Marketing

This is it what I use BEFORE I begin to write any marketing copy or launch any new product or service. You can complete this with the by-hand method listed here or use the form that I''ve created (available in the FORMS section of our web site, http://www.abundancecenter.com/forms/main.htm).

I complete this exercise even when I think I''m sure that I have it done. The mind plays some funky games, by redoing this exercise, my thoughts zone into what I''m working on, and my mind becomes razor sharp.

In other words, if I am writing marketing copy and I do this every day for many different projects, even though I did the exercise yesterday for the same project, I repeat it without looking at the previous version.

Almost every time something new emerges that surprises the ding-dongs out of me. This works on the principle that when you dump it on a page, your mind becomes free to allow what is underneath to rise to the top.

By Hand Method

On a new sheet of paper, draw a vertical line down the center into two columns. Title the left column "Features" and the right "Benefits."

Let''s first start by listing the features. Leave the Benefits for after you dumped as far as you can at this sitting. Features are the adjectives that describe the product or service.

Here is a few questions that will help speed your progress: * What does it look like? * What does it do? * How does it help? * What unique advantage does it offer?

How is it different from other products/services?

Your goal is to list at least 10 features.

Now let us switch to the "Benefits" column. Here you need to describe the outcome (results) of each feature. They need to describe the results of the feature you listed. If you don''t come up with anything, ask yourself if that is really a feature. If not, scratch it out and keep moving down.

Here are a few questions to get you started: * How does that particular feature bring value to the customer? * Will they sleep better, eat better, make more money, or what better because they have it?

Next, contact some prospects or past customers (not current customers). Ask them to identify the benefit they see in your product/service. Usually they can give you benefits you could not see. This is usually an eye-opening experience so don''t skip over it.

Now, number each of the benefits in significant order from the prospect''s perception. You can number them and then e- mail ten or so prospects, present and past customers, and ask them to number them. Then you can see how well you know your prospects. If you are way off to their perspective, then at least you know you need to get to see things from their viewpoint and you can work on that.

Finally, yet importantly, choose the top, number one, ultimate benefit that stands out. THAT, my friend, is the foundation of all of marketing and writing marketing copy. This isn''t the end, now you need to build your marketing strategy around this ONE, repeat ONE, benefit.

Don''t make the mistake juvenile marketers make by expressing all the benefits. This only confuses the buyers. Moreover, if your prospects are responding, "I need to think about it" more frequently then you prefer -- let this be your clue.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com', 177, 'Features and Benefits Brainstorming, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Features and Benefits Brainstorming plus articles and information on Marketing

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As a business owner, you know how valuable being good at marketing is. Yet, I have found working with business owners for the past 20 plus years that 99.9% of them have never defined what a good marketer is -- what it means in their terms.

Let''s take a moment right now and think about what you are measuring yourself against. Without a measurement, you can''t possibly know what you are shooting for and this will lead to a misconstrued representation or always believing you are never good enough or doing enough.

Yes, the best measurement of good marketing is the revenue you are receiving. Yes, there''s nothing like the confirmation that people are opening their wallets to your business. There''s also feedback -- the testimonials -- they are good for pats on the back or to show other people that someone cares about what you offer. Is that it though? To most big companies it always the bottom line -- profit after taxes. It''s how much the stockholders make or some other reference to money.

Yet for entrepreneurs who purposes when their own direction because they "wanted something more" what is the measurement. What is the "something more?" Okay, you want to be happy and have fun along way. Oops and before I forget to have balance between the business and the rest of your life.

Hey, I think we''ve made good progress so far in starting to define what your measurement definition of a "good marketer" is, didn''t we? Not actually, we defined what you want for the whole business most of the time with a few exceptions, like the revenue. But what makes up a "good marketer" in your definition.

Great, I love challenges, don''t you? Today, let''s take a few minutes out sometime and ask ourselves, "What is my measurement of who I would be if I were a good marketer?" Here is a list of questions to guide you as you think through and create our own definition. On a scale of 1-10, give each of these a measurement of where you know you stand right at this moment.

1. How well do you think you know who you are selling to or who has purchased from you in the past?

2. How well do you KNOW the principles of marketing?

3. How well do you practice those principles?

4. How well does the public understand what you do?

5. How do you teach them what they need to know to understand what you do?

6. Are you leaving it up to someone else to do this, or have you taken it upon yourself to make sure you educate at every possible opportunity?

