Turning online purchases into profit.

Turning online purchases into profit.

Dear Internet Marketer,

I have some tips to improve your bottom line, whatever it is.

It could be any number of things, from improving website traffic to increasing sales or even expanding your mailing list.

But whatever your end result, you have two options when you set out to achieve it.

Your first option is to employ a variety of free traffic generation, sales, or opt-in techniques.

These can be effective, but they usually take time and results are slow.

Most people who take only this option end up failing and frustrated. But at least they haven't lost their pants in the process.

The second option you have is to pay for services designed to improve your results. This will almost certainly speed things up and improve the results you achieve in both the short and long term.

If you choose this second option, make sure you can measure quantitative results, as you need to know what ROI (return on investment) is being achieved for each paid service.

Most of you are probably a combination of both. And if you're like me, you probably started using free techniques before switching to paid alternatives.

Enough of beating around the bush.

What is my advice? Just this.

If you are paying for any form of online advertising or promotion, do yourself a huge favor and explore services designed to assist in this process without attempting to influence your decision-making in any way.

Affiliate directories and customer acquisition exchanges, also known as "customer reciprocity," are 2 such services.

These are really an extension or enhanced version of link exchanges in that they can provide paying customers rather than potential traffic generation (leads, clicks, or visitors).

It's that easy. These paying customers generate sales or commissions for you, depending on whether they purchase your own products or products from your affiliate merchants.

So, what are you waiting for?

Every time you shop online and don't follow my advice, you're missing out on paying customers willing to buy through your own referral URLs.

Choose wisely and turn your online purchases into profit.

Side note: So far I've mentioned your online advertising and promotion buying intentions, but did you know that every online purchase you make can earn you paying customers?

This is because customer reciprocity services incorporate unrestricted global shopping directories.

A comparison with Ebay makes for interesting reading.

While Ebay connects buyers and sellers of products through an auction process, customer reciprocity services connect buyers and sellers through referral URLs through their own exchange engines.

In effect, they work like limited editions from Ebay.

The sharing process can only be completed by people promoting the product using the referral URL.

However, they extend the Ebay model in that with Ebay, sellers can only offer their own product, while sellers can offer both their own product and that of other merchants by using customer reciprocity services. .

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Why you need a marketing plan for ultimate success

Why you need a marketing plan for ultimate success

The key elements of a successful marketing plan are:

1. Know your customers: their likes, dislikes and expectations.

2. Know your competitors, their strengths and weaknesses. Only by identifying these factors can you develop a marketing strategy that allows you to anticipate and meet the needs of your customers, better understand your competitors, and identify changes in the marketplace that can affect your bottom line.

The purpose of a marketing plan is to define your market, that is, identify your customers and competitors, outline a strategy to attract and keep customers, and identify and anticipate change. Careful planning and in-depth knowledge of the market are needed to develop a strategy that will ensure success.

For example, in the case of a franchise, the franchisor has already done the market research and developed a marketing plan, so you will need to review the plan the franchisor provided you. Review the plan to determine what product/service it will offer and write a description of it.

Even though the franchisor has already described your product or service, it's a good idea to develop and write your own description because this process will help you develop invaluable knowledge of your product or service, a key element in any successful marketing plan.

When describing your product or service, describe what you think are its unique aspects and explain how or why these aspects will attract customers. Emphasize the special features and benefits that you think are your selling points. These features and benefits are what you will use to convince customers to buy your product or service.

Then review sales projections, determining if there is a demand for the product or service. Again, in the case of a franchise, the franchisor will already have developed the projections. Study this data carefully to see how the franchisor arrived at these projections. This will help you better understand how the market works in relation to your product and service. It can also help you develop the skills necessary to identify and anticipate market changes.

Start your own archive on market trends and collect your own data. Periodically review your data, looking for changes in the market. If changes are taking place, you must modify the marketing plan to match these changes. In franchise operations, it is typical for the franchisor to update the marketing plan periodically to reflect changes in the marketplace and to keep the marketing program current.

An effective marketing plan must answer these questions:

* Is this product or service in constant demand?

* How many competitors offer the same product or service?

* Can you create a demand for your service or product?

* Can you compete effectively on price, quality, service and

delivery?

* If it is a franchise, will the franchisor set the price of the product or

service to give you the projected profit?

Review your marketing plan carefully to make sure it answers these questions. If your plan does not answer the questions, you will need to modify it to answer the questions.

Even if you adopt a marketing plan that has been developed

In other places, it is your responsibility to promote your product or service by cultivating the market, that is, attracting and keeping customers. You can only do this by knowing your market, your customers, your competitors, and your product or service. NEVER rely solely on the marketing plan provided by a franchisor or other source. Compile and evaluate your own data.

By compiling and analyzing this information yourself, you'll be better able to determine if your marketing plan is in line with your competitors, industry averages, and what adjustments you need to make to improve your overall competitiveness and results.

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Find your niche and get rich

Find your niche and get rich

Right now, it's the hottest marketing topic online.

Is it a new concept?

Well maybe on the internet, but if like me you have been involved in direct response marketing in the 'Bricks and Mortar' world then you are not, this is how we have done things since time immemorial.

So what is niche marketing all about?

