Is viral video marketing a standard practice today?
69.2% No
30.8% Yes
When will viral video become a standard marketing practice?
23.1% Never
38.5% 1 year or less
33.3% 2-3 years
5.1% 4 or more years
Larson note: I don’t know if I will ever go this direction. I think it is a company by company decision. The SE are making in-roads to being able to search sites for video, but to create one of good quality is still cost prohibitive to the average small business. So will it be a standard practice, I think not, remember the survey shown was or create people, who are anything but normal.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source: Feed Company; sample of 40 creative executives September 2008
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Obama’s Plan May be Boost to E-tailing
Obama has said he wants to expand the accessibility of broadband to US communities that now lack it in his push to have hospitals connected with each other thought the web. In order to share medical records easier and faster.
This proposal could open a whole new market area to online marketers.
This initiative will probe into areas where phone and cable companies are involved in, and they, as an industry are still financially solvent, so any government intervention, as we have seen in banking and auto is not being looked at.
Tax incentitves could be an area to explore but this would take some major negotiation with cable and phone companies for them to want to go into unprofitable areas. Yet widening consumer access to broadband could mean an upturn in online shopping as well as opening up rural areas to industrial and service company growth.
There is a direct correlation to speed and activity and how it translates into online shopping behavior; faster speed = more online shopping.
For the advertisers this means more click-throughs and higher conversion rates. You can only imagine how this call for greater broadband access was received by organizations such as shop.org and the Direct Marketing Association.
In a quote by Linda Woolley, evp of governments affairs for the DMA, “If more entrepreneurs and small business had financial support from the government to learn more about direct marketing skills and techniques, they would see their businesses grow and that would help to recharge the economy. We believe that this fits well within the overarching economic goals of the Obama administration.”
As for having medical records going online, the problem is not technology or investment dollars but overall resistance by physicians and hospitals to adopting these systems
Brock Meeks, director of communications at the Center for Democracy and Technology said “We think that it can’t be done on a willy-nilly basis. We like the idea of free broadband for everybody but we want to make sure that all the bases are covered with privacy concerns.”
The biggest benefit of Obama’s proposals to the direct marketing industry would be an improvement in consumer confidence and to the economy.
Larson note: I always have to sit back and wonder about where and what the government should be in involved in. I really hate government intervention in things that are the domain of private industry. I questioned bailing out the investment banks, I questioned giving money to the auto industry {less of a problem here than the banks}. I love the infrastructure innicititive as a place that is the domain of the government. As for broadband, we need to remember the government does not make things, nor does it create jobs, private industry and companies do that. Taxes stop grow and lower taxes, fees and incentitives provide the stimulious to growth. Provide enough insentitives to phone and cable and they will build the broad band system needed. Again I commend Obama on His forward thinking to get this country into the 21st century but caution Him on too much government in a free society.
I question Linda Woolley wanting more government intervention even in a positive area, and would rather the government(s) (Fed, State, County and Local) just get out to the way of the free enterprise system and let the wheels of commerce work. Level the playing field worldwide and let us, (US businesses) do our part.
Yes we are walking a on a tightrope. Let’s not fall off
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source: Marketing Executives Networking Group online survey of 139 members Sept/Oct 2008
This proposal could open a whole new market area to online marketers.
This initiative will probe into areas where phone and cable companies are involved in, and they, as an industry are still financially solvent, so any government intervention, as we have seen in banking and auto is not being looked at.
Tax incentitves could be an area to explore but this would take some major negotiation with cable and phone companies for them to want to go into unprofitable areas. Yet widening consumer access to broadband could mean an upturn in online shopping as well as opening up rural areas to industrial and service company growth.
There is a direct correlation to speed and activity and how it translates into online shopping behavior; faster speed = more online shopping.
For the advertisers this means more click-throughs and higher conversion rates. You can only imagine how this call for greater broadband access was received by organizations such as shop.org and the Direct Marketing Association.
In a quote by Linda Woolley, evp of governments affairs for the DMA, “If more entrepreneurs and small business had financial support from the government to learn more about direct marketing skills and techniques, they would see their businesses grow and that would help to recharge the economy. We believe that this fits well within the overarching economic goals of the Obama administration.”
As for having medical records going online, the problem is not technology or investment dollars but overall resistance by physicians and hospitals to adopting these systems
Brock Meeks, director of communications at the Center for Democracy and Technology said “We think that it can’t be done on a willy-nilly basis. We like the idea of free broadband for everybody but we want to make sure that all the bases are covered with privacy concerns.”
The biggest benefit of Obama’s proposals to the direct marketing industry would be an improvement in consumer confidence and to the economy.
Larson note: I always have to sit back and wonder about where and what the government should be in involved in. I really hate government intervention in things that are the domain of private industry. I questioned bailing out the investment banks, I questioned giving money to the auto industry {less of a problem here than the banks}. I love the infrastructure innicititive as a place that is the domain of the government. As for broadband, we need to remember the government does not make things, nor does it create jobs, private industry and companies do that. Taxes stop grow and lower taxes, fees and incentitives provide the stimulious to growth. Provide enough insentitives to phone and cable and they will build the broad band system needed. Again I commend Obama on His forward thinking to get this country into the 21st century but caution Him on too much government in a free society.
I question Linda Woolley wanting more government intervention even in a positive area, and would rather the government(s) (Fed, State, County and Local) just get out to the way of the free enterprise system and let the wheels of commerce work. Level the playing field worldwide and let us, (US businesses) do our part.
Yes we are walking a on a tightrope. Let’s not fall off
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source: Marketing Executives Networking Group online survey of 139 members Sept/Oct 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Social Media Tools Used in Marketing
66.4% Blogs
33.6% Podcasts
15.6% Vidcasts
45.1% Video sharing sites
Larson note: Being an active blogger I can appreciate this being at 66.4%. On the video side I don’t know what I personally think, but that is me, yet we are seriously considering of installing cams so clients can watch us work. Does that count? I was wondering why forums and groups were not mentioned and don’t white papers count?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source: Marketing Executives Networking Group online survey of 139 members Sept/Oct 2008
33.6% Podcasts
15.6% Vidcasts
45.1% Video sharing sites
Larson note: Being an active blogger I can appreciate this being at 66.4%. On the video side I don’t know what I personally think, but that is me, yet we are seriously considering of installing cams so clients can watch us work. Does that count? I was wondering why forums and groups were not mentioned and don’t white papers count?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source: Marketing Executives Networking Group online survey of 139 members Sept/Oct 2008
Infrastructure Upgrade
This is the government’s job! President elect Obama has said he wants to revive the economy though a job creating public works plan on a scale unseen of since the building of the interstate highway system. I whole heartily endorse this!
He offered no price estimate for the plan or how the money might be divided or the effect on the country’s financial heath at a time when we are bailing out industries left and right, investment banks and autos at the writing of this blog.
Not just wanting to throw money at a problem, Obama said that “we will measure the progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve – by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world.”
Obama said his plan would employ millions of people by investment in our national infrastructure and said that state officials would LOOSE money if they did not quickly use the money to repair highways and bridges.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, a 1991 final estimate of the cost of the interstate system put it at $128.9 billion dollars with a federal share of $114.3 billion. The estimate covered only the mileage (42,795 miles) build under the interstate construction program. This construction began in 1956 under President Eisenhower.
More than 5,000 highway projects are ready to go if Congress will put up the needed $64.3 billion dollars. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which put together the list, said the projects would provide needed construction jobs and reduce the backlog of roads and bridges in deep disrepair.
Larson note: I really like this! This single initiative is so powerful for not only jobs but for the very life and wellbeing of our Nation. Makes you (at least me) stop and say, what have the last 2 presidents been doing in the White House since the interstate system came to complication in 1991? Better roads mean better transpiration which means reduced shipping costs. And on top of that the States either more quickly and get their act together or Obama is shift the money and projects to places that want to get it done.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
He offered no price estimate for the plan or how the money might be divided or the effect on the country’s financial heath at a time when we are bailing out industries left and right, investment banks and autos at the writing of this blog.
Not just wanting to throw money at a problem, Obama said that “we will measure the progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve – by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world.”
Obama said his plan would employ millions of people by investment in our national infrastructure and said that state officials would LOOSE money if they did not quickly use the money to repair highways and bridges.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, a 1991 final estimate of the cost of the interstate system put it at $128.9 billion dollars with a federal share of $114.3 billion. The estimate covered only the mileage (42,795 miles) build under the interstate construction program. This construction began in 1956 under President Eisenhower.
More than 5,000 highway projects are ready to go if Congress will put up the needed $64.3 billion dollars. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which put together the list, said the projects would provide needed construction jobs and reduce the backlog of roads and bridges in deep disrepair.
Larson note: I really like this! This single initiative is so powerful for not only jobs but for the very life and wellbeing of our Nation. Makes you (at least me) stop and say, what have the last 2 presidents been doing in the White House since the interstate system came to complication in 1991? Better roads mean better transpiration which means reduced shipping costs. And on top of that the States either more quickly and get their act together or Obama is shift the money and projects to places that want to get it done.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday Business Intelligence
10% of buyers that said business was better in November than October
If we project this out to the first part of 2009 might continue to be hard to nigoatie
*purchasingdata.com
1.6% annual increase in energy demand though 2030
Even with the lower demand we need to keep an eye out on long term. We need to get on this with long term renewable energy sources
*Source: International Energy Agency
60% of buyers are planning to decrease sending this quarter
Purchasing is going way down as we end the year. According to puschasingdata.com it is at an all time low.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
If we project this out to the first part of 2009 might continue to be hard to nigoatie
*purchasingdata.com
1.6% annual increase in energy demand though 2030
Even with the lower demand we need to keep an eye out on long term. We need to get on this with long term renewable energy sources
*Source: International Energy Agency
60% of buyers are planning to decrease sending this quarter
Purchasing is going way down as we end the year. According to puschasingdata.com it is at an all time low.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Reinvent Your Company
The New Years is upon us. Did your company meet its goals this last year (2008)? Is your company going strong or is it under distress?
Looking at projections for 2009 and most of the ones that people have shared with me are either not so good or pie in the sky. Job shops are not getting the final ok on projects to proceed. Schedules are being pushed back for a couple of months.
