Most industries have specific people that are considered the experts in their industry. Do you have any competitors that you keep seeing everywhere? They are published in newspapers, are guests on TV spots, etc?
It's not because they actually know more than you. It's because they know how to get media exposure. It's not actually that hard and you can skyrocket your small business by marketing this way and it isn't actually going to cost you a dime!
Showing posts with label marketing plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing plan. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
4 Tips To Be Creative With Your Business Cards
Every business owner should have business cards for their business. It amazes me how many people show up to a Chamber mixer or other networking event and don't have business cards. Business cards are a critical piece of your marketing mix and should never be overlooked.
Your business card is one of the most cost effective marketing you can do in your business yet too many people either don't have business cards or have a business card that is plain and boring. You need to make your business card stand out from the stack of business cards that everyone collects every day in their own networking.
Your business card is one of the most cost effective marketing you can do in your business yet too many people either don't have business cards or have a business card that is plain and boring. You need to make your business card stand out from the stack of business cards that everyone collects every day in their own networking.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Using Thank You Letters In Your Marketing Mix For Repeat Business
How many times have you actually received a Thank You letter from someone that you bought something from? I'm betting, not very many times. Your existing client list is over 10 times more likely to spend more money with you than someone that never has purchased form you before.
Whether you send a gift certificate, a 2 for 1 special, a free gift or even just a simple Thank You letter appreciating them for choosing you over the other businesses they could have picked, these types of letters are always memorable and encourages your customers to return to you before looking elsewhere. It also helps them feel good about you and they will be more likely to refer you to their friends and business associates.
Let's look at a few ideas that can make Thank You letters more effective for your marketing mix.
Immediately after the sale, send the customer a simple thank you letter.
This should be a personalized thank you letter or card telling them how much you appreciate their business. If this is a service business where there is a project in phases, you can even explain to them what they can expect over the duration of the project.
This not only educates them on the process and attention to detail your company has but also reassures them of their purchase. Some people can get buyer's remorse after making a purchase. Especially if this is a large investment. This simple follow up Thank You letter will put their mind at ease and make them feel much more comfortable about their decision of choosing you to work with.
Monthly Thank You follow ups
Remind your customers about the great service and experience they received with you.
A simple reminder Thank You can remind customers about the wonderful experience they received from you. Remember that people are busy and it's your responsibility to remind them of your products and services. You want to keep on the top of their minds and build the relationship with them. Let them know how you you value them as a customer.
Not only should you remind them of their value to you as a client but show them you mean it. You can include discount coupons or gift certificates to invite them to come back again. You could include a 2 for 1 discount and invite them to bring a friend with them. This will really encourage them to bring in referrals and show other people how great your products or services are.
Send them a discount on a new product you have to offer. Just because someone ordered one of your products, doesn't mean they know about the other products or services you offer. This is another way to not only thank them for doing business with you but to also educate them on your other products and encourage them to use your services for those products as well.
Don't loose touch with your existing customers.
They are the lifeblood of any business and using a simple thank you letter or card can really make a difference and keep you in the top of their minds, build the relationship and help them want to give you referrals. This lifetime value can dramatically increase the sales from any one client if done correct.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Small Business Marketing Ideas – Using Inserts To Sell Your Existing Customers Again
One of the most overlooked small business marketing ideas is the use of package inserts to upsell and continue selling your existing customers. They have already bought from you before and as long as you are providing a great service already, they are likely to buy from you again.
I see it a lot with the big catalog type of companies but most small businesses don't think to use this in their own marketing. Think about the last time you bought something from Amazon or a catalog company. Usually when you get your package in the mail you also get a few inserts or flyers talking about other products that you might be interested in. This is an upsell. They might even promote it at a special discounted price on the insert.
Any business can do this. Are you a service business that provides the clients with their invoice after they job it done? You could give the client an additional insert on a discount on their next job or a special price on another service you offer.
Do you mail customers invoices? You could also do an insert here. If you've looked at your cell phone invoice at all lately they usually stick a couple inserts in with the bill promoting their new phones and service plans.
Let's say you're a printer. You could insert a flyer in your invoices that reminds customers to check their business card stack and order new cards before they run out. Or you could promote a new product you just added to your line.
When designing your inserts, you also want to be creative. Here's a few things to think about before you start.
1. Focus on only one product.
Don't try to fit everything you do on one insert. Keep it simple and focuses on just one service or product.
