Marketing Tips And Strategy

Marketing Techniques… What Works & What Doesn’t for the PC Repair Business

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:21:39 +0000

When I wanted to start my own PC Repair business, I thought, “How hard could it be? You just hang a shingle, design a website and post it, maybe place a newspaper ad, get a Yellow Pages ad, and hang a few signs around town. I would be SWIMMING in business! In fact, I need to start looking, right now, for help handling all of my new business!” Well, that wasn’t the case. In fact, that was so far from the case that I almost starved to death trying to figure out what went wrong.

Following are techniques that I tried, how they failed or succeeded, what works and what doesn’t and why. I show many different ways of advertising your new PC Repair Business, and what to avoid. I also show several unique types of advertising that get good results, which you may have never heard of before, but they work! There is a lot here to read, but you won’t regret learning everything that I have to show you. Don’t make the same mistake I did, with trial and error. Let me show you what works. Enjoy!

NEWSPAPER ADS

I knew quite a bit about graphic design (being a graphic designer for many years), so I would put an appetizing ad, no, in fact, a COUPON, in the local newspaper. People are always looking for a discount. And EVERYONE has computer problems. So I should just get swamped with business just off this one ad. NOPE! I got one phone call from my ad. I had placed the ad in the local newspaper (our city’s main newspaper) which went to 33,000 homes, and I had it come out on the biggest readership day: Sunday. The ad I placed was a professionally-designed Computer Tune-up ad that I had done, giving them a discount from the regular price of $69, to $49. They were saving $20! It was an incredible deal! But I only had one response. Why? What did I do wrong?

Unfortunately, I was forced to use a horrible, red border. It is HUGE! In order to get the deal I was getting for this ad, my ad had to be put in with a couple of other ads (not related to the computer business) and have an ice cream-looking coupon border around it.

The ad had all of the elements of a good coupon. It was a GREAT deal! They were saving $20 off the regular price (this is the next best thing to FREE – a dollar value of savings). They had to act now (call to action) because it was for a limited time and expired in two weeks. People are graphic in nature and the picture of the computer and the words, “Computer Help!” in the screen would identify with people having computer problems. The headline was bold and heavy, it stood out from the rest – so that it don’t have a paragraph of information that people won’t read, and it spoke directly to people having a slow computer (everyone has a slow computer). Then it went on to explain the headline in more detail with a subhead. Plus, there was a GUARANTEE of a speed increase. You CAN’T go wrong with an ad like this, can you? Well, I did. I don’t believe that the ad was evil and won’t work. I believe that I had the ad where people did’t look.

Whenever you get ready to do any type of advertisement, you should test-market it, first. Whether it is an ad, a website (or page), direct marketing (such as mailers, mailed brochures or ads), etc., you should test it on different types of people to see how they will respond, and record their responses. In the case of the ad, I should have passed this ad out to several people and got their responses of the ad. I should have then placed this ad on a page with several other similar ads and got responses from different people looking at the entire page of ads, had them put down the page, and asked them to tell me what stood out. Could they remember any good deals? This would tell me if my ad would stand out in a newspaper, among other similar ads.

In my particular instance of only getting one response from my “great” ad, it was literally buried in with other ads that looked similar to mine. In fact, my ad was not even on a page with other services, but “hidden” on a series of pages that had nothing at all to do with what I was offering, or computers, or even a story about a computer… nothing! People who would be looking for my type of service were not going to look where my ad was, and that is the lesson: PUT YOUR AD WHERE YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS WILL LOOK, NOT WHERE YOU GET A GOOD DEAL ON ADVERTISING ! and DO TEST MARKETING.

After my ad came out, I gave my wife the newspaper and asked her to find my ad (test marketing after the advertising came out… too little, too late). It took her TWO TIMES of going through the newspaper, page-by-page (and this is a small city newspaper) to find my ad (and she knew what to look for and what the ad looked like). So how are potential customers going to find my ad if they don’t even know that they need to look for it??? They won’t!

