Why Do Direct Marketing?

A business will never work out if marketing will not be included in your prospect. It is just too tough to go on with the flow of the business without employing direct marketing. Not all trades flourish because costumers come to you.

There are times when you will be the one to go after these customers. Now if you are dead serious with earning profit and making your commerce work out, you will be geared towards direct marketing.

It is important that you gather your leads and once you did this, ensure that you keep them in close touch. One form of direct marketing is via direct mail.

You can encourage prospect customers to avail of your service or your goods by mailing to them directly. If you are successful in convincing them then you can be rest assured that your trade will work out well.

Honestly, your earnings largely depend on the effort you concert. Through direct marketing, you can tell your potential customers what's in store for you.

Give them news regarding what are your new services or products which they may avail of. You may likewise offer them good deals so they can be more attracted to your offer. You may wave right into their faces the possibilities of great discounts, promotions, and other freebies. Direct marketing is nonetheless your avenue of letting your customer become aware of what you can offer them.

Direct marketing may take the forms of email or snail mail. However, as per efficiency is concerned, the snail mail works the better. Due to the outbreak of the spam messages, your email can just merge with them. Or potential customers may think that yours is just another spam email. There are times when the customer may miss the chance of checking his or her email so you lessen the opportunity of counting him into your leads.

As with the snail mail as form of direct marketing, the potential customer's attention will likely be piqued as he sees the letter from you. Email may be cheaper yet it is ineffective at times.

Through mailing as a form of direct marketing, you need to secure the exact postal address of the customer. As soon as you receive responses from that customer, remember not to tire out or bore him or her by sending out numerous forms to be filled out. He or she may not have enough time to deal with this and you risk losing them from your care.

You have to work out that your information gathering scheme must become a pleasurable experience rather than a chore assigned to him or her. Always top your mails with the promotional strategies regarding your business. After all, it is your primary goal. Highlight freebies and other wonderful opportunities that will prompt the reader to give you back a nice response. It is likewise a NO NO to ask very personal questions.

It is important that you make use of a friendly tone as you converse in your letter. You must not sound bossy or else you will not win the customer. Go for repetition.

Sending out only one mail may not prove successful. There are cases when the helpers misplace the mail so the supposed to be recipient fails to recognize the letter. Likewise, always request for return responses either through phone or mail. It pays off to include some free items in the envelope as this will trigger further interest from the customers.

Direct marketing has been proven effective through all ages. Much more, today's modern era calls for a strict direct marketing stratagem for you to be able to keep in touch with the businesses' fast paces.


About the Author

Daegan Smith Is And Expert Online Marketer

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10 Resourceful Ways to Recycle Digital Or Small-Ticket Products

Have your product sales slowed down

Do you want to give a new lease of life to one of your digital or small-ticket products

At home, Ive earned the title of Queen of the left-overs. Did you know that left-over spaghetti sauce can be recycled Add a bit of cumin and chilli, it becomes taco sauce; mixed with a bit of white sauce, you have a lasagna sauce; add a few vegies, wrap the lot in puff pastry and you get a pastie, etc.

Using the same principles, you can recycle a product and market it using a different mix: change your promotion, sell it elsewhere, use it to barter, bundle it with another product, etc.

Start recycling a product using one of the following strategies:

1 - Auction your product on eBay or another auction site. How much are customers prepared to pay for your product Use this strategy to research your market and to experiment with a new selling outlet. Who knows, people in their bidding frenzy may pay more than you ever imagined

2 - Reposition your product. Review your promotional and pricing strategies and give your product a new image. Change your sales letter including words and graphics, add testimonials, increase or lower the price, etc. Now sell your new product.

3 - Offer your product as a bonus with the purchase of another product. Sell the bundle as this months special, buy one get one free or value pack. The bonus should boost your sales especially if you point out the dollar value of the bonus e.g. valued at... and add a sense of urgency limited time offer till date.

4 - Give to get. Ask visitors on your website to complete a survey and reward their effort with a gift, your product. Provided your product is relevant to the type of information you are seeking, this should yield a list of qualified leads and supply you with new ideas to create products and boost your business.

5 - Sell your product as a promotional item. This is a strategy I have used very successfully. Ive bundled signed copies of my book from my first printing batch into packs of ten. Businesses bought them at volume discount price and gave them as gifts to their loyal customers.

6 - Increase your database by giving away your product for free as an incentive to join your mailing list. Your offer can be advertised for free on the online free stuff sites. When visitors are picking up their freebies, capture their email addresses and you will gain a valuable mailing list. Note: this database building strategy will only work with digital products or else you will be out of pocket if you have to pay shipping costs.

7 - Swap your product for things you need for your own business e.g. exchange your ebook for a software or another ebook. Your savings will make up for your profit loss. At a conference, I swapped my book for books from my colleagues.

8 - Organise an online contest and offer your product as the winning prize. This a cheap price to pay for free advertising for your product through online contest directories.

