April 26, 2005
Be Patient? Nah, Let's Kill Something.
There's the old joke about the two buzzards sitting in a tree overlooking a highway. One responds to the other, "Be patient? I'm hungry. Let's kill something." Just like that buzzard, it is not in the nature of most marketers to be patient for business to grow. They want to go out and "kill something," too.
The trouble is that most marketers go after new business the wrong way. They want to "take down" the new piece of business using all the tools of the trade from advertising and direct mail to cold calling and event marketing. This is an expensive way to drum up business. Your existing clients are just waiting to tell you about people they know who could use your services, and then help sell you in to these people they refer. Not only is this more cost effective, it practically guarantees the prospects will share the same characteristics of your best customers.
"OK, Harry," you're asking, "but how do I do it?"
The first rule of getting referrals: ask. When should you ask? Let's review.
- After your customer has purchased something from you is a great time to ask. The new customer is pumped up about your offering and you can harness that energy by asking for names of others who could beneft from doing business with you.
Continue reading "Be Patient? Nah, Let's Kill Something."Partnership Between a Business' PR Counsel
Of the multi channels of product and service marketing, public relations seems to be the one most often misunderstood to the degree that it's sometimes viewed as an amorphous promotional device, a little like ectoplasm that occasionally takes solid shape as media stories.Some corporate marketers see it as the stepchild of advertising, and still others find it so mysterious, that they adopt a laissez-faire policy with their PR people until it's time for them to account for how they spent the PR budget.This is fine if the company and its PR people could read each other's minds, and since that's not possible, the next best thing is verbal communications.The corporate marketer must communicate goals and objectives, and the PR representative must advise client or employer of how it intends to fulfill those goals and quantify results.Information sharing is at the core of a successful PR program.This means that the company must provide the tools for PR, i! ncluding feedback and a budget commensurate with the level of PR activity.It must dedicate time for brainstorming story angles, and above all, approve content in a timely manner:
Explain your goals and objectives thoroughly to your PR representative.He or she should prepare an annual plan that meets each goal with strategies and tactics for achieving it.Included in the plan should be clear methods for measuring the outcome.One way to measure publicity is to arm your PR counsel with a dedicated 800 telephone number or code they can use in their press releases.This way, callers who read a published article can refer to the code, and you can trace back the call to publicity
Continue reading "Partnership Between a Business' PR Counsel"An "Ideal Selling Situation"
The largest sale that I ever closed was negotiated over hot dogs and a soft drink at a refreshment stand, just off the exhibit floor, at a Superintendent of School Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I met an educator who was interested in the summer study abroad programs that I was selling at the show. He saw my nametag for the Foreign Study League and wanted to learn more about my products. His school district filled two and a half jet airplanes with over 400 students (at more than $1,000 each) who enrolled in my firm's summer study programs in Europe. Exhibiting and selling at tradeshows, if handled properly, is the most cost-effective selling tool in which a business or professional organization can invest.
By attracting prospects, clients or customers to a single location, a tradeshow exhibit is an "ideal selling situation," because you can sell at your booth, meet prospects at vendor sponsored cocktail parties or even promote your products or services during the down times when the show attendees are supposed to be in meetings--like the school superintendent that cut a convention session to learn more about my high school summer study abroad programs. In a day or two at a tradeshow, you can meet more decision-makers than you can contact over many weeks of cold calling and/or in-person meetings. And, participants who visit your exhibit are for the most part pre-qualified, with an interest in or a need for what you are selling, giving you access to decision-makers in a non-threatening and fun environment.
Continue reading "An "Ideal Selling Situation""April 25, 2005
Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?
How does a marketing plan relate to an organization's communications plan? What are the differences? Is the marketing plan just one aspect of the communications plan? Should one consider combining them into a single document?
A communications plan is a PART of your marketing plan. A communications plan is a focused strategy you use to get the word out about your business, product or service.
You may use a variety of communications tactics such as public relations, advertising and speaking engagements. Yes, it does identify who you are communicating to and what your message is, and where and how you will get that message out, and often has goals or objectives you are trying to achieve.
