Posts filed under 'Postcard Marketing'
“The traditional business definition of marketing is identifying and fulfilling customer needs. There’s no mention of your business. Marketing is all about the customer.” Heidi Richards Mooney
Do you remember the “WIIFM” formula when designing your promotional tools? You know, the “what’s in it for me?” The “me” in this case is not about you, your company, your product or business, rather it is about the customer, the prospect, the reader, the person you are trying to get to take action regarding your product or service.
How many times have you picked up a brochure about a company to find out what they can do for you only to find it filled with stuff about them? And have little or no idea what they can do for you? Your customers and prospects could be asking the same question.
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to talk about themselves and their products rather than talking about the CUSTOMER and what he/she will gain by doing business with them. “The traditional business definition of marketing is “identifying and fulfilling customer needs.” There’s no mention of your business. Marketing is all about the customer.”
Identify and focus on the benefits. Prospects want to know how what you offer will benefit them. You MUST make it clear what benefits the prospect will receive from doing business with you, otherwise then there is no reason for that prospect to do so. You MUST focus on what the prospect is going to GAIN by using your product or service.
In order to articulate the “what’s in it for them,” you must first understand the difference between a feature and a benefit. A feature is something that your product does or has (for example, a shirt can be 100% cotton). A benefit to 100% cotton could be durability, easy-care or even wrinkle resistant. Now you’ve given them the WIIFM. Why the prospect might want to purchase the shirt.
Count how many times you refer to you – that includes the “I,” the “WE” and your “company name.” Take a second look and count how many times you refer to the “YOU,” the “prospect/customer” or “she/he.” If your copy has more than 50% “I,” etc. take a look at how you can reword it to tip the scales in favor of the prospect. Good copy should be at least 60-75% prospect focused and only 25-40% focused on who you are, (such as the awards you have, the color of your building, the type of equipment you have, etc.).
To change things around in your marketing message whether it is in your proposal writing, brochures or your website (any advertising), you must identify the goals, objectives and obstacles of your prospect. Then you show your prospects how you can help them reach their goals and overcome their obstacles.
Once you know how your business benefits your customers, and you begin to focus on the how the customer benefits formula, you can write copy that will increase prospect response. You will begin seeing a greater response to your marketing messages and your bottom line!
(There are 42 “You’s” in this article and only 2 “I’s.” Did it get your attention?)
Redhead Marketing specializes in creating copy that makes you stand out. Need a print ad for a publication? Need a flyer in a hurry? Let Redhead Marketing create it for you. Special Holiday pricing starts at just $50. Call 954-625-6606 or email heidi (at) redhead marketing dot com (no spaces) Today!
November 18th, 2009
May 3-9 is also National Postcard Week – An excellent time to redo your postcard marketing campaigns. We use SendOutCards to send postcards to our customers, clients and people we meet. In fact, every time I attend a networking event, I upload the information of the people I met into the SendOutCards database and then create a simple,” nice to have met you” campaign.
Every single person I send a card to has either called or emailed me a thank you. I do not sell them anything, just tell them it was nice to meet them and ask “what you can do for them.” I might also offer a link to a special report or other free digital item I know would interest them. Not only is this a great way to stay in touch with prospects, it also is a great way to keep track of where and when I meet someone. You can make notes in the SOC database, create specific campaigns for each event, even customize the cards with a picture or logo (or both).
Excerpt from the book “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays (the original holiday marketing guide) ~ www.QuirkyOffer.com
May 3rd, 2009
That’s right! We have had so much interest in this contest, we decided to extend the deadline for submissions.
To enter simply send your greeting card/postcard to
Redhead Marketing Inc.
Attention: Quirky Contest
P.O. Box 550856
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355-0856
Must be postmarked by midnight February 28th.
To read the “rules” visit: http://www.redheadmarketingblog.com/quirky-marketing-greeting-card-contest-launches/
You can come up with your a card using your own software program or you can test out the card using the system I use to send out cards and that is, you guessed it… SendOutCards.com. When you click on SendOutCards.com it takes you to my SOC website and you can have a FREE card on me just to try it out!
In fact, tonight at 8pm EST Heidi Caswell and I will be doing another demonstration of the SOC system and you are invited to attend. Just call the teleconference bridge line ~ 1-641-715-3840 participant access code is 361467# (it takes less than half an hour).
