Getting,Off,the,Advertising,an marketing Getting Off the Advertising and Sales Rollercoaster
Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t
GETTING OFF THE ADVERTISING AND S/ALES ROLLERCOASTERBy Charlie CookSeeing the results of advertising your business can be likewatching a roller coaster. The day you run your ad you see aflurry of activity; your ph0ne starts ringing, your web sitetraffic increases and/ or potential clients visit yourstore. Your hopes soar. sales go up. Two or three days passand the response goes down. You look at the bill for theadvertising and your jaw drops. Your hopes descend.Nancy called me from Portland, Oregon with just thisproblem. Every time one of her ads appears in a localpublication, customers start walking in the door of her homefurnishing store. A few days later the number of prospectsand sales goes down. Her advertising gets results, but thethousands of dollars she is paying each month is killing herprofits. What can she do?Whether you advertise your consulting business in TheHarvard Business Review or your interior decorating servicein the Penny Saver, your ad will cost significant dollars.How can you make your advertising pay for itself?How can you use advertising to create a STEADY stream ofbusiness?Write Your Ad to Sell and To Generate LeadsOf all the people who could benefit from your products andservices, what percentage is likely to buy today? Hopefullya few, but the majority are more likely to need yourservices tomorrow, next week or next month.Write your ad to prompt people to buy and if they're notinterested in making a purchase, to contact you. When youwrite your ad:1. Sell your products or services by selling your solution.2. Prompt prospects to buy. Include a call to action.3. Motivate prospects to give you their contact information.For each person who responds to your ad and makes a purchasetoday, you should be able to get ten qualified prospects tocontact you. Once you have their contact information, youcan send them a regular email or postcard for far less thanit would cost to run your ad on a weekly basis.Follow Up On Your AdvertisingAn ad can be the first step in marketing your products andservices but unless you follow up, it may be the last. Itswhat you do after your ad runs that determines whetheryou're able to make it pay for itself in the days and monthsto come.Let's say your ad works in getting people to visit your website, call you or come into your store. What's the nextstep? How can you follow up to increase your sales?1. Make sure you get their contact information so you canfollow up.2. Whether people stopped by your web site, left a ph0nemessage, emailed you or visited your store Ð follow uppromptly. Get back to them within the day, if not sooner. Aprospect is most likely to buy or start a profitablerelationship when he/she is looking for a solution. Let yourleads linger and they'll go stale. If you wait prospects maycontact other service providers or stores, and you've giventhem time to make their purchase through someone else.3. Respond immediately. Use a ph0ne call or an email to letthem know you understand the problem they want solved andthat you can help them. Even a personalized autorespondermessage will do the job.4. Market to your in-house list of contacts. If you wantpeople to remember you when they have a need and are readyto make a decision to buy, make sure they think of you asthe solution provider. The best way to do this is toregularly provide ideas, tips and information that yourprospects want.5. Create opportunities for personal contact, whetherthrough your print mailings, ezine or web site, you want toprompt prospects to contact you to discuss their needs and /or place their order. Ask them what they want, what they arelooking for. When they send you an email, follow up with acall. Tell them how to contact you, how to schedule apersonal conversation and then follow up with a call.Advertising is an expensive ticket to marketing yourproducts and services. Use these strategies to make sure youget your money's worth and you'll find your advertisingpaying for itself over and over. Instead of getting yourthrills from watching your business go up and down, you'llfind yourself enjoying the excitement of watching yourprofits steadily move up.-2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
Getting,Off,the,Advertising,an