Free Marketing Tips

Direct mail marketing from a search engine company

2010-05-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

Direct mail showed up in the mailbox again today. It's the second direct mail piece I've received from the search engine company called Google.

The first direct mail piece I received from Google was in late January in the form of a greeting card as a marketing piece. The marketing copy was geared to Valentine's Day. It read "nothing says I love you like free traffic to a web site."

There was a promotional card and code to use Google Adwords free of charge.

I didn't use it then.

Now, I've received a second direct mail piece from Google in the form of a sales letters folded in three parts. In the upper right hand corner in bold blue is "Thanks for using AdSense on your site. Here's $100 from Google to help promote it."

As an Adsense publisher, they were again using direct mail to promote the use of Adwords and a trial offer.

Note a few things about this direct mail offer from Google:

#1 Direct mail is still alive -- otherwise, Google wouldn't be using it.
#2 Sales letters are still effective -- otherwise, Google wouldn't write them.
#3 Marketing requires multiple contacts with customers.
#4 Direct mail and print marketing can be integrated with online marketing.
#5 Coupons and trial offers still work to get customers to try a product or service.

Yelp for Local Business

2010-03-15T14:58:00.001-07:00

Is your business using Yelp?

According to the site, over 31 million visitors went to Yelp in March 2010. Yelp allows consumes to quickly share the experiences they've had with local businesses and post the comments online.

Found this on the American Express open forum about Yelp for Business.

Developing a large number of followers on Twitter or small number

2009-10-20T09:20:00.001-07:00

Should a company who wants to use Twitter as a marketing tool develop a large number of followers who stray outside their target market or focus on a smaller number of engaged followers?

It's the quality versus quantity argument and both sides have merit.

Here is an argument for having a large quantity of Twitter followers with the idea that it is a numbers game. It comes from Collegerecruiter.com and the title is Why Quantity is Better than Quality When it Comes to Twitter Followers.

The argument for developing a quantity of followers on Twitter makes sense in many ways. My hunch is the demographics on Twitter are probably similar. How many marketing decisions are made on hunches, by the way?

I'm sure many Twitter users have a college education even though they represent many fields of study. They're at least somewhat active online or they wouldn't have Twitter accounts.

Maybe Twitter is the new mass media.

Also read Marketing tips for Twitter

Web site assessment questions for small businesses

2009-10-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

A small business owner who runs a store recently wanted a Web site. I wrote out these questions to help determine why a Web site might benefit his business:

What is the primary reason for wanting a Web site?

What do you want a Web site to achieve for you?

Is the Web site going to be part of a local marketing campaign?

Is the goal to get Web site visitors the chance to shop online and purchase online?

How long has the store been in business?

Who is the typical customer? Where do they live? What do they buy?

How much money does the typical customer spend?

What is the budget range?

Click here to read this post on more assessment questions

Marketing using social media means offering help

2009-10-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Marketing using social media means more than talking about your own products and why they're so good. It means offering help, too.

While there's not an exact formula I feel that on Twitter about 1/3 of the posts should be about others like re-tweets, 1/3 helpful info/quotes/etc, and 1/3 on your company and benefits to customers.

An excellent article on Social Media Today notes why companies fail at using social media and the number one reason is they like to talk about themselves.

Use social media as a way to listen to customers or engage them in topics that are of benefit to them.

For related reading, here is a post I wrote on Twitter and a list of ways to use it effectively in marketing and business: Marketing Tips for Twitter

Consistent business networking generates results

2009-10-13T16:19:00.001-07:00

Business networking to generate leads requires a long-term commitment.

But business networking that is consistent helps generate new referrals and leads. Business owner May Hui discovered this with her business which is in its 3rd year. She's the founder of Catch Matchmaking, a Los Angeles-based company that connects single professionals.

May is pictured on the right with co-founder Katie Chen.

May told me that one ingredient for networking success is staying in touch with contacts:

"Building relationships with everyone we touch everyday is vital. We do our best to be consistent at our networking functions so we are "top of mind" when a contact comes across a single person.

"We do a great job with getting to know someone outside of the networking environment as well, taking the time to have coffee or exchanging information with them.

"Another key reason for business success: using social media to keep in touch with the younger generations. Text messaging is very helpful to expedite communication with our clients and eventually generate referrals from friends and family."

Click here for a related post on business networking.

Business networking requires a long-term commitment and focus.

Free tips on business networking

2009-10-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Business networking is important as I learned again this morning while at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce referral breakfast.

During a group exercise on "How are your partnerships building your business?" one member, Walt Whitney, shared how he spent $ 1,200 on a networking group for one year. He didn't receive any direct referrals from the group. Then he went to breakfast with one of the members who is a financial planner. She brought along another financial planner and then they introduced Walt to someone else. It was that connection who introduced Walt to 3 clients!

Walt diagrammed how the business networking proceeded. He drew about 5 circles before he actually met the client.

Here are other lessons on business networking I picked up from the LA Chamber meeting:

Business networking is a long-term proposition (6 months to 12 months for some businesses)
Build relationships before expecting business results
Ask others about their business needs - don't just talk about yourself
Actively network others and you'll be seen as a "go to" resource
Be clear about the type of client or customer you're seeking

I recently did an interview with May Hui, the founder of Catch Matchmaking and she said business networking consistently allows her to stay in the top of the minds of contacts who have the potential to refer new business.

Click here to read the full interview with May Hui of Catch Matchmaking.

