Greetings!
I meet with business owners regularly, either to introduce my services to them or through
networking events. What I hear so often is that people are confused about how to market their
companies. They have tried to develop materials on their own, or purchased templates to
create materials, or worked with freelancers who create nice materials but don't help with the
marketing strategy.
During these very tough economic times, I understand why companies are hesitant to spend lots
of money on marketing. But I also know that this is why many companies are suffering or closing
shop. The lack of effective marketing is obvious.
I have decided to offer consulting services to companies who aren't quite ready to spend the big
bucks on marketing but need direction. I developed a questionnaire that I will send you that asks l
ots of questions regarding your current marketing, your differentiation in the marketplace
(if you know it), who you are trying to reach, what attempts you have made thus far, what
your concerns are, who your competitors are and many more questions. Once you fill out the form,
we will schedule a 2 hour meeting to review the answers. I will offer recommendations for
improvements in your marketing efforts and a plan for moving forward.
The cost is $350 for this service.
If you are interested, please email or call me and we will get started. You can't afford to let your
company fail due to faulty marketing. This is a small price to pay to start you on the road to recovery.
Call me at 301-229-1135 or email me at jill@jtdesign.com to get started.
Take care and have a wonderful, healthy and delicious holiday!
Jill
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The Changing Population
Populations world wide are declining thereby the average age
is getting
older (In 2000 the average age in the US was 35.5-the oldest ever
recorded).
By 2020, the median age in Europe will be 45, compared with
37 in the US.
In Italy it will be 50! Higher life expectancy produces an older population.
In the
US, life expectancy for people born in 2002 will be more than 77
years.
Goods and services will be geared for older people. If you are marketing
to the baby boomers -- those born between 1946 and 1964 (which is the largest demographic group with over 78 million people), you will have to be savvy in your offerings. This group produced the largest generation of young people going to high school, then college, and then into the workforce. They own securities, their own home (some even own a vacation home), and IRAs. They are more financially stable than earlier generations and are less likely to have much debt.
Their life shaping events include:
-Man on the Moon
-Vietnam War
-Woodstock
Their traits include:
-idealistic
-"break the rules"
-time sensitive
-politically correct
-rally around a cause
-making a difference
-consensus driven
-inclusive
Marketing to this group requires attention to their needs and wants.
Particular industries will benefit if they are on their toes and those include:
-retirement homes
-travel and especially cruises
-pharmaceuticals
-golf courses
-beauty treatments
-plastic surgeons
-insurance companies
Every generation has their own life shaping events and traits. It is
important to develop your marketing so that you reach those audiences
you are after with the services and products they desire.
And you thought marketing was simple?
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How to make direct mail work for you
Tips For A Successful Direct Mail Campaign
It has often been said that the success of a direct mail
campaign can be broken down into
three primary components:
1. The mailing list or target audience
2. The offer or incentive for the customer to buy the
product
3. The creative package or communication message conveyed in
the overall package.
Experts in the field of direct mail have gone further to say
that 40% of a campaign's
effectiveness is driven by the mailing list, 40% by
the offer, and 20% from the creative package.
While this might be true from a big picture point of view,
the following is a brief overview of
9 key strategic factors to consider when
initiating a direct mail campaign.
1. List. Knowing the customer or decision maker for your
product/service is instrumental in
developing a successful direct mail
campaign. Whether your mailing list is created based on
demographics such as
"gender" or "zip code," or behavioral attributes such as
"likes to swim,"
it is critical to understand your intended
buyer/customer and select a mailing list within
an appropriate and useful
target audience.
2. Offer. Every direct communication should include an offer
or incentive for the customer to
buy your product/service. It might be a
premium such as a camera, or a discounted price.
It also could be something
intangible such as saving time. Either way, the more intrinsically
valuable
your offer is, the more likely that your audience will respond in a positive
manner.
A general rule of thumb is that money tends to produce the
best results. A word of caution -
a lucrative offer such as 50% off might
generate a wonderful response rate; however, it also
can be an expensive
proposition. So, be careful that you do not give away too much.
3. Creative Package-Message & Copy. What is your
product? What are its benefits? Why does
your audience need it? Where does the
reader sign up, and by when? These are examples of the
critical messages that
need to be clear, concise, and even repeated several times in your
communications. If your readers are confused, they will not buy.
4. Creative Package-Format & Graphics. Using different
type styles such as bold, underline and
ALL CAPITAL letters can be used to draw
your reader's eye to key messages. Interesting
formats, colors, and visuals
will keep the reader interested. However, over-use will lessen the
impact.
Consider highlighting your offer, call to action, and response date, while
using headlines
as an opportunity to state benefit messages throughout your
communication piece.
5. Call to Action. The bottom line with any direct mail
piece is to get your reader to take action.
