Archive for the ‘Marketing’ Category
When the tide comes in, all boats in the harbor go up… the tough part is figuring out how to bring the tide in. Booming economies come and go and bring surges of profit increases, then ebb to leave behind shortages and tough times. Regardless, there are some business that just seem to weather the tough times with grace, not really affected by recessions. It’s almost as though they have a secret source… maybe they do… customers.
Hey, customers always buy… in the good times and in the bad times. They still have needs and still make purchases. When you understand their needs and wants, you have the keys to keeping your business afloat when others are grounded. Implement these three tactics successful marketers use, and you’re set for success.
1. Just One
Customers can be like a two year old in a candy store… they want it all. Yeah, sometimes it’s hard to make up your mind about what you really do want when everything looks so good. That’s why it pays to promote one product over the others. It spells out loud and clear… I’M THE BEST DEAL. That will be the deciding factor in most cases.
2. Make Them Feel Good
Customers buy because they want to enjoy the benefits of the purchase. A lady might buy a dress because she wants to feel sexy, or a man will buy a saw because he finds pleasure in creating things. Emotions are the key element that drives purchases.
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With so many optin email lists out there, your really need to come up with a hook to attractive subscribers. It needs to have something special or different. It could be something you offer inside every newsletter issue, like interviews with experts. Or the hook could be a unique incentive that website vistors can take advantage of immediately when they sign up.
Here are 3 ideas you can use for your own sites, or use as inspiration to get you thinking a little outside of the box:
– Build an Optin Email List by Creating a Private Members Only Site or Section –
Create a private web site and have people sign up to get free, immediate access. For example, you could say, “Subscribe to our free e-zine and get free access to our private membership web site!” You can choose to have them receive a username and password every time they want to login, or you can just provide a link to the site in your welcome email.
Your private members only site can be as big or as small as you want. Some of the things you can include inside are: reports, software, articles, ebooks, etc. Inside the site, you can advertise your affiliate programs, as well. And you can follow-up to let them know about updates, new products they might be interested in, the latest news in your industry, etc.
– Build an Optin Email List By Giving Subscribers a Free, Tangible Gift –
Instead of offering a free ebook (or a whole package of them) like most everybody else, promise to give your visitors something they can hold in their hands if they give you their contact information.
For example, you could say “Subscribe today and get our new report mailed to you via First Class.” You could print out your report on standard 8 x 11 sheets of paper, fold it up, put it inside an envelope, and mail it off.
Or you can offer a tips booklet and mail it to new subscribers. Or you can create your own CD full of information targeted toward your market and mail that. Or if you have a wholesale supply of a product of interest to your subscribers, then you can send one to each new subscriber. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Follow-up possibilities include: articles (your own or written by others), tips you pick up, news in your niche, reviews of products or other interested, related websites, etc.
– Build an Optin Email List Through a Contest or Sweepstakes –
Hold a free contest or sweepstakes at your website where they must give their contact information, including their email address, to enter. Make the prize something that your niche market will be interested in. Otherwise, they’ll never want to enter.
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How many times has your competitor gotten one over on you? The feeling of being left behind just eats away, until you do something about. The problem is that we often feel that we’ve got to come up with some grand plan in order to get our business skyrocketing again. Don’t be fooled! Getting back on top of the market isn’t as tough as it seems with these high-impact, easy-to-use fixes.
1. The Magic Number – 1
Implement a “advertise 1 item at a time” motto for your advertising strategy. Does that mean you can’t SELL more than one item at a time? No… but wait until AFTER the sale.
When a customer sees more than one of a product offered at unbelievably low prices, he’s confused. Which one is the better deal? Which one does he prefer? These questions encourage procrastination – one of marketing’s greatest thieves. Instead, offer the consumer a product that compliments his purchase in a nearby display… or even at the register. You’ll make extra profits instead of losing a sale.
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Winners are ALWAYS looking for ways to grow their business. They trust their company, trust their customers to come through for them, and realize that a financial crunch offers advantages that aren’t available during better economic times.
1. Get More For Your Advertising Bucks
When the economy makes a turn for the worse, it just makes sense that your advertising will give less of a return than during and economic boon. Sure there’s a lot less money being spent, but you don’t have to have to watch your profit margin plummet!
Think about it… advertisers are feeling the recession just as much as you are, and are more desperate for clients. It’s the perfect atmosphere to negotiate your way to lower costs – even if you are already getting a good price. Every advertising penny you can save, is that much more profit you’ll earn on the products.
Have you thought about getting free publicity? Local newspapers are always looking for something of local interest. Make the news! Publicity is free, but a wonderful way to get your business in front of potential clients.
Do your advertisements really need to be as big as they are? We tend to think the big is better, but the facts are that short ads with 11 words or less often generate higher response than large ads. Give it a try, and trim some costs right off your advertising bill.
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