Business networking is a viable way to generate qualified leads and find new business. But it will take time and it will take a commitment to stay within a networking group.

Click here for a related post on business networking and remaining consistent.

Solar power affordable for homeowners and commercial building owners

2009-10-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

Commercial building owners may now find solar energy is a viable, money saving option over the long-term when compared to paying electric bills.

This article contains information about rebates in California and government mandates.

Solar power affordable for homeowners and commercial building owners

Free Marketing Tip: Promote value and benefits

2009-10-06T10:58:00.001-07:00

Market to consumers who are looking for value, value, value for their money.

Mike Zaya, president of PrintRunner.com told me in a recent interview that now, more than ever, consumers are willing to switch their brand loyalty in order to either save money or get better value for their money.

I saw the same message again on Dane Carlson's Business Opportunities Weblog:

Value is going to be the new black. Consumers have realized the importance over the past few years of value for their money. They will now be looking for a reason to buy all products and services . . . The classic old trick of appealing to a consumers feelings are not going to work anymore. Consumers have gotten wise to that one and are now on the look out for those who are trying to tug at their heart strings in order to make a sale.

He credits Branding Strategy Insider as the source.

I published the comments from Mike Zaya of PrintRunner in my column as the LA Business News Examiner.

Want a free marketing tip? Provide value to customers with your services or products and clearly show the benefits of what you offer.

Marketing tips for Twitter

2009-10-03T11:03:00.001-07:00

Here is a free marketing tip using Twitter.

Twitter is a viable marketing tool yet it must follow the rules for all social marketing:

Offer valuable how-to information
Talk about other businesses, too
Re-tweet posts from other users
Offer humorous tweets (posts)

Here is a loose formula that I've read about and have seen others follow when using Twitter.

1) Send about 7 - 10 msgs a day when you Tweet. Maybe more when the time is appropriate.
2) Tweet on at least 3 different days per week. Preferably 5 days per week.
3) Make 1/3 of Tweets about someone else, 1/3 your business, 1/3 helpful insights

What should your Return on Investment be when using Twitter?

I have 530 followers and counting on Twitter.

When I write an article on one of my sites, I put the link into Bit.ly and then go to Twitter.

After I post on Twitter, the immediate click through number on Bit.ly is about 1.5% of my Twitter followers.

Scott Allen is a social media and former About.com guide whom I've been following for a few years. He says about 2% return is likely.

An encouraging stat is I'm beginning to see more clicks on Bit.ly for old Twitter posts.

Twitter is a viable marketing tool but don't just talk about your business and make sure you offer valuable information for others to read.

Click here to read articles on business resources around So Cal

Learn to market with media exposure for your business

2009-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

An upcoming seminar in Studio City, CA will show you how to get media exposure for your business.

The lunch time seminar takes place October 6 in Studio City.

The presenter is Gayl Murphy, Hollywood corrrespondent who also teaches business owners and professionals how to use their personalities to sell their stories.

Click here to read a post on Gayl from earlier this year.

For complete details on location and to register log on to http://www.InterviewTactics.com.

Successful entrepreneurs use a combination of media
expertise & business-savvy when they step into the
"spotlight" to tell the world about who they are and
their next big thing...And, so should YOU!

Creative entrepreneurs and showbiz pros: writers,
filmmakers musicians, speakers, directors, actors,
designers, experts, coaches, lifestyle gurus, authors,
artists, etc. - ANY creative decision makers, all want
to make a great living doing what they love.

The first step to making your business grow and
prosper is owning it: business first! You gotta to
pitch it to promote it so you can tell it to sell it!
Especially in these times of "re-invention," the need
to be seen & heard above the crowd is more urgent
than ever!

A NETWORKING LUNCH & PARKING ARE INCLUDED!!
(Bring plenty of business cards!)
AND, when you register yourself and a FRIEND, Gayl will
send her Ebook "Interview Tactics!" for FREE!

TO LEARN MORE, READ WHAT PAST ATTENDEES ARE
SAYING AND REGISTER:
http://www.interviewtactics.com/sellyourselfseminars.htm

Questions?
Call or email: 323-417-5172 ~ Gayl@InterviewTactics.com

Will Twitter make money?

2009-09-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from an in-depth post on Twitter's business model and potential sources of revenue.

"Twitter has publicly mentioned future revenue extraction opportunities from businesses on Twitter. Dell directly measures revenue generated by its multiple Twitter channels. Comcast offers "digital care" for its customers through a special Twitter account. Whole Foods discusses groceries with over 22,000 subscribers. Twitter has yet to extract value from the thousands of brand connections it currently enables. Brand monitoring will likely be the first corporate product from Twitter."

This was posted by Niall Kennedy at his blog and click here to log on to the post about Twitter revenue

Click here to read my opinion on whether or not a business should automate its Twitter followers.

Automate Twitter followers or select Twitter followers manually

2009-09-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Applications are readily available with the promise of adding thousands of Twitter followers in 24 to 48 hours. Sounds like a great way to market online.

Should your business add Twitter followers automatically or take the time to select Twitter followers like a real person? Does adding Twitter followers manually make marketing online more time consuming?

I believe companies should add Twitter followers strategically. I don't see how it's valuable to try to get the numbers to soar for most businesses whether those are brick and mortar operations or even online writers.

What's the benefit of having thousands of followers who aren't in your target market?

It's not that difficult. Log in to your Twitter account, use a # symbol and then search for topics that are related to your business or related to the people you want to contact. Go in and follow 1 dozen or two dozen who are closely related and strategically related to your Tweets.