You first task is to evaluate your business to get out of the self-fullfiling prophecies. All gloom and doom makes for more glom and doom. Instead take out a fine tooth comb and go through your business, Make sure everything is headed into the right direction and the same direction. Don’t let little fiefdoms crop up in your company. You need to be looking at processes and people wondering how to do it better. Can one person work on two different machines? Look at lean manufacturing, lean accounting, lean marketing, lean what ever it is you do. Benchmark yourself so you can know if you are in fact doing better. This is not just about making things so thin they don’t work anymore but more so about getting a handle on which operations are making you money and which ones are loosing you money. You’re seeking to reduce waste, reduce inventory, and simplify your service or manufacturing process. If you have 3 different products or services put down the costs and profits on paper so you can see them in black and white. Allocate sales costs, labor overhead and all other items involved in the process. In the end this might mean you totally reinvent your business.
If you feel overstaffed maybe as distasteful as it is, someone might have to be let go. You can always rebuild using temporary help.
And last unless you have no choice, don’t cut the marketing budget. This might seem as ringing a bell to get business but cutting marketing and advertising is the wrong thing to do when things get slow, when more than ever you need your name out there.
Larson note: When times are tough the tough get going. Be lean and mean but not so lean as to wear down your valuable people.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Looking at projections for 2009 and most of the ones that people have shared with me are either not so good or pie in the sky. Job shops are not getting the final ok on projects to proceed. Schedules are being pushed back for a couple of months.
You first task is to evaluate your business to get out of the self-fullfiling prophecies. All gloom and doom makes for more glom and doom. Instead take out a fine tooth comb and go through your business, Make sure everything is headed into the right direction and the same direction. Don’t let little fiefdoms crop up in your company. You need to be looking at processes and people wondering how to do it better. Can one person work on two different machines? Look at lean manufacturing, lean accounting, lean marketing, lean what ever it is you do. Benchmark yourself so you can know if you are in fact doing better. This is not just about making things so thin they don’t work anymore but more so about getting a handle on which operations are making you money and which ones are loosing you money. You’re seeking to reduce waste, reduce inventory, and simplify your service or manufacturing process. If you have 3 different products or services put down the costs and profits on paper so you can see them in black and white. Allocate sales costs, labor overhead and all other items involved in the process. In the end this might mean you totally reinvent your business.
If you feel overstaffed maybe as distasteful as it is, someone might have to be let go. You can always rebuild using temporary help.
And last unless you have no choice, don’t cut the marketing budget. This might seem as ringing a bell to get business but cutting marketing and advertising is the wrong thing to do when things get slow, when more than ever you need your name out there.
Larson note: When times are tough the tough get going. Be lean and mean but not so lean as to wear down your valuable people.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
The Week Ahead for December 29, 2008 thru January 2, 2009
Monday:
Tuesday: December consumer confidence
Wednesday: Chicago purchasing managers index
Thursday:
Friday:
Larson note: I would not be expecting much in the way of good news until February or March at the earliest. Remember we are looking in hind iste not forward looking thinking when looking at these satistics. You should always be thinking how each of the reports that come out inpact your business so you can take advantage of them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Tuesday: December consumer confidence
Wednesday: Chicago purchasing managers index
Thursday:
Friday:
Larson note: I would not be expecting much in the way of good news until February or March at the earliest. Remember we are looking in hind iste not forward looking thinking when looking at these satistics. You should always be thinking how each of the reports that come out inpact your business so you can take advantage of them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Business Relationships Built thru Mail
New Business Relationships
Have you ever used a new business for the first time because of information you received in the mail?
37% Yes
63% No
Renewed Business Relationships
Have you ever renewed a relationship with a business after a period of time bercuase you received a mailing or promotion offer?
68% Yes
32% No
A Careful Look at the Mail
Are you looking though your mail more carefully for coupons and promotional offers than 6 months ago?
64% Yes
36% No
Larson note: Pretty much across the board. Use coupons or mail and you get or regain customers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Have you ever used a new business for the first time because of information you received in the mail?
37% Yes
63% No
Renewed Business Relationships
Have you ever renewed a relationship with a business after a period of time bercuase you received a mailing or promotion offer?
68% Yes
32% No
A Careful Look at the Mail
Are you looking though your mail more carefully for coupons and promotional offers than 6 months ago?
64% Yes
36% No
Larson note: Pretty much across the board. Use coupons or mail and you get or regain customers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Women Rule Mail
As much as people like to get mail offers and coupons woman, on in a greater percentage than men take advantage of them.
It is woman who usually collect and sort the household mail. It is woman much more than men who are more likely to try a new business or renew and old customer relationship (67% to 59%) over their mail counterparts. It is women who show a greater level of price sensitivity compared to men. They are also more likely to be on the lookout for promotional offers and coupons in the mail and are fond of mailed coupons and more likely to sue them over men. And (sorry boys) it is woman who generally control the spending and the purse strings of the household.
Larson note: Are men left out in the dark? No. but women have an 8% bump in looks and usage over men, and in direct marketing 8% is a lot! Coupons promotions, coupons packs, are all ways to get in. Do you have mass appeal or are you a target marketing sort of company?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
It is woman who usually collect and sort the household mail. It is woman much more than men who are more likely to try a new business or renew and old customer relationship (67% to 59%) over their mail counterparts. It is women who show a greater level of price sensitivity compared to men. They are also more likely to be on the lookout for promotional offers and coupons in the mail and are fond of mailed coupons and more likely to sue them over men. And (sorry boys) it is woman who generally control the spending and the purse strings of the household.
Larson note: Are men left out in the dark? No. but women have an 8% bump in looks and usage over men, and in direct marketing 8% is a lot! Coupons promotions, coupons packs, are all ways to get in. Do you have mass appeal or are you a target marketing sort of company?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Coupon Price, Use and Size
Coupon Price
How important is price when making a purchasing decision on various items?
65% - VI 25% - SI / Travel
62% - VI 30% - SI / Electronics
57% - VI 32% - SI / Groceries
56% - VI 32% - SI / Home furniture
53% - VI 31% - SI / Auto Parts
46% - VI 36% - SI / Entertainment
46% - VI 29% - SI / Paper and Office Supplies
41% - VI 39% - SI Health & Wellness
* VI very important / SI somewhat important
Coupon use
How has your use of coupons recieved in the mail changed in the past year?
36% - IL 30% - II / Groceries
14% - IL 27% - II Health & Wellness
13% - IL 26% - II / Entertainment
11% - IL 27% - II / Electronics
11% - IL 22% - II / Auto Parts
11% - IL 22% - II / Paper and Office Supplies
11% - IL 19% - II / Travel
7% - IL 14% - II / Home furniture
** IL - Increased a lot II – Increased a little
Coupon size
What is the % of the offer or coupons that you receive by mail that leads to a purchase?
0% 6%
1-5% 51%
6-10% 24%
11-20% 11%
21+% 8%
Larson note: Where does your industry come in? Is you need to be in this area getting stronger? Do you need to be a player?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://www.addsyou.com/my_account.php
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
How important is price when making a purchasing decision on various items?
65% - VI 25% - SI / Travel
62% - VI 30% - SI / Electronics
57% - VI 32% - SI / Groceries
56% - VI 32% - SI / Home furniture
53% - VI 31% - SI / Auto Parts
46% - VI 36% - SI / Entertainment
46% - VI 29% - SI / Paper and Office Supplies
41% - VI 39% - SI Health & Wellness
* VI very important / SI somewhat important
Coupon use
How has your use of coupons recieved in the mail changed in the past year?
36% - IL 30% - II / Groceries
14% - IL 27% - II Health & Wellness
13% - IL 26% - II / Entertainment
11% - IL 27% - II / Electronics
11% - IL 22% - II / Auto Parts
11% - IL 22% - II / Paper and Office Supplies
11% - IL 19% - II / Travel
7% - IL 14% - II / Home furniture
** IL - Increased a lot II – Increased a little
Coupon size
What is the % of the offer or coupons that you receive by mail that leads to a purchase?
0% 6%
1-5% 51%
6-10% 24%
11-20% 11%
21+% 8%
Larson note: Where does your industry come in? Is you need to be in this area getting stronger? Do you need to be a player?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://www.addsyou.com/my_account.php
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Responding with Direct Mail vs. E-mail
E-mail vs. Direct Mail. That is the question.
It is very easy to make a nice looking electronic email ad and zap it out to an email list of thousands and thousands of people with the click of a mouse. Simple, appealing and Lazy!
If you look at the back end and see the open rates and the click though rates you will find a channel that is declining.
There is only one way for a buyer to respond to an e-ad, click it. If you have shopping carts on your web sites look at the ones left abandoned. Why? Boss walked in. Computer crashed. Got interrupted. Dog barking. Doorbell rang. Put this against Direct Mail. What are the connection options? Online ordering, phone local or 800 number. Order form. Go to store.
In the 19’s catalogers were putting their catalogs online. The thought was that people would now go online and shop their catalogue and they would print and ship fewer catalogues. Well they did that and sales went down. They started printing and shipping out more catalogs again and sales climbed. Don’t underestimate armchair buying!
Larson note: Don’t worry all you emailers out there I have some exciting news coming for you, I have in my little hands a report from the Direct Marketing Association on E-mail marketing and will be going though it and finding good things in the land of Advertising and Marketing. Even some thoughts on multichannel marketing which I am a great proponent of. Phone, mail, email. It still comes down to getting your message in front of the right people. Who is your market where are they and how do you find and connect with them?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
It is very easy to make a nice looking electronic email ad and zap it out to an email list of thousands and thousands of people with the click of a mouse. Simple, appealing and Lazy!
If you look at the back end and see the open rates and the click though rates you will find a channel that is declining.
There is only one way for a buyer to respond to an e-ad, click it. If you have shopping carts on your web sites look at the ones left abandoned. Why? Boss walked in. Computer crashed. Got interrupted. Dog barking. Doorbell rang. Put this against Direct Mail. What are the connection options? Online ordering, phone local or 800 number. Order form. Go to store.
In the 19’s catalogers were putting their catalogs online. The thought was that people would now go online and shop their catalogue and they would print and ship fewer catalogues. Well they did that and sales went down. They started printing and shipping out more catalogs again and sales climbed. Don’t underestimate armchair buying!
