We do it in order to make sure that your customers take the time to come in and visit. In many cases its like inviting friends or family over (but hopefully your customers will leave some dollars behind, unlike Aunt Ethel). So you place ads in the Yellow Pages, start a website, place ads in the local papers and even hit the Pennysaver a few times a year. Does it help? Sometimes. Assuming the right offer is attached or that you have the certain thing that the customer is looking for, but why doesn't it work more often? Why is it that most direct mail campaigns work with the expectation that 1.5-2% return is exceptional? What does work?
Exceptional = Exceptional.
As we "invite" these people into our shops, we treat them with a reverence that is usually reserved for a first date situation, customer service always comes first, and it should, but just because we keep our shelves clean, greet everyone at the door and always say "thank you" and "come again", doesn't mean that they are going to magically walk through the door or even know you are there. So an exceptional storefront with a marvelous location is not always a guaranteed success, but a exceptional marketing campaign will lead to exceptional results and get those customers through your door, time and time again.
Now entering the 21st century.
Ads in their traditional forms should not only be considered as part of your advertising arsenal, but used again and again. You know (better than anyone) what works best for you, but with all of the online ads (banner ads, strips, inserts, flyers, blogs, etc) and the increased use of websites to promote goods and services, it is only natural that the web would present marketing opportunities that go way beyond that of print, radio or television. There are several online video file sharing sites where you can post a video message for free (YouTube, MySpace, Google, Yahoo, etc), so why aren't you using them to help you market your business to your customer base? You can grab a camcorder and make a video podcast and link it to your website, or use still pictures, music and graphics and narrate a slideshow on your website.
A Low Cost Solution
A Low Cost Solution
So here is the deal. I make films and professionally produced commercial projects, marketing spots and presentation pieces, and have for the past few years...that said - I have created a low cost solution so small and medium size business owners can add a solid video marketing piece to their websites and use them to help promote new business, without having to pay the standard one to two thousand dollars per finished minute (yes, normally a 5 minute marketing spot can run anywhere from 5 - 10 thousand or more). So if you are interested in learning more about that project, shoot me an email and I will be happy to send over additional info, but for now I will continue to give out tried and true tips for marketing your business, promotional ideas and sharing some of the past twenty years of sales and marketing experience....
...can't wait to tell you my story.
