Methods of Marketing.
Direct Mail and Leaflet Drops.
There are many firms that can supply
mailing lists. Always try to ascertain how they were compiled,
this factor will have a huge impact on response. This is a relatively
low-cost method of marketing but don't expect to reap more than
2 or 3% response. Please don't, however, get seduced by the
idea of sending billions of random, unsolicited 'spam' emails
to everyone in the world. In my opinion, it indicates that the
advertiser is desperate and untrustworthy. If that doesn't stop you, you should understand that spamming is likely to get your brand and products blacklisted forever, so it will have a negative impact on your future turnover.
Advertising- a bottomless pit.
Don't go overboard with your advertising budget. The more
you can identify your market, the more you will be able to target
potential customers directly. Any money spent on promoting your
product / service to the wrong people will be wasted. Advertising
agencies are generally not cost-efficient until you are spending
big bucks.
Demonstrations, Seminars and Conferences.
Invite potential customers to a working lunch and a demonstration
of your product or concept. This is a very effective method
of personally educating your prospects and customers about your
services. It's also a great way of finding out who is really
serious about doing business with you. Many hotels are geared
up for these types of business seminars and can provide a package
to suit your requirements. The
Jarvis Group, for instance, have over 500 conference rooms
available throughout the UK.
Exhibitions.
Most industries have one or two major exhibitions in the year.
They are often expensive but can be a way to make contact with
a vast quantity of potential customers, in a short time and
under one roof. The visitors often travel miles and make a lot
of effort to attend, thus qualifying themselves as 'high quality
leads'. Many exhibitions sell a mailing list of visitors, a
good method of targeting a prime market on a budget. Find
suitable shows to exhibit your products and services.
Public Relations.
Informing the media about your business activities, charity
donations, and other newsworthy events can sometimes produce
high levels of impact with very a minimal outlay. There are
no guarantees, it's a bit like throwing mud against a wall and
seeing what sticks, but there are ways that you can improve
your chances. Try to be realistic about what makes a good news
story. Sending interesting pictures with your press releases
can sometimes help, (especially pictures
of celebrities).
Appearing on the Telly.
For years, we have been helping new business people make contact
with TV documentary makers looking to film business people whilst
they start-up their business, find
out which programmes are looking for a subject like you.
Direct Sales.
Telesales and Door-to-Door sales give you more control over
your market than other methods of promotion. A team of sales
people, in constant contact with customers and decision makers,
is also a great research tool. Learn from their experience and
adapt your products / services to suit. If you are going to be phoning potential customers using cold-calling or fax broadcast methods, make sure that your business telephone system is technically capable of identifying and barring calls to those households or sole traders who have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service or Fax Preference Service. You could face big fines if one of you slip up on this one!
The Internet.
Wow! This is a big topic. What did we do before the Net came along, eh?
Use the internet to make the most of your existing client base, attract customers and actively seek new customers (without using spam).
The net has revolutionised most aspects of business and life. It has opened up the World market to the smallest of businesses and sparked a revolution in business practices. It has taken a just few years to mature into something that, in the year 2000, a vast swath of people couldn't even imagine.
Gone are the days when you would ask your mate to post up a 'few web pages' to get your business an 'obligatory internet presence'.
Internet users expect far more from a web site these days and designing (even simple) sites has become far more complex.
So, if you don't have the necessary skills to to meet the demands of your visitors, you should be looking for some expert help from true professionals. Otherwise, your web site could be more of an embarrassing 'white elephant' than an asset.
A Word on Spam
Don't send any unsolicited emails to anyone. It is NOT good for business. Technology has advanced to curb spam. So, once you have sent one email to a potential customer that THEY regard as spam, it is likely that any other emails you send to them in the future will simply be diverted into their 'spam bucket' and will never see the light of day. This issue is also worth noting when choosing a domain name. Pick a name that hasn't been 'dragged through the mud' and blacklisted by the world's spam filters.
Think hard about how the internet can play a part in all aspects of your business' processes.
Those busineses that have, so far, under-estimated the power of internet are fading fast.
If you haven't got a
web presence yet......get one.
Further Information
Understanding
the power of words
Advice on promotional copy writing by Lesley Ann Marston, Freelance
Writer
Tamara Lyster, marketing experts, have a useful Marketing Scorecard
on their website. It is designed to help you understand exactly
where you are with your marketing. What's working, what's not
working and where you need to pay the most attention.
See: www.tamaralyster.com/marketingscorecard.html
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