Bling your business

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     from personal experience in business--been there, done that. 

     Propel your business out of the shadows and into the limelight. Kick it up a notch with bling. 

     You know bling--shiny baubles, fun jewelry, sequins, things that light up like diamonds--and much, much more. 

     Example: Evita operates an upscale shop specializing in women's clothing and accessories. She offers fashionable outfits from up-and-coming designers from New York, Milan and London. Throughout her shop and on her Facebook page, Evita splashes lots of bling--flashy ornamentation and accessories. She changes her shop's window every week. There, a single chrome-skinned mannequin is splashed with bling. Fanning outward from the mannequin's feet, she arranges a bevy of colorful shoes--little more than straps and spike heels. The window is a town attraction, and it draws shoppers into the shop.

     Bling can be much more than shiny baubles. Using bling in business can amount to riding a horse of a different color.

     Example: A local dentist uses bling. Branding here is all about that toothy smile you can have when your teeth are perfect and gleaming. Print ads show a broadly smiling face with teeth prominently on display. Facebook entries emphasize the ease of getting that youthful smile back. The bling works. People call for appointments--to clean, to straighten, to get crowns, and other dental work. 

     More examples: Many small businesses have figured out that bling helps attract attention and bring more clients and customers. Pet shops show puppies with flashy collars. Hair stylists put sequins in the hair of party-goers. Attorneys specializing in elder care show smiling grandparents making living wills. Yoga instructors show photos of seniors throwing away their walkers. Food stores put out racks of recipes showing mouthwatering meals you can prepare in minutes. Landscapers and garden centers use a picture of your place, feed it into their computer, and presto! your nondescript yard becomes an award-winning garden. Aggressive law firms put ads on television to attract clients wronged by products and medications--this bling puts out-of-sight dollars in the eye of the beholder. And so it goes. 

     You can use bling in any business. Just be careful not to overdo it, less you run the risk of appearing trashy, turning off the very customers/clients you want to attract. Instead, concentrate on fun and leading edge optimism--smiling faces, happy children, cuddly pets. Bling is more than shiny baubles. 

     More marketing tactics and strategies can be found throughout these write-ups. Many examples are included so you can find your type of business among them. All names are changed, but the businesses described are from real life. People in small business are inventive!