7. How well do you know what you are selling ? your uniqueness, your product''s uniqueness?

6. Do you change your marketing strategy frequently whenever you get tired of it?

7. Is the change timing when the market has changed or when you are tired of it?

8. Are you enjoying what you have accomplishments or beating yourself up for what is left to do?

9. Are you enjoying the learning process as fun or frustrating? Are you allowing additional time to learn and grow? Are you including the learning time to be included in with the "this needs to give me results" time? How are you measuring that growth?

10. Do you repeat your offers frequently? Did you know that the "open" rate of emails is only 48% on a good day and 8% on a bad day? The 48% rate is for opt-in material. This means that there are a low number of people taking the time to read your material most of the time. This is why it is important to repeat your messages. Yes, a few will read it several times, however, they will use the delete key quickly.

11.Are you commitment 100% to marketing when you do it? Are you playing full out when you are in marketing mode, or is your heart only half in it?

12.Is it making the money you expected?

13.Do you take "no" personally?

14.Do you take good care of your health and other parts of your life as well?

There are lots more questions that you may want to ask yourself. What you want to come up with are 5-7 measurements for you to measure yourself against. If you still are having problems with defining this for yourself, ask other people who you feel meet that description.

Is all of it dependent on "results" only? When I get" when I''m over there" when I have $X dollars in the bank, then I will be a good marketer.

When you know what you are shooting for you will not ever come short or overshoot. This will keep you focused, clear and very attractive in the universe. Especially since most of it is competing against you.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com', 177, 'A Good Marketer: What?s the Measurement?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'A Good Marketer: What?s the Measurement? plus articles and information on Marketing

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Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason to create a count down calendar. A count down calendar starts with Franklin Covey''s philosophy, "start with the end in mind."

The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar is that it makes you think and focus harder as well as makes the planning easier.

First, you write down the exact results you want or expect. Let''s say you have a teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you are delivering on X date. This becomes your D-day -- sort of speaking. It may be end of the event planning, however, it can also be the beginning of your follow-up plan. For simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day point.

Now you can prepare a count down calendar in several ways. One way would be to use a calendar with the days of the month filled in. You mark down the D-day and then you back track from there to today.

Count down the days until __________. Number of marketing days to go until __________.

Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 marketing days to go until seminar.

Any doesn''t matter which calendar method you use, you will need to write down your measurements or your mini-results that will deliver the end results you want. I use the pivoting question, "What is it going to take to..." to get my thinking moving in the right direction. I like to think through and write these on the back of my calendars. This gives me a bird''s eye view for that particular commitment that my software does not provide.

Another way would be to use a blank form like this with the appropriate number of days in between. Then cross out the days that you will do any marketing -- say Sundays or days filled with other requirements. For my teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular calendar for these. In fact, I use green color paper to print out the calendar.

If you don''t want to create your own, visit your local office supply store, they have countdown calendars available for purchase (blank planning books).

A third way to complete a countdown calendar would be to complete it in a linear form.

Day 21: Speaking event results I desire -- describe those results.

Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinko''s.

Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail to organizer.

To Day 1: Today.

Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, like teleclasses, you can create a linear countdown calendar like the one above. Eventually you will see a consistent pattern of to-dos.

At that point, don''t stop doing this with the thinking you have it down pat and you don''t need to. This will jump up and bite you in the assets fairly quickly by bogging down your mind and making you wonder if you are missing something. If that occurs, jump back into the habit, it is a great one to have. Even if it is frustrating because it takes thinking time.

Once you have your count down calendar completed then you can enter it into your automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or Act. This will track all your deadlines, goals, and projects. You will have a separate count down calendar for each one.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com', 177, 'How to Create a Countdown Marketing Calendar, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How to Create a Countdown Marketing Calendar plus articles and information on Marketing

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THE GREAT MAIL ORDER MYTH There are a number of totally unrealistic beliefs about the mail order business. To belive in any of them can be dangerous to your pocketbook. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. It is possible to make vast amounts of money in a short period of time under the following conditions:

a. No experience b. Little or no investment c. Insignificant work effort

If this were a multiple choice test, then A, B, and C, would be FALSE-- FALSE AND FALSE AGAIN

It does take experience, and knowledge, which can be acquired through reading, observing, and doing... There are many good books as well as some bad ones, on the mail order business. Stay away from books that make unreasonable promises. Our Special Report Series is designed to give you factual information on a specific subject. Universities and colleges across the country give courses in mail order and direct mail.

