Leave that to them – it’s a quick way for you to spend all your money with no return.
Your marketing budget needs to be more focused, narrowed down to your geographical area, your target audience, and your unique position in your community. There is so much you CAN do that the large brands CAN’T do because of their size and bureaucracy.
When planning your marketing, use these three key elements to ensure your success:
- Cost-effectiveness: You have a limited marketing budget, so it’s important to focus on your specific target audiences and track the
response rates from each campaign. This allows you to make data-driven decisions about your marketing spend. Running ads in the city’s newspaper or on tv might work for large brands, but for small businesses it just doesn’t make sense. So much of the audience that marketing reaches are people who would NEVER come to your business; they are simply to far out of the 3–5-mile radius of your business, which is where a huge percentage of your customers come from. - Measurable results: Create marketing that isn’t designed to “get your name out there” or “create buzz”. You can’t afford that. Your
marketing needs to generate a particular response from the customer, whether it’s making a purchase, filling out a form, or calling for more information. Doing this makes it easy to measure the success of a campaign by tracking the number of responses received, and you can use this data to refine your marketing strategies and improve your ROI over time. - Personalization: You can easily know exactly who your customers are by creating a customer list, and you can then tailor your
messages to that specific audience. Once you have their contact info, your marketing can speak directly to them and include personalization. Doing this builds stronger (more loyal) relationships with your customers and improves your ability to encourage more visits and more spending.
4 Essential Elements For Every Piece Of Marketing You Create
This applies to ALL of your marketing, anything you display in house, anything you mail, anything you give out, any ad you get printed. This
applies to websites, social media posts, newspaper, direct mail, postcards, radio, TV. Everything.
The four elements are:
An Eye Catching Headline (which includes email subject lines!)
- This is the first thing your recipient will see; it needs to jump out at them. It can by funny, topical, shocking—anything to grab their
attention. One strategy we typically use is to put your offer in the headline. It’s sole job is to get them to continue reading. You need to grab people by the eyes and force them to read what you have to say about your business. Your logo and business name are NOT a headline!
PRO TIP: Use words that are proven to work,
- “Discover” – This word implies that the reader will find something new and valuable.
- “Free” – A powerful word that suggests the reader can get something without cost.
- “Proven” – Indicates that the product or service has a track record of success.
- “Guaranteed” – Gives the reader confidence that their satisfaction is assured.
- “Exclusive” – Suggests that the offer is limited and not available to everyone.
- “Save” – Appeals to the reader’s desire to keep money or time.
- “Now” – Creates a sense of urgency, prompting immediate action.
- “You” – or better yet, the person’s name. Personalized the messages and make it more relevant to the reader.
- “Results” – Demonstrates that the product or service delivers tangible outcomes.
- “New” – Indicates something fresh and exciting, attracting curiosity.
Effectiveness of these words will depend on the context and your target audience. It’s best to test different headlines to see which ones get you the best results.
- You need to create a reason for them to come in and something specific for them to do so you will know that they responded to your ad. For example, you could include a “secret code word” in a social media post that, if they mention it, gets them 10% off their purchase.
- Consider who you’re targeting and who will be seeing the marketing. Offers to get new customers will need to be stronger than an offer to your existing customers, it takes more to influence someone who does not know your business. Your offer needs to give people a compelling reason to come to your business RIGHT NOW. Your response will be the highest if you make an offer so irresistible that anyone reading the ad will say… Why wouldn’t I do this? Make sure there is an expiry date – without one the customer can get what you are offering anytime and it’s not special at all. An expiry date or limited quantities creates a sense of urgency.
A Call To Action
- This is something that is frequently left out. People want to know that is expected of them, so tell them EXACTLY what you want them to do. If they have to cut out a certificate and bring it with them before the expiry date, then say that in your advertisement. Or do they need to call and book an appointment? Or provide their email? Be clear and concise. Leave no room for misunderstanding. If people are confused, they will not respond.
Compelling Copy that is personalized
- Compelling copy is written when you totally understand and relate to your customers on their level. The better you understand your
customers, the easier this is to do. Reiterate your offer and tell them why you want them to have it. Perhaps it’s their birthday, or your
businesses’ birthday, or you are reopening after bad weather shut you down, or you have a new product, your accountant is on holidays – it doesn’t have to be particularly strong reason, just a reason. And when at all possible – which is easy to do when you have a list of your existing customers – make it personalized. Dear Joanne, is MUCH better than Dear Homeowner. Using their name in the headline won’t cost you extra, so use it there too.
If your marketing doesn’t have these four elements, then it will not be as effective as it could, or should, be. You’re just putting your
name out there with some hope that sometime, somewhere down the road, it will convert into some business.
The entire Royalty Rewards® program is based on these principles. We specialize in helping Independent Business Owners get a return on
investment from their marketing dollars that gives them the life they dreamed of when they started their business. Book a call with us to talk about how you can make your marketing more effective and save you time and money.
You Found The Pot Of March Marketing Gold!
Connecting your marketing to a theme like St. Patrick’s Day creates a sense of community and fun. It encourages customers to feel part of something bigger, fostering a positive atmosphere around coming to your business. This March, seize the opportunity to infuse your business with the festive spirit of St. Patrick’s Day.
Find Your Focus For Financial Freedom
Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by the daily operations of your business? Do you find yourself juggling tasks without making meaningful progress towards your financial goals?
Safeguarding your time can be a game-changer in maximizing your business’s profitability.
Valentines Are For ALL Businesses
It’s might surprise you – but every type of business we work with has success with a Romance Month promotion. By tapping into special events like Valentine’s Day or Superbowl that happen in February, you can tap into consumer behavior patterns that already exist and present your business in a creative manner that resonates with them more effectively than general offers.
