Learn How to TRIPLE Conversions of Prospects to Customers

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AppId is over the quota

One of the objections many business owners have about using direct marketing is time. Many say they do not have the time to implement it. Read this post as you will learn that a great deal of this marketing, from lead generation to follow-up, can be completely be automated.

Regardless of what business you are in, what you sell, or how you sell it, making a sale is essentially a multi-step process.

Customers come from leads that are ready to buy and leads come from interested prospects.

If you fully grasp this approach, you will be ready to change your perspective of how much time you spend on your business rather than in your business; meaning that you will quickly find the time to implement marketing technology systems.

Based on a recent 2 year study by Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), if a business uses multiple channels in an effective way to connect in intelligent ways with the right WHO, you can TRIPLE, yes TRIPLE the probability of converting a prospect into a customer.

Based on this discovery, it is clear that all savvy marketers need several automated moneymaking systems. These include:
- Internet Marketing Systems;
- Stay-in-touch Broadcast Messaging Systems;
- Toll-free Recorded Messages; and
- Automated Webinars.

After you capture contact information of a prospect and they are in your leads list, you can use the broadcast messaging, the recorded messages, and the automated webinars to connect in intelligent ways so you can TRIPLE the probability of converting a prospect into a customer.

The rest of this post will provide an overview of automated webinars as they can be your cash machine.

Automated webinars, sometimes called evergreen webinars, are valuable to your marketing because they:

- Increase credibility and price elasticity: automated webinars allow more time to build rapport, share your story, and tell your prospect 'why you' enabling you to sell bigger ticket items.

- Educate prospects: use the automated webinar to do the heavy lifting of educating your prospects which is so key in complex and high-end sales.

- Ratchet up conversions: while a good direct mail, or even online, campaign that generates 1% conversion is considered a success, a well-oiled automated webinar can pull up to a 30% conversion rate.

- Upsell existing clients: automated webinars help maximize the lifetime value of each customer by giving them multiple opportunities to make purchases at higher prices.

- Automate sales: who would not want to have a sales force working for them around the clock making sales and bringing in money?

Here is a simple 3 step formula to follow for automated webinars.

- Conversion: you must have a powerful message that gets people to take action as all the fancy gadgetry and tools in the world will not really help unless you have a powerful message.

- Traffic: all forms of media, both offline and online, can be used to recruit prospects; this includes direct mail, post cards, classified ads, social media, email lists, and joint ventures.

- Automation: having an auto-responder sequence that follows up with each prospect at each step in the sequence through the entire process; this increases your conversions.

You can only make so much money through work so you try to get leverage in order to increase your money making capability. There are three chief leverage opportunities: people; marketing; and technology.

Most business owners do a good job with people in that they have salespeople that sell their products or run their business.

Most business owners can do a better job with marketing as they learn and implement direct response marketing.

Most business owners fall short when it comes to leveraging technology. Hopefully this post has provided insight about how to use technology so you can begin to actually automate your marketing with the right technology for even greater leverage and that you know how to TRIPLE conversion of PROSPECTS to CUSTOMERS.

You need to find an airtight system that condenses the entire sales process - from lead generation, qualification and education to proposing and closing - into one concise and consistent process that works. It does not require finding, hiring, training, and motivating or managing a team of sales reps. The only thing missing is a way to put it on autopilot so youi have more time to enjoy life again.

Webinar technology has been around for years but only recently has it become highly sophisticated, affordable, and completely automated. Today there is not reason why you should not be using some form of automated webinars to simplify and accelerate your sales process. You will be able to reach a much wider audience by offering days and times that fit their schedule - morning, noon, and night - no matter what time zone. And the best part is, you can be sound asleep while they are glued to their computer screen and reaching into their pockets.

I Hope You Enjoy the Article and I Trust You Found It Insightful! Let me Know What You Think.

Until the next time, I invite you to learn more about me and my various activities by checking me out at the links below.

Have a Great Day and More Later,

Mike Farrell

Meet me here: http://www.facebook.com/mifarrell

Join me here: http://www.myaspenibiz.com/

When not traveling for business or pleasure, Mike operates his own internet marketing company and consulting firm from up in the mountains of Colorado.

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Going From Data To Marketing Leads

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AppId is over the quota

Perhaps the reason why business people still take data for granted is because some of them can't see how that data translates into money. One way to explain this is by showing the effects of information on the actions a company would make.

However, this would best illustrate if we use a B2B company as an example. In this case, suppose your company does advertising. Now advertising is an information-dependent industry. Everything from web-banners to TV commercials is supposed to be designed with the target market in mind. With that said, how can you do that when you don't know that market at all?

This is why advertisers do research on the needs as well come up with good reasons why they might want the product they're promotion. It's a common rule in advertising to really speak to your market.

This example only tackles things from the B2C perspective though. On the other hand, how does information get translated into sales in B2B terms?

Again, advertising can stand in as an example. You're not only dependent on information around consumers. Like any other B2B business, it needs information on possible clients: businesses who need advertising for their products. It actually gets trickier for them in this case because they can't use their advertising skills on B2B targets. Why? Obviously because you'll be targeting important decision makers who are far too busy to pay attention to anything unless you can make yourself uniquely relevant to their needs.

By uniquely, you need a large set of information solely dedicated to them. What is their budget? What methods do they prefer? Is their industry catering to particular sub-cultures or demographics? Unlike in regular advertising where you treat consumers as one big group, decision makers can only be impressed if you really did your homework on them as individual corporate entities.

That is how data ends up converting into sales leads. The information you get automatically maximizes your chances of making a sale. You'll now know exactly why your prospect should do business with you.

Finally, this leads you to the question of what method is best used to gather this information or at least establish a connection that will enable a careful exchange. Emails can make for a subtle start but you need something more direct to improve your chances.

Live conversations have this speed and at the same time flexibility. With that in mind, you should try telemarketing for this type of data for generating leads. Outsourcing it is also recommended since you'd normally spend much hiring, training, and equipping your own in-house team. Furthermore, you'll most likely be given a lot of access to their records and their conversations so you'll be knowing exactly what they do anyways. It's hardly that different from having one in-house.

So there you have it. Whether its B2B or B2C, you'll be taking wild swings in the dark if you lack the information that tells you where to hit. Improve the accuracy of your marketing efforts and collect more data!

Kurt Wyatt is a B2B lead generation and appointment setting specialist that aids direct marketing and advertising companies in generating quality sales leads and appointments. Kurt invites you to visit http://www.dmacentral.com/ for more information.

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Are You Creating Compelling Marketing Messages?

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AppId is over the quota

Do you wish your marketing materials were "pulling" clients towards you? Do you wish you could turn more prospects into clients? Do you wonder if your website copy is speaking to your ideal clients? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then you are going to want to spend some time focusing on your marketing message. Having a compelling marketing message is the entire foundation for your ability to attract new clients.

What's a compelling marketing message? It is a way of describing your business in your website copy, in your marketing materials, or on your business card, that when an ideal client sees, hears or reads about you, they will say, "Oh my gosh, I need to work with this person". Or, "Wow, you are exactly what I need, can I get a card?"

Have you ever come across a person's website where it felt like they were talking directly to you? That it described your pain, struggles and challenges to a "t"-and was so on target-it almost made you cry? I certainly have and then I said to myself, "I must work with that person, because they understand me EXACTLY and can solve my problems".

When you can get your clients to self-select and self recognize that you are the person, the ONLY person who can help them solve their problems then you have created a compelling marketing message! People must be able to recognize themselves in your message so they will say, "Oh my gosh, I've GOT to work with her/him".

What are the mistakes your clients are making? Can you describe the mistakes your clients are making? These may be the ones they aren't even aware they are making. Write down the top 20 mistakes your clients are making. This is where you can start to develop messages from this list. I'll guarantee most of your competitor's marketing messages are about themselves and the features they offer to their clients. By creating messages that incorporate the mistakes your ideal clients are making, you are talking about them-your clients rather than about yourself.

Next, you need to get clear on what results they receive when they work with you. Write these down-because it's all about RESULTS. You want to get really specific about what results you get for people. Look back at clients you worked with in the past and identify what results they got from working with you. Or call a couple of your best current clients and let them know you are updating your marketing materials and want to get more great clients like them. Ask them what results they've gotten from working with you.

One of the mistakes that entrepreneurs make when they look for more clients is to tell people about what they think they do, instead of telling them about the RESULTS they will receive by working with them. Many times, business owners make the mistake of describing "what" they do rather then leading with the solution that they provide.

After you've interviewed current or past clients and come up with a list of results you've provided, you can then begin to create your marketing messages based on the results and solutions that your current clients say you provide. Be sure to write these in the language that your ideal clients used. Don't try to use jargon, or turn it into "prettier" language. If you want to attract more fabulous clients like the ones you interviewed-use their language verbatim!