If you've ever taken Marketing 101, then you've heard of the old marketing adage: "Find a need and place it," that's what "Niche Marketing" is all about. Finding a group of "focused" people, with a specialized interest, wanting to buy (The Niche) and promoting a suitable product or service to all those interested in buying it (Marketing).

Let me give you some examples of these Niches:

... the list goes on and on and these are just the main headlines, there are niches within each of these niches ... Think of a topic and there is probably a niche for it ...

But the name of the game is finding a "strictly focused" niche. The reason for this is that if you are targeting a general market, the competition is fierce and it is difficult, if not impossible, for the little one to take hold.

When you downsize the market, you eradicate most of the heavy hitters with unlimited ad budgets, because these guys are not interested in making a few thousand dollars a year in these small niche markets, they are behind millions of dollars. mass markets. ...

... And let's face it, if you're a little guy, you just can't be everything to everyone, so you need to choose a specific approach (niche) for your business. For example, don't target "Fishing", instead target "Fishing Baits" or "Fishing Lures", both of which have a much more specific focus ...

... Get the idea?

Once you shrink the market, you have an automatic advantage over larger companies. This is why:

• You can quickly become an expert in your niche (if you are not already)
• It's easier to stay current with a niche market with a narrow focus
• You can respond faster to changes in the market.
• You can establish close relationships with key customers with whom it will be difficult to compete

By now, you are probably wondering about the mechanics of this niche marketing collateral. Simply put, this is how it works:

• Find and research profitable market niches.
• Locate or develop suitable products / services to market
• Set up a website to market the products / services
• Establish a marketing system that works for you.
• Repeat the process over and over with a different niche each time.

Imagine having a niche site that produces a sale a day at, say, $ 20. That's $ 7,300 a year - how many sites could you set up and run 10, 20 ...?

But before you get too excited, I have a warning for you:

Niche marketing is not a magic formula. It's not about building a website and then sitting back and waiting for the money to come in: "build it and they will come" may have worked for Kevin Costner on Field of Dreams, but it doesn't work that way on the internet; If you do, you will be waiting a long time.

If you want a successful niche business, you should work at it just like any other business, if you are prepared to push yourself, although the rewards can be significant.

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Niches: The Way to More Profits

Niches: The Way to More Profits

Hey, as business owners, we CANNOT be everything to all customers. I mean, it would be great if we could, however you can't satisfy everyone's needs and wants, you yourself would rununeven attempt: or (BUT ... that doesn't mean you raise your hands in despair and give up; o) Stay with me for a few minutes and we will review a some ideas that come to mind and see if they get your creativity going juices flowing.

First of all, what the heck is a "niche" anyway? I mean i'm sure have you seen the word fly on the internet and a lot more lately. You've seen newsletter articles and email letters. from some of the best gurus now "Niche" is emerging as the new "catch" the word of the time.

The term IS NOT NEW. Basically, a "niche" is finding a target market and attending to their specific wants and needs.

Ummm let me give you an example ...

As a marketing consultant / advisor, my company offers a service of "marketing" to companies. Now obviously the business

The sand is too general so what I want to do is divide it into bite-sized sectors or smaller target markets. May want to try specifically to the needs and desires of dental offices and decide specialize in dental office marketing. I could take on the legal sector and specialization in legal marketing practices.

Get where I'm going here?

I can't be everything to all business so I break the business sector to target markets and find the in which I want to specialize and cater to that group specifically.

Now, you may be thinking it's okay, that's good for you as a marketer. coach, but I am an affiliate of a program ... how does "niche marketing "does it affect me? I'm glad you asked; or)

When people first connect with the desire to initiate type of e-commerce that typically fall into the "emarketing" niche and promote products / services with a marketing theme. Does meaning from a marketing point of view, you go where there is demand.

However, with the demand also comes competition and "online The marketing field is saturated and very competitive.

Then what do you do?

Well, what you should do is sit back and think about markets outside of the field of "online marketing" that could also use your products / services and direct your messages specifically to them. Umm, I feel like an example is coming here ... ah, okay, here's one for your.

Let's say you are an affiliate of an autoresponder service. Excellent service because you know that everyone who starts an online business needs an autoresponder. While that's great, what is not so attractive is the fact that you are not the only autoresponderservice in cyber-land and they are also targeting the same niche are. But ... the difference between you and them is this article; or)

See, we all go for the obvious niche or the target market when sign up for an affiliate program. We go after the others like us and market them.  niches or target markets that have not heard of a autoresponder and I have no idea what it is much less time we can save them.

I'm thinking of niches like, oh ... maybe real estate agents. Some friends are looking for a new house on the market. Weekly They receive by mail (postal mail) the new listing sheets for all the houses listed that week.  these sheets and see if any of the houses charge your interest and then they should call their agent and ask to see them.

It was a good system, but imagine how much time and MONEY a real estate agent could save if he had an autoresponder

Service?

All they would have to do is create the new ad templates, enter the email address and names of your customer base (including which is automated) and launch the new listings once a week, or more often if they wanted. No more printing costs and shipping costs disappeared and the time factor you saved

PRICELESS!

See the potential here ???

Are you starting to get the idea of   finding another market? segments (customers) for your products / services?

