Monday, October 30, 2006

Selling a problem - aka I need a hole

Every sales and marketing expert will tell you that people buy solutions not products, benefits not features. Nobody needs a drill, what they need is a hole.

If that's the case, and in my opinion it is, then you need to start with what exactly the problem is. Once you know what problem exists then you need you can make that problem clear - selling the problem.

Here's an idea we made earlier:

Let's be honest, you’re quite busy, and sometimes marketing can take a bit of a back seat. After all, you’ve got a lot on your plate – dealing with customers, managing staff, paying the rent, taking the phone calls and fixing the broken toilet.

Our Mini Marketing Manager program is designed to give small businesses access to professional marketing support without the cost of hiring someone full or even part-time – leaving you free to get on with what you do best.


The problem: You're too busy to do marketing. The solution: Use our MMM program so you don't have to.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Just one thing ...

Marketing your business can sometimes seem like having a mountain to climb. Where do you start? Advertising, networking, direct mail, telesales, guerrilla, cause related marketing?

Try this. Do one thing this week/month. That's it. ONE thing. If you're only using one marketing strategy at the moment, at the end of the week or month you'll be using two!

Then next month start doing another. Just one. Then you'll be using three strategies.

By the end of the year you'll be using thirteen different strategies for marketing your business (or 53 if you're feeling ambitious). Of course, using different ideas doesn't guarantee success, but by trying so many different options you raise your chances of at least a few working really well.

So, pencils ready, what one thing will you do this week?

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Good for them. Good for your business (pt 1)

A few weeks ago I cited the Campbell's Soup campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness as a fantastic example of Cause Related Marketing.

Businesses, big and small, are in a unique position with respect to good causes. Not only can we do good by supporting worthy campaigns and charities but we can also achieve many of our own economic goals at the same time. With this in mind it is certainly an avenue worth investigating.

Over a few posts we'll be taking a look at ideas for working with charities and other non-profit organisations. Let's start with 10 simple reasons to get involved:

1. It does good - the most important and obvious reason
2. You can utilise the existing social networks intrinsic in any good cause to help get your joint message out there
3. It's cost effective - even if you don't give money, donations of time and 'in kind' donations are free
4. Your joint message is more PR friendly than either is in isolation
5. It's a positive reinforcement of your image
6. It improves your image in the eyes of your staff and other stakeholders
7. It can increase sales and raises your profile
8. It can provide networking opportunities
9. It can help service organisations build a portfolio
10. Your business gains 'goodwill' by association

If you still need convincing check out the Business in the Community website.

Next installment - putting it all together.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Stop doing that!

If you're spending money on a marketing/advertising idea that isn't bringing in the business - STOP IT or FIX IT

Throwing more money at an idea that is simply not working will not solve the problem. In most cases the problem is in the execution and the fundamentals so don't spend another penny until you've figured out why it isn't working.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Benjamin Franklin / Albert Einstein

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

How does your industry market?

I'm often struck by how many business owners use just one or two ways of marketing their business. What's more concerning is how many businesses within any given industry use exactly the same marketing tactics. Of course, everyone says their business is different but if everyone markets in the same way then how is the customer to know?

Let's take plumbers as an example:

Plumbers tend to advertise in the Yellow Pages. Some will use flyers. They all say they offer a fast and reliable service and do so at keen rates.

If everyone says and does the same thing then none of it really matters.

What would happen if a plumber suddenly decided to do things a bit differently? Say, for example, they invested some time in creating a referral program. They could stay in touch by email, offer special discounts and ask for referrals - it would cost nothing but their time. As the only plumber doing it they'd stand out a mile and no doubt increase the number of referrals and repeat jobs. What if they offered a money-back guarantee or wrote a 'quick fix guide' and gave them out to every customer?

Of course, plumbers are not alone. So ask yourself, what is everyone else in my industry doing? Then ask, why?

If you can start marketing in ways the others don't, you'll start to find the customers the others aren't.