I challenge you to take a look at your current marketing materials and website and ask yourself: Are your messages all about you and your services, or are they about your client or customers? Because in order to attract clients...it's got to be about them!

Mandy works with talented, bright, high energy self employed professionals and very small businesses who struggle to market their business effectively, stretch their capacity and play a bigger game. And who would like to overcome their fear of sales, change their mindset, increase their self-confidence, and create a step-by-step strategy for taking their business to the next level.

Mandy's client's receive proven, specific information on what they need to do to get more clients and grow their business. As a result, those who coach with Mandy increase their business, get more clients and make more money, faster and easier than they ever would have on their own.

Mandy offers one-on-one coaching and consulting, as well as facilitates workshops and teleclasses and speaks on a variety of topics.

Get a copy of her free CD "7 Productivity Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs" at http://www.mandyschumaker.com/. Or contact her at 207-653-6977

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Dealing With the Customer in Field Marketing

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AppId is over the quota

At the centre of any successful business, let alone marketing, is the customer. It is imperative in field marketing- due to the high demand for knowledge of psychology and sociology- that the customers needs are recognised and consistently met.

Within these days of mass production and choice the marketer or entrepreneur must remember to brand. A brand can be marketed and promoted so that the customer becomes familiar with it, bonds with it and will repeat purchases again and again.

The age of the salesperson has gone. Now the consumers' relationship with a brand is far stronger. However it is important that this brand remains human or at least with some aspects of personality and progression.

When dealing with your customers the first thing you must do is identify your customer. Customers are affected by their background, their social or cultural influences and consider matters and think in differing ways. You need to understand your existing and potential customers simultaneously also. You need to find out all about them to serve them better, retain their custom and persuade them to buy more. Not only do you, as a marketer or business manager, need to understand in depth your customer, but every member of your organisation must be briefed so as to communicate effectively in the fashion appropriate to your specific brand.

Once this process is achieved it is time to segment your market. This is sorting all your customers into various classifications so you can better interact with them. This is very useful if each segment has differing patterns of buying. And only necessary if this group of altering psychology would be profitable to pursue. In this instance it is a fantastic idea to store data on your findings so you can reference it in future. Data allow the characteristics of the salesperson to be stored also, so that when there is a requirement to match a particular target audience with appropriate personnel, the right skills are found.

People carry baggage from their culture and social environment from their upbringing, their education and their life experience, and it is easy to make assumptions about how others think and are likely to respond to communications with them. We must remember to accept the fact that the people you are selling to may have a completely different background to yourself. Don't ignore the market research; believe it and act on it.

Here is a simple exercise to help when identifying customers in field marketing; Erase from your mind your own thinking and prejudices. Listen observe and grasp how your target think, communicate and come to conclude. This will help you to learn how the target think and react. This method has been known as 'self-recognition criteria' and will allow you to move on to learn more about them in the future, allowing you to make more informed decisions.

Cosine Field Marketing can help with further field sales solutions and are well known for their professionally with regards to customer analysis. Based in the UK their team is grounded on dedicated field marketing specialists.

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Simple Steps to Marketing

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AppId is over the quota

Marketing is typically ignored with Business Owners suffering from analysis paralysis. Marketing doesn't need to be that difficult, I've outlined some simple but effective steps below to help business owners understand the fundamentals of marketing and implement it within the strategic plan for the business.

So what are the simple steps to marketing?

1. Market Research
2. Identify your customer and what they want
3. Tailoring you product / services to meet the needs of your customer
4. Positioning your product / service to reach your target market
5. Create your value proposition (brand)
6. Promotion

Many people jump straight to step #6 which unfortunately results in wasted time, money and resources marketing to the wrong people with the wrong message and the wrong product or service. I'll go through each step in a little more detail.

Market Research

1. Get an overview of the economy. Are people buying what you're offering? Ten years ago people weren't hiring video or business consultants anywhere nearly as much as they are now - look up localworldstats.com.

2. Competitor analysis. You need to know what your competitors are up to so that you can position yourself and little bit different or package / price your products a little bit different. You'll need to know information such as business name, qualifications (check LinkedIn), products and services offered, mode of delivery, website, who their clients are and which industries they are serving.

3. Price and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) of competitors. What are they charging? What offers to they provide? What is their SCA? How can you do things differently?

4. News and Trends. Find out what's hot and what's not? How can you utilise new technology? Do you have RSS feeds that you check which keep you up to date?

5. Promotional strategies. What are your competitors doing? What are they offering in the way of promotion? Check out their policies on free consultation, social media, testimonials and freebies.

6. SWOT analysis. Work with a coach on an intelligent SWOT analysis, create an action plan on how you can work with your strengths to maximise your opportunities etc. You will need to know what your competitors are doing to know where your opportunities lie.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Playing safe is risky.

Identify your customer and your ideal customer.

In order to be successful you will need to know your customer, find out information such as:

1. What size of organisation would you prefer to deal with?
2. Typically, how many people will they employ?
3. What market sector(s) do these organisations operate within?
4. Who specifically will be buying your products/services and what are their titles?
5. Where geographically would you like these organisations to be located?
6. What does your organisation offer that is unique? Find out from your customers.
7. What types of organisations will be attracted by this uniqueness?
8. What do your best customers possess that you would like to replicate in others?
9. Which of your existing customers were the easiest and quickest to convert?
10. What similarities do these customers possess?

Knowing this information will tell you where your customers hang out, on and off line and which language / marketing materials to use. There is no point marketing to 60-year-old CEOs via Hootsuite and talking about split testing!

Product strategy - What do they want?

1. Survey, survey, survey. I personally give clients 'what do you expect' survey's pre-consultation, another feedback form during our agreement (a few months in) and then I'll ask for feedback and a testimonial. Find out what they expect, what qualities that you have, what you could do better, what you're doing really well, what other products / services they'd like you to provide.

2. Segment your customers into different test groups, find out what they want, what they need. Find out the emotional desires as well as the product needs e.g. more clients, more profit, more time, focus, less stress, removal from overwhelm, accountability.

3. Qualitative research, have one on one conversations with your customers. Provide what they want, not what you want to give.

Taylor your product

What is your pricing strategy? What is the objective for your pricing? Do you want revenue, profit or business growth? Have you tested different prices on different customer segmentation? I typically test a price for a month or 2 on and offline and then I'll keep increasing it until customers are saying no!

Packaging strategy

This is a combination of both your product and pricing strategies, how can you make it different and how are you measuring the success of each? What different packages or bundles have you tried?

Position your product / service (place strategy)

How will your product get to the end user? Which places of purchase do you offer e.g. shop, website etc?

Often a smaller sale can be made directly from an ad or online but the larger sale won't. Typically a buyer of a larger product or service will have gone through several channels before making the sale. For example, one of my strategies is to run low-cost monthly educational workshops (channel), this lets the customer get to know me and to build a relationship. I then distribute one hour free consultation vouchers (hooks) to attendees which they can then use within a given time frame. If they choose to use this voucher, I will meet with the prospective client and hopefully convert into a contract or at least an introductory product. Other positioning may be a Facebook page which offers a free report which then offers a sample which may result in a sale. How are you positioning your product?

Create your value proposition (and SCA)

First of all, have you created your business statement? This identifies in a single statement what you do, for whom and just importantly what you don't do!!

We provide 'products and services' to 'customers' by 'activities'
What we don't do is: 'xyz'

For example;

Business Reboot fast tracks the success of SME Service Providers, Sales and Marketing Teams and Marketing Executives by providing a consistent set of business tools, proven strategic methodologies and experienced coaching support needed to achieve their sales, marketing and personal development goals. What I don't do is financial planning.

Your value proposition is created from your product / service attributes (features and benefits) plus the image that you want to portray plus the relationship that your customer can expect from doing business with you.

Create a table with four columns and in the first column list of all of your products / services, in the second your features, in the third the advantages and the fourth the benefits. To understand the difference, use the 'so what' test i.e. an advantage of coaching might be 'effective marketing techniques', you can still say so what at the end of this sentence so you haven't reached the benefit yet which is 'saves time and money by making intelligent decisions'.

To create your image, list the five top values that you'd like people to say when talking about your business e.g. integrity, professional, value for money. And then do the same for your relationships, what can you customer expect from your relationship e.g. speed dial, trustworthy advice etc.

Your customers buy benefits rather than products and features so use these benefits along with your company image the relationship that they can expect to create your marketing messages.

Sustainable competitive advantage

It wouldn't be right for me to write about marketing without talking about your sustainable, competitive advantage (SCA) or sometimes known as your unique selling proposition (USP). This is what makes you different to your competitors and is a whole other article but should be identified.