If you are a member of an autoresponder service, it could promote automatic responses to dental offices. They send appointment reminder cards ... imagine the cost savings for them if they had an autoresponder service, not to mention the time savings of having staff stay tags and post them?

It's just a matter of seeing what they do and how their The service can save you time and money. And the The best part of this thinking is that not many assumethis kind of business posture.

for a second and think of other ways to create Profit through niches. Another thing is to look for your hobbies and interests.

Let's say you dedicate yourself to DJing on weekends like hobby. With that same hobby you could generate profits creating a small niche site geared towards DJing.

The idea of   NICHE Marketing is that NO You can find a niche based on an affiliate program, a hobby or special interest.

Some of the leading marketers have found other niches. What; quit smoking, lose weight, online dating, model trains, travel, golf, and even cooking.

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Is telemarketing really an effective marketing strategy?

Is telemarketing really an effective marketing strategy?

Telemarketing is one of the most controversial sales and advertising elements to ever exist. With a twist to avoid this means of marketing, companies are looking elsewhere. But can an effective telemarketing campaign be profitable? Is your company the right type to take on the world of telemarketing? There is no doubt that telemarketing has been successful, but with so many concerns about legal action, several things need to be done to ensure that your telemarketing campaign is successful.

For example, with many new laws in place that regulate the use of telemarketing in specific periods of time, as well as only for people who have not said that they do not want to be called, you need to make sure that the company you are used to marketing is of the highest standards. The only image a customer has when they are "upset" is not one that you want to tarnish your business name.

Telemarketing is necessary for many companies. It can be done quite successfully. If you are considering using telemarketing to promote your service or business, be sure to use a company that evaluates employees, hires and trains employees effectively, and has a success rating. With these things in mind, almost any need you have in telemarketing can be successfully met.

There are also many information portals now dedicated to the subject and we recommend reading about it in one of them. Try Googling "telemarketing" and you will be amazed at the wealth of information on the subject. Alternatively, you can try searching Yahoo, MSN, or even a decent directory site - they're all good sources for this information.

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Introverts Can Also Succeed In Marketing, A Few Simple Principles

Introverts Can Also Succeed In Marketing, A Few Simple Principles

In my experience I have seen many levels of introvert and extrovert. 

•  Invite me to a party, I prefer a root canal
•  Get me talking about something I'm passionate about in front of a group of people: glitter.
•  Put me in a "casual" contact group - root canal, please.

We all have our levels of how we interact, the environments in which we thrive, and the environments in which we feel extremely uncomfortable. I have seen many people starting their own business, myself included, who would rather give up their dream than market their business and themselves. I was almost one of those statistics. I almost gave up my dream until I discovered the secret.

Too many times we focus on the things we cannot do (weakness) versus the things we can do (strength). The most common phrase I've heard is "I don't want to feel like I'm selling." So we have this belief that we are supposed to market from the standard marketing box; cold calling, networking groups, talking, knocking on doors, etc. DO NOT! You don't need to jump straight to the marketing box first. Quit should (s) and can't (s). Get into what you do well and what you enjoy first, then open the door to marketing.

The secret

1. Allow yourself to redefine marketing to suit your style.

Example -1

One participant in the program was very good at her legal profession, but she was very uncomfortable with marketing. I have clients who brainstorm and write down their strengths and passions. She expressed that she had very few on her list. It doesn't matter how many are on her list, as long as you pay attention to what's there. Some people are 30-40, others are 5-10. She chose the top 3 of hers.

From hers to hers, the main passion and strength on her list were personal conversations. Then we started thinking about who could be good strategic alliances for her business. She was delighted that she could not only market from her favorite and most comfortable approach, but also choose her favorite environment, which turned out to be a cozy coffee shop. However, that wasn't all that was holding her back. She had never given herself permission to call one-on-one conversation marketing. Once she redefined marketing to one-on-one conversations, she walked away saying, "I feel like she has lifted a black cloud from my head."

2. Allow yourself to market from her comfort zone.

When she gave herself permission to market from her comfort zone, she began to take more steps naturally. Two weeks later I turned around in my networking group and there she was. She was having fun because she gave herself permission to redefine marketing to suit her passions and strengths AND she allowed herself to market from her comfort zone. I've seen it so many times. Once she gives herself permission to stay in her comfort zone, it is amazing how she will naturally evolve into expanding her marketing. She Gets FUN and Exciting!

Example -2

Look what you already have. Everything you need to market can be right in front of you with your most comfortable group of prospects.

A Life Coach I knew had a horrible fear of marketing, but he really believed in his chosen profession and didn't want to give it up. Through the process described above, most of her fears disappeared. But she still found herself doubting. He had identified his best customer, but that first step of where to start seemed too big. Asking Bob about her previous profession and her contacts, she realized that not only would they make a perfect client, but she knew a large number of people she could reach out to comfortably. Bob did several things.

• 1) He gave himself permission to redefine marketing to suit his style.
• 2) You gave yourself permission to market from your comfort zone.
• 3) You identified a market you came from and were comfortable with.
• 4) He got so excited about his approach that he's cold calling speaking from passion for his business.

Sometimes we are so close to things that we cannot see them. Look directly in front of you - your perfect customer and ease of approach can be at your fingertips.

