Need Marketing Help? Post your questions here

[Raymond Smit]

Hey members, if you need help in:

1) Getting more customers
2) Getting those customers to come back more often
3) And selling at higher prices

Post your questions here. I'll do my best to give you those answers straight up.

[Mark Atkinson]

Okay, here's a scenario for you:

You own a business in a super competitive field. PPC prices are through the roof, despite a determined, continual effort to optimize and improve. Your SEO efforts are slowly bringing becoming more rewarding, but you're in such a competitive field it's a lot slower than it could be. You maintain profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn already and try to engage in conversation with your target market via those mediums.

You blog about things your target market should be interested in. You try to add a whole heap of value to your clients and potential clients through everything you do.

Despite your solid track record and hard work, you are still not bringing in as much business as you would like to without spending a whole heap on Adwords and Facebook advertising.

What do you try next to bring in more customers in the short term?

[IanF]

How do you deal with customers when your industry is contracting. Just found out today a big envelope manufacturer has been liquidated.
I have just raised my prices as raw materials wages and overheads have all increased.

[Raymond Smit]

Mark I'll grab your Q first. From what you said it seems like you may have trouble converting, is that correct? Anyway, use the assets you already have in place.
Make it a part of your business (in your agreement with your customers) to get referrals & testimonials [it's free and you can do it today]. Your website is very
professional and has a sleek look and feel to it. However, could you include some benefits/risk reversal to compel readers to do business with you?

Everyone it seems (unfortunately) offers web design. Therefore it becomes even more important for you to know what sets you apart from others. What is your USP?
Why should I do business with you and not someone else? If you can't come up with that - could you improve on your business model? In other words could you come up with
a more compelling way to do business? Could you shift the appeal? In other words - could you sell me a result, money at a discount? Survey your customers and find out
what they really want (do they themselves want more leads for example). Then broker leads instead of selling web design. This is just a quick example of shifting the buying criteria.

Watch out for ppc! I wouldn't touch it without having several hundred ads running. Bidding only on the main keywords is a sure way to lose the shirt on your back.
There's only one way to do ppc properly - speedppc. Also check out tonyroocroft.com (he's the adwords master). I'd see if I can do a website critique for you to help you convert better
(I think there are several ways you can do that). Hoped this helped.

[Raymond Smit]

Ian, meaning your industry is diminishing or getting squeezed? Now is the time for you to go on the offensive. When competitors go out of business,
offer to take over their customers for a share of the profit. (Forward their business number to yours). Could you just quickly rephrase, is it your suppliers
who seems to be leaving or your competitors?

[IanF]

Raymond
The industry is shrinking, I have offered shops closing down a percentage of sales if I take over their customers including artwork. But everyone wanted money upfront. So I will wait. Then I found out yesterday about the envelope manufacturer being in liquidation, so this spooked me a bit.
At the moment we are debt free but know there are newer printers we should buy, but I am reluctant as they are expensive.

My big fear is when businesses are on the last legs they cut prices.

That is why a laser engraver we bought last year was a good buy.

Anyway how do you handle a shrinking market and raise prices?

[Raymond Smit]

Ian, that is a tough one. If the market completely dissapears, no amount of marketing will help you. I nor any marketing consultant out there can market a product that nobody wants (or needs).
No amount of kicking and screaming can bring the typewriter, the typewriter repairman or the elevator man back :P. So this is a call on your part. Is there still a market for your services?
Can you resegment the market? Can you target a part of the 20% of the market that does 80% of the buying?

The companies that want money upfront = they don't want to give up on their business. Heck no entrepreneur wants to. My suggestion: Do a sequential mailing to these folks. Side with them,
comfort them, reitirate the benefits joining with you (money eventually or no money from that business ever). Offer to do a little test to see how it goes and then they can decide whether to move
all of their customers to you. You have to make clear to these folks that their customers will be looked after when they go over to you. Imagine if you went through sequestration and someone offers
to buy your house. You'd think the guy is a shark and want to make a quick buck off of you. It's the same situation with these types of businesses in liquidation. Therefore you have to make multiple
offers to them and build a relationship with them.

[Dave A]

Anyway how do you handle a shrinking market and raise prices?

Survive until you get to the legacy stage where there's good money to be made...

Or focus on aspects of the print business that aren't going to go away in a hurry - like packaging.

[IanF]

Survive until you get to the legacy stage where there's good money to be made...

Or focus on aspects of the print business that aren't going to go away in a hurry - like packaging.