Larson note: Don’t worry all you emailers out there I have some exciting news coming for you, I have in my little hands a report from the Direct Marketing Association on E-mail marketing and will be going though it and finding good things in the land of Advertising and Marketing. Even some thoughts on multichannel marketing which I am a great proponent of. Phone, mail, email. It still comes down to getting your message in front of the right people. Who is your market where are they and how do you find and connect with them?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Monday, December 22, 2008
Young Consumers Respond to Mail
People, all people read mail. My (under 25) kids come home and ask is there any mail for me. People love to receive mail.
If you look at the habits of your own families you will know I am right. The under 30 group of consumers are moving away from email and phone and into im and texting. I have had to put on unlimited texting options on all our phones. This is a mode of communication not advertising. Instant and now.
They are a very wary segment of people who know and understand more than the average marketer wants to give them credit for. Do your homework, engage and you stand a much better chance of connection and receptivity. Do your homework, make or find and buy the perfect list. Put away the silly myth that you are shooting money out at people who are not interested in you your company and your product. There are lest negatives aspects with direct mail than you might think. We are talking brand and company loyalty here.
Larson note: Sure, if you send me a catalogue on something I could care less about and it is going right into the circular file but send me one on running, camping, canoeing, or model trains and I’m going to sit down and look it over. Maybe even buy something. Send me a catalogue on American Dolls and well sorry, not my thing, no grand kids (yet). Send one of my sons a catalogue on snakes and reptiles and you got him, send him one on hamsters and zip out it goes in the recycling tub. People still, young and old, want to touch and feel things. They might be more apt to order online but there is still something ever with the under 30’s about sitting down and paging though a catalogue or getting a coupon or promotion form one of there favorite stores. Don’t believe me? Send out a promotion to your customers and see what happens.
If you have not been collecting this data, names, addresses, items bought start today. This is the makings of your primary mailing list. And best of all, it’s a free list!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
If you look at the habits of your own families you will know I am right. The under 30 group of consumers are moving away from email and phone and into im and texting. I have had to put on unlimited texting options on all our phones. This is a mode of communication not advertising. Instant and now.
They are a very wary segment of people who know and understand more than the average marketer wants to give them credit for. Do your homework, engage and you stand a much better chance of connection and receptivity. Do your homework, make or find and buy the perfect list. Put away the silly myth that you are shooting money out at people who are not interested in you your company and your product. There are lest negatives aspects with direct mail than you might think. We are talking brand and company loyalty here.
Larson note: Sure, if you send me a catalogue on something I could care less about and it is going right into the circular file but send me one on running, camping, canoeing, or model trains and I’m going to sit down and look it over. Maybe even buy something. Send me a catalogue on American Dolls and well sorry, not my thing, no grand kids (yet). Send one of my sons a catalogue on snakes and reptiles and you got him, send him one on hamsters and zip out it goes in the recycling tub. People still, young and old, want to touch and feel things. They might be more apt to order online but there is still something ever with the under 30’s about sitting down and paging though a catalogue or getting a coupon or promotion form one of there favorite stores. Don’t believe me? Send out a promotion to your customers and see what happens.
If you have not been collecting this data, names, addresses, items bought start today. This is the makings of your primary mailing list. And best of all, it’s a free list!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
The Week Ahead for December 22-26, 2008
Monday:
Tuesday: Third quarter domestic product, November existing home sales, November new home sales
Wednesday: Weekly initial jobless claims, November durable good orders, November personal income and spending
Thursday:
Friday:
Larson note: Still looking too far back to really see any good things there. The gov should have put in place an individual stimulus package last August-September which would have started flowing out in November to salvage retail but they didn’t. Oh well. Was out walking the malls Friday and Saturday and have yet to buy 1 full priced item this holiday season. Need I say more?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Tuesday: Third quarter domestic product, November existing home sales, November new home sales
Wednesday: Weekly initial jobless claims, November durable good orders, November personal income and spending
Thursday:
Friday:
Larson note: Still looking too far back to really see any good things there. The gov should have put in place an individual stimulus package last August-September which would have started flowing out in November to salvage retail but they didn’t. Oh well. Was out walking the malls Friday and Saturday and have yet to buy 1 full priced item this holiday season. Need I say more?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Number of Offers or Coupons
How many promotional offers or coupons do people receive in a week by MAIL?
1% 0
48% 1-5
28% 6-10
11% 11-15
12% 16+
Larson note: Stores are getting more saficitated I the usage of coupons and promotional pieces. As they learn the fine art of CRM they can track who you are and what you but and put the right promotions into your mail box. They can and they are. Are you?.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
1% 0
48% 1-5
28% 6-10
11% 11-15
12% 16+
Larson note: Stores are getting more saficitated I the usage of coupons and promotional pieces. As they learn the fine art of CRM they can track who you are and what you but and put the right promotions into your mail box. They can and they are. Are you?.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Source: Direct Mail marketing Survey
Are you hoping or planning?
As we more rapidly towards 2009 we see a disintegration of the world as we know it. Financial, political, health, energy.
Adjusting to changes is not easy and we more times than not are left wondering what to do. As a long distance running every day, or 6 days a week I train to get ready for those deciding moments when I need to be my best. Things might be going fine when in the middle of a race my race plan starts to fall apart I learned to improvise to change tactics do a surge, pick the pace harder, change what I’m doing as the race unfolds. So to in business.
The current situation keeps changing as we go and we find ourselves more vulnerable to outside forces, even things we did not even know where there to be worried about. The new fundamentals that are unfolding are not typical of the past cyclical changes we saw in the past. Instead they are representative of a permanent and structural change to the way we will do business in the future. Higher selling costs, continued margin pressure from the supply chain are new rules to deal with.
So what are you gong to do in the now. Hunker down and cut costs across the board and wait for things to improve. That is hope and hope is not a plan.
During any change or downturn cuts are usually necessary and prudent. However it makes no sense to just go out there and slash away uniformly or to go and cut discretionary spending across the board.
Look at your numbers. Numbers like classical logic is not sentimental. They will always tell the objective story with out bias or opinion. In good times and in bad taking a look at the numbers will reveal some positive trends and successes you are having. And I am sure there are some successes in your company. These points are where your business is making positive headway even in tough times. You need to move capital, your money, time, labor and recourses into these positive areas. The flip flop says to reduce your resources in areas that are not being positively productive. You need to put each aspect of your business through a ringer. Look at the ROI in each part and do what the numbers tell you to do.
Look at your customers. You are in this together. Show them, tell them you understand there needs with every interaction you have. As you fill their specific unique needs they will grow to appreciate you more.
Improve your service, Service improvements need to be pushed harder while you work though cost reductions.
Create relevant and timely promotions. Keep them easy to understand and follow. Displays that feature the right product to the right people at the right time. People are still going to buy things this year, either gifts for Christmas or a widget for a machine. They will still be buying something. Now will they buy it from you?
There are always winners and losers all the time in each era. So what will you do now? What can you do now? In times of change you need to create an environment of aggressiveness and creativity. Now is the time for hard evaluation and make strategic choices
Hope is not Planning
Larson note: This should come as no surprise, when doing a coupon or incentive driven piece. People are either going to go because of price or location or offer but price is the biggest pull. Do a little research and see if you can find out what your competition has in mind, then beet them at their own game. You only have to win by a little to win it all.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Adjusting to changes is not easy and we more times than not are left wondering what to do. As a long distance running every day, or 6 days a week I train to get ready for those deciding moments when I need to be my best. Things might be going fine when in the middle of a race my race plan starts to fall apart I learned to improvise to change tactics do a surge, pick the pace harder, change what I’m doing as the race unfolds. So to in business.
The current situation keeps changing as we go and we find ourselves more vulnerable to outside forces, even things we did not even know where there to be worried about. The new fundamentals that are unfolding are not typical of the past cyclical changes we saw in the past. Instead they are representative of a permanent and structural change to the way we will do business in the future. Higher selling costs, continued margin pressure from the supply chain are new rules to deal with.
So what are you gong to do in the now. Hunker down and cut costs across the board and wait for things to improve. That is hope and hope is not a plan.
During any change or downturn cuts are usually necessary and prudent. However it makes no sense to just go out there and slash away uniformly or to go and cut discretionary spending across the board.
Look at your numbers. Numbers like classical logic is not sentimental. They will always tell the objective story with out bias or opinion. In good times and in bad taking a look at the numbers will reveal some positive trends and successes you are having. And I am sure there are some successes in your company. These points are where your business is making positive headway even in tough times. You need to move capital, your money, time, labor and recourses into these positive areas. The flip flop says to reduce your resources in areas that are not being positively productive. You need to put each aspect of your business through a ringer. Look at the ROI in each part and do what the numbers tell you to do.
Look at your customers. You are in this together. Show them, tell them you understand there needs with every interaction you have. As you fill their specific unique needs they will grow to appreciate you more.
Improve your service, Service improvements need to be pushed harder while you work though cost reductions.
Create relevant and timely promotions. Keep them easy to understand and follow. Displays that feature the right product to the right people at the right time. People are still going to buy things this year, either gifts for Christmas or a widget for a machine. They will still be buying something. Now will they buy it from you?
There are always winners and losers all the time in each era. So what will you do now? What can you do now? In times of change you need to create an environment of aggressiveness and creativity. Now is the time for hard evaluation and make strategic choices
Hope is not Planning
Larson note: This should come as no surprise, when doing a coupon or incentive driven piece. People are either going to go because of price or location or offer but price is the biggest pull. Do a little research and see if you can find out what your competition has in mind, then beet them at their own game. You only have to win by a little to win it all.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Importance of Price
Is price more or less important to the buying decision?
69% More important
29% Same
2% Less Important
Larson note: This should come as no surprise, when doing a coupon or incentive driven piece. People are either going to go because of price or location or offer but price is the biggest pull. Do a little research and see if you can find out what your competition has in mind, then beat them at their own game. You only have to win by a little to win it all.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
69% More important
29% Same
2% Less Important
Larson note: This should come as no surprise, when doing a coupon or incentive driven piece. People are either going to go because of price or location or offer but price is the biggest pull. Do a little research and see if you can find out what your competition has in mind, then beat them at their own game. You only have to win by a little to win it all.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Direct Mails Unique Advantages
Many people, my self included, have been pushing other channels for promotion. We here at Larson’s have been pushing our marketing message though bloging harder than a year ago. But then has not diminished our Direct Mail Marketing attack.
