| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Do You Know Where Your Marketing Dollars Are Going?
We all know the importance of marketing to increase sales and bring in new business. But, do you honestly know where your marketing dollars are being spent most effectively. Knowing which campaigns are producing the results you want and which are not can make a huge difference in where and how you spend your marketing dollars. There is a diversity of means by which you can advertise your products or services. Classified ads, pay per click, flyers, letters, postcards....the list goes on and on. If you don't track your marketing dollars, you could easily be throwing money away on ineffective advertisements. When you launch any marketing campaign, it is vital to set a time frame in which to monitor the results. Be realistic when doing this. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your marketing campaign results be. I have had people contact me for services six months after receiving a magnet I mailed out. So, be patient and give yourself time to truly evaluate your efforts. When ever a new customer calls your company, do you ask them what made them decide to contact your business? If not, you are loosing out on the simplest and most vital means by which you can track your marketing dollars. Anytime I receive an email or telephone call from a prospective client, one of the first questions I ask is how they found me. Then, I can track the effectiveness of a web site, postcard, email, etc. Different types of ads evoke different responses as well. It is only smart business practice to track you hard earned marketing dollars to determine which ad campaigns are working and which are not. I was surprised that one of the worst advertisements I was investing in was pay per click. My traffic increased tremendously but not my sales. The postcards I was mailing was bringing in more new business and referrals while the pay per click was basically draining my marketing budget. Once I terminated my pay per click campaigns, I applied those marketing dollars toward mailings and other on line ventures which are proving much more profitable? Had I did not tracked my marketing efforts, I would still be throwing away my hard earned money on tactics that simply were not producing for me. You could be doing the same. Realtors do a great deal of marketing. It is crucial in their line of work to know where their marketing dollars are best spent. From yard signs and magazine ads to postcards and letters, the smart, business savvy realtor will know each month which method(s) have produced the best results. Something as simple as a daily call log can be used to help you track your marketing. When ever a new customer enters your business, ask them how they came to select your company. Enter this data on to your daily call log. Do the same with every telephone call you get from new as well as your established customers. It is important to get feedback from your clientele. Knowing what they thought of your recent postcard or letter can help you improve your marketing strategy. Some small business owners go a step further and host an informal picnic each year for their top clients. At this event, they poll their customers and get feedback regarding the quality of customer service they have received, new products or services they may be interested in, how they felt about the mailings/offers you sent, etc. It really helps create a good bond between the company and it's "Sphere of Influence". When your established customers rave about your services, your referral rate will soar. Try something like this with your company. Perhaps an annual open house would work. No need to go overboard. Set a budget and stick to it. Serving coffee, tea and sodas along with hotdogs or snack items would be sufficient. When your customers visit your open house, have a short form for them to fill out, critiquing your products and services. By allowing them to anonymously express their wants and needs as well as how they feel about your services, you will gain valuable information necessary to improve and grow your business. It is a good idea to have handouts available such as magnets, pens or even balloons. Of course, these will all have your company name and contact information on them which is another good marketing tactic you should use. The bottom line is this; it's all about marketing and tracking your marketing results. An open house can produce a gold mine of new clients as well as re-establishing some of the old ones. Having a solid marketing plan and tracking your marketing results will make a major difference in your sales and how you spend your marketing dollars. So, the next time a new customer walks into your company or makes your business phone ring, remember to ask how she/he came to choose your company. You just may be surprised at what you will learn. Judith A. Wentzel - Image smarter marketing specialist providing image smarter web site design, marketing & business services. Assisting realtors & small business owners with their business and marketing needs since 1993. http://www.ImageSmarterMarketing.com http://www.Site-Build-Them-Ecommerce-Smart.com http://www.ImageSmarterWebSiteDesign.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Milwaukee Mile back on IndyCar schedule, Andretti-led group to promote June 16 ... - Washington Post