You can learn a great deal by observing companies that have been around for some time and are successful. Read their ads, study their offers and promotional literature. Some of the most effective direct mail offers are written by professional writers who are employed by large companies and who will not have a job unless they write successful and effective material. So, the next time you throw away a piece of mail from American Express or the Book of the Month Club, look at it and study it carefully.

The mail order business, like any business, requires an investment. It may be smaller, in many cases, than a business which requires a store front.. In most cases, mail order entrepreneurs launch their businesses from their homes. The amount of the investment is largely determined by the magnitude of the entrepreneur''s effort. A part-time mail order business can be gotten off the ground for less than a thousand dollars... The belief however, that a business, any business, can be started for $50 or $100 is totally false. I might add, it can be very profitable to those who make their living telling people it can be done. of course, they are usually the ones that want, and often get, the only $50 they say it takes to start the business.

And now we get to the really good part--little or no work. In some peoples'' minds, it goes something like this: Put in a few hours here and there, easy work, just stuff some envelopes, run a few ads; and wow, the money will be pouring into the mail box! Anyone who belives that probably also believes they are going to win a few million dollars in the lottery. The odds are not very far apart. Building a business, mail order or any other, is hard work. It takes great perseverance, belief in your efforts and lots of work.

2. Many people belive that they can get lucky in this business. Don''t believe it for a minute. It is the greatest mail order myth of them all. To belive it is fatal. Look at this business in the same way you once looked at your job anytime you first began to learn a new skill. It took time to acquire those skills and this is no different. It will take time and also effort.

3. Finding the one book or product that thousands or even millions will buy. Well, it is obviously possible since it has been done, however, your chances of coming up with another Pet Rock or Rubik''s Cube are highly unlikely. It is equally unlikely that you will discover the one book that will be bought by hundreds of thousands. But your chances of becoming a success in this business and making a lot of money are excellent, if you adhere to the rules and principles of the business.

4. Running a small ad in a national magazine and getting hundreds or even thousands of orders.

5. Renting a mailing list of 1,000 names and getting 150 to 200 orders. A very good list will generally produce no more than 2% to 3%, 20 to 30 orders for 1000 names. Your own list may do much better.

There are a few of the most common beliefs about the mail order business that are almost always totally false.

PRODUCT CHOICE

The first task any new entrant into this business has to deal with is to determine what product to sell and to whom he will sell it. This is a considerable task and it should not be taken lightly. Many serious errors are committed in this area.. To become well informed in this area, it is necessary to read various publications that cater to those people to whom you wish to sell your products. Read the news content and study the ads. Send in for free information on those ads that are close to the products that you select have an ongoing demand so your customers will want to buy from you again and again.

During this early stage of your mail order career, it is of utmost importance to control your enthusiasm. If you don''t, you will get drawn into the SHOTGUN APPROACH. In this scenario, you will be so enthusiastic and impatient that you will make a number of rapid moves such as the following: You will buy one or more distributorships; choose one or more products that you know little about (it amazes me beyond belief that people make marketing decisions about products they have not seen--this is simply insane): run one or more of the publications; or rent a mailing list and have no idea how the names on that list were accumulated.

Needless to say, you can spend a thousand dollars or more in a hurry and you may get little or no results from your efforts. And what is even worse, you will probably become discouraged and get out of the business before you had a chance to understand it at all.

When choosing a product, take care in considering all aspects associated with the marketing of it. The most important considerations are: demand and repeat demand Cost and mark-up potential Shipping or dropshipping arrangements Reliability of your major suppliers Product storage in case you decide to do your own shipping Cost of shipping

The most important consideration in choosing a product or line of products is your belief that this product represents a service or need to your potential customer. The product or products must also have related products that can be sold to your customer at a later time.. Each product you sell should be marketed with the aim of selling additional products. This is why, in general,, selling just one product is so very difficult and selling a line of products via a catalog for example, is so effective. The more items you can sell each customer, and the more repeat sales you can generate, the more money you will make.

