_You’ve heard it a zillion times: you need to stay top of mind with your customers through regular contact. You know it's true. And you know if you don’t, you will quickly be forgotten and lose sales to your competition. But how do you stay in front of your customers without badgering them? Easy. Develop an inexpensive, informative customer newsletter! Now, before you groan and start imagining the costs of printing and postage—think digital e-newsletters instead. After all, you've been collecting email addresses, right? So put them to work!

Here's the two main reasons why e-newsletters are effective:

• Newsletters help people be "in the know." If you're a gold prospector, you want to know about the latest regulations for dredging in rivers. If you're a tennis player, you want to know about the latest racquet. Cooks want new recipes and gadgets that make cooking easier. Educate your readers about what they buy from you in the first place, and they will thank you for it with their wallets.
  
• Newsletters build strong relationships. A regular delivery is extremely important to the success of your e-newsletter. "Regular" can be daily, weekly, monthly, even quarterly.  Because your newsletter arrives consistently, it helps strengthen your professional relationship. Customers will see you as a stable, knowledgeable business with much to offer— a business they can rely on for what they need, and for what they need to know about.

Keep these simple rules in mind when compiling content for your e-news:

• Maintain an 80/20 ratio: 80 percent needs to be educational; 20 percent can be promotional. When used correctly, newsletters aren’t seen as spam. As long as they provide VALUE to your customers (or potential customers), they will WANT to read them.
• Write for your customer’s benefit, not yours. A good newsletter is informative to the customer—tips, checklists, and articles about the "latest and greatest" that will enrich THEIR lives.
  
• E-news should be easy to read. Articles should be informative, yet short. Include photos and other graphics and use white space to make scanning a breeze. If humor is appropriate to your business, make your e-news funny and entertaining.
  
• Make the reader feel like a VIP!  Periodically offer a coupon or have a special sale that only e-news recipients can take advantage of— what a way for readers to look forward to getting your newsletter and feel special and appreciated!

E-newsletters can be an important and inexpensive part of any marketing strategy— consider a penny or two per email address versus a 44 cent stamp! They really do help solidify existing customer relationships and help bring in new business as well. Because e-news is short and contains valuable information, your customers not only read them, but often forward them on to their like-minded friends, which could lead to more referral business! 

Need help with your e-newsletter? Denise Seith can get you started, or completely handle the entire project for you. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, click here to learn about the e-news company we use and recommend.

Unless you’re McDonald's, trying to have the lowest price is a losing battle. Although price seems like it’s more important to consumers in a tough economy, it’s still not the leading factor in most purchase decisions. So what do you do to increase business without dropping prices? Identify how you provide value to your customer and what makes you better than the competition, then focus on those benefits in all of your marketing and advertising efforts. Start by distinguishing your organization, products or services from others—from the audience’s point of view. What matters to them? What do they need or what do they value?

Don't believe it will work? Think Starbucks. There was a time when people thought anyone would be crazy to pay $3 or more for a cup of coffee. But  Starbucks focuses on the experience, not just the java. Give your customers a whole new reason to spend a little more for what you are offering, and they as long as they believe your product or service delivers what is promised, then price is not a factor. Just the way a $3 cup of coffee—with no free refills, mind you—works for Starbucks. Want help with your marketing and advertising?  Contact Us today!

It might seem obvious, but the simplest and least expensive item to always have on hand is a business card. You never know who you might meet, when or where, so always be prepared with cards in your pocket, purse, and vehicle. In addition to your name, business name and logo, and contact information, your card should clearly state what it is you do or sell. Be clear. If you have a catchy tagline or slogan, all the better, because it'll help those you meet to remember why they need you.

When worded correctly, these handy cards can also be used as coupons or lead generators. Instead of using this format as a traditional business card, use that same size card to instead make an announcement, advertise your website, offer a discount, or ask for referrals. Then leave these cards everywhere it makes sense. The 3.5 x 2 inch size is perfect for thumb tacking to message boards and bulletin boards at the places your target audience frequents (laundromats, grocery stores, churches, fitness clubs). If you need help with professional graphic design of your business cards, contact us today!

It's a mistake to think that the exact same marketing program you established 5 or more years ago will work today. Why won't it? Well, mostly because the way your target market accesses information has changed over the years, so the way you communicate to them has to change as well. Effective marketing is directed at specific audiences, using the same channels your target market uses to access information that leads them to make a purchase.

More than 75% of Americans are online now, with six in ten adults now going online wirelessly using either a mobile phone or a laptop. The first place people go when they want to research a product or service,or  find out about a company, is online. And when they’re ready to buy? Most start online. No wonder “google” has become a verb!

Knowing this, take a hard look at your online presence. Is your website a good marketing and communication tool? Does your site support your branding messages? Does it engage your audience and provide value every time they visit? If not, it's time to update your website, but how? First look at your sales process and identify where your website fits. Is yours an e-commerce site? Does it back up sales calls? Does it provide customer service or support? Are you providing an easy way for customers to inquire about your products and services? Are you making it simple for the right people to find what they need in three clicks?

Of course your website is just one important component of an effective marketing program. If you're not sure how it fits into your overall plan, Contact Us now and Denise Seith & Co. will help you sort it out and come up with a better marketing program that changes with the times.

Branding is a big buzzword, but what exactly does it mean? Simply defined, a brand is the essence and purpose of what your business stands for in the minds of your customers—it is their impression of what they are purchasing—both tangible (physical) and intangible (subtleties and feelings). For example, Nike physically produces athletic goods, but Nike also "sells" speed, fitness, power, and style. An Allstate Insurance policy covers physical items such as cars and houses, but it also "sells" you peace of mind based on a "what if" scenario. A brand is not accidental; you must purposely SHOW & TELL the public what you want them to know and remember about your unique business. Branding is the foundation of good marketing—the way you will stand out and be distinguished by your unique capabilities. Common branding terms and their meanings include:

Brand equity: A brand’s valuation, sometimes quantitative, based on an audience’s positive and negative perceptions of its quality, relevance, scale, influence and similar factors.
Brand identity: The attributes, characteristics or personality that a brand aspires to communicate.
Brand loyalty: When consumers’ disposition toward a brand is so favorable that it makes it difficult for other brands to compete.
Brand positioning: The simplest expression of what an organization wants its products or services to stand for in the mind of a target audience. It is the nuts-and-bolts idea upon which a marketing message is built.
Brand strategy: The communications system that governs all points of contact with an organization’s (or product’s or service’s) stakeholders and directly supports the business strategy.

Learn more about Branding here.