Dave, Basically that is what we are doing now, NCR books and pads still sell reasonably well. I look at the few letterpress shops around (foiling and die cutting) and these guys do well.
As for packaging there you need to invest a lot a press operator told me about the cost of a swiss machine and the training needed for the latest and greatest packaging and I can't compete in that league.
Maybe I should try and highlight marketing pads again they are reasonably timeless

[Wiele]

Hi Everyone.

Found the forum last night and I would like some of your Ideas if possible. I have tried just about every work from home program or business but most have failed. I have now finally found a business opportunity that I feel has the potential to earn me a decent income for life.

Before I continue let me explain why I have no other option than to work from home. I'm a quadriplegic, for those who don't know what that is, I'm in a wheelchair with limited use of my hands and typing is done with a “typing stick”. I'm not telling you this to get your pity, I'm telling you to keep this in mind when suggesting anything. For instance I cannot get into a car and go see clients.

Ok so I have found this opportunity and need to do some marketing. What would be the best approach?

As part of my dealership I have received a website with all the product details as well as suggested marketing material. The product is also focused on businesses so it's not something I can promote to everyone I know.

I have created a facebook page and shared it on my personal page with everyone. I'm thinking of creating a Twitter account but have not done it yet. I'm also in the process of placing an Facebook add as the cost for newspaper adverts is very expensive, shocking actually. Should link my facebook ad to my website or to my facebook page?

I have also started sending emails to businesses with info regarding the product, however I'm not sure should I contact the business by phone before sending the email or send the mail first.

Also I'm thinking of employing someone but cannot really give a salary so it will be on commission only basis and allowing them to work from home. The opportunity does cater for referrals so it can be done on the same principals with better compensation.

Well that's the start I'm sure Ill have more questions as suggestions come in, thx

[Dave A]

Note to self - send memo to everyone to not phone 0839... numbers.
If a business gives that as their contact number, tell them you expect a 10% discount or you'll find another business to buy from.
If a client gives that as their contact number, mark up the price quoted 10% and ask for their credit card number and CVV.

[Mark Atkinson]

Oh wow...

[Wiele]

I take it you don't like the concept/company. Companies that do implementing these numbers, like DSTV, do and should provide landline numbers as well, this leave the choice up to the caller to what number he wants to call. Here's an example https://care.dstv.com/main.aspx?id=243 .

Something interesting that most people don't know is phoning FreeCall (080), ShareCall (0860) or MaxiCall (0861) numbers from a cell phone is charged at full cellphone rates and in most cases free minutes don't apply. It's only free or discounted when phoning from a landline. Companies using these lines are also required to state in advertising that calls to these numbers from a cellphone is charnged at cellphone rates, but very few do.

So you don't think there's a market for this product? Personally I feel the target market, which is people phoning from cellphones, will be paying the same per call as phoning a FreeCall (080) number, the difference being with 0839 numbers the company can benefit as well.

I would still like some Ideas on promoting this product if you or anyone have some.

[Dave A]

I take it you don't like the concept/company.

At the very least it's wasteful - just give your direct number and cut out the middleman who's only reason for being in the communication line at all is to enrich the person/company I'm trying to call, and as I'm a client they're getting money out of me anyway.

On DSTV:



And they indicate it's at VAS rates
But at least there are other options provided.

So may I ask, where's the value-add to the client in this parasitic deal?

[Wiele]

This is fun, constructive and helps to see how other people sees a product. This is very helpful in understanding why people would not want a product.

The problem is that there's a middleman in just about any business and most of them we are so used to being there that we do not question them.

Any business using 0839 number are required inform their customers of the rates as well as providing alternative numbers. Business using FreeCall (080), ShareCall (0860) or MaxiCall (0861) numbers are also required to inform customers that calls to these numbers from a cellphone is charged at cellphone rates, but very few do.

So what makes it a parasitic deal? If customers calling these numbers are informed of the rates and still choose to use these numbers its surely less parasitic than a customer phoning to a FreeCall (080) number from a cellphone thinking its free yet they are charged at full cellphone rate, or are you suggesting the cellphone companies to be the parasites or the company failing to inform the customer phoning to those numbers?

So what value does this deal gives? The question is now what value does my client get or my clients clients get.

My client gets
1 - Extra revenue
2 – Should he move premisses his customers can still get hold of him
3 – Should telkom lines be stolen / faulty for extended period of time the landline number can be changed to reduce loss of business to other branches or homelines.

My Clients, clients

1 – Should my client moves premisses his customers can still get hold of him
2 – Should telkom lines be stolen / faulty for extended periods of time can still get hold off him.

Well I have made peace with the fact I will not be getting any advise, but my eyes have been opened on how different people can see a product. Remember to ask for your 10% discount when phoning a toll free number from your cellphone because you will be charged.