Soon, their followers will discover your presence and you'll begin to build a following. So you don't have to add all your followers manually. But I don't see why businesses feel they need to automate followers simply to get the numbers to soar.

Using Twitter as a marketing and business research tool

2009-09-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

Twiter is a useful marketing research tool.

For marketing purposes, Twitter can quickly spread positive comments about a product while it can also generate negative buzz, too.

For business research using Twitter is a cost-effective and time-efficient way of gathering useful information and even networking for potential business contacts.

Simply entering a search term and seeing what people link to may be faster than using the traditional search engines. This article assumes you have a Twitter account. The users who are "tweeting" on that topic are users who are worth following for your company or consulting business.

Let’s say you want to conduct a search on favorite wines. Maybe you’re going to use them as promotional giveaways and you want to see which ones Twitter users recommend.

Here’s an example. Enter #smallbusiness and see what the results return. When I did that, I immediately found several people who seem worth following and their links to topics could prove useful for the online writing and research I do for myself and for clients.

Twitter is a strategic, free tool to begin using to find information – and people – with whom you might want to connect and eventually do business transactions together. Feel free to follow me. I'm @donsimko. Glad to make your Twitter acquaintance!

Click here to see how the online printing company PrintRunner is using Twitter strategically for its marketing and social media purposes.

Free marketing tip - focus marketing message on customers

2009-09-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Let this free marketing tip focus your attention on making your marketing message focus on your customers. A customer-centric message is necessary and strategic.

While that's common sense most companies large and small feel they need to make their marketing message center on their own capabilities. They talk about themselves rather than speak to customers and show how the customer-client benefits.

Focusing on the user (or the customer, client) is what Yahoo! is now doing.

The company announced today that it has realigned all aspects of its business around simplifying and enhancing the Web experience for people throughout the world. To underscore its commitment, Yahoo! is launching a global brand campaign to celebrate its connection with people and communicate core product enhancements.

“Today the Web and your world are inseparable,” said Yahoo! Chief Executive Officer Carol Bartz. “Hundreds of millions of people use Yahoo! to get the information they need, connect with friends and family, and be entertained. We are about creating online experiences people find meaningful, relevant, and fun.”

Yahoo will launch its brand campaign September 28 in the United States, October 5 in the United Kingdom and India. The campaign will run into 2010.

Ask yourself: do your customers understand the benefits your company offers and is it at the core of your marketing messages?

Free marketing tip - write articles on the Internet

2009-09-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

This free marketing tip says it's effective to write articles on the Internet as a marketing strategy for a company and especially for independent consultants.

Marketing with written articles is a way to share specialized knowledge, your unique perspective on a subject and, in the process, be found by people who need the services you offer.

My financial planner is writing a book and he sent me an email saying that people who were interviewing him on the book did a search on him on the Internet. They came across an article I had written on him in late '07 (two years ago) and they found it informative and helpful.

Here's a link to the article titled "Should you invest or pay off your mortgage?"

Writing articles as a marketing tool is not a short-term proposition. It takes consistent effort and there must be both quantity and quality in the posts. However, it is ultimately a marketing tool that offers credibility.

For an independent consultant who's working in one geographical area such as Orange County, California or southern California, it's likely that the article can be used to email to a prospective client. The article then is a second touch. That means the consultant uses the article as tool to build credibility.

For a company or sales rep working across multiple states it's likely the article can be a "first touch" found through search engines or a second touch when the rep says "we wrote an article on that very subject" and then emails it.

In the next post, I'll write more specifically on using articles as a marketing tool on the Internet to build credibility and as a tool in winning new customers and clients.

Marketing tip: listen to customers

2009-09-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Listening to customers is a marketing tip that costs little to implement. It may require some time to pause and adapt what is being said.

Listening is one of the greatest assets in selling but it's also a vital tool in gathering intelligent information to use in making strategic marketing decisions and overall business decisions.

An example is spa manufacturer CalSpas that originally launched as a pool company but while displaying pool molds at the Los Angeles County fair, heard customers requesting hot tubs after they saw the pool molds.

Click here to read more on Giving customers what they want: a lesson from CalSpas

Listening to customers may not make your business change its core competency. But it can help in gathering data to sift through and make useful decisions.

Have you done customer surveys? If so, how have you used the information?

What are the greatest reasons for customer satisfaction?

What are their complaints?

Don't let a few negative customer comments get you down and don't let a few positive comments overinflate your ego. Use listening to your customers as a free marketing tip to run your business more effectively.

Marketing lesson in creating buzz

2009-09-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

A marketing lesson in creating buzz is Spa Week. I discovered this as I was researching articles for my page at Examiner.com.

The marketing and promotional event happens two times per year at more than 700 spa locations around the country. The purpose is to make spa visits affordable and introduce new spa-goers to the services of spas in their city and community.

Services that may normally cost in the hundreds of dollars are offered for as little as $ 50 for a visit.

Users have to go online to sign up at spaweek.com.

The week is in its 11th season and it helps drive traffic to local spas and provides promotional contests as well for web visitors.

For more information log on to this article about Spa Week.

Spas also gain potential media exposure at both a local and national level.

A lesson to take from this is creating a special event or week for your business or related businesses in your city.

Remember: consistency is required for marketing success and is needed to generate marketing buzz.

Chase Cards Targeting Affluent: Market Segmentation

2009-08-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a marketing tip in segmenting a customer database.