Think of it like this… if you want to sell motorcycle parts, put your ad in a motorcycle magazine. You have to think like the customer. A customer wants motorcycle parts, so where should they go? They start looking at places that sell motorcycles and accessories, groups that are associated with motorcycles, magazines that cater to the motorcycle crowd, message boards and websites that are all about motorcycles. You may or may not go to the newspaper and look through every page and see if someone is selling motorcycle parts. In fact, it is probably safe to say that a person looking for motorcycle parts won’t leaf through pages of articles in a newspaper, looking for motorcycle parts. They may look through the only place in the newspaper that they think might list places that sell motorcycle parts, and that would be the business section of the newspaper and/or the classifieds. So, if you were in the business of selling motorcycle parts, you would want to have an ad right where your potential customer expects to find an ad for motorcycle parts. Place the ad in those sections ONLY. Do not place it where I did (in the middle of a bunch of articles) because I got a good deal.

So, in case your eyes just rolled back in your head, here is the gist of what I just said… when placing an ad for PC Repair in your local newspaper, either place it in the Business Listing for Services in your area, or place it in the proper classified sections, where people will look for your type of service. Do a test: ask a few people you know where they would look in your local newspaper if they needed PC Repair Help. Let’s say that their computer was running extremely slow and they needed help before they pulled out the rest of their hair, where in the newspaper would they look. Ask at least 10 people. And whatever the majority is, that is where you should place the ad (no matter how much it costs). If not, you are just wasting your money. Remember to always think like your customer.

WORD OF MOUTH ADVERTISING

Once I started getting customers, because I always did a little extra for the customers, I received really good word-of-mouth advertising and referrals. Referrals are gold! When you can call or stop by and see someone about computer problems that you already know that are having (from their friend or relative) and you can drop a name of someone they know who sent you, you are as good as IN THE DOOR! If your service was good for their friend, it will be good for them. And when you have the name of their friend, it is like you are their friend as well.

One way to get referrals from your customers is before you are completely done with the job you are doing for them, and they can see a definite improvement, give them a piece of paper and a pencil and ask them to write down 3 friends or relatives of theirs who could benefit just like they did. Most of the time they will be happy to give you the names, if you have made them happy. If you do this at every job, your business will snowball! This is the best way to build a business: by doing a good job and having a good reputation, with a network of people who sent you to the next customers, stamped with their seal of approval. It doesn’t get any better than that!

YELLOW PAGES ADS

A Yellow Pages ad is a good thing, but you don’t need to spend the big bucks and get the biggest, most colorful ad, with ALL of your possible services, mother’s maiden name, the history of your business, etc. on it. You need something a little more than the listing (just to stand out from the other guys a little). Your ad should list your company name, address, phone, and some services. One thing that has helped me get business over my competition is that I offer FREE Computer Pickup. People either don’t like to, or don’t know how to, unhook the web of tangled cables to their computer, for fear that they will never get them hooked back up. I offer a FREE Computer Pickup, where I come by and work on their computer right there, or I unhook it for them and take it back to my shop to work on it. And when I return, I don’t just drop it off at the front door, I go in and hook it all back up for them. This is not only a HUGE benefit of them going with me over my competition (who is standing behind a pretty glass case, waiting for business to come through the door), but also shows that I really did fix their computer and it now works and works better. It is a reassurance factor and builds credibility.

In a Yellow Pages Ad, you can get carried away by trying to do a long sales pitch, when, in fact, you can just list a few important things you do, and tell them to visit your website for the full details. This gets them to your website and there you can give them the full scoop and exactly how you can help them. Just don’t spend $100 or $500 every month to tell a story that you can do for free on a website.

Here is my Yellow Pages Ad. I spend $50 per month.

