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Advertising Methods: Understanding & Implementing Key Marketing Strategies
Being the Public Relations' Director for a major, online holistic journal, I often find myself brainstorming new and creative ways of marketing, and making our site not only visitor/client-friendly, but informative and entertaining as well. While we...
Internet Marketing, Fact Or Fiction?
I'm sure you've seen it before, your inbox overflowing with promises of making millions in the span of a few weeks. If your like me you have these "opportunities" safely tucked away in your recycle bin faster than you can say "Spam",
but...
Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, the Media Wants to Give You Free Publicity
In this great country of ours, there are basically three ways to get yourself tons of media coverage. You can be a celebrity. Try becoming a TV, movie or sports star. That’s a good start. You can become notorious. Getting arrested, or enmeshed in...
Marketing Mismatch
Marketing mismatch When pitching a product or service to a market segment, logic suggests taking the target audience’s lifestyle and a few other odds’n ends into account so that you have a fix on likely uptake. South African medical insurance...
Marketing On Purpose With Passion And Play
In a recent class on how to build your business on purpose with passion and play, I offered the following simple definition for coaches for Marketing: Sharing and engaging people in a possibility for their lives that inspires them to take action...
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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Business
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Business
If you knew what not to do when considering marketing choices for your business, just think how much money and energy you would save! Put these helpful tips in your marketing toolbox and pry it open before you make any costly decisions!
1. Putting all of your eggs in one basket
Could be very costly. If you bank of success with one thing and one thing only to promote your business, you won't begin to realize the return on your investment. Keep in mind that marketing is an integrated process. That means that it must consist of a variety of strategies to be successful. By diversifying your efforts, you will increase the reach of your message and stretch your marketing dollars.
2. Shooting in the Dark
You don't have a target. You're just hoping something will stick. If you find that you are throwing yourself at every marketing opportunity coming your way, step back and realize that's it's better to have a plan. Set your objectives first. What goals do you want to accomplish in what time period? Define your target market. Set your budget for the next 6 to 12 months. When you have a plan, there is no reason for "crises marketing." This eliminates advertising rush charges and prevents you from straying to far from your plan.
3. Having a Rigid Marketing Plan
This means an earthquake couldn't get you to change your mind! Remember that marketing plans must be flexible. You must always be adjustable to marketing conditions, new opportunities and other factors. Your marketing plan should be re-evaluated at least every quarter. This doesn't mean that you need to add more money to your budget. If a great opportunity comes along, eliminate one piece of your plan and move the money to your new idea. I always find it helpful to include a "contingency" line item in my plans. This is kind of like "emergency" funds.
4. If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix it
If your advertising and direct mail is producing results for you, don't change it just to try something different! Once you see that your returns are slowing down, then look at changing your ad of your message or your offer. Just remember with every new thing you want to try, test it first. Don't sign long-term ad contracts or send out 5,000 direct mail pieces. Send 250 and look for a 3-5% return. If you don't get that, change your message or offer or re-evaluate your list or target market.
5. Ego Shmeego
It happens to everyone at least one time or another. You've got this brilliant idea and even though your co-workers, employees or husband/wife thinks
it may not be so great, dog-gonnit, you thought of it, so you're gonna to do it! Ego tempts some very bright people into irrational behavior. Base your marketing decisions from a non-emotional point of view. Think of it this way; if you were giving a friend advice about his business is this what you would advise them to do? Step back and look at it outside of your own business. I have to do this all the time when promoting my own business. Kind of like, physician heal thyself. Here's a good example of the big "E" getting in the way: Placing ads in magazines you like, but are not your target market; Creating a very expensive looking brochure when something more simple would do.
6. I have a good feeling about this
Here we go again. You're relying on your feelings or a hunch without concrete facts or projections. Investigate new opportunities completely. When it comes to business marketing decisions, get ice running through your veins.
7. Not Measuring Results
How do you know if your marketing efforts are working if you don't evaluate your plans? Measuring the results from your strategies will tell you what to continue with and what to eliminate. Try tactics like survey's, coded coupons, focus groups, ask when someone calls "How did you hear about us?"