Chase Card Services, a unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co., said Wednesday it will now offer a rewards card designed for wealthy customers. This is according to an Associated Press report.

The new card, called Chase Sapphire, is designed for the top-earning 15 percent of U.S. households. It offers travel services, access to round-the-clock customer service and a rewards program.

All businesses may have a need to segment their database and position specific messages and offerings to certain types of customers.

How deeply you segment depends on many variables including pricing, product offerings available.

I’ve met several Professional Employment Organization (PEO) representatives in the last few months and many of them deal with businesses ranging from 10 employees to hundreds.

The number of employees in a company will determine some of the needs of that prospective customer. And those needs will then determine the type of message and approach taken.

The value in segmenting a customer list is it aids greatly in the sales process: the right message for the right target audience delivered with the right media.

Is SEO or PPC Best for Marketing?

2009-08-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

How do seo and pay per click (PPC) compare? I always thought organic search engine rankings through seo were the best and most credible links for a company.

However, a recent study I came across is making me think differently.

"According to a new study by Engine Ready, based on traffic to 26 e-retail sites in a 12-month period that ended June 30, visitors who arrive at a retailer's site from paid search ads are 50% more likely to buy than those who come from clicking on a natural search link. The conversion rate from paid search is 2.03% versus 1.26% from organic search, according to the study as reported by Internet Retailer."

The article is on MediaPost Publications written by Jack Loechner.

One of the first questions I had after reading the study was questioning if the sample was large enough to draw conclusions across the internet. After all, 26 e-retail sites out of how many retail sites on the web?

Nevertheless, this shows that when search engine users are looking for a product to purchase then they're not going to question the credibility of whether the link is "credible" or not.

If it shows up on a search engine site they're using then they're going to click.

This is also good news for the internet advertising model that it is relevant and worth paying ad costs.

Utilizing both seo and ppc is another part of the overall marketing mix.

Is Traditional Media Relevant in Today's Market?

2009-08-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Is traditional media relevant, or still important, in today's market?

Marketing decision-makers know how online social media is . . . choose your word: exploding, dynamic, raging, or ubiquitous.

The need for this post came to mind when I was on Twitter, @donsimko, and saw a Tweet from @barbomalley. She's the Associate VP Communications at the University of Akron. Btw, I like "post" more than "tweet."

She linked to a free webinar of the Public Relations Society of America sponsored by Vocus Communications with the title "Does Traditional Media Still Matter?" The webinar is Thursday, August 13 at 3pm EDT.

Does traditional media still matter?

Since I enjoy asking assessment questions, ask yourself:

Have you read a newspaper in the past 48 hours?
Have you read a magzine?
Did you receive "junk mail" at home today? Or in the office?
If the phone is considered traditional media, have you received a sales call in the past week from home improvement companies?
Have you received a sales letter at work in the past 10 days?
Are there billboards in the city where you live?
Along the beaches, do airplanes fly with their banners flailing behind?
Do you see ads on TV?
When did you last listen to the radio?

Traditional media still has a vital role to play. Rather than set aside one medium in favor of another, understand the uses of each medium and the best ways to utilize them to send out a corporate message.

Effectiv marketing strategies understand that target audiences need a media mix, or marketing mix, to maxmize reach.

The benefits of interactive media include more accurate measuring of behaviors and responses.

But traditional media still has relevance. It certainly matters.

Marketing with a Site for Adsense

2009-07-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

I found this link to a web site that has Adsense blended in quite nicely with the main content. I feel that Adsense is also a resource so I think it's fine.

http://studentloansource.info/

Utilizing adsense or some other contextual advertising effort can be a good way for a small business to recover some of its advertising and marketing costs.

I thought about this a few months back when I helped a client boost his organic rankings in Google and I enlarged the number of keywords visitors used to find him by as much as 30%.

I felt he could use some type of advertising program on his site and it would pay for some of his costs.

When designing a site, blog or some other web property, always ask if the site content and layout will meet the needs of the people coming to visit.

Do you know the needs of your target market and how well do you offer them a benefit?

This site on student loans where I provide the link earlier in the post seems to do just that.

It was designed by @eperception whom you can find on Twitter.

Marketing with Social Media: Start-Up Biz Case Study

2009-07-26T09:19:00.001-07:00

Marketing with social media requires participation.

Participation means starting a meaningful conversation to build relationships.

Use marketing with social media as a way to say hello, gain followers and then introduce them to your company products and services over time.

Whitworth Photography is an example of a start-up business using social media effectively.

Samuel Whitworth is a 20-year-old photographer who has a MySpace page, Facebook page and a Twitter account. I advised him to send out about 5 - 8 "tweets" per day, say hello to people and then follow those in the greater Pasadena area to focus in on his geographical market of Pasadena, California and then the larger Southern California market.

Sam did this but he took it one step further. He created a simple flyer and messaged it to his MySpace followers and Facebook followers. He also used a picture from a recent shoot to attract attention. His web site hits started climbing steadily with more than 50 visits immediately after sending the announcement on his current rates and specials.

Then he went on Twitter and began saying "hi" to followers and beginning a conversation in a way that was interesting to them.

Do you see the universal principle at work here: if you walk in to a room full of crowded people and immediately start talking about yourself how do you think your listeners will feel?

Do you think they'll feel compelled to listen? Or will they feel more compelled to walk away?

Sam successfully started gaining new followers and then started "tweeting" his specials, photos of Pasadena, a wedding and other shots. He gained followers and at least two or three new shoots in a week.