In Marketing SCA is an advantage that one firm has relative to competing firms. To be really effective the advantage must be:

• Sustainable
• Hard to copy
• Unique
• Superior to the competition
• Applicable to multiple situations

Determining the SCA for any organization requires an understanding of the customer's needs and preferences. A competitive advantage arises out of activities which provide high value to the customer and a strong ability to beat competitors. Examples of SCA include factors such as quickest turnaround time, high product quality, low-cost production techniques, patents and copyrights, government protected, extensive contracts and a good reputation.

Measuring
Marketing wouldn't be marketing unless everything was measured else how would you determine what works and what doesn't. Measure and test everything - your SCA, your headlines, your target market, your products, your price and perhaps your patience!

Promotion
There are literally hundreds of promotional activities that you can use, I have listed only a few.. measure, measure, measure!

-ezine articles
-email series
-blog posts
-online forums and blogs
-direct mail
-online ads
-print ads
-t.v.
-radio
-networking events
-monthly teleseminar
-website
-affiliates
-press releases
-social media
-workshops
-educational series - cd / webinar / video
-referral program
-joint venture flushing out the specifics of a new service you're going to offer
-public speaking
-special promotion
-writing a book

Good luck!

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Marketing A to Z: A Fun Read

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AppId is over the quota

Marketing A to Z:

A is for Appreciation - make sure your customers know they are appreciated...send them a card!

B is for Brand - live it breath it believe it

C is for Cool - no matter what your industry there is always room for an element of 'cool'

D is for Deliver - always deliver on your promises!

E is for Excellence - there should be excellence in whatever you do...your customers will recognise you for it

F is for Frank - be frank in all your endeavours, people can usually smell bulls^&% a mile away

G is for Goals - have them, but make sure they're not too lofty...

H is for Home Page - make sure yours is fantastic and drives people to take the action you want them to

I is for Innovation - don't be afraid to innovate, even if your market is conservative. We live in a fast paced world and innovation is key to survival

J is for Jupiter - don't be afraid to be bright - even if you're not the closest planet to the sun.

K is for Kickstart - bring life to a new concept with a kickstart

L is for Listening - with all the talking going on today, how about having a listening strategy

M is for MARKETING - we love it and you should too. Most businesses are made or broken by their marketing efforts

N is for Nimble - Being nimble is essential to getting new business and keeping current business...remember, being nimble means it doesn't hurt so much if you have to stretch yourself!

O is for Organisation - Being organised in your thinking and your actions pays wonderful dividends for you and the recipients of your work

P is for Plan - Big or small, we think planning is pretty important

Q is for Question - Sometimes you need to ask the right question before you can get the right answer

R is for Refresh - sometimes that's all it takes for a strong brand to stay at the top

S is for Strategy - Don't leave home without it or your business might get lost

T is for Timeliness - you might have the best ideas in the world, but if you don't time the launch properly you might be too early or too late...

U is for Uncluttered - make sure your message is clear and uncluttered

V is for Value - You should always provide Massive Value to your customers - they deserve it!

X is for X-Factor - sometimes it helps to have a bit in your kit-bag

Y is for Youth - You and Your Customers are never too old to think like the young

Z is for Zing - be brave and put some zing in your brand...you'll feel great about it

Amy Ward is the founder and director of OnTap Marketing - a Brisbane based marketing and business advisory service for local and international businesses. http://www.ontapmarketing.com/

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Let A Pro Be Your Advertising Guide

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AppId is over the quota

We've all been there...

You've spent time writing ads or paid someone else to write them. You've gotten your hopes up, submitting your advertising to different outlets for exposure. You've tried classifieds, solo ads, email marketing, banners, and anything else you could think of.

And you've been disappointed.

Nothing in business is more frustrating than wasted time and money. The problem is, everyone seems to have different ideas about what works.

Everywhere you turn there's a strategy or marketing course claiming to be the best.

But how can you tell the good from the bad?

Here are a few criteria to help you decide:

1. Step-by-step instruction. Before buying or downloading, make sure you know that the course gives you very specific direction, telling you exactly what to do.

2. Is it "magnetic"? Your marketing course should show you how to get customers coming to YOU to have their needs met. Your product or service is meant to fill a certain need your prospects have. Your marketing must point out this need and demonstrate how your product is the solution.

3. What is the cost? Believe it or not, many FREE marketing courses actually teach you very effective techniques. Don't pay hundreds of dollars when you can get the same information in a free course. Just make sure any free course comes without strings attached.

4. Are you learning what NOT to do? Smart marketing courses will not only give you the steps to take, they'll also help you avoid stumbling blocks and identify bad strategies. This will save you from wasting more money.

5. Who's the teacher? Do a Google search for the name of the person who put the course together. Are they a real expert? If the website doesn't reveal whose course it is, be wary. A real expert would proudly put his or her name on a quality marketing course.

Your marketing course will help you create your own killer marketing campaign in simple, affordable steps. If you're new to Internet marketing, simplicity is key.

Finding a good marketing course to show you the ropes may be your first step toward years of entrepreneurial success.

Keep in mind that good marketing works both online and offline. That's because the principles of good, sound marketing are not based on some fly-by-night, flashy system. They are time tested and proven to work for you over and over again.

Stop wasting your marketing budget! FREE 6-part marketing course shows you how to cheaply attract floods of new and old customers and create irresistible offers in 3 simple steps. Get "Secrets To Dan Kennedy's Magnetic Marketing" FREE today. http://www.marketingwithpurpose.com/

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Using a Personal Assistant to Help Market Your Business

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AppId is over the quota

Owning your own small business is rough. But you knew that before you started, right? The fact is--you put in a lot of hard hours. And you might not even be turning a profit yet. Why? Well there are many reasons. But the main one is probably that you don't have the time, or maybe the knowledge, to properly market your business. That said, consider hiring a personal assistant to handle it for you.

Why a Personal Assistant is Right for Your Business

You might be thinking, "Why hire a personal assistant? What do they know?" Well, it depends on which one you hire. Sure some of them get paid measely chump change to do mindless tasks for people like grocery shopping and what not--but when you find a high quality assistant, you will have someone who can take over your entire marketing department. In fact, they may even be able to come up with a marketing strategy for you.

Hire an Assistant that Knows How to Write

As a head marketer, your personal assistant will need to compose a marketing plan full of all sorts of written correspondence. This could include:
direct mailemail marketingbloggingweb copypostcardsflyersand more!

Having said this, it is important that you hire an assistant that can write ad copy if necessary. how can you tell? Easy--check out their website and read their content. Does it read well? Does it speak to YOU the customer? Does it point out the benefits of enlisting their services? If so, then you have an amateur website copywriter on your hands!

Have They Acted as Assistants for Other Business Owners?

Now, not all personal assistants can handle your marketing tasks. You need to make sure they have helped people in similar situations as yours in the past. That means they have ample experience making calls, meeting with potential leads, organizing leads, and following up.

Make Sure They Fit Your Budget

Hiring a personal assistant can prove expensive at times. You also might find some really cheap. Rates range anywhere from ten to fifty dollars an hour. Remember that price does not necessarily dictate skill level. You really need to meet with the personal assistant and talk with them to get a good idea of what they might be able to accomplish.

Find an Assistant to Meet Your Marketing Needs Now

Don't delay. There is too much pressure on you. Let an assistant take the load off and handle all those marketing small business needs!

Chris Brantner is a copywriter with much knowledge on marketing. Along with his Houston Personal Assistant spouse, he seeks to help small business owners bring in quality leads through various means of marketing.

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How To Make Powerful Offers That Instantly Attract New Customers To Your Business

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AppId is over the quota

Getting new customers is easy if you know how. Most people in business do it the hard way. I'll show you the easy way. And it's also the cheapest way to get all the customers you want.

To do this I need to explain what's known as the "Lifetime Value" of a customer to you. No matter how large or small your business, no matter what product or service you sell, you must first calculate the Lifetime Value of your customer. Once you know it, you can decide exactly what you can afford to spend to bring in a new customer - and the best way to go about it.

In a nutshell the Lifetime Value of a customer is...

The average purchase value, multiplied by the number of times they buy from you in a year, multiplied by the number of years they remain your customer.

For example: You own a restaurant and your regular customer spends £25 each time they visit you, of which £15 is profit. Let's say they come to eat 12 times per year and stay with you for 2 years on average.

This makes your regular customer worth £15 x 12 x 2 = £360 in profit to your business.

And once you know this...

...you'll know what you can afford to spend in order to get new customers.

Most marketing promotions consist of ads in the newspapers and magazines, beautiful brochures and outdoor signs. They do mail shots telling the world about their wonderful products, service and themselves. And they usually offer a 'special' discount. Something weak, like 10% or 15% off or £10 discount every time you spend £100. Let's face it - how excited do you get when you see these promotions?