When people receive a piece of mail, they can do 3 different things with it. Act on it immediately, save if for future use or share it with other people in the business or household. Possible with e-marketing? Yes, but not as prevalent. I have specialty folders in my computer of stuff for review that I never get back to. Don’t we all?
Larson note: In any marketing the key is to get though the clutter and get your piece seen. In mail we have a few ways to do this. Message, color, size, bulkiness, repetition. As in all marketing the more you do the better you get. He more you test the more understanding of channel use you have. I actually collect mailing pieces (that I like) that come to me, so if I get a client that is that field I can pull out that file and use it as a template for them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
When people receive a piece of mail, they can do 3 different things with it. Act on it immediately, save if for future use or share it with other people in the business or household. Possible with e-marketing? Yes, but not as prevalent. I have specialty folders in my computer of stuff for review that I never get back to. Don’t we all?
Larson note: In any marketing the key is to get though the clutter and get your piece seen. In mail we have a few ways to do this. Message, color, size, bulkiness, repetition. As in all marketing the more you do the better you get. He more you test the more understanding of channel use you have. I actually collect mailing pieces (that I like) that come to me, so if I get a client that is that field I can pull out that file and use it as a template for them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Mail enjoyment
Do you enjoy reviewing your USPD mail more than your email?
50% Yes
50% No
How often do you go though your USPD mail
85% Daily
13% Often
2% Sometimes
Larson note: Can’t say enough about a marketing tool that has a 85% hit rate. With that kind of penetration if your target is right your message is right and your pull is right you got them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source direct marketing / Pitney Bowes survey
50% Yes
50% No
How often do you go though your USPD mail
85% Daily
13% Often
2% Sometimes
Larson note: Can’t say enough about a marketing tool that has a 85% hit rate. With that kind of penetration if your target is right your message is right and your pull is right you got them.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source direct marketing / Pitney Bowes survey
The Current State of the Mail
In a time like we are now in, people are looking harder and more closely at the promotional mail, or do you call it junk mail, that is coming into their mail boxes. If done correctly you can get some of the best hit rates possible, possibly more so than even a year ago. Direct mail and lists can be very targeted to the people you want to get in front of. When we consider that 85% of direct mail actually gets read or viewed and that over half of all consumers have requested promotional materials or coupons from companies over the last 6 months I would think this only says that direct mail marketing is not dieing but a very hard hitting powerful marketing tool.
A high percentage of people do in fact read there mail, ALL their mail and are getting more interested in the coupons that are coming in to their mail boxes. Marketers that have dismissed direct mail marketing for what ever reasons, cost, timeliness, whatever, are missing a huge chance to be in front of there audience.
Larson note: Your list, your offer, your pull. Get your message to the right people with the right offer (for them) with the right incentive and they will come. As in field of dreams “Build it and they will come. You might have to work at the coming part (that is advertising, marketing and salesmanship but “they will come” if your work hard and are consistent. When I see things like 85% hit rates on my message being looked at. I get all giddy.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Major source: Direct Marketing / Pitney Bowes Direct Mail Survey
A high percentage of people do in fact read there mail, ALL their mail and are getting more interested in the coupons that are coming in to their mail boxes. Marketers that have dismissed direct mail marketing for what ever reasons, cost, timeliness, whatever, are missing a huge chance to be in front of there audience.
Larson note: Your list, your offer, your pull. Get your message to the right people with the right offer (for them) with the right incentive and they will come. As in field of dreams “Build it and they will come. You might have to work at the coming part (that is advertising, marketing and salesmanship but “they will come” if your work hard and are consistent. When I see things like 85% hit rates on my message being looked at. I get all giddy.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Major source: Direct Marketing / Pitney Bowes Direct Mail Survey
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Looking at the Mail
Are you looking over your mail closer then 6 months ago? Hoping, looking, actually wanting to find promotional offers and coupons in your mail box.
64% Yes
36% No
Larson note: Everyone is looking to expand there shopping dollars and promotions, discounts and coupons are what they are looking for. With gas prices down we all have a little breather but everyone is still on edge
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source direct marketing / Pitney Bowes survey
64% Yes
36% No
Larson note: Everyone is looking to expand there shopping dollars and promotions, discounts and coupons are what they are looking for. With gas prices down we all have a little breather but everyone is still on edge
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
*Source direct marketing / Pitney Bowes survey
Ham Sandwich Marketing
Making a marketing plan is like building a ham sandwich. Bread, ham, mayo and other stuff. But what other things you add to your sandwich will define the flavor and experience of eating your sandwich.
I have three main elements to any attack that I put together, telesales, mail and email / bread, ham and mayo. What ever else I add to my sandwich will add or possibly detract to the taste of my sandwich.
As my father use to ask us, “Which would you rather have, complete happiness in life or a ham sandwich?” Of course we would all fall for the bait and say “Complete happiness in life!” He would then laugh and chime in with “There is nothing better than complete happiness in life, right? But a ham sandwich is better than nothing.”
So for me, keep your completeness happiness in life and give me the ham sandwich. Then I’ll have complete happiness in life!
Larson note: Our speciality is New Account Acquisition. We live and breath the hunt for new leads for our clients. We keep their sales pipeline filled with a funnel approach. In doing this we use the above ham sandwich approach. Some only want the bread, our telesales work, some what a piece of ham with the bread. Direct mail or wave mailing inserted in the attack, adding to that some mayo, the fulfillment side of the attack, sending out requested information. From there the real meal starts. A nice glass of coke, the list, lettuce, trade magazine ads, or newspaper. Mustard, might be a multimedia presentation on a CD or a DVD, cheese might be a Search Engine Optimization plan. Depending on what kind of cheese American, Cheddar, Swiss this could become SEO with pay for click or banner ads. What ever you need to make your ham sandwich we have the right ingredients in our kitchen.
Ingredients:
Telemarketing
Mailing
E-mail
Outbound Telesales (B2B)
New account acquisition
Trade Show Call Back
Orphan Account Selling
Fulfillment
Multimedia
CD & DVD Duplication and Replication
Postcard and Wave Mailing Programs
Trade Show Call Back
List Procurement
Audio and Video Tape Duplication.
Multimedia Development
Search Engine Submission Program
Web Site Design
Trade Magazine Ads
Coupons
Door Hangers
Newspapers
Co-op Advertising
Synergistic Advertising
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
I have three main elements to any attack that I put together, telesales, mail and email / bread, ham and mayo. What ever else I add to my sandwich will add or possibly detract to the taste of my sandwich.
As my father use to ask us, “Which would you rather have, complete happiness in life or a ham sandwich?” Of course we would all fall for the bait and say “Complete happiness in life!” He would then laugh and chime in with “There is nothing better than complete happiness in life, right? But a ham sandwich is better than nothing.”
So for me, keep your completeness happiness in life and give me the ham sandwich. Then I’ll have complete happiness in life!
Larson note: Our speciality is New Account Acquisition. We live and breath the hunt for new leads for our clients. We keep their sales pipeline filled with a funnel approach. In doing this we use the above ham sandwich approach. Some only want the bread, our telesales work, some what a piece of ham with the bread. Direct mail or wave mailing inserted in the attack, adding to that some mayo, the fulfillment side of the attack, sending out requested information. From there the real meal starts. A nice glass of coke, the list, lettuce, trade magazine ads, or newspaper. Mustard, might be a multimedia presentation on a CD or a DVD, cheese might be a Search Engine Optimization plan. Depending on what kind of cheese American, Cheddar, Swiss this could become SEO with pay for click or banner ads. What ever you need to make your ham sandwich we have the right ingredients in our kitchen.
Ingredients:
Telemarketing
Mailing
Outbound Telesales (B2B)
New account acquisition
Trade Show Call Back
Orphan Account Selling
Fulfillment
Multimedia
CD & DVD Duplication and Replication
Postcard and Wave Mailing Programs
Trade Show Call Back
List Procurement
Audio and Video Tape Duplication.
Multimedia Development
Search Engine Submission Program
Web Site Design
Trade Magazine Ads
Coupons
Door Hangers
Newspapers
Co-op Advertising
Synergistic Advertising
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Direct Marketing / Pitney Bowes Direct Mail Survey Is Out!
I was so excited last week to receive a copy of the Direct Marketing / Pitney Bowes Survey. This, my friends is good stuff! Trends, statistics movements, thoughts from people like Leslie Abi-Karam of Pitney Bowes, David Bell of Meredith Publishing, Carolyn Goodman of Goodman Marketing, and Pamela Oldham of the Direct Marketing Association to name a few. I will be using this and other resources in the coming weeks and month. It will be very insightful and very exciting!
Results of the survey on consumer attitudes and behaviors related mailed promotional materials conclude that direct mail is not dead. Going further that a company not engaged in direct mail marketing might actually be hurting itself. More than 1,000 people ages 18 and up from 10 metro areas, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix and Settle, equally divided between male and female,.
Larson note: This week alone my stack of stuff grew faster than I could digest, outline, write and publish. In the planning stages to add to my 2 published blogs on Marketing and Branding are one on Green Business Trends and True Capitalism.
In an economic downtrend as we are now going through people of integrity and focus, the true leaders of the world will continue to succeed. While the vipers of society will whine and pine for the good old days.
“We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasing after some finer day.
Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting
And I tell you how easy it is to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me.
But I rehearsed those words just late last night
When I was thinking about how right tonight might be.
Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting
And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet, I don't know natures way
So I'll try to see into your eyes right now
And stay right here, 'cause these are the good old days.”
Carly Simon
Don’t wait. The time is NOW!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Results of the survey on consumer attitudes and behaviors related mailed promotional materials conclude that direct mail is not dead. Going further that a company not engaged in direct mail marketing might actually be hurting itself. More than 1,000 people ages 18 and up from 10 metro areas, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix and Settle, equally divided between male and female,.
Larson note: This week alone my stack of stuff grew faster than I could digest, outline, write and publish. In the planning stages to add to my 2 published blogs on Marketing and Branding are one on Green Business Trends and True Capitalism.
In an economic downtrend as we are now going through people of integrity and focus, the true leaders of the world will continue to succeed. While the vipers of society will whine and pine for the good old days.
