Memorial Day & Marketing

As I write this on Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to share a few do's and don'ts in relationship to your Marketing.

First a few DO's:

Do everything to make your Marketing Memorable.

Do communicate to your staff any and all promotions, specials, etc. that you are offering.

Do reward your loyal customers and loyal employees. They are your best form of marketing.

Do make sure your marketing messages are consistent and not confusing.

A couple DON'Ts:

Don't cheapen holidays like this weekend with some disingenuous sale scheme.

Don't ignore customer complaints.

And one more DO: In the next 24 hours, thank a veteran for your freedom.

Building A Radio Advertising Campaign-3 & 4

First of all, read first parts 1 and 2.

Now let's get to the point. Which is part 3= Specific Benefits.

Make one specific point in your commercial. Avoid tossing in all the extra stuff. Tell people what you want them to do. Make it specific. Don't give a phone number AND a web address. Just one.

You can do several commercials like this, as long as each of them is specific. It takes a lot of guts to get specific and avoid falling back into a general commercial. Which you can do on occasion, but the best results will come when you stay specific.

Part 4 does not apply to everyone. Part 4 is Re-Created Benefits. This is where your business grows and you discover a new aspect of your business that did not previously exist. When I worked with a Doctor a few years ago, we helped him open satellite offices to expand his practice.

I also worked with a car rental company that began selling their cars directly to the public, another example to Re-Created Benefits.

These days it may be easier to offer Re-Created Benefits with the improved communication tools ranging from text messaging to online appointment setting, to... who knows what will be next.

As you review these 4 steps to building a Radio Advertising Campaign and you need help applying these to your business, contact me.

Building A Radio Advertising Campaign-2

A few weeks ago I presented part 1, click here to read it.

Intangible Benefits was the focus of part 1, today we look at the next step, General Benefits.

General Benefits are dangerous. Most radio ads and most print ads, (especially yellow pages), fall into this category.

G.B. ads talk about your business in general terms, almost as a "toss in everything including the kitchen sink" Address, hours, a few items about what you sell, how long you've been around, phone number, cram it all in and hope and pray that something you say prompts someone to spend money with you.

I learned 20 years ago that this was where most radio advertising failed, yet most radio ads sound like this. To the listener, it's a tune out. So if you are going to use this step, do it very briefly, and then move to the next step...Specific Benefits. More coming soon.

Timeless Marketing Principles

I serve on a few marketing advisory boards and I have noticed how some folks are either confused by, or scared of new technology.

Let's take some of the mystery out of it.

Technology advances are coming at us faster and faster it seems but they are only tools.

And you have to use the right tools to accomplish the task at hand. A pipe wrench isn't the best tool to change a light bulb, but you probably could use it.

Before you decide which tool to use in your marketing, keep in mind the following timeless principles:

• The very best marketing method mimics human relationship principles.
• In order to build relationships, you need to have positive contact repeatedly.
• Anything that does not follow these two principles should be examined very carefully before you decide to invest your time or money in it.

For centuries, men and women have gone through a courtship stage in their relationships. Many times, this leads to marriage. And that is one of the ultimate examples of how marketing works.

Yes, there are other outcomes between men and women, ranging from friendship to one-night-stands. But what type of relationship do you want with your customers? I bet if you were really honest with yourself, you would want the one that lasts a lifetime, puts up with imperfections, stands by you even when you screw up, and smiles when they think of you.

In return, you strive to be your best, to forgive when your customer screws up, to put up with their quirks and to go out of your way to serve.

No matter what tool you use in advertising or marketing, follow these principles. They will stand the test of time.