Well, let me tell you about Warren, an Australian entrepreneur who built a business starting from zero using this approach. He spent $1 million building 3 tennis courts, swimming pools, game room and barbecue facilities in the middle of Sydney. The place was magnificent. There was one problem:

He had no customers.

So this is what he did. For one month he advertised in the local newspapers: Free Tennis Lessons, Free Court Hire, Free Barbecues and Swimming Pool Parties. And guess what happened? That's right!! The place was packed out from 7 a.m. 'til 10 p.m. every day that month.

He gave away lots of tennis lessons, sausages and court hire. It cost him a few thousand dollars. The interesting part is that at the end of the month, he had a going business. The courts were booked solid, and have been ever since.

Warren understood what a new customer was worth to him. He knew that once people got used to playing at his courts instead of someone else's they'd be back. He charged more per hour for court hire and coaching than the other tennis court complexes. But the customers got extra value with the swimming pool and barbecue facilities and friendlier service.

Because Warren knew what the Lifetime Value of his customer was, he gave something away and ended up making a fortune.

But what if you don't have a tennis complex? How can you apply this to your business? Here are some examples:

Accountants, lawyers and specialist consultants can give away a free consultation worth £150.Florists - a free bouquet.Grocery shops - coupons for free food items.Car service centres - free first service or free brake checks.Landscapers and nurseries - free lawn reports.Retail businesses - no strings attached free gift vouchers.

Anyone can use this technique. I am always offering potential customers FREE information. And some of those people end up spending thousands of pounds with me.

What I am really doing is "buying" new customers.

"Buying" new customers with an irresistible offer really works, and it works amazingly well almost every time. However, please be warned, it won't work if:

your offer is weakyou target the wrong peopleyour product or service is lousyyou don't follow up your customers

Human beings are creatures of habit. We keep doing the same old comfortable things we've always done. To get a potential customer to break their habit of going to another business, you must give them a very strong reason to try you. That's why a FREE offer is so effective.

It's a risk free way for them to get to sample your product or service.

A Word Of Caution

Before you rush out and start making free offers to the world, work out the Lifetime Value of your customer and test all your offers and ideas on a small scale.

Analyze the results, adjust your approach if needed, and only then go all out. If you test everything you do on a small scale first, you'll never get burned.

But you will knock the socks of your competitors every single time, because they'll still be offering 10% off.

Melina Abbott helps small business owners get new customers and more sales. You can download her popular free bulletin - How to Attract New Customers in 7 Easy Steps - at http://www.businessbyresults.com/free-marketing-resource/

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Three Major Mistakes Local Businesses Make When Using Mobile Marketing Campaigns

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AppId is over the quota

Lots of businesses are now latching onto mobile marketing and are recognising the importance of going mobile. In 2020, the prediction is that most people will be operating from a mini computer, i.e, a mobile device or tablet.

However, while there are some businesses latching on to mobile marketing, whether it be QR codes, SMS Marketing, or building a mobile website, some firms are indeed not using their mobile marketing campaigns right.

Mistake 1 - QR CODES

Lots of businesses are using QR codes, but some of those same ones are doing it completely wrong. How? Well, they are basically linking the QR code to their mainstream website, which has not been optimised for mobile. I scanned a QR code recently in my town to the local stationery shop, and behold, the link was to their main website, which looked awful on a mobile device. The lesson is when deciding to use QR codes in marketing, try to link them to something that will not drive the customer away!

Mistake 2 - SMS MARKETING BOMBARDMENT

Not many local businesses are using SMS marketing. Those that do use it, do this wrong, as well. They tend to bombard people with messages that are not content driven. When using SMS marketing, it's important to offer value in the text messages, and not to just use it as another sales bombardment. For example, a lot of firms generally think that once a customer has signed up to a list, they are ready to buy. Until they have forged an unforgettable relationship with that customer, they are still a prospect rather than a buyer.

Mistake 3 - MOBILE SITE SALES

Most local firms don't have a site optimised for mobile. Those that do tend to think it is just to put a link up to products and hoping they will get sales. A mobile website's main function is to provide quick information about the firm's business, and to make people want to go onto the main website at a later date. If you can provide a template and a reason why that customer should buy from you via a mobile website, then you will have more than just one sale later on.

There are lots of other ways to use mobile marketing - but if you avoid these three big mistakes you will be on the road to implementing successful mobile marketing campaigns.

Chris Gaynor teaches people the new wave of mobile marketing and how to connect this new marketing experience with internet marketing. If you want to find out more about mobile marketing, then click the link below...Sign up and get FREE ACCESS to Videos that show you how to get started using mobile marketing...

http://www.chris-gaynor.com/

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Give Your Political Campaign Promotions a New Twist

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AppId is over the quota

From "I Like Ike" to "Yes We Can!" political pins have always carried big messages. As far back as George Washington's first presidential campaign, candidates have used pins as a way of sharing their vision with voters. Even after the election is over, these pins remain valued keepsakes. Today's campaign pins are used in much the same way, but advanced manufacturing techniques have turned this popular item into a true piece of jewelry.

Stand Out from the Crowd with a Stylish Lapel Pin

You'll make a great impression on volunteers and voters alike with a fashionable lapel pin. Reward voters for their ongoing support at rallies and other events with a beautiful lapel pin depicting your name and photo. Crafted of metal and offset printed for incredible detailing and lasting beauty, these pins are a superior alternative to the buttons of yesterday, and are destined to become instant collectors' items.

As a token of appreciation for volunteers and donors, lapel pins are perfect. They're affordable and stylish, and their elegant appearance makes them unlikely to be tossed in a drawer and forgotten. Instead, metal lapel pins are cherished - and worn - for many months or even years after they're received. Because they're available in a variety of colors and styles, they're ideal for rewarding different groups based on their level of participation or donation.

Consider bronze, silver, and gold pins for differing donation amounts. Or add a colored gemstone to signify a volunteer's place in your organization. Detailed molds make it possible to include dates, names, and even logos for a truly personal gift.

Easily Customizable for Every Occasion

Lapel pins may be stylish and sophisticated, but they're still affordable enough to allow you to do something special for each stop on your campaign tour. Consider pins created in the shape of each state, just in time for their primary. Or pins branded with the logo of supporting organizations like the UAW or The New York Times - they're ideal for handing out to attendees at a rally or fundraising dinner.

You don't have to be a presidential candidate to benefit from a few well-placed lapel pins. Grassroots, door-to-door campaigns are ideal for passing out pins to your constituents. Fliers might quickly find their way into the recycle bin, but a beautiful metal pin bearing your name and slogan will find a place of honor in most any home. What better way to be remembered at the polls than with a lasting, quality piece of jewelry?

Ordering lapel pins for your campaign couldn't be easier. Simply look for a reputable manufacturer who specializes in quality pins. They should provide free design work along with color matching capabilities. Make sure they offer several base material options (brass, copper and iron for example) and a variety of styles to choose from. Some popular choices include offset printed for intricate detail such as photos, die struck for the look of engraved metal, and cloisonné for rich colors outlined in a metal framework. In addition, check their turnaround time and shipping policies to be sure your pins arrive on time and undamaged.

Caryn Smith is Manager of Lapel Pins R Us. When you need an affordable way to promote your campaign, lapel pins are an excellent option. Visit http://www.lapelpinsrus.com/ today for custom lapel pins in just 10 days, guaranteed! © 2012, All Rights Reserved

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How to Purchase Custom Printed Lanyards

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AppId is over the quota

Lots of businesses nowadays are trying to find ways to find and sustain a good relationship with their customers and one of the best marketing tools for this is investing in custom printed lanyards. When purchasing bulk orders, they are much more cost effective than television or radio advertising and can be offered to a larger audience base.

So where do you start when you need to produce a range of printed lanyards? For most businesses, the first option is to contact a wholesale supplier, since they generally offer good value for large orders and get them delivered to you fast. This is ideal when you have a marketing or promotional event around the corner, or even when you need to provide them to your staff and employees.

When purchased in bulk orders, custom printed lanyards are available at a reasonable price. You are able to choose the most suitable length, colour, width and material for your lanyards. The standard width of printed lanyards is 3/8", 5/8", ¾" or 1". When deciding on which type to choose for your company, you need to find styles that suit your business image. For example, a popular colour is blue for most offices or black for schools and universities.

In terms of distinguishing each type of custom printed lanyard, the materials used has an effect on the lanyard's value. Most lanyards that people come across are made of nylon. It is the cheapest among others and the easiest material to prepare a lanyard. Because of its quality, designs, logos and messages are permanently engraved to the thread of nylon.

