Is Most Marketing by Small Businesses KILLING THEM?
I just collected my mail. As usual, more than 80% of it was junk. Marketing junk.
What did I do with it? Threw it in the garbage without reading it. Same as you do. Only it made me think about this article, which I guess might be of some use, unintended by the morons who send me all that useless direct mail.
When I open a local newspaper, the first thing I do is chuck away all the god-awful leaflets and flyers hidden inside it. Same with anything people put in my mailbox or tuck behind the latch on my door. Out with the BS!
Now, I’m ready to accept that someone, somewhere must read that kind of unwanted garbage. Maybe even thinks it’s useful. Hell, it’s a free country. If no one read it, surely (please God) people would stop sending it. Wouldn’t they?
Why this matters
Most of the stuff is sent by huge corporations. They get a response rate of probably less than a fraction of a percent — say 1 person in every 300-400 — but that’s okay. They send out so many millions of mailing pieces it adds up to a measurable number of possible customers.
Besides, they treat it as just another cost of doing business. They can afford it out of their vast profits.
But you, the small business owner, can’t afford that kind of cost:return ratio. Nor can you send out millions of unwanted marketing messages (Thank God!)
Sending out 5000 would be a very big deal (printing costs, distribution costs…). 10,000 would probably be too expensive on any grounds. So a response of maybe under 10 people — not SALES, just a response of any kind — isn’t going to make you feel good.
Playing the Numbers
Marketing is a big numbers game, and getting ever more so. Look how many people signed up for the “Do Not Call List” to get rid of those loathsome telemarketers who always call at a meal time.
As soon as consumers have choice, their first action is to dump any kind of marketing. Technology is giving them more and more of that choice.
They can block pop-ups on the Internet. Kill spam (to some extent, but there will be better ways soon), use their TiVo to remove TV adverts. You have to persuade people to let you give them marketing messages (that’s “permission marketing”). Mostly, they won’t, unless you offer them something they really want in return.
Here’s the good news
What people want is simple: useful, FREE information, with no catch.
Offer them that and they’ll “pay” for it by letting to add just a smidgeon of marketing.
Give them what they find useful; as much of it as you can. Don’t cheat either by doling out a bit, then trying to make them pay for the rest. That’s like your lover giving you a kiss, then asking for fifty bucks for any more (and you know what business that is, right?).
Marketing used to be trapping people into reading what suits you, the seller. No more.
Unless you have megabucks available to smother the market in the hope of finding a few saps still willing to go along with that game, marketing today is persuading people that you’re worth listening to when THEY want to and on THEIR terms.
And that means giving them plenty in return.
Now the best news
You don’t need megabucks to do this. All you need is willingness, a real concern to be useful to your customers and a web site.
Share your passions. Invite your customers to talk with you and with each other. Keep handing out truly useful information.
They’ll flock to your site and reward you with enough trust to consider your marketing message. Because they’re not fools. They know you’re in business to sell things.
And they like to buy, especially from people they like. They just hate being sold to.
Adrian W. Savage writes for people who want help with the daily dilemmas they face at work. He has contributed more than 25 articles to leading British and American publications and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Chicago Tribune.
Visit his blog on the ups and downs of business life.
Creating a Effective and Informative Booklet is the Key for a Successful Booklet
Booklet is a promotion tool used by companies to market their products and services. Booklets is a information documents usually printed in colors, The different types of booklet are pamphlets, leaflets, catalogs, annual reports and guides to name a few.
While designing a booklet from a business perspective you have to keep in mind the layout, imposition and its printing. You should be very careful while planning your booklet. The margin in the booklet should have enough room to insert the holes for binding. Choose a two color or four colors for your booklet which will workout cheap on a low budget.
Booklet cover :- Booklet covers speaks a lot about your company do a research while choosing images and photographs for booklet cover preferably have images related to your business products and services. Don’t send wrong signals to customers having some vibrant images which are misleading.
Create a booklet which is neat and informative having just some graphics won’t help you booklet been marketed properly. While typesetting the font have a bright background with dark letter which will be easy and better to read. Always try to have a light background dark letters and dark background with light letters.
Always make the booklet simple have 2 or 4 pages with all information on it rather than having 10 pages. A person just takes couple of minutes to read a booklet by the time you should be able to leave an impression about your company in the reader mind.
Specification of a booklet layout design While printing a booklet keep in mind the common sizes booklet comes out they are 8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 14, 11 x 7 booklets.
Choosing the printer is the final step of the booklet design process. Always try to get a printer who meets your deadline of delivery of the finished printing material. Check the printer has latest equipments for printing your booklet by a professional way.
So creating a effective and informative booklet is the key for a successful booklet design.