Social media does work for marketing but it requires consistent participation and starting conversations that interest prospective followers and customers.

Free Marketing Tips: Make Your Message Clear

2009-07-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Make a marketing message clear even if it means sacrificing some creativity. People have little time to think and ponder.

Here's a marketing case study worth a closer look. See if you agree if you're from Southern California, otherwise, perhaps there's a similar case in your area.

Forest Lawn Mortuary has done a magnificent job of marketing a subject that people don't want to discuss. After all, Southern California is about glitz and glamor, right? Even when one of the biggest stars of pop . . . oh, well . . .

I was driving in North Hollywood today when I noticed a billboard on Lankershim showing an older woman (70+) with the slogan "Former NFL Linebacker" and below "don't have someone else's funeral."

Okay. Then I remembered another Forest Lawn billboard I saw on the 605 South near the 60 freeway east of Los Angeles with a heavy set bearded man and the notation "Served under Regan" and below "Don't have someone else's funeral."

When I saw that one I thought, "huh?" and the same with the woman.

While thinking about it all day today, I then thought about the focus of the marketing message: you're also important, it's your celebration. Hmm, but I don't know.

I feel that Forest Lawn is mixing elements for the marketing message on the billboard.

I've thought about it . . . and thought about it. Maybe I'll try to call them and do a brief interview with them. I certainly have respect for their marketing efforts.

Here's my free marketing tip: creativity is strongest when the elements blend together well in support of a clear message. Does what you're saying seem too simple? Hey, that may be acceptable.

In my opinion, a clear marketing message is created when a benefit to the target audience is clearly stated.

Marketing Tip: Know Your Target Audience

2009-07-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

I'm passing on this free marketing tip after attending a conference on doing business in India. Know your target audience and get involved with them.

The keynote speaker at the conference, sponsored in part by Quanta Consulting, Southern California Edison and the Port of Los Angeles, was Ed Fuller of Marriot International. He spoke about the travel industry and the growth of the middle class presenting opportunities for Marriot in India. But he also spoke about taking time with people to know them on their terms and earn the right to do business with them.

For companies to succeed in business with India, they must understand the country, the background, history and driving forces. India is also made up of separate regions that are totally different.

"We spent time working in each market and developing relationships in each market," Fuller remarked.

He said building relationships takes time.

"A relationship come with time and patience," he said. "After 20 dinners and visiting homes a close relationship may still not exist."

Yet business results come from relationships that develop.

This means it's important to take time to build relationships and have a long term view of the marketing effort and sales effort.

Many companies want the sales --- NOW!
Consultants who market their services want sales --- NOW!
So many businesses look to today for their business success -- and aren't patient enough to understand the value of building for the long term.

Even if your company is domestic only, take to heart the need to build long-term relationships for business success and future sales. Doing business with people who are trusted is a universal marketing truth.

Know your target audience, be patient in developing the relationship and then position your product or service to meet their needs.

marketing to brand loyal customers

2009-06-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Are you a brand loyal customer?

This morning I stopped for coffee as I took my wife and daughter to the airport for a pre-dawn flight to Minneapolis. Brand loyal customers are big in the coffee business, right? Think Starbucks! My son, my brother and my brother-in-law are loyal to the Starbucks brand. That's their first choice for coffee. It's the coffee my brother-in-law even brews at his house.

But when it comes to me I'm not brand loyal as a coffee drinker.

My favorite coffee is brewed at our local donut shop and I don't know what brand they use. It costs me $ 1.35 for a large cup of coffee.

I do like McDonald's coffee more than Starbucks but I'm not loyal to the McDonald's brand. Coffee is about the only item I'll purchase at McDonald's.

When it comes to coffee, I shop for both taste and price but not the brand.

I'm not brand loyal when it comes to gasoline, either. I'll choose AM-PM over any of the top tier gasoline brands usually because of price and because I drive a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder that I have serviced regularly.

But I could become loyal to the Nissan brand of cars since I've heard so many people talk about them favorably and my Pathfinder is running smoothly.

So where am I brand loyal? It's hard to say. I'll need to think about where I am brand loyal. But thanks for asking!

So what does it take to create brand loyalty? It's a good subject for another post.

Marketing Tool: Your Bio Part 2

2009-06-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

Here are tips from Gayl Murphy on using your personal story, or bio, to market your company, products, services or marketing knowledge for consultants. Gayl is a veteran of the Hollywood media scene interviewing people such as Jay Leno and George Clooney who shared additional tips in Marketing Tool: Your Bio Part 1.

She offers these specific tips focus on dealing with the media:

23 - Being in front of the media requires a level of PERFORMANCE, so give your interview your ENERGY.

24 - An interview isn’t a confession, so there's no need to reveal your deepest and darkest secrets to a complete stranger.

25 - An interview isn't a conversation either, but it is GIVE AND TAKE, so listen carefully to what's being asked.

26 - No chewing gum, drinking alcohol, or eating during an interview. It’s rude and will ruin the audio.

This doesn’t apply for the Cooking Channel or a Budweiser promotion.

27 - Make EYE CONTACT whenever you can. SMILE. Compliment a reporter when they ask you an insightful question.

28 - Say the reporter’s name when you can. People really like it when you say their name.

29 - Thank your interviewer for taking the time to cover YOUR story.

30 - Whatever your product; books, CDs, photos, films, cookies, clothing, jewelry, etc., I say bring a sample, or a press clipping along and ask if they would like to see it, try it, or have it.

