I noticed lately that my girls have been fighting a lot and there has been a lot of negativity flowing through our house – back talking, sassy responses, etc.  It is quite upsetting when that is not the environment I want for myself or my children. . . .then my oldest girl wanted to start an allowance, so we set out a few chores:  make your bed in the morning, bring in and put your stuff away from the car, no sassy back talk.  Well, you can probably see how that went (they lost their allowance within a few hours).  That did not work!  The point is to reward and not take away.  Then I thought of the saying “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” and I changed the game.

We got rid of the chores and started the penny reward system.  A penny is given for anything that is good – good behavior, a kind act, being nice to your sister, cleaning your room, making your bed, helping . . . anytime / anywhere at our discretion.  The pennies go into their special jar on the counter and 100 pennies can be transferred into a dollar.  The dollars are kept in their “wallet” in our cupboard to spend later.  Suddenly, my home is much more peaceful.  There is no taking away and negative energy but rather a giving and a reward for positive behavior.

So, how does this relate to a small business marketing idea?  My idea is to create programs and incentives in your business that create this same positive flow of energy.  A penny is a small thing but turns into a bigger dollar later.  Consider ideas for small rewards that can turn into bigger rewards later.  Here are some ideas:

Small Business Marketing Idea #1:  A spontaneous $10 off your next order to reward a loyal customer

Small Business Marketing Idea #2:  An extra gift in a customers next order, just to thank them for ordering

Small Business Marketing idea #3:  Customer reward day at your store – a special invitation to come in after closing for a discount off any purchases and give aways

Small Business Marketing Idea #4:  Door prizes rewarding the 20th or 100th person in the door of your store (or online) with a reward or coupon – that happens randomly in a month

Have fun with your business.  Create a positive and fun environment and your customers will think of you often!

Alison Elliott is a Marketing Expert and founder of Corner Your Market Global Marketing.  To get these tips along with tips on SEO for Small Business, Social Media Marketing for Small Business, Unique, Interesting and Great Marketing Ideas for Small Business ,  Help Creating Online Marketing Plans for Small Businesses, and Businesses and Software to help Market your Small Business online , you can sign up to our small business marketing e-guide here.