THE PROMOTIONAL OFFER

Once you have chosen your product, set the price, decide who your supplier is going to be and how it will be shipped, you begin to put together the marketing material.. This is more crucial in our business than in any other business and it is also precisely the reason why a percentage of the population will not buy by mail---because they cannot see, smell or fell the product until they have paid for it.

The most common mistake committed in this area is to duplicate exactly what another enterprise is doing. One of the big problems with this approach is, since there is so much plagiarism going on in this business, you may be copying someone who is just as new in this business as you are and who is also copying someone else''s idea. It is OK to copy what others are successfully doing example, many companies in the information product line will provide their dealers or distributors with ready-made promotional material. In most cases, this is the least expensive way to get started and, if you are dealing with a reputable and successful company, you will be promoting products that have been proven successful.

It is recommended however, that you use this approach only until you get your feet wet. Then you should begin to develop your own material. Once you have a better understanding of what sells and who is buying it and why, develop your own brochure, circular, etc. You can still utilize the material of others as an addition or follow-up to your material. Developing your own material is not at all difficult and can be done professionally and effectively on a rather small budget. A good promotional offer consists of several important components which include:

The circular or brochure, or catalog. A brochure or catalog does not have to be a 40 page instrument but can be as few as 4 pages

An effective sales letter

The ordering instrument--this may be a built-in order form, separate order form, etc.

Return envelope

Of the above, the development of the brochure, circular or catalog, is the most expensive so here is where you will most likely use something that is supplied to you by your supplier.. A hard hitting sales letter is as important as the brochure. You have generally three options in tackling this project:

1. You can copy one from someone else. Since an exact copy may be illegal, you should probably use elements of the letter and make some changes but the end result generally leaves much to be desired.

2. You can pay someone to write one for you. This can be very expensive and may still bring about less than desirable results. The biggest problem here is that the writer of your sales letter will generally not understand your product as well as you do.

3. Do it the right way, the hard way. Do it yourself.

There are many good publications on effective letter writing for direct marketing and you should read one or more of them. Keep in mind that no one will understand your product as well as you do..

To do a good job, it is a definite requirement that you believe in the product and believe that it has one or more important benefits to the buyer. Just having the desire to sell the product, so it will make money for you,, will not cut it as a rule.. Once you understand the basic components that need to be in every sales letter, you should be able to write one.. A little practice may be necessary. You will become more proficient with each new product.

An order form should be user friendly. Your customer should be able to read the instructions with ease. If your brochure, circular, etc. has a built-in order form, it is generally a good idea to enclose a separate order form.. This way the customer can keep the original offer intact.

Enclosing a return envelope is strongly suggested. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for your potential buyer to part with his money and send it to you without too many hurdles.

The biggest sins are committed under this topic of The Promotional Offer and, since the promotional offer is the only thing your customer sees before deciding if he will buy from you or toss you in the nearest trash can, you must do things right,, there are absolutely no exceptions. If you are sloppy here, if you try to save a few bucks, you are cheating yourself, not your customers. Keep in mind he is an expect at rejecting offers since he had many years experience. the average American is presented with approximately 6,000 plus offers to buy something per week--TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, road signs and, last but not least direct mail.. Or, putting it into more personal terms, YOUR OFFER. So sweat over this one SO YOU WON''T GET TOSSED.

The money which is wasted annually in this country on substandard direct mail would make a substantial dent in our country''s national deficit. Every week I see dozens of offers come across my desk that could make me weep.. Such garbage! Return envelopes with crooked rubber stamp imprint, sales letters with spelling errors, grammatical errors, etc., so called brochures which were apparently copied by a 20 year old copying machine.., circulars that look extremely unprofessional because the order from section has obviously been changed by a typewriter and they arrive all by their lonely selves, no sales letter, no return envelop.. God it is awful! The authors of this garbage are screaming to the world: "i am an amateur, I am an amateur, I have no idea what I am doing but I want your money. You''d better belive and not forget that this country is made up of 240 million of the most sophisticated buyers to be found anywhere on this globe.