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Promotional Lanyards to Market Your Products and Services It has become fairly common place to see Id badges dangling from a persons neck on a short cord, and on the cord or small rope itself, is printed the name of a company, or a school or an event on it. When you spot one of these, you can be sure you're looking at a lanyard. Dramatically Improve Your Marketing Results With These 6 Simple Steps What if there were things you could start doing now that could help you to market more successfully in the future? Even if you didn't have your marketing act together over the past year. Well, there are. How to Use Flyers to Increase Your Business What benefits will you get from flyers?Flyers are much different from postcards in that they convey product sales to the consumer. Safeway, Costco, Albertsons and other grocery chains are excellent at putting out flyers. Writing Business Newsletters: Avoid the "Me, Me, Me" Mistake Effective customer newsletters find the right mix of promotional and 'real' content to maximize readership.It's that time of year when the old college roommate sends 'round his or her annual holiday newsletter. Business Marketing For Consultants, Coaches, Speakers, and Trainers: How To Be Noticed and Trusted Business marketing is essential for professional services, such as consultants, coaches, speakers and trainers.Creating trust with prospects and clients is essential. The Marshall Plan -- Or, Customer Aftercare: How To Spend Less & Sell More My wife likes to shop at the local Safeway. Is it because of the competitive prices? Yes, that's part of it. Radio Advertising Works With These Tips! Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation strategy. But like all marketing tactics, success or failure lies in its implementation. Starting Small Business Promotional Campaigns So you're starting a small business. You figured out what you wanted to sell or do and went out and got it all set up, had your DBA framed and on the wall and now all you need is for someone to buy your product or use your service. Loyalty Cards Systems - Beware, Some Should Be Avoided Recently, I discussed a loyalty card system with a vendor who was selling quite a number of his systems to restaurants. I was shocked to discover the lack of detailed information that this vendor catered for, and the opportunities the system he provided squandered. At the Speed of Light How many times has someone you've called said, "Why don't you send me some information on your company"?Ask yourself, before you send anything: How will this be dealt with once it arrives at that person's desk. Aren't they already suffering from information overload? On the one hand, people say they they need more information in order to make the decision just to meet with you, let alone to agree to buy or hire. How to Use Business Cards to Network and Market Your Business You've had one thousand of the finest, most eye-catching business cards printed. Now, what do you do with them?Networking with business cards is one of the most cost effective means of marketing your business--and yourself. Overcoming Resistances To Marketing a Practice-Part 2 In Part 1 of this article, "Resistances to Marketing a Practice" the seven most common resistances helping and healing professionals (counsellors, therapists, naturopaths, homeopathetic doctors, massage therapists, body workers, etc.) have to marketing a practice were identified. Business Cards That do the Business A business card makes a statement about who you are and what your business is about. It needs to convey the quality of your business and an insight into your personality. Postcards Work What's the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote just about any business?The answer is postcards sent by direct mail. You can get your message to a targeted group of prospects or to your existing customers for a cost of about 25 to 30 cents each including postage. Todays Definition of Marketing. Has It Changed? With the continued proliferation of the Internet, the meaning of the word "marketing" also seems to proliferate. Cyberspace has opened up a whole arena of new marketing technologies, techniques, and twists. Image is Key to Your Marketing Success In virtually any business first impressions are lasting impressions. Most people have heard this statement for years, and yet some people completely ignore the first impression they are conveying to potential customers or clients. Niche And Grow Rich Unless you've been living under an Internet rock, you've probably heard the buzz about Niche Marketing. Right now it's the hottest marketing topic online. Build Your Business Through Networking Here's one of the most important success principles you'll ever learn. It is this: The more people you know and who know you in a favorable way, the more successful you will be in your business or profession. 25 Ways To Get More Business Special Requirements for Reprint: we ask only that you include Pauls name and resource box, and keep all hyperlinks as live links. Complete Article with Resource Box at end: Need more business? Who doesnt? Thankfully, new business is pretty easy to get, but you do have to do something to get it. Effective Marketing for Small Businesses Effective marketing for the small business begins with market researchIf you don't know who your customers are, how on earth are you going to reach them? The most effective small business marketing strategies are the most highly targeted ones: the ones which are based on a clear understanding of who their target audience is. What's your target age group and income bracket? What publications do they read? What do they do for fun? For it to be truly successful, your marketing should try to address an issue your target market deal with, fulfil a need or answer a problem.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
