Archive for the ‘Advertising’ Category
Tuesday, December 6th, 2005
Enter the world of company “B” where incremental innovation is ongoing. Company “B” knows the importance of incremental innovation and thereby makes it a part of the job description. When applied to sales and marketing the result is a system that converts more prospects and turn the competition into followers.
This is the approach company “B” uses to thrive and lead the market.
Professional marketers use incremental innovation all the time to increase conversion rate. An example would be testing which headline in a split test converts more prospects.
So how would you go about getting your employees in sales and marketing to commit to your incremental innovation program? Remember, incremental innovation occurs by making a small change then conducting a test against the control then making another change and conducting another test then repeat until you have a well optimized process.
First, your employees need to know how to use their imaginations. Without the use of their imaginations breakthroughs aren’t possible. It is the thinking tool that makes innovation possible. It’s the most potent tool everyone has at their disposal. It’s not money or even superior products.
Second, they need to know how to ask the most appropriate question at each step. Using your imagination is all about asking the right questions at each step of the way which naturally leads to small breakthroughs. Each of these small breakthroughs gives you greater insights into your prospects mind which leads to better marketing and increases in sales.
Third, the incentive for following the innovation program should be one that motivates the staff to act in the way you want them to.
One might ask, why doesn’t company “A” implement the incremental innovation approach? There are several reasons, such as ignorance of the alternatives and ignorance of the ease with which any alternative can be implemented.
A marketing manager from company “A” might state, I know it’s important to innovate but how do I get my employees to innovate and how much will it cost in time and real dollars? Other obstacles include employees who are reluctant to committing themselves to an innovation program. However, if the right incentives are in place few would object.
Imagine if the sales manager had to lay off a few workers in a short while and were to say to them, if you can find a unique way to improve sales, then the additional revenues would help to justify to the higher-ups to keep everyone. In fact, this example was used in Ray Giles book “Turn Your Imagination Into Money”, one of the best books on the use of the imagination in incremental innovation. It’s available at http://www.ImaginationBook.com. Giles shows in an example how quickly sales rose by 20% when one sales manager tried this approach. And best of all it didn’t cost much - no money, only a little time. This is the kind of virtually-cost-free innovation that causes company “B” to excel.
Company “B” excels because it’s committed to an incremental innovations program and your people will take innovation seriously if they realize that as innovation increases so do sales, their commissions and bonuses.
So company “B” has a successful feedback mechanism where everyone wins. The company wins with additional revenues, the marketing manager wins with a bigger bonus, less headache and less pep talk and the sales force wins with greater commissions.
Over time, company “B” will have well tested and highly optimized marketing and sales processes that yield great results. Aren’t these the processes that every company wants? They can be implemented and best of all they are cost-free.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2005
A few years ago, pop-up windows were all the rage in Internet
marketing. It seemed that every time one opened a web page they
would be bombarded with offers for this or that. It had gotten to
the point where surfing the Internet was almost like playing a
video game; when the ads would pop-up one would try and close
them out before another one came. This is precisely why we have
seen the decline in the use of pop-up windows on the Internet
today; surfers simply do not even look at the pop-ups anymore.
They close the windows out before even reading the ad. Very
often, a surfer will even leave your site if there are too many
pop-up ads. They simply do not want the hassle of closing those
windows while trying to obtain the information that your site has
to offer. This information, while valuable, is not as valuable as
the surfers time. Studies have shown however, that even with
these set backs, pop-up windows are still an effective method
of Internet marketing.
Is there some way that pop-up windows can be less irritating and
still be effective? Yes! What if the pop ad were seen upon
exiting your site instead of entering? This would allow the
surfer to obtain the information that they need from your site,
feeling that they were able to come and go quickly without being
hassled by other ads and offers all the while making the surfer
happy. You have left the surfer with a positive attitude and
therefore are more likely to respond to the pop advertisement.
This is being accomplished more and more by using what is being
called pop-under windows. When the surfer comes to your site, the
ad is opened discretely behind the your web page. Then, upon
leaving your site, after obtaining all the information that they
need , will see the ad and therefore be more likely to respond.
Since the surfer has the information, he has achieved his
objective and is now open to do other things; ideally respond to
the pop under advertisement.
Not all pop-windows are created equally. There are some things
that you can do to make your pop-windows, whether pop-up or pop-
under more effective. The pop-window should be easy to “escape”
from. If the surfer does not want to see the add, but has a hard
time closing it out, they will likely become frustrated and could
leave your site all together. You should either use a button to
that will allow the surfer to close the window or be sure that
the “x” is easily visible. Another good idea is to use a script
that utilizes cookies. Cookie will prevent pop-windows from
overloading the surfer since you can decide the frequency of the
pop-windows, rather than each time a page is opened. Also be sure
that there is no more than one pop-window per page.