Yet, this is also the area where you can shine and excel beyond your wildest dreams.. Modern technology has given us the tools to produce marketing material that can make you look as good as some of the largest and most successful companies in this country. And you can do it right out of your home. You will find professionals who can help you in this endeavor. Right in your own city there are desktop publishers, graphic designers, and word processing services that are eager to help you. You could get a 4 page brochure designed for as little as approximately $100, in most markets, plus printing. The brochure can look just as good as the brochure of a million dollar company.

Therefore, you must do things right. The average buyer will look at your piece for less than 8 seconds to decide whether to junk it or study it.

MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT VIA ADVERTISING

Most new mail order entrepreneurs will sell their products through advertising once they know what they will sell and have developed their promotional offer. Since display advertising is generally quite expensive, it is best to start out with classified ads in monthly national publications. Classified ads, as well as small display ads, should only be used to get inquiries from promotional buyers. The inquiries are sent the promotional material you have developed and a percentage of them are converted into buyers. This percentage generally will range from between 6-12%. If you want to sell something directly from an ad, the item should cost less than $4. There is not enough space in a small ad like that to convince a buyer to spend $10 or $20. For that reason, you see full page ads selling products in that price range.

The first task is to choose the right magazine. One of the most effective ways to find the right magazine is to choose one that carries ads by successful companies that sell products similar to yours... The wrong magazine is generally the one whose content attracts readers who are not at all interested in the product you are selling.

Choosing the right classification in the publication is as important as choosing the right magazine.. Again follow the leaders. Since there are thousands of magazines catering to almost every possible interest group, the possibilities of finding new opportunities to market your products are unlimited. I suggest, however, that in the beginning you stick with well known magazines and leave your experimentations for later when you are better established.

Monthly publications are generally more cost effective than weekly magazines, and certainly, daily papers. You can get inquiries from a national publication, such as Popular Mechanics, for months and sometimes well over a year. A daily paper, on the other hand,, will rarely produce an inquiry beyond 2-3 weeks after it was published.

A common advertising mistake is to choose inexpensive advertising such as in shoppers papers, mail order trade journals, etc. It is not how much the ad costs but how much each inquiry costs you... If you ad costs $100 and you receive 100 inquiries, each one has a direct cost to you of $1. Early in mail order career I spent a lot of money for a $10 ad here and a $20 ad there. I soon learned

that sometimes I would only get one or two inquiries for my $10. Expensive! To test a product and promotional offer it is sufficient to run the ad just once.. The magazines and advertising agencies will often tell you that to test an ad you must run it 3 or more times. I say no. Not until you know how the

first one pulls. You will need some patience for this endeavor since most monthly publications have a lead of two or three months.. But its is much better to wait a little while than to spend hundreds of dollars without getting needed results. To write successful ads also takes practice and work.. Once again,, follow the leaders. A successful ad can often pull two, and sometime three, times as many inquiries as an ineffective one.

MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT VIA MAILING LISTS.

This approach is often preferred by the newcomer. Unfortunately, it is also generally the least effective way. It is preferred by many because it is perceived to be easy. And if it worked it would be. Millions of dollars are made by companies in renting the wrong names and stale names to new mail order entrepreneurs.. Both sides lose. The company renting the names will not get any repeat business and the customer often goes out of the business if his efforts are futile.

The most unfortunate mistake newcomer make here is to assume one list as good as the next one. The inexperienced mail order operators should start out advertising, and as they gain experience, begin to use mailing lists in addition to their advertising. But, if you absolutely cannot resist, at least be very picky in choosing your lists. Deal with a reputable broker or smaller mail order company that you know advertisers frequently. Find out how the names were generated. What did the ad that brought the inquiry sell? If you are trying to sell books on how to start a new business and end up with the names of people who answered an ad about how to find a better job or learn a new hobby, you will have wasted your money. Likewise if names are older than 6 months, preferably no more than 3 months, you will get too many returns and people may not be interested in the same subjects anymore. Mailing lists especially your own, can be highly successful, but only if you have gained enough experience to make wise selections.

The preceding pages have attempted to cover some of most important areas you should be aware of as you start out in this exciting business. Although the emphasis in the preceding pages has been largely on the negative, I belive strongly that this business has immense potential and rewards for anyone who has the interest and dedication to learn it. If you do your homework and make deliberate moves based on your personal knowledge and experience and you expand with each success, the potential for your ultimate success is almost unlimited. Don''t forget that unlike your friendly neighborhood retail store which sells only to a confined geographical market, you can market your product to over 260 Million people in the U,S, and Canada.