2. Make it stand out.
Use bright colors and large bold fonts. You want this to catch their attention as soon as they open the package. It doesn't do any good if they don't even look at it.
3. Make sure it's on the top of your package.
Don't let your insert get buried in the bottom of the package. You want them to see the insert BEFORE they see the product they ordered. You want them to open and read it first.
4. What product or service compliments what they ordered?
Depending on the volume and type of business you do, it's best to find complimentary products that might go with the products they ordered. If someone ordered a table, they usually want matching chairs, right? Depending on your product line, they might not even have noticed that this second product would go great with what they ordered. You want to offer it to them as soon as possible so they can complete the collection.
Remember that your existing clients at always ten times more likely to buy from you again than a new client. Don't pass up the opportunity to sell them more of your services and products at every opportunity. If you provide great service, most will be likely to buy additional products from you. Especially right after the first sale. Too many small businesses focus on the new clients and not enough on selling more to existing clients. This is a simple and cost effective way to increase sales with very little work on your part and is a great addition to your small business marketing plan.
I see it a lot with the big catalog type of companies but most small businesses don't think to use this in their own marketing. Think about the last time you bought something from Amazon or a catalog company. Usually when you get your package in the mail you also get a few inserts or flyers talking about other products that you might be interested in. This is an upsell. They might even promote it at a special discounted price on the insert.
Any business can do this. Are you a service business that provides the clients with their invoice after they job it done? You could give the client an additional insert on a discount on their next job or a special price on another service you offer.
Do you mail customers invoices? You could also do an insert here. If you've looked at your cell phone invoice at all lately they usually stick a couple inserts in with the bill promoting their new phones and service plans.
Let's say you're a printer. You could insert a flyer in your invoices that reminds customers to check their business card stack and order new cards before they run out. Or you could promote a new product you just added to your line.
When designing your inserts, you also want to be creative. Here's a few things to think about before you start.
1. Focus on only one product.
Don't try to fit everything you do on one insert. Keep it simple and focuses on just one service or product.
2. Make it stand out.
Use bright colors and large bold fonts. You want this to catch their attention as soon as they open the package. It doesn't do any good if they don't even look at it.
3. Make sure it's on the top of your package.
Don't let your insert get buried in the bottom of the package. You want them to see the insert BEFORE they see the product they ordered. You want them to open and read it first.
4. What product or service compliments what they ordered?
Depending on the volume and type of business you do, it's best to find complimentary products that might go with the products they ordered. If someone ordered a table, they usually want matching chairs, right? Depending on your product line, they might not even have noticed that this second product would go great with what they ordered. You want to offer it to them as soon as possible so they can complete the collection.
Remember that your existing clients at always ten times more likely to buy from you again than a new client. Don't pass up the opportunity to sell them more of your services and products at every opportunity. If you provide great service, most will be likely to buy additional products from you. Especially right after the first sale. Too many small businesses focus on the new clients and not enough on selling more to existing clients. This is a simple and cost effective way to increase sales with very little work on your part and is a great addition to your small business marketing plan.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Using The Right Trade Shows In Your Marketing Mix
Using trade shows as part of your marketing mix can be a great way to get in front of a massive number of your ideal prospects in a short amount of time and for a small amount of money if done correctly. If you are planning on using trade show marketing as a piece of your marketing mix, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning your event in order make it as successful as possible.
First off, you need to find out who the audience of the trade show really is. Is it for consumers and the general public or is it actually geared to other businesses like yours?
I see a lot of businesses spending huge amounts of money on trade shows that only cater to other businesses in the same industry. Let's ask a simple question. Are the other businesses in your industry, maybe even your competition, your ideal customer? Though they may be good partners for cross promotion and that's great, they aren't your ideal customer.
If you are in a consumer market and the majority of your business comes from home owners then an Industry trade show that doesn't market to home owners as attendees of the trade show, isn't going to do much to bring you in business. I see a lot of trade shows that cater to others in the industry. If that's not your target market, then it's going to be a waste of time. You want to find trade shows that market to bringing in those home owners that ARE your target market.
Spend a little to make sure your booth looks professional and stands out from the crowd. The great thing about trade show booth presentations is that if you do it right, it can be a one time investment. You might spend a couple hundred dollars to get a great display board and banner to hang on the front of your table but keep in mind to design it so it won't need to change for years. Don't put pricing on your display boards. Be sure that everything you use is evergreen. I've designed presentation displays that I've used for 5 years and never needed to change.
