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POWERFUL MARKETING PROGRAMS THAT WORK
The following are representative marketing programs that your business can use to grow your business:
1. ALLIANCES Building a partner alliance network can be a powerful avenue for generating business without incurring a significant amount of direct marketing and advertising expenses. Alliance part-ners can include sub-contractors/suppliers, complementary product/service companies and your company’s customers.
Examples:
 Create alliances between complementary products or services companies.
Link websites and encourage site visitors to visit alliance partner sites.
Create joint marketing programs.
2. AUDIO MAILER
An audio mailer is a moderate cost approach that can make a significant impact on the listener and calls them to take a specified action. Either audiocassettes or audio CD’s can be mailed.
Examples:
Hand out an audio CD at a trade show or at a networking meeting that explains
your product offering in detail.
Mail an audiocassette to a narrowly defined target prospect list outlining ten ways
to save the prospect money and call for action that the prospect call you for further information.
3. CARD DECKS
Card decks are a proven low cost way to get your message in front of a large targeted audience. They are used to get the prospect to take the action specified on the card. The format of cards in card decks varies widely, but the key aspect is to make the offer and secure the targeted prospect response.
Examples:
Create a card defining a specific home improvement product and request the
reader to call a phone number to schedule a home demonstration. Include the
card deck in a regional mailing.
Create a card which promotes a service which leads the reader to go to a website and fill out an e-mail form.
4. CARD INSERT
Similar in style and purpose of a card deck, these cards are inserted in a targeted publication. Next the distribution of the publication is made by the publisher, and the card is removed by the prospect. The card may either be bound in the publication or loosely placed inside.
Examples:
Include a card promoting a new product or service in a geographically based magazine to encourage the reader to call for further information.
Create an insert which is included by the publisher in a vertical industry magazine requesting the reader to go to your website and download a free industry study.
5. COMPANY CATALOG
For companies with a broad range of products, the creation of a company catalog can be used both for selling and cross selling opportunities. These catalogs can be either printed or provided online.
Examples:
Create an on-line catalog and provide order processing over your company’s website.
Create a special sales catalog to promote sales items.
6. CONSUMER CATALOGS
Inclusion of your company’s products in a consumer catalog can provide a substantial increase in sales activity. Catalogs can be printed or provided on-line via the Internet. These catalogs can be general purpose or provide products of a specified nature.
Examples:
Advertise in an airline sales catalog
Advertise in a vertical market catalog
7. CORPORATE SPONSORS Finding a corporate sponsor to directly sell or indirectly promote the sales of your products or services can expand your potential customer base. This approach can also apply to services, where the corporate sponsor acts as a sales agent for your services.
Examples:
Create a relationship with the manufacturer that uses your product as a component in which they agree to sell your product on their website.
Create a relationship with a corporate sponsor that provides your service free to its employees.
8. COUPONING
Coupons are a proven way to generate sales of your products or services. Coupons can be provided to the end user through a variety of channels, including direct mail, coupon package mailers, and via the Internet. These coupons can offer a % discount, a specified credit amount, or a free offer.
Examples:
Provide company coupons through couponsurfer.com.
Mail coupons as part of a ValPak mailing.
9. DIRECT MAIL
Direct mail can target a specific audience, deliver a powerful marketing message, and call for action. Any printed marketing material that is mailed directly to the target audience is typically considered direct mail. Direct mail can include postcards, brochures, flyers and letter mailers.
Examples:
Mail a letter announcement for an upcoming company seminar event.
Mail a postcard with a special coupon offer for a new product.
10. EDITORIALS
There are many persons/companies that influence a com-pany’s targeted customer/prospect base. Sending information to magazine editors is a critical action for many companies to get their information into the marketplace and editorials can be very powerful marketing tools.
Examples:
Send several case studies on a company’s leading product to a targeted editor list.
Send a company announcement on a new product to a targeted editor list.
11. E-MAIL CAMPAIGNS
 E-mail campaigns are a very low cost method of generating new leads. They are also used to follow up and maintain contact with a company’s current prospect and customer base.
