Basic Marketing Dope

Sometimes the simplest data is the best. Marketing is not complex if you know the basics ? that's true with anything by the way. Here are some tools that are brilliantly simple and with them you really won't have to sweat the small stuff.

Hot Dope #1) The more that your potential customers see your name in front of them, the more likely they are to call your number (and not someone else's) when they need the services you offer.

Many marketing efforts go unrewarded, not because they were off target but simply because they weren't given enough of an opportunity to work. Showing your TV commercial one time, running an ad in the newspaper once, or doing one mailing of postcards may not be enough to grab and keep the audience's attention.

Get your name out there, do it on a regular basis and people will remember you when they need someone in your line of business. Actually, this particular "Hot Dope" cannot be stressed enough ? and failure to adhere to it is the #1 reason new businesses fail.

You should also know that taking the time to really see which pieces will generate the response you want will pay off. Don't just totally give up when a response is low ? persistence is vital.

Hot dope # 2) Measure your Return On Investment (ROI) in terms of actual MONEY not response rate. An advertising vehicle is working when the MONEY that it brings in has more value than the MONEY and time that is spent on the marketing.

Don't fall into the trap of becoming discouraged by a small number of callers responding to a large number of pieces. If you spend several hundred dollars to be in the view of a few thousand possible leads, it may only take a few customers responding for you to make enough of a profit for this type of marketing to be valuable. The usefulness of any vehicle can only be determined after the amount of income generated by the promotion has been calculated. If you spend 1/5 of what you generate or generate 5 times what you spend, your campaign was successful.

Hot dope #3) It is much easier to "sell" a prospect once you get them to call or come in to your store. In 2-Step Marketing, step 1 is to get them interested; step 2 is having them speak to a representative to get all the details ? and get "closed" by that representative.

Your design must be eye catching and informative, but don't try to close the sale by explaining all of the details in one piece of advertising. The details of a business transaction often take many more words to explain than the main concept of what is being sold. For example, if your company offers great prices depending on the quantity purchased, there is no need to list the prices for every quantity that you sell. Simply give examples of two or three different quantities and state somewhere in the advertisement that other discounts are available for other quantities. This will prompt them to call to get the rest of the details once you have gotten their interest.

Marketing can be as simple as 1-2-3 when you know the basics. By no means have I given you all the basics here, but by learning and implementing these 3 marketing fundamentals, you are already on your way to marketing success!

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she's sharing her marketing secrets to others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at http://www.postcardmania.com

---

Don?t Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket

I vaguely remember a particular story from my childhood. It... Read More

10 Awesome Ways To Attract More Orders

1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More

Whats Your NICHE Market ? III ?

What effect are the baby boomers having on the economy... Read More

Tracking Your Way to the Top!

I often wonder how people without a plan know where... Read More

What to Include in Your Marketing Plan Write-Up

For those new to marketing planning, the thought of completing... Read More

Website Marketing: 10 Uncommon Bonuses That Will Help Make Your Product Hotly In Demand

Giving away free bonuses is an important website marketing secret... Read More

Marketing From Both Sides Of The Ball

In the world of business, marketing is often conveyed as... Read More

Nine Advance Networking Skills for Seasoned Networkers

A seasoned networker knows the real meaning of networking --... Read More

Using a Contact List Profitably- Part Two

Besides a survey, your contact list can be used to... Read More

Fertilizer For Your Grassroots Marketing

Looking for a great way to drive traffic to your... Read More

10 Important Steps to Mail Order Success

There are a number of difficulties a beginning entrepreneur may... Read More

How to Profit from Your Expertise (Part 1 of 2)

Are you looking for a natural way to market your... Read More

10 Effective Ice Breaking Questions

Whether you go to a Chamber of Commerce event, a... Read More

Lessons From a Six Year Old

My 6 year old daughter Emily knows exactly what she... Read More

Corporate Branding and Trade Shows - 8 Tips for Marketing Managers

Trade shows are part of the marketing mix and the... Read More

Mission Statement Impossible

Dant dant da da dant dant da da. Dant dant... Read More

The Process of Change in Marketing Approaches

In a world economy that is in constant flux and... Read More

Work Backward And Make More Sales!

It goes against the grain, especially for those of us... Read More

Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment

In direct mail lore, there's a rule stating that you... Read More

The 4 P s of Marketing: Effective Marketing Programs Depend On Them

There is no shortage of marketing programs, many with great... Read More

Five Tips for Trade Show Success on a Small Budget

No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can... Read More

Business Postcard Marketing: 35 Ways to Use It

Postcards are an effective way for many business owners and... Read More

5 Tips to Grow Your Business Globally

Entering into Global markets is a great way to organically... Read More

Consumer Thinking And Search Marketing

12/20/04According to a recent article by ComScore Networks, about three-quarters... Read More

Baby Boomers - Marketing to the Me Generation

Unless you've been in a dimly lit cavern for the... Read More

Postcard Mania

Will postcards be an advantage for you?The latest craze these... Read More

The Forgotten Market

There are a great many online business people who are... Read More

Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind

What's black and white and read all over? A newsletter... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling - Part 1

In the following 'special report,' I will reveal some very... Read More

Off the Shelf Small Business Mapping Software

All small businesses can benefit from inexpensive off the shelf... Read More

The Secrets of?

A lot of advertising and mailings promise to reveal the... Read More

The Advantage and Consequences of New Economy Marketing

Some of the research that has been done today gives... Read More

Creating a Marketing Plan for Your Website

Have you created a marketing plan for your Website? If... Read More