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Posts Tagged ‘marketing’

How to Write an Email Marketing Letter

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Receive. Read subject. Delete. These actions can be carried out by your user in less than two seconds. So why did you spend 20 minutes preparing what you thought was a carefully worded email that tackled all the right points?

Read on to find out more.

Increasing Importance in E-Commerce — Get it Right!

Understanding how your readers think is vital to getting your email opened, read and actioned. There are many traps to avoid when crafting your email communications in order for them to cut through the overwhelming amount people receive daily. The ease at which emails can be sent by businesses often attributes to the low quality of the communications.

(more…)

Tags: Email, marketing, online business, online marketing, tips and tricks, Website Marketing
Posted in Attracting Clients, Business Websites, Email, Marketing and PR, Website Marketing | No Comments »

Words That Sell

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

In the age of information, what really stands out anymore? What is the trigger that makes you read on? Certainly, the many available forms of media including graphics, music and video may momentarily engage us but when it gets down to it, the text is what compels readers to press on and potentially act on that information.

When writing to make a sale, there are a number of elements to consider. For instance, you want to include the right sentence and paragraph lengths, rhythm, strong headlines and sub-headlines, linking words, simple (easy-to-read) language and attention grabbing words — the words that sell!

But before that, we should look at why people buy at all. What attributes to someone handing over their hard earned money?

Well it has been shown that there are 11 major reasons or motivating factors why people purchase services and products. These include:

To help others
Save money
Make money
Health and looks
Security and reliability
Status
Simplifying our lives
Investment
Knowledge
Pampering
Style

Ultimately, you want your readers to act. But first they must read. That is, not only start, but finish reading to get to the next stage in the process. It’s all about taking them on a journey – a journey through the sales funnel.

So in order for consumers to act, there should be emotional trigger words or less elegantly put, ‘words that sell’ throughout the copy. These words and/or phrases are known to be those little nuggets that get customers passionate about what is being said. They build an excitement that hopefully leads web page surfers to click on the order button.

When you look at these words below, you may already realise as you gloss over them that some make you feel a certain way — even when displayed in a simple list such as this. However, when combined with other selling words and engaging copywriting, the power to convert is unlimited.

You — This is personal. The focus is on ‘you’, the reader, the prospective client, the one who may purchase a service or product. Feel special yet? Forget ‘we’, look at ‘you’ when writing to sell.
FREE — Everyone likes something for nothing, no matter how well off they may be. This word stands out like none other.
Easy — If you can simplify your life, why wouldn’t you?
Benefit — This addresses the ‘why should I care?’ question. If the pitch doesn’t interest the reader or meet their requirements by highlighting the benefit, you will lose them.
Money — It apparently makes the world go round. Who doesn’t want to make a buck?!
Guarantee — Nothing to lose? Sounds good to me. Return policy, money back after 90 days etc. When there is limited risk to the buyer, the buyer is more willing to part with their money.
Health — Important to everyone (or at least it should be).
Save — Save money, time, and energy. Speaks for itself.
How-to — Captivating words. Knowledge is power. Learning how to do something can improve self-confidence, be satisfying, and again save money.
Results — People want the outcome they expect. They want results when undertaking an activity (especially one requiring money, time or energy — see above), paying for a service or using a product.
Quick/Fast — Fast weight loss! Make money quick! Heard it before? Time is a limited resource to most so when there is an offer to get something done fast, people will take notice.
Proven — Facts are good. Medication, car safety ratings and nutritional information on food packaging. We generally feel better when these things come with some kind of certified approval. Something which shows that high quality standards have been met.

In its true sense, copywriting is all about the words. The words that sell when used in effective, engaging content will offer that edge to your writing and spark those emotional triggers in your readers that will lead them to ultimately become customers.

Words That Sell

Tags: Business, marketing, tips and tricks
Posted in Marketing and PR | No Comments »

Warning: Donkey Kong Loses His Pants

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Ok, so maybe the title was slightly misleading. Nevertheless, it’s possibly the reason you decided to read more by either clicking through or scrolling down. Intrigue is a powerful feeling. It’s what makes us ‘push the red button’ when told not to. It also lends itself well to a concept called guerrilla marketing which is the subject of today’s article.

A term defined by Jay Conrad Levinson, guerrilla marketing (aka gorilla marketing) is a way of promoting products and services in surprising, original and unexpected ways. It leverages from creativity and alternative thinking and relies more on unconventional marketing strategies, time and energy as opposed to big budgets.

