Wednesday 9 March 2011

9 Marketing Tips in Tough Times

First Posted April 14, 2009

If you want your marketing to make your phones ring, consider adding an incentive or reason for them to call you.
1.   Call to Action. If you want your marketing to make your phones ring, consider adding an incentive or reason for them to call you. There are many current-day examples such as 5% off the master bill, enter a contest to win, etc.
2.   Be Everywhere. Numerous marketing studies show that campaigns that utilize print, online and face-to-face marketing are up to 10x more effective than using only one or two mediums. Even a small presence in all three mediums can dramatically impact your results.
3.   Value Added. As rule of thumb, you should be negotiating at least 10-15% value added for your campaign. Examples of value added are premium placement/positioning, discounts on rates, additional advertising, and highlighted listings in directories. You should negotiate your value added to ensure you achieve Tip #2 and be everywhere.
4.   Consolidate. The more you buy the better a deal you can get. Consider consolidating your marketing with one organization that can provide access to your target market across print, online and face-to-face.
5.   Be Honest. Negotiations can be more productive if you are prepared to share your marketing budget and objectives. Use the media company as a consultant and they will often work to achieve your goals and work within your budget.
6.   Persevere. Perseverance is an absolute must. If you give up too early, you may fall short of the great success for which your business was destined. For example, McDonalds continues to market through good and bad times.
7.   Get Known. Attend meetings, events and tradeshows to meet other business professionals and connect with new customers. People are more likely to do business with someone they know.
8.   Be Swift. Speed is essential during these tough times. While you were planning your marketing efforts your competitors have been taking advantage of your lack of presence and moving in on your customers and prospects.
9.   Go Viral. Social marketing is a low cost way to spread your message; the trade off is your time. Be strategic and choose one or two online sites to focus on (such as Facebook and LinkedIn); you are better to be strong in one or two social marketing sites versus weak in twenty.

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