Qualitative Marketing

A business card is the calling card for your business, so it's important to make your business card is one people will hold onto and not throw away. Want to make sure your business card is not in the discard pile? Here are seven do's and don'ts which will get your business card into the right hands and noticed.

1. Don't Cheap Out

Yes, you can get business cards for free. VistaPrint.com will give you 250 business cards for free. But, you have the word "free" on the backside of the card which tells everyone you can't afford proper business cards. It doesn't cost much extra at VistaPrint to get the word "free" taken off the back of the card. Do it. And, if you're printing your own business cards make sure the card stock is heavyweight card stock. There's also nothing that says cheap like flimsy card stock.

2. Keep it Simple

Don't use too many different fonts or include too much information on the card. Be sure to include all the vital information on the card, such as name, phone number and address, and perhaps a main slogan for your business, but steer clear of listing everything under the sun your business can do. Make sure it's clear by quickly glancing at the card what your company's main focus is.

3. Use a Font Large Enough to Read

Use fonts that are large enough for people of all ages to read. If you're 28 and can read it just fine, let someone who's over 40 read it. If they have difficulty reading the type, make it larger. You don't want to lose any business due to a card that someone has to use reading glasses to read.

4. Use a Larger Font for the Most Important Information

If the desired action is for them to give you a call, highlight the phone number with a larger font. If it's the address, highlight the address. Don't make them have to hunt for the most important information on the card.

5. Include your Website Address and E-mail Address

If you don't have a website address, it's time to get one. People now are used to checking businesses out on the internet. A five-page website won't cost much, but can be the difference between gaining a new client or not.

6. Never Use Cards with Outdated Information

Have you ever received a business card with a phone number crossed out in black marker with another phone number written in ink next to it? All that says is "I'm too cheap to buy new cards." And that implies a business that isn't getting much business.

7. When handing your business card to someone, make sure there's an offer on the back of the card, and hand the card to the person with the backside up so the person will see your offer. This can be 10% off your services, a free consultation, or whatever offer you think is appropriate. Give someone a reason to call you.

Business cards can be one of the most important marketing tools you have. Give it the attention it deserves and you may be richly rewarded.

So...

How do you market to those potential clients that inquire about your services or products?

Is it the typical way?...

1) Receive inquiry for more information or freebie giveaway.

2) Send freebie giveaway or information.

3) Make a follow up call to try and sell your main product or service.

4) Put this inquiry into the "I'll get to it later" pile that you never get to again.

Does your marketing process seem similar to this? Maybe with only slight differences?

Your losing business left and right. And if your excuse is "I can't afford to do it the right way"...

Then the money will run out and you will be out of business, period.

If you actually will see marketing as an investment with a return on that investment after being properly tested...then read on.

In today's business climate, you need "front of mind awareness" to remain competitive. In other words, you have to be the first person or business that a client thinks about when they finally reach the decision to purchase your product or service.

When your marketing process is at an advanced level, you will be the only person on that client's mind when they reach a decision.

So let's take this one step at a time and at least be the first person on the mind...shall we?

Here is the way the process could work for less than $2.00 per client after the initial inquiry:

1) Receive inquiry for more information or freebie giveaway.

2) Send information or giveaway to potential client.

3) Follow up with a phone call to ensure they received the information or giveaway. Perhaps this could lead to a sale. But for those that don't sell...

4) Send letter number 1 asking for their business. In letter number one, offer a compelling bonus or reason for acting on the first letter. For those that don't sell...

5) Send letter number 2 asking for their business about a week from the first letter being received. In letter number two, offer a compelling bonus or reason for acting on this letter. For those that don't sell...

6) Send letter number 3 asking for their business about two weeks from the second letter being received. In letter number three, offer a compelling bonus or reason for acting on this letter. For those that don't sell...

7) Send letter number 4 asking for their business about two weeks from the third letter being received. In letter number four, offer a compelling bonus or reason for acting on this letter. For those that don't sell...

8) Send letter number 5 asking for their business about a week after the fourth is delivered. In letter number five, offer a compelling bonus or reason for acting on the final letter. Use a big close to this letter...with all the benefits and such of the product or service clearly stated and why they need to act now.

9) One final phone call for one last effort with this product or service to offer.

