Most of us are impatient; we want our advertising to spark an immediate sales increase. That's equivalent to giving a builder one week to construct a three-bedroom home without a blueprint. Think of the planning process as drawing a blueprint for your advertising campaign structure. First you design the framework, next you fill in the details, and finally you begin to build.
I. Design the Framework
What is the purpose of your advertising program?
Start by defining your company's long-range goals then map out how marketing can help you attain them. Next, zero in on possible advertising routes that are complementary to your marketing efforts, and be specific. Set measurable goals so you can evaluate the success of your advertising campaign. For example, do you want to increase overall sales by 20 percent this year? Do you want to boost sales to existing customers by 10 percent during each of the next three years? Do you want to appeal to younger or older buyers? Do you want to sell off old products to free resources for new ones?
How much can you afford to invest?
Keep in mind that whatever amount you allocate is never enough. Even corporate giants such as Proctor and Gamble and Pepsi always feel they could augment their advertising budgets. But given your income, expenses and sales projections, simple addition and subtraction can help you determine how much you can afford to invest. Some companies spend a full 10 percent of their gross income on advertising, others just 1 percent. Sorry, there is no fixed rule.
II. Fill in the Details
What are the features and benefits of your product or service?
In first determining the features, think of automobile brochures that list engine, body and performance specifications or food products that detail ingredients. Another example would be accountants whose services include tax return preparation and cash flow consultation. Now the hard part: What are the benefits of those features to your customers? How does your product or service actually help them? For example, a powerful engine helps you accelerate quickly to get onto busy freeways. Certain food ingredients are cholesterol free or low in fat to aid in staying healthy.
Who is your audience?
Create a profile of your best customer. Be as specific as possible. This answer will be the primary guidepost in creating your ads and choosing appropriate media.
Examples: A restaurant may target adults who dine out frequently in the nearby city or suburban area. A computer software manufacturer may aim at information managers in companies with 10-100 employees. A bottled water company may try to appeal to athletes or people over 25 who are concerned about their health.
Who is your competition?
It's important to identify who your competitors are as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what your competition offers that you don't - and vice versa - helps you show prospects why your product or service is special, or why they should do business with you instead of someone else. Knowing your competition will also help you find a niche in the marketplace and establish a particular positioning in your customers' minds. For example, is your product perceived as the most or least expensive? A re you regarded as a large or small company within your industry? Is your service seen as prestigious or utilitarian?
III. Arm Yourself with Information
What do you know about your industry, market and audience?
Many sources of information can help you keep in touch with industry, market and buying trends - without conducting expensive market research. Examples include U.S. Government materials from the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce. Public, business or university libraries are also a good option, as are industry associations, trade publications and professional organizations. You can quickly and easily learn more about your customers by simply asking them about themselves, their buying preferences and their media habits. Another alternative is to hire a professional market research firm to conduct your research.
IV. Build Your Action Plan - Evaluating Media Choices
Your next steps are to select the advertising vehicles you will use to carry your message and to establish an advertising schedule. In most cases, knowing who your audience is will guide you toward the type of media that will deliver your sales message most effectively. Use as many of the tools as are appropriate and affordable. Remember that you can stretch your media budget by taking advantage of co-op advertising programs that are offered by manufacturers to encourage you to advertise their products. Although programs vary, generally the manufacturer will pay for a portion of media space and time costs, or mailer production charges, up to a fixed amount per year. The total amount contributed is usually based on the quantity of merchandise you purchase.
When developing your advertising schedule, be sure to take advantage of any special editorial or promotional coverage planned in the media you select. Newspapers, for example, often run special sections featuring real estate, investing, home and garden improvement and tax advice. Magazines also often focus on specific themes in each issue.
V. Using Other Promotional Avenues
Advertising doesn't start or stop with the media described above. Other options include imprinting your company name (and graphic identity) on pens, paper, clocks, calendars and other giveaway items for your customers. Put your message on billboards, inside buses and subways, on vehicle and building signs, on point-of-sale displays and on shopping bags. You can co-sponsor events with nonprofit organizations and advertise your participation. Attend or display at consumer or business trade shows. Create tie-in promotions with allied businesses. Send a newsletter. Conduct seminars. Undertake contests or sweepstakes.
In addition, you can send advertising flyers along with billing statements. Use telemarketing to generate leads for salespeople. Develop sales kits with brochures, product samples or application ideas. In short, the number of promotional tools used to deliver your message and repeat your name is limited only by your imagination and the parameters of your budget.
Everyone persuades for a living. There's no way around it. Whether you're a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Donald Trump said it best, "Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life."
Conclusion
Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.
Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life.
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