Recently when calling on a client they mentioned how they have started up a program that has been very successful. After listening to the simplicity of the concept it reminded me of advertising 101. How many of us have over the years gotten away from the basics of advertising? Sometimes all the circulation numbers from local magazines, newspapers, etc. can be very appealing and at the same time be less time consuming. The problem is all these venues are currently not as advantageous as simple marketing concepts. I know you are all asking "WELL WHAT WAS IT"! They have gone back to the basics and are offering a discounted services package to different local businesses every week. Every week they set up a promotion with a different business to provide discounted services to their employees and friends and family. Some of you are already saying tried that. My suggestion to you if you have tried it and it wasn't successful, try it again. The Marketing arena is never the same twice, every year different elements provide an all new playing field. I know this type of advertising can be time consuming and sometimes more work then you may want. When the economy is this volatile, innovative marketing whether it be new or old can bring new life to your store. We all understand that the market has changed and sometimes the simplicity of old advertising tactics can change your bottom line substantially.
How many of us have gotten away from demanding that our staff are doing their share to help market the business? What programs do you have in place now that not only demand their participation but rewards it at the same time. Remember when your counter staff did more than just take orders. Training your staff to be your most important marketing strategy is a key in these trying times.
This blog is in place to create a place where business owners can not only review marketing ideas and strategies but also to give feed back and we are always looking for new ideas to feature. A wise man once said in order for you to be successful in life you must help others to become successful around you. Who have you helped or encouraged today?
One other thing, I walked into an office today and in the 15 minutes or so I was there the office manager gave out three atta boys! Because of everything going on, are we remembering to compliment our staff on even simple things? The faces on all three employees as they were praised said it all. Your not in this alone make sure your staff is getting the pat's on the back and the Atta Boys they deserve, especially right now.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Hot Summer Promotions: Ideas and Tips for Sizzling Success
Summer is almost here, and it is time to start offering promotions to ramp up your business during the hottest season of the year. You can use creative summer promotions and promotional products to generate revenue and traffic. Take a look at some of the ways in which your small business can employ summer promotions and promotional products for sizzling success.
The Basics of Summer Promotions
Offering promotions in the summer is easy because people are so active and enthusiastic during these months. There are a few summer promotions that are tried, tested and true. They work for all different types of businesses, no matter what the industry or the size. Here are a few great basic summer promotions that you can try with your small business:
A Sidewalk Sale – This summer promotion works best for in-store sales or clearance events.
Road Trip Promotions – People hit the road in the summer, and you can develop complementary giveaways and promotions with a road trip theme. This summer promotion works online or in-store.
Summer Sports Promotions – Favorite summer sports and activities like volleyball, softball, swimming and camping make great promotional themes. You can develop complementary giveaways and promotions with summer sports/activities themes. This summer promotion works online or in-store.
All of these basic summer promotions are especially effective right at the start of the warmer months.
Summer Promotional Products
If you enjoy distributing promotional products to your customers, then you can tailor those products to correspond with the season. There are a variety of practical summer items that are completely customizable to showcase your small business. Some hot summer promotional products include tote bags, beach towels, water bottles and baseball caps. These items are usable and in high demand during the summer months.
Summer is almost here, and it is time to start offering promotions to ramp up your business during the hottest season of the year. You can use creative summer promotions and promotional products to generate revenue and traffic. Take a look at some of the ways in which your small business can employ summer promotions and promotional products for sizzling success.
The Basics of Summer Promotions
Offering promotions in the summer is easy because people are so active and enthusiastic during these months. There are a few summer promotions that are tried, tested and true. They work for all different types of businesses, no matter what the industry or the size. Here are a few great basic summer promotions that you can try with your small business:
A Sidewalk Sale – This summer promotion works best for in-store sales or clearance events.
Road Trip Promotions – People hit the road in the summer, and you can develop complementary giveaways and promotions with a road trip theme. This summer promotion works online or in-store.