For those that don't sell...don't throw them away. Big mistake. Do you have an alternative, or lesser priced product to sell? Now is the time. But perhaps allow 30 - 60 days and start a mini marketing process for that list.

This is a general, simple, and low-cost process for re - marketing to your inquiries. It takes 5 - 7 contacts before the typical client will consider your offer. Five letters cost about $2.00 to mail, and I guess if you factor in an envelope and the paper, your at $2.25 per inquiry plus phone time. You cannot get much better than that.

Keep the envelope very simple, trying to avoid the "commercial mail" look. The letter is simple, at least use "Dear Friend" as a greeting...but personalizing the letter is even better and will increase response.

The first few sentences of the letter are all you have to capture the attention of your reader. Once they start reading your letter though...you will need to keep "feeding" compelling reasons to continue reading it.

Then, ask for the order with a focused call to action. The more focused and simple you make it for someone to order, the higher your response rate will be.

But you must mail a minimum of 4 letters to make this work for you. Obviously, there are other variables involved...but just using the multiple contact method alone will increase sales.

There is more to making a purchase than just making the purchase itself. All consumers go through several decision steps when making any kind of purchase, whether large or small. This chart outlines the state of mind of the consumer from unawareness of the offering all the way down to when consumers become strong advocates for the offering (word of mouth). It also shows how marketing and advertising can significantly influence the decision making process, and what media are appropriate for each stage. UNK/UNKs: Awareness advertising to those "Unkown/Unknowns who do not yet know they have a need.

Need Awareness: Awareness/case making advertising to place advertiser "top of mind", mind share building.

Need Assessment: Benefits oriented advertising to shift need solution toward advertisers offering

Data Collection: Benefits oriented, educational advertising, informational and comparison print collateral such as brochures, fliers, direct mail.

Data Evaluation: Information and comparison print brochures, spec sheets, fliers direct mail.

Decision to Purchase: Sales or price point oriented advertising, direct mail, point-of-purchase, incentive materials and ads.

Actual Purchase: Point of sale materials, posters, Add-on offers, up selling incentives help here.

Buyers Remorse: Awareness advertising again, customer service, follow up, direct mail

Tryers: Direct Mail, awareness advertising, "word of mouth". Educational supportive ads that remind value proposition.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


@ Copyright 2007. Tim Kenney Marketing, www.tkm2.com

One of the best compliments related to networking that I ever received was when a highly respected chief executive introduced me to speak as "The Networkers' Networker." Networking is a very powerful marketing tool and one that can be very positive and valuable if done properly and very costly if done improperly or not at all. In thinking about what tips to share with you, I decided to think back over my own personal experiences and what has worked well for me and my
clients. What I have developed is called my MVP (Most Valuable Professional) Networking Tips. Here they are.

MVP NETWORKING TIPS

1. Always develop a plan that has a strategy and clear goals.

2. Always carry plenty of business cards with you at all times.

3. Prepare and practice a great 10 second introduction.

4. Prepare and practice a 30 second advertisement as a follow-up to your introduction. Brand yourself!

5. Be yourself and be genuine. And always remember your manners.

6. Ask "Who do you know?"

7. Listen and hear what people are saying to you. Engage in quality conversations. Take notes on the back of business cards you receive.

8. Always offer something first to help others when networking. Then take something second to help you or your clients.

9. Build relationships and find ways to connect your contacts with your network.

10. Follow up! Keep in touch by calling, emailing, writing, etc. And send handwritten notes and thank yous to really stand out and differentiate yourself from others.

Do you believe you could be a more effective networker? Do you believe you could benefit by using the MVP networking tips?

What makes a business system so powerful is it's ability to be easily duplicated.

It's probably been written a thousand times before, but McDonald's, despite your love or dislike for their food, is recognised throughout the business world for their powerful business marketing system.

How else would a company like McDonald's (which is predominantly operated by 16 year olds and for which also owns a phenomenal amount of retail real estate across the globe) become to be as successful as McDonald's has become, if it did not have an almost perfectly synchronised business system. Well, the simple answer is, without it's system, it would not have lasted at all.

Companies like McDonald's realise that "companies come and go" – and they also realise that they have their fair share of competition as far as its product base is concerned.

