What is a multi-channel promotion?
Multi-channel refers to using more than one promotion method simultaneously for a message on a single topic. Multi-channel can be very effective, especially when the messages in one channel are referenced in the other and are integrated. Use one constant and simple theme that offers a variety of response options.
Here are some examples of multi-channel marketing;
1. Sending an e-mail timed to arrive at the same time as a mailed catalog.
2. Inviting customers and prospects to visit a web site to print a coupon to use in a retail store.
3. Adding a URL or QR code to sales collateral with an invitation to visit the web site, register, and receive something in exchange.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
No Matter the size of your business or organization, it needs to have a budget for promotions. Pick a time period---we recommend quarterly,semi-annually or yearly--and commit both a sum of money and some time for a designated person to manage the promotional effort. It takes both a budget and someone to manage the budget to ensure a successful promotion.
Promotions don't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time. A simple way to start is by targeting your best customers and introducing them to products or services you offer that they may not be using. Here are seven ideas for promoting on a budget.
1.Send a monthly informational newsletter.
2.Highlight the specific products and services that represent what you do best.
3.Follow up a purchase with an additional offer.
4.Target past customers.
5.Put a sticker with teaser copy on an outbound envelope.
6.Offer a guarantee.
7.Self Promote.
Regardless of the size of your budget, it is important to continuously promote your business. For over 11 years we have been helping businesses, organizations and individuals with promotions to customers and prospects. To brainstorm promotional ideas to help your business or to get started with your promotion contact Dan at 303-320-4855 or email dan@bcprintinginc.com. We're ready to help.
Promotions don't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time. A simple way to start is by targeting your best customers and introducing them to products or services you offer that they may not be using. Here are seven ideas for promoting on a budget.
1.Send a monthly informational newsletter.
2.Highlight the specific products and services that represent what you do best.
3.Follow up a purchase with an additional offer.
4.Target past customers.
5.Put a sticker with teaser copy on an outbound envelope.
6.Offer a guarantee.
7.Self Promote.
Regardless of the size of your budget, it is important to continuously promote your business. For over 11 years we have been helping businesses, organizations and individuals with promotions to customers and prospects. To brainstorm promotional ideas to help your business or to get started with your promotion contact Dan at 303-320-4855 or email dan@bcprintinginc.com. We're ready to help.
Friday, September 17, 2010
I believe the current debate between whether traditional direct mail or e-mail is best for marketing purposes is obscuring what is really most important--the content.
Until what you say in your marketing communications has value to your customers and prospects and is well-presented, then how you get it to them is irrelevant.
There are two parts to delivering meaningful content;the words themselves and how they are presented graphically. Writing that is full of cliches, grammatical errors, misspellings and punctuation errors calls attention to the writing itself rather than the meaning. Likewise, ordinary or commonplace design wastes the opportunity to draw the reader in and may even confuse the reader.
We understand that budgets may be tight, providing the temptation to save money by do-it-yourself content preparation. If this is your situation, may we suggest that you budget enough to have us review your work. Sometimes the simplest of changes can make a significant difference in the impression you'll make on your readers.
Until what you say in your marketing communications has value to your customers and prospects and is well-presented, then how you get it to them is irrelevant.
There are two parts to delivering meaningful content;the words themselves and how they are presented graphically. Writing that is full of cliches, grammatical errors, misspellings and punctuation errors calls attention to the writing itself rather than the meaning. Likewise, ordinary or commonplace design wastes the opportunity to draw the reader in and may even confuse the reader.
We understand that budgets may be tight, providing the temptation to save money by do-it-yourself content preparation. If this is your situation, may we suggest that you budget enough to have us review your work. Sometimes the simplest of changes can make a significant difference in the impression you'll make on your readers.
Friday, September 3, 2010
A very useful tool for any writer is a swipe file, a place to collect examples of effective writing that comes to your attention.
A swipe file can contain anything you want it to---headlines,introductory paragraphs,body copy,guarantees,interesting phrases or slogans,display ads,direct mail marketing pieces,e-mail messages,graphics, photos--anything that might serve as a future idea starter. It is a good idea to organize your swipe file into subsections to make searching for ideas easier, and to base it on hard copy rather than digital files.
Look for material for your swipe file in anything you come across that is sales-related. Instead of tossing direct mail marketing pieces unopened, take a look and see if there is anything suitable for your swipe file. Likewise for e-mail advertising messages. The more you view and collect, the more useful your swipe file will become.
Keep in mind that the purpose of a swipe file is to generate ideas, not to plagiarize. Your goal is to adapt the information in your swipe file to your own needs, not to copy it outright.
A swipe file can contain anything you want it to---headlines,introductory paragraphs,body copy,guarantees,interesting phrases or slogans,display ads,direct mail marketing pieces,e-mail messages,graphics, photos--anything that might serve as a future idea starter. It is a good idea to organize your swipe file into subsections to make searching for ideas easier, and to base it on hard copy rather than digital files.