Use bold colors and styles that make you stand out. Many trade show booths are all going to look the same. You can easily stand out from the crowd with the right use of colors and design on your display boards and banners.
Be sure to include plenty of take away materials. You need to have postcards and/or brochures or flyers that people can take with them when they visit your booth. Again, make them stand out. You want people to remember you after they leave. If they have an interest in your products or services, you want to make sure that your materials don't get lost in a back of stuff they picked up from 200 other booths at the event. Use the same bold colors and design that you used for your display board. This helps build your branding and makes everything match.
Trade show marketing can be a great marketing idea for your business as long as you plan ahead. Make sure that the show is geared to your target market and that you are prepared to stand out and make a great impression for the attendees of the trade show and the trade show can pay for itself many times over.
First off, you need to find out who the audience of the trade show really is. Is it for consumers and the general public or is it actually geared to other businesses like yours?
I see a lot of businesses spending huge amounts of money on trade shows that only cater to other businesses in the same industry. Let's ask a simple question. Are the other businesses in your industry, maybe even your competition, your ideal customer? Though they may be good partners for cross promotion and that's great, they aren't your ideal customer.
If you are in a consumer market and the majority of your business comes from home owners then an Industry trade show that doesn't market to home owners as attendees of the trade show, isn't going to do much to bring you in business. I see a lot of trade shows that cater to others in the industry. If that's not your target market, then it's going to be a waste of time. You want to find trade shows that market to bringing in those home owners that ARE your target market.
Spend a little to make sure your booth looks professional and stands out from the crowd. The great thing about trade show booth presentations is that if you do it right, it can be a one time investment. You might spend a couple hundred dollars to get a great display board and banner to hang on the front of your table but keep in mind to design it so it won't need to change for years. Don't put pricing on your display boards. Be sure that everything you use is evergreen. I've designed presentation displays that I've used for 5 years and never needed to change.
Use bold colors and styles that make you stand out. Many trade show booths are all going to look the same. You can easily stand out from the crowd with the right use of colors and design on your display boards and banners.
Be sure to include plenty of take away materials. You need to have postcards and/or brochures or flyers that people can take with them when they visit your booth. Again, make them stand out. You want people to remember you after they leave. If they have an interest in your products or services, you want to make sure that your materials don't get lost in a back of stuff they picked up from 200 other booths at the event. Use the same bold colors and design that you used for your display board. This helps build your branding and makes everything match.
Trade show marketing can be a great marketing idea for your business as long as you plan ahead. Make sure that the show is geared to your target market and that you are prepared to stand out and make a great impression for the attendees of the trade show and the trade show can pay for itself many times over.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
7 Tips To Using Flyers As One Of Your Small Business Marketing Ideas
It doesn't matter if you are a service business like a landscaper or a retail shop selling Pastries and coffee, flyers are one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to get your name out there and market your business. When done right, using flyers can be an easy way to get new customers in the door.
Here are 7 tips to making the most of using flyers as one of your small business marketing ideas.
1. Keep it simple and not cluttered
Many people try to get every product or service that they do on one 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper when they design their flyers. Most of the time, you just can not fit that much on the page and it makes everything look too generic and cluttered. Try to focus on just a couple of your main services and be more detailed about those services.
2. Use customer testimonials on your flyers
This adds credibility to your company and your services or products. You should include testimonials in each of your marketing ideas. Not just flyers. Anywhere you can, include customer testimonials and be sure to include their full name and a photo if at all possible.
3. Don't go crazy with the design
To many colors and fonts can confuse people and they won't be able to focus on what you actually are offering them. Keep it simple and use only 1-2 fonts.
4. Use Full Color if at all possible
Full color flyers stand out from the others. Look at a black and white copy and a color copy together and the color one will stand out and catch your eye much easier. They look much more professional.
If color isn't in your budget, then use a bold color paper with black copy. Bright yellow or pink tend to stand out more than any other color. The goal is to get your flyer to stand out.
5. Don't run cheap photo copies
You should always run copies off the original or use a service that is printing them from your files instead of running photo copies. Photo copies tend to look cheap and your flyer won't look crisp and professional. This will really make an impact for your first impression on potential clients.
6. Be sure to include a coupon or discount
People always love a discount. You'll get much better results just because of the coupon than anything else. Make sure it is a good discount that will impress them. If you do a good job with your first job for them, you'll more than make up for it on future jobs.