This article was written by Thomson Chemmanoor a search engine optimization expert and webmaster who operates websites like Article Submission To read more about this booklet design article visit http://www.digitallabz.com You can republish the articles without changing the content and the bio box.
Need More Sales? Provide Your Visitors These 10 Rarely Used Bonuses
If you want to turbo boost your sales, then this might be the most important article you’ll ever read.
The simple proven tips that I have laid down in this article will get you truckloads of sales and profits instantly - Guaranteed.
Here’s the reason. If at all you come up with a killer bonus idea using the 10 bonus tips I have laid down below, your product sales will shoot up through the roof.
If you want to boost up your conversion rate, then I urge you to read this article — immediately.
Now you can own some killer tactics that will charge your website to pull in more sales and cash instantly.
Here are 10 bonus ideas that will sky rocket your sales counter right off the charts…
Bonus 1 - Provide First Hand Information.
Give customers e-mail alerts about critical information or product releases before your non customers find out about it.
This will force them to stay on your list and also increase the response rate of your announcements.
Bonus 2 - Provide Discounts on Related Products.
Allow your customers to get lower prices on your products and other related products other businesses sell.
Discounts on related or complimentary products can help increase your product sales.
Bonus 3 - Provide One-On-One Training Session.
Set up a date and time when your customers can call up and talk directly with experts that are related to your industry.
Providing one on one support is very rare to see in this World Wide Web. Using this feature alone can boost up selling power of your website.
Bonus 4 - Organize Customer Events.
Give your customers private invitations to customer events that non customers cannot attend.
Organize such customer events to train your customers on a specific area. This will not only act as a valuable bonus but also help you to win confidence of your existing customers where you can easily sell backend products.
Bonus 5 - Publish Online Rolodex of Valuable Resources.
Compile a list of web sites or online contacts that are related to your product.
You could publish it on CD-ROM and mail it to your customers as soon as they place order. This will act as a valuable bonus offer.
Bonus 6 - Old is Gold.
Bundle together some older information that’s no longer available. It could be e-zine back issues, articles, transcripts, etc and provide it as a valuable bonus package to your customers.
Bonus 7 - Provide One-On-One Training Package.
Give your customers unlimited consulting with their purchase. Providing one on one chat and email support will also act as a valuable bonus.
Allow them to contact you by e-mail, phone, fax, in person, etc.
Bonus 8 - Provide Audio/Video E-zine.
Give your customers an advanced version of your e-zine in online audio or video format. Non-paying customers could only get it via e-mail.
Bonus 9 - Start an Online Discussion Board for Your Customers.
Offer your customers a message board where they can announce freebies they offer from their web site.
Customers can participate in the message board and interact with each other to increase their skills.
Bonus 10 - Barter Discussion List.
Offer your customers the option of joining a barter email discussion list. They can barter goods and services with others. Everything you may have heard about increasing your sales might be true.
But this article has shown you some killer ways to get those customers to your website and get them to buy your product right NOW.
There’s never been a better time for you to get started, than it is today!
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Buy My Book for $27 and I’ll Give You Bonuses Worth a Gazill
Subhead
..How to bundle for valuable results without devaluing your product
I almost clicked. Really, I did.
The ad copy was compelling, the content focused. This was exactly what I was looking for. Yes, I was convinced I had found just the eBook I needed to add to my e-library.
Credit card in hand, my mouse cursor hovered over the “order now” button ready to click. The excitement mounted. I had to have it.
Then it happened…a doubt…a discordant second thought that caused me to view the irresistible offer in an entirely different light so much so that I put away my credit card and clicked the “back” button on my browser instead.
Sale aborted.
What the devil could possibly have persuaded me to turn my cheek the other way so abruptly?
Was the cost too high to justify the purchase?
Not at all. In fact, I would have paid twice that for the information initially presented.
Perhaps there weren’t enough bonuses?
Okay. Now we’re getting warmer. However, it’s not what you might think.
The fact is, this guy had me completely sold until he presented his gazillionth bonus…blah, blah, blah. Yea, this guy really blew it by offering overkill on his bonuses. By the time I got to the umpteenth bonus, I was actually doubting the value of his main product.
By bundling so many bonuses (many of which had been around the Net and back hundreds of times) with his eBook, the author actually succeeded in lowering the perceived value. I began to feel that perhaps the information was not truly worth the money. I mean, why did he have to attach so many bonuses, many of which did not even directly apply to his topic?
Is it possible that bundling bonuses with your offer can actually do more harm than good?
Yes, absolutely.
Does that mean that bundling is not good.
No, absolutely not. In fact, I’m a firm believer in bundling. You simply need to learn how.