(my logo)
• Computer Tune-Ups
• Small Business Networking
• Wireless Networking
• PC Troubleshooting & Repair
• Custom-Built Computers
• Computer Upgrades
• OnSite Support
• Microsoft-Certified Techs
• Website Design & Hosting
• FREE Computer Pickup
(website address)
(address)
(phone)

BROCHURES & BUSINESS CARDS

Of course, you definitely need something to leave with potential and current customers. You absolutely MUST have a brochure and business card, and NOT the peel-off or perforated card stock you get from your local office supply store, and print them off on your ink jet printer! Your brochures and business cards are sometimes the only thing that a potential customer will see that represents your company. Now, you may work out of your home, but you don’t want it to look like you do. You want to appear as if you are a HUGE computer company, capable of handling any of their computer needs. A basement business card job doesn’t say that. If you want to gain good credibility, spend a little money and get commercially-printed brochures and business cards.

You will want a good image design (designed by a professional) with raised ink on the business cards and some kind of color (no black and white business cards or brochures). If you can afford it, get matching business cards and brochures, with the brochures on a white or ivory, gloss stock (like a 70# gloss text). You don’t want it to look like you photocopied the brochures. And it is proven that by adding some color to your marketing pieces, your responses are MUCH higher, than with black and white.

And by having matching business cards and brochures (the same color stock and printing), you show your potential customers that you have it together and this isn’t some basement operation (although it might be). Appearance and perception is everything. And your marketing material represents how you appear to your customers. Don’t skip corners here; you will regret it and it will cost you more money doing it the hard way. Trust me!

If you would like to have the rest of this article, in the form of a 15-page “Marketing Techniques… What Works and What Doesn’t For a PC Repair Business”, along with accounting forms for a PC Repair Business, a PC Repair Business Website FULL of Content, Step-by-Step How-to’s and much, much more, visit http://www.LapeerTechGroup.com/businessplan.asp for all of the details.

If you would like to use this article for any publication, you may do so if you do NOT change any of the content, and the tag lines remain intact.

Marketing That Grabs – Uncover This Hot Secret

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:20:49 +0000

Boost your marketing with this secret. It is so effective, it reaches out and grabs your would-be buyer. It doesn’t matter what your product is. This secret works with everything.

To make it even more valuable, practically nobody uses it. That is why it’s still a secret. What is it?

It is a face.

Everyone loves to see a face. Even your pets like seeing your face. Look at all the ways in which people are attracted to faces. A few decades ago, there was the Potato Head…

Boost your marketing with this secret. It is so effective, it reaches out and grabs your would-be buyer. It doesn’t matter what your product is. This secret works with everything.

To make it even more valuable, practically nobody uses it. That is why it’s still a secret. What is it?

It is a face.

Everyone loves to see a face. Even your pets like seeing your face. Look at all the ways in which people are attracted to faces. A few decades ago, there was the Potato Head craze. Later, the Pet Rock took us by storm.

People wear the face of favorite cartoon characters as charms or on tie clips. We are used to receiving “smilies” in Emails and dashing off a smiley face on a note we write.

Here are 5 ways you can use a face to sell your product:

1) If you have a Web site, include snapshot of yourself. It builds instant trust. Buying and selling is a personal matter and customers like to feel they are dealing one-on-one with a real person.

2) Place a picture of a person on your product. It can be on a book cover or on packaging. Researchers discovered that viewers are most attracted by a face that is looking straight at them – eye to eye.

3) For an advertising piece, such as a mailer or a postcard, a pet’s face is very effective. It can be used for any type of product – not just pet products.

4) Testimonials are powerful buying triggers. Would-be buyers believe others who have already bought. Make your testimonials even stronger with a picture of the testimonial giver.

5) A child’s face is a winner. A few days ago, I saw a man selling a filtration system on television. He held a little boy on his lap as he spoke. Without mentioning the child, he spoke of the benefits of his filters. Seeing that little boy’s face, you knew you needed that filter to protect your own children.