Include a photo of the product you are offering a discount on. If it's a service business like a plumber, you could show a photo of you fixing someones water heater. Showing the product or service will increase the number of people that will redeem your coupons.
7. Make it easy for them to find you
I can't count the number of times I've seen flyers that were perfectly designed and had a great compelling message but... I couldn't figure out where they were. They forgot the add their address. Or, they only included a phone number though they were a retail shop I just wanted to drop in.
Make it as easy as possible for them to contact you. Tell them what to do.
Come in today to 123 Somewhere Street on the corner of Somewhere Street and 1st Ave
Include a map if you can. Make it as easy as possible. If you want them to order online, include your website. Make it big and bold. Your call to action items should always be much bigger than the rest of the text on any flyer.
Keeping these 7 tips in mind when you create your next flyer, you'll be sure to get the most out of your time and effort on any flyer you distribute.
Here are 7 tips to making the most of using flyers as one of your small business marketing ideas.
1. Keep it simple and not cluttered
Many people try to get every product or service that they do on one 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper when they design their flyers. Most of the time, you just can not fit that much on the page and it makes everything look too generic and cluttered. Try to focus on just a couple of your main services and be more detailed about those services.
2. Use customer testimonials on your flyers
This adds credibility to your company and your services or products. You should include testimonials in each of your marketing ideas. Not just flyers. Anywhere you can, include customer testimonials and be sure to include their full name and a photo if at all possible.
3. Don't go crazy with the design
To many colors and fonts can confuse people and they won't be able to focus on what you actually are offering them. Keep it simple and use only 1-2 fonts.
4. Use Full Color if at all possible
Full color flyers stand out from the others. Look at a black and white copy and a color copy together and the color one will stand out and catch your eye much easier. They look much more professional.
If color isn't in your budget, then use a bold color paper with black copy. Bright yellow or pink tend to stand out more than any other color. The goal is to get your flyer to stand out.
5. Don't run cheap photo copies
You should always run copies off the original or use a service that is printing them from your files instead of running photo copies. Photo copies tend to look cheap and your flyer won't look crisp and professional. This will really make an impact for your first impression on potential clients.
6. Be sure to include a coupon or discount
People always love a discount. You'll get much better results just because of the coupon than anything else. Make sure it is a good discount that will impress them. If you do a good job with your first job for them, you'll more than make up for it on future jobs.
Include a photo of the product you are offering a discount on. If it's a service business like a plumber, you could show a photo of you fixing someones water heater. Showing the product or service will increase the number of people that will redeem your coupons.
7. Make it easy for them to find you
I can't count the number of times I've seen flyers that were perfectly designed and had a great compelling message but... I couldn't figure out where they were. They forgot the add their address. Or, they only included a phone number though they were a retail shop I just wanted to drop in.
Make it as easy as possible for them to contact you. Tell them what to do.
Come in today to 123 Somewhere Street on the corner of Somewhere Street and 1st Ave
Include a map if you can. Make it as easy as possible. If you want them to order online, include your website. Make it big and bold. Your call to action items should always be much bigger than the rest of the text on any flyer.
Keeping these 7 tips in mind when you create your next flyer, you'll be sure to get the most out of your time and effort on any flyer you distribute.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Marketing Strategy - Making Your Testimonials As Effective as Possible In Your Marketing Pieces
Testimonials are a a must in marketing or advertising you do. They are one of the best ways to put your prospects at ease to the credibility our company has and will boost the effectiveness of any marketing idea you use. You do need to keep a few things in mind to make your testimonials more believable and have a greater impact on your audience.
1.Use testimonials that are descriptive and and not just basic fluff
Which is more impressive to you?
“I just love the service that XYZ company gave me!”
or...
“My new widow coverings where just what I wanted. Company XYZ came out and asked just the right questions to make sure that they gave me exactly what I wanted. They even suggested a few things I had not thought of to make sure I made the right choice. They came back to install the new coverings and were fast, made sure that I was happy with how they looked and even had a checklist so I made sure that everything was done correctly the first time. They also made sure that everything was put back just like it was before they were there. The only reason you'd know they came to install everything is because of how much more beautiful my living room looks. Thank you so much for such a painless process!”
The second testimonial is much more descriptive and really shows the emotion that the customer had. You can almost see the smile on their face as you read it. This is what you want from your customers. This is what will really impress new prospects and gain their trust to do business with you.