Regardless of how you approach your marketing, you can choose how you do it. If necessary, leave the word marketing and insert ____________ (the words that fit YOU).

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Basic and simple marketing tools

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!

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The Safest and Easiest Way to Increase Sales

The Safest and Easiest Way to Increase Sales

If you have a small business and are looking to boost your sales and publicize your business, how are you going to do it? There is a sure way I know of to drive sales and raise awareness. 

The best way to "start" the marketing of any business is to develop a marketing plan. And before you decide that you don't have the time or experience to create a plan, I urge you to understand why this is so important.

Creating a plan will force you to determine who you want to report to about your business; actually, it's not just "the public."

You must identify who can benefit the most from what you sell. If you're a retail store, how far can you expect people to travel to do business with you? This will depend in part on which other stores can meet your same need. You must also identify who these competitors are.

Creating a marketing plan will ensure that you understand these basic facts BEFORE doing any type of marketing. Why is this important? Because it's the only way you can make sure your marketing is effective.

Nobody wants to waste valuable marketing dollars. But that's exactly what many companies do when they don't take the time to figure out exactly who they should be targeting and what they should be saying.

Without this, you are just doing "random" marketing and waiting for someone to respond. Why not do "laser" marketing designed to reach exactly the type of people who are most likely to respond and with a message that responds directly to their needs?

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What is Zing? And what can it add to my marketing?

What is Zing? And what can it add to my marketing?

The success of a product, service, or event can be traced back to its success in marketing. From this we can deduce that marketing is playing an important role in making something known to the public and accumulating popularity and marketability.

Marketing efforts, therefore, must be strengthened to achieve the much desired increased investment. But how can we do this?

Print, which is a common medium for marketing, is undergoing its metamorphosis. In due course, you can spread your wings and rise to a higher level of demands than you have today. 

One of its notable innovations is variable data printing. It is a unique printing process that allows the client to have massive and personalized reproductions. Variable data printing is primarily used for editing and modifying a single document according to the specific needs and tastes of its recipients. You simply get what your target group wants for printing.

The magnetic allure of variable data printing can grab anyone's attention and stick with it. As a result, you increase the retention of the target market and consequently persuade you to capture customer loyalty. Effective communication leads to a higher response rate, so marketing and sales succeed. Variable data printing is best for targeted marketing campaigns and customizing printed materials to persuade both individuals and target groups. You can use variable information printing with printed parts, such as direct mail or letters, books, invitations, catalogs, promotions, newsletters, flyers, and brochures.

Printing companies have provided us with different types of printing and the accompanying results. And every time you introduce an innovation, it is sure to be a success. If it's your printed marketing materials you're concerned about, you can rely on variable data printing to do it for you.

The flexibility and accessibility of marketing materials are the factors that make variable data printing stand out from other printing processes. Another compelling factor is the minimal expense you will achieve. Now you can have quality, durable, personalized and effective marketing materials at a lower cost. Printing companies also offer fast deliveries. That is the beauty that develops from your so-called desired metamorphosis!

Numerous studies have been conducted to connect the success of marketing strategies with the sales of products and services. However, one thing is proven: that more focused, informative, and persuasive communication with potential customers makes better use of the printing budget, yet yields better results.

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Why is it so important to hire an advertising or marketing consultant?

Why is it so important to hire an advertising or marketing consultant?

As a business owner, You can choose to take responsibility yourself, with the idea that no one understands your business the way they do. You can also consider hiring a full-time marketing manager or even assign the tasks, as they arise, to someone already working in your organization.  Or ask your accountant to take care of it?

Call in the experts.

Although some advertising and marketing businesses seem simple enough to be run "at home," nothing is as costly as a marketing mistake. Not only may you be sending the wrong messages, to the wrong markets, but by the time you spot it, your budget may not be in a position to recover and redirect. The truth is, no one can get the job done as effectively and efficiently as someone who lives and breathes the industry every day. Plus, the added benefit of having constant contact with the media will pay off financially for your business.

Seeing the forest and trees.

Sometimes a business can lose perspective on itself by being too immersed in day-to-day operations and getting lost in the big picture, omitting the little details ... or vice versa. Unfortunately, sometimes a company's marketing clearly reflects this. The focus of the president of a private jet company is on the bells and whistles of his fleet. It is what he considers important in his vision of his business. Inevitably, your marketing can also focus on this part of your business, ignoring what you are really selling to your potential customers: the feel and condition of private jets.

If you add another ball, you are technically juggling.

If you, as a business owner or employee, take on additional business marketing tasks, attention is being paid to other projects and responsibilities. Inevitably the focus and demands are bound to pull one and take the others until something falls to the ground. Consultants are dedicated to one, and only one, part of your business. Their focus is engaged and they allow you to keep yours where it should be.

The Gumby factor.

Consultants are very flexible. Immediately ready and available to take on tasks at any time. Accessibility to launch a new project is just a phone call away. On the other hand, trying to hire a new employee specifically to handle your marketing needs requires valuable time to place ads; conduct interviews and then rank applicants, hoping to find the right person for the job.

The M - Word Money.