So remember before you can earn you must learn!

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An inexpensive way to promote your services is to create
various flyers and distribute them wherever you go -- pin
them to the bulletin boards at the library, bookstore,
handout out at networking events, or playing tennis. Here
are 10 tips on how to get your flyer noticed and remembered.

1. Include your picture. People like to connect with others
visually. Color is great, yet black and white is fine too.

2. Hook your prospective buyers with the headline in the
top line. For example, read about ______ as it really is!
Give them a reason to read the flyer. Show those benefits!

3. Testimonials that appear authentic are very important.
For some, testimonials that include a two or three-line
quote with initials, last name, and a state are not
perceived as authentic. Make this area two-fold by adding a
call to action along with authenticity. You can use, "visit
my web site for additional testimonials and live links to
contact these people."

4. The flyer needs a call to action. What do you want
someone to do once they read the flyer? Call? Visit web
site? A common mistake is to omit the benefit they get for
taking that action or to place it somewhere else in the
flyer and not next to that request (call to action).

5. Add praise instead of testimonials. Praise does not
necessarily talk about what the flyer topic is discussing.
It can be for something else you do.

6. If selling a product, make it easy for them to purchase
the product. Show how they can order online, via fax, or by
phone. Here is a great example of some language: "3 Easy
Steps to Order." Make sure you tell them when they can
expect to receive the product. For skeptics, offer them a
URL link to get more information.

7. If they can purchase directly from you and you have your
product on hand, write that down on the flyer. Here are
some of the things I write down: "You can usually find me at
Borders every Friday between 3 PM and 5 PM if you want to
discuss anything (or purchase the product)." I do one for
the library as well. I place a flyer on their job board.
It takes the library staff at least 3-5 days before they
discover it.

8. The headline must grab the reader and the first
paragraph must hold them. You have three seconds to
accomplish this. If you are looking for a specific target
market, find out what words/phrases will get their attention
and write to that audience. If you are not sure change the
hook for different target markets and leave the rest of the
flyer the same. Experiment with several to see what works
until you get the response you want.

9. Carry at least 25 flyers with you in a plastic sealed
folder. This protects them from the elements and keeps them
fresh. Place a piece of cardboard in front and in back for
stiffness.

10. Use the blank side of the flyer to write notes. People
hold onto them longer. Recommend a book, web site, or
referral. You can write a code for a special discount or
complimentary session. Give them a meaning for the code and
ask that they provide it when they e-mail or call. You can
even ask them to enter this method into other tracking
systems. Design the codes so that they reference something
to you. Like 10 for all those at a certain event or 20 for
their target market match. Then you can put them together:

Remember the follow-up "law of seven." After seven
exposures, you have created interest!

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing &
Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet
writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and
articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com', 177, '10 Ways to Get Your Flyers Noticed, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', '10 Ways to Get Your Flyers Noticed plus articles and information on Marketing

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If you are not using flyers in your business you are missing out. Flyers can be used to sell your product, promote your product, promote your services, and in a number of other areas.

Our lease purchasing students learn very quickly the importance of using flyers. Flyers, however, are not exclusive to lease purchasing. They are useful in almost every business I can think of. I''m sure there might be a business out there they don''t work for, but I can''t think of one.

To give you an idea of how we use them in lease purchasing. We use them after we get a property, by making up a flyer with the property characteristics, along with what we are asking for the property and the terms. We will place these flyers in various areas around the property, and we also use them to market in a number of other areas. In addition, this same flyer is faxed or emailed to our networking partners.

We use flyers to announce our seminars to various clubs and organizations. We also have a specific flyer for our seller and tenant buyer do it yourself manuals. We place this flyer in apartment complexes and a variety of other areas to get manual sales.

We have different flyers for sellers, tenant buyers, manual sales, seminars, and properties. We also have a number of different versions of each.

Many times after placing flyers up around a property we just left, by the time we get back to the office we will have messages regarding the flyer we placed.