This takes the guesswork out of what you’re selling and they get to enjoy your handiwork first hand.

31 - Check out your body language. What is it saying about you? Are your hands all over the place? Are you playing with your hair or the buttons on your clothing?

First impressions are everything. It’s important to look CONFIDENT and COMFORTABLE.

32 - Dress for success and DRESS THE PART! Whatever your part is. You’re the STAR! You get to decide how the world sees you.

33 - Don't be lazy with your language. Speak up and speak in complete sentences. Avoid phrases such as; YA KNOW, LIKE…UMM and KNOW WHAT I’M SAYIN’?

34 - Having a sense of humor is always a good thing - just don't go overboard. Sharing a joke is one thing, trying to be Jay Leno is another … don't go there.

35 - And most important, when all is said and done…what a reporter really wants is an insightful INNER-VIEW of you, and to turn in a great story and get paid.

Any questions you have about these 35-KILLER “INTERVIEW TACTICS” FOR SURVIVING THE MEDIA WITHOUT GETTING CLOBBERED! can be answered in the pages of Gayl Murphy's book, INTERVIEW TACTICS! HOW TO SURVIVE THE MEDIA WITHOUT GETTING CLOBBERED. (THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO GIVING A KILLER INTERVIEW! http://www.InterviewTactics.com

Part 1 is available here.

Marketing Tool: Your Bio Part 1

2009-06-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

Using your personal story or bio to market a company, service or products is a smart move.

Here's one reason:

It immediately sets you apart from the competition since no one has a story like your story.

Your story, and as I wrote in a post on March 18, your reputation for service, will do far more to generate positive word-of-mouth referrals than all the time spent on social networking sites or purchasing expensive media buys.

This post is part 1 of a lesson marketing your story or bio with Gayl Murphy. You can read Part 2 here.

Learn more about using your bio to market your company among the media with Gayl Murphy, owner of Interview Tactics! If you're sitting down with a reporter or pitching your bio or personal story Gayl passed along these tips to follow:

1 You’ve got to PITCH IT TO PROMOTE IT, so you can TELL IT TO SELL IT. If you can’t tell your own story, who can? And who will…and WHY would you want them to? Only YOU can tell YOUR story!

2 Be as honest and upfront as you can with the person that’s interviewing and engaging you.

3 Relax, enjoy and have a good time. Being interviewed is supposed to be FUN. Whatever the circumstances, you get to be the star of THE ME SHOW starring ME, or in this case…YOU!

4 Keep this Interview Tactics! Report close at hand in your MEDIA BAG and refer to it often, because you’ll need it. REMEMBER: It’s the RIGHT TOOL for the right time. Why? Because you can't control the environment you'll be delivering your message in, and it's not a reporter, or decision maker’s job to show you the ropes, or help you tell it to sell it!

5 When you’re telling your story to the media, or any gatekeeper, your JOB is to capture their attention and imagination in the shortest amount of time.

The best way to do that is by using COLOR AND DETAIL. A good story is both the SIZZLE AND THE STEAK.

To set your story up, paint a picture with your words, using color and detail - and drop the other person in.

I would also add to Gayl's tips that CEOs or Executive Directors of organizations often try to sanitize their story. But I believe that people don't mind when we come across as human beings who try their hardest but also end up making mistakes.
Part 2 of Marketing Tool: Your Bio is here.

Remember, your bio is what sets you apart from everyone else in your industry and even within your company. Marketing your bio is one of the most unique marketing tools available for your use.

eNewsletter Marketing Planning

2009-06-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

eNewsletter Marketing Starts with Planning: Lesson #1

Planning is the essential first step in using an enewsletter for marketing just as it is in developing any form of marketing communication or plan.

In enewsletter marketing lesson #1, I’ll briefly set out how a plan can help a small business or a larger company create a successful email campaign.

A client who operates 26 apartment buildings in the greater Pasadena, California area, Barbera Properties, enjoys a low vacancy rate in any given month – less than 2% vacancies and often less than 1% vacancies for over 500 units.

He wanted to drive more traffic to his web site which I helped him achieve through re-writing his web pages, web articles and social media.

I recommended he send out a regular enewsletter.

First, determine your goal

I saw his overall goal was building community. He sees the tenants as partners in his operation and he wanted to also connect them with local businesses.

Because of this, I wrote the content in 3 parts: • quick intro from the company founder to the readers, • a spotlight on a local business with a discount,

• and a community-based activity that featured a non-profit organization.

There was also a brief interview running in the sidebar with a local insurance salesman.

The goal of your enewsletter determines the layout, the content, the images, and the call to action

Are you sending out factual announcements to customers – or are you trying to persuade them to do business with you – or forward the enewsletter?

I asked a photographer I know,

Samuel Whitworth from Whitworth Photography

, who had taken some custom shots around Pasadena to upload a few of the images into the enewsletter.

He used Photoshop to edit in a custom photo with a template image. This created a banner that was used as the header. We also used custom photos in the body of the enewsletter and in the sidebar.

We also had to determine how often to send out the enewsletter. This is not an exact science. Should it be once a month, once a week, or twice a month?

Again, what’s the purpose for sending it out? A typical landlord who has several dozen tenants could simply send out an announcement-style enewsletter once a month. But for my client, he was wanting to build community and even connect tenants who had their own home-based businesses get some exposure.

