The Challenge of Marketing

I miss writing about marketing but I will do so more frequently next week. I spoke this morning on Message, Media and Markets. And I gave ideas on how to know your message is on-target, the proper media and the right markets to approach.

There were about 10 people there and I asked each of them to give 1-minute on the demographics or the profile of the best customer for them. It was a good exercise and got people thinking.

What's interesting is I had not planned ahead of time: I had no handouts, I had not prepared a Power Point, nothing. But we had no speakers lined up. So I stepped in. Someone told me it was one of the best presentations they had heard at that particular breakfast meeting.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I'll be taking along one of Dan Kennedy's books to read.

See you next week.

What's Your Marketing Return on Investment?

Your marketing ROI?
What should be your return on investment with a successful marketing plan?

Now, let's start by saying it's tough to project your return on investment. You can run different scenarios.

Step 1 Determine the revenue that 1 customer brings you.

A restaurant's average customer may bring $ 15 per person. But if 1 person comes back 5 - 6 times per year then 1 customer may return almost $ 100.

A hardware store's average customer may bring $32 per person. By the way, when I worked for Home Depot a couple of years ago Home Depot reported their average ticket price at $ 57 per customer.

A chiropractor's average patient may return about $ 1,000 per year.

Step 2 Determine how many customers currently refer business.

This expands the value of each customer. For every 100 customers you have, how many of them will refer a new customer?

It also reduces the cost of acquiring a new customer.

Step 3 Determine how much you're going to spend on your total marketing budget.

Some costs, such as web development, may not be budgeted 100% for the acquisition of new customers.

Let's say with web development, search engine optimization, display print ads and more, your total budget in a year costs $ 20,000.

So now, if you want a 1:1 return you know how many new customers you need to have. A restaurant may need 200 new customers for a 1:1 return on the same budget whereas the chiropractor may only need 20 new patients for the same ratio.

Step 4 Now Evaluate the Tools You Really Need

So now, determine the marketing tools and strategies you really need. A restaurant may benefit from a simple web site of only a few pages but a much stronger local internet search marketing effort. The chiropractor may choose to spend more on a complex web site and add features like a newsletter that can be forwarded on.

Determining the marketing return on investment for your business will really depend on the number and type of clients you need.

Does Business Networking Work?

Business networking -- does it really help to win new business? Or is it just a time intensive way of handing out business cards with the hope that someone will call you?

Let me give you an example of a networking event that produced two new web projects for a client of mine and may result in additional ones in the months ahead.

In December of '07, I attended an early morning seminar on doing business in the Hispanic market at a local television studio in Van Nuys. KFWB-AM and Washington Mutual were sponsoring the seminar.

I grabbed my coffee, a bagel and walked through the crowd chatting and shaking hands.

I caught the attention of one person who gave me his card, I briefly explained what my client did in web development. He mentioned he was on the board of directors of a non-profit and they needed their web site revised.

We went on. I stayed in touch with him through January and in February I was in touch with a woman who was heading up the project. I connected her with my client with whom I worked on putting together a proposal.

By March, they had the project. The non-profit was for a corporate organization that helps people advance in their careers.

That proposal led to a second proposal with an engineering firm that needed their web site overhauled. That project was awarded in July.

Both projects totalled about $ 20,000. Not bad for an initial 1-minute conversation.

A third project may come in the next month or two.

Follow-up was required in order to make both projects happen.

Marketing author Dan Kennedy says "everyone can show up once." I heard him speak a few months back in Anaheim. He said the secret to doing business in a slow economy is to consistently follow-up.

Do you do a good job of showing up at business networking events? If so, great.

But how is your follow-up? Do you have a consistent way to follow-up new leads not just one or two times . . . but five, six and seven times? Or more?

If not, find ways to make follow-up happen.

I'll be exploring this in the weeks ahead and will post on effective ways to follow-up with new business leads to make business networking more effective.

Your Marketing Program: Part 1

Develop a customized marketing program for your business by evaluating your marketing tools and efforts using the following categories:

Marketing Plan, Approach, Budget - Your Baseline

A first step in the plan is to ask how many more customers do you want or need?

Many business owners aren't easily able to answer this question. One in the personal care industry recently told me she already had a good customer base of 100 or more customers and she just wanted to add to the number.

A business owner should at least know basic numbers: 12-month sales records, web site visits and where most of the current customers originate. Then a plan can be developed on this knowledge.

Once those numbers and facts are in place, they provide the measurement for future activities.

How do you want marketing to leverage your time and present benefits to your clients?

Another business owner, in the health care profession, has several partners and he wasn't sure about the number of patient visits per year but it was in the 10,000 visits per year.

This particular owner told me he wants to automate his marketing efforts.

So I'm going to propose a plan that will address his need.

But to propose a plan, his marketing tools need to be evaluated. And this includes the corporate web site.