Bottom line – put a face on your product as soon as you can. Your marketing will come alive and good things will happen.

Marketing to Generation X and Y

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:20:17 +0000

Discover the most effective marketing techniques when selling products or services to Generation X or Generation Y.If you’re trying to market to adults who were born between 1965 and 1994, then you need to understand the best method for reaching generation X and generation Y.

Who is Generation X? Gen Xers were born between 1965 – 1976 and make up about 17% of the U.S. population. As a whole, this group is both independent and skeptical, existing in the shadow of Baby Boomers. As this group moves into their 30s and 40s, Gen Xers are establishing themselves as consumers who are starting families and buying homes.

Who is Generation Y? Individuals born between 1977 – 1994 are considered Gen Yers and make up about 25% of the U.S. population. This group is generally idealistic, optimistic, and patriotic. They consume media in extremely fragmented ways, representing the next big wave in our demographic makeup.

Gen Xers and Gen Yers have a number of things in common. Both groups grew up with recessions, single-parent households, cable TV, the Internet and other personal technology. Consequently, these groups consume media differently than earlier generations. Communicating with them through traditional marketing channels can be difficult. So, how can you reach these groups, communicate your message, and get them to take action?

The answer is more traditional than you think. In combination with online marketing, direct mail is one of the most powerful ways to market to both Gen X and Y. According to a recent study conducted by InnoMedia, NuStats, and Vertis, 87% of Gen Y and 86% of Gen X bring in the mail the day it’s delivered. 73% of Gen Y and 68% of Gen X retail direct mail readers have used coupons received in the mail. Gen X and Y consumers rate 75% of the mail they receive as valuable.

To reach Gen X and Y with direct mail, there are number of basic marketing practices you should keep in mind. Before discussing these tips, keep in mind that your direct mail efforts can be supplemented with online marketing in the form of targeted site advertising, key word buys, or perhaps giving consumers a reason to visit you online via email (contests, sweepstakes, discounts, etc.).

Direct Mail is most effective when you understand your audience, time your campaign appropriately, provide a compelling offer, and develop a relevant message.

· Audience. Knowing your audience is essential for the success of any direct marketing campaign. Having information about Gen Xers or Yers in general terms is a place start, but you need to dig deeper and develop a fuller understanding of the segment. You should know what motivates them, what there greatest pains are, their latent needs, and what products or solutions they currently use. Once you’ve gotten to know your audience, other marketing criteria can fall into place.

· Timing. Communicating your message at the right time can make all the difference in your marketing results. Selling tax software immediately after April 15th won’t produce the results you’re looking for. Therefore, you need to have an understanding of your audience’s timeline and when they are in the market to buy your product or service. Be sure to reach them with enough time to respond to your offer, but don’t leave it open ended.

· Offer. Many consumers need a reason to buy, especially Gen Xers who are normally skeptical. Your offer should provide some benefit to the buyer as well as provide some level of comfort in moving forward with a purchase. This can be in the form of a satisfaction guarantee or something similar. One great technique is to place your offer on the outside of the envelope that contains your marketing materials. This can help to differentiate your mail and get your envelope opened by prospects.

· Message. Your message needs to resonate with prospective buyers. Do you understand their needs? Have you communicated benefits as well as features? Are you solving a problem for them? Have you provided a simple, yet compelling message? Many direct marketers talk about the “long” letter versus the “short” letter. There are a number of studies that validate the use of both long a short letters in a direct marketing pieces. As long as your message resonates with buyers, it doesn’t matter how long it is. Be sure to test your messages on an ongoing basis.

If you’re marketing to either Generation X, Y, or both, use direct mail in your marketing mix. Individuals in these groups respond to direct mail. Keep in mind however, that a direct marketing piece should be supplemented with other forms of marketing – Internet marketing, search engine optimization, advertising, etc. Direct mail is your key to success with Generations X and Y when used as the main vehicle of your marketing campaign.