Creating advocates

An advocate is simply someone who actively promotes your business and sends customers and clients your way. They do it for no financial reward, simply because they believe in your business and you. So, how can you create more advocates?

Here's a few ideas:

- A simple to understand, easy to refer business (ie. they can say what you do in a few simple sentences - "FreeForm Media work with small businesses to deliver low cost marketing ideas")
- Return the favour by sending referrals to them
- Delivering and following up on anything you promise
- A straight forward approach
- Thanking them and recognising their contribution
- A good personal relationship
- WOM recommendations from other sources (ie they may feel more comfortable if others recommend you as well)
- A consistent, quality product or service
- You go the extra mile for their 'referees'

An advocate is effectively putting their own reputation on the line every time they refer someone to you - so you need to deliver. What's more, even though there's no financial reward, they need to feel that they are benefiting from the relationship as well - even if it's just a 'thank you'.

We all know recommendations are a more valued source of info than any advertisement; look to cultivate and grow your group of advocates and you'll benefit from the best form of marketing there is - for free.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Watch people get scared to death

All in the name of good marketing.

Priceless

Send me your marketing questions!

Got a marketing question you need help with? Need some ideas to help get things moving?

Email me! and we'll answer them here.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

“You’ll Be Delighted...or it’s FREE!”

Do you offer a guarantee?

A lot of business owners I talk to are afraid of guarantees. If they offer them at all, they're full of terms, conditions and fine print.

Simply put, a good guarantee is a great way to drive sales, and, perhaps more importantly, lend an image of quality to your business and brand.

No guarantee does nothing to set you apart from your competitors and nothing to sway the 'fence-sitting' customer

A guarantee full of loopholes says "We're sure you'll like our food, just so long as you don't come on a Thursday night when the chef's a bit tired."

Giving it away

Samples, trials, white papers, tip sheets, extended test drives, free consultations, free CD's .....

A lot of businesses use freebies as a way of enticing new customers and clients, but what exactly should you give away?

Seth Godin raises an interesting point in his blog. If you decide to give a sample of your product or service away should you give away your best stuff or something less than?

Afterall, your best stuff is what you make your money from. Give away all your best ideas for free and there's no reason for people to part with their cash. But then again, if you don't, you run the risk of not impressing in the way you could.

It seems a concern until you realise that consumers - both business and individuals - are hardly short of choices these days. If they aren't impressed with what you have they can simple Google another firm, cross the road to the next shop or check the Yellow Pages for another supplier.

Free samples of whatever you do are simply an incentive to get people to pay attention to what you've got to offer - and you decide what you do with that attention. Of course there'll always be people who take their freebies and go merrily on their way but if you put your best foot forward the ones who stay around can become customers for life.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

10 marketing ideas for less than a tenner

These are the kinds of ideas we love at FreeForm.

Simple

Low cost

Different

The best part is you can try them all and see what works. Link

Waste half an hour here

Who know's, you might learn something. If not, well ...

VeryFunnyAds.com

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Buzz for me

How exactly do you go about encouraging your customers to 'buzz' about you to their friends and colleagues?

Firstly you need a product or service that's 'buzzable' - that means being more than just good (everybody's good these days). It means being [b]exceptional, different, strange, out of the ordinary - anything but satisfactory[/b].

But even that won't guarantee that people will talk about you. You need a plan.

1. Make it easy - how easily could someone explain what you do, do they know your name, do you have a catchphrase or logo that people will remember, do you make it automatic by branding your products or other materials, do you have referral buttons on your website
2. Give them the tools - referral cards, gift vouchers to give out (one for you and two for your friends), a special 'secret' deal that only they and their families can have, business cards, your direct line
3. Make it worth their while - how do you reward people who bring you more business, VIP treatment, a thank-you card, a special deal, cash
4. Expect it / Encourage it - tell people to tell their friends, make it part of doing business with you (we know you'll love it so much we'll ask you to tell two other people who could use our services), promote it, ask for referrals on your website

Word-of-mouth is by nature organic - you can't force people to talk about your business - but you can set your business and your marketing up to make it easy and rewarding to do so.

