Advertise to Stimulate the Economy?

There's a reason that America is the largest consumer market in the world: It also happens to be the largest advertising market in the world. Advertising works -- and it has been proven again and again for over a century. Every successful business spends money on advertising, everything from public relations to TV to Internet-search advertising.
But today's businesses have responded to the economic crisis by radically cutting payrolls and other expenses, which includes advertising budgets. Click on title for link to article.

Speak like your customers

Make it easy for your customer to know who you are, what you do, and give them a good reason to spend their money with you!

A great example of this is a carpet store in Wisconsin. For years they ran sales at 99 cents a square foot to 2.99 a sq foot. That is carpet talk, not they way your customers talk.

They began to speak they way their customers talk. Instead of saying having another sale promoting a low sq ft price. They said 3 rooms for $800, installed by Thanksgiving.

This is brilliant for many reasons, customers know what 3 rooms are, they have a easy to understand price, and they know they can have it installed in their home by a certain date.

Results: They are opening their 5th location in this tight economy.

Why do you care: Make it easy for your customer to know that they should do business with you!

Forward Equity

Have you ever thought of marketing as an investment?
If not, your talking with the wrong investors.

You achieve this through:

• Stay consistent
• Stay consistent with a consistent message
• Make your message as effective as possible
• Talk to the right people
• Be known for something
• When your talking to your customers, talk LOUD
• Be top of mind with half, instead of back of mind with all
• Continually work on improving your marketing efforts
• If a promotion doesn't work one month, don't cancel the campaign, work on improving the seeds you have already planted
• Have a good gardener

When done properly your advertising should work better in month 4 as it does in month 2. If you believe me, imagine where could your business be in 8 months?

Stake a Claim... And OWN IT

Everyone wants to be known for everything, however trying to be everything to everyone, leaves you nobody to everybody.

(Did you follow that?)

Example: Name 3 shampoos?

Now name 1dandruff shampoo.

I assume that you said Head and Shoulders for the dandruff shampoo. (or it was a close #2)

Lesson: Instead of being the the 10th shampoo in a long list, Head and Shoulder branded themselves as the # 1 Dandruff Shampoo

Why do you care? Be known for something. If your a used car dealer, don't be the 25th used car dealer in Knoxville. Brand yourself as the Truck King, Import headquarters, or Conversion Van Dealer. This strategy will make you the 1st choice in that category.

What is your point of entry? What do your NEW customers come to you for, the first time?

Stake a Claim, and own it! Create your category and dominate!

Are you Water or Steam?

At 211 degrees, water is hot.

At 212 degrees, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.

And with steam, you can power a locomotive.
One degree more = Exponential results

Are you at 211 or 212? I have always tried to live my life at the 212 mark.

I was speaking with a former manager recently about the power of differentiating yourself.

We discussed that the people and businesses who differentiate themselves in today's economy will have the greatest growth now and especially when the market turns around. And it will turn around!

What little thing have you done today to make a big difference with your customer?

Here is a link to a video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpJQqzJj534&feature=PlayList&p=6EFC8EC363487B06&index=0&playnext=1

Who are you Working With?

I can buy the same car at 10 different places in town. Unfortunately you can buy "TV spots" from 100 different people in town. Each one claiming to be the best!

I have worked for the #1 station in the market and also the #4 station in the market. Any station can work when it's done right. It is more about the Account Executive you work with instead of the Call letters of the TV station. There truly is a science and creative principles that should be used to build a successful campaign. It's unfortunate that not all Salespeople use these proven theories. It truly makes my job harder!

If you already have a good account executive you know that they can be much more than a "Salesperson", they can truly become a resource! If you don't have that trusted advertising resource in your portfolio, you should add one. Your business deserves it.

My clients eventually realize that my goal with them is to make ALL their marketing as efficient and effective as possible, not just TV.

So let me ask you again, is there a difference? The answer is YES!

l

What Recession?

The Man Who Sold Hotdogs

March 04 2009

There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs. He was hard of hearing so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers. But he sold good hot dogs. He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were. He stood on the side of the road and cried: ‘Buy a hot dog, mister?’ and people bought.
He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He finally got his son home from college to help him out during break. But then something happened. His son said, ‘Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio? Haven’t you been reading the newspapers? There’s a big recession. The European situation is terrible. The domestic situation is worse.'

Whereupon the father thought, ‘Well, my son’s been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know.’ So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs as often. And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight. ‘You’re right, son,’ the father said to the boy, ‘we certainly are in the middle of a great recession.'

The above story was sent to me via e-mail and I love it! If you’re like me thinking, ‘I’m not participating in the recession,’ the only way you can truly live recession-free is to focus on what you can control. Don’t open your 401K envelopes, stop reading about it, and stop listening to it. Invest in yourself. When I think stock market vs. Andrew's business, I’m choosing Andrew's business. My return is bound to be far greater than the stock market in a great year.

I’m choosing to focus on what I can control. Who’s joining me?