I'm a firm believer that the corporate web site should act as the communication hub.

More on evaluating marketing tools in my next post.

Critical Element of the Marketing Message

Great offers, well-produced marketing tools, and a dose of healthy relationships are important.

But one thing is even more important in marketing success.

It' easy to overlook when immersed in the details of creating a budget, tools and figuring out how to distribute your message. But without this, your potential customers are going to slip away.

And that is -- are you clearly asking them to do business with you?

Alright, I'm going to go review my own website Right Touch Marketing & Media to see if I'm following my own advice.

I don't think I'm giving my visitors a clear idea of what I want them to do. I present an overview of my business on the home page, I break down the services but really there is no compelling message to make them stay and do business with me.

Oops. Gotta change that.

But that's okay. There are important principles to follow and develop in marketing. But if you're not perfect that's no problem. You can always go back to evaluate and revise your marketing message.

Marketing Strategies You Must Know

The right message, in the right media, aimed at the right audience will produce new relationships and new sales.

That is the premise of Right Touch Marketing & Media and other successful marketers. So how do you know if you're on track with all three conditions?

The Right Message
You can build your message with a series of assessment questions you can ask yourself. You want to show the customer how you benefit them.

What do you provide in your business? Why do people buy from you? Why don't they buy from you? Who is your best customer or client?


The Right Media
From brochures, web sites or one-page web sites, to online articles and advertising in community papers, there are many media options to select. Choosing a mix depends on your goals and your business cycle.

For some companies, like exterminators in Southern California, business usually drops off in the winters months. To keep their technicians, they may run specials in local media to keep customers using them, or they may deliver a well-written one page fact sheet to show how to take preventive measures during an off-season.


The Right Audience
Do you have a core profile of the people who do business with you or in your store? If you know where they come from and how they reach you then you can continue tapping in to them as a source.
This is your "perfect client" or "perfect customer."


Warning: experimenting is still required to make sure the ingredients are being properly used. But rather than just go "market" your business, this approach will help bring an objective view and help develop a marketing budget and expectations for success.

Marketing Tips: Use Holidays to Differentiate

Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Congratulations to our neighbors to the north. When is the last time you used Canadian Thanksgiving as a reason to tell others about your business.

Let me guess . . .

Never!

And probably for good reason. How in the world can you draw a connection between your business and Canadian Thanksgiving?

Here are some ideas.

Gift baskets - send a gift basket to your best customer(s)with a brief note explaining how Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated and how Canada, just like our own country, was founded with perseverance and today is a place of freedom.

Then mention how you appreciate the opportunity to do business together and you always welcome referrals.

I attended a marketing session last night with a local chapter of the Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle.

A doctor uses holiday promotions in his business and he wrote up a letter on National Pistachio Nut Day -- which is February 26 -- and National Siblings Day which, of course, is April 10.

His use of what he calls "Bizarre Holiday Promotions" achieved a 300% increase in referrals within a calendar quarter.

He uses gift baskets in conjunction with the holiday fact. He can do this cost effectively since his customer base is all within a 3-mile radius.

However, send out postcards for those farther away with an unusual holiday greeting.

Do people really care about odd holidays? That doesn't matter.

Think of it as a reason to stay in touch with your constituents -- both loyal customers/clients and prospective customers/clients.

You can find a listing of little known holidays and celebrations through the Chase's Calendar of Events in your reference section at the library or online. Or, type in "holidays around the world" in Google and some excellent reference sites will pop up.

You're also differentiating yourself from competitors through finding an unusual way to build or maintain positive relationships. And finding creative ways to stay in touch with your target clientele is what makes marketing effective.

Marketing Tools: Reviews of Low Cost Web Sites

Looking for a professional, low cost web site?

Professional looking web templates makes a web presence possible -- even on a tight budget.

I just created a web site for Right Touch Marketing & Media using a free Wordpress template.

I've also created a personal site using Homestead.com.

Other places worth looking are both Weebly.com and Templatemonster.com.


Here is my review:

Wordpress templates. Cost range: free to . . . as much as you want to spend.

Type "Wordpress templates" in to Google and you'll find there are many options to choose from. So what do you choose? Functionality is a big factor. My Wordpress site doesn't have drop down menus.

However, if you're skilled with Wordpress, or are willing to learn, an unlimited number of pages can be created and then linked within the site to let visitors move around easily.


http://www.homestead.com/ 30-day free trial and then from $ 4.99 a month to $ 49.99 a month.

I created a personal site using Homestead. Yet, the capabilities can handle many business site functions for small to growing companies. The templates can easily be customized. Homestead does an excellent job of providing a content management system that is easy for non-techies to use.

As always, there's a learning curve. But it's a do-able curve.


http://www.weebly.com/ 2 sites free and then $ 3.99 a month for an unlimited number of sites.