For companies who use custom printed lanyards as giveaways and tokens during trade events and conventions, a good, quality lanyard is a must. Gifts of any form usually make an impression about the giver, and a high quality lanyard creates an impression of a high quality company. An excellent example is a dye-subliminated lanyard, which uses heat to transfer your design print onto the lanyard.

Another option is the woven lanyard, which is created from polyester fabric and woven together to form a fabric. They have been trusted to hold the design over a very long period of time, making it perfect for consistent use. Everywhere from offices, schools and stores will benefit from their usage.

Purchasing custom printed lanyards is relatively simple when you know exactly what you want. Even if you only have a vague idea, many suppliers have a customer service team to assist you with the process and help you select the best products. Printed lanyards will continue to be a best-selling promotional tool and are an excellent investment for your marketing campaign or branding exercise.

Neil Smith works in the marketing department of We Brand It Ltd, a leading supplier of promotional and printed lanyards.

Our site offers not only a variety of products but also advice and expertise on how to market your business with them. We offer custom printed lanyards at the best price when ordered in bulk, so visit us today for all your promotional gifts.

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Curb Your Hunger for Leads With Pay Per Appointment

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AppId is over the quota

Whenever a person feels hungry, their natural reaction will be to search for food to curb that hunger. Food not only brings us the satisfaction of being full and nourished from being hungry, it also brings us the necessary elements that ensures us of our health and to keep us away from all sorts of illnesses. Food can be a tangible thing yet at the same time the term can also symbolize something else.

For business owners, food can be used to symbolize many things. As of late, the term is used to symbolize sales leads.

Why is this so?

For one thing, b2b sales leads are the source of nourishment for many businesses around the globe. A generated and a qualified lead has the highest chances of becoming a certified client for the business. Though longer to acquire as compared to most direct selling methods, slowly but surely building a potential client's interests promotes for a long-term business relationship between both parties.

Generating a good number of quality leads ensures that the business' finances stays healthy and away from any imminent dangers. Without these leads, the business' financial growth is stunted, devoid of fast paced acquisition of income, and has a high chance to dwindle down over time.

Dealing with the need of quality needs need to be done with the appropriate marketing strategy and tactic. Planning for a strategy can be easy as it can be done within a few hours or a few days at most of careful deliberation. The tactic, on the other hand, is a lot more difficult and requires a lot of essential things to be deemed productive.

Even if the marketing campaign is done with the highly effective method of telemarketing, building the course from the ground up can take a lot of time and money to let it finish with the most money-making results. Businesses that are large enough to accommodate the needs of building the campaign may find no problem in doing so. Nevertheless, let us not forget that not every organization or firm in the globe can accommodate such needs for the initiation of such a marketing campaign.

To deal with this expertly and efficiently at the same time, it is best to acquire the services of a telemarketing firm along with the pay per appointment telemarketing.

What is this program all about? This pay per lead program enables businesses to acquire the leads they need without the worry of added fees or charges. It lets business owners to only pay for the price per lead, hence the name of the program. There are no more extra charges like one can see when outsourcing to a traditional telemarketing campaign. In addition to this low-cost solution, the marketing campaign gains instant access to the expertise of telemarketers. These agents know their way around generating a high brand of interest from potential clients. Therefore, the campaign has a high chance of succeeding even with these lowered costs. Appointment setting through this cost per lead solution is the nourishment that businesses need for their hunger for low-cost but high quality leads.

Sarah Barnes is a telemarketing expert with 11 years experience as a sales leads analyst for small and medium companies. Sarah invites you to visit http://www.121directmarketing.com/ for more information on pre-qualified sales leads and appointments.

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Destination Marketing: A Right Marketing Mix

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AppId is over the quota

Destination Marketing has many unique features that make sure that it is intrinsically complex and difficult, which includes the following:

• While talking about the marketing of a destination, it has to be kept in mind that it's an independent product compared to a seat in airlines or a hotel stay. Addition of numerous individual products makes a successful destination. These numerous products comprises of natural attractions, tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants and spas and many others.

• It is quite similar to a Lego set, a visitor/can create his own set of products according to his taste and travel requirement. However, different travelers will pick different products from a single destination to design their own bespoke product or experiences that are unique and distinctive.

• Since destinations offers varied products to different sectors at various time intervals, in such circumstances' recognizing the competitors is one of the major chore for the destinations. This errand is tricky as far as destination is concerned.

• The task of identifying the real competitors and bating them is quite intricate. The destinations must have strategic and focused marketing plans through which it can be achieved.

Right Marketing Mix

A right marketing mix is quite vital for a destination marketing to succeed. For the brands that are passionate to bring up their destination worldwide, always consider tying up with a Destination Marketing Organization. The destination company concentrates on launching new products in the worldwide market through integrated PR, marketing and sales approach.

• FAM and educational trips for prospective clients

• Marketing and promotion of the destination through social media and email marketing

• Brochures, flyers, marketing and promotional supply of products

• Harmonizing with the delegates of trade fairs and events

• Organize global trade fairs and tourism shows

• Designing marketing strategies using the correct marketing mix method

• Representing and performing in the travel conferences and exhibitions

• Taking active participation in workshops

• Database Management

Staff Training and Support

• The mission of a destination marketing company is to help its clients to connect with prospective visitors. They market and eulogize the destination/brand to the worldwide target audience. They involve personally with your customers in travel trade shows and fairs to give a personal touch.

• A destination representation and marketing firm assists their clients with an everlasting presence in the worldwide market. These marketing companies work on the strategies and tactical plans to bring their customers on top position in the travel world.

Flora Pereira creates interesting and thought provoking content on a variety of niches. She writes mainly on the topics related to Destination Marketing, Travel Representation and Hotel Representation.
She loves reading, writing, socializing, meeting people, traveling and is also fond of good movies.

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10 Free Marketing Strategies - That Cost Virtually Nothing

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AppId is over the quota

1 - Reduce your advertising and marketing budget by 50%. This obviously seems a bold statement BUT the truth is that more than likely 20% of your budget accounts for 80% of your return on investment. If you're using 5 different channels of advertising and marketing then statistically 2 of those channels are dominating your results, so dump the other 3. Alternately we can use the money that we save on looking into new avenues for internet marketing. Be sure to speak with your media advertiser and ask/demand a discount, in this unstable economy they are very likely to give you a large discount.

2 - Public relations - PR. As we know, most people believe what they read in the papers, see on TV and hear on the Radio so if we can expertly position ourselves where we are able to incorporate these aspects then 'technically' we are considered an expert. For example you could write a small article or column for your local newspaper, most local newspapers are in need of good quality content. Most local newspapers are able to afford freelance writers so are very likely to welcome your input.

3 - Upselling. Many business owners are cautious about asking their customer to buy more. The idea that they have purchased anyway seems to most owners acceptable, but true success and momentum comes from selling the customer add-ons and 'up-graded' versions of the same product. If you sell a car, the idea is to also sell the alloy wheels, air-conditioning, the cleansing products etc. Remember - if you don't ask, you don't get.

4 - Know your customers. And I mean personally. Contact your top 20 customers and ask to meet, buy them a coffee or lunch and have a chat. We are not trying to sell them anything but we are going to ask them for referrals and to tell their friends about us. Now this may seem over the top and not something that is usual practice BUT remember, we are trying to defy the norm here - if no one else is doing this then it is the perfect reason for us to do it. Knowing your customers is one of the best free marketing strategies that one can do.

5 - Networking. Go to where your target market or synergistic businesses socialise and do business. I'm not on about spending money on joining a Networking Club or a Business Coffee Afternoon but anywhere they are, you should be too. Networking is an incredibly powerful business growth strategy that can take your business to the next level and the greatest thing about it is...it cost's nothing.

6 - Public Speaking. Now, for the more timid individual out there this may seem like a complete no go, but this must not be overlooked. Anytime you get the opportunity to speak in front of a large crowd - really what you're doing is Marketing. Along our business success journey we will encounter many opportunities to speak in public - we must stay aware of these and grab them with both hands. Are you still going to be shy when you realize it may make you 20K in sales?

7 - Sales skills. One thing that no one can ever take away from us is knowledge. We can never have enough knowledge. Read, read, read, learn, learn, learn. There are tons of books out there that will give you the extra skills needed to make even more sales. Becoming a great salesman will be the difference between a mediocre business and a very successful business. Books are relatively cheap, or you can go to the library - but we must learn as much as we can about selling. We must always be prepared to heavily invest in ourselves.

8 - Emails. Emails are FREE and an incredible way to contact and to stay in contact with our customers. If you are not emailing your customers at least once a week then you are not clearing up the money that is being left behind. At least once a week may seem excessive but remember that they don't (and shouldn't) be sales emails. Email them news, info, promotions something that will make them smile and that they can use. Trust me they will love it and it is one of the best free marketing strategies out there - as long as your not hard selling...all of the time!