“We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasing after some finer day.
Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting
And I tell you how easy it is to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me.
But I rehearsed those words just late last night
When I was thinking about how right tonight might be.
Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting
And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet, I don't know natures way
So I'll try to see into your eyes right now
And stay right here, 'cause these are the good old days.”
Carly Simon
Don’t wait. The time is NOW!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
The Week Ahead for December 15-19, 2008
Monday: November industrial production
Tuesday: Federal Reserve Meeting, November housing starts
Wednesday:
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, November leading economic indicators
Friday:
Larson note: Christmas is not any help here. Starting thinking New Year and baby, get yourself positioned of exploding growth. Your choice. Personally I am always looking at the industrial production numbers, but then we are B2B here so those are more important to me than other numbers but, the end result is that, B2b, B2C someone has to sell something to someone.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Tuesday: Federal Reserve Meeting, November housing starts
Wednesday:
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, November leading economic indicators
Friday:
Larson note: Christmas is not any help here. Starting thinking New Year and baby, get yourself positioned of exploding growth. Your choice. Personally I am always looking at the industrial production numbers, but then we are B2B here so those are more important to me than other numbers but, the end result is that, B2b, B2C someone has to sell something to someone.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Green Product Buying?
8% Pay a premium for Green Products
47% Less likely to pay a premium for going Green because of the economy
38% Will not pay a premium for going Green regardless of the economy
7% Other
Larson note: Green is a choice. Being environmentally conscious is a choice. Reducing your carbon footprint is a choice. Global warming? Is it real? Running out of oil? Not in my lifetime. Smog? Where?
You chose to sell environmentally green products at a higher cost and you automatically loose 45% or your market. Ouch! Can you exist on a market share starting with only 55%? Look at cars. Last summer you could not find a compact car with estimated gas mileage over 30mpg with in 200 miles of me. Now? Ha! Lets get the 8 cylinder SUV out and go for a ride gas is down to $1.62 a the pump (as of Friday 12/5/2008) Oil is at $43 a barrel.
But if you sell green now you will be ready for the upswing with gas goes back up to $4.50 and asthma attacks are hitting the general population again at a record high level. You will already have in place product on your shelf, you will already have supplier connections and relationships with manufactures selling green to take over the market as it goes from 55% up to 75% or higher.
As for us here at Larson & Associates, we will continue to reduce our carbon footprint as a provider of marketing services. Already this year we have reduced our hydrocarbon use by 90%. Yes you heard me 90% and our carbon footprint buy 75% Our goal to you, ourselves and the world is to go 100% grid free with in 2 years in all locations by converting to solar and wind energy, or, as grid free as possible due to current zoning laws. Our goal is to go as paperless as possible, with all interoffice and client communications. We can all be more green than we think..
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
47% Less likely to pay a premium for going Green because of the economy
38% Will not pay a premium for going Green regardless of the economy
7% Other
Larson note: Green is a choice. Being environmentally conscious is a choice. Reducing your carbon footprint is a choice. Global warming? Is it real? Running out of oil? Not in my lifetime. Smog? Where?
You chose to sell environmentally green products at a higher cost and you automatically loose 45% or your market. Ouch! Can you exist on a market share starting with only 55%? Look at cars. Last summer you could not find a compact car with estimated gas mileage over 30mpg with in 200 miles of me. Now? Ha! Lets get the 8 cylinder SUV out and go for a ride gas is down to $1.62 a the pump (as of Friday 12/5/2008) Oil is at $43 a barrel.
But if you sell green now you will be ready for the upswing with gas goes back up to $4.50 and asthma attacks are hitting the general population again at a record high level. You will already have in place product on your shelf, you will already have supplier connections and relationships with manufactures selling green to take over the market as it goes from 55% up to 75% or higher.
As for us here at Larson & Associates, we will continue to reduce our carbon footprint as a provider of marketing services. Already this year we have reduced our hydrocarbon use by 90%. Yes you heard me 90% and our carbon footprint buy 75% Our goal to you, ourselves and the world is to go 100% grid free with in 2 years in all locations by converting to solar and wind energy, or, as grid free as possible due to current zoning laws. Our goal is to go as paperless as possible, with all interoffice and client communications. We can all be more green than we think..
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
Managing Negative Online Comments
Your out there, your name, your company your words? Then bam you get hit with online negativism or a disgruntled client. What do or can you do?
First you need to take a proactive a proactive to first listen and then respond to the customer feedback. Put a contact form on your web site; establish a complaint resolution process to address issues ASAP. Next promote positive customer feedback and comments online, to put a positive spin on you and your company.
If you strive to promote good customer service and proactively address customer concerns and promote positive comments you will have taken a major step for keeping a 5 star image online
Larson note: They happen. As much as we try things don’t go right with and for some customers. It might be a bad fit between your service and there company. It might be just one of those things that there is no logical reason. Online gives people a chance to vent publicly sometimes with out making themselves know to you to rectify the problem or to have a fair hearing on your side of a bad situation. Do what you can and leave the rest. Let them look like a fool. People know a disoriented ranter when they see or hear one, even online.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
First you need to take a proactive a proactive to first listen and then respond to the customer feedback. Put a contact form on your web site; establish a complaint resolution process to address issues ASAP. Next promote positive customer feedback and comments online, to put a positive spin on you and your company.
If you strive to promote good customer service and proactively address customer concerns and promote positive comments you will have taken a major step for keeping a 5 star image online
Larson note: They happen. As much as we try things don’t go right with and for some customers. It might be a bad fit between your service and there company. It might be just one of those things that there is no logical reason. Online gives people a chance to vent publicly sometimes with out making themselves know to you to rectify the problem or to have a fair hearing on your side of a bad situation. Do what you can and leave the rest. Let them look like a fool. People know a disoriented ranter when they see or hear one, even online.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
What Items Are People Cutting Back On Over the Holidays?
60% Gifts
57% Dining Out
49% Holiday Travel
45% Vacation
40% Entertaining away from home
37% Charitable donations
34% Mailing Holiday Cards
30% Entertainment at home
21% Groceries
Larson note: People are cutting, Gifts and dining out at the top of the list with travel and vacations a close 3rd and 4th. How do these buying decisions affect your business, or do they? If you looked at yesterday’s pm blog you might want to push out some timely coupons to entice those reluctant shoppers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
57% Dining Out
49% Holiday Travel
45% Vacation
40% Entertaining away from home
37% Charitable donations
34% Mailing Holiday Cards
30% Entertainment at home
21% Groceries
Larson note: People are cutting, Gifts and dining out at the top of the list with travel and vacations a close 3rd and 4th. How do these buying decisions affect your business, or do they? If you looked at yesterday’s pm blog you might want to push out some timely coupons to entice those reluctant shoppers.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
The 12 Days of Christmas will cost 11% more
Day1: Partridge $20.00 Last year $15.00
Pear Tree $200.00 Last year $150.00
Day 2: Two Turtle Doves $55.00 Last year $45.00
Day 3: Three French Hens $$30.00 Last year $45.00
Day 4: Four calling birds (canaries): $600.00 no change
Day 5: Five Golden Rings $350.00 Last year $395.00
Day 6: Six geese a-laying $240.00 Last year $360.00
Day 7: Seven swans a-swimming $5,600 Last year $4,200
Day 8: Eight maids a-milking $52.00 Last year $47.00
Day 9 Nine ladies dancing (per performance) $4,759 no change
Day 10: Ten lords a-leaping (per performance) $4,414 Last year $4,285
Day 11: Eleven pipers piping (per performance) $2.285 last year $2,285
Day 12: Twelve drummers drumming (per performance) $2,475 Last year $2,398
Total cost $86,608 Last year $78.100
Larson note: Love is getting more expensive. Alas fair ladies of the world, what say you? Given the economic downturn $86,608 might be more than your man can afford as compiled by PNC Wealth Management Love is costing 10.9% or $8,508 more this year from only $78,100. Is this the year Mrs. Larson suffers with a box of chocolates and a kiss on the cheek? (You really think she will let me off the hook that easy?) No Norwegian penny pinching for my Swedish bride.
Thank you to all my clients (20 days in advance) for anther wonderful year of allowing us to serve you. You are our reason to exist as a business. God bless you all. And wishing you another double digit sales increase as you all have had this year
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Thor Larson, PNC Wealth Management, AP
Pear Tree $200.00 Last year $150.00
Day 2: Two Turtle Doves $55.00 Last year $45.00
Day 3: Three French Hens $$30.00 Last year $45.00
Day 4: Four calling birds (canaries): $600.00 no change
Day 5: Five Golden Rings $350.00 Last year $395.00
Day 6: Six geese a-laying $240.00 Last year $360.00
Day 7: Seven swans a-swimming $5,600 Last year $4,200
Day 8: Eight maids a-milking $52.00 Last year $47.00
Day 9 Nine ladies dancing (per performance) $4,759 no change
Day 10: Ten lords a-leaping (per performance) $4,414 Last year $4,285
Day 11: Eleven pipers piping (per performance) $2.285 last year $2,285
Day 12: Twelve drummers drumming (per performance) $2,475 Last year $2,398
Total cost $86,608 Last year $78.100
Larson note: Love is getting more expensive. Alas fair ladies of the world, what say you? Given the economic downturn $86,608 might be more than your man can afford as compiled by PNC Wealth Management Love is costing 10.9% or $8,508 more this year from only $78,100. Is this the year Mrs. Larson suffers with a box of chocolates and a kiss on the cheek? (You really think she will let me off the hook that easy?) No Norwegian penny pinching for my Swedish bride.
