Driving Sales

Shift Your Thinking and Jump Start Your Marketing

When dollars are tight and alternate options are needed to keep your business top-of-mind, it pays to take a fresh look at every aspect of your marketing. Consider nothing sacred and open your mind to all possibilities - you never know where a new idea or unconventional approach might lead. Food for thought . . .

This may be the time to renegotiate your contract with the print media. They are hurting, too - and there are deals to be made.

Maybe your ads have to change their emphasis. Ads during a recession need to reflect the current consumer mentality. Can you reformat your offering? Is there a price program you could offer that would help you hold on to your existing customers? What about special discounts or temporarily lower pricing?

What about taking a booth at a trade industry show or community event?

Have you used social marketing to promote your business on FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other popular social media platforms?

Are you creating and using press releases to increase exposure for your business and drive visitors to your Web site for more information?

What about partnering with a sponsor who would benefit from reaching the same audience you are?

Marketing during a recession is smart business when you approach it with a fresh eye for opportunity and an emphasis on resourceful alternatives.

Find a way to keep your name out there. It will bring back dividends to you now and, most assuredly, when the market heats up again.

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Wish You Were Here: Engaging Customers With Postcard Advertising

Once the prefered mode of communication for vacationers reporting back home on their exploits in paradise, the old fashioned postcard is still a force to be reckoned with in this age of high-speed digital technology.

For many businesses, retailers, government agencies and other organizations looking to promote their programs and services, the humble postcard is often a reliable performer that gets results more quickly and cost-effectively than other forms of marketing, old and new.

Even within the finite boundaries of direct mail advertising, there are many marketers who would never consider sending out a letter instead of a postcard. Who can blame them? You can get postcards out the door faster, they are less labor and copy intensive, you can often save money on postage and printing, and you can mail more pieces more often. Plus, with attention spans shrinking and spare time scarce, the streamlined message of a postcard can make a quick, motivating connection with its target that other marketing vehicles can't match.

If you want to make your postcard advertising into the "little marketing tool with big returns," follow these few simple rules.

1) Write a headline that appeals to the self-interest of your target audience in a direct and consequential way. Headline for owners of hurricane-demaged homes: "Apply today for up to $20,000 to improve your home's exterior." Headline for residents of a community faced with voting for or against annexation: "Make Your Best Choice on Annexation." Headline for home decorating bargain hunters : "Your Decorating Dollars Go Further at Calico: Save 15% Storewide."

2) Spotlight your main ideas or benefits in bullet points or bold-faced callouts so the reader can zero in on "what's in it for him."

3)  Make your postcard stand out with visually impactful graphics and colors.

4) Because of space constraints, even the most informative postcard is, at best, a "teaser." Make sure you put all of your contact information on the postcard so that prospects can pursue more information on you or your offer. 

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Putting More "Pull Power" in Your Next Mailer

All other things being equal, a well written direct mail piece that reaches a targeted audience with the right offer will make its way out into the world and come back to you with an army of believers and buyers in tow. But . . .

In the world of direct mail, all other things are seldom equal, which is why it's worth applying, where appropriate, some tried and true techniques that can give your mailer the extra "pull power" it needs to generate maximum sales and inquiries.

Next time you're putting a mailer together, consider using some of these proven response-boosters.

• Always include a response mechanism. This can be a business reply card, order form, toll free number, or instructions to visit a Web site.

• Make the letter (if your mailing includes one) the first thing your readers see when they open the envelope. The package should have an orderly flow from the outer envelope to the letter to any additional collateral pieces to the reply card.

• Offer a token gift to prospects who respond promptly to the mailing. The gift should be something that they will find of value and that relates to the product or offer. (Men's Health Magazine, for example, sometimes offers a free gymbag with new subscriptions.)

• Put a physical object in the mailing to make it stand out from all the flat envelopes people get. The object can be a product sample or a premium like a refrigerator magnet, pen or small calendar.

• Put a time limit on the offer to create a sense of urgency. Once the reader puts a letter aside she probably won't revisit it. If she sees a time limit prominently displayed, you may spark a decisive positive response on the first read.

• Guarantee the offer. When you sell by mail, include a money-back guarantee good for 15, 30 or 60 days.

• If your mailing list contains titles but not names, place a description of the person you're trying to reach on the outer envelope ("Attention Interior Decorators -- News of the Latest Fabric Styles Inside").

• Repeat your offer on the reply card. Even if someone doesn't read the other pieces, the card can be a quick-reference sale-maker on its own.