2.Don't use generic names
I can't count the number of times I've seen a testimonial from “John D” in someone's advertising or on their website. Well... Who's “John D”? How do I know that this person actually exists? Don't try to hide your customers from new customers. If they are happy with your products and services, they won't mind if you use their real name. This isn't Witness Protection here. This is proof that you have excited, happy customers that are happy to rave about your wonderful service! Use their full name. Even show what city they are in. People aren't going to stalk them because of a testimonial they did for you. Using a real name makes your testimonial more believable People aren't going to trust a quote form someone that doesn't look real!
3.Use a photo if possible
The testimonial sample we did above is great. It's detailed, happy and shows the emotion and positive image the customer has towards the company. But... a picture is worth a thousand words. Right?! So take a picture of the customer with their new product and a great big smiling face. Not only do you have a great testimonial with a real name but now the prospect has a face to put with the name. Now... This is a REAL person. Just adding a photo of the customer next to the testimonial will increase the trust and believability ten fold!
See, by adding just a few little things in ind you can use your customer testimonials as a great tool in all your marketing and advertising plans. It doesn't take much but just by making a few small changes you can make a huge impact towards the effectiveness of any marketing you do.
1.Use testimonials that are descriptive and and not just basic fluff
Which is more impressive to you?
“I just love the service that XYZ company gave me!”
or...
“My new widow coverings where just what I wanted. Company XYZ came out and asked just the right questions to make sure that they gave me exactly what I wanted. They even suggested a few things I had not thought of to make sure I made the right choice. They came back to install the new coverings and were fast, made sure that I was happy with how they looked and even had a checklist so I made sure that everything was done correctly the first time. They also made sure that everything was put back just like it was before they were there. The only reason you'd know they came to install everything is because of how much more beautiful my living room looks. Thank you so much for such a painless process!”
The second testimonial is much more descriptive and really shows the emotion that the customer had. You can almost see the smile on their face as you read it. This is what you want from your customers. This is what will really impress new prospects and gain their trust to do business with you.
2.Don't use generic names
I can't count the number of times I've seen a testimonial from “John D” in someone's advertising or on their website. Well... Who's “John D”? How do I know that this person actually exists? Don't try to hide your customers from new customers. If they are happy with your products and services, they won't mind if you use their real name. This isn't Witness Protection here. This is proof that you have excited, happy customers that are happy to rave about your wonderful service! Use their full name. Even show what city they are in. People aren't going to stalk them because of a testimonial they did for you. Using a real name makes your testimonial more believable People aren't going to trust a quote form someone that doesn't look real!
3.Use a photo if possible
The testimonial sample we did above is great. It's detailed, happy and shows the emotion and positive image the customer has towards the company. But... a picture is worth a thousand words. Right?! So take a picture of the customer with their new product and a great big smiling face. Not only do you have a great testimonial with a real name but now the prospect has a face to put with the name. Now... This is a REAL person. Just adding a photo of the customer next to the testimonial will increase the trust and believability ten fold!
See, by adding just a few little things in ind you can use your customer testimonials as a great tool in all your marketing and advertising plans. It doesn't take much but just by making a few small changes you can make a huge impact towards the effectiveness of any marketing you do.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Marketing Idea - Making The Most Of Yellow Page Advertising
Now I'm going to start by admitting that I'm not a big fan of Yellow Page advertising. I think its too pricey for many businesses just starting out and with the popularity of online directories, it's not the most effective use of the marketing budget for many businesses. But.. I do know many people do still use the yellow pages and if you plan on marketing your small business via yellow pages, then you want to ensure that your advertisement is as effective as possible.
Most yellow page ads that I see look the same and say the same thing. So how does the user pick the best choice? Usually it's because of the bigger ad or the first one on the list.
With just a few changes to your yellow page ad, you can easily out pull all the other ads on the page. Why, because you're ad won't look just like all the others listed on the page.
1.Your company name isn't a headline!
You need to use an eye catching headline, not your company name or logo at the top of the ad. Everyone else is using their logo or company name as the first thing in their ads. No one cares what the company name is. They want you to solve their problem. Start by asking a question in your headline.
“Did you know that termites can cost valley home owners $1000s every year?”
If I'm looking for a pest control company to get rid of termites, you've got my attention right away.
2.What makes you different? What extra's to your customers get that most companies don't offer? What's your guarantee? State it clearly and bold. Stand out form the rest of the ads on the page.