9 - Donate your product for an attendance or raffle prize at non-profit associations events. In return, the organisation usually promotes your business by giving you an advertising space on their website or promotional flyers.

10 - Approach businesses with complementary products and find out if they would be interested in bundling their product with yours. Build on each others equity and share promotional costs and profits.

Left-overs are delicious. Recycle your product for a new lease of life.


About the Author

Henriette Martel is a website strategist, author of

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Law Firm Marketing Strategies to Use after Securing the Client

Youve finally landed that highly sought after yet elusive client. Now you must give everything you have to keep them. It seems as though youve put forth all of the blood, sweat and tears you could muster just to get this opportunity. Now that you have secured this client, what law firm marketing strategies are you employing to keep them

Other successful firms have found ways to keep their premium clients. What are you doing to keep yours Once again, you may feel like banging your head against your desk; frustrated and fed up because its just one thing after another. You dont catch a break just because youve landed the client. Now you must figure out how to keep them.

Prepare to bleed more effort into serving your new conquest. The process to make the client happy has only begun. You know the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Following are some law firm marketing strategies that insure your clients remain in your focus and you must work hard to employ them.

Begin work on the case immediately. As soon as the client signs on, spend some time that day or the next working on the case. This is necessary to protect your clients best legal interests. It also shows their immediate need for legal help and that you genuinely care about them.

Send them some form of written communication within 48 hours of taking the case. It isnt enough to start working immediately on their case. You must also show that you are actively working on their case by mailing them a copy of everything you do. Consider time stamping everything so they will see you started on their case almost as soon as you landed it.

Send out a brief client survey within one week of landing the new client. This can be a great way to collect data on vital questions such as:

Why did they select your firm
Who else were they interviewing
What do they like best or least about working with you
How can you improve
How fast was your response time to their initial request
How did they find you
Do they know of anyone else who could use your services
Important dates birthdays, anniversaries, etc
Additional contact information

Its also a good idea to send out an additional client satisfaction survey when the case is completed. This allows you to gauge their overall satisfaction from start to finish once you have worked on the case.

Project the efforts you have put forth in order to satisfy the client. Give them regular updates on their case, even if it drags out over months or years. Keep the client in your mind at all times and let them know you are always working in their best interests. This shows you care and gives them a reason to appreciate your consistent efforts. Even when nothing is happening with their case, maintain regular contact with your client.

A very important attorney marketing plan is to ensure the client not only sees results, but knows how hard you have worked to obtain those results. Show your client all of the hard work you have put into their case. Even the smallest details or easiest motions you have put forth demonstrate that you care about your client. Show them that you have worked for them to the best of your abilities and did everything you could to serve them well.

If you want to keep your clients happy, begin using these simple law firm marketing strategies now. There are law firm marketing services available to assist you in putting these strategies to use in the most productive ways possible. Contact them and get it right. Dont bleed that last vein dry without a winning plan to make it worth your efforts.


About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute is the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms generate more and better referrals and create a 7 figure law practice. Over 6,000 attorneys have benefited from our proven Rainmaker Marketing System. Attorneys: claim your FREE legal marketing CD 7 Keys to a 7 Figure Law Practice at

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5 Law Firm Marketing Tips to Turn Prospects into Clients

Attorneys are famous for wasting their time following up on bad leads. These are prospects who are not a good fit or who are not likely to hire your law firm. Another big mistake lawyers make is targeting the wrong market, usually too large of a market. What percentage of the people you follow up with come to your office for an official interview And of those, how many actually sign on as clients

Successful law firm marketing includes determining which people and businesses are not currently interested in your service and which are just not good prospects. Remove these dead ends from your contact lists and dont waste your time trying to win them over.

You probably have a very low percentage of prospects turned clients. And with the limited hours in your day to get everything done, you simply cant afford to waste this kind of time These 5 simple steps will help you turn more prospects into clients. Incorporate these into your law firm marketing strategy and watch your conversion rate grow.

1. Separate Your Contacts from Your Prospects

Learn to identify people who are genuinely interested versus those who simply are not saying "no" out of politeness. Listen for the signals that distinguish a real prospect from someone who is simply price shopping or worse using you to obtain a lower fee from another lawyer.

Create a list of questions to disqualify contacts focusing on the criteria of "need, want, afford." Remove those contacts who dont meet these qualifications, and focus your energy on solid prospects.

2. Interview Your Qualified Prospects Directly.

Are you consistently talking directly to your prospects versus their gatekeepers and time-wasters and pitching them your services Whats your closing ratio What percentage of people come to the interview versus become clients Make sure you are speaking to the real decision-maker.

3. Strengthen Your presentation Skills

Improving your presentation skills will go a long way toward winning over new clients. Strengthen your phone skills and develop better phone scripts. Learn to recognize "buy questions." Be prepared to ask for the sale at the end of the presentation. Take a presentation skills seminar and focus on benefits and results more than services and features. Work harder at identifying your targets points of pain and using them clearly and consistently to demonstrate the value of your services. Become more fluent at speaking their language. Develop a list of critical questions to ask prospects you present to. Dont talk as much: listen more.

