3 Reasons Postcards Are The Best Way To Advertise

When I say postcard, maybe you think of the old fashioned, jagged edged dull pieces of card stock. Think again! Today's postcards are vibrant, high-impact creations with clip art so real that it'll jump off the page at you. And the best thing about them... 1. They're Short and Personal Let's face it, people just don't have time to sort through a lot of advertisements and junk mail. If the truth be known, they immediately identify ads and pitch them into the trash without ever slitting the envelope. Postcards get read! It's already open, and the message is "in your face" without exerting any effort to absorb it. Even if the reader isn't trying to read it, he'll get the impact of the short message before he tosses it. Personal messages have a greater appeal than mass mailings. Postcards keep the old time charm of a personal greeting while implement new high tech marketing strategies... a combination for success. 2. They're Easy And Cost Effective Hey even the postage for a postcard is cheaper! Go to your printer and have them print you up several thousand for 7 or 8 cents apiece. Not too bad! For about 30 cents you have a cutting edge, high impact marketing tool ready to be put to use. You don't even have to bother with putting them in the mail. Many print warehouses will take care of it for you. Hey, what could be easier? 3. They Keep Your Marketing Strategy Hidden From Competitors Do you get tired of spending countless hours agonizing over new marketing strategies, only the have your competitors jump right in and ape your campaign? Yeah, it's pretty frustrating, but hard to do anything about. Everything you do is right in front of them shouting "Copy Me." Postcards are private interactions with the individuals who read them. It's a one-on-one campaign that lets you keep the results quiet from prying eyes. Heck, they won't even know what you're doing, much less how to copy it. There's another sneak tactic that I haven't mentioned yet... using postcards to direct traffic to your Website. That's right! Most of us think we need to use Internet marketing tools to drive up our Internet sales. NOT SO! That's what everyone else is doing, but think about it. A postcard with your slogan and visible information that directs the reader to your Website... yeah, let's hope the competition doesn't catch on for quite a while! There's not another marketing campaign that can guarantee 100 percent readership! It just makes sense that when more people read your ad, it will be more effective. Use postcards to market and count on a high response rate!

3 Innovative Ways To Build An Optin Email List That Stands Above The Crowd

With so many optin email lists out there, your really need to come up with a hook to attractive subscribers. It needs to have something special or different. It could be something you offer inside every newsletter issue, like interviews with experts. Or the hook could be a unique incentive that website vistors can take advantage of immediately when they sign up. Here are 3 ideas you can use for your own sites, or use as inspiration to get you thinking a little outside of the box: -- Build an Optin Email List by Creating a Private Members Only Site or Section -- Create a private web site and have people sign up to get free, immediate access. For example, you could say, "Subscribe to our free e-zine and get free access to our private membership web site!" You can choose to have them receive a username and password every time they want to login, or you can just provide a link to the site in your welcome email. Your private members only site can be as big or as small as you want. Some of the things you can include inside are: reports, software, articles, ebooks, etc. Inside the site, you can advertise your affiliate programs, as well. And you can follow-up to let them know about updates, new products they might be interested in, the latest news in your industry, etc. -- Build an Optin Email List By Giving Subscribers a Free, Tangible Gift -- Instead of offering a free ebook (or a whole package of them) like most everybody else, promise to give your visitors something they can hold in their hands if they give you their contact information. For example, you could say "Subscribe today and get our new report mailed to you via First Class." You could print out your report on standard 8 x 11 sheets of paper, fold it up, put it inside an envelope, and mail it off. Or you can offer a tips booklet and mail it to new subscribers. Or you can create your own CD full of information targeted toward your market and mail that. Or if you have a wholesale supply of a product of interest to your subscribers, then you can send one to each new subscriber. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Follow-up possibilities include: articles (your own or written by others), tips you pick up, news in your niche, reviews of products or other interested, related websites, etc. -- Build an Optin Email List Through a Contest or Sweepstakes -- Hold a free contest or sweepstakes at your website where they must give their contact information, including their email address, to enter. Make the prize something that your niche market will be interested in. Otherwise, they'll never want to enter. If you already have an ezine up and running, you could offer free automatic entry for new subscribers. For example, you could say, "Subscribe to our free newsletter and get automatic entry into our contest." You'll also want to retroactively include current subscribers. You can announce the winner(s) at the end, as well as send any new contest announcements or product announcements. Or you can make this an ongoing contest, where you give away the same thing to one (or more) lucky people every month. That way you'll entice many subscribers to stay on your list. You can find niche products to give away through wholesalers or dropshippers. Or you can create it yourself. One of my favorite ways to do this is create a CD-Rom with a guide or report (or sometimes several) that my niche market will find interesting. Once again, you can follow-up with tips, articles, news, new product announcements, or just an announcement of each monthly winner(s). Hopefully, now I've inspired you to take some action or encouraged ideas of your own with these tips. Any idea, the more popular it gets, requires you to think outside the box every now and then in order to be effective. Building an optin email list is no different. And with newsletters and ezines saturating the Internet day by day, you need to offer something a little different to make them want to sign up to yours. Or you'll just end up getting left behind.