3.Offer a free report or consumer awareness guide. Educate them on what to look out for in scams in your industry and why they should use you instead of some Fly-By-Night that is using inferior product that will ultimately cost the customer more money in the long run. Be creative, and specific.
4.Include a CLEAR Call To Action
Send them to your website to claim their free report. Make your phone number big and bold. How ever you want them to contact you, make it clear and TELL them what to do. “Pick up the phone right and call right now for your free estimate” or “Visit our website to claim your free consumer awareness guide”. Be specific.
Just making these small changes to your yellow page ads, you can turn your “less than effective advertising expense” in to a lead source that pays for itself month after month and leaves your competition confused as to why their larger ad isn't getting all the calls they used to.
I would like to invite you to claim your FREE Quickstart Guide “Step By Step: Writing Ads That Actually Work!” when you subcribe to learn more about the book Maximum Profits Marketing. Stop struggling to figure out what works and what doesn’t in marketing with this recipe book of marketing ideas. You can claim your free Quickstart Guide at http://www.MaximumProfitsBook.com
Most yellow page ads that I see look the same and say the same thing. So how does the user pick the best choice? Usually it's because of the bigger ad or the first one on the list.
With just a few changes to your yellow page ad, you can easily out pull all the other ads on the page. Why, because you're ad won't look just like all the others listed on the page.
1.Your company name isn't a headline!
You need to use an eye catching headline, not your company name or logo at the top of the ad. Everyone else is using their logo or company name as the first thing in their ads. No one cares what the company name is. They want you to solve their problem. Start by asking a question in your headline.
“Did you know that termites can cost valley home owners $1000s every year?”
If I'm looking for a pest control company to get rid of termites, you've got my attention right away.
2.What makes you different? What extra's to your customers get that most companies don't offer? What's your guarantee? State it clearly and bold. Stand out form the rest of the ads on the page.
3.Offer a free report or consumer awareness guide. Educate them on what to look out for in scams in your industry and why they should use you instead of some Fly-By-Night that is using inferior product that will ultimately cost the customer more money in the long run. Be creative, and specific.
4.Include a CLEAR Call To Action
Send them to your website to claim their free report. Make your phone number big and bold. How ever you want them to contact you, make it clear and TELL them what to do. “Pick up the phone right and call right now for your free estimate” or “Visit our website to claim your free consumer awareness guide”. Be specific.
Just making these small changes to your yellow page ads, you can turn your “less than effective advertising expense” in to a lead source that pays for itself month after month and leaves your competition confused as to why their larger ad isn't getting all the calls they used to.
I would like to invite you to claim your FREE Quickstart Guide “Step By Step: Writing Ads That Actually Work!” when you subcribe to learn more about the book Maximum Profits Marketing. Stop struggling to figure out what works and what doesn’t in marketing with this recipe book of marketing ideas. You can claim your free Quickstart Guide at http://www.MaximumProfitsBook.com
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Small Business Marketing – Nothing Beats Direct Mail For Results
Direct mail is one of the staples that should be in any small businesses marketing mix. IT is one of the most effective and easiest ways to promote your products or services to your local area quickly and actually see results in a short amount if time.
Most small businesses think of sending a huge mailing when sending direct mail to new prospects and get overwhelmed with the thought and costs involved. Though this is the way that the big boys do it, it isn't the way that a small business needs to market. As a small business owner, you can start with a small list and mail to 10 – 100 prospects a week instead of having to mail to 10,000 all at once. Keep it small if your budget is limited.
There are two main important things to keep in mind with any marketing mailing that will increase the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.
First, mail to a targeted list.
You need to make sure that your list is mailed to people that would be interested in your service. It doesn't do any good to mail to a thousand people when only ten percent of the people would ever be interested in your product. Try to get your lists as targeted as possible.
Next, be consistent.
One mailer isn't likely to get their attention right away. Remember that it takes six to ten times before a prospect actually pays attention to your message and knows who you are.
The first mailing will get the potential customers that need your product right now. But, not everyone will need your product the day that they see your mailer. That's why repetition is important. I've sent postcard campaigns and seen 2-3 times the response on the second or third mailing than the first. Why? Because the first time they didn't need what we offered. The second time, they had been thinking about it and remembered the first mailer we sent them. By the third time, we are now in their mind and they are ready to move forward.
I've also done four letter campaigns to very small lists get 1-2 calls from the first mailing but on the fourth mailer we'd get eight or nine calls. All from the same small list of about 25 people. As long as your list if very targeted, you can easily get higher results form more mailings. Even if your list is small.