Summer Sports Promotions – Favorite summer sports and activities like volleyball, softball, swimming and camping make great promotional themes. You can develop complementary giveaways and promotions with summer sports/activities themes. This summer promotion works online or in-store.
All of these basic summer promotions are especially effective right at the start of the warmer months.
Summer Promotional Products
If you enjoy distributing promotional products to your customers, then you can tailor those products to correspond with the season. There are a variety of practical summer items that are completely customizable to showcase your small business. Some hot summer promotional products include tote bags, beach towels, water bottles and baseball caps. These items are usable and in high demand during the summer months.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
8 Content Secrets to Maximize Your Response when using Marketing Materials
1. Strong offer: Create a powerful offer and consider using that as your headline. Make sure the offer has an expiration date.
2. Emphasize benefits not features: Think about what your product does for the customer and state that clearly on your postcard.
3. Use postcard mailings as your personalized customer service tool: Send personalized birthday, anniversary reminders, product announcements, and updates with a personal touch.
4. Top of mind: Mail repeatedly throughout the year to stay in front of customers and in their mind.
5. Start a club: Rather then refer to your market as “customers,” refer to them as members of your club and send them exclusive information and offers regularly.
6. Be unique and stand out: Change the sizes and even shapes of your postcards to maximize results.
7. Say what you want them to do: Don’t just announce your sale, ask them to come in and ask for their business.
8. Use timeliness in your mailings: Take advantage of seasonal and regular activities that your customers will be going through to make your mailings relevant and beneficial to them.
If you have any ideas to add to this please post them for others.
Thanks
2. Emphasize benefits not features: Think about what your product does for the customer and state that clearly on your postcard.
3. Use postcard mailings as your personalized customer service tool: Send personalized birthday, anniversary reminders, product announcements, and updates with a personal touch.
4. Top of mind: Mail repeatedly throughout the year to stay in front of customers and in their mind.
5. Start a club: Rather then refer to your market as “customers,” refer to them as members of your club and send them exclusive information and offers regularly.
6. Be unique and stand out: Change the sizes and even shapes of your postcards to maximize results.
7. Say what you want them to do: Don’t just announce your sale, ask them to come in and ask for their business.
8. Use timeliness in your mailings: Take advantage of seasonal and regular activities that your customers will be going through to make your mailings relevant and beneficial to them.
If you have any ideas to add to this please post them for others.
Thanks
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Does it really pay to advertise during a recession?
Does it really pay to advertise during a recession? Historical data says yes, but times and perceptions change, so what do TODAY'S consumers think?
"More than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retailstore, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must bestruggling." Ad-ology Research surveyed consumers in late April 2009 about their perceptions of advertising in this economy. The report, Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy, shows just how crucial advertising is right now for success today and in the future.Regardless of how you spend your ad budget, I hope you are still keeping your name out in your community and letting your past and future customers know that you are still here and plan to be for a long time to come. If you have stopped advertising because you don't know what is working (if anything). Call me. Let's talk-no pressure on direct mail-no pressure on anything, let's just set up some tools on all your marketing to see where your money is being spent wisely, and where it could be reinvested for a bigger impact.
"More than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retailstore, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must bestruggling." Ad-ology Research surveyed consumers in late April 2009 about their perceptions of advertising in this economy. The report, Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy, shows just how crucial advertising is right now for success today and in the future.Regardless of how you spend your ad budget, I hope you are still keeping your name out in your community and letting your past and future customers know that you are still here and plan to be for a long time to come. If you have stopped advertising because you don't know what is working (if anything). Call me. Let's talk-no pressure on direct mail-no pressure on anything, let's just set up some tools on all your marketing to see where your money is being spent wisely, and where it could be reinvested for a bigger impact.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Inexpensive Direct Mail Advertising
Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. People read postcards when the message is brief. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your web site and generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost.
