B2B Lead Generation Advice
Archive for the 'Help for Marketing Directors' Category
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| Objective: | To increase new accounts and deposits while building the bank’s image as the civic hometown bank. |
| Strategy Execution: | Adding a “civic touch” to their marketing program, “Places in the Heart of Collierville,” the bank offered a miniature, lighted replica of a local historical building on the town square. The bank sold the miniatures for $35 each and gave part of the proceeds to the local church, which was the model for the miniature. As an incentive to new depositors, the model building was offered for certain levels of deposits. The tag line used on all printed materials was “Where they have their branches, we have our roots.” |
| Results: | The initial order was for 300 miniatures to attract a projected 25 new depositors. With reorders totaling 700 more replicas, a total of 55 new accounts were opened with $500,000 in deposits. $10 or More,000 was raised for the church, as well. |
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"Promotional Products “Giving back Will Help you Move Forward”"
Promotional Products being Creative while Securing your New Appointments
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| Objective: | To secure appointments for salespeople |
| Strategy Execution: | A promotional products-direct mail blitz was planned to give prospects an inkling of the distributor’s creativity and a reason why they should see the company’s salespeople. The prospect list was qualified by spending potential, with the A list getting four “hits,” the C list two. The items selected for the entire audience were a fish-topped ballpoint and a squeeze ball. Copy accompanying the fish pen declared, “RMG has so many promotional marketing solutions it will make your pen swim,” and the ball, embossed as a globe, proclaimed “There’s a world of difference between RMG and the competition.” Best prospects also received a plush monkey with a banana-shaped pen (copy: “A bunch of ideas people go bananas over”) and a head-shaped plant with the suggestion, “Just add water & RMG.” |
| Results: | The distributor’s customary appointment rate, produced by phone call and follow-up letter, was 60 percent. The promotion-inspired appointment rate rose to 85 percent |
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"Promotional Products being Creative while Securing your New Appointments"
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| Objective: | To generate appointment with potential buyers in two new markets. |
| Strategy Execution: | A delayed fulfillment program via direct mail was designed to create visibility in the offices of 100 top builders and cabinet shops. A custom desk organizer shaped like a train was created. Targeting two-three prospects per month, the advertiser first mailed the track-imprinted base, the wooden caboose and two imprinted pencils with a brochure headlined: “We put this in first because you always have the last word.” The next day, a logging car (to hold business cards) and a second theme brochure were sent followed by the coal car with brass paper clips and a brochure that hinted, “All that remains is the part that makes the whole thing go. And he’ll be calling you soon.” The advertiser’s salesperson delivered the engine in person. Each piece was an example of one of the advertiser’s wood products. |
| Results: | Of the prospects contacted to date, 75 percent have been quoted and 50 percent have made purchases |
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"Promotional Products How to get New appointments"
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| Objective: | To cause independent businesses to install a standby generator and to contact a specific company distributor to obtain greater detail on products, applications, and pricing |
| Strategy Execution: | Targeted to operations managers, owners and principals of manufacturing facilities, broadcast stations and large retailers, hospitals, etc., this one-month direct mail specialty advertising promotion told 125 prospects “You’re Wired In.” Promotional products packaged in boxes bearing theme copy delivered a telephone base, receiver, 12-foot cord, cord untangler, glow-in-the-dark faceplate, note holder, pen and holder and business card file. By the time the eighth package arrived, the recipient had a complete telephone and a coordinated set of desktop aids. Along with copy inside the package identifying each specialty gift, copy listed seven reasons “you’re wired in with MagneTek.” Names of local distributors were included for future contact. |
| Results: | The advertiser reported sales increased seven percent in the four weeks following the promotion. Twenty-one persons were identified as potential customers within the next six months. |
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"Opening New Accounts Using Promotional Products"
Lead Generation Using Promotional Products to Get FREE Media Coverage
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| Objective: | To educate consumers and policymakers about the environmental friendliness of the advertiser’s Simple Green cleaning products and to increase overall market share. |
| Strategy Execution: | Through various avenues including the advertiser’s EGBAR (Everything’s Gonna Be All Right) Foundation, whose objective is to help people clean up the world, a variety of imprinted promotional products communicated the products’ environmental advantages. Trade shows, beaches, ball parks, military bases, government facilities, toxic waste sites, retail grand openings and neighborhood clean-up sites were among areas targeted. To remind the advertiser’s sales personnel of occasions where their support would be needed throughout the year, a large imprinted desk calendar pad (made from recycled paper) was sent via UPS. The EGBAR mascot was used on most of the specialty items and promotional products including imprinted pins worn by volunteers and given with Promotional product samples at public gatherings. At trade shows, a booth game labeled the Envirotoss asked participants to toss bean bags at holes labeled with product features (e.g., non-toxic) to win custom imprinted folding nylon Custom imprinted totes, imprinted tree-growing kits and other promotional products. |
| Results: | Many of the clean-up efforts and the advertiser received media coverage, and overall sales of the Simple Green line were up 21 percent over the previous 12-month period. |
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"Lead Generation Using Promotional Products to Get FREE Media Coverage"
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| Objective: | To increase the number of cardholders by 200 for the year, while emphasizing library services to Hispanic residents new to the community. |