Marketing Success – How to get over that first hill and start making some real money!

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:19:38 +0000

If you’re like a lot of newbie marketers you have heaps of great marketing ideas all the time. Problem is they just seem to fade into nothing without you ever doing a thing about them, Am I right? After a week you have forgotten all about that great new idea or you have that lingering annoying thought in your mind that you have let another great idea turn into nothing.
I mean, who knows if they’re actually great ideas to start with, but the problem is you will never know. Here are a few tips that will help you get over that hill and finally start putting your ideas into action.

I mean, who knows if they’re actually great ideas to start with, but the problem is you will never know. Here are a few tips that will help you get over that hill and finally start putting your ideas into action.

Procrastination

This is the number one problem – Putting things off. You NEED a plan and some kind of time management system in place. Prioritize your tasks and keep lists of everything that needs doing. Don’t get too technical with this. You don’t need the latest software or PDA just to manage yourself. Trying using post-its or a simple exercise book. And no matter how much you don’t feel like doing something, just get it out of the way and NEVER leave it until the next day!

Doing It Alone

You can do it alone but it is harder, and without support you are more likely to fail. It doesn’t have to be much. On-line forums, for example, are an amazing source of ideas and encouragement. And with other people, by forming Joint Ventures or starting your own affiliate program you can really leverage your efforts and do FAR MORE than you could ever do on your own.

Be Ambitious

You won’t know unless you try. Assume you can do *anything* – because you can! You may not be ready to do it yet, but don’t set up mental blocks in advance. You can create your own profitable items, sell them well, and have others selling them for you. You can operate a range of websites, even host seminars, or teach others. YOU CAN.

Wasting Money

This one is important. Especially if you don’t have money to burn! Don’t get caught up jumping from opportunity to opportunity or buying everything that comes into your inbox. You’ll be surprised how much you can get for free. Trust me – you don’t need half the stuff you see online. Try to control your emotions and think before you buy. Write a list of pros and cons, and make sure that the product or service is essential to YOU.

If you stick to these suggestions and make a commitment to make them work, you will start to see your bank account increase. Stop looking for the path to overnight riches, there is no such thing.

Marketing With A Custom Postcard

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:19:08 +0000

Custom postcards are often used for direct mail campaigns. The advantages are many. Custom postcards are cheaper to make and mail than traditional direct market brochures or letters. Custom postcards get a higher response rate than most other marketing methods. Potential customers are more likely to look at a custom postcard than a letter. In fact, there is no good reason not to try a custom postcard campaig

Be creative. Make your custom postcard stand out. If you don’t have the tools or the creativity to make your own custom postcard, seek the help of experts. Those experts are local printshops or online printshops with experience in creating custom postcards.

When looking for an expert to print your cards, don’t let price be the final factor. First and foremost, make sure the printer you choose can give you the help you need. If you know nothing about a custom postcard campaign, you need a printer who is an expert on how to make an impression with your mailing. Full color custom postcards get a better response rate. Any printer with experience should know that. They should also be able to give you advice on postcard size and the best font to use.

Your printer should be able to discuss your ideas and come up with a design that is effective for the message you are sending. Look for a printer who can make your custom postcard stand out from the rest. You don’t want a postcard similar to those that others are using.

Your custom postcard should be creative enough and attractive enough to draw the customer’s interest. If done right, a custom postcard can be a great addition to your marketing tools.

Marketing to Generation Y

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:18:31 +0000

If you’re trying to market to adults who were born between 1977 and 1994, then you need to understand the best method for reaching generation Y.If you’re trying to market to adults who were born between 1977 and 1994, then you need to understand the best method for reaching generation Y.

Who is Generation Y?

Individuals born between 1977 and 1994 are considered Gen Y and make up about 25% of the U.S. population. This group is generally idealistic, optimistic, and patriotic. They consume media in extremely fragmented ways, representing the next big wave in our demographic makeup.