I tried using Weebly. I really did and found it a bit awkward. And, yet, a little more patience and I'm sure I would have been fine. I went back to Homestead for my personal site, though. I do think Weebly is a good option.


http://www.templatemonster.com/ more than 14,000 templates available from a $ 10 to $ 100 price range.

This is one of the most popular template sites on the web. It links to other resources, including a company that will revamp an existing web template for around $ 1,200. So they do know that many people who don't have web experience really don't have the time to experiment and learn on their own.

Professional looking sites are possible today for any size business.
What's really most important about your web site? It's making sure the message stands out clearly no matter what option you use.

Marketing with a Media Mix . . . and on a Budget

The Internet today can be your own personal media empire . . . just you and several million other empire moguls!

But, if you plan an effective marketing strategy using a media mix, I believe you can use the Internet cost effectively and build relationships that will produce new business.

The other approach is to study Disney and adapt their methodology. When our kids were young, we got Disney music videos that were 30-minute compilations of songs from longer movies. The studio took the same content and packaged it in different forms.

As a professional writer and marketer, I used content effectively to expand a non-profit.

Here is how I see businesses being able to use content in expanding their marketing efforts. In this case, give prospective customers concise "how to" information.

Start with a Topic
I'll use real estate agents for this example.

Let's say you know the Top 5 Ways to Improve a Home

That's your topic.

Put the topic into the following media:

• Videos to upload on YouTube, Revver and other outlets
• Articles to upload to online directories
• Postcards that reference the online articles and video
• Brochures to distribute. These can be produced simply - or elaborately depending on budget.
• Fact sheets - simple one pagers referencing the videos and articles and your contact information, of course.

And, of course, there are email newsletters as well.

This is your media mix.

I can see having 5 video clips edited to 90 seconds each, 5 - 7 articles of 300 words to 500 words each, 2,000 postcards mailed to a couple of zip codes, brochures and fact sheets to hand out at networking events and open houses.

You're displaying your knowledge and giving customers value. After all, they come on to the Internet to search for information to help them solve a problem.

If you can do that consistently, you're going to build your brand as knowledgeable and a problem solver.

Relationship between Sales and Marketing

Effective marketing should lead to qualified sales leads.

Now, closing the sale is never easy. But here is an article I wrote giving some sales tips that are worth remembering.


Easy Sales Tips


Marketing is about building relationships through media such as web sites, brochures, postcards, but also face-to-face.

Sales is much more interpersonal and it requires the salesperson to ask for the sale.

When I sold roofing for the Home Depot during a brief stint, I enjoyed many parts of the position. But it was a matter of putting together all the pieces and keeping the presentation sharp.

I had sales successes like showing up, asking the right assessment questions, showing the benefits in a presentation, asking for the order several times and closing on the first call for an order ranging from $ 15,000 to more than $ 20,000.

However, I also had sales calls where it seemed like everything was going well and no matter how I asked for the order, I couldn't get the customer to sign.

But sales, like marketing, also requires perseverance and a constant review of the basics.

Marketing to Prospects is Like Swinging a Golf Club

Successfully marketing a business, product launch or new service is like moving a golf club slowly behind you and then – WHOOSH! – following through!

Marketing to a new contact is like the follow through.

The follow through completes the swing and helps power the golf ball but also directs it along the fairway. A poor follow-through results in a BLIP off the tee or a hook or shank in to the next fairway.

Let’s start with marketing terms. We use words like “prospect” and “contact.” They really should be “new friends.”

You attend a business networking event. You enjoy chatting with several people and you categorize the business cards you collected.

That’s like the back swing.

But do you have a follow-up (or follow-through) plan to stay in touch with those contacts?

Marketing consultant Dan Kennedy said it well, “Everybody shows up once! Hardly anyone shows up 8 times!”

Are you prepared to follow-up 8 times with a new friend?

Following through and following up was the topic of a seminar where Kennedy recently spoke with Infusion software.

He made a great point. “All wealth is created by systems” and he cited Ford auto which grew to dominate the automotive industry by establishing the assembly line. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of automakers at the time of Ford. But none of them had an efficient system.

How complex and sophisticated should a follow-up system be?

It should actually be relatively simple whether you work for a small company or a large corporation.

I sold roofs briefly for Home Depot, a wonderful corporation. While there was a corporate system for entering the names but the follow-up was still the responsibility of the individual salesperson.

Kennedy gave other reasons why follow-up is so important: there’s little brand loyalty in today’s world. Consumers have extensive choices. They receiving multiple messages and they need to know and be reminded your company exists.

Let’s take an introductory look at a follow-up system:

Collecting a name
Storing the name (data entry and database function)

Follow-up contact #1 – maybe a nice to see you letter / email and a chance to join your newsletter.

Follow-up contact #2 – let’s say you get a referral for your new friend. Call them with the referral.