When you add up the true cost of hiring a new employee, you will most likely find that hiring a consultant is much more profitable. Hourly rates may appear to favor a full-time employee, but when you factor in employee benefits, training time, vacation / sick time, 401 (k), the additional overhead that the placement entails Of A New Hire And The Simple Fact That You May Be paying full-time salaries for something that may not need full-time attention, the profitability will fall in favor of a consultant. Which brings us to ...

The C word commitment.

Hiring a full-time employee is a commitment. And hiring an employee to handle a special marketing project, or setting up an initial marketing plan, can ultimately leave you struggling to find a new project or position for that employee. Or worse yet, you find yourself paying a full-time marketing manager to do basic maintenance. Hiring a consultant does not require a long-term commitment. When a consultant completes a project, you have the flexibility to move into whatever role you need, from quarterly analysis to basic maintenance, to completely off the scene, but on the sidelines when you're ready to take another step forward. .

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Fashion marketing a trend-oriented profession

Fashion marketing a trend-oriented profession

Simply put, fashion marketing is a profession that takes the latest trends and designs in clothing and communicates them to a target market in such a way that the consumer is not only aware of the product, but wants and ultimately buys the product. A target market is a sector of the consumer market to which a company wants to sell (that is, market) its clothes. To fully understand what fashion marketing is, it is important to understand that marketing is not limited to magazine ads or TV commercials. The world of marketing is as dynamic as the world of fashion. Marketing clothing includes elements such as determining which stores the clothing should be sold in, at what price the clothing should be sold, all the way to how the displays should look in the store. Fashion marketers are often as knowledgeable about business as they are about fashion and popular culture.

Fashion marketers are creative. In essence, the profession is about connecting with the image, the lifestyle, that the consumer wants. For example, in the fashion industry, comfort, style, material, color, symmetry, and ease of use are just the beginning of a list of items designers should consider when developing a clothing line. Fashion marketers take the task one step further by determining the best way to promote clothing features to the consumer and to which consumer group to promote it. What a 65-year-old woman looks for from a formal evening wear is completely different from what a 21-year-old man wants from everyday casual wear. Consequently, fashion marketers must keep up with the latest fashions, as well as know which styles will be successful for a variety of occasions, age groups, and demographics.

The success of a clothing line is not based solely on its design. Successful marketing is often as crucial, if not more so, to the line as the clothing itself.

Ultimately, fashion marketing is a fun profession, changing and reinventing itself just as often as the clothing it promotes. Integrate the artistic nature of fashion with the creative aspects of business, seeking a highly rewarding career for the ambitious and innovative.

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Good Marketing Is Just Like a Bad Habit

Good Marketing Is Just Like a Bad Habit

You know those bad habits that we acquire. Like robbing chocolate chip cookies during late night TV shows. Or hunch over when we sit down. Or bite our nails.

Before we know it, we let a new behavior creep into our routine. Now we are slaves to bad habit. It is hard to resist. We are tempted. We get that fleeting rush of satisfaction when we do it.

Well, marketing is pretty much the same. Except you can acquire good marketing habits that will really help you. And it won't hurt. Good marketing habits can make you feel really good.

Think about this.

•  When you introduce yourself, do you have a good habit? Have an easy-to-understand introductory statement, or maybe a snappy 30-second introduction?
•  When you meet people, do you follow up?  sending them a thank you note for meeting with you? Or maybe you could send them a helpful article (written by you or some other authority).
•  Do you have good sales habits? Are you in the habit of asking the right questions? Can you automatically lead prospects to do business with you?
•  Are you in the habit of communicating regularly with prospects and clients? Communication has never been easier with options like newsletters, updates and blogs so easy to publish. Do you keep in touch?
•  Are you in the habit of writing informative articles, stories, case studies, or helpful tips for your clients? This helps demonstrate your expertise and is a key element in building trust with potential customers. It also gives you great content for your marketing materials and website.
•  Are your advertising activities a good habit? Do you have a plan to avoid the "feast or famine" cycle? Or do you relegate promoting your service.

Good news

The good news is that, like bad habits, good marketing habits will also give you a wave of positive feelings. You will get hooked on:

•  The adrenaline of new clients asking for you.
•  Positive relationships 
•  The added confidence you will feel when people listen to what you say.
•  The satisfaction of obtaining results.
•  The constant knowledge that you are progressing.

It can eliminate your fear of marketing. And acquiring good marketing habits is easy. How to acquire bad habits. Do it little by little. But keep doing it.

Little by little you will develop new behaviors. The results of your marketing efforts will improve. You will feel more secure. You will reinforce good marketing habits.

Follow, continue. Get started. Get into a good marketing habit. You will enjoy it!

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An Internet Marketing Strategy That Really Works

An Internet Marketing Strategy That Really Works

These days, an internet marketing strategy plays a vital role in marketing strategies for small businesses (or marketing strategies for businesses of any size). Website marketing is an important part of almost any business, small or large.

You can't put up a beautiful website (or any other) and expect people to just show up. You have to let them know, IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, that your website is there. This MUST be part of any internet marketing strategy you develop. Actually, this is a basic marketing principle. Customers are not looking for you, you have to look for them.

Promoting your website online . However, using the web to promote your site assumes that your customers are surfers. But there is a large percentage of our population that does not know the Internet as much as we would like.

