Community Involvement....a Blog for Thought

CWI Marketing routinely presents at workshops in our community. What does your business do to help your community?

Community involvement is an important part of any business. Not only is giving back simply the right thing to do, it also builds trust and respect in your community and who doesn't want their business to be trusted and well respected?

There are many ways your business can volunteer to help in your community:

Are you a real estate agent or a mortgage broker? Why not sponsor a first time home buyer's course for the members of your community? Now really is the best time to buy, but it can also be scary and confusing for first timers. Give them someone to turn to.

Own a local sports equipment store? Sponsor a little league team.

Allow your employees to donate some of their time to local charities during the work week.

Are you a florist? Offer a class on how to make centerpieces, corsages or other floral arrangements at the local senior center.

There are literally hundreds of ways you can donate your services. Take the time to help out in your community. Giving back is not only good for you, it's good for your business!

As always, CWI Marketing is here for you, please feel free to contact us for help with any of your marketing needs or ideas on how to help in your community.

Marketing Trends 2011 - What's In and What's Out

WHAT'S IN:

Mobile/text marketing.

Did you know that mobile phones outnumber computers 4 to 1? Just about everyone has a mobile phone in their pocket, purse or somewhere close by. The use of apps, mobile coupons, etc. is a great way to quickly and easily reach out to clients and motivate them.

Personal Relationships.

The social media explosion has created more consumers wanting further personal communication. Consumers want to know that they are important individuals, not just some group of clients you are trying to sell to.

Interaction.

Get feedback from your clients. People love to tell you what they think, so give them the means to do that.

Coupons.

Yes, coupons. There is even a show on TV all about people who save hundreds of dollars every time they shop just by using coupons. With the advent of mobile coupons for smart phones, iPads, E-readers, etc., coupons aren’t just for clipping anymore.

Outsourcing.

When it comes to marketing, there is so much to do and keep abreast of. From technology, to analytics, to strategy, to marketing plans and ad campaigns, to graphic design and print materials. Most companies have an in-house marketing manager, but are finding that it’s more successful to outsource particular portions of their marketing effort. It can also be more cost effective.

WHAT'S OUT:

Postcard marketing.

In most cases, it just doesn’t work in today’s world. A majority of people simply throw them out. There are still a few markets where postcard marketing can work, but a lot of the time, the return on investment isn’t worth it.

Target Markets.

While it is important to know who your target market is, it’s more important to treat customers as individuals and not focus so much on putting them in any one particular group.

Dictation.

Don’t just tell your clients what they want or what they need. Ask them.

Rebates.

People still love a rebate, especially in these economic times. However, the ease of simply using a coupon at the time of purchase attracts more customers than offering a rebate.

Trying to do it all yourself.

Some businesses try to save time and money by doing it all themselves. What they are finding is that instead of getting everything done effectively, they are only getting some things, halfway completed. This is a recipe for disaster.

Of course, this is just a sample of some of the new trends in marketing for 2011. If you would like to know more about what is on the horizon and make sure your company is ahead of the curve, please feel free to contact us.

Say WHAT? Social Media Misconceptions

I was recently told that 20% of small business owners don’t believe their clients use social media and 27% weren’t sure about it.

Say WHAT?

62% of the adult U.S. population is on Facebook alone. That’s 139 million potential clients. What about Twitter? There are currently 105 million users on Twitter. If you are not using the internet or social media, you are missing a major opportunity to market yourself and bring in new clients. And, don’t get me started on the potential to reach a global market! There are currently more than 1.5 BILLION people connected through the internet worldwide. Think BIG! Don’t limit yourself to your surrounding area.

I have also heard people say, “But my clients are older and they don’t use the internet.” Wrong. In one year alone, internet users age 50+ went up from 22% to 42%. Oh, and guess how many 70-75 year olds are online? 45%!

A majority of people go online and do research prior to purchasing anything. ANYTHING, not just online purchases. From a house to a pair of shoes, people go online prior to walking out the door. Make sure you have an internet presence. It is no longer enough just to have a web site. Using social media is key to building a successful business.

As always, CWI Marketing is here to help. If you would like help with your social media, please feel free to contact us.

Postcards/Mailers and Email Marketing Tips

Direct mail advertising as well as email marketing via email newsletters and/or email blasts works to build customer loyalty. It’s an easy and effective way to stay in contact with your customers and tell them they are important. Research shows that 68% of customers that don’t return to a company say that the company never contacted them, was indifferent, or had a poor attitude. Here are some things to remember:

1. Think Fast! Remember, when doing a mailer, you have 6 seconds to get someone to open the piece. Once opened you have 11 seconds to get them to read it.

2. Ditch the Sales Pitch. Don't try to close sales directly from your postcard or email. You don't have enough space to provide all the information most prospects need to make a buying decision. Instead, use this opportunity to generate sales inquiries.

3. Motivate. Begin by briefly stating the major benefit(s) you offer. Then use the remainder of your postcard/mailer to motivate readers to get more information from a source where you can close sales, such as at your web site or from a phone number they can call.

4. Get Right to the Point. Postcards are delivered "ready to read". Take advantage of this. Get right to the point to capture the reader's attention immediately. This makes it difficult for prospects to avoid reading your postcard - especially if your entire message is brief and easy to read.