So, remember, don't think that you have to have a large list in order to have a successful direct mail campaign in your marketing mix. You can start small and increase the size as your budget allows.
Most small businesses think of sending a huge mailing when sending direct mail to new prospects and get overwhelmed with the thought and costs involved. Though this is the way that the big boys do it, it isn't the way that a small business needs to market. As a small business owner, you can start with a small list and mail to 10 – 100 prospects a week instead of having to mail to 10,000 all at once. Keep it small if your budget is limited.
There are two main important things to keep in mind with any marketing mailing that will increase the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.
First, mail to a targeted list.
You need to make sure that your list is mailed to people that would be interested in your service. It doesn't do any good to mail to a thousand people when only ten percent of the people would ever be interested in your product. Try to get your lists as targeted as possible.
Next, be consistent.
One mailer isn't likely to get their attention right away. Remember that it takes six to ten times before a prospect actually pays attention to your message and knows who you are.
The first mailing will get the potential customers that need your product right now. But, not everyone will need your product the day that they see your mailer. That's why repetition is important. I've sent postcard campaigns and seen 2-3 times the response on the second or third mailing than the first. Why? Because the first time they didn't need what we offered. The second time, they had been thinking about it and remembered the first mailer we sent them. By the third time, we are now in their mind and they are ready to move forward.
I've also done four letter campaigns to very small lists get 1-2 calls from the first mailing but on the fourth mailer we'd get eight or nine calls. All from the same small list of about 25 people. As long as your list if very targeted, you can easily get higher results form more mailings. Even if your list is small.
So, remember, don't think that you have to have a large list in order to have a successful direct mail campaign in your marketing mix. You can start small and increase the size as your budget allows.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Marketing Tips - Are You Using The “You” Test In Your Marketing?
Any time you are working on an advertisement or marketing idea, there is one simple thing you can do to increase the effectiveness of any marketing you do. Brochures, classified ads, flyers, email marketing, and even your website, it doesn't matter. This test will increase response to any advertisement you are doing.
Most businesses promote what their product does and how great it is. If they are a service, sometimes it's even worse and all they talk about it themselves. Let's be honest here... Your clients don't care about you. They only care about what your product or service can do for them.
I'm sure you've heard this before, but let's ask the question that your prospect is going to ask when they see your ad or go to your website.
“What's in it for me?”
This IS the ultimate question in the mind of your prospect and you need to keep this in mind when you are writing any marketing material. They don't care that it's a family owned business over three generations. They don't care about the awards you've won. They want to know how this benefits them. It goes back to benefits versus features.
So, what is the “You” Test?
As you are writing the copy text for your next marketing piece, glance through it and count up the number of times you see the words “we”, “I”, “us” or “our”. Add them up and see what you get.
Next, glance through the ad one more time. This time, count up the number of times you see the words “you” or “your” and ad those up.
Let's compare the two numbers. If you have more of the “us” words than “you” words, it's time for a re-write. You aren't talking to the reader. You are bragging about yourself.
You need to be talking to the reader. Talk to them like you were right there in front of them and explain the benefits of why your product is the best choice for them.
What do they get out of it that your competition doesn't give them?
Why is this important?
Will it save them money?
Will it save them time?
Will it take risk away?
Will it make them healthier so they can spend more time with their family?
Do you get the point?
Taking a few minutes to run through each marketing piece that you have with this simple test and making changes so you are talking to the reader will almost always increase response to any advertising or marketing materials you have.
Most businesses promote what their product does and how great it is. If they are a service, sometimes it's even worse and all they talk about it themselves. Let's be honest here... Your clients don't care about you. They only care about what your product or service can do for them.
I'm sure you've heard this before, but let's ask the question that your prospect is going to ask when they see your ad or go to your website.
“What's in it for me?”
This IS the ultimate question in the mind of your prospect and you need to keep this in mind when you are writing any marketing material. They don't care that it's a family owned business over three generations. They don't care about the awards you've won. They want to know how this benefits them. It goes back to benefits versus features.
So, what is the “You” Test?
As you are writing the copy text for your next marketing piece, glance through it and count up the number of times you see the words “we”, “I”, “us” or “our”. Add them up and see what you get.
Next, glance through the ad one more time. This time, count up the number of times you see the words “you” or “your” and ad those up.