Follow-up contact #3 – a postcard with a tip or update on an achievement of your business.

So the follow-up system can include a mix of email, phone call, letter, and more. It’s part of the marketing mix.

Follow-up of a new contact (er, new friend) is an area in which I’ll be doing my own research in the weeks ahead.

Marketing through Speaking

Business networking can be an effective marketing tool -- especially sharing what you know through speaking to groups whether large or small.

I'm speaking tomorrow at CHARO in Los Angeles on Web 360: Getting the Most Out of Your Website. I'm going to start off with the analogy that standing at a place like the Space Needle in Seattle could be akin to standing in the middle of your web site to survey the customer landscape around you.

I'll take participants through envisioning their web site as a dynamic tool for interaction instead of a passive brochure site.

I'm looking forward to it. I enjoy speaking.

Like article writing, speaking to share knowledge is a strategic marketing activity. There is usually not an immediate return for sales and new contracts but it can certainly be an effective way to build relationships.

This is a way to integrate off-line and on-line activities: if you write articles online and submit them to the major directories like the few articles I've submitted to ezinearticles.com, then you can also talk about these in front of business groups.

Marketing is sharing what you know and do best. Speaking is one way to make that happen.

Marketing to Kids

Tapping in to families with small children can be a lucrative niche according to the latest study from Packaged Facts. Companies can also market with an edge to going "green."

"Kids ages 3-11 in the U.S. have personal incomes totaling $19 billion, the study found, which is expected to reach $21 billion by 2012. Parental spending on food, clothing, personal care items, entertainment and reading materials reached $123 billion.

"Based on data from Simmons Market Research Bureau, the study found that a significant majority of kids 6-11 express concern for environmental issues. Nearly three-quarters believe people should recycle; 40% say you should buy recycled paper products."

Marketing to children also means reaching their parents -- the decision makers on spending money.

7Ps of Marketing and the 3Ms of Marketing

Do you know the 7Ps of Marketing?

• Plan


• Product


• People


• Price


• Promotion


• Place


• Partners

I originally wrote about them here on this post from Cash Flow Tips Today:

Business Marketing with 7Ps

The 7Ps of Marketing is a way to structure your marketing efforts to make sure you're reaching the right target market. But I feel it also falls short in underscoring the importance of a clear message, the media and distribution.

So, now, after a recent post on here, I've decided to introduce the 3Ms of Marketing:

• Message



• Media



• Methods

My summary is the right message, needs the right media and the right methods must be used in distribution to get a result.

Or, what is it you want to say?

Will you say it in a web site, brochure, newspaper ad, or both . . . or more?

And how will you distribute your media and message?

Since marketing encompasses disciplines ranging from strategic planning to graphic design and search engine marketing, it's easy to get lost in the details.

Having a structured checklist that's customized for your company can make it possible to step back and evaluate effectiveness.

Marketing a Solution to the Pain of Gas Prices

Marketing can mean finding the pain of your customers and then addressing that pain. Gasoline prices, anyone? A marketing opportunity.

Doing the little things help save money on gas like accelerating slowly, inflating your tires, and changing your oil at Jiffy Lube. Didn’t know that, did you?

I heard a radio commercial last night for Jiffy Lube explaining how a thorough servicing of your car is more than just changing oil, it’s also about saving money on gasoline since a smooth-running car is fuel efficient.

Jiffy Lube is trying to meet people where they feel pain – gasoline prices. Now, it didn’t really work for me since I’ve never gone to Jiffy Lube anyway. My regular oil changes are taken care of by my mechanic.

Shell Oil is also in the marketing game with a blog to answer the need for cleaner burning engines. They’re trying to start a movement, Americans for a Gunk Free Nation. And the personality they’re trying to develop is Dr. Fuelgood who writes a blog on how top tier gas is better for a car engine than cheap gas. In the long run, top tier gas is supposed to save money on car maintenance and fuel efficiency.

Shell, of course, sells top tier gas along with Chevron, Phillips, Texaco . . . the idea of top tier gas was conceived by the world’s top auto manufacturers: BMW, Toyota, General Motors, and Honda among them.

Will the blog, and the movement, catch on? Don’t know. I don’t know how Shell is promoting the blog. The next time I stop at a gas station, I’ll look for any info related to Americans for a Gunk Free Nation.

I do know this. It takes work even for a major brand like Shell Oil to drive traffic to a blog site. It also means marketing is a relentless activity using various media to put out a message.

Have you ever successfully marketed a message dealing with the pain of a potential customer? If so, share the details with us.

Websites and Marketing: For or Against You

Websites can work against you in marketing if the message isn't clear and the path for visitors to navigate isn't clear, either.

