Category: Marketing

Word of mouth for a brand is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do extraordinary things well. People notice that over time. While there are no shortcuts to generate word of mouth, you can use specific techniques to accelerate the process. Here are a few of them:

Look at the customer as a friend or a family member and not as part of some vague demographic group.

Develop entertaining and informative ads that can be easily forwarded.

Work actively with social networks.

Host discussions and message boards about your brand.

Identify people who are able to influence your target customers.

Inform these influencers about what your brand is all about and motivate them to spread the word.

Recruit new evangelists, teach them about the benefits of your brand and encourage them to create a buzz.

Set up online clubs for passionate users.

Track online …

Now, understand that these programs do not have the same “order- taking” ease that call-in campaigns do, but you need to stay above the break- even line at all times, or else you are taking profits out of your own pocket! Seasonal business owners, like heating-cooling contractors, can fill in “off-seasons” by offering comfort, economy or indoor air quality products, services or inspections – not only to strangers, but to their established customer base, as well. Not only is “after-market” (i.e. additional sales income from the existing customer base) an easy money-maker, it is the best (cheapest) way to create fill-in business. Be it mailers, generated referrals, telemarketing, point of sale super-offers or network marketing, you should test two or three of these direct approach efforts to see which ones will work for you in the “slow times.”

Measure which kind of promotion resulted in every sale, or else you …

• Reduce the size of your ads so you can run more ads for the same cost. Don’t be surprised if your short ads generate a higher response than long ads – giving you a bigger return for your expense. One of the most effective ads I ever used was only 11 words.
• Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. People read postcards when the message is brief. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your web site and generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost.
• Active, stimulating words and phrases keep prospects interested in reading your sales copy. Look for dull passive words and phrases and replace them with active ones. For example, change a phrase like “…it’s practical and inexpensive” to “…it’s fast, easy and you save $99”.

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1. Have you spent more then $3,000 in trade show marketing & exhibiting?
2. Were your new prospects and sales results less then you expected?
3. Did you leave the show tired and exhausted?
4. Did you arrive at the trade show just in time to set up?
5. Were you under-staffed in your booth?
6. You have exhibited less than 5 times?
7. Are you questioning whether you will ever exhibit again?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you need to read these top 10 strategies to increase your trade show marketing success.

The majority of companies and destinations I see exhibiting at trade shows do a terrible job. These same under-performing companies then complain to show management that it was management’s fault they did not sell more.

Usually these same poor promoters wonder why their sales stink, … and it’s usually not just at the trade shows.

Trade show marketing done properly …

Ford’s Mistake

In the early 1920’s Henry Ford launched his assembly-line produced Model T. The car was relatively inexpensive, yet of good quality for the time. In order to reach production goals, the company decided to offer only one color of the car—black. “You could have any color you wanted, as long as it was black”, the saying went. With this strategy, Ford quickly dominated the market, capturing up to 57% of the car market at its height. It was a brilliant initial strategy, but Ford eventually faltered. He simply forgot to listen to his customers that were asking for additional color options. General Motors saw this trend, and capitalized on it, producing cars in a multitude of color options and quickly taking back much of the Ford market share gains. With all the innovative ideas, industry-changing processes, and brilliant strategies Ford came up with, he forgot the most basic …

The Magic Number

Implement a “advertise 1 item at a time” motto for your advertising strategy. Does that mean you can’t SELL more than one item at a time? No… but wait until AFTER the sale.

When a customer sees more than one of a product offered at unbelievably low prices, he’s confused. Which one is the better deal? Which one does he prefer? These questions encourage procrastination – one of marketing’s greatest thieves. Instead, offer the consumer a product that compliments his purchase in a nearby display… or even at the register. You’ll make extra profits instead of losing a sale.

Outsmart Your Competitors

Your competition is looking for you in all of the usual places. Don’t go there. Quietly look for new methods of advertising and new markets to target.

Niche markets provide the perfect sneak tactic for reaching new clients. Here’s they key… sub-divide your current market …

Use the mastermind principle which says more brainpower brought to bear on an issue means more ideas and greater insight. Gather together a mixed bag of thoughtful, intelligent people who have an interest in helping you create breakthroughs in your enterprise.

Adding brains to the brain trust produces non-linear results. Breakthrough results. Unreasonable results. Quantum Results. Because of the interactions among several people’s ideas bouncing off each other, the increased thinking- effectiveness can be multiplicative or even exponential.

Enroll people into your marketing brain trust. Find people who have a vested interest in your success, or the success of your business. You can’t have a great brain trust unless people are truly committed.

Your marketing brain trust can take different forms. If you want it to be official (and tax deductible) call it your Board of Advisors. Make it the board’s job to help you pilot your venture. You can …

More and more competition in the marketplace is making it necessary for companies to find creative ways to connect with customers and prospects, to enhance brand identity and attract top-notch employees. In order to enhance competitiveness in today’s marketplace, more and more companies are forming strategic alliances. Strategic alliances can maximize your position in the marketplace. When you learn how to leverage partnerships you increase your market share. It is also a very smart way to grow a small business. Cross promoting with other businesses can give you a significant advantage over the competition with many benefits and cost savings.

A strategic alliance is based on an arrangement between two companies to combine resource that will help both gain a greater share of the market. They are often formed when one business alone is unable to fill the gap in serving the needs of the marketplace. Forming strategic alliances can …