Look for material for your swipe file in anything you come across that is sales-related. Instead of tossing direct mail marketing pieces unopened, take a look and see if there is anything suitable for your swipe file. Likewise for e-mail advertising messages. The more you view and collect, the more useful your swipe file will become.
Keep in mind that the purpose of a swipe file is to generate ideas, not to plagiarize. Your goal is to adapt the information in your swipe file to your own needs, not to copy it outright.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
If I start sending e-mail messages to prospects, will I need to worry about CAN-SPAM?
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 covers all e-mail whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, known as commercial e-mail. The Act defined requirements for commercial e-mail senders (including penalties for spamming) and gave e-mail recipients the right to request removal from an e-mail list.
For more detailed information, visit the Federal Trade Commission CAN-SPAM web site:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm.
Here are some of the highlights of CAN-SPAM;
1. Deceptive subject lines are not allowed. Be sure the subject line matches the content of the e-mail.
2. "From" lines and other Internet header information must be accurate. Send the e-mail from a real address and be consistent--always send from that address.
3. The e-mail must contain a clear and conspicuous opt-out notice. Even if e-mail is free to send, you still don't want it going to those who don't want it.
4. An opt-out request must be honored promptly. You have 10 days to remove someone from your e-mail list; however, we suggest acting immediately on the request.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 covers all e-mail whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, known as commercial e-mail. The Act defined requirements for commercial e-mail senders (including penalties for spamming) and gave e-mail recipients the right to request removal from an e-mail list.
For more detailed information, visit the Federal Trade Commission CAN-SPAM web site:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm.
Here are some of the highlights of CAN-SPAM;
1. Deceptive subject lines are not allowed. Be sure the subject line matches the content of the e-mail.
2. "From" lines and other Internet header information must be accurate. Send the e-mail from a real address and be consistent--always send from that address.
3. The e-mail must contain a clear and conspicuous opt-out notice. Even if e-mail is free to send, you still don't want it going to those who don't want it.
4. An opt-out request must be honored promptly. You have 10 days to remove someone from your e-mail list; however, we suggest acting immediately on the request.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Good Content in direct mail or e-mail marketing gives potential buyers what they want. Direct mail marketers and advertisers work hard to determine what type of content motivates buyers. Research consistently uncovers four characteristics of content that score highest in buyer interest. The best content is;
1. Useful or entertaining
2. Relevant to the buyer's interests
3. Timley
4. Unique to the seller, either in content or presentation
These four characteristics are particularly important for opt-in e-mail subscriptions. If a reader signs up for your e-newsletter, the motivation was not to do you a favor--it was because the content of the newsletter had perceived value.
1. Useful or entertaining
2. Relevant to the buyer's interests
3. Timley
4. Unique to the seller, either in content or presentation
These four characteristics are particularly important for opt-in e-mail subscriptions. If a reader signs up for your e-newsletter, the motivation was not to do you a favor--it was because the content of the newsletter had perceived value.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Direct Mail or E-Mail Marketing; Content is King.
Amid the ongoing debate about whether direct mail or e-mail is the best method to market to customers and prospects, very little is being said about the one thing that is crucial to the success of both---the message. Unless the message is relevant to the audience and persuasively presented, it doesn't matter how it is delivered. So while the discussion about direct mail versus e-mail continues, focus on developing good content and honing your writing skills.
Why Market with mail? The objective of both direct mail and e-mail marketing is to persuade a customer or prospect to take action, either now or later. When a seller consistently and regularly sends a communication such as a mailed post card or a newsletter(either mailed or web-based), a buyer is more likely at at future time to take the action desired by the seller. In other words, direct or e-mail marketing is less about an immediate sale than about positioning the business or organization to be top-of-mind when the potential buyer is ready to make a purchase.
This is important in business-to-business selling where the sell cycle is often long (especially when compared to business-to-consumer), and it is hard to stimulate demand. Direct mail is also important during an economic downturn when either budgetary constraints or the unwillingness of the purchaser to spend money creates a long sell cycle for both businesses and consumers.
Amid the ongoing debate about whether direct mail or e-mail is the best method to market to customers and prospects, very little is being said about the one thing that is crucial to the success of both---the message. Unless the message is relevant to the audience and persuasively presented, it doesn't matter how it is delivered. So while the discussion about direct mail versus e-mail continues, focus on developing good content and honing your writing skills.
Why Market with mail? The objective of both direct mail and e-mail marketing is to persuade a customer or prospect to take action, either now or later. When a seller consistently and regularly sends a communication such as a mailed post card or a newsletter(either mailed or web-based), a buyer is more likely at at future time to take the action desired by the seller. In other words, direct or e-mail marketing is less about an immediate sale than about positioning the business or organization to be top-of-mind when the potential buyer is ready to make a purchase.
This is important in business-to-business selling where the sell cycle is often long (especially when compared to business-to-consumer), and it is hard to stimulate demand. Direct mail is also important during an economic downturn when either budgetary constraints or the unwillingness of the purchaser to spend money creates a long sell cycle for both businesses and consumers.
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