How to quickly boost your marketing results!

Posted by Jim Connolly 5 December, 2008 -

Here’s a quick tip, which can help you MASSIVELY increase the effectiveness of your marketing!

It’s all about focus

Whenever you write any form of marketing material, it’s extremely important that your message is focussed 100% on your core prospective client base.

marketing focusMany small businesses use a scatter-gun approach to their marketing messages and as a result, they write copy, which is vaguely relevant to everyone who reads it but directly relevant to no one!

By diluting your marketing message, you always reduce it’s effectiveness.

For example, let’s imagine that Bob provides a ‘Virtual Assistant’ service.  He is particularly keen to work with  web designers, software developers and SEO experts.  Bob will get a far, far better response from his marketing if he writes a tailored marketing letter/email for each individual group - rather than a vague, generic one, which is aimed at trying to be relevant to all three industry types.

Bottom line

Vague marketing messages will not motivate people to respond to you!  However, a marketing message that clearly shows how your service will solve the readers problem, is extremely attractive and will inspire far more people to respond to you!

There are 10 GREAT marketing tips for you here!



Related posts:

  1. Clear marketing sells
  2. Keep it focused
  3. The marketing power of questions
  4. In written marketing - LESS is MORE
  5. Quick Tip - Strategic marketing




Categories : advertising, attraction marketing, copy writing, direct mail, direct marketing, email marketing, internet marketing, mailshots, marketing, marketing letters, marketing tips, sales and marketing, small business Tags : , , , , , , , , ,

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Comments
December 5, 2008

Excellent point.

I’d go so far as to say that this kind of thinking should be employed at he planning stages of a business.

‘Average products for average people’* don’t work like they used to - it’s just difficult to get ‘everyones’ attention.

People pay attention to businesses and marketing messages that are designed for them. A sharp focus can help define a marketing message, reduce wasted marketing expense and improve results.

Short, sweet, great post.

*Paraphrased Seth Godin quote I think

Posted by Mark Nagurski -
December 5, 2008

Great post, Jim… Similarly, the message itself should be focused as well. I always encourage clients to stick to one point in each ad. Got 5 things you want to promote? Then do 5 spots that each focus on one of them. Provide a laundry list of talk points in 30 seconds, and the audience doesn’t remember any of ‘em.

Posted by Brett Slater -
December 5, 2008

Two great points already!

You know you have a great blog, when the people who comment are smarter than you are!

;)

December 5, 2008

great point and great reminder for me today as i begin to prepare marketing material for next year.

Posted by Mary -
December 5, 2008

A great point Jim.

I guess another point is that if you’re not clear about who your market is, you will not know where to find them. This is a common mistake that I see my clients make. In an attempt to contact everybody you’re actually targeting nobody. And as the old marketing adage goes: “when everybody is your customer, nobody is your customer”. It’s what I call ‘spraying and preying’ and results in increased marketing costs with fewer results!

Posted by Victoria Player -
December 5, 2008

Jim, as always, another great point! One that is overlooked often in the line of work. Thanks for putting it into perspective for all of us!

Posted by Kyle Reddoch -
December 5, 2008

Victoria,
You make an excellent point. Clarity is vital to marketing.

Kyle,
Thanks!

December 5, 2008

Marketing is so interesting because it is two completely different animals, one being that you must get yourself focused on existing client bases, but the other being that you must spread your wings and send messages that will attract new clientele. Good marketing is hand in hand with great customer service and keeping your clients feeling like they are number one will keep them coming back for more so the importance of signaling out your messages goes well beyond just making sure you’re reaching many people.

Excellent post and interesting thoughts, as always, Jim.

Posted by Maranda Gibson -
December 5, 2008

It sounds so simple but, many small business owners forget the little things. In general small businesses are niche in style; so, why would they present general marketing. I agree, they need to within their niche when marketing and tailor it to specific markets.

Posted by Scott Baarstad -
December 5, 2008

Scott,

People often spend a lot of time and money doing the WRONG things REALLY WELL.

Thanks for the comment.

December 5, 2008

Jim,

I’ve been in the marketing and communications games of three decades and without focus I might have lasted three days. I hope everyone clicks on your 10 tips. Good stuff!

Posted by Lewis Green -
December 5, 2008

Damn, I hate it when I think faster than I type. It’s supposed to read most of three decades.

Posted by Lewis Green -
December 5, 2008

Hi Jim,

I think that this is something so obvious and somehow we tend to overlook it when we go in the digital world.

I mean, we always talk different to different people in our real life. We know how to talk to our mother, to our father, to a doctor, to a bank employee. We realize that they are different and so we talk accordingly.

I’m just wondering why we seem to overlook this when we activate in the digital world. Why we don’t realize that people are different when we market by sending e-mails for example. I think it’s because we are used to interact in the real world and to judge what we see - these are things that we aren’t able to do on the Internet. And this is what, I think, makes the difference between a great marketer and a simple one.

Thanks

Posted by Toma Bonciu -
December 7, 2008

It’s a really good example because in tough times people cut down on experience brands / buying. In your case they are not just cutting down on experience brands / buying but investing that money in something that could help them get out of the sticky situation they are in, economically.

Posted by Eamon -
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