4. Give Prospects a Call to Action

After an interview, do you actually ask your prospect to commit to the sale How soon do you follow up with people after the interview What do you send them to encourage them to buy from you versus the competitor and buy from you now versus waiting

Make sure each prospect receives one clear call to action. Make it easy for them to follow. Ask for their business

5. Follow Up After Your Presentation

Follow up with a thank you letter or e-mail within 24 hours of the interview. Be sure to end every interview with action steps e.g., what each party agrees to do as next steps and when they will do it by. If you agree to do something, be sure to do it before the deadline. This may be a way they are testing you to see if you will respond to their needs. If you are a business lawyer, have a process for writing successful proposals. Immediately set a reminder to yourself to contact the hot prospect in a timely manner.

Add these five simple steps into your law firm marketing plan now. Youll see


About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute is the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms generate more and better referrals and create a 7 figure law practice. Over 6,000 attorneys have benefited from our proven Rainmaker Marketing System. Attorneys: claim your FREE legal marketing CD 7 Keys to a 7 Figure Law Practice at

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Make Money Online - How Hype Can Ruin Your Business

Making Money Online is a viable, stable and respectable business.

affiliate marketing for example, is where millions of companies on the Internet pay a performance-based commission if you can drive sales to their websites by promoting their products and services. An affiliate is able to make money online by being a middleman between online surfers and merchant products. By referring consumers with the products they are looking for, the affiliate gets a commission for every sale from the merchant through an Affiliate Program.

There is a lot of hype and dishonest claims out there about making money online. Basically, if something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Mostly these claims are tactics to get people to buy some product or over priced e-book. Unfortunately these tactics often shed a dark light on this business and the fact that it is a viable, honest and good way to make money online and work at home for yourself.

Learning the truth about affiliate marketing, and the correct tools and techniques to develop this business is crucial to success. Dont fall for the hype

Hype and Fact of Making Money Online with Affiliate Marketing:

Hype: "Get rich overnight" "Make Millions Entering Data" "Make 1,000 by Tonight"
Fact: Affiliate Marketing provides endless opportunities to make money online and the freedom of having your own home business BUT it takes a lot of hard work, correct knowledge, dedication, commitment and patience for success. These moronic slogans are just hooks to sell you some more hype, dont fall for it

Hype: Making Money Online with Affiliate Marketing is easy.
Fact: It is basically simple, but it is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, commitment and patience. The key to success is learning the correct tools and techniques and consistently applying them.

Hype: You have to buy an expensive e-book or course to learn the business of Affiliate Marketing and to Make Money Online.
Fact: There is a ton of free information about the how-tos of affiliate marketing and making money online.

Hype: Affiliate Marketing requires a lot of money in start-up costs.
Fact: In fact, affiliate marketing is special because you can start a home-business with next to nothing in start-up costs, all that is required is a computer, an Internet connection, knowledge of correct tools and techniques, a willingness to work hard, and of course the desire to make money.

Hype: The Internet is too competitive and the opportunities to make money online are no longer available.
Fact: In fact, there are countless viable opportunities within affiliate marketing, and while certain market areas are quite competitive there are thousands that are still wide open. Everyday there are millions of new users joining the Web and there are plenty of untapped niches/markets available where money is waiting to be earned. The key is learning the correct research techniques.

Hype: I have to quit my day job to make money online and to build an affiliate marketing business.
Fact: Many affiliates work around their day jobs, this can be a challenge, but those that really want it do succeed. You can develop this business on your own time and work around your jobs and families with the end goal of course of telling your boss goodbye once your business becomes successful

Dont let dishonest hype and schemes ruin your success in making money online. Honest, techniques, tools and guides are the keys to making money online.


About the Author

Read a FREE, complete, step-by-step guide to building an affiliate marketing website at:

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Preparing For A Book Signing

An author signs a copy of his book as a part of the book promotion termed as book signing. Book signing has become a major event as it gives the buyer an opportunity to meet the author. All the best selling authors understand the importance of this event and make the best of book signing.

If the book signing is such an important event in book promotion, it definitely pays to attach more creativity, thought and planning to make it a more impressive, innovative, and effective presentation. Let us see how this can be achieved.

The Perfect Setting

Typically, book signing sessions are held at bookstores. However, think about the venue that will be most suitable for the subject of the book. The very atmosphere and venue could make the audience more appreciative, and receptive to the book, making them more inclined to buy the book. The book signing of a book on nature, or gardening, if organized in an open air garden setting, is likely to receive a more fruitful response than in a formal hall or store setting.

