The 3 Levels of Acceptable Marketing Improvement!

As a marketing consultant dealing with both start-ups and existing businesses, I have observed 3 different levels of openness to allowing ways to improve sales and profits and the truths that apply. Everybody falls into one of these categories, including you.

This is a serious evaluation, consider taking it seriously!

There is a big difference between increased sales and increased profits; the most common problem stems from the mis-conception (in my opinion) that discounts are the only/best way to increase sales, with the evaporation of profits as the result! Discounts are the overwhelming method of Corporate America, watch commercials to see for yourself. Occasional ads that describe the actual benefits of their product/service produce the best results and are the most cost-effective! Eg.- the Subway and Cialis ads!

• The 1st truth is- “If you want the things in your life to change, then, you have to change the things in your life!” This is not rocket science, however, change can be a frightful thing, especially if you have bad experiences with losing efforts.
  As an example- I have heard too many times, from business owners, that “radio ads don’t work” or, “newspaper ads don’t work!” Well, what does this tell you?


1st- the ads they ran didn’t obviously work;
2nd- they are so soured on this kind of effort that they are not interested in hearing about better ways to get this done.
3rd- If this was true, then businesses would not continue to run ads that lose them money! So, what is the truth?

• The second truth is- “Resources follow results!” So, some ads work to an acceptable level or else they would cease the loss of advertising funds. The ads that do not work are based on discounts or do not deliver the connotation “The consequences of not going to the next step with this company are un-acceptable!”

  Example of an effective ad-
  “ There are 3 things you need to know before you buy a computer. 1 can save you time, grief and money. Don’t make a decision before you go to our web site. Plus, if you buy, we will throw in a free anti-radiation screen that will protect your health! Free coupon at www.universalcomputers-austin.com”
  I hit 4 different hot buttons on that ad. I made the consequences of not going to that web site unacceptable! This is effective marketing! It ’s called “Next Step Marketing” Sending them to the next step that has compulsive information!

Now- with all this in mind, here are the 3 responses to improving sales/profits.

Another example- A Chinese Buffet signed up for my retail program. The son wanted to do it, the dad and uncle wanted to do it their way.
They mailed out 50,000 mailers that said “$2 off a meal” I told them not to
do it. 2 weeks later, they had 9 coupons! I had given them a banner (100,000 cars/day) that built the desire for the product!

“Best selection in town”
Free downloadable Coupon
www.chinabuffetroundrock.com

They refused to put up this banner and put up one that said:

$2 off coupon
Best selection in Round Rock
Parties/Deliveries/Catering
Take out, customized parties
Chicken/Fish/Beef/sushi
www.chinabuffetroundrock.com

(There is no way that the drivers could observe the 6 lines, and,
they did not create the desire for their product; like our web site did)
They are now out of business!

There was a branded pizza franchise that left the fold. A local office placed an ad in the local
newspaper that said “Rockin Tomato- Free Pizza with this coupon!” They got no coupons. They
did not create the desire for their product. Who the hell is “Rockin Tomato” They went from a
branded business to a stranger. A free pizza was not convincing w/o a description of what they
would get. No one wants to be deceived! He needed to build desire for the product!

Attitude #1 My way or the highway!

“I’ll try to increase my sales by increasing the amount of what I have done in the past.” Well, if affordable, and it works, and it brings in both the sales and profits that one wants, keep doing it.

Attitude #2 Do it within my existing concepts of change!

I fixed an ad for a heating contractor. His old ad put his name, very large, at the top, said “me too” type statements and had his phone # at the bottom. I suggested “a grabber at the top, 2 testimonials that documented his claims and a call to action w/a free coupon.” He said “I was told that you need to get your name in their face.” My reply was, they could care less who you are, they want to hear what you can do for them. If that gets their attention, they will look further for the phone #. He told me that he has had no calls from his old ad. ($400/month for $0)
He was open to learning something different, if it made sense.
He needed to build the desire for the product!

Attitude #3 I’m ready to try anything that makes sense!

An ad for a guy who replaced engines in your existing cars read-

Everybody wants reliable transportation!
You have only 3 choices! 1) Buy a new car, pay $400/month and lose 15% when you drive it off the lot. 2) Buy a used car, pay $200/month and take a crap shoot on the next expensive surprise, or 3) Put a new engine/brakes/tires on your existing car for about $65/month!

He got so much business that he quit running the ads and bought a 3 bay garage. This was a radical change in his style of promotion. He was open to it, it paid off for him.
Attitude about openness to change can have big consequences. I don’t suggest expensive tests to try “something new.” I suggest an open mind about the fact that there may be other things worth taking a serious look at. Some business people want to do it their way. If that delivers enough positive results to make them content, then that is a good thing. But, if it ain’t enough, consider “Plan B”

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