Top 5 Tips
For Designing
Marketing That Gets Results
”But this won't work” said Steve. “I’ve tried it in the past and had
no response.” Does this sound familiar? My newer clients often
resist implementing certain strategies based on past experiences.
However, I usually find out that it wasn’t the strategy itself – but how
it was implemented that caused the dismal results.
So whether you are
designing a simple flier or developing a plan for a strategic
partnership you can increase your chances for success by following these
five tips.
1. Develop Your Marketing
For Your Potential Clients – Not Yourself.
What looks good to you
may not necessarily be appealing to your audience. It’s OK to ask your
friends and associates for feedback – but their comments are only
relevant if they are members of your target market. Also – just because
everyone else advertises in a certain way is not a proof that it works.
2. Provide Answers To
These Three Critical Marketing Questions:
-
QUESTION 1: What's
this about?
Check that your materials immediately and clearly communicate what you offer,
who it’s for and what’s the next step you are asking them to take.
-
QUESTION 2: What's in
it for me?
Don’t make your audience guess about what’s in it for them by leaving this
information out or hiding it in the small print at the bottom.
Use clear language free of industry jargon. Describe your offering not from the
perspective of what you do but in terms of what the clients will receive and how
they will be better off as a result of it.
-
QUESTION 3: Why should
I listen to you?
How will you establish credibility with your audience? Include your photo and
prominently display your contact info. Present case studies, statistics,
endorsements, testimonies from satisfied clients. If people don’t believe you
they will not respond to your offer.
3. Always follow the
proven A.I.D.A. format.
-
ATTENTION - Use a
powerful headline that grabs attention. Don’t try to be cute, don’t expect that
your prospects will take the time look for a deeper meaning in your clever
slogans – they won’t. So be as direct and to the point as you possibly can. If
you can boil the essence of the benefits you are offering to just one short
sentence what would it be? That’s you headline!
-
INTEREST - Now
that you have their attention you must quickly build your prospects interest.
Use subtitles, questions and short stories to illustrate and communicate how
well you understand their needs. This is a good place to allow your audience to
connect with the pain their problems are causing them.
-
DESIRE - Technical
descriptions and numbers provide information but don’t incite action. Your
marketing must arouse in your prospects the emotion of desire. Show your
audience how a solution is available and achievable to them through doing
business with you. Offer powerful performance promise and eliminate the risk of
giving you a “try” by a strong guarantee.
-
ACTION - Without
this part your marketing is like a salesman who gives a great presentation but
forgets to ask for the order. Give your prospects a compelling reason to take
action. Make your offer so incredibly irresistible they simply cannot refuse!
4. Follow up, Follow Up,
Follow Up…
Over 80% of all sales are
made after the prospect has heard from you at least seven times. Yet a
typical business person gives up after just one or two follow up
contacts.
Plan your follow-up steps
in advance. Use a combination of mail, email, telephone and personal
visits as your follow-up strategy. At each opportunity provide your
potential clients with value – this way they will forgive you the
intrusion.
5. Develop a System
Most entrepreneurs and
professionals waste their time and money on one-shot, fragmented
promotional tactics. They practice “hit and miss” marketing system; they
try a strategy and abandon it before it has a chance to produce any
results.
Instead of developing new
marketing strategies look for ways to improve the ones your are
currently using. When you find a promotional strategy that works for you
build a system around it so that you can consistently implement it over
and over again.
Following these tips will
make all the difference in the world between struggling to get clients
and becoming wildly successfully in marketing your services. They are
worth investing your best efforts and getting the support you need to
implement them effectively.
(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Urbanski, the Marketing Mentor, helps Independent Service
Professionals and Small Business Owners attract more clients. For more
promotional tips and a FREE 32-page marketing guide go to
http://www.themarketingmentors.com
NOTE:
Are you looking for fresh content for your ezine or web site? Feel free to reprint this article as long as it's kept intact and unaltered
(including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your
reprint to
adam@themarketingmentors.com
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