5. Watch Your Timing. Send your postcards, mailers and emails so they arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. The volume of mail delivered in the US on those days is usually the lightest and your postcards won't have to compete with a lot of other mail delivered at the same time. Try to avoid having your postcards delivered on Monday. It's usually the biggest mail delivery day of the week and a very busy day for most people. The same goes for email marketing, avoid Monday and Friday. Most people have a very full inbox on Monday making it easier for your email to get lost in a sea of other emails. By Friday, most people are just trying to hurry and finish up before the weekend, making it less likely that your email will actually be read.

A final note, make sure your employees understand and reflect your message and brand and are familiar with your direct mail and email marketing campaigns.

As always, we are here to help with any of your marketing campaigns. Contact us for help with your email or direct mail marketing projects!

Why Hire a Marketing Company?

Marketing is an indispensable part of any business. Marketing makes your product or service recognizable, it increases awareness about what makes your company unique and helps potential clients to feel as if they know you. If people don’t know who you are or what you do, they aren’t going to buy from you. They also need to feel that they trust you. A marketing company can help convey this.

Creating an effective marketing campaign takes time, experience and creativity. Creating an effective logo, stationary package, advertisement, etc. requires the same. It may seem that trying to do your own marketing in house saves you money, but does it really? Say you spend 5 or 6 hours creating a marketing piece. Is that piece really as effective as it could be? If it isn’t, not only have you lost the time you spent, but also any costs incurred with printing, mailing, ad fees, etc. In a nutshell, you’ve lost money. Would that time have been better spent meeting clients and closing sales? Yes. If you hire a marketing company, you can have them handle your marketing needs while you handle your business. Hiring the right marketing company can help make your business successful by saving you time, stress and money.

For more information, or answers to any of your marketing questions, contact Donna at CWI Marketing & Printing.

To Grow or Not to Grow? THAT is the Question.

When I decided to start providing marketing and printing to the New River Valley the goal was simple; provide small businesses with the marketing tools they need to be successful and compete with the “big fish.” I am so happy that this goal has been met. The goal with this business was never to make tons of money. I know a lot of people start businesses with the goal of making big bucks, not me. Being able to help contribute to family finances, help small businesses in the area in order to help the local economy (in some small way) and also having a creative outlet are the motivating factors for me. I love doing graphic design, the personal interaction with my clients and actually helping small businesses compete, grow and succeed. That is what makes it worthwhile.

Many of my small business clients were previously unable to market themselves effectively due to the fact that they didn’t know how to or did not have the necessary funds. Because CWI Marketing & Printing is a small business, there is very low overhead and I can offer exceptionally affordable pricing. Now, my clients are proud of their logo, brand and marketing campaigns. That makes me extremely happy for them.

The problem I am now facing is a good one, a problem that I am so very thankful for. There are some “big fish” clients (yes, more than one) who want to hire CWI. They have seen my work, spoken to past and current customers, met with me and really liked my ideas and what I can bring to the table. I have to admit, it’s a great feeling to know that people really like my work. It is also extremely satisfying to know that my customer’s are happy. However, if I move forward with these “big fish” isn’t that going against my original goals? Am I saying to all of my current, very loyal clients that I’m abandoning them to move on to bigger and better things?

Another concern is time. I’ve worked in the corporate world where 60+ hours per week was not at all uncommon. When you don’t have a family of your own, that’s easier to manage. I now have a husband, two kids and a dog and I love them all very much. They are my priority. One of the reasons I like keeping my business small is that it’s easier to manage. I don’t want to grow to the point that my children are spending more time without me than with me. If I take on the “big fish,” it will take more time away from family.

I could hire employees or contract out the work and that is something I am considering and researching. There is a lot to think about and I’m thankful to be facing this dilemma. Stay tuned!

2010 Marketing Trends

Another year has come and gone and what a year 2009 turned out to be! With all of the financial fall out, there have been some definite changes in marketing trends. If you are wondering what some of the top trends are for 2010, keep reading:

• Consumer Opinions - Consumer's listen to other consumer's. Whatever your current client is saying about you will impact your future clients. Have you heard of Google's Sidewiki? The Sidewiki allows web visitors to leave feedback on any website for others to view. This trend is continuing to grow, so stay ahead of this trend by connecting with your customers and listening to what they have to say by soliciting their opinions and feedback for yourself. At the same time, monitor your web presence, go out there and see what others are saying about you.
  

• Value is more important than ever - Value has always been important. Now it is more important than ever. With the economy being the way it has been, people are more cautious than ever and want more "bang for their buck." Find out what needs are not being met for your clients and meet them. In 2010, customers are going to expect it.
  Social media - Of course social media isn't new, but in 2010 social media is a must. Facebook alone has over 300 million users and almost half log on EVERYDAY. Social marketing was at first thought of as a novelty, but is now considered a reliable method for businesses to engage customers. Customers are looking more and more to Twitter, Facebook and other social sites to gather information and other consumer opinions.
  

• Email marketing - Direct mail is declining and email marketing is on the rise. For either types of marketing to work, it's imperative that you collect customer data. You have to know your customer to effectively market to them. Data collection is becoming more important and as the data is collected, reaching out to customers via email is proving to be the preferred method.
  

• Offering your knowledge, tips and advice for free - Again, the economy is another reason for this trend. FREE attracts attention. If you are a web designer, offer free tutorials. If you are in real estate, offer free advice to buyers via a blog to help them get more out of their sale. Show people that you are an expert in your field and build good will by offering free advice.
  

To be a successfull company, make sure you stay ahead of the trends. It's counter-productive to play "catch up." Blaze a trail, stay ahead of the curve and you will make it through the difficult times.