Don’t take my word for it, check out this article by the Wall Street Journal. As an example in the article, several businesses decided to cut their direct mail marketing, mostly based on cost and realized that they were losing 25% in profits.

So here’s what you do. Use the email marketing and direct mailing combined to make your marketing more efficient.

Notice how I didn’t highlight increase results, although that may very well happen with combining various marketing tools. However, I am more excited at the increased effectiveness of your marketing endeavors. Consider this. Local business is looking to increase the number of quality contacts for their email marketing so that they can really connect with those people most interested in their offerings.

They can send out a blanket postcard and see how many people actually pick-up the phone. They can purchase an email list and then be sent on a SPAM alert for send too many unwanted emails. Or they can send out a postcard offering a special premium or offer for signing up for their email list. This combination of tools can be a powerful way to build your business marketing contacts and leads. Don’t eliminate direct mail, use it for effective promotion.

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It's a Jungle Out There!

It’s a jungle out there! And everyday we we meet all kinds of marketers and sales people, each one bringing their own approaches to promoting their businesses. I wanted to find a creative way to explore some of the many marketing personalities out there and realized that salespeople have more to do with the animal kingdom than most are willing to admit. Some display the same beastly personalities throughout their whole career as others animorph and change as new marketing challenges approach them. Consider for moment what kind of marketing animal you are and which approaches are best to avoid.

Take a walk on the wild side.

The Ostrich: This salesperson is very happy to stand tall and proud. Displaying it’s array of charms and sophistication. Looking down on other salespeople believing themselves king of the world because they have the theories and knowledge to make them dangerous. However, don’t be fooled by this marketers pride and flaunt. The moment they sense danger or the going gets rough they bury their heads in the sand and pray that it all blows over. How well you market in the good and bad times determines the strength of your true knowledge and skill.

The Rooster: This marketer is quite like the ostrich. Only there is no question about his position. He is always king of the flock and he’s never shy to prove it. He is the earliest to open and the first to announce his presence. He’s a bully, ego-maniac, and rude awakener. Where does his concern lie? Does he care for the client he serves? Does he focus on his customers? At the end of the day he may be the best but he still lives in the barnyard far away from the real-world and it’s challenges.

The Mouse: The cute and obscure creature who live sin a hole, barely making by with what he can find. He survives in his cozy little nest, perfectly happy to live off the crumbs that drop his way. This marketer will never spend a dime and values discount over quality cheese. After all, it’s the safest place to be. In the end this business lives in obscurity and never rises to it’s potential, no one to take notice and no one to spend. Watch out! The big cats are on the prowl and these are the easiest prey to overpower.

The Chameleon: This colorful, clever little guy blends in quite well. He looks no different than his surrounding and just like everyone else in town. Why does he work? What does he sell? What makes him different then every other business around? No one will be able to tell because this marketer just copies the competition and never demonstrates the difference. What reason do we have to buy them? None all at, they prove that by their duplicity. What they look like today may not be the same as tomorrow.

The Chimp: Monkey-see, monkey-do. There’s no innovation, no progress, no thinking outside the box. This salesperson just goes along with what everyone else has done and in the end makes a monkey of himself. His job is no great task, after all a trained lower primate could do his job. Just mimic every other successful marketer in town and you are sure to resemble this species of ape. The problem is, they did it first and everyone will know that there’s nothing really new coming from you.

The Snail: Take it slow and easy and hide from your shell and your business will grow in small inches per day. This marketer can only walk a straight line and large obstacles are an impossible feet. The traditional ways are always the best. Hey, it worked before it will certainly work today. He knows he will eventually get there, the only problem is that technology changes per hour and by the time he discovers it the snail is obsolete. Find better ways to travel, discover new technologies-have patience but avoid the pace of a snail.

Have your wits about you, it’s survival of the fittest. Don’t be a brute beast, be smart, honest, humble, generous, and innovative. The best marketer is one that listens, learns and grows. Focus on why you sell what you sell and how it benefits your clients and then they can always find their way amongst the animals.

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Click here to view more information about this promotional product.

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Are you a business bragger or professional advisor? Do you seek every opportunity to “impress” your prospects with flashy advertising, big promises and loads of information about how great your company is over the competition? Or do you offer yourself as a leader in your field to help your clients benefit from your services or products? Next time you market your business consider these few tidbits to determine if you are an ego-marketer or truly building trust, by making customer service your main goal. Let’s face it, nobody wants to be told that you are best they want to be served in the best way. I know I am guilty of this trend. It is far easier to tell someone about my business benefits because it is the thing I understand the most, but I have to learn to invite people to trust me so that I can then live up to promise of quality service.