So, what’s the key?
How do you know what kinds of bonuses will actually help tip the Doubting Thomas over the line and compel him to click the “order now” button? And how many bonuses will it take?
There’s a very simple 2-question “Bundling Test” you can use to know whether you’re adding value to your products or whether you’re devaluing them.
Bundling Test
1) Do your bonuses complement, as if to complete your product? (you want to do this)
2) Do the kinds and quantity of bonuses overshadow, as if to cloud or drown out your product? (you don’t want to do this)
Once your bonuses pass the Bundling Test, you simply work over your ad copy until it is a fine piece of workmanship.
Now, that makes sense, doesn’t it? Then, why do so many people insist on raping the quality of their product by removing the purity of the offer?
You’ve got to have firmly in your mind what it is you want to sell. Is it your product or is it your bonuses? It should be your product. Your bonuses should then support the sell of your product. It’s as simple as that. Non of this haphazard throwing in bonuses.
May I offer two real-life examples I recently encountered? One made me click away, the other caused me to click the “order now” button. And, yes, I did purchase the product.
I’ve changed the name of the authors in the examples to protect the innocent (or not-so-innocent). For the purpose of comparison, in both examples the authors are selling info products on the topic of e-publishing; nevertheless, what is gleaned from each example applies to any product for any industry.
Example #1: The Slipshod Approach
For purposes of anonymity, let’s call the owner of the first info product “Joe.”
Nothing wrong with the first part of Joe’s ad copy. It was convincing and compelling. Where did his offer fall apart? In his bonuses.
First of all Joe’s bonuses were never mentioned until the very end…well after the first, second or even third “order now” button. It was as if they were thrown in as an after-thought, and a not very-well-thought-out bonus package at that. This positioning brings to mind the shady used car salesman who tries a last-stitch effort with, “Tell ya what I’m gonna do.” Tacky. No thanks.
Secondly, most of Joe’s bonuses were nothing more than eBooks that you can find on any free eBook directory. Oh, and the hundreds of reports with free reprint rights? Worthless! Can you see how quickly Joe’s offer is losing credibility?
Thirdly, Joe offered a total of seven bonuses containing 21 eBooks, 650 reports with reseller rights, a software toolkit, an eBook compilation service, a free email account, and free subscription to an ezine…all this for Joe’s one measly little eBook and, as Joe stated, “to sweeten the deal.” This sweet deal was rapidly leaving a sour taste in my mouth. What was so wrong with his eBook that he had to offer so much junk?
Furthermore, none of the bonuses directly complemented the topic of his own eBook. Why simply throw them in? Customers are looking for a nicely-put-together package, not the slipshod approach.
But, here’s the straw that broke the camel’s back. Joe’s book was priced at $27. How much would you think his bonuses should be worth? An additional $10? $30? A doubled $54? Would you believe over $1,000? Get real! The value of the bonuses was grossly lopsided to the value of his own info product.
Now, what value do you perceive that $27 eBook to have? Most likely, not much value at all by now.
Unbelievable! Yes, quite frankly it was.
You’ve heard the old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” My sentiments exactly. With so many slipshod bonuses thrown in, it was simply too good to be true.
In short, it turned my interest to suspicion.
Let’s put example #1’s offer to the “Bundling Test.” Did Joe’s bonuses complete his product? No. In fact, they took away from it. Did the bonuses drown out his product? Yes, grossly.
Looks like the first example failed miserably. Let’s go on to the next example.
Example #2: The Seamless Approach
The owner of the info product in this second case study presents an excellent example of how bundling and presenting your bonuses should work. In this actual example, let’s call the owner “Paul.”
Paul’s new info product was worth $97. With this he bundled three quality eBooks. Already, he established value in his offer.
Although I already had two of those eBooks, the way Paul seamlessly wove the three bonuses into his product was intriguing. He made me feel as though those three eBooks should not be read as stand-alones, rather that they were integral to his own product.
How did he do this so seamlessly?
First of all, Paul took the time to explain in detail what each bonus eBook contained. He expounded on how each eBook complemented his product, calling the bonuses “the primers” to his course. Not only this, he spoke personally about each author of the bonus eBooks and what they could offer the reader.
There was nothing presented as an after-thought. The bonuses were an important, well-thought-out, integral piece of the puzzle.
Let’s put Paul’s bonuses to the “Bundling Test.” Did his bonuses complement his product? Yes, in fact, they completed it. Did the bonuses drown out his product? No. There were three perfectly thought out bonuses, no more. And, their value to his product was reasonable, giving value to his own product.
Bingo.