Favoured by small business, this type of marketing allows companies to create exciting and fresh campaigns that are designed to cause a buzz. For businesses that employ this type of marketing, a well crafted and executed idea is just another opportunity to go viral. By using imagination to connect with customers in new ways, brands can be remembered and associated with potentially ‘bizarre’ situations. This in turn can give rise to continued ‘word of mouth’ advertising. Great when it all comes together!

A Diverse Attack on the Unsuspecting

Incorporating a number of marketing methods including the use of digital mobile devices, social media and street campaigns, businesses can create highly interactive programs in order to maintain interest and continued communication with customers and prospects. With the focus being on individuals and small groups, businesses make the experience more personal which is always going to relate better to prospects.

Having said this, it’s not just for small business. Some of the big boys like Microsoft and Apple have employed these tactics. Companies are always on the lookout for new and unusual ways to attract and retain customers.

But Tell Me More!

A simple example of guerrilla marketing is this article’s headline. Was it highly relevant to the content? No. (Although it did play on words with the whole Donkey Kong — guerrilla — ape idea!) Did it grab your attention or raise your curiosity? Possibly. The point is that some viewers, like you, would have read on which is a good start.

But What Are Some Other Examples?

Another more exciting and larger scale advert featured in the US where the marketing team of the new Jackass 3D movie decided to make things interesting. Instead of your stock standard movie billboard, they expanded on it by incorporating a full 3D ski-style ramp. As it led up to the billboard, onlookers would divert their eyes across the 15 foot gap to find a jet skier half embedded (along with Jet Ski) in the wall ad. Needless to say, the concept made people stop in their tracks and no doubt got them talking. The marketing brains did something a little different while playing on the ’3D’ aspect of the film.

You may also have heard of ‘flash mobs’ which can be used as a technique of guerrilla marketing. Essentially, this is where a group or ‘mob’ of people suddenly flood an area, perform an act of some kind and then disappear. If you’ve ever seen this occur, you’ll understand. The commotion it can cause is quite comical. While some people curiously watch and laugh, there are those more cautious who prefer to vacate the immediate area in a speedier fashion than the mob. However, done well, it can have a strong and immediate impact on brand and business awareness.

Punch Line

So while butchers don’t necessarily have to go out dressed as a cow holding a piece of meat in order to create lasting impressions it will surely raise an eyebrow if they do.

Have a crack and start the process by jotting down random ideas with the ‘words’ relevant to your campaign. You’ll be surprised just how many come to you when you open your mind to the absurd!

Oh and apologies for all those Donkey Kong lovers. No offence was intended!

Warning: Donkey Kong Loses His Pants

Tags: flash mobs, gorilla marketing, guerrilla marketing, marketing
Posted in Marketing and PR, Website Marketing | No Comments »

Business Branding Basics

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Image is everything – a statement that while cliché, bare some truths in business. Developing and implementing a brand can be both exciting and daunting, and is a necessity in today’s consumer world for both the small player and large corporation alike. However, despite the mass of advertising and business imagery pushed out at the public, there is still room for originality.

From an early age children seek attention from their parents. The fight to be noticed continues through the school years as the now teenagers develop their skills and establish ways to advertise their talents. Individuality shows through in the way they act, the clothes they wear and the relationships they develop — this is personal branding in its infancy.

As people get older, not much changes. This longing to be recognised is as human a need as any. The desire to stand out is normal in both everyday personal life and business. When it comes to business however, the reasons and approaches are obviously quite different.

Whether for increased market share, better returns, or more efficient ways of working, companies wish to gain the trust and respect of its prospects. So how is this done? The fact remains that well implemented business branding and advertising is integral to standing out from competitors.

Branding is an important consideration and requires the people responsible for it to be conscious of the message and image it projects. This for one reason is due to it appearing on everything from company mail outs, stationery, email, vehicles, uniforms and website. Constantly in the public eye, the aim is for it to be remembered – and for the right reasons.

But what works well?

Consider colours and typography, modern and fresh logo design, whether it reflects your business culture and strategy. Also, why not put it to your customers? Whether a new creation or a brand refresh, find out what they think to help establish a solution to your requirements.