Try this exercise for yourself to find websites you like and that appear to market a message or product effectively. Look up 3 - 5 sites you like. Look at them for color scheme, the way they're laid out, how the home page is segmented and the message it contains. How many columns is it broken in to? How much or how little copy does the home page have? How large or small is the company it represents - or can you tell?

By the way, I wrote this article on websites you might be interested in reading:

Traits of successful websites

Do the websites you're studying have a clear "call to action" for the visitor? Are there helpful links from one section to another? Are there elements on the site other than text and images? Is video displayed at all?

Hopefully, these questions will guide you in developing a web site for an effective marketing presence.

Learn Free Marketing Tips from Denmark to So California

First, make friends with people who give rankings in magazines and papers. Copenhagen was recently ranked the world’s most livable city. Well, I’ve not been there but I won’t argue. I’m sure it’s nice. But being originally from Western Pennsylvania, I’m sure the Steelers could pound any team from Denmark.
Check this out: Marketing Copy and Techniques. Certainly, if Copenhagen benefits from the publicity then the local businesses will benefit as well.

Next, sponsor a cause. The City of South Pasadena and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce recently held a Clean Air Car Show on July 20. There were a number of exhibits including experimental vehicles from Cal State LA and the Chevy Tahoe hybrid.

I also saw Dr. Marina Banik of Banik Chiropractic who was one of the few local businesses at the event. She found a way to get involved with a cause and educated
people about chiropractics and its role in a healthy lifestyle.

Finally, the best form of marketing is learning what people need and then finding a way to meet that need. I commend the Idyllwild, California, Chamber of Commerce for finding a creative way to save residents money and boost membership in the chamber.

Families in the mountain community near Palm Springs use propane. The local chamber worked with Ferrell Gas to provide a discount for any resident who signed up as a member of the chamber. They’re also working on a group health insurance plan, too.

The Idyllwild Chamber is increasing its membership, saving residents money, and bringing the community together. That’s all around win and smart marketing tips any group, like a homeowner’s association, can replicate.

For your reference:
South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Marina Banik, Chiropractor
Idyllwild, California Chamber of Commerce

Personal Branding: Your Key to Greater Sales

Personal branding.

What is it?

For 2 years, I marketed and sold for the Home Depot and the more experienced salespeople told me repeatedly, the name Home Depot gets you to the house for the sales appointment. But the customer buys you -- the salesperson.

Although I was involved in marketing for for-profits and non-profits this was really the first time I thought how personal branding can be more important than corporate branding.

The customer buys you . . . or, if you're in a business networking group, the other business owners refer business to you.

The way you conduct yourself means you are your own best brand or the reason your brand won't succeed.

This article on Hubpages How to become an expert in personal branding online ? made me think about personal branding in new ways and I encourage you to read it.

A few tips to build your personal brand:

• Return phone calls promptly


• Be on time


• Invoice your customers promptly (reduces confusion and boosts your cash flow)


• If you can't deliver a service or product, be honest up front.
  

Secret Marketing Tip for Real Estate Agents

What's the most important marketing tool a real estate agent must have?

A real estate agent can have the latest marketing collateral and promotional items: 4-color postcards, calendars, pens and mugs. But a successful real estate agent must possess something far deeper for their own personal marketing success.

What is it?

What situation does an agent rely on for success?

Talking to a prospective buyer or seller. Or, I should say "listening" and getting the other person to do the talking.

Interpersonal communication – or highly personal marketing – has no equal.

Richard Streitz of Baldwin Hills Realty told me why real estate agents must possess the ability to connect well with others. After all, most agents do essentially the same tasks.

“Many home sellers lack respect for real estate agents,” Streitz told me. “Agents have to be able to communicate to people of all backgrounds. Each new client will test the agent’s credibility. And that is on the line when the real estate agent is sitting down a seller or a buyer.”

Something as simple as asking assessment questions during an open house can help an agent develop those interpersonal skills and respect. Most people walking in to an open house may not be serious buyers. After time, it’s understandable a real estate agent could get tired of the same situation.

However, a few questions like “what brings you to the neighborhood?” and “what made you decide to stop in?” or “are you looking for yourself or someone else?” can open many doors and get the prospective client to begin talking.

When the prospect is talking then the agent’s in a position to gain information which can help build trust and credibility – and even gave gain new leads.

Streitz said it’s important for agents:

• To know how to present themselves


• How to engage others in conversation


• Build trust and credibility

Streitz said it doesn’t matter what brand name is on the realty office. The client is “buying” or respecting the individual sitting in front of them.

Build Your Marketing Campaign

Build Your Marketing Campaign

. . . but how?

Marketing is about getting ideas, creating media, promoting . . . and it gets confusing to build your marketing campaign if you haven't organized your marketing steps.

Here's a list to help you build your marketing campaign so it's structured. This can even serve as a simple but effective marketing plan.