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Inspect Your Copy for Sizzle and Substance

You've written some copy or you're reviewing copy written by someone else. You want it to get read, to make a connnection with your audience, to spark their interest and move them to action. It's not brain surgery, right? Just words to deliver a message.

Here's the challenge: If your copy is confusing, uninteresting or just plan irrelevant to your reader, it will not only fail on its mission, but it will make it harder the next time you try and get through to your audience. The karma of copywriting works essentially like this:

• Producing vague, weak, meaningless copy will make prospective customers turn a blind eye to your current and future communications.
• Producing clear, memorable, persuasive copy will keep your audience tuned in and ready to take the ride with you each time you have something to say.

Books and seminars abound on how to incease your copy's ability to grab attention, cultivate interest and motivate action.  But by conducting this quick 5-point inspection each time you review copy in development, you'll have a process for making adjustments (here's where the "surgery" comes in) that can add up to a higher-impact, results-oriented message.

1) Does your copy pay off your headline? On average, five times as many people read headlines as read body copy, so crafting an attention-getting headline significantly increases the chances of your ad accomplishing its goal. But not if you drop the ball and fail to deliver what the headline promises. If your headline is "Start Your Healthcare Career Today," the copy should spell out the who, what, where and how of swiftly launching a healthcare career. If it doesn't, you've duped the reader and they will hold it against you.

2) Is your copy compelling? Keeping things simple and factual isn't enough to draw the reader in and create real interest in your message. Find fresh ways to say routine things, be a storyteller, appeal to the reader's emotions, needs or desires, and make your copy crackle with imagery, rhythm and clarity. It's not about being clever or "cutesy," it's about presenting your message in a way that generates enthusuasm and makes a strong connection to your audience's self-interests.

3) Is your message easily understood? A lot of copy challenges the reader to sort out what's being said by leading them through an obtacle course of wordplay, puns, unnecessary adjectives, redundancies, run-on sentences and technical jargon. Remember: Your job isn't to show how clever or knowledgeable you are, it's to speak the language of your audience and remove all obstacles to getting your message across to them. Keep it short, sweet and effortless to digest.

4) Does your copy persuade and motivate?  Crisp, reader-friendly copy is a big step in the right direction, but unless you write convincingly about the sales points that will motivate your readers to buy a product or service, it's all for nothing. Make sure your copy is as sales-minded as it is communication-minded by knowing your customers and what's important to them, explaining logically why they need what you're offering, writing about benefits (not features), and asking them to take a specific action. 

5) Is your copy relevant? It's easy to forget sometimes that the purpose of advertising copy is to communicate ideas and information about a product or service that's of value to the reader. Going on about yourself, your business or your achievements is a self-indulgent waste of time when what your reader really cares about is what they need, want or desire.  Stay relevant by uncovering the reasons why your best prospects would want to buy what you're offering and place 100 percent of your emphasis on how they will come out ahead by doing business with you.

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Three Big Keys to Choosing the Right Marketing Firm

From advertising and public relations agencies, to interactive and social marketing firms, to some mixture of all of the above, the options for businesses looking for support in achieving their marketing goals are endless.

Unless you decide to just "go with your gut," there's no real shortcut to researching a potential marketing firm's capabilities, professionalism, body of work, roster of contented clients, and price structure. Once you've narrowed the playing field to a promising few, however, there are three key elements that your final choice should encompass. If they lack any one of these "big three" move on to the others and don't stop until you have a winner.

1) Chemistry.  Effective marketing campaigns come from working closely with smart, talented people who believe in your vision, are passionate about your success, and become a partner in building your business. There's no getting around it -- chemistry is key to making great things happen as a shared commitment creates a mutually rewarding relationship and produces marketing that has a major impact. It's a philosophy of working and winning together.

2) Creativity. Instead of trying to outspend your competition, invest your time and effort in outsmarting them. Sure, a huge budget is nice, but it's no guarantee of success. The only thing you can really rely on to get a competitive edge is sound creative strategies.  Your marketing firm should have the ability to get your target audiences attention by packing substance and orignality into every message. Whether it's an ad, website, email, commercial or billboard, look for a consistent track record of creating memorable, cut-through-the-clutter work.

3) Results. All work -- from scrupulous research to eye-catching creative to innovative marketing methods -- should have two fundamental purposes:

• To help your business and paying customer base grow
• To bring you the top-of-mind recognition that builds long-term success.

Measure a prospective marketing firm's abilities by the results they achieve for their clients. When all is said and done, it's the only criterion that counts.

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Letting Customer Testimonials Do Your Talking

With all the new strategies and techniques for increasing advertising response rates that marketers have at their command, it's often easy to overlook one of the tried-and-true power tools of persuasion: customer testimonials.

