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Super Campaigns with Dynamic Responses! |
 In the past year I've worn out my soap box as I stood high upon it and shouted "No more weak offers"! When I look back at this spring's most successful campaigns, some businesses put themselves out there and were rewarded with record-breaking profits.
Here's what they did to succeed.
The words FREE and 80% Off have been the heroes. I'm constantly told that there's no value in free and I should not want to give my product/services away. What you think and what your prospects think are two different things.
I remember growing up working in my dad's small grocery store. It was several days before July 4th. He took me to the end of the soda pop aisle and faced me toward the 2 liters that were on sale. "Son, I don't make money on this soda or the chips on sale at the end of the aisle. But do you have any idea what the average customer spends when they come in here?" I stood there silent with my rolled up jeans and panama shirt (which was cool for a young teenager at the time). "Two hundred and fifty dollars" he said. You see, my dad understood the power of a "lost leader" and promoting the dickens out of it to win over customers. He made his money through the meat, produce and other items.
Translate this to your own business, but don't use any excuses for not using the word "Free" or an extremely discounted product or service to gain customers and make your marketing actually work. You want an overwhelming response with your marketing, so that you can gain ROI and reap the benefits and revenues of a new customer relationship.
In addition to a strong offer ths spring, the timeliness of messages with weather-related services has been important. Your marketing team should be flexible with messages and media, and be able to make changes on the fly. And finally, using compassion towards gas prices, economy, weather, etc. in copy all have been winners. Good luck with your upcoming campaigns and let me know if we can help!
Cowtown Marketing Strategies measures marketing results to constantly improve campaigns and ROI. Our gathered intelligence on local marketing makes your budget produce results. If we can help you, please call today for a consultation. |
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Do Gas Prices Change Your Marketing? |
 They most definitely should. As you start to plan for 4th quarter and 2009 campaigns, you should consider the effects of increased gas prices and what it does to your media costs and responses. Increased prices on almost all goods have changed the way people live, think and drive.
Printing. The cost to deliver paper, to make paper, as well as the low supply of pulp (the material used to make paper) has increased up to 5% already and will continue to rise. Those printers who have not increased prices are thinning other costs or barely surviving. Expect a nice 10% to 20% increase in printing before the end of 2009. Now is the time to consider paperless marketing alternatives like the internet, radio and guerilla tactics.
Direct Mail. The post office will not keep eating the price of gas. They love their benefits and will continue to increase postage along with the increases in associated costs. Many low-quantity mailings are already seeing targeted pieces reach up to a dollar or more per piece in costs. My recommendation is to figure out how you can get your message across to prospects in a small postcard. On the other hand, keep spending as much as you need to retain customers through direct mail. Your strengthened relationships get you by in today's times.
Newspaper. I rarely recommend newspaper advertising due to the over-priced flat rates. The price of production, costs of supplying gas for sales consultants, and the delivery to homes and stores will no doubt hike the costs of ROP to an all-time high. Again, use on-line sources to reach the same audience for less than print ads.
Wrap your arms around what I'm saying. You do not have to pull out of Print, Direct Mail, and Newspaper if you enjoy the results they produce for you. Just budget appropriately and consider the higher costs and projected lower responses if you are marketing to homes or businesses that have to travel to your showroom or store to buy.
On the upside, you can expect little to no cost increase from Radio and Internet Advertising and both can give you a great market presence and deliver lead generation. Now is the time to perform website makeovers and upgrades. With less traveling, your website is your showroom. If consumers can not purchase your products and services on-line, your competitors will start to take your market share little by little. It's not just the Generation X and Y who are buying on-line. Baby Boomers are clicking like never before, so you may want to angle your messages to this age group who now have a larger percentage of expendable income.
Cowtown Marketing Strategies offers full website development and maintenance services. We can make search engines love your website and consumers pick you over competition. Call today to learn more about these services, e-newsletters, e-promotions and more!
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campaigns we've produced. After a slow start to the year, most businesses have bounced back. Read below to find out how some are doing it. The primary goal of this newsletter is to help small to mid-sized businesses generate leads for sales, increase market share and/or brand awareness. I wish you the best in all your local marketing efforts!
Question: I'm getting calls daily from companies trying to sell me Pay-Per-Clicks. They actually have me thinking I have to do this. Should I include this in by budget?