9 - Joint ventures. What I'm referring to is non-competitive businesses that share the same customer. Lets say that you are in the Pet/animal industry & sell Pet grooming products. Now if you where to refer some off your customers to the local veterinarians then more than likely they will allow you to put some promotional material in their waiting room. You are both in the same industry with the same customer BUT you are not competing for the same customer. Be clever and work together.

10 - Internet Marketing. Become an expert in Online Marketing. Understand that there are thousands of ways to reach and attract new customers for free, via the internet. Research into this and become an expert to really take your business to the next level. There are also hundreds of thousands of sites that will teach you and give you all the tools and information needed including this site ;-) to become at expert in Online Marketing.

I hope you can make good use of these 10 Free Marketing Strategies.

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What Your Customers Really Want And How To Give It To Them

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AppId is over the quota

Do you know what your customers really want? I mean REALLY want?

I'll get to the point. Have you ever heard of the radio station WIIFM?

It Stands for "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?" It's what your customers always think of first when listening to you talking about how wonderful your product, widget or service is.

It doesn't matter what you are selling? you have to cater to the customer's self-interest.

Put yourself in their shoes. Don't you do the same? When some boring website / sales person / leaflet goes on about how wonderful the company is or how long it's been in business I just switch right off.

Who cares?

I want to know how this is going to do one of the following:

make me more moneysave me timemake me more beautifulmake me feel fittermake me more attractive to the opposite sexmake me live longeretc?

Are you starting to get the idea? People do not care about you or your company - unless you can appeal to their self-interest. We are at heart quite a selfish bunch.

Appeal to people's emotions and desires rather than using cold hard logic. When you talk about your product or service always let people know what THEY can get from it.

Remember we buy what we WANT, NOT WHAT WE NEED. Otherwise there would be no Porsche cars, designer labels, caviar or large fancy houses.

Have you done or experienced this before?

A couple of years ago I wanted an iPhone. My mentors had one, my friends were getting them, I was seeing them everywhere. But I had a perfectly good phone - I didn't 'need' an iPhone.

However every time I met someone who had one I would ask them what it was like and what was good about it. In truth I was gathering data to justify it. This lasted a few months.

At the same time my business was growing and I needed support in managing my diary. And I had to relinquish my much loved paper based diary, which I lived by - and move to Google Calendar. (This was a big deal at the time).

But of course I couldn't be getting my laptop out to book a sales conversation with someone I met at a networking meeting, could I?

So as soon as my wonderful VA told me to get an iPhone - that was it - I had the justification I needed to get one. I then did a bit more justifying - that it wouldn't cost much more than I was currently paying, it would allow me to check emails on the move, etc, etc. So I got one!

I wanted it - then justified it as a need.

And that is what we all do - whether you are conscious of it (as I was) or not.

The truth is we buy what we want and then justify it as a need.

Knowing this one piece of information will get you a lot more sales.

Not knowing it will cost you dearly.

Take a look at most business websites. They are just plain boring. They contain things like press releases, pictures of the company directors, buildings. They tell you how long they have been in business, how many combined years of experience they have, details of their products, etc, etc.

But how many of them tell you what they will do for YOU? Very few!

Please, please do not do this with your website. Appeal to your visitor's self-interest. Tell them what's in it for them.

In a nutshell, whenever you discuss your product/service let your prospect?

Know what's in it for them. Nobody cares about your qualifications and how pretty your building/office is.That you fully understand their problems and that you can solve them. Give them testimonials.Know that you have done things for other people just like them. Be specific and give examples. That way any suspicions that they have will be laid to rest.

There you have it. Always remember to tune into WIIFM. Best of luck.

Melina Abbott helps small business owners get new customers and more sales. You can download her popular free bulletin - How to Attract New Customers in 7 Easy Steps - at http://www.businessbyresults.com/free-marketing-resource/

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Crucial Email Marketing Tips to Remember

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AppId is over the quota

Email marketing can be your ticket to success and unprecedented sales and profit - but only if you do it right. There are many tips out there that preach how you should do email marketing, along with useful Web-based tools and services like name validation that will push for heightened efficiency and better results. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to making email marketing work for you.

Of course, you should already have the basics covered - prepare your Web form, build an email list, or maybe use a tool to validate name and individual information. It's now very important to focus on one message. If you're sending non-newsletter email blasts, make each email revolve around one primary message. The more information you include, the higher the possibility that the reader (your prospective client) will be confused and reach for the Delete button. Stay focused, and make sure that the main topic surfaces on the subject line and the first few lines of the message body. If you're sending email newsletters, though, keep your blurbs short and straight-to-the-point.

Customize your message. Mention the recipient's name in the message whenever possible, because something as simple and seemingly inconsequential like customizing the email this way can make the recipient more likely to read through and produce the desired action, e.g. subscribe to new service, enroll in a program.

A call to action (CTA) is very important. Each email you send should lay down exactly what action you want from the recipient. Put your CTA in text buttons, the message body, and other places on the newsletter or email. Call attention to any special directions you are giving out. Being repetitive in CTAs is fine - put it on top and at the end for good coverage.

It is also crucial to use a template. Instead of using a generic email, devote time to customizing your template to reflect your business font, colors, and other elements in branding. This will improve company recognition and, as a result, generate trust. You should also provide a plain text version that holds the same message but doesn't include any special formatting. This is to target recipients that use email clients unable to view messages in HTML. Test your final template across multiple email clients - this will ensure that you know how it all looks in different platforms.

Finally, watch your statistics - monitor the number of clicks, unsubscribe action, and bounces, to name a few. Gauge your success by comparing stats produced through various formats and link placements. It may seem smart to unsubscribe bounced addresses right away, but you shouldn't do so. There are many reasons behind an email bounce, so it's best to wait it out and try to see if the address bounces once again. Additionally, don't hesitate to use reliable tools like name validation (some hosted, programmable XML Web Service can parse single-field names into components), email validation, and many others to guarantee that you're using correct and updated data before you dive into email marketing.

Discover how real-time name validation API can help improve your email marketing campaigns.

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Creativity and Business - What Is Creativity?

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AppId is over the quota

Creativity is not something people equate with business, but it is a vital component to having a successful business. Yes, accounting and organizational skills are important, but when it comes to marketing your business, when it comes to creating products and services, even when it comes to keeping your customers happy, creativity is the key.

Many people believe they aren't creative but that's simply a misunderstanding. We are all creative. Every one of us. If we feel we aren't, it is simply because we have been told somewhere along the line that we weren't and we believed it. Often, we have been told to be practical, to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground. Any spark of creativity is extinguished in service of "taking care of ourselves and our families."

As business people, these thoughts can be a true hindrance. In order to move ahead, to keep ahead, we need to reawaken that spark of creativity and begin using it in our daily life. How is that done? The first part is knowing what creativity is. It is simply the ability to access our subconscious mind. Throughout our lives we have been feeding our subconscious mind information. Data, if you will. The subconscious loves to take that data and play with it, rearrange it in new and interesting ways.

We all have random thoughts that seem to swim by our awareness. We have learned to dismiss those random thoughts. Even if one seems interesting for a moment, we quickly move on to more important things, but these thoughts are the subconscious mind feeding us back that information in new forms and shapes. When we allow the subconscious mind to communicate with the conscious mind rather than ignoring those thoughts, we have what is called inspiration.

When you allow yourself to entertain those stray thoughts, even briefly, you are letting your subconscious mind know you are listening and it will feed you more and more ideas that seem to be coming out of nowhere. This is how we can reawaken our creativity, be responsible for it. Once we begin to be responsible for it, we will have ideas that we can use in our businesses to adjust the way we do thing in small ways or even huge ways. We will have ideas about how to promote products and services that are innovative. We will have ideas about how to interact with our prospects and customers in more effective ways.

Geoff Hoff has spent his life studying creativity and the last several years studying marketing. He teaches people to reawaken their own creativity and then to bring that creativity to their business.

In his report, "Creativity and Internet Marketing" he gives you simple, practical ways to reawaken your own creativity. You can get it free at his blog, http://geoffhoff.com/

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Four Common Trade Show Display Mistakes That Can Cost Your Company Dearly

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AppId is over the quota

The marketing convention and exposition circuit has long established its lasting reputation for delivering unparalleled features and benefits not often offered through other promotional mediums. Setting up trade show displays has proven it can hold its own even in today's current trend of online advertorial resources and social media outlets. When it comes to sheer face to face targeted demographic connection, trade show exhibits simply reign supreme.

Don't Blend In At Trade Show Displays

Of course, this organic marketing forum does come at a cost. In most cases, reaping success from trade show displays demands one specific form of currency: strategic preparation. Without carefully and strategically preparing for each and every marketing event, a business can quickly be rendered irrelevant, a mere face in the competitive crowd that warrants nary a second glance.