Real people saying real nice things about your product or service can have a potent influence on others who wouldn't necessarily be receptive to a polished, calculated message crafted by a professional copywriter.

If you haven't taken the time lately to collect and incorporate customer testimonials in your marketing copy, consider the value-added benefits to be gained.

The ring of truth.  Testimonials draw their "juice" from the true-to-life flavor of real people sharing their opinions and firsthand experiences. Even if the wording is more casual or less precise than what you would write, using as much of the real words of your customer as possible can make a strong connection with other potential customers.

Birds of a feather.  Just as people more easily put themselves in the shoes of someone they find sincere and believable, it's human nature to put more stock in the opinions of people we can relate to. Always go for as direct a match as possible in your testimonials and the audience you want to reach. Motorcycle owners trust other motorcycle owners. Musicians trust other musicians. Seniors trust seniors.

Fresh takes on features and benefits.  You've no doubt spent some serious time fine-tuning how you talk about your product's or service's features and benefits. Nothing wrong with that. But things take on a fresh new feel when a customer speaks openly about what it means to them. Because of the less formal more personal nature of real testimonials, you have a great chance of getting a message to relay to customers that makes the most popular aspects of what you have to offer come alive in a way that jumps off the page.

So how do you begin the process of adding the power of testimonials to your copy? It all starts by simply taking time to call or email your customers to ask them what they think about your product, service or company. Start building your collection of good testimonials and watch how frequently they add just the right dash of humanity and credibility to copy that strikes a more responsive cord.

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Email Subject Lines that Build Curiousity (and Banish Spam Fears)

When it comes to crafting email subject lines, there's a fine line between catchy and spammy. Capturing your readers' attention is essential, of course, but doing it with clarity, relevance and credibility is the key to inspiring the comfort and curiousity they need to open your email and explore your message further.

With so much riding on your subject line, it pays to follow some best practices that have proven to connect with readers,  increase open rates and avoid the junk file.

Keep it short and sweet. Between 50 and 60 characters is about all the space you have on a typical subject line to grab your reader's attention, entice them to open your email, and take the action you want. With such a limited window of opportunity to make your pitch, keeping your subject line simple and to the point is more important than loading it with details that can be delivered after they open the email. Remember -- the objective of your subject line isn't to sell what's inside, but to tell what's inside. Find those few words that clearly tell your reader what to expect from opening your email or what's in it for them, and your odds of eliciting a positive response can rise significantly.

Be spam filter savvy. With so many people swimming in spam and fed-up with the clutter in their inboxes, spam filters have become more aggressive in heading off unwanted email.  Some of the things spam filters look for include subject lines in all capital letters, inserting more exclamation points than necessary, and using spashy promotional phrases such as "Carnival of Savings" and words like "free" and "bargain" that have become associated with marketing pitches. Even if your email is promotional in nature, keep your message as straightforward, descriptive and professional as possible.

Create a sense of urgency. When done well, urgency in a subject line sparks interest and drives action ("Private Sale: One Day Only," "Last Day to Guarantee Christmas Delivery"). Employing urgency and deadlines as part of a series of emails in a promotional campaign can be very effective. Case in point: "Sale! 5 Days Only, Jan. 17-21," followed a few days later by "Hurry! 5-Day Sale Ends Monday."

For more ideas to drive sales, check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Why Baby Boomers Still Matter as a Marketing Target

In the youth-oriented world of advertising, that aging but eternally young-thinking group known as "Baby Boomers" is still proving their worth as a well-moneyed, open-minded target for marketers. So says an eye-opening TV Land study entitled "Generation BUY: A Close Look at the Boomer Consumer."

The TV Land findings dispel myths about 40 and 50-somethings being set in their ways and unwilling to try new products or brands as much as Millennials and Gen Xers.  In constrast to conventional marketing wisdom, the study revealed that Boomers are more open to new brands and less brand loyal than people under 40. Twenty-six percent of Boomers said they are not at all brand loyal versus 21% of Gen X and Millennials. Gen Y, surprisingly, are the most likely to say that once they have made a commitment to a brand, they will stick with it, come what may.

For marketers that stereotyped Boomers as a fading factor in many of today's marketing campaigns, the study gave compelling evidence for a fresh look at their desirablity as a target audience. Boomers will consider new brands if the product or service is more useful, functional and offers the most benefit/value. Compared to Millennials and Gen Xers, they are less likely to be influenced by the notion that the brand is more prestigious or the latest style. The report notes that they are not afraid to change for something they feel will improve their lives.

