The Magic Formula for ANY Marketing Campaign

September 13, 2008

Hello All,

       There truly is a “magic” formula for any marketing campaign and that is: the right message to the right market at the right time .  Huh?  I know. That’s what I said when I first heard it.  But let’s break it down.

       First the right message.  What do your prospects or clients want?   Forget what they need.  What do they want?  The old  business saying, “find a need and fill it” simply doesn’t work anymore.  People don’t just buy what they need.  They buy what they want. Most purchases are made based on emotion.  Your marketing message has to tie in with those emotional hot buttons to be effective.  That’s the best way to reach your target market.  A message that solves a problem or hurt.  You have to ask yourself what  problem keeps your prospects up at night?  Where does it hurt them?  Then you formulate your marketing message to solving that problem.

       Second, the right market.  Who are your ideal prospects?  What do they like?  What do they read?  What do they do either for a living or for recreation?  You have to know your prospects before you can sell to them.  I learned a long time ago that when doing a direct mail campaign that the most important thing is the mailing list.  I could even have  mediocre marketing materials if I had a tight niche that had a want for the product.  Knowing who your customer is is extremely important!

       Finally, the message should reach your prospects at the right time.  When I used to make my living as a magician selling my shows to elementary schools I learned the best time to mail my promotional materials was at the very beginning of the school year.  That was the time when most school principals and PTO moms were trying to fill their calendars with assembly programs.  Your marketing efforts will definitely pay extra dividends if you reach your prospects at the right time—-when they’re ready to buy.  Although some products and services sell well anytime.  It would be to your benefit to find out when the time is right for your marketing campaign to have maximum impact.

         Well, there you have it.  A solid formula for your next marketing campaign.  Use it and watch the dollars roll in….

Until next time,

Tim

Everything is marketing..

September 7, 2008

Hi Friends:

     Welcome to my new blog.  In this little personal forum I’ll be discussing my thoughts on motivation, marketing and little tidbits that make me happy as well as make me wonder.  Feel free to post your comments as I will read everyone of them.  But let’s get to the first thing on my mind today , and that is:

Everything is Marketing!

       Today I went to a chicken barbeque sponsored by a local charitable organization.  You have to understand that I live in Mayberry R.F.D.(actually Ridgway, PA but it seems like Mayberry).  For those of you too young to remember, this is where Andy Griffith lived.  He was a sheriff in a small town who didn’t wear a gun and where the only excitement was when the townspeople got dressed up for a Saturday night dance once a month.  This is pretty much like Ridgway.  However, as an aside, the people here are the most genuine, down-to-earth, do-anything-for-you people in the world and I’m proud to call it my home!

       On this particular day I witnessed some marketing at it’s best.  There was quite a line waiting for the chicken dinners  when they suddenly ran out.  The folks in line had to wait until another batch was cooked.  This where the “smart marketing” comes in.  Usually, if this happens in a store situation, the clerk will tell the people directly in front of him/her that they ran out of something but the message doesn’t get filtered back to the people waiting in the back and they feel put out and abused.  Not today.  My friend Dixie hollered out so EVERYBODY could hear that “we have to wait for the next batch of chicken!”.  He then proceeded to engage everyone in the line in bright and fun conversation.  Believe me, nobody felf neglected!

       The lesson  here is simple:  If you want to serve your customers well and keep them coming back again and again, treat them right.  Be sensitive to their needs and treat them like they are important.  You know why?  Because they are!  And the lifeblood of your business is your customers!  Without them you don’t have a business.  And the way to keep an ever-constant flow of customers is through marketing.  And that’s not just acquiring new customers, that’s keeping the old ones coming back to buy from you again and again.

      Until next time,

Tim Piccirillo

www.timpic.com

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