I knew more than a dozen businesses to highlight in addition the ones he and his staff knew as well. Once a week would be too often but I felt once a month would be too much lag time. We wanted each enewsletter to also have discounts offered to readers so there would be something of value to them.

We settled on twice a month.

The enewsletter is going to soon head out into inboxes, so we’ll be waiting for the response.

Planning your enewsletter doesn’t have to be an exhaustive process

but laying out a basic plan is essential to guide the development and filter through the opinions of decision-makers involved in the process.

Interactive Marketing Return on Investment

2009-05-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

Is interactive marketing worth the return on investment (roi)?

Since so much marketing activity is occuring on the internet, how do you measure interactive marketing roi, especially when you compare it to direct mail and traditional advertising?

While return on investment is measured in terms of dollars spent and dollars that come in, then it's important to point out that interactive marketing also allows advertisers to target - or "go after" - specific target customers and, at the same time, gives them a chance to pull them in using search engine marketing strategies.

Here's an outline I wrote of reasons to use interactive marketing versus only traditional direct mail.

I. High Rate of Return on Investment
A. Email - Highest return for every dollar spent compared to all other channels:
According to a new Power of Direct economic impact study from the Direct Marketing Association, return on investment from email marketing keeps surpassing other channels.For 2008:- Email marketing’s ROI will be $45.06 for every dollar spent on it- Non-email internet marketing delivers $19.94 for every dollar invested- Catalog marketing generates $7.28 return - Non-catalog direct marketing’s ROI will be $15.55 for every dollar spent

B. Email Open Rates and Click Through Rates
1. Industry Standard: Numbers vary based on relationship between sender and receiver. But, typical open rates may reach 30% while click through rates may reach 10%.

2. An interactive agency, Rhythm Interactive, improved a client’s click-through rate by 200% when improving the content
II. Budget-smart cost per lead
Cost per lead is $ 30 for one client that Rhythm Interactive is introducing to a new program for Personal Web sites

III. Ability to Target Specific Audiences, Track Behaviors
Rhythm Interactive’s work with the State of Connecticut Dept of Tourism resulted in more than 24,000 sweepstakes participants in a 12-week period. More than 72% requested vacation guides. Other details available upon request

IV. Digital – Personal URLs
This gives companies the chance to attract specific clients who fit particular profiles. Companies may have more than one niche to attract and developing personal urls is one way to create a personalized experience. This integrates effectively with direct mail, person-to-person and telephone follow-up.

Let me say, I'm also a believer in using a marketing mix such as direct mail to reach customers where they are. Not everyone is online all the time so strategies that employ direct mail combined with interactive online marketing can be quite successful.

By the way, here's a great article on interactive marketing that I found on Bnet from 1991. It talks about delivering a message on floppy discs!

Your Most Important Marketing Tool

2009-03-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

What's the most important marketing tool you can use?

Web site? No.

Twitter? No.

Direct Mail? No.

Personal Networking? No.

Answer: Your reputation!

I believe your reputation for providing quality service or a quality product at a fair price will generate the most valuable form of marketing and advertising: word-of-mouth.

Other forms of advertising and marketing are still useful. They can distribute your reputation faster, farther and to more of your target market.

If you have a good reputation then word-of-mouth multiples in effectiveness. If you have a bad reputation then positive marketing will get more expensive.

Reputations take time to build. Be patient. If you're new in business - like less than three years old - then make sure you've got success stories and satisfied customers who want to spread the word.

Paying for marketing help and advertising does offer strategic benefits, though.

I've considered calling this "Reputation Marketing."

What you're really trying to do is market your positive reputation and your strengths.

I've thought about this after working with Barbera Properties, a professionally run apartment rental company operating in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Monrovia and other nearby cities. They even have a video on their management philosophy.

Barbera Properties has a management philosophy that focuses on treating the tenant, or customer, as a partner. This means when a tenant has a service request the Barbera Properties maintenance team responds quickly instead of investigating to see if the tenant is actually telling the truth.

Certainly there are tenants who'll take advantage of the service and complain when it's not warranted.

But the response also results in good will and earns customer respect and greatly increases the chance to benefit from word-of-mouth marketing.

So the first rule of reputation marketing: provide excellent customer service.

Reverse Business Networking: Reduce Pressure

2009-01-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

How much do you enjoy business networking?

Some people love it and thrive on walking into a room, ready to chat and exchange business cards. I've met professionals in the legal profession or financial planning profession who know how to ask the right questions in a conversation, give a card and determine within 30-seconds if they're going to keep speaking with the person they've just met or if they'll walk on . . . !

Can you do that? And is that really effective business networking?

That approach works for some but it makes the palms sweat for others.

Try "reverse networking" or connecting with a power partner.

I just heard the term reverse networking from a friend and actor, Brian Vermiere, who develops tools to help other actors and other performers stay organized as they build their careers.

The idea is you don't walk into a room filled with people and see them as your potential clients and think immediately "how can I get them to do business with me!"

Instead, be prepared to ask about their business, their client and listen to what they have to say.

This means you have to listen, listen, listen. This goes to my post about asking assessment questions. But it doesn't mean you have to take a lot of time. It may only take seconds.

Here is how Brian Vermiere used "reverse networking."

He went to an audition, stood in front of the camera and got ready to deliver his lines. I believe it was for a commercial audition. In this situation, an actor usually has no more than a minute or two to say their name, their lines -- maybe do a second take -- and thank the associate as they walk out the door.

