AdvertisingSolution.info

One of the most cost effective marketing strategies you can utilize is an online newsletter, also referred to as an E-Zine.

You can provide valuable content to your customers and potential customers with an E-Zine. The beauty of utilizing the Internet to distribute your information is often people will forward your information to others who have similar interest.

The key to success with an E-Zine is consistency in distribution. It won’t be beneficial to have a sporadic schedule. Distribution of your online publication should be done like clockwork. With all the automation tools available you can develop a system that is relatively trouble free.

For many, the greatest challenge will be the development of content. There are a few ways you can handle this. One, take a day to write several articles and put them in a file that you can easily access. That way, the writing is over and done.

Second, have others write articles for you. Many people are anxious to write for online newsletters.

Third, a quick Internet search is bound to produce several places you can access articles that are there for the taking. Usually, the only requirement is that you give full credit to the authors.

Because I love to write so much I prefer to write my own articles. And yet, if ever in a pinch, I know there are many options.

Here are some examples of well done E-Zines. Each has produced excellent results for name recognition, promotion opportunities and back end business. Notice all have a place to leave an email address. I highly recommend this in that this helps you to build a solid database of interested readers.

http://www.justbearsandstuff.com/newsletter/newsoctober2004.htm

http://www.greatsmilesutah.com/october-04.htm

http://www.kathleengage.com/newsletters/enewsoctober2004.htm

In my experience, I have found E-Zines, when sent to people who want them, are one of the most incredible marketing tools you can use.

Copyright © 2004 by Kathleen Gatge

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter, on your website or in your print publication provided you include the resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated but is not required.

About The Author

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who helps others gain dominance and visibility within their market. She is the recipient of the 2004 Giant Step Award for Business of the Year in the State of Uta. Visit www.kathleengage.com.

Kathleen@turningpointpresents.com

Share This

One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business is determining which marketing method is best for your business.

Most people look at what their competitors are doing to market their businesses and then simply imitate that, whether good or bad.

The best marketing strategy does not involve selecting only one or two marketing approaches that we see others using. The best marketing approach resembles an octopus.

An octopus is very effective at catching food with eight limbs. If the octopus loses one limb it may momentarily lose some of its strength and agility, but it adapts and continues on as an effective hunter and predator.

It’s the same with marketing your business. The more marketing approaches you use simultaneously the more successful you can become and the easier it is to continue growing your company.

You will continue to thrive despite the challenges facing others. No setback in any one marketing approach will ever devastate you or pose major problems.

Despite this, many companies use no more than two or three methods at most to bring in business.

Few realize that there are over 100 methods for bringing in new business, for increasing web traffic, for selling more to existing clients, and for increasing repeat sales that their competitors are not using.

They basically imitate worms in their marketing attempts. A worm’s approach to life is singular. It does not use multiple limbs because it has none. Its existence is slow and labor-intensive. Very unlike an octopus.

The great thing about this is that most competitors are making this same mistake. They may be too busy, too shorthanded, or too myopic to do much more than hand out boxes of business cards and sit around talking ‘fish stories’ of the one that got away.

That is a marketing approach to avoid.

Instead use as many marketing methods as make sense for your industry, your market, and your company. Then you will become a marketing octopus while your competitors remain marketing worms.

Where can you find a listing of more than one or two marketing methods?

Andr

Share This

Understand Hierarchy

Before beginning the designing process, it’s a good idea to outline your key message points. Understanding what you want your audience to hear or see first will guide content placement, size, color, etc.

Reflect your Prospects’ and Company’s Personality

It’s important to know your target market in the minutest detail their wants, problems, needs, and interests. Your communication pieces, therefore, should reflect your understanding of your prospects’ personalities.

This can be accomplished in many ways such as choosing the right paper (size, weight, color), fonts (for example formal fonts for wedding invitations; ‘childlike’ fonts for a day care center sign), size, and language (apt buzzwords). Traditionally, more upscale offers have uncluttered designs with plenty of white space while discount offers are just the opposite you can fill them up with graphics and words.

Color

While excellent marketers understand that effective use of color is elusive, they follow a few fundamental rules.

