•10 Steps to a GREAT Newsletter
10 Steps to a GREAT Newsletter by Claire CunninghamA newsletter can be a wonderful, economical way to communicate withprospects, customers, employees or distributors. Just follow these teneasy steps for newsletter success.1) Define Your Audience -- Who are you publishing for? Clients(customers) – present, past and prospective? Employees? Your audiencewill define your content.2) Set Objectives -- Create a solid foundation for your newsletter bywriting down what you want to achieve.3) Plan...
•Being visible on a budget
Once upon a time a company introduced a new product. They didn’t want their competition to know, so they didn’t advertise or even send out a news release. Sales of the new product were disappointing. The manufacturer was unhappy. What went wrong? Any thoughts?
My answer is that this kind of “stealth marketing” doesn’t work. You need to be visible to sell something. When this manufacturer started promoting their new product, sales picked up.
So visibility is good for business. But how...
•Creating a Good First Impression
Creating a Good First Impression by Claire CunninghamNo doubt about it, first impressions are important – whether you’re meeting a prospective mate’s family or introducing a product. What you say, how you say it, and when you say it are all critical. After all, your product’s only new once!Of course, you’ll create a product introduction communications plan, and stick to it. You know continuity works. And you’ll set aside adequate funding for the product intro. If the product is strategically...
•Does Your Message Pass the Test?
Does Your Message Pass the Test?
by: Claire Cunningham
Develop an effective benefit message and you’re well on your way to building your company’s entire marketing program. After all, you need focus to create success. Without it you can wind up expending effort without getting the reward (income, that is) you’re looking for.
Start with these three ingredients:
Understanding of what the customer needs and wants
Knowledge of the competition’s strengths, weaknesses and messages
Insight...
•Easy Marketing Communications Planning Steps
Easy Marketing Communications Planning Steps by Claire Cunningham‘Tis the season to be planning. Most business people are familiar with strategic planning. But what about your marketing communications program? Do you have a plan for that?For those of you with marketing communications anxiety, here’s a step-by-step guide to follow to create a plan.1.Begin with the basics. Marketing communications involves what you say about your business (message) and who you say it to (audience). Start your...
•Growing Your Brand Assets
Growing Your Brand Assets
by: Claire Cunningham
Okay. Raise your hand if you think brand management is just for BIG companies (like Target, McDonalds or Ford.) Wow! That's a lot of hands! Well, guess what? You're all wrong.
Brand issues are important to ALL companies for the simple reason that people buy from other people. People have personalities. Branding establishes and communicates a company's personality (sometimes referred to as company image.)
Think about YOUR company. What...
•How to Create a GREAT Web Site
How to Create a GREAT Web Site
by: Claire Cunningham
Do you have a web site that hasn’t been touched in years? Or have you avoided the Internet bandwagon all together? Well, it’s time to hop aboard again – or for the first time. Here’s why:
1) Audience:
Young adults and teens spend more time on the Internet than they do watching TV. Also, they’re more likely to use the Internet than the Yellow Pages to find a product or service.
Engineers and other business people use the...
•It's Better to Ask than Assume (The Power of Market Research.)
It's Better to Ask than Assume (The Power of Market Research.) by Claire Cunningham ©It’s Better to Ask than Assume.(The Power of Market Research.)No doubt about it. Smart marketing takes finesse. Nowhere is that truism more apt than in message definition. If you want to craft a compelling message, you need to understand your prospective buyer’s motivation. I had a boss once whose favorite saying was "Don't assume. It makes an ass out of you and me." Drove me nuts, but you know what? It...
•Keeping Customers With Communication
Keeping Customers With Communication by Claire CunninghamYou work hard to attract new customers, right? Mailings, phone calls, ads, publicity. You have an annual marketing plan devoted to bringing in new customers. What about the customers you already have? What are you doing for them? Of course, you’re delivering a top quality product or service at a competitive price. But that’s not enough.Business wisdom says current customers are your best source for new sales. After all, these folks...
•Look Sharp. Play Sharp.
Look Sharp. Play Sharp. by Claire Cunningham“Look sharp. Play sharp.” That pithy statement comes courtesy of one of my older daughter’s softball coaches. His teams always had the whitest pants and socks. They didn’t win every game, but they did well – better than expected. And his words stuck with me.In business looks matter too. From your product to your place of business, your firm will be judged by how you look. So having a professional logo is especially important. Look at your logo, and...
•Postcard Marketing – Low Cost Visibility
Postcard Marketing – Low Cost Visibility by Claire CunninghamYou need to be visible to attract customers, right? But how do you get that visibility when you’re short on cash? Here’s an idea that’s worked for many businesses. It’s postcard marketing, and it’s very affordable. You can design your own postcards or hire a designer. Print the cards on 67# card stock to meet USPS requirements. Two or four cards will fit on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet so you’ll have to use a paper cutter. Postage is just...
•Public Relations—A Free Lunch?
Public Relations—A Free Lunch? by Claire CunninghamSeems like everyone is looking for the proverbial free lunch these days, particularly when it comes to marketing communications. Well, I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but there's no such thing. However, there are ways to stretch your budget and marketing public relations (PR) is one of them. By MARKETING PR I mean publicity that is directed towards your marketing target audience and carries marketing messages. (It's not the same as investor...
•Remember what your mother told you
(Repetition WORKS!)
What message from Mom (or Dad) sticks with you? Is it “Always wear clean underwear”? How about “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”? Or is it something else entirely? Mine is “Clean your plate.” (This could explain the excess poundage around my hips!)
These bits of advice stick with us for one big reason – REPETITION. You and I heard these messages again…and again…and again.
That’s the marketing communications lesson for the day. If you want your audience to...
•Seven Deadly Newsletter Sins (and How to Cure Them)
Seven Deadly Newsletter Sins (and How to Cure Them) by Claire CunninghamNewsletters can be great communication tools, but they take work. Here’s a quick list of common problems newsletters run into and how to fix them.1. The snooze-letter -- a newsletter so boring it puts readers to sleep.Cure: Find out what your readers want to know and write about it. Keep the tone lively. Don’t know what readers want? Ask!2. Audience too broad - a newsletter with a broad audience (customers, employees and...
•What A Newsletter Can Do For Your Business
What A Newsletter Can Do For Your Business
by: Claire Cunningham
Newsletters are often thought of as easy, do-it-yourself communications projects. The reality is different…and that can be discouraging.
Developing a good newsletter concept can be difficult and time-consuming. It takes market intelligence -- and maybe research -- to find out what people will read. Then it takes careful planning, discipline and skill to crank out something worthwhile on a schedule.
Why bother? Because...
•What’s Your Identity?
What’s Your Identity? by Claire CunninghamIdentity theft is a hot topic these days – at least on a personal level. In business, though, the serious issue is identity neglect!What do I mean? I mean many businesses don’t pay attention to identity issues. That’s because they don’t understand maintaining a consistent identity is a low-cost way to maximize impact. Consistency and professionalism are the keys. That’s what can help even the smallest business over time. Consistency means repetition,...
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