You may be a ego-maniac if . . .

1.) You have to tell your clients that you serve with professionalism, quality and are the best in the biz but never show it.

2.) You advertise your company’s “bells and whistles” far more than the benefits to your customers.

3.) You focus on making sales instead of listening to your customers needs and feedback.

4.) You use phrases such as “I” and “We” instead of “You.”

5.) You expect referrals before quality service is rendered.

6.) You are far more concerned with your bottom-line or your bosses expectations.

7.) You expect clients to meet with you on your time table.

8.) You consider low pricing and discounts marks of good customer service.

Next time you are building your marketing campaign step into your client’s shoes and focus on the “what’s-in-it-for-me?” Don’t just tell someone you offer quality without actually defining and demonstrating that you live up to that promise.

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Evaluate Sales Strategies. Research how your market and prospects are currently doing business and decide how you can meet them where they are at. Are they looking for in-person service, e-commerce or to collaborate on social media sites? Determine how you can strategically position yourself to connect on your client’s level. Don’t miss out on an opportunity by sticking to the “we’ve always done it that way” mentality. Innovation is the key to be prepared for how people will buy from you in the year 2010.

Beef Up Your Marketing. Perhaps you made marketing cut-backs in 2009 as you’re tried to save money and now you may be feeling the pinch. Measure the success of your current marketing tools and don’t be afraid to try new ones. Many businesses have had to cut back their employee base so it may be time to streamline your marketing systems so that you can efficiently make sales. Examples of streamlining may be, more email campaigning, automating your websites or packaging your services. Whatever the case it is never the right time to cut back your marketing, but is always a good idea intellectually promote your business for greater success.

Tackle Online Marketing. Get on social networks, start a blog (or keep up with one), send out an e-newsletter or create an online podcast or video posting.  Surround yourself with the latest trends and don’t be afraid to dive in. Not sure how to begin?  There are lots of experts out there who can help you build all aspects of your online marketing. If you truly don’t have the time to keep up with your online marketing many of these same experts can help you do the leg work.  Tweak it for 6 months and see if the results are working for you.

Encourage Your Team. Look for opportunities to encourage your staff for the upcoming year. Offer incentive programs and awards to encourage top performance. Prepare them for your marketing changes, sales plans, and business goals.

Prep your business for the upcoming year and be ready

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Here are some interesting facts behind scent marketing:

• 75% of our emotions are generated by what we smell.
• 30% to 50% of all purchases are impulse buys.
• Scent is the only one of our 5 senses that goes directly to the limbic system  which is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, stress levels, hormone balance, and memory.
• In a German movie theater the audience was shown an advertisement and simultaneously a fragrance  was emitted into the vent ducts.  Later a survey was done and the audience recall of the ad was 500% higher
• Flavors and Fragrances are a $20 billion dollar a year industry.

Put your clients in the right mood with the right scented pen. Ergonomic and pleasing.

Promotional ideas:

• Coffee:  For Espressos and coffee shops.
• Fresh Linen: Hotels and other hospitality businesses.
• Wild Cherry: Grocery outlets and farmer markets.
• Rose: Florist shops.

For more information or to order your own scented promotion. Click Here.

Or contact Notation Printing and Marketing Group for a free sample.

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Here’s a blog post written by Carla Williams for the WinePress of Words blog. Thanks Ma! for posting this!

I’m learning just how important business cards can be in marketing. They are a portable and affordable tool for leaving an impression with everyone you meet. For example, this week I’m on a vacation trip—that’s right, a vacation—which will, of course, end as a business trip when I attend the Writer’s Digest: The Business of Publishing Conference in New York City (Sept. 18-20).

On the shuttle from the airport I gave three of my cards away—two to people attending another conference of potential authors. I find myself giving my cards away all the time. Why? Because I have them with me and can!

Here are some tips for using your business cards:

1. Make sure your cards are designed professionally. I too often see template cards that people have purchased online that look very unprofessional.
2. Keep extra cards in your purse, wallet, and briefcase.
3. Insert a business card with all correspondence.
4. Be generous – hand them out at speaking engagements, to people you meet, servers at restaurants – anyone you make a connection with about your passion.
5. Make sure your card has complete, updated contact information in a readable type size. Don’t forget that the back of your cards are a prime-time space to print information; you don’t have to feel obligated to squish everything on the front.
6. Exchange cards with people you meet.
7. Make notes on other people’s cards reminding you of what you discussed.
8. Store your cards in a nice carrying case. Don’t dog ear them or crunch them up. Don’t leave home without them.