2 Little Words That Work Marketing Magic

In his classic best-seller, How To Win Friends And Influence People, Dale Carnegie's second chapter is entitled The Big Secret of Dealing With People. The secret is summed up in this principle: Give honest and sincere appreciation. Carnegie said there is only one way to get anybody to do anything -- by making the person want to do it. How can you encourage customers to say good things about you and give you referrals? By giving them what they and all human beings crave: honest and sincere appreciation. The Two Magic Words The big secret of dealing with people (or customers) is often overlooked or forgotten. It's simply saying "thank you" consistently, personally and, above all, sincerely. These two words work marketing magic because customers want to feel important. Saying "thank you" is an act of kindness, besides. But don't say "thank you" for the sake of flattery. It must be sincere. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "You can never say anything but what you are." "Thank You" Promotes Referrals The uncertainty of referrals can be disconcerting. Can you control them? No. Can you influence them? Absolutely. First you must provide a valuable product or service for customers. (You're already doing this, right?) But perhaps you can make an even bigger difference in their minds by your continued interest after you've delivered the product or service. Each customer has a different level of satisfaction with your products and services. However, all customers to whom you say "thank you" are satisfied that they're important to you. This can determine whether you'll continue a relationship with them and get referrals. "Thank You" as Direct Mail or E-mail If you've never used direct mail and are considering it, start a thank-you correspondence program. If you've used direct mail or e-mail but haven't sent thank-you letters or e-mails, start now. The thank-you letter or e-mail to your customers is targeted (you know them, they know you), personal and effective. It's guaranteed to receive a positive response. Furthermore, it's a pleasant surprise if it's snail mail. They see your envelope. They think, this must be something for me to review, to sign, or worse a bill. Surprise! They're appreciated; they're important. And you're the one telling them so. Write a thank-you letter or e-mail at every opportunity. But don't send one with an invoice or other correspondence. Always send it separately. Writing the Thank-You Letter or E-mail The thought behind a thank-you letter or e-mail may seem simple, but writing one can be tricky. Here are 9 tips for writing a winning thank-you letter or e-mail: 1. Keep it brief. A half dozen lines (or fewer) are sufficient. 2. Make it sincere. This is crucial. If you aren't careful, it can sound awkward, even when you're trying to be sincere. 3. Start with "thank you." Dear Ms. Johnson (or first name, if appropriate): Thank you for ... 4. Make the tone warm, but professional. Be friendly, but keep it businesslike. 5. Reinforce a positive. Jog their memory of a positive aspect of the relationship. 6. Offer your continued support. If I can help, please call ... 7. End with "thank you." Thanks again for ... 8. Use an appropriate closing. Sincerely, Best regards. 9. No ulterior motive. Make it a pure "thank you," otherwise sincerity is jeopardized. Remember: Saying "thank you" is part of building strong customer relationships over time. Use these two magic words consistently and watch your repeat business and referrals grow. (c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel

3 Powerful Tactics That Motivate Customers To Buy

Wooing customers is a little bit like dating. No, you can't present the engagement ring on your first date! There's a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors. You can't rush it... you can't skip it... if you're looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment. Getting to know your date, or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort. The personality, likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto. Give them what they want, and they'll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper. 1. Forget About Selling... Put The Emphasis On Buying People like to think that all of their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skillful shopping. Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesman. A salesman who "HELPS" them discover the best buy for their buck on the other hand, is a hero. Really, when a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there. You don't have to persuade them to buy. You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is. Keep your focus on the customer and his needs. Think... what benefits would he be most interested in? What is the price range he can afford? Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him. Ah, the pressure's off! 2. Make Purchasing A "Sure Bet" Buying is a "risky" business. The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are! Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he purchased it for. The question they ask themselves is... "Is it worth it?" Hey, it's a legitimate question. The world is full of scams where you spend your hard earned cash and end up with trash that doesn't last and that you can't get serviced. A few tough lessons, leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases. They want something they can trust. A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer. There's peace in knowing that if the product doesn't live up to its claims, they aren't stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk. Customer testimonials also clearly tell "would be" buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction. No one can say it better than a satisfied customer, but don't carelessly use testimonials. You need a method to your madness. Pick clear and specific testimonials to use, and include as much about the customer as you possible can to lend credence to his testimony. 3. Let Them Know That It's As Quick and Easy As 1, 2, 3 Simplicy... ah, it makes life so much easier. Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired. They don't want to mess around. Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home. Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price! Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can. Remember that not everyone prefers the same method. The more options you have available, the more customers you will please. When you're planning your marketing campaign, don't forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product. Remember that value isn't everything. It's pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like! Keep these 3 tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list... and watch your profits go through the roof.

3 Foolproof Ways To Soar Through A Recession

Winners are ALWAYS looking for ways to grow their business. They trust their company, trust their customers to come through for them, and realize that a financial crunch offers advantages that aren't available during better economic times. 1. Get More For Your Advertising Bucks When the economy makes a turn for the worse, it just makes sense that your advertising will give less of a return than during and economic boon. Sure there's a lot less money being spent, but you don't have to have to watch your profit margin plummet! Think about it... advertisers are feeling the recession just as much as you are, and are more desperate for clients. It's the perfect atmosphere to negotiate your way to lower costs - even if you are already getting a good price. Every advertising penny you can save, is that much more profit you'll earn on the products. Have you thought about getting free publicity? Local newspapers are always looking for something of local interest. Make the news! Publicity is free, but a wonderful way to get your business in front of potential clients. Do your advertisements really need to be as big as they are? We tend to think the big is better, but the facts are that short ads with 11 words or less often generate higher response than large ads. Give it a try, and trim some costs right off your advertising bill. 2. Take Advantage Of Big Ticket Sales Not all of your customers suffer during recession. Remember that there are always people who are thriving financially, so don't be afraid to make big ticket sales offers. Additionally, when money is tight, people who place a lot of stock in your product will value it even more. Think about ways to create products similar to yours, but with much higher prices. Internet marketers often create members only sites and sell their products at much higher prices. Hey, they'll obviously make fewer sales, but the people who really value the product will buy. Each sale will net an immensely higher profit. Think about it like this... even though the sales are fewer, the actual profit may be even greater than when it was sold at a lower price. 3. Maximize The Customers You Have Your customers already know that you have great products and provide satisfactory service. They trust you to come through for them. Think about it... it's much easier to make sales to someone you already have a relationship with. Use every opportunity to increase your sales volume within the customer audience you already have. Do you have a product that goes with the one they are purchasing? Offer it to them at the register. It's a proven and effective method for increasing sales. You may be shocked at the additional sales you can generate from those who are already buying from you.