For those of you running businesses other than lease purchasing, you can also use flyers in your business. Flyers can be used to announce a Grand Opening or the re-opening of a business, the addition of a new product line, basically any number of things. They are a lot cheaper than running a ad, in addition to giving you a lot of space to say and/or show what your business does. You can have a couple thousand of flyers made up and place them on cars in parking lots, or use a mailing service to mail them to a particular neighborhood. You can have another publication place your flyer in with their mailing or you can have someone hand them out. You can mail them to current customers to announce an upcoming event or product. You can put a coupon on them and offer a discount, or dollars off amount.

So what are you waiting for. Do up a flyer and see how it can increase your profits.

Copyright 2003 DeFiore Enterprises

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it''s like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com', 177, 'Using Flyers In Your Business, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Using Flyers In Your Business plus articles and information on Marketing

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We all know the familiar adage "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck..." it''s nearly always a duck. The same is true with image, particularly when it comes to the images we portray of ourselves as writers.

My e-book "Articles That Sell", teaches the how-to''s of effectively marketing your business by writing and publishing articles. These ideas will help you literally take your marketing act to the street by presenting yourself as a professional writer.

A professional writer? Of course...the last image that you want to convey is that you''re an amateur. If you want to brand yourself and your business professionally, then you''ve got to conduct all your marketing efforts with the perspective of a skilled and accomplished pro.

First, you''ll need to erase any stereotypical images of writers. They aren''t all philosophical types in glasses and black turtlenecks. Writers are real people, just like you. They come from all walks of life and have their own mortgages to pay. Very few writers are able to boast successful careers based only upon the words they have authored. In fact, most of the prominent writers we read today all have certain elements in common.

What are the marks of a professional Writer?

Business Cards - Does yours make any mention of the fact that you''re a writer? If it doesn''t, then you''re sending an alarming signal that you write as a hobby.

Resume - Does yours note the names and dates of the publications that have featured your work? No listed works, no credibility.

Portfolio - Do you have a beyond-your-hard-drive collection of the articles you have written? All writers should have a hands-on cd or floppy portfolio. If possible, you should also have a physical portfolio containing your work, particularly any work that has been published in print.

Current Contact List or Database - Can you put your hands on a complete list of contact information? We''re not talking sticky-notes here. This should include the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and web site addresses of any publications to which you have submitted an article. Ideally, you should also include the contact information for any new publications about which you learn. Make certain to include the name of the article you have submitted and whether it was published. If you sold an article, list the price for which you sold it. Review your information regularly and follow-up with each publication periodically.

Letterhead and Envelopes - Think it''s too expensive? If it''s a business expense then it''s tax deductible. While it''s true that editors are primarily interested in the content of your work, unprofessional correspondence sends up a red flag that you''re trying to break-in to writing. You probably have a software program on your computer that you can use to create an impressive letterhead for yourself. Visit your local office supply store to find a quality paper to print it.

Editor - Now, we''re talking some real money, aren''t we? As I''ve said before in a previous ATSU Newsletter, there are affordable editors out there. You can even find one at a local college who might be willing to work for a nominal fee. If using a "for-pay" editor isn''t an option, you should at least have all your work proofed for grammar, spelling, and flow of content by someone who is qualified and is objective. It''s important that you be open-minded to constructive criticism.

Library Card - Who has time to read? The best way to learn to better express our own thoughts and further develop our writing is through reading the thoughts of others. Ask anyone whom you consider to be a professional writer. That person will always tell you that they have either always been or have become an avid reader. In the area of reading, venture out and read beyond your normal scope of preferences. You''ll be amazed at how expanding your horizons can truly fine-tune your own writing skills.

Success in marketing with articles is a reciprocating enterprise. The more you write and publish articles to market your business, the more exposure you will gain as an author. Presenting yourself as an across-the-board professional in your area of writing will propel your success even further. Maximize the mileage you can earn through your writing!

(c) 2004, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights in all media reserved. Permission to reprint granted so long as the by-line and article are printed intact and links are live.

Bonnie Jo Davis has been using the "marketing with articles" technique for over ten years. She and her clients have been published in hundreds publications both on the internet and in print. Learn more about this free technique to garner publicity and establish yourself as an expert by visiting her http://tinyurl.com/5wnmm', 177, 'Marking Your Territory, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Marking Your Territory plus articles and information on Marketing

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