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Basic and simple marketing tools
Sometimes the simplest data is the best. Marketing is not complex if you know the basics; by the way, that's true with anything. Here are some tools that are brilliantly simple and with them you really won't have to worry about the little things.
Hot Dope - 1
The more your potential customers see your name in front of them, the more likely they are to call your number (and not someone else's) when they need the services you offer.
Many marketing efforts are not rewarded, not because they weren't targeted, but simply because they weren't given enough of a chance to work. Showing your TV commercial once, running an ad in the newspaper once, or sending a postcard in the mail may not be enough to grab and hold your audience's attention.
Get your name out there, do it regularly, and people will remember you when they need someone in your line of business. In reality, this particular "Hot Dope" cannot be emphasized enough, and failure to deliver is the number one reason new businesses fail.
You should also know that it will be worth taking the time to actually see which pieces will generate the response you want. Don't give up completely when the answer is low - perseverance is vital.
Hot dope - 2
Measure your return on investment (ROI) in terms of real MONEY, not response rate. An advertising vehicle is working when the MONEY it brings in is more valuable than the MONEY and the time spent on marketing.
Don't fall into the trap of being put off by a small number of callers responding to a large number of pieces. If you spend several hundred dollars to be in view of a few thousand potential customers, only a few customers may respond so that you make enough profit for this type of marketing to be valuable. The utility of any vehicle can only be determined after the amount of revenue generated by the promotion has been calculated.
Hot drug - 3
It's much easier to "sell" to a potential customer once they call you or walk into your store. In 2-step marketing, step 1 is to get them interested; Step 2 is to have them talk to a representative to get all the details and have that representative “close” you.
The details of a business transaction often require many more words to explain than the main concept of what is being sold. For example, if your business offers great prices based on the quantity purchased, it is not necessary to list the prices for every quantity that you sell. Just give examples of two or three different amounts and indicate somewhere in the ad that other discounts are available for other amounts. This will prompt them to call for the rest of the details once it has captured their interest.
I have by no means given you all the basics here, but by learning and implementing these 3 marketing fundamentals, you are already on your way to marketing success!