Let's compare the two numbers. If you have more of the “us” words than “you” words, it's time for a re-write. You aren't talking to the reader. You are bragging about yourself.
You need to be talking to the reader. Talk to them like you were right there in front of them and explain the benefits of why your product is the best choice for them.
What do they get out of it that your competition doesn't give them?
Why is this important?
Will it save them money?
Will it save them time?
Will it take risk away?
Will it make them healthier so they can spend more time with their family?
Do you get the point?
Taking a few minutes to run through each marketing piece that you have with this simple test and making changes so you are talking to the reader will almost always increase response to any advertising or marketing materials you have.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Maximum Profits Marketing - Adding Classified Ads To Your Marketing Mix Arsenal
One very simple yet overlooked tool many businesses overlook is the classified ad. This simple and inexpensive little marketing tool is a great piece to test and add to your company's marketing plan.
We're not just talking about basic printed ads though. It's more than that.
The best way to use classified ads is to offer a Free Report, How To Guide or Consumer Awareness Guide as the primary promotion in the ad. Don't just advertise your business like everyone else does. Then, well... You'll just look like everyone else and you won't get much of a response.
You need to make your ad stand out and give them something that will catch their attention.
Let's say you are skimming through the newspaper and you happen to need a handyman to fix up a few things around your house. You see two classifieds about handyman services but the first is pretty basic. It says what they do, their price and a phone number.
Ok, so you'll keep that information because you do need to call someone soon. But...
The second ad reads “Don't risk your home to any handyman service until you've read this FREE report on “7 Things you should know BEFORE hiring any handyman service!” with a website to download the free report.
Don't you think that it might be important to know what those 7 things are before you call the other guy? It won't hurt anything and you might save yourself money or remove the risk if the other guy doesn't make the cut after reading the free report.
Now, if you are offering that report, you have the advantage over the other guy. You now control the information in the prospects mind BEFORE they even talk to anyone else. And overall, by the time they've read your report, they'll be more likely to call you even if your price is a little higher because you educated them and saved them from making a mistake and hiring the guy that isn't as good or honest with their customers.
See how powerful this can be? Classified ads are simple and easy little ads that are inexpensive to run and can create a great way to build a list of prospects. Be sure to check with some of the smaller local publications. You'll be surprised how inexpensive this can be to test a 3 day or 5 day classified ad.
Now... don't just think of classified ads at the ads you see in small local newspapers. Did you know that Craigslist is also a classified ads system? You can post your same printed ad online on sites like Craiglist and other online classified ad systems. Some for very cheap and many for free. Just search Google for classified ads and you'll come up with a few ideas. See if you can find directories that are local to your area in order to keep your listings to your local area.
We're not just talking about basic printed ads though. It's more than that.
The best way to use classified ads is to offer a Free Report, How To Guide or Consumer Awareness Guide as the primary promotion in the ad. Don't just advertise your business like everyone else does. Then, well... You'll just look like everyone else and you won't get much of a response.
You need to make your ad stand out and give them something that will catch their attention.
Let's say you are skimming through the newspaper and you happen to need a handyman to fix up a few things around your house. You see two classifieds about handyman services but the first is pretty basic. It says what they do, their price and a phone number.
Ok, so you'll keep that information because you do need to call someone soon. But...
The second ad reads “Don't risk your home to any handyman service until you've read this FREE report on “7 Things you should know BEFORE hiring any handyman service!” with a website to download the free report.
Don't you think that it might be important to know what those 7 things are before you call the other guy? It won't hurt anything and you might save yourself money or remove the risk if the other guy doesn't make the cut after reading the free report.
Now, if you are offering that report, you have the advantage over the other guy. You now control the information in the prospects mind BEFORE they even talk to anyone else. And overall, by the time they've read your report, they'll be more likely to call you even if your price is a little higher because you educated them and saved them from making a mistake and hiring the guy that isn't as good or honest with their customers.
See how powerful this can be? Classified ads are simple and easy little ads that are inexpensive to run and can create a great way to build a list of prospects. Be sure to check with some of the smaller local publications. You'll be surprised how inexpensive this can be to test a 3 day or 5 day classified ad.
Now... don't just think of classified ads at the ads you see in small local newspapers. Did you know that Craigslist is also a classified ads system? You can post your same printed ad online on sites like Craiglist and other online classified ad systems. Some for very cheap and many for free. Just search Google for classified ads and you'll come up with a few ideas. See if you can find directories that are local to your area in order to keep your listings to your local area.
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