Thank you to all my clients (20 days in advance) for anther wonderful year of allowing us to serve you. You are our reason to exist as a business. God bless you all. And wishing you another double digit sales increase as you all have had this year
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Thor Larson, PNC Wealth Management, AP
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Criteria For Choosing Stores For Holiday Shopping
34% Proximity
29% TV Holiday Ads
41% Friends Suggestion
70% Coupons received
33% Go to the same stores as usual
66% Flyers/Ads Mailed out
Larson note: Mail mail mail!!! Post or E-mail, get your coupons in their hands. USPS or E-blast get your ad out and in their faces. If you’re a follower of this blog there are lots of ideas scattered in the different posts.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source SheSpeaks Sample, 2000 members October 2008
29% TV Holiday Ads
41% Friends Suggestion
70% Coupons received
33% Go to the same stores as usual
66% Flyers/Ads Mailed out
Larson note: Mail mail mail!!! Post or E-mail, get your coupons in their hands. USPS or E-blast get your ad out and in their faces. If you’re a follower of this blog there are lots of ideas scattered in the different posts.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source SheSpeaks Sample, 2000 members October 2008
Marketing Medical Devices
Marketing medical devices is not the same as marketing pharmaceuticals. In this area it is imperative to get the docs to climb on board and endorse the thing before revealing it to the consumer. Peer to peer endorsement or rejection can make or break the success of a medical device. In this market the medicial professionals are the absolute gatekeepers and if they don’t like or believe in your product it’s not gong anywhere because they will not use it on their patients. IN the application process of the product it is very specific and aimed towards specific populations. Depending on the product or device once some docs have climbed on board it might be necessary to hit the consumer with ads to push use of procedures using the devise so patients seek out doctors using it.
Trade shows are the biggest area of attack. If this area can move away and totally integrate their marketing they might get better market penetration of the same money. A virtual product tour could be put together and placed online. Having done some of these with good tight voiceovers it can be a great addition to your marketing attack. Considering the cost of transporting a machine can cost a company thousands of dollars to various trade shows and leave the docs with little or nothing except a demo, adding multimedia to your mix is an excellent way to push sales
Larson note: Virtual product tours on CD, DVD or put online are a great add-on in this area. It is or can be a complecated piece of equipment to be used in an equally complecated procedure. Upgrading your tradeshow with more interactive components could be the push you need. Add in a hand out of a CD or DVD, cement it with a virtual online product tour and/or demo and you might just yourself on top line marketing package. Come to think about it this might be good for more than medical devices.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
Trade shows are the biggest area of attack. If this area can move away and totally integrate their marketing they might get better market penetration of the same money. A virtual product tour could be put together and placed online. Having done some of these with good tight voiceovers it can be a great addition to your marketing attack. Considering the cost of transporting a machine can cost a company thousands of dollars to various trade shows and leave the docs with little or nothing except a demo, adding multimedia to your mix is an excellent way to push sales
Larson note: Virtual product tours on CD, DVD or put online are a great add-on in this area. It is or can be a complecated piece of equipment to be used in an equally complecated procedure. Upgrading your tradeshow with more interactive components could be the push you need. Add in a hand out of a CD or DVD, cement it with a virtual online product tour and/or demo and you might just yourself on top line marketing package. Come to think about it this might be good for more than medical devices.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Market Tools Insight Report; Sample 1000 adults November 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Where You Go Online
75% Home
43% Work
32% Another location
14 Average hours spent online per week
Larson note: Simple and straight forward.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Harris Interactive: Sample of 2020 adults October 2008.
43% Work
32% Another location
14 Average hours spent online per week
Larson note: Simple and straight forward.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Source Harris Interactive: Sample of 2020 adults October 2008.
Different Aspects of Mobile Marketing
I will say I am at this point not a big fan of mobile marketing. Maybe this is because for my business, it does not fit the demographics of my prospect(s). As it evolves I might change my mind but right now I know I don’t want your ad messages on my cell phone. Does it for your business? Lets see!
Yet it is a unique channel and if used right can be very powerful. To date most companies are using it as an extension of their web marketing which to me is all wrong. It, mobile marketing, is not search and banner ads channel but a unique marketing channel all to its self. Mobile has the capabilities for location, and real-time advertising. For example a company can pick a location, target a certain demographic population, and put their marketing out in a narrow nitch. You can build a database of usage that you can use to look for certain patterns of behavior or buying habits around your location.
The upside is that in a study of 810 wireless subscribers age 18-65 back in July 56% of them said that would view ads on their phones if they were given a 25% to 50% discount on their monthly bill. It comes a no real surprise that users 18 to 25 who are more apt to be texting would we willing to trade their number for a discount while ages of 26 to 44 preferred to talk. This group would gladly (?) trade a voice message for a discounted rate. Ha I could have told them that in interviewing my family from my daughter on up to my father. The older the person the less mobile is going to be attractive. Yet, going further down this path as the economy gets more difficult, more companies are looking at mobile as a cost effective marketing channel. Piggy backing this, more people might want billing relief in the from of discounts in order to keep their cell phone.
To date mobile advertising in the US will top $1 Billion for the first time in 2008 and is projected to hit above $7.5 Billion by 2013.
Larson note: Pick your poison. You can get in to this arena easy enough, heck call me up and I can get you all set up for a mobile texting attack, but watch out or you will be black- balled because of people like me. Look at your product or service and look at your target audience. The younger they are the more recitative they will be. In email terms we call it opted in well if there is a way for mobile triple opted in a cell number to text to. At this point in time, it does not fit my company to market in this fashion, in 10 years it could happen. Again can it work for you? I have only 2 questions: what’s your product and what are your target age group demographics.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Yet it is a unique channel and if used right can be very powerful. To date most companies are using it as an extension of their web marketing which to me is all wrong. It, mobile marketing, is not search and banner ads channel but a unique marketing channel all to its self. Mobile has the capabilities for location, and real-time advertising. For example a company can pick a location, target a certain demographic population, and put their marketing out in a narrow nitch. You can build a database of usage that you can use to look for certain patterns of behavior or buying habits around your location.
The upside is that in a study of 810 wireless subscribers age 18-65 back in July 56% of them said that would view ads on their phones if they were given a 25% to 50% discount on their monthly bill. It comes a no real surprise that users 18 to 25 who are more apt to be texting would we willing to trade their number for a discount while ages of 26 to 44 preferred to talk. This group would gladly (?) trade a voice message for a discounted rate. Ha I could have told them that in interviewing my family from my daughter on up to my father. The older the person the less mobile is going to be attractive. Yet, going further down this path as the economy gets more difficult, more companies are looking at mobile as a cost effective marketing channel. Piggy backing this, more people might want billing relief in the from of discounts in order to keep their cell phone.
To date mobile advertising in the US will top $1 Billion for the first time in 2008 and is projected to hit above $7.5 Billion by 2013.
Larson note: Pick your poison. You can get in to this arena easy enough, heck call me up and I can get you all set up for a mobile texting attack, but watch out or you will be black- balled because of people like me. Look at your product or service and look at your target audience. The younger they are the more recitative they will be. In email terms we call it opted in well if there is a way for mobile triple opted in a cell number to text to. At this point in time, it does not fit my company to market in this fashion, in 10 years it could happen. Again can it work for you? I have only 2 questions: what’s your product and what are your target age group demographics.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Understanding Leading Indicators and YOU
Every Monday morning I have been publishing what reports are coming out for the next week in my “Week Ahead” blog.
When a company starts understands the leading indicators and how they affect them, they can start to put them into perspective as to how they affect or don’t affect their personal sales growth or decline by drawing parallels to these trailing indicators to manage, coach, train, and lead, their companies projections or hot points so they can make positive changes that will help them achieve the results they are looking for.
It is normal for a company to produce sales reports at the end of the month that illustrate results, often product, profitability or past trends in revenue. The key work is PAST. Companies must start looking at the leading indicators as to how they directly affect their future, if they want to be able to really use any of these reports.
The number of sales calls made, calls by type of customer or prospect, pipeline fluidity, pipeline accuracy, forecast accuracy, number of orders in the pipeline, number of deals pending, compensation plan statistics, product knowledge, selling skills, customer interaction, peer and support involvement, and training are just a sample of the many internal static’s that should be measured and monitored each and every day so you can plug these results into a sales projecting scenario and project future sales.
The closer you are able to measure or gather any of these statics, plug them into your company’s sales projections, and relate them into the leading economic indicators or any together economic reports the more you can begin can project how to these indicators can change what you should be doing and cause you to make necessary changes so you hit your target goals. The process starts with identifying possible indicators that have a strong link to your sales revenue.
From there, you must prioritize and narrow down the key indicators that if watched correctly will move behavior in areas you utilize. The data can easily be put onto to a scorecard of some kind where it can be watched, managed and used.
With this information, the sales manager can have what they need to work with their salespeople to coach, train and move them in areas that create maximum ROI for the company..
Once you learn what and how specific indicators affect your company, you can be proactive and will start to see a difference in driving sales.
Larson note: For those of you that have thought I publish my weekly “Week Ahead” for the fun of it, think again. I use this stuff personally, to the point where we at Larson’s are now billing out more hours per week than anytime in our 33 year history. History can be your best teacher if you learn how to use it.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
When a company starts understands the leading indicators and how they affect them, they can start to put them into perspective as to how they affect or don’t affect their personal sales growth or decline by drawing parallels to these trailing indicators to manage, coach, train, and lead, their companies projections or hot points so they can make positive changes that will help them achieve the results they are looking for.
It is normal for a company to produce sales reports at the end of the month that illustrate results, often product, profitability or past trends in revenue. The key work is PAST. Companies must start looking at the leading indicators as to how they directly affect their future, if they want to be able to really use any of these reports.
The number of sales calls made, calls by type of customer or prospect, pipeline fluidity, pipeline accuracy, forecast accuracy, number of orders in the pipeline, number of deals pending, compensation plan statistics, product knowledge, selling skills, customer interaction, peer and support involvement, and training are just a sample of the many internal static’s that should be measured and monitored each and every day so you can plug these results into a sales projecting scenario and project future sales.
The closer you are able to measure or gather any of these statics, plug them into your company’s sales projections, and relate them into the leading economic indicators or any together economic reports the more you can begin can project how to these indicators can change what you should be doing and cause you to make necessary changes so you hit your target goals. The process starts with identifying possible indicators that have a strong link to your sales revenue.
From there, you must prioritize and narrow down the key indicators that if watched correctly will move behavior in areas you utilize. The data can easily be put onto to a scorecard of some kind where it can be watched, managed and used.
With this information, the sales manager can have what they need to work with their salespeople to coach, train and move them in areas that create maximum ROI for the company..
Once you learn what and how specific indicators affect your company, you can be proactive and will start to see a difference in driving sales.