When creating a pop-window, you will be asked to fill out a short
information form, select the length of cookies, and choose the
layout of the pop-window. When choosing the design of the pop-
window, you can increase the effectiveness by creating a large
headline that includes benefits that will be most appealing to
the customer. You should also consider using incentives and
lastly do not ask the customer to read a long and drawn out
advertisement. Keep the message simple yet powerful and your
pop-ads will be sure to generate profits for your site.
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Monday, November 28th, 2005
Many people just really don’t realize the power of the
Internet. It is one of the most powerful marketing mediums
today. The real power behind it is the ability to contact
so many people once the system you have in place is set up.
By system, I mean web sites, autoresponders, email
campaigns, etc. that you set up to create a desired result.
In obtaining your desired result, someone would sign up
for a free ezine, free report, or free ebook.
Of course, this is for the purpose of capturing an e-mail
address. The reason for this is very simple. All marketers
that are having positive results know that the key is in
the follow-up.
This is why it’s very important to have a System and the
right tools to get the right results. I go into more
detail in my MAC Success Tips regarding systems and tools,
so I won’t go into it here.
Anyone that is interested in what you have to offer can
benefit from the huge potential that the Internet provides.
Simply put, you can reach an enormous amount of people with
your message with minimal cost (once you know how).
You can also make adjustments as you go online. As a
result, you can scientifically control your outcome/income.
This is the true power and secret behind the Internet.
Posted in Advertising, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) | No Comments »
Monday, November 28th, 2005
There is a word for what Internet marketing spews forth…the word is GARBAGE! And it’s a mess cleaning it up, often requiring spam filters, ad-ware & spy-ware removers, and pop-up blockers.
Internet Marketing worked for a while, and we put up with it for a while longer. The Internet was new, and everything about it was a novelty. We’d not only read spam, but actually get exited about buying from the money mongering website linked to it. It’s a bit like never having watched TV…you would probably get mesmerized even by the commercials!
The thing about television commercials is they sponsor the REAL products which are shown. Internet spam on the other hand, doesn’t support anything beyond the greed of the advertiser.
IT’S OUTRIGHT, OVERT, OUTRAGEOUS INSANITY!
While spam is filling up our “inboxes” and taking up space on our computers, the friends, relatives, and co-workers we need to hear from can’t get through.
Who should be blamed for all this? Internet Service Providers and ISP’s are doing what they can about the situation, but the viral parasites are still there. It’s up to each one of us to resist as best we can, recognizing that Internet Marketing is not the get-rich-quick scheme some may say it is.
Learn how to spot internet advertisements by the words in their headlines. Then you will be less apt to waste time reading the remaining ad copy. The advertisement can be put where it belongs…in the email delete folder!
WHAT INTERNET MARKETERS CAN DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM
If you are an Internet Marketer you can increase sales and start hauling in the extra cash! It’s easy.
Just give people what they really want. Then you’re no longer seen as a seller, but as a friend, a helper and someone that can be trusted.
This can be accomplished by answering people’s questions, as on forums, where “How To” explanations can be provided.
Put forth solutions to problems. Reveal news that is of interest to your market.
Once you start to freely provide people with information they become open to what you have to say, open to what you have to sell. Soon you will be back in business big-time.
So, summing it up, you need to provide reliable written content to your clients. This will jump-start your business and promote trust in both you and your business.
One of the best places you can get some great content for your clients is through services such as that provided by http://www.infogoround.com. IGR content can be used for websites, blogs, newsletters, email subscriptions, free courses, etc.
Now that you know where to get content, it’s up to you to deliver it in a responsible way to your customers. And, most importantly, to deliver the information without spamming!
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Monday, November 28th, 2005
One of the joys of niche marketing is the luxury of tapping
into a favorite hobby, occupation or expertise and building
a business around it.
If you are expanding an existing off-line business by
setting up a webpage you may find your most valuable
contacts right in your store. Make some brochures or cards
that announce your online presence, or ask customers if
they’d like to sign up for your online newsletter.
Now you can contact your customers about new products,
industry news or specials with no postage costs or time
consuming envelope stuffing.
Invite your subscribers to recommend the site to friends
who are interested in the topic. Even better, have a place
on your website to ‘tell a friend’. Your visitor will enter
their own email address and name as the sender of the
message to avoid spam complaints. Warning - do not start
emailing the invitee unless they sign up personally for
your newsletter.
Niche sites will really benefit from a newsletter. Create a
small free gift, such as a special report or how-to manual
that they will receive with their subscription. By
providing valuable information related to your topic you
will gain the trust of subscribers. By contacting them at
least several times a year - up to once a week if possible
- they will always be reminded of your website when looking
for information or products in your niche.