For those of you interested we are offering a Summer Special of 500 14 pt 4 x 6 postcards for only $99 includes shipping
Does not include set up, taxes, mail Svc.
For those of you interested we are offering a Summer Special of 500 14 pt 4 x 6 postcards for only $99 includes shipping
Does not include set up, taxes, mail Svc.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Basics of Direct Mail
Generally, direct mail is considered the most expensive way to reach your potential client. I like to think of it as the most effective, if tailored to your specific services/products.
Many business owners have tried direct mail and have been unhappy with the results. Considering that saturation mail is very expensive. Try a new approach for instance. If you are a small specialty store that designs flies for fly fishing, saturation would not be helpful. That doesn't mean you shouldn't create a promotion and awareness through direct mail. We would recommend you still do direct mail but be specific. There are many listing agencies out there that can find the information you need. The information comes from fishing magazine sales in the area or from attendance of trade show etc. The list may only be 200 people in your area and some of them may already be clients of yours. The cost of the list may be as high as .50 cents a piece don't let this scare you away. This is a direct opportunity to put you in front of your target audience. Why spend hundreds of dollars in mediums that do not target your client. The cost to advertise in specialty magazines can be expensive and again becomes saturation of the whole nation. Your clients are right here in Michigan.
Another scenario for you; you have a high end product/services and you want to reach your target audience. Try using a House Hold Income targeted list this way you can be specific. You know that your clients house hold income is over 100k a year, than that is the only houses we target. This simple list will add pennies to your direct mail piece yet save you hundreds of dollars on advertising that would have been sent to the wrong home.
One thing I hear often is we are happy with our advertising. Anyone who is happy with their advertising obviously needs us more than ever. Your advertising portfolio should be updated and tweaked on a minimum of a quarterly basis. The same old advertising becomes stale and even though your business may be prosperous the need to cut costs and become more target specific is vital. How many times have we all tried a medium that was off the wall and it worked, so you kept on using it but after time it stopped being effective. Change up your mediums continue to surprise and delight your customers.
This blog is an opportunity for our clients and friends in business to learn and discuss the challenges of marketing. If you have any comments or would like to discuss a certain dilemma, post it and we will do everything we as a group can to help you solve it.
Many business owners have tried direct mail and have been unhappy with the results. Considering that saturation mail is very expensive. Try a new approach for instance. If you are a small specialty store that designs flies for fly fishing, saturation would not be helpful. That doesn't mean you shouldn't create a promotion and awareness through direct mail. We would recommend you still do direct mail but be specific. There are many listing agencies out there that can find the information you need. The information comes from fishing magazine sales in the area or from attendance of trade show etc. The list may only be 200 people in your area and some of them may already be clients of yours. The cost of the list may be as high as .50 cents a piece don't let this scare you away. This is a direct opportunity to put you in front of your target audience. Why spend hundreds of dollars in mediums that do not target your client. The cost to advertise in specialty magazines can be expensive and again becomes saturation of the whole nation. Your clients are right here in Michigan.
Another scenario for you; you have a high end product/services and you want to reach your target audience. Try using a House Hold Income targeted list this way you can be specific. You know that your clients house hold income is over 100k a year, than that is the only houses we target. This simple list will add pennies to your direct mail piece yet save you hundreds of dollars on advertising that would have been sent to the wrong home.
One thing I hear often is we are happy with our advertising. Anyone who is happy with their advertising obviously needs us more than ever. Your advertising portfolio should be updated and tweaked on a minimum of a quarterly basis. The same old advertising becomes stale and even though your business may be prosperous the need to cut costs and become more target specific is vital. How many times have we all tried a medium that was off the wall and it worked, so you kept on using it but after time it stopped being effective. Change up your mediums continue to surprise and delight your customers.
This blog is an opportunity for our clients and friends in business to learn and discuss the challenges of marketing. If you have any comments or would like to discuss a certain dilemma, post it and we will do everything we as a group can to help you solve it.
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