| Marketing is a multi-faceted process that can take | | | | company, one of the first you hear is how good |
| you from where you are now to where you | | | | the follow-up is. Take a page out their book - |
| want to go. Let's take a good look at what should | | | | remember successful marketing requires three |
| be included in your "marketing plan," but not | | | | key things: an excellent product, outstanding |
| necessarily in the order shown.Design a dynamite | | | | service, and follow-up.One thing that Saturn has |
| brochure that stresses the benefits to your | | | | done is make it easy for the customers to deal |
| customers and potential customers of your | | | | with them. This is important to remember and |
| service and products. Very few people - except | | | | emulate. You need enough phone lines - there is a |
| maybe your competitors - are interested in what | | | | growing irritation among consumers about the |
| you market as much as they are in how what | | | | number of times that they hear, "Your business is |
| you market will benefit them or further their | | | | important to us," and then find themselves on |
| goals. Take a look at your brochure.SIX THINGS | | | | hold for an inordinately long period of time. It is |
| TO CONSIDER:1. Does it convey that message? | | | | also important make certain that ALL calls are |
| 2. Is it eye appealing? | | | | returned promptly and that phones are answered |
| 3. Is it on glossy paper? | | | | on the 2nd or 3rd ring. If you answer on the first, |
| 4. Is the layout attractive? | | | | the caller will not have heard the ring, and after |
| 5. Did you avoid the problem of "too much | | | | the third ring, he/she thinks you have gone out of |
| information?" | | | | business. It is also annoying to customers to find |
| 6. Are the graphics appropriate in style and | | | | themselves in what I call the "telephone loop" |
| number?If you can't say "yes" to these questions, | | | | where they are instructed to push one, push two, |
| then set aside that brochure and begin again. You | | | | push three and then eventually they get voice |
| have only one chance to impress your customer | | | | mail anyway.Signage, word power and remnant |
| with that brochure. Take advantage of the | | | | space - it's important to make use of all three of |
| opportunity and do it right.Be sure that your | | | | these. Let's look first at the sign. A good sign |
| business cards do double duty by making certain | | | | reminds, spurs impulse, implants inclination, |
| that their layout and message are correctly | | | | sharpens the company's identity, and gives a brief |
| planned. Are they attractive to the eye, easy to | | | | message. Go out and read your sign. Does it do all |
| read? Do they provide your title, email address, | | | | of this? Now, let's consider a different kind of |
| and web site? And don't forget that a logo and | | | | advertising, flyers or classifieds. Are there any |
| slogan go a long way toward building your brand. | | | | words that are more appealing and powerful than |
| Keep the logo simple. Consider some of the most | | | | others? You bet there are. A study done at |
| easily recognized and remembered logos - Coca | | | | Princeton found that the following words had |
| Cola ©, Apple Computer © are two | | | | great drawing power: "save, new, results, safety, |
| good examples. Note how simple but memorable | | | | easy, discovery, proven, guarantee, free, now, |
| they are. Your slogan should be simple, easy to | | | | secret, and benefits." Consider using them |
| remember, and easy to quote - "Drink Coke" - is | | | | appropriately in your advertisements. Also, did you |
| an excellent example. Last, but far from least, use | | | | know that there is a way to buy radio and T.V. |
| good card stock and remember that some colors | | | | time and even magazine space without incurring |
| are a turn-off. Create a card that your client will | | | | the equivalent of the national debt? Well, there is! |
| keep and remember.While we're talking about | | | | Use remnant space! When you contact the media |
| getting your name in front of your clients, let's | | | | in which you have an interest, tell the sales |
| consider the power of the internet. Do you have | | | | person to provide you with information on |
| a web page? If not, you really should consider | | | | remnant space and to let you know how deep |
| setting one up. It's easy (at least the simple ones | | | | the discount is going to be.A few years ago, we |
| are), and it can be put up and hosted for very | | | | designed some marketing/advertising tip sheets |
| reasonable fees by a company like Go Daddy (I'm | | | | for our own clients, |
| not kidding that is really the name of the server | | | | and I shared some of the key points with you in |
| and host). Once you have that page set up, you | | | | this article, but if you are really serious about |
| will want to:CREATE YOUR WEB SITE:It is very | | | | creating a world class image on an imagination |
| important to link to associations, chambers, trade | | | | budget, here are some quick tips that should help |
| journals, and vendors whose products you use or | | | | you achieve that image:14 TIPS TO REMEMBER1. |
| to whom you provide services because that link | | | | White is always a safe color for envelopes, and |
| will increase the traffic to your website. So, call | | | | white, # 10 sized envelopes with first |
| them and ask if it is all right if you link to their | | | | classstamps on them are more attention getting |
| pages. It is very rare for anyone to refuse the | | | | than metered letters. |
| linkage (assuming the product or service offered | | | | 2. You have only three seconds to "get" |
| doesn't violate their code of ethics) since the | | | | someone to open an envelope. |
| linkage is a good form of advertising and | | | | 3. Invitation sized envelopes tend to get opened |
| marketing for them, too.Make that web page | | | | before regular ones. |
| easy to use. If it is too complicated, visitors go | | | | 4. Handwritten addresses trigger a greater level |
| elsewhere - probably to one of your competitors. | | | | of curiosity than do printed ones. |
| Don't forget to set up a FAQ (frequently asked | | | | 5. If you are using a teaser on the envelope, |
| questions) section. Note the questions, and answer | | | | make certain that it applies to the receiver. |
| them for your visitors who hate to be left in the | | | | 6. Mass mailings only work if they go to carefully |
| dark about anything.Provide an address and a | | | | selected, target audiences. |
| means of reaching you or your company. Nothing | | | | 7. If you are going let people know that a "free |