I came up with this after speaking with a client who didn't want to spend time planning. Instead, he wanted to create a video on YouTube and then a web site and then . . . he asked how do we promote it? I said, let's look at this list.

MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

Here are ways you can create what you want to say as you build your marketing campaign:

• Highlight What You Do Best


• Innovation - have you developed a best practice?


• Milestones of Your Company


• Your Role in Your Industry


• Benefits to Your Customers

MEDIA

Now you can see the media where you want to apply your message.

• Website


• Video/DVD


• Posters


• Brochures


• Promotional Items

PROMOTION ONLINE / OFFLINE

• Search Engine Optimization


• Article Postings


• Forums, Social Networking


• Direct Mail


• Community Events


• Advertising - print

TRANSACTION COMPLETE

Sale made or donation made.

By the way, coming mid-July will be postings on reaching Spanish customers. You can use this same approach to build your marketing campaign for any ethnic group.
And if you're interested in a resource to turn leads from your marketing campaign in to sales, then check here.

Remember, an effective marketing campaign is about integrating and helping lead your prospects or target audience to a central point.

Contacting Prospects Regularly

Creating marketing collateral is important.

Getting leads is important.

But you must be contacting prospects regularly to generate new sales.

Why?

I always recommend people look at their own habits. You often don't buy or get in to a business relationship immediately when you meet someone. It takes time.

Let's say you've bought an item for your home like a refrigerator or you've bought a new car. You go to the store looking for an appliance or to the car lot. And you purchase then and there.

But you've already been thinking about the purchase for some time. It was already in your mind.

Contacting prospects regularly and following up leads to make new sales requires a deliberate, organized approach.

I don't know if the tool you use for follow-up is as important as having a tool to start.

I like using Excel spread sheets to list my contacts and prospects.

Try to choose one time per week to make follow-up calls or send follow-up emails or even nice cards sent in regular mail.

Why is it so important to follow up leads and prospects more than 2 or possibly 3 times?

Does it surprise you that 81% of all sales happen on or after the fifth contact, according to a study done by the Association of Sales Executives.

So hang in and persevere as you make following up an important part of your marketing plan.

FINALLY. A MARKETING APPROACH THAT REALLY WORKS!

You want marketing to lead to more sales, right?

Sales is the lifeblood of a company and marketing must ultimately lead to more sales. But so often, it's hard to measure. Marketing can get lost in theory or the production of materials. Too often, sales become forgotten since sales and marketing are two different skill sets.

Growing your business and sales doesn't have to be difficult or expensive--if, you have the right marketing approach.

With The Give to Get Marketing Solution you'll learn to attract customers like a magnet with a proven- effective system that really works.

This is a product that will give your sales an instant boost. For more information, visit: Give to Get Marketing

Market Yourself Locally

Marketing yourself locally may be the wisest move you can make.

When you market yourself locally and professionally you can build a reputation among a core group of satisfied customers.

This article goes into more detail about marketing in a specific zip code or demographic area.

When you have a core group of satisfied customers, then local marketing can expand or it can bring you even more customers in a particular locale.

What is local marketing?

It depends on the size of your business, what you provide whether products or services, and how you're able to distribute the information.

True, the Internet changes what "local" might mean. Local marketing could be a Yahoo! group that you moderate or post to regularly. It could be "x" number of customers knowing about both your brick and mortar store and your Internet site.

Marketing yourself locally may mean belonging to a few different chambers of commerce spread across a county.

Regardless of how you define local, the goal is building a core group of customers or clients. When they're satisfied, then they begin referring business to you regularly.

In my case, as a marketing consultant and writer, I provide marketing plans and services to small and medium sized businesses. There are more than 100,000 such companies in Los Angeles County. But I don't have the resources to try and cover the entire county so I concentrate in a geographically local area.

As far as an online strategy, I try to stay with a niche topic and keep building my expertise.

Yes, I'll accept business from different places especially through referrals. A friend of mine the Dallas area builds web sites and he might need me to write content or develop marketing support for his web clients. So much can be done with the phone, email and web sites.

Nevertheless, because of our mobile society, staying local and doing well can generate referrals across the board.

Stay focused, provide a needed service, grow and market locally and further expansion will take place.

Creating a Marketing Budget

How much money should you spend on marketing your services or your products?

Here is a way to look at the issue.

How large is your current customer base and how much do they typically pay for your service or your product?

Do your customers generate enough referrals to keep you busy?

The larger your customer base, and the more active they are in generating referrals for either products or services, then the less money you need to spend on marketing -- to bring people in the door.

You can also read this article on 3 different types of hair salons and how much they need to spend on marketing.

I have a friend who's a CPA and he does the books for non-profit organizations. He really doesn't have to spend money on marketing at this point since he has a stable client base and he gets referrals from them.