So what about the large percentages of the population that are not? They will only find out about you through traditional means of marketing and public relations. Fortunately, these are the easiest and cheapest leads for you to communicate offline.

Key Offline Internet Marketing Strategies

Here are some of the ways to get your website out there :

•  Television, print and other advertising
•  Business cards and stationery
•  Catalogs, flyers, billboards, blimps, etc.
•  Direct mail (prominently in all documents)
•  Telemarketing (make it part of the script)
•  Press releases to specific media.

The main principle, to which you can add all your imagination, is that the INTERNET MARKETING STRATEGY INCLUDES ALL MEANS OF MAKING YOUR WEBSITE KNOWN AND VISITED BY TARGETED PERSPECTIVES.

Unless you are on a high budget, TV, radio, and the classifieds route is not recommended, but if you run ads, be sure to mention your website everywhere. 

Another guiding principle is that your offline internet marketing activities should make it easy for your potential customer to access your website directly. 

If your potential customer sees your website on a billboard while driving home, they probably won't be looking for it when they get to the office the next day.

Newspapers are bulky, the radio has to spell it out, and as before, most people drive at the time. On the other hand, if your potential customer is sitting at their computer and they get a postcard advertising your website, they can just turn around and type in your URL and you're on your website.

Now, if someone is in the office reading a trade magazine and finds an article about you in the magazine, it won't be difficult for them to copy your URL into their browser and visit your site.

I'm not saying that those other avenues won't drive traffic to your site, but it will take numerous impressions and replay for them to remember your address.

On the other hand, direct mail postcards are usually received in the home or office where there is a computer, and if they are received elsewhere, they are small enough to carry with you until you can access a computer. This way, your prospect can take the shot directly to their desktop, type in their address, and go straight to your site. Sparkly!

I have seen the greatest success in promoting offline websites with direct mail, and specifically direct mail postcards.

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New marketing concept - Captive marketing

New marketing concept - Captive marketing

Every now and then a lightbulb lights up in someone's head and a new marketing concept is born. One of the newer "opportunistic" marketing methods is marketing to yourself when you have no other choice.

Imagine yourself in a very small metal room with 10 other people. The doors close and you have no way to escape this room for a minute or two. While you are locked in with these strangers, you are exposed to various commercials for different products that appear on a video screen right in front of you. The doors are finally opened and he is allowed out.

Sound like a nightmare (or a marketing executive's dream, maybe)? Well, actually it is reality; It is your experience if you use an elevator in any of the hundreds of buildings in the United States.

Captivate Network has installed more than 3,000 flat panel video monitors in elevators nationwide. Business professionals use these elevators every day and while they're in that big metal box with nothing to do, a video screen turns on and sales pitches fill the room. After all, what are they going to do? Climb 60 flights of stairs? Probably not.

However, this combination of "marketing through a necessity" is not limited to wealthy entrepreneurs inside office towers. The Comedy Central television network has placed more than 500 advertisements in bar bathrooms to promote one of its new programs. Talk about a captive audience! When nature calls, advertisers listen ...

Advertising above urinals may be rare, but the trend in advertising and transportation is becoming more apparent and technology is playing an increasingly important role. If you've ever been on the subway or seen a bus, you've undoubtedly seen a billboard as well. Cars are often covered in graphics for any given local business or even a simple bumper sticker with a website. And now, in more than 400 taxis in New York City, passengers are treated with a video monitor while the meter works and they are transported to their destination.

Does the concept of captive marketing frustrate you almost as much as plunging a small white golf ball into a small hole 400 meters away? So you should avoid the nearly 25,000 golf carts in the United States equipped with video monitors that promote all kinds of products to help increase your frustration and poke fun at your uselessness. IMPROVE your game.

So how do you escape all this hype if you just can't accept it? The next time you play golf, just walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or ride your bike instead of taking a taxi.

What if you're in a bar at 1:00 a.m. and do you have to go?

Well, they practically got you on that one!

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Tries Cheapskate Viral Marketing

Tries Cheapskate Viral Marketing

Every day someone gets brave and tries Cheapskate viral marketing and it never works. In fact, it is more likely to backfire than to have no effect, and that's just not good for your business.

Cheapskate Viral Marketing is the act of spreading re-hashed or garbage information with tricks and tricks to lure people into its clutches and be able to market them the same way over and over again. This does not only refer to spammers.

When dealing with potential subscribers or customers, it's best to make sure what you're saying has some kind of value. Marketing your new free eBook as the next big thing, and then turning around and publishing the same tired old text that your subscribers have probably seen thousands of times before, starts a pattern of mistrust. With every launch of any product, be it informational or otherwise, the back of your potential customer's mind fills with questions as to whether it is exactly the same as what they have seen before.

This is a much deeper problem than simple market saturation - it's about branding your business as a clone. It turns you and your products into an ordinary bulk product. Everybody has it, it just depends on who is the cheapest. That is a difficult road to travel. So how do you avoid Cheapskate viral marketing? You avoid it with honesty and quality of information. If you are honest about what you know and are willing to share quality information with people in an interested market, you will win customers and earn respect. Quality information is key.