Gen Y consumes media differently than earlier generations. Communicating with them through traditional marketing channels can be difficult. So, how can you reach this group, communicate your message, and get them to take action?

The answer is more traditional than you think. In combination with online marketing, direct mail is one of the most powerful ways to market to Gen Y. According to a recent study conducted by InnoMedia, NuStats, and Vertis, 87% of Gen Y bring in the mail the day it’s delivered. 73% of Gen Y retail direct mail readers have used coupons received in the mail. Gen Y consumers rate 75% of the mail they receive as valuable.

To reach Gen Y with direct mail, there are number of basic marketing practices you should keep in mind. Before discussing these tips, realize that your direct mail efforts can always be supplemented with online marketing in the form of targeted site advertising, key word buys, or perhaps giving consumers a reason to visit you online via email (contests, sweepstakes, discounts, etc.).

Direct Mail is most effective when you understand your audience, time your campaign appropriately, provide a compelling offer, and develop a relevant message.

Audience

Knowing your audience is essential for the success of any direct marketing campaign. Having information about Gen Y in general terms is a place start, but you need to dig deeper and develop a fuller understanding of the segment. You should know what motivates them, what their greatest pains are, their latent needs, and what products or solutions they currently use. Once you’ve gotten to know your audience, other marketing criteria can fall into place.

Timing

Communicating your message at the right time can make all the difference in your marketing results. Selling tax software immediately after April 15th won’t produce the results you’re looking for. Therefore, you need to have an understanding of your audience’s timeline and when they are in the market to buy your product or service. Be sure to reach them with enough time to respond to your offer, but don’t leave it open ended.

Offer

Many consumers need a reason to buy, especially Gen Y’s who are normally skeptical. Your offer should provide some benefit to the buyer as well as provide some level of comfort in moving forward with a purchase. This can be in the form of a satisfaction guarantee or something similar. One great technique is to place your offer on the outside of the envelope that contains your marketing materials. This can help to differentiate your mail and get your envelope opened by prospects.

Message

Your message needs to resonate with prospective buyers. Do you understand their needs? Have you communicated benefits as well as features? Are you solving a problem for them? Have you provided a simple, yet compelling message? Many direct marketers talk about the “long” letter versus the “short” letter. There are a number of studies that validate the use of both long a short letters in direct marketing pieces. As long as your message resonates with buyers, it doesn’t matter how long it is. Be sure to test your messages on an ongoing basis.

If you’re marketing to Generation Y, use direct mail in your marketing mix. Individuals in these groups respond to direct mail. Keep in mind however, that a direct marketing piece should be supplemented with other forms of marketing – Internet marketing, search engine optimization, advertising, etc. Direct mail is your key to success with Generation Y when used as the main vehicle for your marketing campaign.

Marketing To Generation X

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:18:00 +0000

If you’re trying to market to adults who are now in their thirties, then you need to understand the best method for reaching generation X.If you’re trying to market to adults who are now in their thirties, then you need to understand the best method for reaching generation X.

Who is Generation X? Gen Xers were born between 1965 – 1976 and make up about 17% of the U.S. population. As a whole, this group is both independent and skeptical, existing in the shadow of Baby Boomers. As this group moves into their mid 30s and 40s, Gen Xers are establishing themselves as consumers who are starting families and buying homes.

Gen Xers grew up with recessions, single-parent households, cable TV, the Internet and other personal technology. Consequently, this group consumes media differently than earlier generations. Communicating with them through traditional marketing channels can be difficult. So, how can you reach these groups, communicate your message, and get them to take action? The answer is more traditional than you think. In combination with online marketing, direct mail is one of the most powerful ways to market to Gen X. According to a recent study conducted by InnoMedia, NuStats, and Vertis, 86% of Gen Xers bring in the mail the day it’s delivered. Furthermore, 68% of Gen X retail direct mail readers have used coupons received in the mail. Gen X consumers rate 75% of the mail they receive as valuable.

