B2B Lead Generation Advice

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Direct Mail

That’s right direct mail. Even with a first class stamp increased recently to .42c it can still be one of the most cost effective ways to market, reach and deliver to your target audience. Sure there are quicker, sexier, faster ways to reach your target, but in a world of advertising literally everywhere and with unwanted email stacking up at everyone’s desks, direct personalized mail can be a very effective and very overlooked advertising medium.

There are other mediums like email and faxing that can be targeted and even personalized to your target audience. These should also not be overlooked as great ways to stay in front of your existing customers and get your message to relatively small groups.

Publications like trade magazines in your prospects industry can also be a great way to keep your advertising dollars focused on a targeted group.

However, while I like all of these targeted, rifle-like types of marketing, let me tell you about my favorite…

This industry boasts half a million varieties, has at least a dozen different reasons to use it and recipients say THANK YOU when they receive it.

This medium is so effective in crossing genders, audiences and such wide appeal that I personally chose to build my entire business around this one specific medium.

The medium?

Promotional Products

You may have heard them called giveaways, promos, tchochkies, premiums, freemiums, grabbers, and yes, my favorite: Trinkets and Trash.

But before you discount this medium as the types of products you use when times are good but should be cut back in tougher economic times, let’s take a closer look at the world of promotional products.

Last year the promotional products industry grew to 17 billion dollars in annual sales. It has grown by double digits for the past 14 years. During the same time it has been the fastest growing advertising medium of all.

Even in 2001, which saw huge decreases in every advertising sector, the promotional products industry grew by 3% (Source; Advertising Specialty Institute). Why in the midst of a recession, huge stock market losses, record bankruptcies taking their toll in nearly every industry and all advertising medias showing record losses, has promotional products gone nearly unaffected?

Smart companies have realized that it’s targeted, rifle approach can be even more effective in tough economic times tan ever before.

Instead of gambling valuable advertising and marketing dollars on shotgun approach, broad-based campaigns, these smart companies realized they could not afford to stop doing the right things to make their business successful.

They can drastically reduce their marketing expenses while still thanking, motivating and rewarding their most important partners (customers, employees and prospects) with real, tangible advertising that not only creates awareness about you and your message but delivers value, says thank you and stays around to do it over and over again!

Let’s take a closer look at why these products have been and remain to be so successful.

Just like the football team we previously referred to, has to concentrate only on what wins games, in tougher times we need to concentrate our time, money and resources on what is important.

Spending money on marketing campaigns to keep up our image or stimulate brand awareness would be like our football team’s coach buying new uniforms for the players or hiring new cheerleaders in hope somehow that new, shiny image will immediately get them winning again. Our football team will concentrate only on what is important to win and we must do the same.

So how will promotional products help us win with what is most important. Let’s take a closer look at what is important to our business.

Although the order of importance may vary depending upon your specific business, these mantras will no doubt be very high on your list of successful “must do’s”

• Keep Current Customers Happy and Loyal (Solidify existing revenue stream)
• Develop new business from these existing customers (More revenue from same customer base)
• Get more customers (more revenue from new people)
• Get employees to do more with less (cuts in payroll and personnel create new issues like higher turn-over, drop in morale, attitude problems, etc.)

At the risk of saying promotional products is the ‘end all’, I must say that they offer very practical solutions to every one of these issues and when implemented along with good business sense, can be extremely powerful recession fighters.

Why?

Because unlike other advertising mediums, promotional products actually represent multiple facets. The pages on this blog will show you black-and-white, easy-to-use, and inexpensive ways to beat the tough economy while continuing to profitably build your business.

KEEP CURRENT CUSTOMERS HAPPY AND LOYAL (and Profitable…)

While some people think clients are something to keep, they are so, so much more. With the use of strategically placed promo products you can virtually double the amount of business that is coming from them. And after maximizing the business they give you are you done?

No Way!

Save your valuable advertising dollars by having your existing clients do your advertising for you. Turn your current clients into RRMs!

That’s right.

Rapid Referral Machines!

Their word-of-mouth marketing is not only much more valuable than any other kind, IT’S FREE. How about that for recession proof marketing!

Challenge: Client Retention (i.e., keeping the customers you have)
Solution: Regular Logo Thank You Gifts.

Saying “Thank You” is still one of the most important things we can do to show appreciation. We were taught it from birth yet, still take for granted those who make us successful. Don’t just say Thank You -

How about a program where you consistently show appreciation to your existing clients for their first order, reorders, anniversaries, end of year/holidays of doing business with you or just a THANK YOU at any time and for no specific reason other than to say THANK YOU for their continued patronage?

What are you doing now to keep the hungry competitor wolves away from your client’s doors?

Too expensive? Can’t afford it?

Don’t EVEN go there.

First of all, since your customers are the entire reason you are in business, you can’t afford NOT TO SAY THANK YOU. Not to mention the thank you does not have to be expensive. Our Thank You gifts start at under $1.00 each. We all know that even a note or card can be a very appreciated sentiment.

But how about if you combine that with a small token of your appreciation that is not only a useful keepsake for your customer but also carries your name to constantly remind them of who gave them this gift.

Not sure how much you can afford to spend? We can help you calculate the value of each customer and how much you can afford to spend to acquire each new custome ror lead. Give me a call in the office i can help you get started with this,

But as you will see as you continue to read this blog, it is not just about keeping your customers, it’s about maximizing their value (i.e., increase the amount of business you are receiving from them).

Nye. O.
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This bulletin was about advertising in a tough economy using direct mail and promotional products. Next post will be about how to use my special T.I.P. to boost business in any economic climate. See you then… If in the meantime, we can help bring fun and excitement to your next show, event, promotion or offer, click the link below and fill out the form. We’ve got some great ideas we’d love to show you!

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