With more than a decade of experience in marketing, ranking from pay-per-click to direct mail, I’ve seen a lot of failures and far more successes when it comes to marketing.
Today, the art of marketing is far more complex than it once was. However, many of the same basic principles still apply. Too often, professional marketers and small business owners overlook the basic techniques that have separated successful campaigns from those that never turn a profit.
Here is my all time list of effective marketing tips.
1. Know
your audience! Successful campaigns get that way because
marketers know their audience. They fully understand their needs, how to help
meet those needs and how to create demand. Knowing and understanding your
audience through proper market segmentation means a well-targeted campaign that
generates a profitable return.
2. Focus
on the offer. A marketing offer is
the driving force of marketing promotions that drive results. In fact, market
testing has proven that the offer is the most significant criterion for
conversion. Focus on your offer if you want to be successful.
3. Split
test. Never ever run a campaign without testing
something. One of the most common is a split test which allows you to
simultaneously test two versions of something. It can be a web page, post card,
or email. Split testing is essential for improving performance.
4. Never
work alone. The most creative ideas come from working
with other creative people. Don’t feel like you need to have all the answers or
great ideas. You may start with an idea, but an open dialog with creative
individuals will make it better.
5. Don’t
sell on price! I've seen so many marketers fail because
they sell on price alone. This leads to a discounting war, lower profitability,
and often bankruptcy. Rather, focus on creating so much value that the
perception of price becomes insignificant.
6. Consistent
messaging. Consider the entire user experience before you
launch a campaign. From email to website to offer, is the prospect having a
consistent user experience? If they are, your campaigns stand above 98% of
others.
7. Create
value after the sale. As marketers, it’s our
job to understand our market segment and build relationships, not dump people
off at the front door of our store and walk away. Focus as much of your energy
on building relationships with customers as you do prospects.
8. Test.
Test. Test. In addition to split testing, you should
consider multiple forms of testing in each marketing discipline. For direct
mail, test headlines, offers, copy, time of direct mail drop, etc. Consider
testing a life long mission.
9. Integrated
Marketing Works Best. You can’t rely on one
form of marketing to carry you to success. It’s okay to generate most of your
leads or sales through PPC marketing if you will but what happens when that
dries out? Use multiple media sources to meet your goals.
10. Nothing
can replace experience.
You can run out and hire all of the best consultants in the world, but you
still have to do the work. Nothing can replace actual experience. It will make
you a stronger marketer and more successful in the long term.
Your man in the Mountains .....
Big Ed
BigEdz Ads / Opportunities
 |
| Big Ed racing trains in Colorado :) |
About the Author
Are you looking
for marketing tips that will take your marketing to the
next level? Visit themarketing tips blog for helpful information, tools, and
marketing secrets you won't find anywhere else.
©2009
MarketingScoop.