Key Considerations For Success

Fortunately, companies of every size and scope can leverage their own individual blend of strategic preparation and avoid embodying the dreaded corporate wallflower moniker at these important advertorial events. Vigilantly avoiding these four commonplace trade show display convention oversights can help ensure that every function your organization participates at yields success.

-Not Having Objectives And Goals: Want to know the best way to plan for success? Actually have a firm grasp on what exactly defines success and achievement at every function. Before each event, brainstorm the specific business objectives and goals your organization is hoping to obtain. No detail is too minute in this particular exercise. Sure, you can have broad action items like "generate leads with prospective new clients" but you should also have some granular purposes such as "connect with executive at XYZ Company to discuss potential partnership opportunities."

-Presenting A Ho-Hum Trade Show Display: At marketing conventions it's important to remember that perception can be reality. All too often, organizations throw up a boring trade show display that looks sloppy and conveys incongruent marketing messages. Always work with a seasoned design firm that specializes in customized innovations to help your company pack the biggest visual impact possible. A professional and reputable team will be able to work with an assortment of price points to ensure your budget is always maintained.

-Ignoring The Flavor Of The Crowd: Every marketing convention yields an opportunity for companies to intermingle with a very specific population demographic. Unfortunately, many businesses fail to determine whom they are marketing to before each function and simply unleash a "one size fits all" sales approach during the event. Always do your research to understand the flavor of the crowd. Will you be engaging with end users? Are the participants mostly scientists convening for networking prospects? Understanding your target audience will help your organization best modify its marketing techniques for optimal results.

-Failing To Follow Up: Unfortunately, many companies execute flawlessly on the before and during event preparations only to fall short on the requisite post function follow-ups. Always strategize a plan to follow up on each and every lead, no matter how trivial and insignificant they may seem. If it was worth your time to gather the information during the convention, you owe it to yourself and your team to follow up thoroughly to gauge any future opportunities for business.

Skyline South Florida & The Caribbean, a leading designer of trade show displays in Fort Lauderdale understands that their clients' trade show exhibits in Fort Lauderdale have to make a lasting impression. If you're looking for a Fort Lauderdale trade show exhibit guaranteed to help get your business noticed, contact Skyline today!

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Starting Up Their Own Business Is a Dream - Getting The Marketing Right

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AppId is over the quota

Starting up their own business is a dream many people hold for a long time and somehow don't quite manage to turn them into a reality.

It may be fear of failure, no idea how to start or possibly too big a risk to contemplate without support, but there is help and support available.

In the current difficult economic conditions in the UK many people are finding themselves suddenly made redundant and still with commitments such as mortgage or children or perhaps a pension that may be worth less than it would be at maturity and need to continue to earn a living.

With competition for jobs fierce people may be considering using a redundancy pay-out or savings as the start-up capital for a new business.

There are many things to organise including a proper business plan and proposals for the services or goods they plan to offer. If the business is catering to a local market and is not necessarily going to be selling through e-commerce online, the start-up list will also include promotional and marketing materials.

These days this will cover both a website and print materials. To get some recognition quickly will mean having the right image, logo and branding that will help potential customers recognise the business whenever they see information about it.

Step one is to list all the materials the start-up owner thinks they will need. It will almost certainly include a business card, a brochure providing information about the new company's product or service, and leaflets and flyers.

Good quality design that creates a corporate brand, like the ones we all take for granted such as burger chains or pizza restaurants, is plainly important. Very often simple and stylish has more impact than a complicated or tricky design that will date, and too much clutter can also ruin a design so never feel that to get the most out of any marketing literature means covering every square inch or centimetre of every page with material. White space, carefully used can be really dramatic.

Good design does not have to cost a fortune. It is worth shopping around for prices for business printing as there are many online and local printers who are able to offer both design and printing in-house. Ask if they will offer you a special start-up rate in exchange for your publicising their services. You never know unless you try.

If the design has been done in-house it will also be much easier to ensure design continuity across everything from the business card to brochures to the leaflets printing.

It is not necessarily true that cheap printing suffers from quality issues. The reputation of good leaflet printing will spread and the printer can then offer very competitive prices as words spreads and they are able to print in larger quantities.

The key to a successful start-up is to plan carefully, know what materials you need and what branding will make your new venture stand out and ensure you get the most out of the money you are paying out.

Vegaprint provides:- Leaflets printing & leaflet printers & business printing

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Simple Guidelines in Fitness Marketing

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AppId is over the quota

Building up your business as well as gradually increasing the likelihood of making your enterprise's target market interested with your services and products can easily be achieved by making use of simple but nonetheless cutting-edge marketing techniques. You don't need to be a marketing expert with a decade's worth of experience in order to properly fulfill any related plans concerning marketing success. But with the help of the right tools alongside the right training which focuses on reliable marketing systems, you'll reach new heights in marketing success that you most likely haven't even dreamed about previously. All it takes is following consistent and reliable marketing tips and applying it to any business that you have in mind. Read on to find about the myriad of benefits and possibilities that you can attain from the highly recommended fitness marketing phenomenon.

First of all, you'll be able to get a promising head start against your competition through the fitness marketing regime's constantly updated guide, which helps you analyse your competitors and be able to discover innovative business opportunities which will maximize your company's returns. The multilevel planning that is being promoted out of fitness marketing strategies also allows you to map out your goals and accomplish every single task at a steady pace. The likelihood of your enterprise's chances of achieving success and transcending your peers can be made into a reality with the use of ingenious blueprints that will inevitably lead to your company's success. Each workday effectively becomes productive and relentlessly efficient once a unique system (created through fitness marketing) is established, and it's also good to know that every possible aspect that your business needs to tackle in order to succeed will be covered by this customized blueprint. Obviously, any business endeavor that you take up runs the risk of going through potential failures and hurdles. Following all the basic rules and groundwork featured in fitness marketing proves to be beneficial to any individual that decides to take it up.

In addition, fitness marketing can easily be integrated into various online and social media channels to improve your company's visibility as well as providing top quality advertising and promotion with minimal effort required on your enterprise's part. Advertising on a wide range of websites through PPC advertising is just one option that you can opt to pick. Another feasible way of acquiring free promotion can be attained by integrating your company's products and services into social media sites. Establishing a blog is also another notable way of squeezing out free promotion that in turn likewise doubles as an online newsletter that your clients can check for information and updates regarding your business. These online promotional techniques integrated into fitness marketing and gym marketing costs relatively cheap and you can always count on it to spread your message to your target audience the moment that you begin to publish it.

The author writes for http://marketingforgyms.com/ which provides information regarding fitness marketing.

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Top 5 Facebook Marketing Tools to Promote Your Events

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AppId is over the quota

Facebook is gradually growing to be a hot spot for event organizers. The social media surge in recent years encourages event organizers to use Facebook as a convenient and a steadfast tool of event planning and marketing. Over the past few years, the website has brought a series of tools and features that help creating a buzz of your event in no time, thus helping you attract a large crowd to the events. Here, we are talking about five most important yet unheard tools of Facebook that help taking your event to the next level.

1. Social Ticket Buying with Ticketmaster

Facebook now offers an exciting tool for buying tickets for events right from its platform. The famous ticket provider of the London Olympics, Ticketmaster has collaborated with Facebook, which offers the facility of social ticket buying. It not only enhances your ticket sales, but also gives a significant boost to the social commerce.

2. Generate Guest List in No Time with GuestlistGen

The newest addition to the marketing and promotional feature of Facebook is GuestlistGen. The tool allows you to generate a PDF of your event guest list within a short span of time and that too, right on the Facebook platform. To do it, you have to just enter your Facebook Event ID and the rest will be done automatically.

3. Analyze Event's Performance with Tuneo

Tuneo is a tool that allows organizers to sum up polls to analyze the performance of the event. It is a kind of organizational tool that helps you track attendees on social networking site like Facebook. Tuneo seems to be a solution to save you from message overload.

4. Create a Buzz with WordPress Custom Tab

Keep in mind that Custom tabs are the fundamental part of marketing strategy in Facebook. You can now use WordPress Custom tab application to customize a tab of your event page in Facebook. It is true that WordPress extends your capabilities and thus, helps you reach a large audience. Moreover, the WordPress Custom Tab is compatible with most browsers and devices.

5. Set up Custom Tab with Pagemodo

Similar to WordPress Custom Tab, Pagemodo helps you to use and set up a custom tab in no time. Well, for large events, it is not that suitable, yet for smaller events, it is the best fit. You can even make the use of paid options, that allow you to set up a robust 'Like-gate' feature on your Facebook event page. At present, Pagemodo is known to be an amazing social media marketing tool.

