Lead Me On - Learn About Internet Marketing Leads

Every business is engaged in selling something, whether a product, service, information, or something else. And sales usually begin with sales leads. As an offline example, new insurance and car sales people are frequently asked to compile lists of their friends, families, acquaintances, and so on. This list is used then as a lead builder - something to get the ball rolling towards that first big sale. The online world is no different. Every for-profit web site needs a steady flow of internet marketing... Read more »

PR Can Be a Useful Tool for Small Business Owners

While Lewis Green has a point in his recent post, “On PR: Not the First Strategy of Small Business,” there are areas where he is incorrect. The fact is that any business owner is in two businesses: (1) the business of the product or service they offer, and (2) marketing & selling the product or service they offer. This is where PR comes in, even for a small company. PR - or public relations - is, as Green points out, a facet of marketing. So is advertsing. And, given the choice between... Read more »

How To Mine A Diamond Of A Mailing List Lead?

I bet you are wondering what on earth the title means, and how a mailing list lead can be compared to a diamond… yes? Well, I want to capitalize on that curiosity and, if you read on, all will be revealed! Put in its simplest terms, a good mailing list lead is as rare as a diamond. Is it starting to get clearer? No? Ok. A diamond does not start out as the precious stone that it becomes. In fact, it takes a lot of cutting and polishing before a diamond reaches its dazzling brilliance. The... Read more »

How Many Business Cards Do You Give Out Daily?

A business card represents you and your business. They are for promoting and marketing your business. So, do you have a business card? If not, then get one! How can you use your business cards to advertise your business? 1. Get a removable adhesive glue stick and swipe the back of your business cards. You can then post them in gas stations, restrooms, on payphones, Atm machines, and gyms, magazines in waiting rooms, grocery store bulletin boards and laundry mats. You can also stick them up at the... Read more »

A Refreshing Alternative To Advertising And Cold Call Selling

Years ago I shared a very small office with a man simply know as “The Jeffrey.” He agreed to share the office with me because neither of us could afford the rent on our own. He was a telecommunication consultant and I was a customer service trainer. Even though we were very good at what we did, neither of us knew how to generate new business without spending money on advertising or making sales calls. Unfortunately, those things didn’t really work for us either. Jeffrey was an... Read more »

How You Can Become a Marketing “Genius”

Effective marketing is vitally important no matter what business you’re in. Consider what marketing expert Jay Abraham said about a vital key to marketing success: “Anyone can become a virtual marketing genius equivalent by doing one simple thing: testing.” In other words, learn how to test various elements of your marketing to find which of them really work - and which don’t - and you can learn how to market effectively. Notice that Jay did not say that by testing anyone... Read more »

The 6 C’s of Marketing Unleashed

We have all learned about the 4P’s of marketing in undergrad: Product, Place, Price and Promotion. If not, you can open up one of your old marketing text books, blow off the dust and read about it there. The 6 C’s, however, is a not a concept that replaces the 4′Ps; rather, it just expands on the promotion element and provides a more granular look at consumer marketing. CUSTOMER In this day and age, a company’s marketing strategy needs to be customer focused. It’s... Read more »

Tips For Effective Lead Generation With Direct Marketing Postcards

As direct marketers, we are constantly trying to increase the response of our marketing campaigns and to do so at the lowest possible cost. In fact, the direct response game is all about the most reponses per dollar spent. One very effective way to reduce your cost is by direct marketing with postcards. As of this writing, a postcard can be mailed for as low as $.24. They are also very inexpensive to print. A postcard also has the advantage of being able to be read without the prospect having... Read more »

Increase Your Profits With a Marketing Calendar

Here’s a tip for systemizing and increasing the profits of virtually any business: Create and use a marketing calendar. As P.T. Barnum reportedly said, “Without promotion something terrible happens: Nothing.” Since marketing is one of the most critical components of business success, a marketing calendar helps ensure that time is regularly set aside for it. Just as with money, if time isn’t budgeted properly it’s more likely to be wasted or spent on less important things.... Read more »

Are You Making These Direct Mail Mistakes, 6 Direct Mail Tips

Direct mail is a lot like blackjack. To win a blackjack you need to be aware of the odds at all times and play so that you are maximizing your chances to win while minimizing your risks. The same is true with direct mail. Direct mail is “played” so that you maximize your chances of winning and reducing your chances of throwing money out the window. Each right move helps you increase your response rates and your return on investment. Mistakes, on the other hand will cost you responses... Read more »