Think about a book that is an autobiography or biography of an author or poet. How about planning the book signing session in a bookstore itself, with posters and banners of the book displayed in an attractive manner It will definitely create more interest in the illustration of the subject itself, thus resulting in a great response in the form of more copies sold at book signing. You can think of such innovative ideas to plan the book signing session in a more appropriate setting.

The right focus

Remember, the author is the star of a book signing session. It will be the author, who will be in the public eye, who will persuade them into buying the book. Make the right impression; engage the audience in the theme with interaction and exchanges on the subject of the book, convincing them to buy a copy of the book. The authors performance should be effective enough to generate an interest, prompting the customer to buy a copy of the book immediately, to grab the opportunity of the brief encounter with the author that a book signing event provides.

Remember, it is a part of the book promotion process

Book signing is a part of the long process of book promotion. It provides the author an opportunity to interact with potential buyers. An author must realize the importance of promoting the services of a bookstore, in order to create an affinity between the buyers and the bookstore. Like the book, if the bookstore is highlighted, more people will visit it and the bookstore staff will ensure the best service to sell the book.

The bookstore sales people interact with the customer on a daily basis, thus creating a kind of bond, and acting as a guide while selecting a book. Therefore, using a book signing session to make a bond with the bookstore people helps ensure still greater residual sales over a period of time. All these things need to be considered while participating in a book signing session.

Book signing is an event that brings together the author and the book loving and buying public. It is important, therefore, to make the most of it by taking care of all the different factors involved for the effective marketing of the book.


About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about books. When shopping for books, we recommend you shop only at the best bookstores for

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6 Keys to Creating a Strategic Law Firm Marketing Plan

Are you sitting back comfortably in your cushy leather chair because you just landed a dream client Fantastic Congratulations Just realize that this is one client and that wont keep your business afloat. You still need several good repeat clients in order to stay in business. You must get out there and find them, but how Not only that but how much time, money and other resources is it going to take to get it done The last thing you want to do is lose momentum now that you are on the move.

While its wise to always be thinking ahead to what your next move will be, there is no reason to cloud up and rain on your good fortune of today. Enjoy your victory and know that tomorrow will be taken care of with the right preparation. There is a simple way to insure that you have new clients next week, next month and even next year. An excellent way to do this is by developing a working law firm marketing plan. Determine your next step and where you intend to be a month from now.

The whole process will probably take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, from start to finish. This depends on time availability and how much energy you have already put into thinking about all of the pertinent issues. Much of this time will be spent researching and rethinking your original plans and ideas.

There are many ways to write a marketing or business plan, some of which are more helpful than others. Here are six of the critical components you need to create a solid law firm marketing plan.

Executive Summary and company Overview

This will be a one page overview of your marketing plan. It will also be a complete overview of your entire law firm designed so that a person totally unfamiliar with your business can easily and quickly know exactly:

What is your company mission statement

What are your company goals and objectives

What are your law firms marketing strategies

What services are you offering

Who is your target market

How can you solve their problem

Services and Products

This is what your law firm will offer to your prospective clients. Describe which services you will offer and to whom you will offer them. Explain why you are offering that particular service to that specific market. Be clear about which services you are offering to which markets. Create a very detailed list of all of the benefits your services will provide.

Target Market

Who will buy your products or services This is probably the most important section of your marketing plan. You can have the highest quality service and the least expensive product with the most features. But, if you cannot clearly identify who your ideal target market is, you will never build a successful law firm. It is very important that you avoid the two most common mistakes when determining who your target market is. These mistakes are targeting a market that is too big and targeting the wrong market.

SWOT Analysis

Identify your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Look at your business venture as objectively as possible to determine what strengths you have and what weaknesses you need to be aware of. You also need to determine what opportunities you need to explore and identify any potential threats to your plan.

Positioning, Competitive Advantage and Unique Selling Proposition

Why should people pay for your services What skills, abilities and experience can you offer that they cannot receive elsewhere List every unique point you can offer your clients. This is what will sell them on hiring you over your competition.

Your Biography

What are your credentials Why are you able to build this specific business This is where you focus on making yourself and your law firm look as fantastic and wonderful as you possibly can. Brag and make yourself look like the only logical choice for an attorney. Then brag some more. A word of caution: make sure you are as good as you claim or your clients will see right through your facade in no time at all.

A few other very important factors should be outlined in your law firm marketing plan. Determine who your competition is. You must develop your law firm marketing strategies. Determine how people will be able to find you. Be sure they will develop a good and lasting memory of who you are and the image you portray.

Set a financial plan in motion. Before you can build your law practice you must be able to establish a plan of action for expected and unexpected expenses. You also need a contingency plan. If everything goes wrong and you have to start over, what is your back-up plan

Creating a successful law firm marketing plan is the first step toward a successful law practice. Have a written plan of action that you can set in motion and accomplish each task step-by-step until you have reached your goals.