| is more annoying to a customer than finding the | | | | gift" is enclosed in your mail, make certain |
| company wanted and then having no way to get | | | | that it would be one that is helpful to the |
| in touch with them. Once the individual realizes | | | | receiver. |
| that, it is quite possible that questions about | | | | 8. If you have a product and deal with resellers, |
| reliability and ethics may hove into view.The | | | | let them know if they can mark it up and still |
| internet's power lies in its connectivity. So, don't | | | | be highly competitive. |
| undermine it; build on it.In addition to creating a | | | | 9. You can get free publicity in newspapers and |
| level of awareness, you also want to make | | | | on radio if you provide free training sessions. |
| certain that your clients and customers | | | | Just send a press release that provides the |
| remember you. Many people use incentive gifts | | | | details that can be provided in a "community |
| for this purpose. If you decide to do this, make | | | | calendar." |
| certain that the gifts are useful reminders of you | | | | 10. If you have a brick and mortar store, |
| and your company. We have all been handed | | | | arrange the aisles to direct the flow of traffic |
| strange little "gifts" that will never be used by us | | | | through |
| or by anyone in our companies, so if we later | | | | the store past those items most likely to attract |
| remember the company, it is not necessarily a | | | | the eye and trigger the impulse to purchase. |
| favorable memory. Also, consider the fact that if | | | | 11. Do a good turn and reduce staffing costs by |
| everyone "gives" such an item, it won't be | | | | setting up a student intern program. The |
| memorable. I can't tell you how many company | | | | students profit by gaining experience (do screen |
| pens I've received over the years. Useful? Yes. | | | | and train with care). Letting the local news |
| Memorable? No. The gift needs to stand out, last, | | | | agencies know about the program is a great |
| and be used on a regular basis. If it won't be, why | | | | way to trigger good publicity. |
| spend the money to buy and give it? Items that | | | | 12. Build brand recognition by remembering that |
| are useful and can be put on the client's desktop | | | | "snappy" press releases that equal one inch of |
| will have good visibility.The best gift you can give | | | | column space are likely to get printed since most |
| any client or customers is attention - solicit input, | | | | papers need fillers. Get to know the |
| listen, and take action when you learn needs and | | | | editor. Get to know the reporters that cover the |
| interests. One thing you should do is solicit input | | | | business beat and feed them stories about |
| from customers and clients on a regular basis and | | | | newsworthy events -- then when you have a |
| act on what was said if it is feasible, legal, and | | | | story about your company, it is more likely to |
| possible. Then let all of your clients know what | | | | get printed. |
| you are doing with the information they | | | | 13. Get into the Chamber habit - if it is business |
| provided.One of the most effective ways to | | | | focused, and get on the committees that most |
| secure good information is to establish a focus | | | | closely relate to your business focus. |
| group. This group provides you with face-to-face | | | | 14. Hold a contest - design a contest and have |
| contact (or ear-to-ear if you use a phone | | | | prizes such as T shirts or hats with your |
| conference) and critical input. The group can shift | | | | company's logo on them. The winners become |
| members, but regular meetings should be held in | | | | walking billboards for your company, and the |
| order to stay informed about customer needs | | | | publicity is both valuable and free.So, what's the |
| and views.If we all had our way, our customers | | | | real message of this article - be creative, make |
| would do our marketing for us by telling their | | | | use of your resources, and be consistent in your |
| friends about us and our services or products. | | | | efforts. Success is in your hands, and with a little |
| Well, why not encourage "word of mouth" action? | | | | imagination, you can step out ahead of your |
| Ask for it and encourage it with thank you gifts. | | | | competition.Elizabeth Kearney, Ph.D. Sits on some |
| Sponsor a community or school event that will | | | | four boards, writing a monthly column for a |
| result in "fame." And, last, but far from least, hold | | | | newspaper, is founder of Kearney & Associates: |
| training sessions (related, of course, to your | | | | The Experts' Alliance which identifies issues for |
| product or service) to remind the world that you | | | | which solutions are sought. She and the members |
| not only exist but care for your customers and | | | | of her Alliance then design and deliver related |
| want to help them succeed.I doubt if there is | | | | programs and/or consulting services. Liz specializes |
| anyone in business who hasn't been told to study | | | | in strategic planning and effective leadership and is |
| the competition and do it one better. But because | | | | an award-winning author and professor, was a |
| public speaking is so frightening to many people, if | | | | John Hopkins Fellow, and three of her books were |
| they were once told to speak or write on topics | | | | Fortune Book-of-the-Month Club selections. Her |
| that mesh with client needs, many probably tuned | | | | latest book, Women Who Paved the Way, was |
| out the suggestion. So, I'll make it again - get | | | | introduced in November of 2005 and in late |
| known as an expert - after all you are one - | | | | December of 2005 was already in its second |
| speak at local, state, and national events and | | | | printing. Liz was selected in 2003 & 2004 as |
| write articles that you trade for ad space.You've | | | | Businesswoman of the Year by the National |
| probably already figured out my next point - build | | | | Business Advisory Council and received the same |
| brand recognition through repetition. Consistency is | | | | accolade in 2003 from ABWA. She was one of |
| vital, so it is important to let your customers hear | | | | fourteen business owners who were honored in |
| from you on a regular basis, but make certain | | | | Washington, D.C. in March of 2005, and in the |
| that what you send out has value to them.Saturn | | | | same year, she was presented with the Ronald |
| has built its brand recognition in a number of | | | | Reagan medal for her work with small businesses |
| ways, but when you ask people about the | | | | and their related issues. |