver to everyone at a convenient time…

Hi paper guy:

You ask.

How is the best way for a supplier to get their message out? What if a new small supplier really can save the owner time and money?

You must advertise in publications like PMQ and other industry specific publications. You must have and promote an information laden web site. You must use direct mail via the US postal service. You can provide very useful information and commentary to a forum such as this and slowly build your credibility and reputation. Success is not free.

The Internet is largely free but specific venues such as email and forums require that you earn the acceptance of you audience. Just as radio and TV cannot just make their programs appear on your receiver you cannot project your message for free on to computer screens.

George Mills

Bravo George…Bravo…you may what to copy and paste this same message under the Healthy Pizza fourm to “tradebuzzing”

George for most new businesses there is not enough margin to pay for high costs ads that barely catch anyones attention…Sort of dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t…Marketing costs money and like in any business those costs must be included in the product cost…If a business can use less costly and more effective methods, they can sell at more competitve prices…

As far as what you suggest, I have done that for 8 years but it is still a very slow go…Clients want lower costs but do not want vendors to use the least costly methods to get their messages out…Sounds like being caught between a rock and a hard place…

Hi Royce:

The scenario you present has been the same for many years. It is only fairly recent that the Internet became available as a low cost option for communication.

When I entered this field of endeavor there were no fax machines, or copy machines much less the Internet.

I understand your frustration with trying to build your business, but consider, if the Internet was without some constraints your message would be lost in the overwhelming flood of advertising that would plague your prospects. Nothing would be read, the medium would become useless.

You can search the advertisements on the Internet, web sites of those you wish to send your message. Many have a “contact us” Email address posted. If so, they have invited contact and should, I would think, not object to your doing so if your message is tailored to their specific business needs.

Just My opinion others may differ.

George Mills