However, if he wants to grow his business, say hire an office assistant, and go for higher paying non-profits as clients or market his expertise in a different way, then he'll have to spend money on marketing even if it's putting together a simple brochure and perhaps a simple web site.

The money you spend on marketing doesn't have to be much, but it should reflect the overall company goals and objectives.

Ask yourself:

1. Do you provide a premium customer experience or premium product?

2. Do you have more middle of the road services or products?

3. Do you have more of a mass market commodity item?

The more premium of an experience you provide, your marketing dollars may be less since you need fewer people. You just need to target the money to the right people and audience.

Or, you could spend proportinately more marketing dollars to reach fewer people if the clientele is high end. However, if they're satisfied with your product or service then they should generate word-of-mouth leads.

Don't Waste Money on Marketing! Plan, plan, plan!

This why it saves you money to plan for the whole marketing cycle before you spend money on marketing.

A business owner who came to me recently spent money on marketing, yet he was unhappy with his results.

He had spent marketing money on a website, blog, article submissions, public relations, postcard deliveries and yet he was concerned that nothing was returning a positive return. Perhaps the expectations weren’t properly set.

So here is a free marketing tip on why setting out a complete marketing plan is necessary to guide business decisions and the money spent on marketing.


Idea of Product or Service or Existing Product or Service

You have an idea for a product or service. A few years ago, I spoke with a computer repair specialist who wanted to launch a company that would compete in his local area with Best Buy’s the Geek Squad. He felt he had a competitive advantage.

You can start spending money to market your business idea, or you can spend a little money to begin testing your idea.

Testing Your Idea, Product or Service

Stick to the basics. Who is your target customer or client? Make up a simple questionnaire that can be answered within a minute. Or paste pictures that represent your idea or product onto a small poster board.

Let’s say you have a product that increases gas mileage.

You, or someone wanting to make extra money, hangs out near gas stations, malls, etc.

You ask representative questions:

“Would you like to increase your gas mileage without changing your vehicle?” (everyone will answer yes so it frames the need but doesn’t give you an idea on the product or service)

“Would you be willing to pay between $ 5 - $ 7 if it saved you $ 30 a month on gas?” (pricing)

“Would you purchase such and such a product from friends or at a store?” (distribution)

“What information would you need to make a purchase?” (getting to trust and credibility)


You could continue to survey in many different ways or seek information.

Start up a no cost blog and hand out a postcard with the url. Watch the traffic. If no one visits then they may not feel strongly about the issue meaning you need to focus on consumer education.

Plan and Budget Developed

Coming up with basic information, will help you decide how much to spend on graphics, printing, search engine optimization, face to face networking, etc.

Also, how much money does one sale return? Is the sale one time or will it result in repeat business? You spend “x” dollars on marketing and how long before sales begin to pour in and exceed your marketing costs? This gauges your return on investment.

Develop the Marketing Message and Image

Armed with basic information will help develop the marketing message and image. This is necessary money spent on marketing. It helps with objective information.

Marketing Activities

Set out the marketing activities, then measure them monthly, quarterly and then evaluate which ones are working and which are not. Stick with those that work.

Repeat the cycle. If sales pick up momentum then you can back off your marketing costs.

Spending Money on Marketing

How much money should I spend on marketing my business?"

That's a question I've often been asked and here is how I answer.

First, let me state that the expertise of the business is the best marketing tool. Do a great job in what you offer, and your marketing budget will need to be less since more referrals should be generated.

There are 3 ways to categorize how much a business is going to charge for its services:

1. Premium pricing

This is where the customer expects high value and an "experience."
At this pricing level, both the business and customers self-select on the services they need. Personal referrals are the most common way for businesses to grow at this price.

A marketing budget is going to reflect targeted media and targeted activities. A corporation could make the choice to run full-page glossy ads in high fashion magazines.

A service company or individual may only need to spend little marketing money and target to spend on thank-you notes and gifts.


2. Competitive Pricing

The customer wants a good product or service and a fair price.
At this pricing level, personal referrals are still common but more of an "argument" may be needed to persuade customers. Therefore, brochures or upgrades to web sites may play an important role as well as offering free seminars with take-away value, etc.


3. Bargain Pricing

At this level, your price is lower and more customers are needed to bring a profit to the business. Ironically, this where a larger marketing budget may be needed. The more "traffic" a business needs to generate, whether online or to a brick and mortar store, the larger is the marketing budget.

Finally, marketing must be done consistently. Whatever activities are chosen and whatever pricing levels are decided on, they must be done reguarly over a specified period of time to generate business.

Who Hears Your Marketing Message?

Who wants to hear what you have to say about your products or services?

There are a lot of people to reach in marketing but do you know who they are?

There's a fancy term used today: stakeholders. Who has a stake in your business?

Marketing is often thought of as persuasive methods to reach new customers.

