Inexpensive and Effective Advertising
by
Kim Haas
SUMMARY:
There are several methods of marketing and no business should stick with just one method. When it comes to successful marketing, you need a wide range of tactics to cover all the basics. |
There are several methods of marketing and no business should stick with just one method. When it comes to successful marketing, you need a wide range of tactics to cover all the basics. If you advertise only in newspapers, you will be missing a large demographic of people who simply dont have time to sit down and read a newspaper every day. Those who do read newspapers, are going to be further narrowed down by the fact that some people read only the sports section, or only the main headline stories. You should also consider reaching the people who spend their time watching television, listening to the radio or surfing the internet as well.
Marketing methods:
- Banner Ads - The most commonly found advertisements on the internet. This has become one of the most popular methods of online marketing as it appeals to the visual and textual concepts of advertising. If your banner is visually appealing and offers a statement that requires you to act now, odds are, your banner will draw in an average number of prospects and customers. Bland, boring banners will most often result in a waste of your advertising dollar as they will probably go unnoticed by the internet surfer.
- Text Ads - Text ads are the newest trend in online marketing. Due to the fast popularity of banner advertising, people began to train their eyes to not look at them. Text ads are beginning to take the place of online banner advertising because they easily blend with the website layout and can now be used in many areas of a website without destracting the visitor as banner ads often do.
- Direct Mail Marketing - Email and direct mail marketing is another common type of advertising which consists of sending written information directly to prospects. A typical response rate for direct mail is only 1 to 3 percent. Most people call this junk mail and few ever take the time to read it. Before you do a direct mailing, you will require the assistance of a mailing house to help you to target your own demographic audience. Selecting the right list will ultimately make the difference between whether your direct mail campaign succeeds or fails miserably. Make sure you get a knowledgable mail broker who will help you purchase a list that will meet your needs with the least amount of waste.
Most lists are rented for one time use, however, you can rent a duplicate list for a follow up mailing within a certain period of time as you will achieve higher results by multiple mailings to the same prospects. Make sure your mail is short and to the point. Long confusing mailings are usually deleted or simply thrown in the trash unread and unopened. Response rates go up when you mail multiple times to the same list using a variety of media.
- Word of Mouth - The most important and least expensive form of advertising is word of mouth. Nothing can sell your product faster than a satisfied customer who tells his or her friends about their favorable experience with your business.
- Networking - The best way to spread news about your own business is through networking. Dont overlook the importance of networking through associations and friends that bring you into direct contact with top prospects and allow you to build relationships with customers. Dont overlook any situation that would be a perfect setting for networking your business and sharing opportunities with potential customers.
- Newspaper Advertising - It is better to run an ad where there is more traffic. Running an ad in a backwoods paper may be cheaper for you to advertise in and there may be less competition, however, where there is little traffic, there will be little purchases as well. Figure this: if your store is located on main street in a rural town of about 200 people and you advertise in your local newspaper, you may make a few sales. That same store, located in Chicago, on a side street, and advertised in a newspaper of huge circulation, is going to receive not only more sales, but higher traffic rates, which will produce higher sales al well.
Estimate your ad frequency, or the number of people who will actually see your advertising. Run your ad with enough frequency that your prospective customers will remember you. Make your campagin creative enough to draw the reader or listener in and hold them captive until the completion of your ad.
On average, studies show that it usually takes eight to ten contacts to close a sale. The average business should plan on contacting prospects many times over an extended period. Each contact should give your customer a new reason why they need your product or service. Keeping a prospect data base will help you keep track of who purchased from you and who expressed an interest in your product or service. Follow up on leads with a phone call or by sending the customer an email announcing a special limited time offer. Actively pursuing your leads will help you make the final sale.
Customer awareness is an essential tool for marketing....know your customers. Know what your customers needs are. Are they married, what their average ages, why do they buy from your competitor? What can you offer that will encourage them to buy from you instead? Not only do you need to be aware of your customers and their needs, but you also have to make your customers aware of you through effective advertising.
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Article Source: http://www.elrincondelantropologo.com/
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