3 Plans to Expand You Business That You Don't Want to Miss Out On!

1. Find Your Niche Chances are, you already have a target audience that you are marketing your products to. Let's face it, you're probably looking for ways to increase your market audience and profit...or you probably wouldn't be reading this article. Here's the real facts... you don't have to find a wider audience to increase you sales. Have you noticed similar characteristics that groups within your target audience have in common? Maybe you have a group of businessmen, a group of young mothers, and a group of retirees that frequently make purchases. That is just the set-up I'm talking about. Pay attention to the individual characteristics of each group, and divide your advertising into similar segments, or niches. Focus on the specific needs of the group in the advertising products you put out. General advertisements are not as effective as more specific ads. Hey, we all sit up and pay attention to someone who recognizes our specific needs and desires! 2. Create A Unique Selling Point Why should someone buy from you and not your competitor? I hate to deal a blow to your ego, but it really has nothing to do with you , your product, or your service. Yeah, its a little self-centered, but customers are attracted by offers that point out the things that benefit THEM. If you want to stand out from the crowd, create a unique selling proposition that stresses the benefits the customers will receive from doing business with you. Will they get faster service? Go ahead and dramatize it, but keep the customer at the focus..."Get free overnight delivery!" Hey, it tells the customer...you get quick service and a discount on shipping. Two definite benefits in one statement. Don't go out on a limb to create new products and services to get attention. Just, add a special benefit to the ones you already have... maybe it's quicker service. The most effective things to emphasize are benefits that your competition cannot or is not willing to give. 3. Offer Your Way To Greater Profits How many times have you began manhunting? Sure, as a marketer you scrounge and search for brand new or ancient methods of drawing brand new faces to your place of business. The fact of the matter is that you don't have to find new customers for your sales to grow. No, in fact you can take the current business you have and send your profits to the moon with one easy technique... make an offer. Greet every sale with an offer of an item that is related to the purchase. The offered product doesn't even have to be yours. The Internet is wonderful for affiliate marketers who can make great profits selling the material of others. Making your business grow doesn't have to be a stressful, backbreaking or frantic process. Simply implement these three strategies, and watch it boom!

3 Effective Tactics Every Business Should Implement

Do you remember your first day as a business owner? You were probably just like the rest of us... pretty darned happy and bit on the proud side. Yeah, back then we thought we could conquer the world. Now we're too busy conquering our own little corner of the world to pay a lot of attention to the rest of the world... unless it's to learn a few tips from successful marketers just like us who have made it big. Tips just like these... that will apply to every market - regardless of the product or service - are a great motivators to try something new. Yeah, you never know when the next idea will be worth a million dollars! 1. Create a Special Offer A special offer is exactly that... an offer that is special. Normally, customers would not be able to purchase this product or combination of products, and once the products are gone... sorry! You don't have to go out and order a bunch of new products to put together a special offer. It don't take a whole lot... just use what you've got. Grab a few items that are related, group them together, discount the price, and your customers will be excited to be getting a good deal. Think about it from your standpoint... you've sold three or four items rather than one. Yeah, combination offers are winning deals for everyone! 2. Address the Small Customer Groups Niche markets are everywhere, right under your nose! Within the customer audience that you serve right now are groups of people who share common traits. Think about it... maybe you have a group who speaks Spanish, a group of teens, and a group of middle class family men and women. Evaluate these classes of people, and discover the unique needs and desires they share. That will set you up to customize your advertising campaign directly to them. It's not hard to take your current ads, and make a few changes to adjust to the niches. They'll be impressed that you understand THEM, and the increase in your profits will be the best thanks you can get. 3. Set Up a Winning Referral Program Successful marketers develop the ability to turn their customers into advocates. Often, they don't even have to directly ask customers to refer them to others. Their willingness to go the extra wins customer loyalty and support. Naturally, satisfied customers refer their friends and family to the place that will take good care of them. Quality service and is the first step toward referrals, but you can easily take it one step further. Studies show that every satisfied customer tells three people about you. What would happen with a little incentive added to the picture? Yeah, a lot more. Give customers who refer friends a thank you - whether it's a discount, special gift item, or a simple thank you card - and watch the referrals spiral! You can get two birds with one stone by implimenting customer surveys. A few quick questions about what the customer does and doesn't like about your product, followed by a request for the names and addresses of friends and family who would benefit from the product, and you're all set to go with the contact information of a prospective customer!