To reach Gen X with direct mail, there are number of basic marketing practices you should keep in mind. Before discussing these tips, keep in mind that your direct mail efforts can be supplemented with online marketing in the form of targeted site advertising, key word buys, or perhaps giving consumers a reason to visit you online via email (contests, sweepstakes, discounts, etc.).Direct Mail is most effective when you understand your audience, time your campaign appropriately, provide a compelling offer, and develop a relevant message.

Audience
Knowing your audience is essential for the success of any direct marketing campaign. Having information about Gen Xers in general terms is a place to start, but you need to dig deeper and develop a fuller understanding of the segment. You should know what motivates them, what their greatest pains are, their latent needs, and what products or solutions they currently use. Once you’ve gotten to know your audience, other marketing criteria can fall into place.

Timing
Communicating your message at the right time can make all the difference in your marketing results. For example, selling tax software immediately after April 15th won’t produce the results you’re looking for. Therefore, you need to have an understanding of your audience’s timeline and when they are in the market to buy your product or service. Be sure to reach them with enough time to respond to your offer, but don’t leave it open ended.

Offer
Many consumers need a reason to buy, especially Gen Xers who are normally skeptical. Your offer should provide some benefit to the buyer as well as provide some level of comfort in moving forward with a purchase. This can be in the form of a satisfaction guarantee or something similar. One great technique is to place your offer on the outside of the envelope that contains your marketing materials. This can help to differentiate your mail and get your envelope opened by prospects.

Message
Your message needs to resonate with prospective buyers. Do you understand their needs? Have you communicated benefits as well as features? Are you solving a problem for them? Have you provided a simple, yet compelling message? Many direct marketers talk about the “long” letter versus the “short” letter. There are a number of studies that validate the use of both long a short letters in a direct marketing pieces. As long as your message resonates with buyers, it doesn’t matter how long it is. Be sure to test your messages on an ongoing basis.

If you’re marketing to Generation X, use direct mail in your marketing mix. Individuals in these groups respond to direct mail. Keep in mind however, that a direct marketing piece should be supplemented with other forms of marketing – Internet marketing, search engine optimization, advertising, etc. Direct mail is your key to success with Generations X when used as the main vehicle of your marketing campaign.

Marketing Tips For Secret Ways To Increase Your Sales

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:22 +0000

Marketing is the most important factors to increse your sales. From my experience, I always follow 10 secret ways to increase my sales. If you are struggling to increase your sales, Please follow these 10 marketing tips. You will discover something new to apply your marketing strategies.

1. Add a free interactive game to your web site. You could hire someone to create it. The game should be related to the theme of your web site.2. Train your employees as a team instead…Marketing is the most important factors to increse your sales. From my experience, I always follow 10 secret ways to increase my sales. If you are struggling to increase your sales, Please follow these 10 marketing tips. You will discover something new to apply your marketing strategies.

1. Add a free interactive game to your web site. You could hire someone to create it. The game should be related to the theme of your web site.

2. Train your employees as a team instead of just individuals. Everyone must do their job in order for the others do theirs.

3. Make people feel like it’s their idea to buy, they will be less hesitant. Tell them in your ad “You’re making a smart decision for buying our product”.

4. Promote yourself as well as your products. Write articles, ebooks, reports, etc. When you endorse products, people will think your statement is credible.

5. Show your prospects a group of testimonials that stand up for your product. People are more likely to agree with a group than have a different opinion.

6. Maximize your advertising budget and don’t go broke like the big web sites. All you need is a small group of loyal customers to sell back end products.

7. Sell to the people that join your affiliate program. They are more likely to by your products because they are interested in selling them for commission.

8. Offer a deluxe product or service as an up sell or back end product. You won’t have to create a totally new product just add on to your main one.

9. Tell people what they’re thinking and feeling as they read your ad. Most people will actually do it. Your statements should help sell your product.