| Strategy Execution: | June 6 was designated “Discovery Day,” a day targeted to the entire community to encourage use of the Lamont Branch Library. Special emphasis on the migrant Hispanic youth and adult population was promoted with a bi-lingual theme, “Leer! Saber! Vivir!” (”To Read! To Know! To Live!”). Banners were hung in the library and in schools, and the program staff spoke in classrooms and passed out imprinted balloons, bookmarks and pencils to promote the Discovery Day open house. Public service announcements were made on English and Spanish language stations, and a direct mail flyer served as an invitation as well as a map to the library. Imprinted bookbags containing frisbees, drink bottles, yoyos and pencils were distributed at the circulation desk to those applying for new cards. Logo-imprinted T-shirts and candid photographs were awarded in prize drawings which also served as incentives to return to the library to claim the items. |
| Results: | A reported 169 new library cards were issued on “Discovery Day,” with 147 to the Hispanic target audience, meaning more than 85 percent of the annual cardholder goal was met. A waiting line had formed for the library’s 10 a.m. opening the day of the promotion. |
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"Opening New Accounts Using Promotional Products for Hispanic Market"
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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"Advertising in Tough Economic Times Part II"
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| Objective: | To motivate a sales force through a contest offering quick redemption of prizes. |
| Strategy Execution: | Eager to achieve its 13th consecutive quarter of growth, the insurer needed to perk up summer sales, traditionally the slow period for the out-in-the-heat door-to-door agents. Hence, the “Summer Fireworks!” contest. Agents were told in the kick-off video, “The long hot days of summer are your window of opportunity to sell and reach new heights.” The company’s 5,000 agents were issued a scratch-off card for every application they wrote. At the weekly sales meetings, the agents ceremoniously scratched their cards one at a time to build excitement. Winners were verified and prizes such as auto dashboard noteholders, six-pack coolers, caps, vinyl bags, watches and calculators were awarded at the next meeting. Each ticket was entered into a weekly sweepstakes that offered a Cancun vacation, a cruise and various merchandise prizes. At the end of the contest, there was a grand prize drawing for a $10,000 car voucher. |
| Results: | With new applications averaging 500 a week, American General obtained $1.25 million in new premium income and attained its historic 13th quarter of growth. |
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"How To Get Your Sales Team To Have Record Quarters"
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| Objective: | To increase sales (new installations, water heaters, ranges, and extended warranties) by five percent compared to the same sales period the previous year. |
| Strategy Execution: | This three-month Olympic-themed “Gallons for Gold” promotion was conducted in 820 district offices (which became known as “countries”) located throughout the United States and at the headquarters office. Targeted were 8,000 employees, including drivers, customer service personnel, secretaries, managers, corporate staff and various support personnel. Promotional products were distributed at the “opening ceremonies” and subsequent “special events” during the medal competition by managers in embroidered polo shirts and caps.
Included were T-shirts, flyers, note holders and memo boards given to headquarters employees for support to the “athletes” in the field. Each week’s competition utilized a different event, such as a ski jump to “leap to new levels” and a marathon to “run with the winners.” The promotion’s mascot - Fillmore the Lion (alluding in part to the client’s ongoing sales goal to “fill more tanks with propane”) was imprinted on a variety of specialties in the campaign. “Closing ceremonies” saw gold, silver and bronze awards given. |
| Results: | Total sales were reported of 143.8 percent of the company goal (new installations 165.5 percent of goal, water heaters-199.7 percent, ranges-200 percent, and sales of extended warranties-113 percent). |
[I reckon these lead generation ideas are a beut mate!]
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"Motivating Salespeople: Suburban Propane"
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| Objective: | To increase awareness of the advertiser’s commercial loan program; to add five new commercial loans. |
| Strategy Execution: | Decision-makers at 200 small to medium size businesses were targeted by mail to receive promotional products packaged in brochures. In each piece, product and copy were related, e.g., a money clip with copy pointed out “…after 100 years, we’ve got things rolling at a pretty good clip.” Or, “We’d like to show you the light” about commercial loans with an enclosed pen light. |
| Results: | By as early as one-third of the way into the six-month program, “we have achieved 40 percent of our goal of direct business inquiries,” said the advertiser’s vice president of planning and development. |
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"Zapp Bank: New Branch Promo"
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| Objective: | To promote two area open house celebrations and introduce clients to newly released products. |
| Strategy Execution: | Using the humor of the Marx Brothers to attract the attention of clients, Facilitek sent out invitations containing fake plastic noses, mustaches and glasses, similar to those worn by Groucho Marx. Visitors were asked to wear the disguise to the open house to qualify for a drawing. Clever copy on the invitation announced “Facilitek NOSE about Office Furniture” (next to the nose) and “We STASH Your Furniture Until You are Ready for Delivery” (next to the mustache). Special clients received a unique desk clock shaped like an office chair while the service crew handed out T-handle screwdrivers as appreciation gifts. Everyone got into the spirit of the event as clients waved their chocolate cigars around and did their best Groucho impersonations. A Harpo Marx look-alike was even in attendance for a fun and memorable evening. |
| Results: | The open house for one showroom was attended by 50 percent of the invited guests–resulting in $50,000 dollars in sales. The second reported an attendance of 33 percent and two 3-year projects totalling $2.1 million. |
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"Facilitek: Furniture and Appliances"
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