About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute is the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms generate more and better referrals and create a 7 figure law practice. Over 6,000 attorneys have benefited from our proven Rainmaker Marketing System. Attorneys: claim your FREE legal marketing CD 7 Keys to a 7 Figure Law Practice at

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Broadcast Your Message with Self Promotional Products

Who needs self promotional products Anyone that is selling or promoting anything.

What most self-promoters need is a way to keep their name and contact info in front of their prospects or "suspects"; in short they need a message that keeps on messaging.

We all have received promotions in the mail, by visiting salesfolk or at trade shows. At most trade shows, some businesses even give out custom bags so attendees have a place to put all their promo stuff; a promo bag to hold all those promo handouts.

Why do businesses bother with promotional materials The simple reason is they work by spreading messages, themes and images and keeping those messages in front of those that have been targeted.

Lets say you are a plumber that gives out magnetic business cards so folks can stick them on their refrigerators. Most plumbers have their business name and contact info on their trucks.

A self promotional plumber may also have his magnetic business cards stuck on his truck with a sign "Please Take One".

Sure its a silly idea and you may laugh. But plumbers that use this strategy report they usually replace all their magnetic cards every day.

Magnetic cards are cheaper than mass media, almost as cheap as some standard business cards, and have a lot more staying power.

And it makes sense if you have ever needed a plumber.

The key is to look at your sales process and sales cycle and determine where promotional products can be leveraged to deliver your message. Most promotional product campaigns fail because they fail to focus first and foremost on the desired results.

Before purchasing your promotional products determine how and to whom you will deliver them. This will help you narrow down your choices for appropriate products.

"And dont forget to track your results so you can improve" adds Wilcox.

Not only is there an endless array of self promotional products but also a seemingly endless way to "package" or merchandise your self promotional messages.

Take promotional caps. There are caps of all colors and styles. Some can have custom logos embroidered with a 3-D effect and even messages printed on the edge of the bill.

Given the right strategy many people could be wearing your self promotional caps. Strategy is why it is important to think through your desired results first.

Self promoters are strategic, not reactive. For instance, farmers in the Salinas Valley give their farmworkers company logo caps at the end of the growing season.

The idea isnt that the farmworkers will return to Mexico for the winter and wear their caps everywhere spreading the company message; the cap logo is simply a promotional reminder of the farms name and where to go for work at the start of spring season.

Self promotional products can take many forms. There are pens, HiLiters, letter openers, staplers, badge holders and dog tags. There are memo pads, PDA holders, calculators, clocks, radios, mugs, coasters and water bottles.

You can try backpacks, tote bags, coolers, velour pouches, tape measures, knives and flash lights. And key chains, pill cases, first aid kits, luggage tags, combs, fans and pedometers.

And candles, shampoo, hand lotion, hand sanitizers, lip balm, sunscreen and bug repellant. And golf tees, balls, towels and totes. And more.

It is helpful to remember that not all promotional items need to be useful like calendars or pens. You can also try fun items like stress balls, yo-yos and piggy banks. My favorite are those clear balls that flash when bounced. Next to food and chocolate.

Food and candy are always popular. How about gum, mints, gourmet food, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, ice tea and bottled water. Customers, prospects and suspects love to eat and drink But then again, dont we all

And what if your promotional targets are chocolate lovers like many of us You can try chocolate wrapped in foil, coins, sports balls, squares, gift sets, bars, truffles or custom molds.

And of course the more traditional magnetic business cards, notepads, calendars and even custom business cards. Thats a lot to think about so where to begin

Start with your sales and promotional cycle and see where your customer and prospect "touchpoints" or points of contact are. Your messages desired result may be a phone call, an appointment or an e-mail inquiry.

Use your self-promotional products to leverage or "convert" to the next step toward your desired promotional results.

With focus and attention to results, self promotional products can add power and zip into your promotional campaigns.


About the Author

Jack Deal owns JD Deal Local Search marketing, Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, California 831-457-8806. Related articles, ideas, strategies, tactics and tips can be found at

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Market Segmentation Can Help You Grow, or Gain, Market Share

You dont need to buy market share, you need to learn how to earn market share. Market segmentation is one of the functions within the overall marketing plan that will help you earn your share of the market. By segmenting your market into more targeted buyers or groups of buyers you will be able to grow existing sales and build new sales; and grow them without cutting price. The goal for market segmentation is to target the most likely to buy and understand your target market enough to focus in on what it needs.

There are a number of different levels of market segmentation: mass marketing, segment marketing, niche marketing, local marketing, one-to-one or direct marketing - each level has different attributes.

In mass marketing, you produce one product that serves all markets and that can be produced in mass and distributed in mass. For example, paper clips, which can be mass produced, mass distributed and can serve all its markets business, financial, school, etc..

In segment marketing, your product can appeal to buyers in different groups or segments. These buyer segments have similar needs and wants. Segments are determined by assessing certain criteria. For example, product-usage patterns, demographics, psychographics, and geographics and more. The benefit of segment marketing over mass marketing is that you can narrow the product offering to specifically address the needs of the market segment you have defined as your primary, or secondary, or tertiary market. The other elements of marketing mix; price, promotion and distribution can also be more focused to deliver the needs of the market segment.