Create a website that has informative content. Incorporate
the keywords (words or phrases visitors type into their
search engines) into the content to improve your place in
the search engines.
Write articles that will set you up as an ‘industry
expert’. If you don’t feel capable of writing them yourself
you can hire a ghostwriter. End the article with your name,
a comment about your business and a link to your website.
Submit your article to relevant websites or ask if website
owners would like to use your contribution. Be sure they
agree to keep your name and website link intact.
You may find discussion groups that cater to your market.
Involve yourself in their conversations and attach a
signature with your website address if the policies permit.
Do not advertise on these groups, however you may be able
to offer your free item when the situation allows.
Try to determine where your market is. Are they parents?
Retirees? Home owners? Pet lovers? If you are selling art
supplies you may find hobby sites will cater to your
audience. If you sell information for do-it-yourself
projects you should show up in home decorating as well as
financial sites (’Save Money on Home Building Projects!’
for example).
Always look for new opportunities and offer your best, the
rest will follow!
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Monday, November 28th, 2005
Confused? Think words like force struggle and demand are a little extreme when talking about an e? It may just be a letter, and a little one at that, but the impact its had on the world has been tremendousand weve only seen the beginning.
When e was added to commerce, many companies blithely ignored the addition and the Internet. Either they didnt sell products suitable for sale online (how do you download a bulldozer?) or their businesses were wholly local (how do you guarantee hot pizza delivery halfway around the world?). So they thought they were safe. No more. The official online dictionary of Internet terminology, Webopedia, says that services are in fact, one of the most suitable products for e-Commerce.
When e was added to business, it did more than redefine the word. Instead of referring strictly to the purchase or sale of commodities, conducting business online now includes the sale and delivery of services, enhanced customer service, improved communication with clients and vendors and streamlined business operations as a whole. The e in e-Business stands for more than electronic, it also means efficiency.
When e was added to mail, email quickly proved itself to be the killer application that currently brings more than 700 million people online regularly. In less than a year, that number is expected to swell over one billion people worldwide. Clearly more than a fad or frill, email has significantly improved our ability to communicate. It allows businesses to operate more efficiently, reach more customers and respond to them faster than was ever possible before.
When e was added to learning, it sparked a revolution. Once online, and after they have managed their share of the 30 billion emails sent each day, more of those 700 million people stay online to dig for information than any other activity. They access traditional training, or educational materials of many kinds to help them do their jobs, but they also conduct primary or secondary market research online.
Businesses the world over have adopted e-Learning to reduce training costs, improve the timeliness and relevancy of their training material and educate geographically dispersed workforces and sales teams.
“…99.5% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe having a website is very or somewhat important to their overall business success in the coming year.”
When the e was granted to consumers, the balance of trade power shifted forever. It empowered buyers withliterallya world full of choices. Individual and commercial buyers have been e-powered with several fast and easy ways to reach them all. Todays e-powered buyer can order their pepperoni pizza online from the pizza parlor around the corner, then order a customized multi-ton construction vehicle from a manufacturing trade partners secure Intranet while they wait for their food to be delivered.
Unfortunately, many of the businesses who stand to gain the most by fully integrating an e of their own havent done so. Its not that they still believe they can get by withoutat leasthaving a website, they know they need one. Surveys by Harris Interactive and other research firms show 99.5% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe having a website is very or somewhat important to their overall business success in the coming year.
The real challenge for the business owner who has not yet added the e to their business, or for one who has added an e that isnt working well, is finding the right e-Solution provider. Clearly the average SMB owner cannot be expected to select the right technology tools to meet their business needs on their own. Practically speaking, unless youre in the Internet technology business yourself, theres no need for you to carry those core skills in-house.
Working with a trained and dedicated Internet Consultant who understands not only the technical jargon, but when and how to use these applications can make all the difference to your success. An Internet Consultant will help you uncover the e activities that could have the biggest impact on your business bottom line. Theyre experts at analyzing a business, implementing the right e strategy and maintaining the Internet Solution to achieve measurable results.
That way you can focus on whats crucial to your business ongoing success, like attending to your customers needs and growing your new e-Business.
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Monday, November 21st, 2005
Typically this agreement could run to 40 or 50 pages andcan be a daunting read to those unfamiliar withcommercial contracts. The very nature of a franchisebusiness structure means that the agreement will befairly complex. Remember that this document providesthe framework for your business life over the next sevenyears or so.
Franchisors, particularly established ones, will rarelychange or negotiate the terms of their standardFranchise Agreement as they will want to maintainuniformity across all the franchises. However, it isessential that you understand what you are being askedto sign. Once you have signed an agreement as abusiness person (without the cotton wool treatmentgiven to consumers) you will struggle to persuade a courtlater that the terms were unfair or sufficientlyunreasonable to be void. You will be stuck with it! Istrongly recommend that you seek legal advice from acommercial solicitor familiar with franchising.