I carry two cards—one for my personal ministry and one for my contact information for WinePress. Often I find myself giving both away to the same person, making a business contact as well as a personal one.

For great professional business cards check out Notation Promotions and Printing.—they designed mine.

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Remember the principles: People remember 10% of what they see. People remember 20% of what they hear. People remember 60% of what they see and hear. Image enhancing ads try to generate the warm fuzzies about the results of using your product or service. It’s emotional responses that have the best retention value, and the highest impact. Direct response ads try to activate a response, now! A combination of both elements generates more responses.

Combining the Effects

A study appearing in “Sales and Marketing Management” magazine announced that “research consistently demonstrates” that:

Direct mail = 1% return of sales

Telemarketing = 4% return of sales (commercial calls)

Combo = 12% return of sales

The principle has to do with both name recognition and the warm fuzzies. As a rule, it is natural for people to try and “categorize” every piece of exposure, as soon as possible. We judge anyone that we meet, or hear about, or get a call from, as either:

1) useful to us

2) neutral

3) risky to us

You’ve got to stay out of “Zone #3.” When there is a mail piece received before an ad or phone call, or, vice versa: when there is a media ad before a mail piece or phone call, it at least moves the categorizing up the scale by one, or even two.

Saying to oneself, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard about this,” gives them the opportunity to categorize it as “touchable”, and also says, “This looks more credible because they have bothered to spend more money and they look more professional.” This is the reason an existing customer base is known as a “warm” market – they’re definitely out of that Zone #3. A “hot” lead is one who is predisposed for hearing about the benefits (results) of your product or service. A warm lead is one who is open to hearing about the benefits, and trusts your opinion and integrity because of some common affiliation. Additionally, you can then say, “Did you see our ad in the __________”

It adds credibility to you and your product/service. The image ad can plant the emotional seeds (remembering that emotion inspires, logic justifies) and the direct response ad can cause them to respond. Look at the perfume ads at Christmas time. They tie in the image of sensual attraction, rebellion, irresistibility, or whatever image they believe would be desirable for their market to respond to. The ads both cause an emotional response and confirm (logic) the relationship between the feeling and the product that delivers the desired result.

You can try to sponsor a TV or radio feature like the weather, traffic report, or whatever relates to your products’ positive results. The goal is always to deliver the positive results of doing business with you.

Example: “The daily traffic report is brought to you by Jones Auto Services, where keeping your car dependably running is our only business.”

Now they are softened for your direct response ad. I like the Kinko’s ads that deliver, “We’re your branch office away from the office.” This gives out the warm fuzzies identification, especially after they delivered the goods on time that saved some poor soul’s butt, and made him look good in the process, as being smart enough to have the resourcefulness to get the job done. This is a great ad about the “positive benefits” of their product/service.

Daniel Wadleigh is a nationally published marketing consultant and has programs for start-up and existing businesses including effective web sites, e-mail/database, other non-internet ways to drive them to your website, and low cost ways to get more new customers.

Go to: http://www.more-new-customers.com to get free copy of “Marketing to Men vs. Women- the 8 different responses” and a Free copy of “Market Research- 7 Questions to Ask to Start-up and 7 to Ask to Improve Any Business.”

Author: Daniel Wadleigh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The literature was for a company called New Pig, who sell company safety products. Not sure who they purchased their mailing list from as I have no interest or need for their products. However, what is interesting about this company is their clever link to their street address. Notice that New Pig is located on One Pork Avenue. Not certain if this was strategic move or if they specifically named the street but whatever the case is their address and name will always be remembered. Plus, they use the power of promotional products to increase the average size of their orders, another smart marketing move! For every catalog order of $49 or more you can receive a customized bright pig-shaped rubber football. Clever marketing, smart offers!

Tip: Can you intergrate even the most mundane aspects of your business like your address to be smart marketing?

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Home services companies can use this as a leave behind product after or before conducting business. People who market to the office demographic can write a quick “thank-you” note and send this to their favorite prospect or client. Eithier way your clients will love to use this product and will have your name advertised over and over again.

Click here to order.

Once I get video blogging  going maybe I will show demonstration of this marketing item.

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