However, look at the audiences, or stakeholders, who may benefit from receiving your marketing message:

INTERNAL

1. Partners


2. Employees (managers, specific departments, hourly)


3. Vendors, including independent contractors


4. Investors


5. Board of Directors


6. Stockholders

EXTERNAL

1. Customers / Clients, New


2. Customers / Clients, Current


3. Referral Sources / Networking Contacts


4. Media

Generating loyalty, building commitment or even informing a wider circle of audiences can lay a long-term foundation for corporate success.

Marketing Methods and Tools
The term “marketing mix” points to the need for more than one medium to reach a prospective customer or other audience member.

Now look at the array of marketing methods available to reach these different audiences:

DIGITAL
Intranets and Extranets
Web sites, corporate
Web sites, campaign specific
Flash presentations
Video
Kiosks, full or partial

ONLINE
Social networking
Relevant web sites
Blogs

PRINT
Brochures
Catalogs
Annual Reports
Sales letters
Newsletters, internal, public

ADVERTISING
Trade Publications
Direct Mail
Newspapers, Local
Radio
Television, broadcast / cable

CAMPAIGN SPECIFIC MARKETING

IN PERSON
Strategic Partnerships
Networking Events
Trade Shows
Promotional items

More Marketing Assessment Questions

Ask the Right Marketing Questions

and you'll get started on the right foot to marketing your products and services.

This is my second installment of Ask the Right Marketing Questions.

It's worth taking the time to ask the right assessment questions.

Marketing Assessment Questions


What's the value of taking the time to plan your marketing efforts? You can save money in the long run and choose the activities and marketing methods that will likely generate the highest return on investment.

Otherwise, your marketing plan will blow in the wind. Let's say a respected business mentor tells you to advertise in the yellow pages. So you do.

Then you see a competitor advertise on your local cable television outlet. So you do that, too.

Then you hire a copywriter to produce a slick brochure.

So now you've spent money on different marketing strategies. But do they tie together and is the marketing message clear?

Take time to plan your marketing message.

Marketing Assessment Questions for Free

What do you want marketing to achieve for your business?

What business problem can marketing help solve?

Here are two marketing assessment questions you can begin to use.

Marketing must identify a business need or problem in order to be effective.

So this marketing tip for free centers around key questions.

Why you ask? Good question!

Speak to an experienced and successful salesperson and they'll tell you that the first key step in getting a prospect to buy is asking assessment questions throughout the presentation.

What's the purpose of assessment questions? Good question, again!

When a customer, or prospect, answers those questions the salesperson is getting information to see how to best meet a need. That opens the door to more sales.

You are your own customer at this point. Or should I say you are your own marketing client.

There can be a list of hundreds of key questions to ask during a marketing assessment. Here are a few:

• How much money do you want your business to make?



• How well established is your business?



• What is the greatest need your business meets in your customers or potential customers?



• How well known is your business currently?



• How much competition is there in your business?


Finally, listen to yourself talk about your business. What do you tell customers, vendors, colleagues about the service or product you offer?

This information is the beginning of laying a good marketing strategy and it's a way of getting your own marketing tips for free from the best source -- you!

Read here are more marketing assessment questions.

What is Marketing?

You need to market your business. Understood.

What is marketing?

Answer that question and then you can find the right marketing tips and ideas for free to assist in your marketing strategy. Here's another perspective on marketing, too.

How “marketing” is defined and the methods chosen are unique to a company and the related goals and objectives. For professionals, marketing can be unique to the personality and related ambitions such as writing and public speaking. In large corporations, marketing needs can differ greatly from one department to another.

Let’s get started:

What do you want marketing to do for your company?

Possible answers:

• Make your business or product known


• Generate leads and sales


• Let your referrals know you have a new product or service line


• Build credibility


• Rally stakeholders around change


• Rally employees around change


• Create a passionate message




Answering this question and determining the marketing tools you want to use will you develop a budget. This, in turn, will determine how much money is spent to produce a favorable return on investment.

Why is a marketing strategy so important? There are activities and programs you can get involved in right now that may produce quick results. But who are you reaching? Even small businesses have multiple audiences they can reach.

An effective consultant can highlight the strengths and limits of available options and bring together necessary resources.

While marketing requires testing and experimenting, it should be done with strategies that match core values and long-term objectives. This will prevent a hit-and-miss approach.

Marketing Tips for Free

Welcome to Marketing Tips for Free.

Marketing tips and ideas are provided free of charge for business owners, professionals and managers responsible for their department or corporate marketing efforts and marketing programs.

You may wonder how the 7Ps of marketing can really help your business or if marketing strategies are worth the effort.

Before spending money on marketing tips, ideas or advice read the content that will be posted here on a regular basis or link to the current marketing articles.

The ideas and strategies on this marketing blog can be adapted to help businesses and professionals market their products and services whether it’s for business-to-business marketing or business-to-consumer marketing.