If you’ve already signed up for a FREE SOC account, and would like to know how to upload your own pictures, click on this cool video Heidi created: http://screencast.com/t/KU3SSLMNN
You can also learn more about the system tomorrow with Diane Walker during a live webinar.
Date:Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Time:1:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/326348428
This is for those looking at SOC as a business OR as a customer. Login with invitation number: 55997
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Heidi
February 3rd, 2009
Okay, you are probably wondering what the *Quirky Marketing Greeting Card Contest is, right?
Glad you asked!
In celebration of the launch of my new book Quirky Marketing Calendar – 365 Ways to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business we are hosting a contest.
And there are lots of prizes.
Here’s the rules:
Create a fun, quirky, unusual card message as a promotion for your company, product or service and tell me what you did.
The message should be creative and promote something you want to spread the word about. It can be a product, a new product launch, an event, a celebration, a strategic alliance, does not matter. As long as the message can be expressed on a greeting card or postcard.
And you can even test out the card using the place I use to send out cards and that is, you guessed it… SendOutCards.com. When you click on SendOutCards.com it takes you to my SOC website and you can have a FREE card on me just to try it out!
Send your entry to:
Redhead Marketing Inc.
Attention: Quirky Contest
P.O. Box 550856
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355-0856
Cards will be judged by a panel of marketing experts from the Florida Direct Marketing Association.
Contest ends February 28th so you have to hurry! Winners will be announced during Quirky Marketing Month in early March in honor of the launch of Quirky Marketing!
Oh, and the prizes…
Grand Prize winner will receive a two page article interview in the Spring Issue of WE Magazine, a copy of your choice of one of the books listed below AND a $25 gift certificate from SendOutCards (choice of Visa Gift Card, Candy, Brownies and more).
The Prizes:
2- $25 gift certificates from SOC for brownies, truffles and more!
A dozen Roses delivered anywhere in the US
Several books including:
Power and Wisdom, the New Path for Women by Dr. Priscilla Marotta
Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget by Heidi Richards
Full page ad in WE Magazine for Women
Half page ad in WE Magazine for Women
A one-year Charter Membership in the Women’s eCommerce Association
and more!
1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Honorable Mention Winners will also receive a frameable Certificate customized with their names and date of the Quirky Marketing Contest as well as a mention in the accompanying media release announcing the Winners!
Be sure and go to SendOutCards.com/Heidi and sign up for a free account.
And send me your cards!
FYI: Heidi Caswell and I will be hosting a live demonstration of the SendOutCards system on Thursday January 29th at 9 PM EST. You are welcome to join us and see what all the excitement is about and learn how to use Send Out Cards to grow your business. Call the teleconference bridge line ~ 1-641-715-3840 participant access code is 361467#
Note: Greeting cards or post cards are acceptable entries. And you do not have to use the SOC site, but we hope you do! Multiple entries are also acceptable. All entries must be postmarked by February 5th in order to qualify.
The fine print: If we receive less than 7 entries, contest may be cancelled or postponed due to lack of sufficient samples to “judge.” In addition, if judges don’t feel entries warrant a first, second or third place honor, no prize will be awarded in those categories.
(*void where prohibited by law).
January 28th, 2009
So you want to start a direct mail campaign for 2009, but you aren’t sure where to begin or what type of campaign to run? Before you do, you should know your options.
Here are Eleven time-tested direct mail options for you to consider:
Package inserts ~ a package insert can be anything from an informational brochure to a postcard to a little business card size document. The purpose of the insert is to get the recipient to take an action such as go to a website, call the company for more information, send in a warranty card, redeem an incentive such as a coupon and gift certificate.
Co-op Mailings ~ A form of trade sales promotion where a marketer offers non-competing companies the opportunity to share the cost of mailing to a particular database or group of customers and prospects.
Postcards ~ an economical way to promote a business or particular product or service less expensively than mailing a letter. Postcards can be very effective because there is no envelope to open and the prospect can see the offer at a glance .
Flyers ~An offer detailed on a single sheet of paper.
Card Decks ~ a package of individual cards wrapped together and mailed to prospects. These decks vary in quantity, and can contain 60 cards or more, each competing for the prospect’s attention.