Key areas include establishing the true cost of thefranchise including ongoing royalties, advertising costs,minimum stock purchases. What location and territorialrights have been granted? Are these exclusive to you?What property and equipment is required? Whatobligations are there on you and the Franchisor relatingto the ongoing operation of the franchise?
Often the most complex area relates to renewal andtermination of the franchise. Are you granted anautomatic renewal right beyond the franchise term of 5 or7 years? What renewal fee is payable? Can you sell thefranchise on? Usually you will need to give the franchisorfirst option and/or a right of veto over the acceptability ofany proposed transferee, often coupled with a % fee.What are the consequences of an early termination byyou if you want or need to get out prematurely? Therewill usually be a minimum period with forfeiture of thefranchise fee, stock and possibly other financial penaltiesand compensation. What if you are in breach? Whatcircumstances would lead to an automatic termination?Are you given a period in which to remedy your breach?
Ask yourself some “What if?” scenarios. What if you diedor were seriously ill? What if you failed to meet your salestargets? What if you wanted to sell product out of yourterritory? What if a customer sued you for faultyproducts? If you cannot answer all your What ifs, do seekmore advice. Don’t be afraid to ask the Franchisor thesequestions. But don’t expect an impartial response. TheFranchise Agreement will usually have an express termpreventing any reliance upon representations or claimsmade by the Franchisor in the initial presentations ordocumentation. Much to the disappointment of manyclients who come to us for advice having run anunsuccessful franchise, this applies particularly to anyclaims as to how much money can be earnt?? Buyerbeware!
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Friday, November 11th, 2005
Before seeking out prospects, having a marketing plan is essential to any business. I’m going to present a lot of research and my objective is to include the need to quantify all the results from all your marketing efforts. And to look at all the strategies for conducting direct marketing campaigns and testing variables to determine the effectiveness of each of the marketing strategies within your business.
Most people want to be successful, but few plan to be. Very few people take the time to plan anything. Most people take more time to plan their vacations than they do to plan their lives. The most important thing you can do right now for your business is sit down and develop a marketing plan. Most business owners fail or they just move along because they don’t have a plan or goal for their business.
I want you to decide right now to make a detailed plan of what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it. It’s the old saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
You can say, I want to make more money or I want to be rich. That’s nice, but too vague. You want 20,000 sales per month, That’s not a plan nor will it even come close to become a plan.
A plan is a detailed specific road of how you’re going to reach the targets you set out and the date that you want to reach them by. An example is that you can set sales goals. You can sell so many of your products for a week or so many of your services for a week. You should offset these in net profit instead of gross profit because that is the money you’re making.
I know one lady who grosses $9,000,000 a year. Very impressive, She takes home roughly $100,000 of that. That’s not very impressive, It maybe nice to have $100,000 a year, but it’s not impressive when you’re grossing $9,000,000. That won’t really tell you how well you’re doing,
You want to put down the numbers in net profit If you know your net per sale, and most business owners do not even know this, but if you do you’re way ahead of the game. You can work backwards on how many sales you need, Then all you have to do is increase your number of sales per week or net profit per sale.
Develop a strategy for making those numbers, decide how you’re going to advertise. How am I going to get referrals? How am I going to get people to buy more often? How am I going to get people to spend more? This is the beginning of your marketing plan.
Go out and pick five of the best ideas or most comfortable ideas and implement them. Start using them to help you make your goal.
Choose another five, another five, and another five. You want to set your goals on a weekly basis. As you achieve them raise the level the next week. This way you will continue to improve and so will your income.
Don’t panic if you have a bad week. Just get right back on track and try to achieve the next week’s goals. You want to get to know the numbers for your business. It is a business of numbers. You need to know the net profit per sale, net profit per service call, and how much it costs to get your new clients. These are critical in knowing where you are and if you’re achieving your goals.
Take some time each week to plan. It’s critical. Here is a simple guide for you to use.
?¨¨ Write down your goal for your total net income you want next week.
?¨¨ Write down the number of new clients that it will take to get that.
?¨¨ Write down your goal for number of repeat clients that you want to achieve.
?¨¨ Write down how many service calls you’re going to make if you’re a service business.
?¨¨ Write down how many products you have to sell.
?¨¨ Write down the net income for each item and your average income per client.
You’ll come up with the total income you’re trying to achieve. Each week put down the actual numbers you want to achieve and you’ll find out if you’re reaching them or not. Then you’ll know if you need to increase marketing and in what areas. Creating a simple marketing plan like this enables you to keep track with all the numbers and helps you to achieve your marketing goals.
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