How to Buy Radio Commercials Radio is an excellent buy for many small businesses.
It can be very affordable. Radio also allows you to
advertise to a very specific audience.
Radio stations format their programming for certain
age groups and life styles. Whether you want to reach
blue-collar men between the ages of 25 and 35, or white
-collar women over 50; there is a radio station for you.
To buy radio commercials, call the sales department of
a station that fits your main customers.
Ask about rates for advertising at different times of day.
Also ask about package deals, where you get a price
break for buying a number of spots over time.
Call several other stations. Compare the answers you
get. It also doesn't hurt to talk to an advertising agency
or two, but don't feel like you need an agency to buy
your own radio spots.
Your Own TV Commercials Who says only big business can have TV
commercials? That may have been more or less true in
the past, but things are changing.
Cable TV systems are dramatically increasing the
umber of channels they offer. New low- power TV
stations are popping up everywhere. Soon, thanks to
new digital technology, regular broadcast stations will
be able to split their single channel into several.
All these new channels need advertising to survive.
Many are offering very affordable rates easily in reach
for small business people.
Every town is different, and TV ad rates vary greatly
from one station to another and one season to the next.
Start by placing a call to the sales departments of
cable, broadcast, and low-power TV stations.
Keep in mind the kinds of audiences you'll be reaching.
Sharpening Your Image A company image is simply the way customers and
prospects think of you. Your company may have a
great image or one that could use some work. But most
companies suffer from little or no image. Most people
just don't think that much about them.
When you're trying to get new customers, or get old
ones to stick with you, having little or no image can be a
real problem.
Here are some simple ways you can boost your image
in the minds of customers and prospects:
Think about speed, service, smiling at customers (yep,
in the good old USA that's a powerful
image builder!), how you answer your phone, how much
time you spend with the customer,
logos, color, sales representatives, and sales
presentations.
Look for ways that you can create an image that
separates you from others.
Kevin can help your business with marketing advice, copywriting, and Internet promotion. Get his free marketing report at (801)253-4536 or on-line at DrNunley@aol.com.
What's in a Name? If you're starting a new business or launching a new
product or service, is pays to think hard
about what you will call it.
Names are important. You'll want a name that is easy
to remember and communicates what your company or
product is all about. Nothing frustrates customers more
than having to guess what it is you do or sell. Confuse
them and they'll likely turn their attention to someone
else.
In some towns, lots of businesses feel like they have to
have a cute name to succeed. You don't have to follow
the trend. It's better to find a name that is easy to
remember, communicates what you do, and has a
positive feeling about it.
Of course, there are exceptions. Recently a few
companies have been very successful by breaking the
rules in extreme ways. Some new computer companies
sport very complicated names that stand out.
Your Marketing Plan If you want to waste a lot of money, try marketing
without a marketing plan. It's a little like trying to drive
while sleeping. You may get down the street, or wind
up in the neighbors yard, but it's certain that you won't
get to where you want to go.
Writing a marketing plan doesn't require any
complicated software, thick books, or seminars
(although there are some good ones). All you need is a
napkin and a pen.
Write down, very simply, what you hope to achieve
with your marketing. Be realistic. Write down what
media you'll use to market.
Describe the target prospects you'll be trying to reach.
Write down the main message your marketing will
communicate. Make a commitment on the percentage
of your budget that you will devote to marketing.
Planning leads to successful marketing.
The Problem With Sales I recently talked with a guy who started a small
jewelry store a few years back. It was just he
and his buddy up against the major jewelry chains with
corporate deep pockets.
Remarkably, his small jewelry store was not only
thriving, but was very noticeably trouncing his
much larger competitors.
I asked him what his biggest advantage was. "I never
have sales!" he replied.
While his competitors seemed to have a sale every
other day, George kept his prices steady and made sure
customers knew they were getting a good value.
It's an old rule of marketing. If you have sales all the
time, soon customers will buy only when you're having a
sale. In effect, you'll be permanently forced to sell your
products or services at a discounted price. Be careful
not to step into the habitual sales trap.
Copywriting Services Don't have the time or the inclination to spend hours polishing your own advertising copy? Kevin will write it for you. From brochures to radio commercials to sales letters and mailers that work, Kevin can make sure your message comes through loud and clear for prospects.
Post card marketing is hot! And why not? With the
price of first class postage going up, the cheaper price of
postcards offers a real bargain.
Plus, the prospect doesn't have to open an envelope.