8. Canceling Marketing Efforts When things Get Tight
This is the very worst thing you can do, yet it is what almost everybody does! Cash flow starts to flow and you look at your marketing budget as something "extra" you can eliminate for now. Wrong! No marketing, no money coming in. Now you may want to change your strategy of how you are marketing, but not eliminate it all together. Keep your communication going even when times get tough.
9. Not Getting Help When You Need it
Penny-wise, pound foolish. If you're too busy to handle your marketing efforts, lack the knowledge or want to have a more professional look, you must call back-up! Hire a consultant or a small marketing person/agency on retainer to handle these very important marketing decisions. The money you pay them should come back to you many times over!
www.downanddirtymarketing.com Copyright 2002-For permission to use: Karen@Hippmarketing.com -
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About the Author
Karen E. Hipp is a nationally recognized marketing consultant and the author of the ebook "Do-It-Yourself Marketing." Karen has been honored with "Marketing Director of the year in two separate industries and has won 54 Addy Awards. Karen's business, Hipp Marketing, focuses on small to medium sized businesses that need marketing help.
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KnowThis: For Marketing, Market Research, Internet Marketing ... |
KnowThis.com offers a wealth of information, forums, and resources for professionals, academics and students in traditional and internet marketing, ... |
www.knowthis.com |
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Marketing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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en.wikipedia.org |
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Marketing - Marketing Strategy - Marketing Plan - Marketing ... |
Learn about marketing careers, the stages of developing a marketing plan, how to begin marketing research, create a marketing strategy, and how to market ... |
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Marketing.org - Home of the Business Marketing Association |
Serves the professional, educational and career development needs of business-to-business marketers. |
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Welcome - American Marketing Association - www.marketingpower.com |
Dedicated to serving the educational and professional needs of marketing executives. |
www.marketingpower.com |
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Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR News - Brand Republic |
Find the latest Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR news from Brand Republic, the online resource for up to the minute advertising and marketing news and ... |
www.brandrepublic.com |
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Marketing Magazine - Marketing News - Brand Republic |
Marketing Magazine - Marketing News - Brand Republic. |
www.brandrepublic.com |
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Marketing (Canada) |
Offers a Canadian source of news and articles on marketing, advertising and media. |
www.marketingmag.ca |
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BidVertiser - Pay Per Click Advertising On Sites Of Your Choice. |
Pay per click advertising - online advertising directly on sites of your choice, internet marketing solution for online advertisers. |
www.bidvertiser.com |
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Online Behavioral Contextual Advertising and Marketing. |
Promote your business with today's most effective online advertising technology, contextual advertising at a cost effective metric of CPC, PPC, CPM or CPV. |
www.clicksor.com |
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Sales Jobs / Marketing Jobs / Advertising Jobs - MarketingJobs.com |
Employment site for marketing and sales professionals. |
www.marketingjobs.com |
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The Chartered Institute of Marketing |
The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the world's largest international marketing professional body and helps with career support and information ... |
www.cim.co.uk |
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Marketing: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with marketing on Technorati. |
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Marketing Profs - Marketing Concepts and Strategies: Expert ... |
Marketing knowhow from professionals. Newsletter, articles and how-to's. |
www.marketingprofs.com |
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Guerrilla Marketing Online - The Official Site |
Guerrilla Marketing Online is anonline magazine for small business, entrepreneurs, sales people and marketers of all kinds. |
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Business Marketing - Small Business Marketing |
Business marketing - Read everything your need to know about small business marketing. |
www.entrepreneur.com |
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All About Marketing |
Adapted from Field Guide to Nonprofit Program Design, Marketing and Evaluation ... Inbound Marketing Includes Market Research to Find Out: ... |
www.managementhelp.org |
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Pages tagged with "marketing" on del.icio.us |
USA Network Announces a NASHVILLE STAR Marketing Partnership With ... - Yahoo! ... Direct Marketing Association: Telephone, Mail & Internet Marketing ... |
del.icio.us |
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ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers |
Includes columns with commentary and analysis on a wide variety of internet marketing subjects ranging from B2B marketing to search engine marketing. |
www.clickz.com |
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Direct Marketing Association: Telephone, Mail & Internet Marketing |
Trade association for users and suppliers in the direct, database and interactive marketing fields, offering seminars and resources, and lobbying for ... |
www.the-dma.org |
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