10. Make your product offer very rare. People perceive things that are rare as being more valuable. You could use a limited time offer or free bonuses.

I totally recommend those 10 secret strategies. Thereis always to improve your sales. Once again, please try those secret tips, and you will see a better result. I hope those strategies will work well and increse your sales.

Marketing Tests – Sample Before You Commit

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:29 +0000

Marketing tests are an important component of your overall marketing strategy. Make sure you check out the effectiveness of any potential marketing campaign by diligently performing marketing tests.Marketing tests are an important component of your overall marketing strategy. When you first start out you will be on shoe string budget. You need to save money everywhere. Marketing tests will help you determine whether you should spend a large part of your budget on a particular sales tactic or not.

Regardless of how good the technique appears to be, if you do a market test with a small measure sample you won’t waste large amounts of marketing dollars and you will come out with a highly effective, highly targeted marketing campaign.

Marketing Test Tips:

If you are considering direct mail, rent a marketing list in small portions. People who don’t do marketing tests will rent thousands of names before even knowing if the list is worthwhile.

Print a small quantity of marketing materials. If you print thousands of fliers or postcards without doing any marketing tests how do you know you’re money isn’t ending up in other people’s garbage cans?

Track your leads by marketing material source. Tell your leads that you are doing marketing tests and ask them how they heard about you. Figure out what percent are coming from each type of marketing activity you are doing? By doing this your marketing tests will show you exactly which campaigns are effective and which ones are duds.

The Bottom Line on Marketing Tests

Marketing tests are designed so that you make intelligent decisions about your marketing strategies before you roll out large, costly campaigns. Without performing marketing tests diligently you risk spending a great deal of your precious start-up capital chasing leads with no direction and no real results. Whatever your marketing strategy is, make sure you incorporate small measure marketing tests into your overall strategy.

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Marketing Tips – On a Budget

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:38 +0000

Marketing a business doesn’t have to be expensive if you just remember to network and use all the tools available to you.I don’t know about you, but when I started my business and even today with a son in college and two kids at home who love to shop as much as mom, I don’t have a lot of money to spend on marketing. I need to make sure that every penny I spend is spent wisely, very wisely. So when I market my business, I need to make sure that I’m creative and use all the tools I have available that don’t cost money. Here are some tips that I have found that worked for me.

Radio/Media – It’s not that hard. Have a plan of action and stick to it. Each week decide to send out so many press releases, contacts to radio stations, local media, etc. Look to woman’s networks, work-at-home networks, and others who actively look for guests.

Stay in tune with what’s currently happening and see if it’s something that you can share about. I’ve found that having an angle works. Once you have that angle write and pitch your angle hard.

Also consider starting your own radio show. Jill Hart and I do a weekly podcast and it’s a great way to network. Check it out sometime at http://www.cwahm.com.

Forums / Listserves – Being active in forums and listserves is so beneficial to your business. You establish yourself as an expert and also you gain friendships and alliances with others. Plus, it’s a great way to promote your business. Naturally you never want to blatantly advertise your business, but when you answer questions and show your expertise, people listen. I know I’ve found many a subcontractor this way. Take advantage of these. Remember you also establish those friendships that can last a lifetime. And then when you get the opportunity to meet them in person, you already have a bond.

Writing Articles – Submitting articles is an excellent marketing tool and I highly recommend it. Make sure you submit to your targeted market. Write on topics that you are familiar. Don’t just write for publicity –Give something back. Make sure that your topic and information is of value. Write articles using “The Top 5 or 10” or “The Best 5 Ways To Do Something.” Think about the magazines you buy at the stores, don’t you normally gravitate to those articles. I know I do. Get those keywords in the title. That’s where they count.

Also, plan, plan, plan. What are you going to do today that is going to gain recognition for your business?

Marketing a business doesn’t have to be expensive if you just remember to network and use all the tools available to you. In fact, it can be fun as you get to meet new people and develop new ways to sell you and your business.