Here's the difference between the two
A marketing plan starts by creating a strong, strategic marketing foundation for your communications plan. It addresses the goals and objectives for your business, not just for your communications activities.
It addresses how you package, price and sell your product or service, not just how you talk about it. It takes into consideration your competitors and helps you develop a unique selling proposition to ensure your product or service is uniquely positioned in the minds of your prospects and customers.
And it ensures you have a way to track all of your marketing activities to create the greatest possible success for your business.
You need a marketing plan FIRST
Continue reading "Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?"April 19, 2005
Understanding The Basics Of Advertising
I get the L.A. Times delivered to my door every day, but I don't read it for the articles. It is a Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper, but the articles just don't interest me. Unlike most people, I read the paper for the advertisements because there is a lot to learn from them.
Over 90% of the ads run in the Los Angeles Times are horrible! Most of the ads I see are either ego-driven, have no headline, have no call to action, don't appeal to what the buyer is truly looking for or needs help with, or they're trying to be clever for clever-sake, and fail miserably.
When writing copy, I live by this premise:
"The purpose of advertising is to sell something."
Advertising is like an investment that you hope to get a great return on. However, most people treat it like they're playing Roulette in Vegas and bet all their money "on black."
Continue reading "Understanding The Basics Of Advertising"April 18, 2005
Quick and Instant Marketing Soup
Everything happens Quickly and Instantly on the Internet. In the blink of an eye your easily transported around a whole planet. It's a smorgasbord !! The web site you just visited could be in Singapore, the e-mail your reading now could have come from Alaska. The Internet is just one big Soup Bowl of Information just waiting for you to come and gobble it up.
We live in a world of "Everything Quick". Quick Food, Quick Money, Quick credit, Quick Advertising, Quicker Cars and the faster we get Quicker, the better!!
Not only is it possible, but it's not that complicated to achieve. Most experts agree that advertising in ezines is THE quickest way to effectively generate more traffic to your website and increase your sales.
Ezine Classified Advertising is incredibly popular which means most ezines are being filled with classified ads. Some people use their lunch time to glance over their e-mails while chowing down. The average ezine reader sees hundreds of headlines and classifieds every day, taking a quick peek to if it might be worthwhile. So, How does your Classified Ad Look ?!
Continue reading "Quick and Instant Marketing Soup"April5, 2005
Marketing Got You Stumped?
It's not unusual for entrepreneurs to find the whole idea of marketing intimidating. Even seasoned business owners often feel their marketing efforts aren't working.
Don't let marketing intimidate you. At its core, it's really not much more than common sense - the key elements that form your plan. Add some creativity. This is what you'll use to implement your plan and make it work. That's the basis of marketing. Pretty simple once you break it down.
Let's do a quick overview. There are a few key questions you need to answer upfront.
1. Is there a market for your product/service?
If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board. Start over. Because no matter how great you think your product is, if no one needs it/wants it/ buys it, you don't have a business.
2. Can you make a profit?
Have you done the number crunching to ensure profitability? If not, go back and work your numbers. Figure out what you need to charge to make your profit on each item or service you sell. See what the competition is charging. Be in line but don't necessarily be the cheapest. Your products may command higher fees (better ingredients, exciting packaging, snob appeal). Or you may choose to be the low price leader - but you'll need more volume than you would at the high end. In any event, do your homework.
Continue reading "Marketing Got You Stumped?"April4, 2005
7 Super Ways To Drum Up More Sales
1. Use subheads throughout your ad copy.
Subheads are great to use to break up your long ad copy. Your subheads will keep your visitor's interest in your marketing copy and help you to break up your information into short manageable chunks.
Your subheads should act like your headlines. Use your subheads to increase your visitor's interest in what you're talking about, draw your visitor into your ad copy, and to emphasize the benefits of purchasing your product.
2. Use call to actions, such as "click here to order now" throughout your ad copy.
Use your call to actions after your testimonials, after listing benefits your visitors will get from purchasing your product, or along with your subheads.
3. Use bonuses to get more sales.
Add to your bonuses value by offering unique bonuses. For instance you could provide ebooks you've written, a consultation with you or access to your membership site.
Continue reading "7 Super Ways To Drum Up More Sales"