As you probably expect, there is plenty of scientific research on all aspects of color that is which ones are considered most attractive or eye-catching; what feelings certain colors inspire; or which colors are easiest to see. After sifting through the mounds of information the following tips were echoed repeatedly:

These four colors were symbols for the following:

Red: action, emphasis, recall, excitement
Yellow: happiness, sunshine, attention-getting

Green: reassurance, security, stability
Blue: order, tranquility, coolness, relaxation

Use these findings to guide your choices for instance, dentists should consider painting their walls a lovely shade of blue! Also, test your own color instincts, and those of friends and family, to find out what works best for you

A “quick printer” conducted a recent study in Cleveland, Ohio. He tested different color reply cards (identical wording and offers) for his in-house mailers. Surprisingly, the pink postcards resulted in the highest response rates!

Artwork and Graphics

Visual images are simple, yet widely effective ways to communicate a lot. Trite phrases such as “a picture is worth a thousand words” are certainly overused because they continue to “ring true”.

Your artwork will help you:

Tell a compelling and appealing story
Symbolize your company’s values and culture
Evoke important feelings
Explain your product/service
Itemize key points

Thus, visually pleasing communication is important and can increase your chances of capturing your prospects’ attention. Here are some tips for ensuring that it does:

1.Take your time while creating or choosing your artwork. If it’s rushed it shows. Great photography and graphics are affordable and easy to find on the internet. Check out these three: www.indextock.com; www.corbis.com, and www.fotosearch.com.

2.Make sure your artwork is compatible with your company’s and target market’s personality

3.Do not create an ad where your artwork overpowers your content, headline, product, etc. Yes, it should be noticeable and “tell your story” not be “the story”

4.Your artwork should increase the odds that your message will be notices, even to casual readers or viewers.

5.Don’t waste money investing in unnecessary, and often distracting, “pizzazz” - you know, graphics that flash, move around, dance, etc. They increase costs substantially and result in negligible or negative reactions.

6.Find ways to reuse photos, illustrations, testimonials, and blowups again. This will save you money and if they continue to work, why change?

Fonts and Typefaces

What exactly is a “font”? Simply put it is the specific traits (size, intensity, and typeface) for letters, numbers and symbols (that is, characters). “Typeface” is a subset of font and refers only to a character’s design (e.g. Times New Roman, Helvetica, Verdana). The right font will make your copy easier to read, create harmony with your artwork and graphics, and be reflect your company’s and target market’s personalities.

Choosing the right font can be daunting particularly given the sheer number of choices. However, let the following general tips guide you:

1.”Sans Serif” fonts are easier to read because they leave more “white space”.

Tip:

Serif: little decorative “doolollies” (adornments, flourishes) on the ends of the characters

Sans: Means “without”

Some popular “sans serif” typefaces are: Gautami, Microsoft Sans Serif, and Arial. I also like Verdana.

2.For a more traditional look you’ll want to consider using “serif” typefaces such as Times New Roman, Century Schoolbook, and Garamond.

3.While it’s okay to vary font styles within a piece, try not to use more than two. Also, if you decide to try different fonts mix choose one of each - sans serif and serif. The contrast will result in an “eye pop”.

4.When choosing size, italics, and bolds keep readability in mind. This doesn’t have to be a major pain in the neck! Look in your own magazines, newspapers, and direct mail copy styles that you find appealing, easy-to-read and in keeping with your company’s tone and feel.

AVOID:

- Reverse Type while it works well for eye-catching headlines, it’s harder to read and tough on the eyes. Use sparingly

- Overdoing italics, underlining and capitalization it looks unprofessional.

- Fonts that look typeset (making them fuzzy). They should be clean and crisp.

Mary Eule specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses get and keep profitable customers. Formerly a Fortune 500 marketing executive; founder of two successful small businesses and award-winning speaker, Ms. Eule is President of Strategic Marketing Advisors, LLC. and co-author of a new book, “Mandatory Marketing: Small Business Edition”. She holds a master degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University. Log onto http://www.StrategicMarketingAdvisors.com for free articles, newsletter and helpful tools, tips and templates.

Share This