Larson note: For those of you that have thought I publish my weekly “Week Ahead” for the fun of it, think again. I use this stuff personally, to the point where we at Larson’s are now billing out more hours per week than anytime in our 33 year history. History can be your best teacher if you learn how to use it.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
The Week Ahead for December 8-12 2008
Monday:
Tuesday: October pending home sales
Wednesday: October wholesale inventories
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, October Trade balance
Friday: November producer price index, November retail sales, October business inventories
Larson note: Ok we will have more bad new this week so what! We know that already. Any good new will be a pleasant surprise. Let’s start getting things in perspective. Read my pm blog to start doing this or at least get you on the right track.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Tuesday: October pending home sales
Wednesday: October wholesale inventories
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, October Trade balance
Friday: November producer price index, November retail sales, October business inventories
Larson note: Ok we will have more bad new this week so what! We know that already. Any good new will be a pleasant surprise. Let’s start getting things in perspective. Read my pm blog to start doing this or at least get you on the right track.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Best Way To Learn About Online Bargains
45% E-mail from online retailer
16.5% Friends forwarding a link
16% On-site retailer message
10% Banner ads
9% Friend via social network
Larson note: You still have time for Christmas. Might be too late to get any good results out of a search engine/optimization program (SEO) to get a higher ranking but you still should start. Pay For Click (PFC) might be a better more immediate option here giving almost instant results. If you are serious though and can also get some coupons posted on the web then when combined with a SEO and PFC you could still pull off a powerful web presence and web marketing attack.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Guidnce/Synovate online survey, sample 1,000 adults. October 22 to October 24th.
16.5% Friends forwarding a link
16% On-site retailer message
10% Banner ads
9% Friend via social network
Larson note: You still have time for Christmas. Might be too late to get any good results out of a search engine/optimization program (SEO) to get a higher ranking but you still should start. Pay For Click (PFC) might be a better more immediate option here giving almost instant results. If you are serious though and can also get some coupons posted on the web then when combined with a SEO and PFC you could still pull off a powerful web presence and web marketing attack.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
* Guidnce/Synovate online survey, sample 1,000 adults. October 22 to October 24th.
Direct Mail / E-mail working together
I have run Direct Marketing / Wave mailing / E-mail programs in tandem for over 6 years now. Each has there own special place in my arsenal of techniques to getting, gaining and keeping customers.
Direct mail can create quite an impact, with some audiences and in some parts of a marketing attack. In an earlier blog in the last 2 weeks I went over the numbers on emailing, if you looked them over you might have seen that they are indeed very cost effective, if used right. This can be even more important in tough economic times, like now perhaps?
Paper, printing and postage costs have been going up steadily while e-mail has held tight. Consumer preferences have even started to shift just a bit toward more digital from telephone (if it ever was) or even postal mail.
Given its higher base cost and the higher ROI against traditional mail it is no wonder that there are more offers going e-mail... consider the benefits of ease of use, immediacy, intimacy and intrusiveness (be careful with this one) that should be very compelling to the diehard direct marketer to deliver the right message at just the right time. But remember every thing that was good in mail is also good in e-mail. Good targeting, creative ness, solid offers. Just remember the biggest down side unlike regular mail, undisciplined use of and rampant spamming in email is a guarantee to have your name and brand damaged for years to come
Larson note: You can do email as a stand alone. I like it better not as a solitary sales tool but as a tool to use in combination with others. This keeps my obtrusiveness down to a minimum. I use it more to keep my name out in front of my customers and accumulated prospects, that to get new once. When you find a way to combine email with the good parts of business social networking it works well. I have seen over the course of the last couple of months how spammers are infiltrating Social Networking sites to the point that any mail I get there is 90% and worthless.
When putting together a solid new account acquisition program I like to lead off with a solid list for an initial telemarketing campaign folding into a mailing or wave mailing done half way thought the campaign sliding into a low cost e-mail campaign. With this 1-2-3 punch I keep my ratios higher than my competition and my over all costs lower
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Direct mail can create quite an impact, with some audiences and in some parts of a marketing attack. In an earlier blog in the last 2 weeks I went over the numbers on emailing, if you looked them over you might have seen that they are indeed very cost effective, if used right. This can be even more important in tough economic times, like now perhaps?
Paper, printing and postage costs have been going up steadily while e-mail has held tight. Consumer preferences have even started to shift just a bit toward more digital from telephone (if it ever was) or even postal mail.
Given its higher base cost and the higher ROI against traditional mail it is no wonder that there are more offers going e-mail... consider the benefits of ease of use, immediacy, intimacy and intrusiveness (be careful with this one) that should be very compelling to the diehard direct marketer to deliver the right message at just the right time. But remember every thing that was good in mail is also good in e-mail. Good targeting, creative ness, solid offers. Just remember the biggest down side unlike regular mail, undisciplined use of and rampant spamming in email is a guarantee to have your name and brand damaged for years to come
Larson note: You can do email as a stand alone. I like it better not as a solitary sales tool but as a tool to use in combination with others. This keeps my obtrusiveness down to a minimum. I use it more to keep my name out in front of my customers and accumulated prospects, that to get new once. When you find a way to combine email with the good parts of business social networking it works well. I have seen over the course of the last couple of months how spammers are infiltrating Social Networking sites to the point that any mail I get there is 90% and worthless.
When putting together a solid new account acquisition program I like to lead off with a solid list for an initial telemarketing campaign folding into a mailing or wave mailing done half way thought the campaign sliding into a low cost e-mail campaign. With this 1-2-3 punch I keep my ratios higher than my competition and my over all costs lower
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Get in control of your own marketing destiny with a guerilla marketing consultation. Call today and schedule your appointment.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tools Shoppers Use to Find Good Deals
56% Search engines
32% Price comparison web sites
25% Online coupon web sites
25% E-mail newsletters
23% Online advertisements
12% Bargain tracking web sites
5% Shopping-themed social networks
5% Blogs
Larson note: You still have time for Christmas. Might be too late to get any good results out of a search engine/optimization program (SEO) to get a higher ranking but you still should start. Pay For Click (PFC) might be a better more immediate option here giving almost instant results. If you are serious though and can also get some coupons posted on the web then when combined with a SEO and PFC you could still pull off a powerful web presence and web marketing attack.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
* Guidnce/Synovate online survey, sample 1,000 adults. October 22 to October 24th.
32% Price comparison web sites
25% Online coupon web sites
25% E-mail newsletters
23% Online advertisements
12% Bargain tracking web sites
5% Shopping-themed social networks
5% Blogs
Larson note: You still have time for Christmas. Might be too late to get any good results out of a search engine/optimization program (SEO) to get a higher ranking but you still should start. Pay For Click (PFC) might be a better more immediate option here giving almost instant results. If you are serious though and can also get some coupons posted on the web then when combined with a SEO and PFC you could still pull off a powerful web presence and web marketing attack.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
* Guidnce/Synovate online survey, sample 1,000 adults. October 22 to October 24th.
Starbucks names BBDO NY Agency Of Record
After the breakup with Wieden & Kennedy a case where the agency dumped the brand, rather than vice versa, Starbucks has selected Omnicom agency BBDO New York as its agency of record. The decision followed a competitive review. Sadly Larson & Associates was not in contention for this account.
“Already, we have seen an indication of the kind of fresh thinking, new energy and strong sense of partnership BBDO brings to the brand,” said Terry Davenport, SVP and CMO of Starbucks.
As reported in this blog Starbucks has had a very rough year. The coffee maker has been closing down retail stores, about 600 in the US. In its fourth quarter financial results, the firm reported that sales at US stores fell 8%, which was attributed to deteriorating store traffic and a decline in the average transaction size. Sadly we here at Larson’s can only drink so much coffee and could not personally keep the sales up enough.
The first official BBDO-led campaign is expected to debut next year and we will be reporting on it.
Larson note: I wish Starbucks all the success in the world. Yet the key point here is that Wieden & Kennedy ended the relationship not the other way around. Are their clients that maybe you should be ending your relationship with, Clients that are not good or right for your companies well being? If not fire them!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*Major source Dianna Dilworth
.
“Already, we have seen an indication of the kind of fresh thinking, new energy and strong sense of partnership BBDO brings to the brand,” said Terry Davenport, SVP and CMO of Starbucks.
As reported in this blog Starbucks has had a very rough year. The coffee maker has been closing down retail stores, about 600 in the US. In its fourth quarter financial results, the firm reported that sales at US stores fell 8%, which was attributed to deteriorating store traffic and a decline in the average transaction size. Sadly we here at Larson’s can only drink so much coffee and could not personally keep the sales up enough.
The first official BBDO-led campaign is expected to debut next year and we will be reporting on it.
Larson note: I wish Starbucks all the success in the world. Yet the key point here is that Wieden & Kennedy ended the relationship not the other way around. Are their clients that maybe you should be ending your relationship with, Clients that are not good or right for your companies well being? If not fire them!
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*Major source Dianna Dilworth
.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Changes Moms have made this year
65% Have eliminated anything that is none essential form lifestyle
52% Has been cutting back on spending
29% Has found new sources of income
12% Have not made any changes
Larson note: Moms are the ones in almost any household that make the biggest sacrifices. If you follow these percentages you will have a very good idea of what is really going on in American households. How can your business work in this area?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*Allen & Gerritsen survey; Sample 431 woman with children October 3rd to October 4th.
52% Has been cutting back on spending
29% Has found new sources of income
12% Have not made any changes
Larson note: Moms are the ones in almost any household that make the biggest sacrifices. If you follow these percentages you will have a very good idea of what is really going on in American households. How can your business work in this area?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*Allen & Gerritsen survey; Sample 431 woman with children October 3rd to October 4th.
Citysearch releases increased functionality
Online local guide Citysearch has released a new version of Citysearch.com with improved local, social and mobile aspects. The company is expanding its coverage from 140 local city guides to over 75,000 cities and neighborhoods nationwide.
Brandi Willard, senior marketing manager for Citysearch said this creates increased opportunities for local advertisers. “With everything going on in local, people want information right away based on where they live. This presents a huge opportunity for advertisers to really focus and target their messages. They can now drill down to a specific neighborhood to target their demographic,” she said.
Users can also now log into Citysearch through Facebook Connect, which allows them to use their Facebook username and password on and connect their Facebook identity, friends and privacy preferences to Citysearch.
Citysearch has also launched Mobile by Citysearch which allows users to write reviews directly from their phones. “We've prioritized the Best of Citysearch content so users can get to top qualified content easily,” Willard said.