Your ad message placed on a postcard is staring them in
the face.
Markus Allen heads MailShop USA, a company that
specializes in postcard marketing (610-359-9870). He
reminds us that postcards come in several larger,
attention-getting sizes.
The 51/2" by 81/2" size gives the most bang for the
buck. It's cheap to print and stands out in a stack of
mail. This sized postcard travels by Standard Mail (the
new Third Class) which costs 32 cents.
A jumbo-sized postcard, up to 12" by 15", can be used
to list multiple messages.
You probably have noticed that many major
department stores take the attitude that "the
customer is always right."
I often wondered where the wisdom was in this.
More than once I've witnessed a demanding customer
dressing down a clerk who patiently listened, even
though the customer was clearly in
the wrong.
Marketing research done by major companies tells us
why "the customer is always right." Much of it has to
do with word-of-mouth.
A customer who has a bad experience generally tells
10 other people about it. Others will tell more. The
number of people who eventually hear about the bad
experience can reach upwards of 100.
Simply saying, "I'm sorry. What can we do to make
you happy?"--can stop the complainer in their tracks and
reverse bad PR.
Most businesses of any size use sales letters of one
type or another. Whether its a simple thank you
note to a customer, info on your web site, or a lengthy
newspaper ad--smart sales letter formulas can improve
response.
Here are a few tried-and-true methods for writing
your next sales letter.
Flatter the reader. Let her know that she's part of a
group you consider important. This makes your sales
letter more personal.
Write to the reader peer-to-peer. People are more
likely to believe a letter from someone who is similar to
themselves. If you are selling boats, let the
reader know you are a boating enthusiast, too.
Ask a question. This works best to draw the reader in
when the question is one that the reader finds interesting or
curious. Your prospect will continue
on to get the answer.
Ask a customer to list the three most important things they
consider when doing business. Almost always, trust will rank
high among them.
People want to know that a business is listening to
their concerns, will make every effort to do the job
right, and will be there when they come back the next time.
Right from the start you can let customers and prospects
know that you deserve their trust. Emphasize your company's
reliability.
Respond to all inquiries as quickly and completely as
possible. This can be especially effective when responding to
a string of messages from the same person. Your first quick
response shows that you are paying attention. Responding
quickly to subsequent questions shows that you are reliable.
Classified ads can be a very low-cost and effective
way to reach a targeted audience. While the daily paper
goes to a broad group of homes and businesses, other
publications seek more specialized groups of readers.
Here are some ways to improve the success of your
classified ads.
Pay attention to the first few words of your ad, or the
subject line for on-line ads. These are the words that
the reader scans. Your first few words, headline, or
subject line must be something that will catch your targeted
prospect's interest.
Write for just one person. Visualize a person that is
typical of your prospects and write directly to that person.
Use I, you, and we just like you would in conversation.
Make sure you explain your offer clearly. Don't make
the reader guess.
Some entrepreneurs are extremely smart about
leveraging their advertising along with the ads of others.
This is called fusion marketing.
Nowhere is this more effective than on the Internet.
I can write an article on marketing for my web site, and
get it placed on many other web sites as well.
This principle works in all other areas of marketing.
One car dealer in my town lowers his advertising costs
by including a 10 second ad for the local cable TV
company in his radio commercials.
Another man provides a DJ service for parties and
dances. Before each appearance, he visits small
businesses in the neighborhood and asks if they would
like him to mention them on the mike several times
during the dance. He collects a small fee from each.
Over the years, I've found that just about everybody uses sales
letters. It doesn't matter whether you are a tax consultant, own a
pool maintenance service, or care for elderly patients at home.
Almost everyone finds that sending out sales letters is one of the
best tried-and-true marketing methods around.
I've found a variation on the old sales letter that is pure genius!
It came in the mail the other day. Instead of the usual sales
package--five pages for a 35 cent stamp--this enterprising
entrepreneur folded his pages into individual brochures.
The envelope of five inexpensive brochures made for a marketing
package that was far more impressive than the standard sales letter.
For some reason, when sheets of paper are folded into brochures,
they seem worth more and more substantial.
Prospects are much less likely to throw away a brochure. And
an envelope of five brochures immediately creates an impression of
value.
People also expect a sales letter to "sell" them, and nothing
more. A brochure, on the other hand, is likely to give you valuable
information.
Trade shows can be an excellent place to introduce your
products or services to lots of interested prospects. Even if getting
your own booth is too expensive or time consuming, you can often
get someone else to feature your information at their booth.