However, where McDonald's has somewhat of an advantage over many (if not most) fast food chains lies in the company's precision and overall concentration on continually developing its business system – therefore making duplication even easier. This of course creates more production, profits and importantly - better ways to develop.

For many network marketers their businesses often run into trouble when they are operating a business or program that is simply too difficult for the majority of their prospects to duplicate – this often causes attrition and ultimately a decline in sales and overall progress.

A common problem is the lack of training and support provided by the company, which often leaves its members feeling slightly despondent and unenthusiastic.

Another major problem is that many folk struggle to keep up with the running costs of operating a business. This leads to many losing or running out of money as the overall sales profits merely meet the cost of running the business. A lot of people often go broke and quit as result.

In order to curb this problem, one of the best business operating systems that can be applied to a network marketers primary program… is a funded proposal.

A funded proposal is a low cost entry opportunity that creates a regular supply of leads and ultimately a regular short term income stream to help cover the operation costs such as advertising.

It's not particularly important to derive a hearty profit through the front end with these low cost entry sales but to at least bring your business's "incoming/out going" costs to a break-even point.

From here it is simply a matter of offering your prospect, or customer, additional products for which will add value to his or her initial purchase. Obviously profits made from the overall sale… you get to keep, because all running costs (advertising etc) were covered in the prospects original purchase.

It's easy to see why McDonald's accompany nearly all their burgers with fries and a soft drink. It's also not difficult to see how by using a funded proposal system the business operator is ultimately providing him or herself with a residual and reliable income stream – not to mention a regular supply of prospects.

For more information on incorporating a funded proposal to your primary business please feel free to visit: www.123StepsToCashFlow.com

Alternately you can contact carl@carlkuerschner.com or call +61 423313706

When I watched John Stossell's show on the comparison between Michael Jordan's Air Jordan sneaker line and Stephon Marbury's Starbury line, I quickly realized that greed in America is becoming more and more the rule rather than the exception. To wit, the shoe experts cut open the two brands of sneakers and found that there were no essential differences—only price. That Marbury can sell his shoes for $15 while Jordan sells his for up to $175-200 per pair only shows that marketing hype is big business and that some people are just never satisfied in ripping off the public.

The show piqued me in particular because both of my sons are big fans of Jordan's sneakers and avid collectors. Both my boys work and buy most of their pairs but I can honestly say that I would rather see them putting that money away for other things. But you try and convince them of that. Personally, I like the sneakers and think they are quite handsome in their design; however, $150 and better a pair, when they probably could be sold at a fraction of the cost! How much money do some profiteers have to make? And when you think of the poor kids in the ghetto who are pressuring their parents into buying them a pair, you see the injustice in all this.

Moreover, this topic tends to further divide the social classes by highlighting the differences between the "haves" and "have-nots." For the kids living in suburban America, whose fathers earn six and seven-figure incomes, a twenty- to thirty-thousand dollar yearly clothes budget, including a substantial allowance for Air Jordan sneakers does not amount to a hill of beans. But for the kid whose parents live on thirty thousand dollars a year or less, a purchase of such sneakers could be a back-breaker.

Now I don't want to hear the part about, "Well, this has been the case throughout history and if poor people want more than they should work harder or strive more to get their desires." You and I both know that the situation is a lot more complicated than that. The point of this article is that life is challenging enough, particularly in the new millenium. Raising kids today (see some of my other articles on these topics) is going to be one of the hardest things a new parent will do (not that raising kids was ever easy). But given the paradigm shifts in economies, social mores, respect issues among teens, and the like, having marketers, like those pushing the Air Jordan sneakers, lurking about certainly will not make things any easier. (And by the way, these marketers know exactly what they're doing. If you thought they didn't then you really need to think again.)

Because Marbury came from a background in which he could not always get the sneakers he wanted, he is showing great compassion and understanding in creating this line of shoes. Moreover, he stands to make a handsome profit at it should this line really take off. He is doing a great service to kids and parents alike, particularly the ones who aren't swimming in Benjamin-imprinted C-notes. Now this is something we can all live with. That's why I say, take a bow Stephon Marbury and boo Michael Jordan.

See more on Joe's prolific writings at his Christian math site Math by Joe