Wednesday, August 22, 2012

How to Write Your Mobile Marketing Plan

 A mobile marketing campaign should be approached just like a traditional marketing campaign – and must include having a written marketing plan in place, a plan that includes the 4 P’s: Product, Price, Promotion and Place.

Your mobile marketing plan should include several basic elements:

·         Your mission or objectives: what are you passionate about in your business?
·         Your offering: be specific about what your mobile marketing solution is
·         Your target market: do you know exactly who you’re marketing to?
·         Features: what sets your offer apart from all of the other mobile marketing solutions?
·         Benefits: is your solution going to be the best solution for your ideal customer?

The mobile marketing plan is essential when it comes to providing a direction for your business – consider it an agenda of your marketing strategy that must be done in order to succeed.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Blast Your Way Out Of A Business Slump With 4 Simple Tactics

Every business goes through a “slump.”  Hey, you’ve been raking in the bucks when... blam, you’re up against a brick wall.  The customers seem to have forgotten you exist, and the bills pile up.  Don’t despair... you’re not alone.

I know that doesn’t fix one thing for you right now, but find comfort in the fact that slumps don’t last forever.  Most businesses make it through, and with these 4 sure-fired “slump blasters,” you’ll make it too.

Why?
Some slumps are to be expected.  Seasonal workers expect to have some down time during the “off season” months.  Other slumps sneak up when you are doing your darnedest to market and implement every up-to-date marketing strategy in the book.   Could it be that...

* A recent change in your advertising campaign has gone sour?

* A savvy competitor has “one up” on you?

* Major news is affecting the entire industry?

Once you’ve properly identified the cause, you can develop a counter strategy to boost yourself back into the black.

What If There’s No Obvious Cause?
When there is no apparent reason or catalyst, you can safely identify it as a normal business slump.  Let’s face it... you’ve hit a normal business slump.  You need to put these 4 tactics into action.

1.  Develop a special deal for your existing clientele.  Make it short.  Make it quick... put a deadline on the offer.  Let them know as cheaply as possible that you’ve got a deal they can’t pass up... if they hurry!  Get them into action.

2.  Let your prospective customers in on the secret.  Get them hustling to get in on the deal, before it’s too late.

3.  Call your trusted, long-time customers and let them know you need their help.  Ask them for referrals, and remember to reward their effort.  They’ll feel like heroes and will bask in your appreciation.

4.  Temporarily blitz “quick” advertising media with your deal.  Get the information out quickly, and you’ll start seeing results quickly.

Sometimes a little quick action is all it takes to boost things back into their perspectives.  Hurry!  Get your customers moving!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Probe Before You Sell


When selling a product to a customer, it is very important to find out as much as you can about your customer and their needs before you proceed with your sale.

This is commonly referred to as “needs based selling.”

The most effective way to find out about your customers needs, is to ask probing, open-ended questions.

An open-ended question does not allow your customer to give you a “yes” or “no” answer, it makes them explain to you what their needs are, and why they would need a particular product.

Here is an example, if you were a sales associate at a furniture store, and a customer walked in looking for a dining room set, an open-ended question you might ask would be:

“Tell me about the particular type of pattern you are looking for,” or simply put, “tell me more about what you are looking for”

This puts your customer in a situation where they cannot say “yes” or “no,” they must go into detail.

On a personal note . . .

Not to long ago, a friend and I were in a department store looking for a coat for me.

I spotted one that I like hanging on a discount rack. It was brown, with a removable liner, and a zipper that ran the length of the collar, to protect your neck.

I liked it so much, I took it from the rack and tried it on.

As I stood admiring myself in the mirror, a sales associate came over and complimented me on my appearance in this jacket.

I smiled politely and thanked her. She than proceeded to tell me that the best part about the jacket was that it smelled like real leather.

Taking her word for it, I put my nose to the sleeve, took a whiff, and sure enough, it smelled like real leather.

The only problem was . . .

I don’t like the smell of leather.

Needless to say, I put the coat back on the rack, and the friendly sales person lost the sale and the commission.

The mistake the sales person made was assuming that I liked the smell of leather. It was a safe assumption on the part of the sales person, because most people like the smell of leather. This doesn’t mean it should be taken for granted.

The point I am trying to make, is that it is essential that you ask probing and open-ended questions, find out as much as you possibly can about your customer before you present them with a product. You’ll end up with a lot more sales. Believe me!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Don’t Let Your “Warm” Leads Go Cold

Finding fresh leads is a perennial problem for many businesses, and, of course, starting “cold” is never easy.  Take a look back through your records and databases, though, and you could find numerous “warm” leads that may now be ripe for the picking.

Advertising campaigns, Internet marketing and trade shows (to name but a few examples) typically identify a host of potential new clients and customers.  But not all these businesses are necessarily ready to buy at the time that they express initial interest in your company’s offering.  Situations change, however, and if you don’t cultivate these leads and make sure you are there when these clients are ready to buy, then you can bet your bottom dollar that your competitors will be there to snatch the order out from under you.

The cost of lead-generation campaigns can be extortionate.  Before you go that route, try what many companies have found helpful in bringing about significant increases in annual sales: follow up your “warm” leads, and catch your prospects at just the right time.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Using Video Marketing to Improve Lead Conversion

 If you think that video marketing isn’t an important part to growing your online presence, think again. According to recent studies, 85% of Internet users in the US watch online videos on a regular basis, including 4.3 billion online video ads. While we tend to skip past ads on television, when it comes to online videos, we can’t seem to get enough.

With the number of video views, it’s no wonder that these can help convert leads for any company and any niche – as long as it’s done correctly. Having videos available on your site has proven to keep visitors longer.  Not only does it increase lead conversion but also increases time spent on your site.

Video gives your customers and prospects a unique experience that no other medium can offer. It is more than just words or pictures. Video allows your customers to know they are dealing with a real person – you give them a live person to listen to and relate with. This relationship builder can mean the difference between a completed sale or not.

It’s not a matter of IF you’re going to use video to convert leads, it’s when. There is no media that “doesn’t work.” It’s a process and every campaign is an opportunity to learn and improve your efforts.