Category: Marketing

Duct Tape Marketing has a post
on upselling to current customers.
It can be as easy as
including a flyer with additional
products or services
in with a delivery or mailing.

I do this with my private mailings also.
Whenever I send a letter,
I’ll enclose a couple of
business cards with my novel cover
and website information.

I’ll also put a sticker
with my cover and website
on the envelope.

My mom says she gets
at least one comment
every time there’s a letter
from me in her mail.
She happily gives the person
the enclosed business card.

I got sucked into a project
in July
and did not commit the marketing time
I should have
to promoting my novel.

My sales sunk like a stone.

Marketing for a fledging venture
is NOT a nice-to-do,
it is a must-do.

Don’t do it
and you’ll see the reflection
in sales.

Make time for marketing.

On one of the big romance blogs,
there was a recent round of posts
on why the bloggers
(often publicity seeking authors)
are no longer interested
in reading romance.

Did I mention this was a romance blog?
A blog where romance lovers gather?

The response was not favorable.

Yes, being in your face
and confrontational
is a way to sell products.
However, this approach works best
with young males,
not female romance readers.

Don’t fight with female fans.

I held a contest
promoting my novel.
Some of the winners
were contest hounds.

Do I mind?

Not at all.
Yes, they enter any contest.
Yes, they don’t care particularly about my novel.

However, when they win,
they like to boast about it.
They post my book title with author name
on websites and forums.
They tell their friends.
They show off their win.

Great advertising.

Baby boomers
(individuals born from 1947 to 1966)
as a target market
is tempting.
They are in their peak wealth building years
and aren’t afraid to spend money.

Do NOT treat them as seniors, however.
Boomer expert Lina Ko
cautions marketers to watch
their language when talking with boomers.

Older boomers are NOT senior citizens.
They are leading edge boomers.
They do NOT retire.
They reinvent themselves.

I recently finished the career planning book
Can This Elephant Curtsy On Cue?
written by Danielle Weinstock.

It is a great book.
I especially enjoyed
her unique insights
on dealing with unemployment
(a sure thing in the movie business).

However, I am unlikely to recommend it.

Why?

Because I can never remember the title
(too long)
and when I do,
it is too cutesy to be taken seriously.

Names are important.
Brand names, titles, company names.
Put some thought into choosing one.

A loved one moved on the weekend
and I was asked
whom I would rope in
if I needed help moving.

I said no one.
I’m lucky enough
to have a group of people
whose favors I value at
more than $10 an hour
(what I could pay people to move me for).

People are busy
and
favors are not unlimited.
I’m very particular about my requests.

That means when I ask,
contacts are more likely to do.

I was told yesterday
we’re in a recession.
The person was 100% certain.

Why?

Because an Allstate commercial
mentioned recession.
The viewer remembered the commercial,
the mention of recession
and especially Allstate.

Being first meant taking criticism
(we’re not officially in a recession
and the Allstate commercial, in fact,
doesn’t say we are)
but that is more than offset
by being remembered.

Fans of Chris Brown
will recognize the line in
his latest hit
‘Forever.’

“Double your pleasure,
double your fun.”

Yep, the Doublemint slogan.
He is also shown in the video
opening the distinctive silver paper covered stick.

Is this a happy coincidence
for Wrigleys?
No.
Wrigleys has partnered
with
Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, and Julianne Hough
to remake
Big Red, Doublemint, and Juicy Fruit
jingles.

A marketer’s dream.
Chris Brown’s Forever
has been downloaded
on YouTube over 20 million
(yes, million)
times.

On a tv panel
with health food business experts,
the consensus is
that saying a product is
healthy
means nothing to the consumer.

The word is used so often
prospects filter it out.

Instead talk about the specific benefits
but avoid too much medical lingo.

Be specific, not scientific
(put the scientific on the website).