Do you want your prospect to visit
your website or do you want them to call for more information?
Either way it
is important that you are very clear as to the action you want them to take and
by
when. Do not be shy about repeating it.
6. Outer Envelope. Consumers tend to be cynical with regard
to direct marketing. It is often viewed
as "junk mail" and something
they do not need. Therefore, it is critical that the outer envelope give
your
reader a compelling reason to open the envelope and read the entire message.
If the outer envelope cannot convey importance, the mail
will undoubtedly be thrown away-unopened.
Compelling reasons to get a reader
"inside the envelope" can include an offer and/or benefit message.
On
the other hand, if you are mailing to active/current customers, your logo may
be enough to
get to open the envelope.
7. Multiple Mailings. We recommend that any direct mail
campaign include 3 mailings to the same
person approximately 1-4 weeks apart. A
general rule of advertising is that people do not really see
and/or internally
comprehend a marketing message the first time around. In fact it takes up to 10.
Using this rule of thumb, it might take
your target market 2-3 "viewings" to open, comprehend and
internalize
your message enough to buy your product/service. Subscription mailings and grand
opening announcements lend
themselves to multiple mailings. However, a promotion for a 2-day
sale probably
does not warrant using this approach.
8. Creating Tracking Measures. Establishing accurate
measurement tools such as promotion codes
and/or coupons cannot be overlooked
when designing your direct mail campaign. Without them, you
cannot truly
determine if, and to what extent, your efforts were successful. For example,
if you are
selling newsletter subscriptions, ask your customer to mention the
coupon or read a promotion code
when they sign up. Keep track each time a
customer mentions or reads the code so that you can be
sure they were
responding to your letter, versus signing up on their own.
9. Setting a Budget. When setting a budget, consider the
following types of expenses you will
typically incur: Mailing list (this could
be free if you are using your own customer file), paper,
printing, postage,
cost of the offer, letter shop expenses such as merge/purge and mail sort, and
advertising agency fees. Also, be sure to understand the difference between
your "fixed costs"
(i.e. postage) and "variable costs"
(i.e. printing). This is will help you make better decisions about
running
another direct mail campaign in the future.
In conclusion, direct mail can be a very important element
of your marketing mix. When used
correctly it allows for high target market
selectivity, personalization, testing, and most importantly,
it enables you to
measure results. So, take the time to consider the details of a successful
campaign
-you will be glad you did. Email me at jill@jtdesign.com to discuss your direct mail project.
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GLASS WORK for salePlease visit my glass site to view Jill's creative
glass designs.
They make great gifts! Or call 301-229-1135
for a private appointment.
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Coffee with Jill
-she's buying!There are many helpful downloads on our website
for you for free!
They include:
Marketing Tools
Branding Powerpoint Presentation
Branding Questionnaire
Website Questionnaire
Logo Design Questionnaire
10 Networking Tips
The Art of Networking
FREE PDF DOWNLOADS
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A little bit about Jill
I started my company in 1982 because I have a passion for design of all kinds. Over the years it has
evolved from a graphic design studio to an advertising agency to a branding firm. I believe that
every company, no matter how small, needs a strong and memorable brand. There is no doubt in my
mind that without one, business will whittle away. A strong brand also attracts better employees.
Most people don't really understand what a brand is. They think it's a website, or a logo, or an ad.
I spend lots of time helping clients understand what a brand is.
Branding and design make huge differences in the way people react and make decisions about what
companies to work with, which restaurants to eat at, which cars to buy, etc. Most of the time, it's an
unconscious decision, but nonetheless, the impression one feels when making decisions all boils
down to branding.
Since I seem (to some) to be a natural teacher, I am an official one now. I am teaching a graduate level
course called Branding and Advertising at Johns Hopkins University. This came as a great surprise to
me when I was invited to teach. I NEVER thought of myself as a teacher. But the challenge has been
very interesting and worthwhile. I wrote the syllabus, created the content and determined the reading
and assignments. That's a pretty heavy load to put on professors, one which I never thought about
until I had to do it.
I am also an artist, currently absorbed in creating fused glass art. I am a studio artist at Glen Echo,
Maryland, a national park that is the only park devoted to the arts in the US. This is a passion
of mine. I show and sell my work at various galleries and private homes. I also have a small gallery
set up at my home. You can call me to arrange for a private showing to see my glass work.
Call me at 301-229-1135.
So there you have it. A little bit about Jill. Now tell me a little bit about you!
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GSA Schedule (GS-23F-0240M GS-23F-0259P)
MBE Certified
301-229-1135
Click below for our website:
Jill Tanenbaum Graphic Design & Advertising
Find us on Facebook
Our services include branding, marketing strategy, graphic design, public relations, multi-media and
website design, advertising, direct mail, signage and trade show booth design, publication and
collateral design.
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