In a viral marketing campaign, if you are willing to freely distribute high-quality information, you will have some success. Giving away something for nothing has long been considered an impossible situation, one that will never allow you to grow your business.

Wrong.

It can be argued that nothing builds your credibility faster than giving something away for nothing. Should I sabotage your business and distribute all your products for free? No. However, you can build true and long-lasting relationships with your subscribers and prospects by sharing just a little of the "good things" they are looking for. Give them real quality information (tips, techniques or experiences) that will keep them coming back for more. That's exactly when your potential customers switch from being interested in what you have to say to being interested in the fact that you are the one saying it. Earn their respect, and with effort, you can turn them into the kind of clients you'd love to have.

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Learn about a great business marketing strategy

Learn about a great business marketing strategy

Many small business owners, remember that small businesses are defined as businesses with fewer than 500 employees, are not marketed, and consequently continue to lose market share. The inability to increase sales revenue is beyond the experience of your sales staff and is directly related to your marketing plan.

First, do you have a marketing plan to get your marketing message across? Even if you are a single office home office (SOHO) business or a home-based business, you need a marketing plan. TIP: If you don't have a plan or have been putting off writing a plan, STOP right now. Meet; hire someone to help you write that plan. 

Second, is your marketing message interrupting your prospect or suspect? What makes your message stop your prospects' behaviors from wanting to hear more of what you have to say? Watch those now infamous Super Bowl commercials or even the constantly changing ones on TV. Why does a commercial literally STOP YOU? Is it the graphics? Is the music? Is it the content of the message? TIP: Use some measurable term like doubling your results, tripling your business, increasing profits by 100% to interrupt your prospect.

Third, does your marketing message involve your prospect or suspect? Okay, now that you have your potential customer's attention, how do you keep it? This commitment may only be for a few moments, like in those 30-second snippets we hear every day. Engaging your potential customer is critical to the success of your marketing strategies. TIP: At this point, you should provide some benefits that create the What's in it for me?

Fourth, does your marketing message educate your target audience? Can you provide a solid education in your message? Citing verified and documented data or statistics helps solidify your message.

For example, within our business services, we offer a student leadership and interpersonal skills development program (America's Rising Stars). We inform parents that: “According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the national average time to obtain a 4-year degree is 5.3 years. Many colleges report that it will take 6 years to earn a 4-year degree. Imagine how much more money parents are imagining they will spend If you have more than one college bound student, the numbers are incredibly high and that vision becomes very, very expensive. Can you see the parents' needs as well as their pain? TIP: Connect education to the needs of your potential customer.

does your marketing message provide an immediate offer? How many times do you listen? “If you call right now, will we lower the price by $ 50? or "Call now and you will get 2 for the price of one." The offer is clearly stated. Because the seller, who is you, wants the buyer, who is your prospect, to act right now, not later, but right now. TIP: Get creative with your message by offering a substantial discount if one buyer insures 10 other buyers.

 If your current message is not meeting these 4 goals, take some time to rework your plan. You will just be amazed at how quickly the results are doubled.

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Learn About Direct Response Marketing

Learn About Direct Response Marketing

It's not uncommon for people to have heard the phrase "direct response marketing," but most people don't know what that phrase means. By definition, direct response marketing is when a business runs promotions that allow or require consumers to respond immediately to an ad that has been sent by mail, email, phone, fax, or other form of communication. Everyone with a mailbox or email address has likely received an ad that fits the definition of direct response marketing, but immediately identifies it as "junk" and throws it in the recycle box or clicks the Delete button. There are very few direct response marketing efforts that actually produce the desired results and stand out from the mass of discarded attempts. These efforts are the result of carefully planned direct response marketing campaigns that likely followed a basic but important list of guidelines to be successful.

A little research is essential before attempting any type of direct marketing campaign. There are a number of "experts" who can guide a direct marketing campaign to a target audience based on the product being sold or the service being offered. There is no point in launching a blind direct response marketing campaign and reaching hundreds of disinterested people.

Nobody spends a lot of time looking at what could eventually be considered spam. A direct response marketing message should be short and direct within the first sentence of any letter. If a letter that tries to evoke a response is not expressed in the first sentence of a letter, it was not worth sending it in the first place. If the letter has made your point clear, you don't need to dwell on the features that come with or may arise as a result of a product or service. People want to know how something will benefit them and nothing else. If a product saves a person time or improves their quality of life in any way, those are the kinds of things that should be pointed out in a short letter to the point.

The more personal a direct response marketing campaign is, the better. If a person feels that a letter is specifically addressed to them, they are more likely to take a look at the correspondence than an obvious form letter that was probably sent to thousands of other people. Keep in mind that a direct response marketing effort is the first step in getting someone interested. The next step is for the person to make a phone call or return a response of some kind. 

Studies in direct response marketing have uncovered some interesting tips that can improve the way a letter is written for any target audience. People don't like being challenged when they read complicated ideas and language in unsolicited communication, so the writing of any letter should be simple and easy to understand. This provides an excellent opportunity for direct response marketing writers to reiterate their offer or request and spark interest.

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What Marketing Can Do For You

What Marketing Can Do For You

I thought I'd clear up some misconceptions about marketing in this two-part series: What Marketing Can Do for You, and What Marketing Can't Do for You. We will start with the positive.