In niche marketing, you will narrow the market segments even further to find smaller markets that are less populated by competitors and that are under-served by others. To find your niche market, assess the market segment for similar needs and wants and divide the segment into smaller niches. To do well in niche marketing you must understand your customers extremely well and you must be able to understand their business, or their needs and wants well enough to provide solutions. Specializing in niche markets often results in higher costs not the economies of scale that you find in mass marketing, and even to some degree, in segment marketing, and also higher profits if customers recognize and accept the value your product brings.

In local marketing, you will focus on a local area or region to market your product. This does not mean that your product is not sold globally, it means that you focus on building marketing programs or tactics that address the local area needs and wants for your product. For example, shopping in Vancouver, British Columbia typically is at street level so storefront displays are large and dramatic; while shopping in Calgary, Alberta often happens inside malls because of weather conditions, resulting in smaller storefronts inside the mall and smaller scale displays.

One-to-one or direct marketing is the latest marketing segmentation strategy and it comes from a segmentation approach called individual marketing. One-to-one marketing is a segment of one, compared to a segment of many. Building your marketing concept is focused on how to identify the needs of one individual and how to target that one in your marketing plans. To be successful in direct marketing you must be able to either collect or acquire data on individual buyer behavior, habits, and attitudes many loyalty card programs collect that type of data. Computer technology has enabled this type of market segmentation.

To best identify your market segments, you will need to conduct research surveys, perhaps by using focus groups or other exploratory interview techniques; you will need to analyze the data you gather; and then you will need to develop a profile of each segment that you identify. Be aware that consumer and business market segmentations use somewhat different approaches to reflect the differences in consumer and business markets.

Once you have identified your market segments, you must evaluate and select the target marketing segment and approach best suited to your product, and to your business objectives, strategies and resources. Your small business growth objectives can be supported by a strong market segmentation approach.


About the Author

Kris Bovay owns Voice Marketing Inc, the business and marketing services company. Kris has worked for, and with, a range of small, medium and large businesses and has been able to help business owners focus on their challenges and improve their business results. For more business advice, visit

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• Law Firm Marketing Strategies to Use after Securing the Client

How To Stand Out At An Exhibition

Exhibition design has been a small part of the overall market until now where more businesses are showing up to exhibitions to advertise their products and services to the public that attend. Exhibition designers have to be able to design stands for a number of different events. They are conferences between businesses, public exhibitions such as the Chelsea Flower Show, industry exhibitions, for example a plumbers and builders convention. They are also able to set up stands for local businesses that want to advertise their products and expertise.

Exhibition designers need lots of practical skills to be able to create the many different stands that need to be built for each client as every business will have different needs to the next. These skills may include good design and drawing skills have a very good eye for colour and different shapes as each exhibition stand will be shaped differently and will have to grab the publics attention with in your face colour schemes and attractive combinations. They will also need good knowledge of computer based design programs where you can see the design in three dimensional formats very easily. Also, they need to be able to have a good interest in art and design due to the work being based all around creativity and design.

Communication is key within exhibition design because each business will have different needs and the designers will need to listen to the business to get the stand to their preferences. This means that all employees will need to have good communication skills and will need to be open to discussion and negotiation. Due to the complex nature of designing each individual stand most designers will let the business come and visit the stand before it is transported to the exhibitions to check that it is to their liking and there are no important pieces missing. This ensures that the business is 100 happy with the work and there are no mishaps.

Due to many different businesses attending an exhibition it is likely that you will find your direct competitors attending. This means you will need to make your stand and pitching much better than your competitors to ensure that you attract more attention towards your stand. This means that choosing the right style and colours for your stand is very important that will allow you to get a leg up on the competition. This is because attractive colour coordinations and bold styling will grab the attention of the people attending the exhibition and get them interested into the products or services you are advertising.

This is where the business and the exhibition designers will have to work together to produce the best stand possible. The business may also want some extras that may help to advertise the business. This may include TVs for videos of their products in action or running water for a plumbers stand for example. All of these little features are very important if the business wishes to attract attention and be successful at the exhibition.

The pitch is also very important and this is why the business will take its best employees at salesmanship and pitching as it will be the salesmans voice and discussion talk that may draw more attention to the stand. This means that sometimes the employees go on a training course that allows them to learn the tricks and skills needed to be able to deliver a good pitch and explanation.


About the Author

Exhibition expert Catherine Harvey looks at what makes an

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• Getting Inside Your Customers Heads
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Broadcast Your Message with Self Promotional Products

Who needs self promotional products Anyone that is selling or promoting anything.

What most self-promoters need is a way to keep their name and contact info in front of their prospects or "suspects"; in short they need a message that keeps on messaging.