Sampling Programs ~ A method of encouraging trying products free-of-charge or very inexpensively.
Statement Stuffers ~ Marketing brochure in a customer’s billing or account statement containing an offer or brief sales message along with a call to action mechanism such as a short-form, postcard or toll-free telephone number. Statement stuffers are an inexpensive way to market additional products and special offers to current customers.
Catalogues ~ A publication, such as a book or pamphlet, containing a list or display of products, services and offerings to a specific group of prospects and customers.
Door Hangers ~ door hanger marketing is where you create a small flier (often in mixed in with a few other direct mail pieces that are included in a plastic bag to be hung on the door knobs of prospects. This form of direct mail is often seen in residential areas however has also been effective in large office buildings (provided leaving them is allowed).
Webserts ~ A websert is a text or graphic link that appears after an online purchase is made. Webserts are more cost-efficient, offer more accurate source tracking, and can be dynamically served more easily.
Classifieds ~ Print advertising that is limited to certain classes of goods and services, and usually limited in size and content. Classified ads can appear in print media such as newspapers, magazines and catalogs as well as in digital media such as ezines, online magazines and websites.
In my next post I will be sharing 8 tips to run a successful direct mail campaign.
For a complete list of marketing definitions, visit: Speaking With Spirit and download your FREE copy of the Self-Marketing Dictionary TODAY!
January 8th, 2009
Last week Heidi Caswell of Connect Simply, and yours truly Heidi Richards Mooney did a teleseminar on follow up strategies in business.
Remember when you were young and started making friends or dating, you knew instinctively that if someone didn’t “make a move” you’d probably loose the opportunity to get to know that person better. And yet, when it comes to business we may understand the importance of “making a move” (follow up) but many times we simply don’t do it. In this session we talked about that and more.
Here are jsut a few of the ideas Heidi and I shared:
Follow up strategies, what works and what doesn’t
Why “high touch” marketing is so important especially today
When you should follow up with someone
One great strategy that always works ~ that strategy is greeting cards and postcards (I’ll write more later about how I am using it to promote all 3 of my businesses)
Stories of business owners who used that one strategy to really grow their business
And other great tips.
In fact, we are sharing this audio with the readers of Redhead Marketing Blog. Go here and grab your copy: www.redheadmarketingblog.com/audio/FollowUpDivas.mp3.
You can contact Heidi Caswell at www.ConnectSimply.com. Feel free to drop me a line at heidi (at) redheadmarketing.com if you’d like us to give you a personal tour of our Greeting Cards System.
November 12th, 2008
What if there was a system that could help you develop a continuous stream of solid referrals and all you had to do is set it up one time, add contacts as you receive them and few clicks of the mouse start your referral building process?
Continue Reading October 30th, 2008
On Thursday Oct 30 12:00 Eastern Diane Walker, Senior Executive with SendOutCards will be hosting a webinar on how to use the SendOutCards system to create residual income as well as how stay in touch with clients and customers – high touch marketing in a high tech world.
In addition to this event, on Friday November 7th at 11 AM Eastern you are also invited to attend, ”How to Create a Follow-up System to Save You Time AND Grow Your Business” featuring Heidi Caswell and Heidi Richards Mooney (The Follow-Up Divas).
In this teleseminar, the Follow-Up Divas will talk about the importance of staying in touch with your clients, and how to effectively stay in touch with them without spending a lot of money. They will talk about a variety of stay in touch mechanisms such as email, telephone and greeting/postcard and other direct marketing ideas. You will learn new strategies for following up with leads that can save you time and money and create loyal customers and clients for life.
Note: everyone who attends both events will receive a special gift in the mail!
To RSVP, email heidi@successandthensome.com with SOC Webinar in the subject line to receive webinar links and info to attend the teleseminar.
October 28th, 2008
Did you know that you could mail full-color postcards to 1,000 clients for under $500 inlcuding postage?
The US Post Office has tools to help you design and deliver impressive direct mail pieces at a fraction of what it might typically cost elsewhere. The service is called NetPost and can be found at www.usps.com/directmail/gethelpcreating.htm and can be done right from your home or office computer. You can use this service to send postcards, letters, brochures and flyers.
July 19th, 2008
