There is not a business owner out there that does not want to know if the money they are investing in advertising is working or not. So what do they do to find out? Many will ask that infamous question, “How did you hear about us?”. I hate to break it to you but most of us don’t remember where we heard about a business. Aren’t you happy that we are simply there to buy something? The other common solution by small business is the infamous coupon. We rationalize that if the coupon comes back, our advertising is working. Really? All that worked was the offer. We just spent money to give someone a discount for our product or service. And let’s think like a consumer. Once we receive a product or service at a set price, have we not just created a value in our mind? Why would be come back at a later date and pay full price? You can judge if your advertising is working. You can create an ROI for your investment. Come back in a few days and I’ll share with you how. If you want to know right away, give me a call (402) 817-4864 or send me an email to jeff@marketingfirepower.info.
Author Archives: JDostal
Do You Treat Them Right
Over 65% of customers who leave a business say they do so because of a “perceived attitude of indifference”. They don’t think the company cares. Do you. Do you show your customers you value their business. How many companies offer special deals and one time opportunities to “new customers” leaving loyal customers out in the cold? Too many. Your first priority should be your current customers. If you need help understanding how to do that, give me a call. We’ll visit about a lot of ways that are free or very inexpensive.
Don’t Fall Into the Yellow Page trap!
A client we partner with has gone from investing over $100,000 a year in the yellow pages to just a few years ago to only $11,000 this coming year. They have taken the difference and become much more intrusive and effective with their advertising. This is just one of the many benefits of a partnership with us here at Marketing Firepower. It just might be the best marketing decision you’ll make.
Another Great Partnership!
We are really excited about a new partnership we have begun with Bryant Air Conditioning, Heating, Electrical and Plumbing. What an amazing company. They are truly employee owned and you really are working with an owner each and every time! If you want focus and help with making your marketing and advertising as effective as possible we invite you to do what Bryant is doing and partner with Marketing Firepower.
Marketing Firepower had the honor of presenting this morning to a group of clients for Image Inflators. If you need banners, signs or any other items to showcase your business, give Scott Stream and Chris Johnson a call and visit them online at ImageInflators.com. If you work with businesses and would like to offer them something extra, contact me (Jeff Dostal) and we can talk about providing a marketing and advertising presentation for them!
New Partnership!
We are excited to announce our new partnership with Lynette Helling and her team at Interim Healthcare. She is an amazing person and they have an amazing company!
We All Need to Create Our Own Consumer Franchise
A consumer franchise is when a consumer patronizes your business to the exclusion of your competition. Do you have a consumer franchise with any of your clients? If you do, how did you achieve it? Advertising is simple when you think about it. What did you do with, or for, that consumer over time that they now buy from you at the exclusion of the competition? You may not know unless you ask, but isn’t it worth a conversation to find out? Isn’t it worth a few minutes to find out what single act or long term action you provided that took that consumer from being a
customer to being a customer with no thoughts of the competition? Sure it is. So, why don’t we do it? Why don’t we take a few moments to talk to our customers and find out what was so great and what is so great that they keep coming back for more? Continue Reading
Don’t Hide Your Value
Have you ever seen or heard advertisements that proudly proclaim they are the “best kept secret?” Not something that should be a source of pride. The same can be said for businesses who don’t want to “toot their own horn.”
Is there a reason consumers should spend money with your business? Then tell them! Don’t make them work to find out. Are you guilty of saying “come on down and see how we do business” or “ask you friends what it’s like to do business with us” or “you should find out what it’s like to do business with us?”
Stop this! Stop it right now. If you have a place to say these things then you have a place to give people reasons to do business with you. As a consumer, I’m a busy person. I don’t have time to “come on down and see what it’s like” to do business with you. As a consumer, I don’t have time to ask around to find someone who’s done business with you. TELL ME! THEN, TELL ME AGAIN because I’ll forget. Continue Reading
Don’t Ass/u/me
Ever seen that one written on the chalkboard? (Chalkboard. Did I just give my age away?) In over 16 years of helping small business attract customers, I’ve yet to come across one that didn’t assume their customers knew more than they really did. I hope you are the exception to the rule, but I won’t assume you are.
There may be six very important reasons to do business with you. Your best customers may be aware of a few. The average consumer may not know any of them yet businesses go about their day assuming that consumers and customers know all the great reasons to do business with them. Here is my nugget of knowledge for today…they don’t! Continue Reading
If You Knew How Little Others Thought About You…
If you knew how little others thought about you…you wouldn’t worry so much about what others think about you.
Related to our daily lives, the title is a good lesson in life. However, in relationship to your small business it should read…”If you knew how little others thought about you…you should worry.”
Clients over the years have told me how they located their business in a mall because of the tremendous traffic that would walk by. That’s what happened. The traffic walked right by.
Clients have told me how they had a prime location on a busy street because there were so many people driving by everyday. That’s what happened. The vehicles drove by right by.
The consumer is not thinking about you right now. They have a lot of things going on in their lives. It is your responsibility to not simply exist. It is your responsibility to grab that customer by the shoulders, look them in the eye and tell them exactly why they will benefit from doing business with you. If you don’t, who will? Continue Reading