But don’t stop there. The term branding does not simply encompass a logo and an appropriate font type. In addition to company branding (both internal and external), there is employee branding, branding strategy, branding marketing, research, design and development. Furthermore, there is the management of the branding process which includes the creation, refresh and maintenance cycles.

But why brand?

The whole point of branding is to establish an identity. Just as sports teams wear uniforms and countries fly flags, businesses decorate themselves in order to be remembered and to form a unified front. Your brand should be a reflection of what your business does and how it does it. It should represent the essence of your business name.

The benefit is that once familiar with your brand, your customers’ awareness grows. It can stand out like a lighthouse to a land-bound vessel. As a recognised beacon, the consumers’ thoughts are stimulated and associated with the feelings felt about that brand whether good or bad.

Well branded businesses appeal to the target market through aesthetically pleasing designs that convey both professionalism and a unified look. The ‘trusted brands’ such as ‘IKEA’, ‘Sony’ and ‘Toyota’ have all created long standing, well-respected household names that reap benefits including a willingness from buyers to pay more for their products and services. This is the customer mindset that businesses, including yours, should be aiming for.

For the time invested in business branding, the hard work can certainly pay off. By creating a well positioned, original and fresh concept, you can come out ahead of your competitors.

Business Branding Basics

Tags: Branding, Business Branding, marketing
Posted in Marketing and PR | No Comments »

Using Special Offers to Boost your Online Sales

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Why does direct marketing work so well?

We’ve all seen those annoying direct marketing ads on TV. We can’t stand them. We make fun of them. Yet, we all know someone (if not ourselves) who has bought something because of them.

So why do they work so well at captivating people to buy? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer (otherwise we’d all be rich!). The success of these annoying direct marketing ads comes from a mix of many contributing factors.

However, there is one factor that stands out far above the rest when it comes to making the hard sale: “How about a free set of steak knives?” Sound familiar?

That’s right, the offer! It’s the incentive to buy. We watch and think, “Hmmm, this sounds pretty good,” but you don’t actually pick up the phone until the person on TV throws something else in there for you, for free.

There is absolutely no reason why we can’t apply this idea to the web. If you’re looking to generate more leads or increase your sales, why don’t you offer your visitors something special that they just can’t refuse?

Use an offer to get attention, and keep it!

Using Special Offers to Boost your Online Sales

With a staggering number of ecommerce websites being created everyday, businesses are finding it more and more difficult to draw traffic to their site. In addition to this, viewers are spending less and less time on each site as they search for something that captures their attention.

What many businesses don’t recognise is the power of this special offer that direct marketers use so well.

If your business can clearly promote a special offer online, you can lure more traffic to your site. You also increase the chances of converting your potential customer into a hot prospect or hard sale once they’re on there. (Of course, your special offer needs to be obviously marketed in the headline of your Google Adwords campaign or outrageously visible on your homepage for this to work.)

When there’s not that much difference between you and your competitors, remember that your offer can make or break the sale. It’s all about adding value that your customer can appreciate to encourage them to buy.

Many successful websites use this strategy. They rotate special offers, so there is always something new to interest the visitor, and always something worth coming back to the site for.

What can I offer that will work?

If you’re a business struggling to think of the best offer you can provide, remember this:

The best offer is one with the highest perceived value but the lowest actual cost.

Try to think of something that doesn’t cost your business a lot to produce, but still costs the consumer money to buy.

A useful and informative e-book that your business has written is a great example — it doesn’t cost your business anything to produce other than time. Give it away in exchange for the visitor’s email address. The consumer gets their hands on some interesting and helpful information for free, while you’re able to collect the details of likely buyers for future reference — it’s a win-win situation.

To see some businesses that have used this idea, check out:

Free hypnotherapy report at Life In Sync (www.lifeinsync.com.au)
Free marketing tools at MacInnis Marketing (www.macinnismarketing.com.au/marketingresources.html)
Free budget calculator at Choose Your Money (www.chooseyourmoney.com.au)

Other good examples of common offers include:

Free delivery with any Amazon Books order (www.amazon.com)
$100 free fitness gear when you sign up for memberships at Fitness First (www.fitnessfirst.com.au)
Free jewellery box or bag with any Pandora purchase over $100 (www.charmme.com.au/pandora-free-gift-with-purchase.html)
Buy one car wash, get one free (www.starcafewash.com.au)

Alternatively, your business could dive into the deep end and offer something completely free, in the hope that the customer will buy more items from your business while browsing your site. Vistaprint (www.vistaprint.com) is a fantastic example; they give away up to 250 free business cards but always up-sell other products that are more expensive on their site.

