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| May 15, 2006 7:40 pm |
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Hidden Results |
T.E.A.M. Mom!
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BRIGHT IDEAS!
Attract Customers and Make Yourself Famous!
8/23/05 - Published by Cathy Stucker
http://www.IdeaLady.com
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*Hidden Results*
Do you ever wonder which aspects of your marketing are
working best–or working at all? There are many ways to track
responses. Advertising can direct customers to ask for an
offer by name, or mail orders to a coded address. You can
ask customers how they heard of you. The number of coupons
used gives you an indication of the effectiveness of the
distribution.
However, none of these monitoring methods will give you a
complete picture. Most importantly, they do not measure the
hidden results you get.
Para Publishing publishes books for the parachuting industry.
They advertise the books in magazines read by parachuting
enthusiasts, even though they make very few direct sales
through these ads. By all usual measures, the ads are not
successful Dan Poynter, founder of Para Publishing, said that
they continue to advertise because when they stop, sales
through other channels, such as book stores and parachuting
equipment stores, decline.
You may see immediate results from a marketing effort, but
don’t underestimate the cumulative effect of all of your
marketing activities (even those that may not have seemed to
work at the time). By reaching your target market repeatedly,
in various ways, you will increase your success in that
market.
Most customers need to hear about your business many times
before they make a purchase decision. Or, when they first
hear about you they may not have a need for what you offer.
By keeping your business in front of them, you will be on
their minds when it is time to make a purchase. Here are
some inexpensive ways to keep in touch.
Advertise in tightly targeted, niche publications. You can
reach more people in general publications, but you will
reach more customers in specialized newsletters and
magazines.
Send an email newsletter at least monthly. Have a sign-up box
on your Web site. Ask customers for their email addresses at
your place of business or when they call for information.
Collect email addresses when you give speeches. Of course,
always get permission to send your email newsletter. Let them
know how their email addresses will be used.
Join a local Chamber of Commerce. Go to meetings and get
involved in the Chamber’s activities to get the most benefit.
As a member, you may also have access to other tools to
promote your business, such as trade shows or Chamber
mailings to members.
Give speeches to local organizations and the professional
associations to which your customers belong. Not only will
that put you in front of potential customers, the promotion
the group does for their meeting will make even more people
aware of you.
Participate in a cooperative mailing with other, non-
competitive, businesses who are targeting the same customers.
Each business pays a portion of the cost and each gets to put
one flyer or coupon in the mailing. Or create a joint
newsletter.
You never know which marketing technique, or combination of
techniques, will bring customers to you. Use as many as
possible to have the greatest impact.
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Copyright 2005
Cathy Stucker, The Idea Lady(tm)
Attract Customers and Make Yourself Famous
Make growing your business easy and fun!
mailto:cathy@idealady.com
Published by
Special Interests Publishing
4646 Hwy 6, #123
Sugar Land, TX 77478Private Reply to T.E.A.M. Mom! (new win) |
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