Pop Quiz Facts About Small Business Marketing How to Get Top-Dollar Marketing Results Without Spending a Fortune How to Get Top-Dollar Marketing Results Without Spending a Fortune PRESENTED BY: ISA Seminar #19 April 21, 2016 Orlando, FL Vince DiCecco Your Personal Business Trainer What is Marketing Really? A Practical Definition Marketing is a planned attempt to get customers and prospects commitment and loyalty not just compliance to do business with your company. 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 1
Keys to Successful Marketing Brand Strategy Profile Connections Execution What s Your Marketing IQ? Do you consistently Ask new contacts, How did you hear about us? and record and analyze their responses? Make it a point to get feedback from first-time customers and invite them to add their name and contact info to your database Ask, Why did you choose to do business with us today? and record their responses Conduct Voice of the Customer surveys Secret Formula of Marketing The Right MESSAGE directed at The Right TARGET using The Right VEHICLE IN THAT ORDER (Ready, Aim, Fire) Establish Your UVP* *Unique Value Proposition TM It s more than just doing the usual things better than everyone else Often, the concept is conceived from outside of your industry / market Contains three critical components It overtly addresses, benefits and satisfies the STRONGEST unmet needs of your ideal customers It has strong and instant CREDIBILITY in the eyes of your customers It s unique, INNOVATIVE, new, something your competition can t come close to offering / doing 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 2
Unique Value Proposition TM What s Yours? PRICE: the amount of money that is exchanged for goods and services QUALITY: meeting customer's expectations or conformance to standards / requirements SALESMANSHIP: your image, reputation, sales pitch or simply how the customer was treated by EACH of the seller's employees before the sale SERVICE: after-the-purchase support, training, or warranty honored, return policy, etc. DELIVERY: on time, every time; just-in-time INNOVATION: creativity, one-of-a-kind, custom-made CONVENIENCE: how easy it is for your customers to do business with you (e.g. locations, hours, communications, etc.) Do You Have a Marketing Plan? Should Shouldn t Only be 2 6 pages long Be a doctoral thesis Be written in plain language Contain terms unfamiliar to all Updated annually Only be the ideas of the Address all Seven Ps business owner Be referred to Only cover one aspect of Mktg. Often When major decisions are made When new marketing vehicles are considered Be filed away and ignored Try This Sign in Your Shop Pick two. But you sacrifice the third The Seven Ps of Marketing Product: data sheets, life-cycle Price: dates for adjustments, target GMs Promotions: launches, direct response campaigns, sales Placement: channels of distrib. Physical Evidence: testimonials, brag book Process: how you will execute the plan People: new hires, training 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 3
Stay in Touch with Marketplace Conduct simple market research with Survey Monkey (surveymonkey.com) With Survey Methods (surveymethods.com) Subscribe to magazines in the industry (e.g. Printwear, Sign & Digital Graphics, Awards & Engraving) Know with whom you are competing & what they do Network locally at Chamber and Business Association events; become a committee member Social media polling questions; news feed posts Always remember It s not about you. It s about THE CUSTOMER Testimonials and Word of Mouth Referrals Most frequently mentioned Framed letters in surveys Portfolio of Fame Ideal frequency : every 6 months Scrapbook of photos of satisfied customers Plan to solicit during slow Third Party coupons on months or before busy business cards ones Thank you phone calls What s My (Tag)Line? Tricks to Composing a Great Marketing Slogan ALLITERATION: Jaguar s Don t dream it. Drive it. COINED WORDS: General Electric s Ecomagination RHYMES: Don t just book it. Thomas Cook it. CLEVER PUNS: Moss Security s Alarmed? You should be. Weed like to get to mow you HIGH RECALL VALUE: Budweiser s This Bud s for you. USE Your or You : We deliver your crap in a snap. HUMOROUS but tasteful: Our business stinks, but it s picking up Shoot for four to eight words, but realize that one or two word taglines may be too short to convey a message accurately Your Irresistible Offer Only three seconds to capture their attention It s an identity-building offer too good to pass up Three essential elements High ROI A Touchstone: clear, simple, brief, immediate Believability Three Steps in The Great Formula Create the Irresistible Offer Present it to a thirsty crowd Sell them a second glass 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 4
Describing Your Best B2B Clients Annualized Sales Volume and Avg. GM Number of Employees Credit Rating (solvency) Their Internet Presence Position in the Market $ Value to You Buying Authority Product(s) Used Type of Business Years in Business 5-Year Projected Picture (future) Trade Affiliations Ownership of Property, Buildings / Real Estate Know Your Customer Mackay 66-Question Profile Detailed Information about: The Company The Decision Maker Personal Background and Education Family Business Background and Career Goals Reputation and Relationships in the Industry Special Interests and Lifestyle The Relationship between Customer and You Describing Decision Makers Age (B-day) Gender Family Status Home Ownership Car Ownership Major Purchase Behavior Education/Major Credit Card Use Income Level (Career Goals) Political Affiliation Trade Association Lifestyle Traits, Hobbies Personal / Professional Needs Their Social Media Practices Typical Promotion Vehicles Word of Mouth Referral Yellow Pages Direct Mail Val Pak / Money Mailer Newspaper Ads Trade Shows Open Houses Billboards Vehicle Signs Radio Spots/Cable TV Ads Internet Web Page Internet Cyber-Coupons Church Bulletins School Newsletters Professional / Civic Organizations Business Networking (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook) Press Releases 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 5
7 Habits of Highly Effective Social Networkers They listen first They give more than they expect to get They promote others They mix it up They are interactive They are Goldilocks Tweeters /Post-ers They never flame other users Would you hire this sales rep? Can cover a very large geographic area Can be hired at minimal cost Is financially troubled Has been poorly managed in the past Works inefficiently Considered somewhat unreliable What Not To Do Don t throw all of your marketing resources into Social Media Don t practice FIRE, Ready, Aim Don t forget to calculate ROI Don t forget sometimes More is Less Less is More Failing to plan is a plan for failure Employ Direct Response Marketing Components of an Effective Campaign Get the message opened / seen / read Be creative Be remarkable; memorable Be consistent Be authentic Tell your story to people inclined to believe it. Live your story. 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 6
Employ Direct Response Marketing Components of an Effective Ad Clear, telegraphic STORYLINE Good VALUE / NEED Satisfied OFFER includes something special LOGICAL REASON for the offer today Create a sense of URGENCY to act Understandable DIRECTIONS to action Re-emphasis of your UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION Recommended Reading All Marketers Are Liars Tell Stories Seth Godin How to Make Big Money in Your Own Small Business Jeffrey Fox Little Black Book of Connections Jeffrey Gitomer The Irresistible Offer Mark Joyner Social Boom! How to Master Business Social Media Jeffrey Gitomer The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Malcolm Gladwell Words of Wisdom Thank you for attending! You need to identify and develop your own company s Unique Value Proposition Have as many testimonials from other customers ready at hand Strategically invest your time and money marketing only to those people that you ve identified as most likely to respond favorably to your product, service, or business Take advantage of taglines, social media and other low-cost, high impact marketing Invest at least 20% of marketing time to lead generation 2016 Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc. 7