There's a lot going on at trade shows. Like the name implies,
you sometimes have to put on a bit of a show to get the visiting
public's attention.
There's no need to strap on a mini-microphone like the guy who
sells french fry makers at the state fair. You can get the attention-
getting effect you want by placing a TV and VCR on a table and
continuously running your own video.
This technique has become increasingly popular with trade show
exhibitors and small video producers have popped up everywhere to
make these inexpensive videos.
Here's why trade show videos work so incredibly well. People
love television (in spite of what they say!). TV is a great way to
demonstrate your product or service so people can SEE how you do
it and the quality you put into your business..
Join Kevin for the marketing discussion
going on in DrNunley's Guest Book!
Don't want the whole world to see
your idea, question, or comment?
Leave a note on Kevin's Answering Machine!
You've heard the old phrase "write your own ticket?" You can
write your own ticket when you write your own book. For some
reason, writing a book makes you the ultimate expert in your field.
"Me? Write a book?" you say. I had the same reaction the first
time I heard it. But writing a book can really be quite simple. Start
with ten topics and fill the details in under them. It's never been
easier to find a publisher or to publish your book yourself. Your
text can be printed on a computer and reproduced by a quality copy
shop or by one of the many fine book printers that specialize in
small run self-publishers.
For top-notch information on writing your own book, check out
Dan Poynter's "Self-Publishing Manual." It's in libraries
everywhere. As Poynter emphases, you don't have to be a great
writer to put together a non-fiction, how-to book that gives lots of
information on a topic that many people are interested in.
Think of all the information you could supply about the business
that you are in. Write down your ideas.
This is the information age, and there's nothing that people like
better than free information sent directly to their attention.
That's what you get when you publish your own newsletter.
Whereas many people will gloss past your ads and commercials,
they'll often stop to scan through a helpful and interesting
newsletter.
Newsletters can be a lot of work, so keep yours simple. If you
are a small business person, there's no reason that your newsletter
needs to be more than a single page printed on front and back.
Keep customers and prospects interested and in touch by
bringing them up to date on your latest products and services.
Provide them with a helpful hint that relates to your business.
Don't have the budget or time to mail your newsletter? Leave it
on counters. Hand it to customers. Stuff it in bags. If you have
lots of customers who are on-line, don't miss the chance to send out
your own email newsletter. They can be extremely simple and cost
you nothing for postage. Build your subscriber list by asking
customers for their email address.
Ask about Kevin's new on-line newsletter service. He edits and distributes your company's own email newsletter. It's easy, inexspensive, and unbeatable advertising!
As anybody who is a good salesperson can tell you, listening
carefully is the best way to get the sale. To understand this, let's
think of selling the same way we think of marketing. Before you
spend your hard earned advertising budget on a newspaper or radio
ad, you find out what it is that customers are interested in hearing
about.
The same works for selling. Listen carefully to what the
prospect tells you. Ask questions for more details. Structure your
sales pitch to directly address those concerns. When you overcome
the prospect's deepest concerns, you've made the sale.
Rather than trying to introduce new information, stay close to
the topics that the buyer is interested in. If they talk most about the
color of the car, don't try to change the subject to horsepower. Talk
color. With many buyers, all they really want is more information
on the product or service. When they can't get that information
easily or quickly, they become discouraged and give up.
To sell more of what you offer, listen carefully.
Radio is one of the small business person's best advertising
friends. As big media goes, radio is inexpensive. It can also
carefully target very specific kinds of listeners.
Rather than spending your marketing budget on a lot of people
who aren't interested in buying from you, radio can hone in on just
the kinds of prospects that are most likley to fatten your bottom line.
Now here's a radio secret that very few advertisers know about.
Radio stations have a system for determining which commercials get
played first during spot breaks. Some stations play the commercials
with jingles and music first and save the voice-only spots for last.
Others do it the other way around. Most play 60 second
commericals first, saving the 30s for last.
It's important for your commercial to be one of the first played.
Research shows that after the second or third commercial in a row,
most radio listeners tune away.
When you buy radio commercials, ask the D.J.s how their spots
are "stacked." Find out how yours need to sound to get played first.
MORE.. MORE..
Kevin Nunley helps small and mid-sized businesses build effective marketing. Reach him at DrNunley@aol.com or at (801)253-4536. Ask for his free marketing report and list of Special Reports and Tapes that make you a marketing whiz in dozens of areas. Also ask how he can help you build your on-line presence.