Use these tools today to make your next event a great success.

Jonathan is a professional trainer. He employs latest technology for online class registration and online training registration that results in more attendance and ROI.

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Do Leaflet Drops Work? How to Get the Best Feedback From a Leaflet Drop

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Here is how to ensure you get the best return from your investment in leaflet drops:

1) Consider your target market. If you own a restaurant, takeaway, garage or a hair salon you are probably going to receive good feedback from a door to door leaflet drop. These types of businesses cater to the general needs of everyone. If you run a business that has a niche market, such as a wedding store, your feedback is not going to be as good because the number of people getting married in the area you are targeting is going to be pretty small. You would be better off trying another advertising method that allows you to reach your desired target audience more effectively. Therefore, consider your business and your target market before deciding whether a leaflet drop is going to be the most effective form of advertising for you.

2) Work with a professional graphic designer and a copywriter. Your leaflet is what is representing your company. If it looks cheap and unprofessional, potential customers will perceive you that way and may not bother to contact you. A professional designer and copywriter will create a leaflet designed to make people want to contact you. Any good graphic designer will ask lots of questions about your target market and what you want to achieve from the leaflet drop.

3) Don't just focus on instant sales. Most leaflets are designed to make customers act immediately, however not everyone is ready to buy from you there and then. You should also focus on trying to get contact details from anyone who is interested in your products and services. You can achieve this by running a competition or offering something for free, perhaps a free gift (related to what you do) if they sign up for your monthly newsletter. By doing this you can keep them up to date in the future by email newsletter or via social media. At the end of your leaflet drop, not only will you have generated immediate sales, you will also have a nice list of potential customers you can follow up on. Keep them up to date and when they are ready to buy, they will choose you.

4) Perform thorough checks on any leaflet distribution company you approach to carry out a leaflet drop. There is a common misconception that all leaflet distribution companies essentially perform the same job. The reality is, the quality of service from one leaflet distribution company to another varies enormously. Make sure you speak to the company's existing clients to check their reliability. Ask for references or contact customers listed on their website. Where possible, always try to choose a local distribution company, they will know the area better and will know the best routes to take in order to keep time and costs down.

Peter Saunders is a creative graphic designer and director of After Hours Creative, a design and marketing company based in Leicestershire, UK.

Peter has a passion for creativity and a love for experimenting with various design techniques in both print and the web. He enjoys helping small to medium businesses benefit from effective engaging creative design and offers advice on how to improve marketing results.

Find out more at http://www.afterhourscreative.co.uk/

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What Info Do You Absolutely NEED to Have on Your Website?

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When it comes to generating business, your website is a very important part of your marketing toolkit. With people researching online more than ever, your website needs to explain what you do, subtly detail why you are better than the competition, and entice people to contact you. It needs to supply information, but also leave people wanting more. After coming across too many poor websites, we thought we'd outline the key elements that you absolutely have to include on your website if you want to propel your company forward.

* Home page - think of the home page as a first impression. You only get to do it once, so do it well! Contact a design agency to help you create one people won't easily forget. Assume that every visitor is exploring your products and services for the first time. As such, your home page needs to be clean, simple, visually pleasing, and inviting. The key is to avoid launching into anything too detailed; your aim is to 'hook' people and incite them to keep clicking through the website. Remember, too, that people like pictures! Include a few relevant ones on the home page. By including images, you'll be helping the user understand your message quickly and easily. When it comes to style, pictures break up the content on the page, and by doing so, make it nicer to look at!

* About us - the internet can be quite an impersonal medium, so an 'about us' page can forge a connection between you and the visitor. This page should tell your visitors who you are, what you do, and why they should hire you or buy what you're selling. It's a good idea to include short bios of your staff, as well as photos, so people can put a face to the name. It's also great to have a mission statement, or a quote from the founder.

* Products and services - it's essential that you dedicate a page about what you can offer clients. If you offer a range of products or services, create a new page for each. Each page should have a heading and a brief summary of the product or service. To demonstrate the effectiveness of your products/services, you can also include case studies. You don't want to drown your reader in information (and let's face it, they won't read pages and pages) - you just want to give them enough to really get them thinking about you. If you need help in making a great website, hire a website development company to do the hard work for you.

* Contact us - Providing a few key contact details is a must! On the actual 'contact us' page, include your business name, address, email, and phone and fax numbers. We'd also suggest placing your contact details at the bottom of every page of the website as a footer, or displaying your phone number above the header. This will remind people that you are available to chat more, and give the impression that you're approachable.

While these pages are 'non-negotiables', you can of course include others. Client portfolios, testimonials, FAQs, news and media pages are all great 'added extras' to get people clicking!

For more marketing tips and tricks, check out this blog, run by the gurus at our Sydney design agency: http://blog.heardmarketing.com.au/

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Creativity and Business - Writing Headlines

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Copy writing is both an art and a science. Just like any writing, of course, there are people who are simply better at it than others, whose native creativity leads them naturally in that direction, but even these people get better by looking at other copy writers and testing things out, which tilts it more toward science.

One of the trickiest parts of good sales copy is the headline. If your headline isn't effective, no one will read your brilliant sales page. Instead, they'll just go away.

There are many things you can do to improve this one thing, and if you improve this one thing, no matter what is on the rest of the page, it will improve your results. And with a sales page, improving your results means more sales.

To begin your journey of headline mastery, start by looking at other people's sales pages in a new way. Look at pages where you purchased the product, or even pages where you read the page, whether you ended up purchasing or not. Ask yourself these questions about the headlines on those pages:

1. What was it in this headline that made me want to read more?

2. How does the headline seem to speak directly to me?

3. Does the headline give me good information?

4. Does it hint at it, instead?

There is something underneath all of these questions that is vital. They all deal with you, the reader of the page. If you don't see something that affects you personally in some way, that promises some improvement in your life in some way, you will just move on.

As you are writing your headline, put yourself into the mind of your ideal prospect, the person who would most want this thing you're offering. If your headline doesn't talk directly to you as that person, it can be improved upon.

If your headline doesn't say directly, point to, or at least hint at something that will be some benefit to the reader, he or she won't have any reason to read the rest of your page and you will have lost the sale.

As you look at other people's sales pages, you will see that there are many ways to do this. A lot of them may at first seem illogical, but as you let more of them wash over you, your own headlines will start to improve.

Geoff Hoff has spent his life studying creativity and the last several years studying marketing. He teaches people to reawaken their own creativity and then to bring that creativity to their business.

In his report, Creativity and Internet Marketing he gives you simple, practical ways to reawaken your own creativity. You can get it free at his blog, http://geoffhoff.com/.

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The Best Relationship Between Marketer and Client

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AppId is over the quota

Like any other relationship, the one between a marketing agency and their client is driven by mutual expectations, obligations, and goals. Here are the 4 C's that make up the essential elements in a marketing relationship.

Communication

The importance of communication can't be emphasised enough. Though it may seem obvious, communication involves both talking and listening! Clients must be clear about the type of assistance they need, and what they are hoping to achieve. Once the client has communicated this, it is then the marketer's turn to come up with a plan best suited to the client's needs. This should then be relayed, and tweaks made until the plan is ready to be put into action. In order for a marketing campaign to be successful, both parties have to engage and consult with each other on a regular basis. It's polite to return phone calls and emails promptly, and to give plenty of notice if you need to change a meeting time. With great communication, there is less chance for misunderstandings and mistakes.

Consensus

Another key aspect of the relationship is consensus. In the initial meetings and throughout the project, the marketer and their client must agree on things like time frame, project scale, and budget. This also ties in with communication, as the two groups must be able to talk about any issues that arise. It is best to come to a consensus on things like budget at the beginning of the project, so that the marketer can plan their strategy accordingly. We know that this isn't always possible, so if changes need to be made on either side, it is their responsibility to open up that discussion as soon as they can.

Commitment

As with personal relationships, this professional one should be based on commitment. Both parties are obligated to the other in some way, and this is a commitment that needs to be maintained throughout the entire project. The thing to keep in mind is that both marketer and client share a common goal - that is, to come up with marketing solutions for the company. It's a results-oriented relationship, and if both marketer and client are committed, they can produce rewarding results. Marketers work both with and for you to ensure the best results, and it's in your best interest to be communicative and let them do their job!

Clarity

Clarity goes hand in hand with certainty, and both are incredibly important when building up a good marketing relationship. At the beginning of a project, clear objectives need to be set so everyone knows what they are working towards. There may be twists and turns, so both parties must be updated about the goals, challenges, and progress of a project. Being vague is not helpful at all, and constant to and fro emailing to explain can slow progress.

For more marketing tips and tricks, check out the blog run by this Sydney marketing agency: http://blog.heardmarketing.com.au/

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