Tip: start with the negative - ask yourself all the reasons why someone wouldn't talk to their friends about what you do then finds ways to eliminate or mititgate those reasons

Monday, October 09, 2006

Try before you buy

A company in New Zealand is letting prospective home owners spend a night in one of their show homes to help get a real feel for the house before they buy.

It's a growing trend that Trendwatching.com has labelled Tryvertising. As an alternative to the diminishing returns of traditional mass advertising, 'tryvertisers' encourage customers to experience their product or service BEFORE purchase, often in a real life setting (ie. not just in the showroom).

Examples are everywhere with a simple one being the extended test drives many car firms now offer. For small businesses it's potentially a cost-effective way to build consumer confidence in your product before they part with their hard earned cash. It also is a perfect opportunity to show the real benefits of what you have to offer - in a way no brochure can - and start generating a bit of 'buzz' about your business.

In professional services, blogs and white papers are great for letting people get an insite into how you think and work. If you run a restaurant you could throw on a free buffet or take your food out to the masses on the street. A hotel could throw a free baquet and invite potential wedding clients. A masseuse could visit offices and give free 5 minute massages to tired workers.

Get your thinking cap on. How can you let your potential customers and clients experience your fantastic service or product before they buy?

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

DO THIS!

If you only get ONE idea from this blog (as if ...) make it this one.

Campbell's Goes Pink

Campbell's Soup have launched a Pink version of their iconic red cans to help support breast cancer awareness month.

The cynical amongst you will no doubt ignore this as a shallow marketing ploy (and yes it has DOUBLED sales of their most popular lines in some outlets) but that misses the point.

This is a great example of a major brand accomplishing two worthy goals at once (see also the Red campaign currently taking over a mobile phone or newspaper near you). Not only does the campaign raise awareness of and funds for a worthy cause but it also does exactly the same for Campbell's as well.

This is definitely something that just about any business can adapt for their product or service by partnering with a worthy cause of their choosing. We've 'co-branded' many of our promotional products with local charities and seen sales and media interest rise - not to mention raising tens of thousands of pounds for those causes year after year. Why do you think Fairtrade coffee and other products are increasingly popular? Why do Tescos and Sainsbury's and every other 'grocery' store have charity of the year and Sports for Schools campaigns?

If you need more convincing check this out:

"According to a 2004 survey on cause marketing done by Boston brand-strategy firm Cone, 91% of 1,033 consumers say they have a more positive image of a company or product when it supports a cause and 90% will consider switching to another company if it's aligned with a cause." Advertising Age

So not only does it increase sales, generate publicity and raise funds for a good cause, it positively affects the image of your brand or business!

This is a concept you need to look at for your business - and, of course, this is something we've been doing for businesses and ourselves for a while now so if you need some help - drop us a line to info@freeformmedia.co.uk

Free Hug Anyone?

Free Hugs Here

What exactly is this all about then? Is it a business, cunningly promoting products to unsuspecting 'huggers', a strange cult, a spiritual movement?

My guess is a sprinkling of all the above. The real question is though, what does it's success tell us about marketing?

I'd say we should all be looking at ways we can make our businesses just a little more friendly. How can you hug your customers (without being arrested that is)?

Well, how about just going that extra mile, providing a warm personal service that makes them feel special and mkaes your business that much more personal to them?

Worth a thought.

Monday, October 02, 2006

More Funky Text Stuff

Sorry, been away for a while working on rebranding our own business and start tying the businesses together under a single banner (more to come on that one...)

Anyway, found this cool new business idea on Springwise (where else?). Cadeaucode.nl let's you buy gifts for friends and family and have the redmeption code immediately sent to them by SMS. Great for last minute pressies I'd say - and ripe for reworking in your market.

As a cool twist, cadeaucode don't actually pay for any of the gifts you can buy from the site. Suppliers actually give them the stuff for free as a nice way to seed the market with new products and services.

You can see the Springwise article here