One last secret: limited time only!

The secret to making an offer really work is to put a time limit on it. Once you’ve made it loud and clear that you can give your visitors a fantastic deal, the best way to nail the sale is to tell them that the offer is available for a limited time only.

If people think that the offer won’t be available next week, they’re much more likely to purchase right then and there. It’s the law of the few — when something is scarce, it is perceived as being much more valuable! Some businesses thrive on this idea… Don’t you love it when you snap up a rare bargain at a closing down sale, only to see the business has opened a new warehouse just across the road?

Jetstar’s Friday Frenzy uses this foolproof marketing strategy. The appropriate name ‘Friday Frenzy’ tells you that the offer is only available for that Friday. If you don’t book by midnight, the magical airfare is lost. But this is just one example. Look around; you’ll notice how commonly this marketing tactic is used in sales. And it works. It’s amazing how quickly people will react to a good deal if they think it will soon disappear forever.

So if you’re looking to boost your sales, try to differentiate your business from your competitors with a special offer. Ask yourself what you can provide at little cost that will be of interest to your customers. Your special offer doesn’t have to be worth a million dollars, just something of high perceived value — and preferably available for a short time only.

We can help with ecommerce if your looking to get your business online, or in need of a website upgrade. Setting up special offers is simple with our shopping cart software.

Using Special Offers to Boost your Online Sales

Using Special Offers to Boost your Online Sales

Tags: marketing, online marketing, special offers
Posted in Marketing and PR, Website Marketing | No Comments »

Getting in Touch with the Target Market

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

The internet, to me, is sort of like a huge shopping centre where the web surfers are the shoppers and websites are the shops. Only, in this shopping centre, the shoppers aren’t automatically provided with a directory and map of all the shops, and the shop owners aren’t able to see the faces of the customers that actually enter. What we have here on the internet is a bunch of lost shoppers bouncing around until they randomly find themselves at a checkout counter. We also have a bunch of shop owners with no real idea of who composes their main customer base. So, in this scenario, business just doesn’t operate to its fullest potential as businesses and customers aren’t able to find each other.

This is the problem with the internet. Just because you have a website doesn’t mean that web visitors will automatically find you, and if they do come, it doesn’t mean that they are potential customers. Businesses on the web need to get in touch with their target market in order to entice the shoppers with the biggest chance of being converted to customers into their shop. But, how do you do that?

Define your niche. What do you have on your website that makes it special and different from others? This would be your niche, and those website owners with a more targeted niche will do better in marketing.

Define what your product or service offers customers. What is the main reason customers will choose your product or service? These reasons can be anything from the fact that the item fixes a problem, makes them feel good, or satisfies needs.

Describe the customers. What type of person is searching for your niche, and how does the product help them? It is best to really lay out the potential customer in detail, especially by analysing the following characteristics:

Age Group
Gender
Marital status
Ethnic or religious backgrounds
Occupations
Income status

Find the customers on the internet. Where do these potential customers like to frequent in the virtual world? Just as you wouldn’t try to advertise for paintball outings in a children’s playground, you most likely wouldn’t find it beneficial to search on baby forums to find customers for your motorcycle website.

Think about the issues your target market is concerned with, how much money they have to spend, and even the types of products or services they are most likely to buy. Gather websites, forums, newsletters, ezines and more that deal with these topics and advertise your website.
If your target market is into social networking, it is wise to investigate which social networking method they are most likely to use. Some recent and interesting studies have been released pertaining to the varying degrees of income and education levels that compose the user base of Twitter, Facebook and Myspace, for example.
Investigate the keywords this target market will type into a search engine and then try to optimise the website for those words. The higher up in the search engine results pages your website is, the more likely it is to have more traffic, and more business.

Analyse and update data often. Write advertisements that appeal to the emotions of your target audience and place these in the appropriate locations on the internet. Use URL trackers and coupons to see where the best traffic is coming from on the internet and make changes to marketing tactics as necessary.

Proper scrutiny of a business’s target market will help them be better able to guide potential customers to a website on the internet. Without understanding who exactly they provide a product or service for, there is no way to make consistent and worthwhile attempts for online growth and success.