The study found a "cut through the fluff" attitude among Boomers who routinely reject "teaser" ads that create a mood but do not offer much in terms of substance. On the other hand, they appreciate ads that use humor well more than their younger counterparts.

So what's a marketer to do? It depends on the product or service being pitched, of course.  But considering Boomers' purchasing power, their willingness to try new brands, and their priority on products or services that deliver quality and value, failing to consider their clout as a marketing target could be an oversight that hits your bottom line like a blast from the past.

For more ideas to drive sales, check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

 

Need to Create a Tagline? Just Do It

A well-crafted tagline can be a memorable and valuable tool for quickly conveying your brand promise, differentiating you from your competition, and bringing a unifying message to all your marketing and communications efforts going forward.

Or . . . it can be an empty and senseless exercise in wordplay that stops people cold and opens you to ridicule, rejection and hostility from men, women and children.

Now that you understand what's at stake when doing the tag line tango, let's look at some examples of . . .

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Good Tag Lines

"M'm! M'm! Good!" Campbell's Soup

"The quicker picker upper." Bounty

"Can you hear me now? Good." Verizon

"Be all you can be." U.S. Army

"Let your fingers do the walking." Yellow Pages

What do all these slogans have in common? They promote the product or organization in a memorable way and make a meaningful promise about the brand experience. Now for the misfires.

Bad and Ugly Tag Lines

"I'm lovin' it." McDonalds

"When it rains, it pours." Morton Salt

"The choice of a new generation." Pepsi

"No rules, just right." Outback

"Every kiss begins with Kay." Kay Jewelers

What do all these slogans have in common? The make statements that aren't easily understandable, aren't based on genuine strengths, and don't reflect things that are important to customers. Opps!

Tag, You're It: Making Your Tagline Memorable

So how do you avoid creating a tagline that lands you on "the bad and the ugly" list and has a potent influence on driving sales and improving your bottom line? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Your tagline should be simple, clear, and concise and convey your marketing message.
• Make sure it speaks to your customers in words and tomes that are important to them.
• If possible, include words or phrases that connect with your logo -- words and images working together make the most powerful impression.
• Once you create a strong tagline, commit to using it over the long haul. Changing taglines too frequently can impair awareness of your brand and weaken your competitive advantage.

One final tip: Never, we repeat never create a tagline that contains any of these five worn-out words from a million sound-alike mission statements -- commitment, quality, service, value and trust. Unless, of course, you want to wind up on a future "bad and ugly" tag line list with an entry like "Our Commitment to Quality and Service is a Value You Can Trust." Arghh!!

For more ideas that drive sales, check out the archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.

Creating a Powerful, Brand-Focused Ad Campaign

Developing an ad campaign that's persuasive, powerful, and brand-focused can be a highly-effective tool for getting your audience's attention and moving them to action. While cutting-edge creativity can help boost an ad campaign into the cultural consciouness,  it takes more than a bold idea to break through the clutter and produce real bottom-line results.

Here are some tips that can make your next ad campaign a top performer.

Think "Renewable Energy." When brainstorming ideas, ask yourself if an ad or commercial is merely an entertaining "one-shot" or the opening gun of a campaign that will last for years. You need to have a recurring, renewable focal point to the ads to build and sustain a memorable campaign. The campaign thread can be almost anything: a visual device (the Energizer Bunny) a character (the Geiko Gecko) or people (the bantering Rooms To Go couple).

Talk the Talk of Your Target Audience. If you want to appeal to an audience that frequents upscale restaurants, your ad should describe "gourmet dining and fine wine," not "hearty chow and cheap drinks." Creating generic ads that don't speak the language or grab the attention of your potential customers is a common mistake leading to missed connections and subpar results. Know your market niche and preach to the choir.

Promote Your Competitive Edge. A clever ad isn't worth much if it neglects to sell the benefits of your product or service. Remember - getting their attention is only have the battle. If what your company does increases productivity and reduces downtime, make sure you say it loud and clear. If you offer something of high quality for less money than your competitors, make that value proposition a central theme in all your ads. Promoting your competitive edge is one of the keys to creating a successful ad campaign that keeps working hard and reinforcing your core messages and brand over the long haul.

Always Include a "Payoff." Your ad may be a work of creative brillance or a thing of breathtaking beauty, but if it fails to deliver readers to some kind of a payoff, you've missed your opportuntity to capitilize on your investment. Whether your "payoff" is a call to action that drives someone to your website for more information, a phone number to place an order, or simply a prominent logo placement that registers or reinforces your brand, keep your eye on the goal and follow through with a clear statement in words or images of how you want your audience to respond to your ad. 

For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.