Willard did not say there would be new hires associated with the move, but she did say that Citysearch would be tapping into their network of freelancers for expanded coverage.
In the first half of next year Citysearch plans on expanding mobile offerings farther. Users will soon be able to upload photos and videos from their mobile phones as well.
Larson note: I’ll come right out and say I am not a big cityseach fan, nor a citysearch user for that matter. Perhaps that is because when I first became aware of it, it was almost useless, it was hard to navigate and did not have many choices, its rating system was to me, bogus and companies I was looking for did not seem to be in its database.
If people start to use it it could become a good local advertising tool but what comes first the chicken (companies wishing to advertise) of the egg (people using citysearch as their search tool of choice?
Maybe they have changed and gotten better. Perhaps Ill look, then again maybe I won’t.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*major source Mary Elizabeth Hurn
** Other Related Articles flying around out there
Citysearch sued for click fraud
Citysearch, AOL team up for ad, content network
Local.com partners with Citysearch
Brandi Willard, senior marketing manager for Citysearch said this creates increased opportunities for local advertisers. “With everything going on in local, people want information right away based on where they live. This presents a huge opportunity for advertisers to really focus and target their messages. They can now drill down to a specific neighborhood to target their demographic,” she said.
Users can also now log into Citysearch through Facebook Connect, which allows them to use their Facebook username and password on and connect their Facebook identity, friends and privacy preferences to Citysearch.
Citysearch has also launched Mobile by Citysearch which allows users to write reviews directly from their phones. “We've prioritized the Best of Citysearch content so users can get to top qualified content easily,” Willard said.
Willard did not say there would be new hires associated with the move, but she did say that Citysearch would be tapping into their network of freelancers for expanded coverage.
In the first half of next year Citysearch plans on expanding mobile offerings farther. Users will soon be able to upload photos and videos from their mobile phones as well.
Larson note: I’ll come right out and say I am not a big cityseach fan, nor a citysearch user for that matter. Perhaps that is because when I first became aware of it, it was almost useless, it was hard to navigate and did not have many choices, its rating system was to me, bogus and companies I was looking for did not seem to be in its database.
If people start to use it it could become a good local advertising tool but what comes first the chicken (companies wishing to advertise) of the egg (people using citysearch as their search tool of choice?
Maybe they have changed and gotten better. Perhaps Ill look, then again maybe I won’t.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*major source Mary Elizabeth Hurn
** Other Related Articles flying around out there
Citysearch sued for click fraud
Citysearch, AOL team up for ad, content network
Local.com partners with Citysearch
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Coupon Habits of Online Shoppers
33% Occasionally visit coupon Web sites
32% Don’t visit coupon sites
17% Don’t know what a coupon site is
9% Don’t buy with out checking coupon sites
Larson note: Do you use coupons? Could you use coupons? They are a viable option for getting people into your store. I know of a few places that I go to on a regular basis only because of coupons. Are your customers like me?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*source retailermenot.com/ harris interactive online survey; Sample 1’783 online shoppers September 10 to September 12th.
32% Don’t visit coupon sites
17% Don’t know what a coupon site is
9% Don’t buy with out checking coupon sites
Larson note: Do you use coupons? Could you use coupons? They are a viable option for getting people into your store. I know of a few places that I go to on a regular basis only because of coupons. Are your customers like me?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
*source retailermenot.com/ harris interactive online survey; Sample 1’783 online shoppers September 10 to September 12th.
Retailers and E-mail Subscriptions
The new study by the EEC found that retailers are putting more focus on list hygiene. 38% of retailers surveyed are asking subscribers to confirm their e-mail address by re-entering it when opting in. This is up from 27% last year. In addition, 5% of retailers are now using a confirmed (double) opt-in process, up from 3% last year, which improves list quality and assures that consumers know for what they are opting in.
The new study examined the opt-in practices of 120 of the top online retailers tracked via the Retail Email Blog also found that using incentives to entice consumers is more popular again. While 27% of retailers used this tactic in 2006, only 8% did last year when the idea that these consumers may not be as loyal was more accepted. Perhaps this is not true, as 13% of retailers are back to using this kind of tactic.
“Incentives are not known to attract the highest quality of names, but I think that with this new rise retailers are being more careful about their offers,” White added.
The study also found that retailers are less likely to put privacy policies upfront during the subscription process, probably do to speculation that this scares consumers away. This year only 36% of retailers mentioned their privacy policy, down from 45% last year.
Despite quicker subscription fulfillments across the board, 29% of retailers took 15 days or longer to honor opt-ins or failed to honor them all together, which is the same percentage as last year.
Larson note: The cleaner your list the better success rate that it will not get black-balled. With a double opt-in your emails are more likely to be opened and read as well. And unless that happens you are just spinning your wheels and wasting your time.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
* Main source Dianna Dilworth
** Related Articles
Ted's Montana Grill mixes e-mail with social media
How to get the most from your e-mail campaign
Test, analyze & optimize your way to results
The new study examined the opt-in practices of 120 of the top online retailers tracked via the Retail Email Blog also found that using incentives to entice consumers is more popular again. While 27% of retailers used this tactic in 2006, only 8% did last year when the idea that these consumers may not be as loyal was more accepted. Perhaps this is not true, as 13% of retailers are back to using this kind of tactic.
“Incentives are not known to attract the highest quality of names, but I think that with this new rise retailers are being more careful about their offers,” White added.
The study also found that retailers are less likely to put privacy policies upfront during the subscription process, probably do to speculation that this scares consumers away. This year only 36% of retailers mentioned their privacy policy, down from 45% last year.
Despite quicker subscription fulfillments across the board, 29% of retailers took 15 days or longer to honor opt-ins or failed to honor them all together, which is the same percentage as last year.
Larson note: The cleaner your list the better success rate that it will not get black-balled. With a double opt-in your emails are more likely to be opened and read as well. And unless that happens you are just spinning your wheels and wasting your time.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
* Main source Dianna Dilworth
** Related Articles
Ted's Montana Grill mixes e-mail with social media
How to get the most from your e-mail campaign
Test, analyze & optimize your way to results
Monday, December 1, 2008
Designing an E-Mail Ad
You can cut down on the rate at which recipients delete or report your e-mails as spam by using a company name, the name of a familiar associate or product name in the ‘from' field. Good design starts before a recipient even opens an e-mail message. Recent studies show 35% of e-mail users open messages because of what's contained in the subject line, while 69% of e-mail recipients report e-mail as spam based on the subject line. You need to get this right, or your campaign might as well not happen.
The subject line is the second chance to make an impression on e-mail recipients. Clearly and directly summarize the e-mail's theme in the subject line. Limit subject lines to 50 characters or less, because most e-mail platforms cut off messages beyond that point. If you are involved in any twitter ads, you know how to keep your copy short.
Next, consider that only a portion of a message will be visible in a preview window. So, critical information such as a company logo, offer or call to action button should be placed as close to the top left of the e-mail as possible.
When designing the full, opened e-mail, marketers should place call-to-action buttons, phone numbers and promotional offers towards the top.
Finally, use alt tags with images. If a browser does not load an image, then the contents of the alt tag will be displayed. Similarly, provide a text-only version of e-mail messages, as some browsers may not support HTML, or the recipient will have automatic image blocking enabled so they will not see your pictures and fancy images and will not get your message if there is no text
The right design elements can lead e-mail recipients to open a message.
Then there is the sending part to the attack. You should test different times of day and days of the week, it may help to split your list into pieces and send on multiple days. (That is how I send out my emailed newsletter). Monday mornings are usually a bad time so if your doing Monday send it late in the morning and or Monday afternoon. I would say the same thing for Friday afternoons. Send early afternoon or not at all.
Larson note: E-mail marketing is not just type it and shoot it out. Subject line, day and time of day your send it. Opening line (40 characters) all play a vital roll in your success.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
The subject line is the second chance to make an impression on e-mail recipients. Clearly and directly summarize the e-mail's theme in the subject line. Limit subject lines to 50 characters or less, because most e-mail platforms cut off messages beyond that point. If you are involved in any twitter ads, you know how to keep your copy short.
Next, consider that only a portion of a message will be visible in a preview window. So, critical information such as a company logo, offer or call to action button should be placed as close to the top left of the e-mail as possible.
When designing the full, opened e-mail, marketers should place call-to-action buttons, phone numbers and promotional offers towards the top.
Finally, use alt tags with images. If a browser does not load an image, then the contents of the alt tag will be displayed. Similarly, provide a text-only version of e-mail messages, as some browsers may not support HTML, or the recipient will have automatic image blocking enabled so they will not see your pictures and fancy images and will not get your message if there is no text
The right design elements can lead e-mail recipients to open a message.
Then there is the sending part to the attack. You should test different times of day and days of the week, it may help to split your list into pieces and send on multiple days. (That is how I send out my emailed newsletter). Monday mornings are usually a bad time so if your doing Monday send it late in the morning and or Monday afternoon. I would say the same thing for Friday afternoons. Send early afternoon or not at all.
Larson note: E-mail marketing is not just type it and shoot it out. Subject line, day and time of day your send it. Opening line (40 characters) all play a vital roll in your success.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Need your brochure translated. Pick your language and if needed pick your country. Yes we do translation work for your sales and marketing pieces.
The Week Ahead for December 1-5, 2008
Monday: November Institute for Supply Management Index, October Construction Spending
Tuesday: November Vehicle Sales
Wednesday: 3rd Quarter Productivity, Federal Reserve beige book
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, October Factory Orders
Friday: November Employment Report, October Consumer Credit Report
Larson note: Don’t expect good things here, the best news was that Black Friday sales were up 3% over last years figures despite the discounting. Now on to Cyber Monday.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. For those looking for more in your telesales efforts, ask about our new inbound telesales service
Tuesday: November Vehicle Sales
Wednesday: 3rd Quarter Productivity, Federal Reserve beige book
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, October Factory Orders
Friday: November Employment Report, October Consumer Credit Report
Larson note: Don’t expect good things here, the best news was that Black Friday sales were up 3% over last years figures despite the discounting. Now on to Cyber Monday.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/larsonassoc1979/1
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. For those looking for more in your telesales efforts, ask about our new inbound telesales service
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