Time for some success stories! In this issue, you’ll find a variety of marketing strategies my clients use to successfully grow their businesses. Whether you’re busy beyond belief or you’re ready to increase sales and find new customers, these ideas will help you keep work in the pipeline.

Without further adieu, let’s get started! The marketing ideas discussed next are increasing sales and bringing in more customers as we speak! I believe they’ll do the same for you. If I can help make any of these ideas work for you, please call me.


Newsletters

Why: Every single one of my clients who consistently sends a newsletter gets remarkable results from it. Several of my clients even use it as their major source of leads. The key? First, pack each issue with information, tips, and hints that clearly point to your expertise. Secondly, send it out consistently. It’s one of the best marketing tools I know of for keeping your name in front of prospects and customers while also convincing them of your expertise.

Ideal for: Service businesses; product businesses offering goods that have lots of information & news to be disbursed.

Features: Include case studies, success stories, helpful hints and tips, updates on new products/services, and any item that shows your expertise AND may be used to convince someone to buy from you.

Frequency: 4x/year min., 6-12x per year ideal

Getting Started: If you haven’t already, create a database containing the name and mailing address of your prospects/customers. Start gathering ideas for your newsletter by reviewing trade magazines, your competition’s newsletters or advertising material, and by listening to the questions your customers are asking.

Worth the Extra $$: My clients hire me to create an attention-grabbing design for the first issue and then they pay only for layout costs for subsequent issues using that same design. A few hire me to write all of the material. Some just ask me to edit the content to make it marketing-savvy.


Writing/Publishing Articles

Why: Prospects assume you’re an expert if you author an article. With that kind of credibility, you will get the call when they’re ready to buy. Make your article work even harder - mail copies to prospects and customers alike.

Ideal for: Any type of business

Features: Write the article yourself or I can ghostwrite it for you. Ghostwritten articles are very common in publications and your name is still listed as the writer.

Frequency: As often as possible!

Getting Started: Find timely topics. Then identify publications that your target market reads. Next, tell the editor of the publication your ideas for an article and get permission to submit a finished piece.

Worth the Extra $$: Hire a professional writer to ghostwrite your article. Many of my clients want to write articles, but just don’t have time to do it. But as soon as we get their articles published, the calls start pouring in. I can help you identify topics and then develop your ideas into a full article. I can also give you guidance in approaching publications you’re interested in.

TIP: If you advertise in any of the publications you want to write for, request permission to submit your article to them first and let them know you’re an advertiser.


Direct Marketing Packages

Why: A good direct marketing package should generate at least a 1-2% response rate, giving you a steady source of leads.

Ideal for: Service businesses

Features: A direct marketing (DM) package encourages the reader to take another step towards the actual sale. Can be soft or hard sell, depending on your audience. Success depends on several things: using a professionally written package that moves the reader to take action AND finding a database that targets your precise market. There are two types of packages. The first one, used most often by service businesses, convinces the reader to take a “mini” step by returning a postcard for a freebie so you can keep marketing to them until they are ready for your services. The second package, typically used by product companies, offers a strong incentive to the reader to buy the product immediately.

Frequency: Best if followed up with at least one more letter or a postcard stating the same message in a new way. Best results come from sending out three different pieces within 2 months.

Getting Started: You’ll need a prospect database to mail your package to.

Worth the Extra $$: I cannot stress enough the importance of hiring a writer who knows how to create these type of packages. There’s a fine art to creating a letter that moves your reader to the decision point, and I’ve successfully done so on a variety of companies! Call me for a quote on your project.

TIP: After researching database companies, I’ve discovered Experian to offer the most up-to-date, accurate information for the lowest cost per 1,000 names. Experian updates their database approx. 75 times/year. Avoid database brokers that buy their database from companies like Experian and then resell them. They typically mark the price up, and worst yet, continue to resell the same one over a period of 6-12 months with no updates!

One more tip: turn DM prospects into customers by adding them to your newsletter list so they see your company for the expert it is!


Take-away Trade Show Flyers

Why: Cost-effective way to separate the riff from the raff...my clients offer take-away flyers to less-than-serious buyers while offering their glossy, full color, expensively printed pieces to serious buyers. My clients save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in printing costs by doing this.

Ideal for: Any business that attends trade shows and wants to hand out print materials.


Features: Attractive one page (can be front/back), inexpensive, one-color piece that provides a limited offer or discount to encourage readers who are just gathering material to call you when ready.
Frequency: Give to information gatherers. Hand out your expensive pieces to serious buyers.

Getting Started: Decide what type of message you want to give to the casual buyers who stop by your booth. Then, decide on an offer that will entice this potential buyer to call once they are home and perusing the materials they’ve gathered. Add your website address to give this prospect a place to gather more information.

Worth the Extra $$: Making the inexpensive flyer look attractive is critical. I’ve seen some of the ugliest flyers imaginable, and they did nothing to convince the reader to take action. Not only can I help design/write your flyer, but I’ll also help keep your printing costs to an absolute minimum.


Value Coupon Packs

Why: Recipients of value/mail packs know they contain an assortment of services, so they DO read them when they need something. Plus, you’ll reach more of your target market for far less money than if you send your own direct mail piece out to fewer prospects!

Ideal for: Service and product businesses that sell to middle-income America.

Features: Small single sheet ad contains an attention-grabbing offer, quick description of your services, contact info, and an expiration date.

Frequency: Once you find your target market, keep running your ad as often as your budget allows. Initially, run your ad consistently for a few issues. If you can’t do every single issue after the first few, do every other one.

Getting Started: Contact your Value Pack or Mail Pack advertising representative. Their package deals include design, layout, printing, insertion and postage as part of the total price. You can’t beat that! Just make sure you have a worthy offer that gets attention .

Worth the Extra $$: Got a high-end product or service? Several value packs are mailed only to high-income households. These packs are expensive to advertise in since they’re printed on glossier paper and are usually full color, but their success rate is high because they, too, are very targeted.