Hand Out Free Gifts.
If
you want guaranteed attention, offer a free gift. A free gift for a particular
amount or item of purchase. A free gift for responding to a direct-mail
solicitation. A free gift of a second item with the purchase of a first a more
tantalizing and successful version of the two-for-one sale. Also consider
handing out specialty gifts to prospects and customers: free pens, scratchpads,
mugs, T-shirts and other items printed with your company name, address, phone
number and business slogan. To explore the range of gifts available, consult
some of the "Advertising Specialties" firms listed in the Yellow
Pages. Ask the reps to suggest gifts that have been used successfully in your
industry and pay special attention to new, just-introduced items whose advanced
design or technology may appeal strongly to your customers.
2. Use Coupons As An Advertising Vehicle.
Coupons
offer a proven method of generating trial. Enclose them in invoices. Hand them
out at the cash register. Distribute them through your sales force. Include
them in a coupon pack prepared by a direct-mail advertising house. If you
decide to produce your own coupon, study samples around you to see how they're
written and designed to specify the product and trumpet the savings boldly and
unequivocally. If you give your coupon an expiration date, which you should do
to encourage prompt use, make sure it's conspicuous.
3. Build Awareness Through Sweepstakes or Contests.
Sweepstakes
and contests provide exciting ways to build awareness of your products,
services and company, as well as produce the goodwill that giveaways naturally
inspire. Whether entrants will win a free lunch at your restaurant or a free
week in Paris (perhaps co-sponsored by a local travel agent), you must check
the legalities with your lawyer before you start. Then plan out your promotion
step by step, from how customers will enter and how entries will be handled to
whether you'll award prizes below the grand-prize category. For example, will
everyone win something just for entering? Afterwards, generate publicity about
the winners and display photocopies of all resulting news stories at your
business.
4. Be Creative With Telephone-hold Marketing.
In
most businesses, callers will at some point be placed on hold. So play a
telephone-hold audiotape that, over background music, talks about your
products, services or even your company itself. Besides helping the time pass
faster, tapes can answer callers' questions and even inform them of products or
services they need but didn't know you provide. To find a company to produce
your telephone-hold tape, check the Yellow Pages under "Telecommunications-Telephone
Equipment, Services & Systems." Most firms provide everything you need
produced tape, hookups and phone equipment for a monthly fee.
5. Sell With Store Signs.
Use
interior signs to tell customers about the goods and services you offer, such
as free delivery, free alterations or free trials. If you stock a specialty
line, like environmentally safe products, point it out. If you've just received
merchandise with a high-demand feature, let customers know. Signs also provide
an easy way to answer customers' most commonly-asked questions. Post
explanatory labels to help customers differentiate among various models. Write
out shelf signs describing special features that make products outstanding
values or unique in their field, or telling customers where to find
accessories. Use signs, in short, to tout your company's competitive advantages
and to make shopping easier, more informative and more motivating for your
customers.
6. Act Now to Extend Your Seasonal Sales.
Is
your business seasonal? If so, suggests business writer Carol June, utilize
year-round marketing to improve your sales. Before the season, stimulate repeat
sales by sending coupons to current customers for upcoming purchases or
offering special deals on early orders. After the season, use follow-up
mailings or phone calls to stay in touch with customers and encourage their
loyalty. Or maintain interest with an end-of-season or offseason sale of
leftover merchandise. In the longer term, consider a second-season business or
product line that would both be a logical extension of your current operation
and appeal to your customers. A holiday fruitcake company, for example, might
branch out into year-round baked goods; a ski shop, into camping gear. Or, if
you're a retail firm, expand not your season but your customer base by adding a
catalog or direct-mail wholesale operation. To sum up, marketing is a
365-day-a-year job. It demands persistent attention on satisfying customers'
needs. Equally important, it requires a constant program of efforts to develop
your customer base and stimulate sales a program initiated and implemented most
effectively by putting your own twist on direct, hard-working, tried-and-true
ideas such as the 12 described above. For it doesn't take novelty or large sums
of money to succeed in marketing; first and foremost, it takes action.
No comments:
Post a Comment