Now, I did not put out money for the cheaper $27 product. I did, however for the more expensive one. Why? Paul’s example created value, and much of that value was in how the bonuses were presented. In contrasting the two above you can clearly see why.
And how did Paul end his ad copy? With these words, of course, “No $1658.97 worth of useless bonuses to waste your time. Just the stuff you need to get results.”
Amen, Paul.
That is what you and I ultimately want, after all, isn’t it? Results?
We online entrepreneurs are generally very busy people. Our time is limited. We don’t have time to read every book or eBook that comes our way. Give us quality products only that will give us results.
Folks, there’s a fine line between adding value to your products and devaluing them. Make sure you know which side of the line your bonuses are on.
Use the “Bundling Test” to help you add value to your products. If your bonuses pass the test, your readers will click.
Bundle away…but be sure you bundle for desired results.
Copyright 2004 Heidi Perry
About The Author
Seasoned entrepreneurs, Dave & Heidi Perry are founders of HomeBusinessOnline.com and PrettyGreat.com. Known for their straight-shooter style, Heidi & Dave are editors of HomeBizBytes. Receive a free issue at http://HomeBusinessOnline.com/nsl.htm?sya
Direct Hyperlinks - Recommendations of the World Wide Web
Links are much like referrals in the real world. When you hang out with people smarter than you then this in turn will eventually make you smarter because of your fellowship which in turn will give you more perceived value. Referrals or links have three very important things in common: more people you know the better, the more quality people you know the better, and not knowing everybody the better.
At first, starting out in business you probably did not know numerous people. But as you got more clients, your sphere of influence becomes broader. Thus allowing you the ability to recommend them to others. With links, it is the same way. Link popularity is dependent upon the number of incoming links you have, thus giving your web site more exposure and higher rankings.
As part of the World Wide Web, links operate the same fashion. A link ( referral ) from an .edu is thought more to be more authoritative because of the source, thus giving you a great referral. Do not forget Bad company corrupts good character.Accordingly if you begin joining with fishy people then your site placements will go down.
In addition to be cognizant to the fact that if you get a vast amount of friends over night, then red flags start popping up and your website usually gets punished by the search engines.
At Magnetiks, a Houston SEM company should help you build your links regularly over time thus ensuring continued web presence on the World Wide Web.
Email Autoreponder - How to Put your Business on Autopilot
Answering emails can take up a significant portion of the time you have to do business. Many times the same set of questions are being asked over and over again. Haven’t you ever wished that you could have a simple and easy way to respond to your customers automatically? Email autoresponders are the answer!
If you study the name ‘autoresponder’ you can guess that we are talking about something that can respond automatically. At its most basic level, an email autoresponder is a script that is programmed to respond automatically to an email message with a pre-arranged email message.
There are all kinds of ways to use this. You could setup a free report that you send to someone when they send you a blank email at the address of your autoresponder. As soon as they send an email to the autoresponder, the script sends them a response automatically, without you having to lift a finger. You write the email once, it can get sent out hundreds or even thousands of times. You now have more time for other tasks. That’s the beauty of autoresponders.
Not all autoresponders are created equal
What we’ve described above is a basic autoresponder. Advanced autoresponders can send your customers and prospects multiple email messages over a specified time period. This can be used to send an email based course over so many days. It can also be used to expose your prospects to the benefits of your product over some time thereby building trust in you and your offerings.
Advertising studies have found that people are more likely to buy a product or service the more times they are exposed to it. A rule of thumb in the industry points to at least seven exposures. One of the keys to getting a better response rate from your advertising efforts is to get your message in front of your customer over and over again.
Free autoresponders versus paid autoresponders.
Most web hosting companies will provide you with a basic, one message autoresponder. For more advanced solutions, you’ll need access to a suitable service or script. There are free autoresponder services out there. Many are pretty good but almost all free autoreponders will tag an advertisement to the bottom of all your outgoing messages. If you run a business, this looks very unprofessional.
There are a number of paid autoresponder services out there. Their prices generally vary from as little as $5 per month to as much as $30 per month. They also provide varying levels of features and benefits. A search in Google or Yahoo for email autoresponder will turn up a whole list of companies.
The two longest serving email autoresponders out there today are Aweber.com and Getresponse.com. Both of these companies offer you lots of bang for your buck. I would suggest you visit both sites and make comparisons before settling on one.
Email autoresponders can be your best friend when used properly. They can automate a boring and repetitive task like responding to the same questions by email over and over again. Free up more of your time today by setting up your very own autoresponders.
This article was written by Joe Duchesne, president of http://www.yowling.com/, a web hosting company that offers basic autoresponders for free. Copyright 2004 Yowling. Reprint Freely as long as you provide a clickable link back to my website from this resource box.