I wanted to share an un-marketing experiment I tried a few weeks ago and see if anyone else out there has either done this or would consider doing this.

I publish a bimonthly email newsletter that is targeted to small business entrepreneurs. I wish to build up my subscriber base but not if it is going to break the bank!

Now, while I offer Internet marketing services and conduct most of my business in a virtual online environment, I know that some members of my target market, for all kinds of reasons, are not entirely aware of the online marketing mechanisms and their potential impacts. Here is a group that is not getting my message, my articles, my branding on a semi-regular basis.

Think about it: how many people give a second thought to the fact that their email filters may be set too high and thus the links within their emails don't even work? And to have to copy and paste a link? "No way," many of these people are thinking. DELETE.

But did I really want to create two separate newsletters, one in email format and another in print? Heck no!

So, I created a printer friendly version of my existing newsletter (in .pdf), published it alongside the HTML web version, printed it off, placed a bold custom designed sticker on the front page that explained how to subscribe to the online version, and mailed them out to those people in my database who had NOT yet subscribed to my email version. Have I lost anyone yet?

I have actually noticed a spike in newsletter sign ups this month. Could my somewhat adhoc tactic be working?

Karri Flatla, B.Mgt.
snap! virtual assistance inc.
Don't just outsource. Outsmart.
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Private Reply to Karri Flatla

Private Reply to Krissy Jackson

Karri,

This makes a lot of sense to me.

some time ago I was chatting to one of the UK's most successful online-MLM operators and something he told me knocked me backwards.

He never bothers to advertise on-line. no classifieds, no traffic exchanges, no ezine ads. Nothing.

He only advertises in National, regional and 'home business' specific hard copy publications.

It makes a lot of sense and I will be following his lead next year and adding off-line advertising to my activities.

Most people that will read your copy on-line are already operating on-line and are less likely to switch company.

Think about it. How did you come to do business on-line. Chances are, you came to it after hearing about how good it was, or reading an article or advert in a magazine or newspaper first.

We so often get comfortable in our 'zone' and forget to occassionally think 'outside of the box'.

Thanks for highlighting that 'on-line' osn't the be all and end all.

AndyE

Major changes afoot. Watch this space

Autograph Your Work With Excellence.

Private Reply to Andrew Barnes

I actually used this hard copy approach for a few reasons:

-> I target small business entrepreneurs, many many who are likely unaware of the power of online marketing, let alone the fact there is a thriving economy on the Internet. This was my way to entice them, speaking their language (printed hard copy) while showing them how great an online medium can be (I printed that newsletter straight from the online .pdf version, left in the underlined hyperlinks and all!).

-> Once I figured out how to create a great looking "printer friendly" version of my online newsletter, the effort involved was actually very little. And who doesn't like receiving hand written envelopes with a couple of real postage stamps!? (Yep ... I addressed them by hand.)

-> Why not leverage all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into those darn newsletters anyway? Might as well extend your reach for the cost of a few stamps and some time at the kitchen table scrawling out addresses. (It was actually a nice break from my usual compulsive clacking away on this computer.)

My target market is all over North America. But I seek out cients via personal and professional networking, word of mouth, and staying on top of my leads. (There are people I want to work with and lots I simply don't.)

What if a potential client out there knows who I am, likes my approach, my website, whatever, but doesn't make a habit of subscribing to online newsletters? Or worse, he/she can never open the darn things or get them to work. (Again, you'd be amazed ...).

If I only land one great client from a couple of mailouts, then my time and money were well spent.

Here is another interesting tidbit: I was at the local printer's the other day. They were running a special on full color postcards (gang runs are a great thing). The cards were a unique long narrow rectangle and the specs they had on the counter looked fabulous and professional.

For about $200 you can get 1000 printed. Now, I don't have even close to 1000 contacts in my database, but that is really not my goal as a VA/Consultant anyway. Anyhoo, with those cards a person could write up a short marketing tip or some buzz about his/her industry. Put your company info alongside the piece. On the back, scrawl out a personal message. Even if you only send out 100 (or pay some kids to help you do up 500), I think this method would garner some returns, especially if you did it every couple of months.

People LIKE getting personalized stuff in the mail, especially because it's so dang rare these days. I mean, most people don't even handwrite letters anymore.

Food for thought "eh?"

Karri Flatla, B.Mgt.
snap! virtual assistance inc.
Don't just outsource. Outsmart.
Sign up for Outsmart, the free newsletter
for small business with big purpose.

Private Reply to Karri Flatla

Kerri,

I would definitely respond well to receiving a newsletter by post rather than in my email inbox. So few people (in fact no-one I subscribe to) offer this alternative outside of the 'big' companies.

We get so much email these days that often the newsletters never get read. I must confess, I often delete without reading simply due to lack of time. ' I will read the next issue' is my usual note to self. Yea right!

Now if I received that issue in the post in the morning, I would think, 'Great, I'll have a read of that with my coffee this afternoon'. How many times do we know we need a break from the screen (once an hour, we are told) but we e to sit there twiddling our thumbs, so we just carry on. Something to read for 10 minutes would be just the job.

Another way I leverage the usefulness of my newsletters is to use it as the landing page to my site in selected places. For instance, I have found it much more effective on traffic exchanges than just putting my .index page up. The content is current, it is an interesting read and is a great way to get a new subscriber. Then I can develop the relationship and present my portfolio later.

I have also been putting audio onto the page so that people can have it play in the background whilst they continue working, saving them time. This seems to have been received well.

Take a look at Audio to see how simple this is to do.

This is an option they can choose on the main version, but on traffic exchange pages, I have the audio come on on auto. If you use exchanges, you will know that most pages are never even looked at. Chances are your page is on one of multiple tabs in firefox or other tabbed browser. By having the audio come on on auto, they at least have to find your page on screen to find out where it is coming from.

Just some more added thoughts.

AndyE
Major changes afoot. Watch this space!

Autograph Your Work With Excellence.

Private Reply to Andrew Barnes

Karri,

I think you have gotten a lot of great advice here and you have given some yourself. I used to work for a major investment banking firm. Although this firm could easily afford to advertise in the newspaper, radio and TV, it opted not to do so (with the exception of IPO listings which is required by law). Why would a major investment banking firm NOT advertise to the general public? Because it did not want the general public as customers. It only wanted the wealthiest of the wealthy. And, to do that, the firm had to know who those people were and how to get in touch with them. Dow Jones came to the firm's rescue. It provided the magnetic tape from which prospecting cards were generated and distributed to the salesforce. Cold calling and direct mailing did the rest.

Make no mistake, it's important not only to know your target market, but to know how best to get in touch with them. Cleverness can work wonders. It was through the clever deliver of a postcard that I was able to develop a relationship with a major television network.

Keep in mind that every business stands on three legs - Products & Services, Marketing and Financial Management. A worthy goal is to be able to focus exclusively on your Products & Services and outsource the other two legs. Even so, you are going to want to test your marketing message for its viability first. You don't want to outsource a marketing message that does not work for you.

It's possible to test your marketing message with just three people - so long as they who work for the same company - using just one mailer. This kind of marketing process is synergistic and can create a serious buzz for your business. Want to learn how to do that? Request my free Power Networking PDF. No tricks of false promises here. Just click on this link - CDMM and make your request. Simple.

Good luck.

Lamar Morgan
CDMM
Creating a buzz for business in the boardroom

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901