The casting associate who was operating the camera was in a grumpy mood so Brian asked him an innocent question and found out he was worried about his cat. Brian kept the information in mind and jotted it down in his toolkit.

Brian got a callback on the audition - which means he was asked to come back and do a second reading to be considered for the role.

He asked the casting associate about the health of his cat and the man acted surprised. Then Brian said when he was in for the first reading, the man talked about his cat, etc.

Brian wound up booking the role!

Now, he also had to have the talent in order to book the role and the information itself didn't secure the part for him. But it did help create a relationship and it could likely have given him an edge.

Taking the moments to ask someone else about their business, their needs and their clientele can provide much greater rewards than dumping them if they can't immediately help you.

PR Success for Any Business: Article Marketing

2009-01-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

The ability to quickly publish articles on your business across the Internet is a strategic Public Relations move for any size business. Here are compelling reasons to use article marketing in your business, according to Right Touch Marketing & Media:

1 Speak directly to the target client and show how you meet their needs

2 Speak directly to the need of a potential customer by showing the benefits your company offers

3 Sharing knowledge – article marketing gives a chance to showcase your knowledge and track record

4 Cost effective: the cost of articles is in the initial writing. A skilled writercan write several articles efficiently. Once articles are written they have alife of several months, thus stretching the marketing dollars.

5 Can replace or supplement traditional public relations efforts.Building relationships with the media takes time. Press releases are often not published or published once and then forgotten.

6 Use online articles as printed fact sheets.These can easily be distributed to customers or handed out at networking events.

7 Improve web site visibility. Articles submitted to leading web sites and directories can contain links to a corporate web site.

8 Establishes credibility for a company or for an individual service provider

9 Establishes a personality, too, allowing potential customers to get to know the point person. This establishes a "personal brand" for a corporate salesperson or individual professional such as an attorney or real estate agent.

10 Effective to use in an integrated media campaign. Online articles can be easily emailed or referred to in a direct mailing.

Don Simkovich of Right Touch Marketing & Media, ph: 818-667-1789, offers writing articles as a cost-effective solution to meet the marketing needs for any business.

The Challenge of Marketing

2008-11-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-10-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-10-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-18T14:58:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-07-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-06T15:33:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-06-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

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:

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.

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.

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?

2008-06-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

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

Partners

Employees (managers, specific departments, hourly)

Vendors, including independent contractors

Investors

Board of Directors

Stockholders

EXTERNAL

Customers / Clients, New

Customers / Clients, Current

Referral Sources / Networking Contacts

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

Marketing Assessment Questions for Free

2008-06-20T18:53:00.001-07:00

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?

Read here are more marketing assessment questions.

What is Marketing?

2008-06-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

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.

Free Marketing Tips

Direct mail marketing from a search engine company

Yelp for Local Business

Developing a large number of followers on Twitter or small number

Web site assessment questions for small businesses

Marketing using social media means offering help

Consistent business networking generates results

Free tips on business networking

Solar power affordable for homeowners and commercial building owners

Free Marketing Tip: Promote value and benefits

Marketing tips for Twitter

Learn to market with media exposure for your business

Will Twitter make money?

Automate Twitter followers or select Twitter followers manually

Using Twitter as a marketing and business research tool

Free marketing tip - focus marketing message on customers

Free marketing tip - write articles on the Internet

Marketing tip: listen to customers

Marketing lesson in creating buzz

Chase Cards Targeting Affluent: Market Segmentation

Is SEO or PPC Best for Marketing?

Is Traditional Media Relevant in Today's Market?

Marketing with a Site for Adsense

Marketing with Social Media: Start-Up Biz Case Study

Free Marketing Tips: Make Your Message Clear

Marketing Tip: Know Your Target Audience

marketing to brand loyal customers

Marketing Tool: Your Bio Part 2

Marketing Tool: Your Bio Part 1

eNewsletter Marketing Planning

eNewsletter Marketing Starts with Planning: Lesson #1

Interactive Marketing Return on Investment

Your Most Important Marketing Tool

Reverse Business Networking: Reduce Pressure

PR Success for Any Business: Article Marketing

The Challenge of Marketing

What's Your Marketing Return on Investment?

Does Business Networking Work?

Your Marketing Program: Part 1

Critical Element of the Marketing Message

Marketing Strategies You Must Know

Marketing Tips: Use Holidays to Differentiate

Marketing Tools: Reviews of Low Cost Web Sites

Looking for a professional, low cost web site?

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

Relationship between Sales and Marketing

Effective marketing should lead to qualified sales leads.

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 through Speaking

Marketing to Kids

7Ps of Marketing and the 3Ms of Marketing

Do you know the 7Ps of Marketing?

Marketing a Solution to the Pain of Gas Prices

Websites and Marketing: For or Against You

Learn Free Marketing Tips from Denmark to So California

Personal Branding: Your Key to Greater Sales

Secret Marketing Tip for Real Estate Agents

Build Your Marketing Campaign

Build Your Marketing Campaign

MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

MEDIA

PROMOTION ONLINE / OFFLINE

TRANSACTION COMPLETE

Contacting Prospects Regularly

FINALLY. A MARKETING APPROACH THAT REALLY WORKS!

Market Yourself Locally

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

Creating a Marketing Budget

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

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

Spending Money on Marketing

Who Hears Your Marketing Message?

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

More Marketing Assessment Questions

Ask the Right Marketing Questions

Marketing Assessment Questions for Free

What do you want marketing to achieve for your business?

What is Marketing?

What is marketing?