We all have received promotions in the mail, by visiting salesfolk or at trade shows. At most trade shows, some businesses even give out custom bags so attendees have a place to put all their promo stuff; a promo bag to hold all those promo handouts.

Why do businesses bother with promotional materials The simple reason is they work by spreading messages, themes and images and keeping those messages in front of those that have been targeted.

Lets say you are a plumber that gives out magnetic business cards so folks can stick them on their refrigerators. Most plumbers have their business name and contact info on their trucks.

A self promotional plumber may also have his magnetic business cards stuck on his truck with a sign "Please Take One".

Sure its a silly idea and you may laugh. But plumbers that use this strategy report they usually replace all their magnetic cards every day.

Magnetic cards are cheaper than mass media, almost as cheap as some standard business cards, and have a lot more staying power.

And it makes sense if you have ever needed a plumber.

The key is to look at your sales process and sales cycle and determine where promotional products can be leveraged to deliver your message. Most promotional product campaigns fail because they fail to focus first and foremost on the desired results.

Before purchasing your promotional products determine how and to whom you will deliver them. This will help you narrow down your choices for appropriate products.

"And dont forget to track your results so you can improve" adds Wilcox.

Not only is there an endless array of self promotional products but also a seemingly endless way to "package" or merchandise your self promotional messages.

Take promotional caps. There are caps of all colors and styles. Some can have custom logos embroidered with a 3-D effect and even messages printed on the edge of the bill.

Given the right strategy many people could be wearing your self promotional caps. Strategy is why it is important to think through your desired results first.

Self promoters are strategic, not reactive. For instance, farmers in the Salinas Valley give their farmworkers company logo caps at the end of the growing season.

The idea isnt that the farmworkers will return to Mexico for the winter and wear their caps everywhere spreading the company message; the cap logo is simply a promotional reminder of the farms name and where to go for work at the start of spring season.

Self promotional products can take many forms. There are pens, HiLiters, letter openers, staplers, badge holders and dog tags. There are memo pads, PDA holders, calculators, clocks, radios, mugs, coasters and water bottles.

You can try backpacks, tote bags, coolers, velour pouches, tape measures, knives and flash lights. And key chains, pill cases, first aid kits, luggage tags, combs, fans and pedometers.

And candles, shampoo, hand lotion, hand sanitizers, lip balm, sunscreen and bug repellant. And golf tees, balls, towels and totes. And more.

It is helpful to remember that not all promotional items need to be useful like calendars or pens. You can also try fun items like stress balls, yo-yos and piggy banks. My favorite are those clear balls that flash when bounced. Next to food and chocolate.

Food and candy are always popular. How about gum, mints, gourmet food, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, ice tea and bottled water. Customers, prospects and suspects love to eat and drink But then again, dont we all

And what if your promotional targets are chocolate lovers like many of us You can try chocolate wrapped in foil, coins, sports balls, squares, gift sets, bars, truffles or custom molds.

And of course the more traditional magnetic business cards, notepads, calendars and even custom business cards. Thats a lot to think about so where to begin

Start with your sales and promotional cycle and see where your customer and prospect "touchpoints" or points of contact are. Your messages desired result may be a phone call, an appointment or an e-mail inquiry.

Use your self-promotional products to leverage or "convert" to the next step toward your desired promotional results.

With focus and attention to results, self promotional products can add power and zip into your promotional campaigns.


About the Author

Jack Deal owns JD Deal Local Search Marketing, Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, California 831-457-8806. Related articles, ideas, strategies, tactics and tips can be found at

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Providing What Attendees Want at Your Trade Show Exhibits

A trade show exhibit is a practical tool for expanding product recognition, brand awareness, and reaching new customers. In order for a business to capitalize on the investment and stand out from the masses of other trade show exhibits, it necessary to provide exactly what trade show attendees desire.

There are several things common in trade shows that will assist a business in deciding the main factors that drive people to and from a trade show exhibit. While coming up with a marketing plan for a trade show exhibit, businesses should jump into the shoes of the attendees instead of executing an exhibit that works only for the business. Trade shows are loud, huge, and even exhausting. It is not always easy for a trade show exhibit to get attention.

Keep Your Information Short and Snappy

The enormous scale of trade show exhibits often leads to data overload for trade show attendees. When only given a millisecond to make a point, producing visually attractive information that is short, snappy, and gets to the point can mean getting read versus getting tossed.

If an attendee reads your information, you are more likely to have a positive follow up reaction and may even turn that prospect into a customer.

Give Gifts and Prizes

Who doesn't love getting a prize? Giveaways are a wonderful way to drive attendees to your trade show exhibit. An enticing giveaway, which will lead attendees to want to learn more about your company, is usually something simple and considerate. For example, a sturdy canvas bag (with your business logo) is a helpful and considerate way for you to assist attendees in carrying around all of the information they collect during the trade show. A small, battery operated fan is a thoughtful gift for tired and hot attendees. A cute toy is a helpful gift for parents lugging around cranky children.