Over the years, I have had dealings with some business owners who have a very skewed perception of marketing. They think you run some ads, print a couple of press releases, and voila! You are a great success.

Oh, if it were that easy. (Although if he were, he probably wouldn't have a job.)

But there is no way around that to have a successful business, you need a solid marketing plan.

So what CAN marketing do for you? Increase your business, without a doubt. You need to be marketing if you want to grow your business.

However (and this is really important) marketing is NOT going to be an overnight success. (Or what you THINK are failures. It's not uncommon for a campaign that you think is a disappointing disappointment to be the thing that triggered the next campaign to take off.)

Marketing is all about frequency - your target market sees your offer over and over again until they're finally ready to buy. Without that all-important frequency, your business will start to stagnate and eventually die.

That doesn't mean you won't have great success with a campaign. Even a massive, jaw-dropping, incredible hit. You will post an ad or appear in an article and wham!.  While it's a big hit to the arm, it probably won't last unless you keep building it. Over time, the orders will dry up and you will go back to where you were before.

Marketing is also about being consistent. This goes back to building on successes. This builds trust and credibility. Additionally, your current customers will respond to that frequency as well. Not only will they not "forget" you and turn to your competitor, but you will also help them build trust in you.

Lastly, marketing is about hard work. There's no way to avoid it. Being successful means putting in the time and energy to continually promote yourself. (You can also pay someone to help you, but it's basically about someone somewhere having to take the time to continuously market it.)

If you don't remember anything else, remember this: if you don't implement your marketing strategies, nothing will happen.

That last sentence seems obvious, but again, I am amazed at how many people I meet who are not willing to do the job. They talk about it, but when it really comes down to doing something, somehow they never seem to get to do it.

One way to overcome this is to plan to do a task or a little marketing every day. So it doesn't seem so overwhelming. I commit to doing X number of marketing tasks a week, regardless of how long it takes.

Marketing is a compromise. There's no way to avoid it. If you have a business, you have no choice but to consistently commit to marketing until the day comes when you decide you no longer want a business.

Creativity Exercise: Commit

Since I am interested in everyone succeeding, I want YOU to commit right now to marketing your business on a regular basis.

Write this statement on a piece of paper and write your name in the appropriate place.

I, YOUR NAME, promise to market my business on a regular basis from now until I decide that I no longer want to be in business.

Sign and date.

I suggest posting it in a place where you can see it while you work. Or, if you really want to add some responsibility to your commitment, tell someone. You can even tell me, just email me at Michele@theartistsoul.com There's nothing like announcing your intention to stay honest.

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What will market research tell you?

What will market research tell you?

What Can You Learn From Effective Market Research?

Know your customers: Market research will help you better understand your customers in a variety of ways, including demographic information such as their age, gender, and geographic distribution. The better you know your customer, the easier it will be to target your marketing and fine tune your product or service.

• Who are your current customers and where do they live?
• Who are your potential customers?

Know your competition - Market research will help you measure your service against others. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your business and is it improving in the areas that customers demand?

• Do you have the products,that people want?
• Do you represent good value for money?
• How does your business compare to your competitors?

Ease of doing business - is it easy for your customers to deal with you and find what they are looking for? Is there enough advice and assistance at hand?

• Do you make buying easier for your customers?
• Are your employees properly trained?

Marketing - Your marketing is reaching the right people, and the marketing message is clear and effective. Which marketing channels should you focus on and which, if any, should you abandon?

• Is your marketing message understood?
• Does your marketing adequately represent your brand?
• Are you advertising through the right channels?
• Are you reaching the right people?

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What is Marketing?

What is Marketing?

For too many people, marketing amounts to one of two things:

• - Sale: with all that this entails as the dreaded double glazing or financial seller.
• - Advertising: with all that that entails, as the clever creative and flattering young man.

Of course, marketing encompasses these functions as well, although hopefully not like the stereotypes that are on the minds of many people, but marketing is about much more than just selling or advertising.

Marketing is the wide range of activities involved to make sure you continue to meet your customers' needs and get value in return.

It includes:

• - Find out what groups of customers or potential markets exist.
• - Which customer groups do you prefer to serve - your target markets
• - What are your needs, what products or services could you develop to meet your needs
• - What pricing mechanism and approach should you use
• - How each of the target markets could choose to access the product, etc.
• - How much customers willing to pay and how.
• - How to design and describe the product so that customers / customers buy from the organization, rather than its competitors: the unique value proposition
• - How the company or products should be identified - personality - to make it more identifiable, that is, naming and branding
• - Ongoing campaigns, which may include advertising, public relations, sales, and customer service.

by Dr. Philip Kotler as the 4Ps:

• - Product: do what customers want
• - Place: delivering it through the channels they want to use.
• - Promotion - make them aware of its existence.
• - Price: make it available at a price they will pay

At the end of the day, marketing is about keeping track of the basics. You need to focus on what customers require as a result, and then figure out how to get there

Satisfy the needs of clients over a period of time, in a socially responsible way, while obtaining a reasonable profit.

Marketing is really a philosophy and attitude about customer focus that should encompass the entire organization.

Easy, of course to say.

It is often not that easy to do!

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