Make sure you brand your giveaway items with your business logo and contact information, especially your website. By branding your giveaways, you strengthen your brand, and you receive free advertising every time attendees use your giveaways.

Prizes always draw a good crowd. Prizes will generate a buzz of excitement and suspense around your trade show exhibit. The opportunity to win a great prize will drive attendees to you and will bring them back at the time of the prize drawing.

Prizes ultimately provide multiple contact opportunities with attendees, including before, during, and after the trade show. During these opportunities, businesses should include product or service selling points. For instance, an e-mail about the trade show exhibit prize before the show can also include information about the products or services showcase during the trade show.

offer Complimentary Food and Drinks

Trudging around a huge trade show, exhibit to exhibit, can make a person famished. Consider providing attendees with a small complimentary food or drink. Good examples include mini bottles of water or small bags of pretzels (including your logo, of course). Your welcome gift will produce good feelings and possibly even lead attendees to take a moment to stay at your trade show exhibit for a presentation.

Offer Seating

An often overlooked technique for attracting visitors to your trade show exhibit is to offer a place to sit down. It sounds too simple, but providing seating for tired attendees to rest a moment will attract people. Consider offering simple seating like small benches or office chairs, or go bigger and offer larger comfortable chairs or even extravagant sofas.

A seating area gives your booth sales staff a place to sit down and talk business. Having a spot to get away from the crowd for a business discussion with a prospect brings about a relaxed sale.


About the Author

Christine OKelly is an author for Jonathan Edelman, trade show marketing consultant. Jonathan is the founder of Ideas 4 Now, a trade show marketing company offering products such as the Blizzard of Dollars cash Cube money Machine for trade show booths. Edelman is also the founder of the premier trade show vendors directory Trade Show Vendors.com.

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The Importance of Marketing Mix and the 4 Key Mix Elements

The marketing mix section of your small business marketing plan concentrates on the tactics used to achieve the marketing and business plan. Those tactics can be categorized as the four Ps of marketing: product, price, promotion and placealso known as the distribution channel.

A common analogy used in describing marketing mix is relating the mix in marketing mix as being the ingredients in a recipe: you need to get the quantities of each element right or the result will not be what you need or expect.

Consider the following questions carefully when you build your marketing plan:

When developing your marketing tactics for the product, you must consider the features, advantages and benefits of the product. Define all the characteristics of your product. Define and rank which are most valuable to your target market Why are they valuable to your market Define what is unique about your product and why it has a competitive advantage something that is not easily duplicated. Consider conducting a marketing research survey to test your assumptions. You may be surprised to find out that what you thought was important to your market is not. Make sure you can address all these questions in your marketing plan.

Pricing your product sounds like a straightforward process but the reality is that it is a very complex process. At what stage in the life cycle is the product Product life cycle stages will influence price. Are you the high cost, high value provider Or the low cost, high volume provider Does your product have unique attributes that can not be easily duplicated Does your product have a competitive advantage not easily overcome Are you trying to buy your way into the market Be very careful with this buy-in strategy --it is often very challenging to move a low price up. Is this product a loss leader for your sales of another, more profitable product There are still more questions to consider when developing your price and you must analyze each answer carefully before determining the price for your product. Typically it is a good idea to plot your price attributes on a grid - you can visually see where you are on a grid and better assess if that is the right place to be.

Promotion includes a number of marketing communications tactics. Should you build a direct mail program is your product conducive to a printed description; do you have a good targeted mail list Can you market your product online Are traditional advertising methods print, radio, television the most appropriate What kind of budget do you have Does your product have a strong enough brand If not focus on building a stronger identity and brand. How can public relations efforts help you promote your product Can you successfully participate in trade shows and industry events to sell your product How will you craft your sales story: from sales letters to sales pitches Have you build measurements into each of your promotional vehicles Do you truly understand your market and your audience Recognize that you will need to use more than one of these tactics to launch a successful marketing campaign.

Place is how your product moves to market. What distribution channel will you use Will it be a business-to-business channel or a business-to-consumer channel Will you sell using your own sales staff, or will you outsource sales and use distributors or sales agents Can you sell your product online or must it be offline and in-person Is your market geography wide or narrow What are the implications of the answers to these questions on your marketing mix

When building and creating your marketing plan you must consider these elements of your marketing mix because they will have a significant impact positive if well planned and managed; negative if poorly planned and not managed on your products success or failure.

All small business owners go into business expecting success; not all plan for success. Ensure that your small business enjoys success by developing a strong strategic marketing plan that includes a comprehensive marketing mix.


About the Author

Kris Bovay owns Voice Marketing Inc, the business and marketing services company. Kris has worked for, and with, a range of small, medium and large businesses and has been able to help business owners focus on their challenges and improve their business results. Kris has a masters degree in business administration, with a specialty in marketing, operations, planning and strategy. For more business advice, visit

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