Examples:
Generate an e-mail campaign to current customers to promote a new product offering.
Generate an e-mail campaign to send current information to prospects who have been contacted in the past, but have not yet purchased
12. FAX BLAST
Although use of fax broadcast adverting is governed by some state laws, the use of broadcast faxing is a very low cost marketing venue and can be used for a variety of purposes. For most broadcast fax activities a phone number should be provided so the recipient can have their number removed.
Examples:
Send out updated price list to current customer base.
Send out limited time coupon offer for new product.
13. FUNDRAISING
Some products and/or services can be packaged for sale by organizations to help them raise money. These companies may be either non-profit or for-profit companies. These organizations make money by either the mark up on the products or by the commission paid by the manufacturer.
Examples:
Create a fundraising campaign with a national non-profit organization.
Create a fundraising campaign with a local school.
14. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Although the effort to secure government contracts can be quite cumbersome, the rewards can be substantial for the right company and the right products and/or services. Governmental agencies include federal, state, and local agencies.
Examples:
Secure a contract for the sale of components to a government agency.
Secure a service contract with a state agency.
15. INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
For many companies, marketing and selling internationally is a very complex and difficult process. Creating an international channel, however, can provide significant returns. Use of resellers and/or commissioned representatives is often used to expand into these new markets.
Examples:
Secure an international reseller to resell your product abroad.
Create foreign language sections on your company’s website and run promotions in foreign magazines to attract traffic to your website.
16. INTERNET BANNER AD
Use of either static or pop-up banner ads can attract prospects to your website. Running of these ads can be contracted directly with a targeted website or indirectly through a variety of banner ad brokerage services,
including Overture and ValueClick.
Examples:
Contract with UGO to procure banner ad space on targeted categories of websites.
Create a relationship with a partner to regularly run banner ads for your site on their website.
Contract with Overture to have your banner ad appear on a specified search engine when a targeted search value is entered.
17. INTERNET WEBSITE
Having a company website is a very valuable asset to a company’s marketing program. Websites can range from informational only purposes to fully functioning commercial websites that sell products and/or services. Products can also be sold through other companies’ websites.
Examples:
Create a website that provides basic information on your company’s products and/or services with contact forms to encourage prospects to contact your company.
Create a website for a medical professional that provides onsite scheduling of patient appointments.
18. MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES
Creating and/or expanding a company’s sales force can be quite an expensive and complex process. Use of designated sales representatives can often be an excellent alternative. These representatives typically specialize in the type of products or services that they represent.
Examples:
Sign an open territory sales agreement for a specified product.
Sign an exclusive territory sales agreement for the entire company’s product line.
19. MILITARY COMMISSARIES
 Military commissaries are a substantial market for many types of products. The effort can be large to secure such contracts, but the rewards can be substantial. Heavy discounts may have to be given in order to secure this type of business.
Examples:
Secure a contract with a local military commissary for the sale of a specific product.
Secure a national commissary contract for the sale of entire product line.
20. NETWORKING GROUPS
Throughout the United States there are many local and nationally based networking groups. Each group offers an opportunity to meet local business people, share ideas, and promote a company’s products and/or services.
Examples:
Become a member of the Long Island Association
Become a member of a local Chamber of Commerce.
Become a member of Business Network International
21. NEWSLETTERS
Printed and/or electronic newsletters provide an excellent way to keep in touch with your customer and your prospect base. Important information can be easily and quickly disseminated to a very specific list of readers.
Examples:
Create a quarterly newsletter to promote industry issues and product solutions.
Create a monthly newsletter that is emailed each month to current customers.
22. OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
 Outdoor advertising can be effective in creating market awareness and in getting a prospect to contact your company. Venues include billboards, vehicles, benches, kiosks, and buildings.
Examples:
Run an annual outdoor advertising campaign with the Long Island Railroad
Run a campaign on local city buses.
23. PACKAGE INSERT
 Package inserts are typically in a card format and included in packages that are scheduled to be shipped. These packages can be your own company’s packages or that of a supplier or alliance partner.
Examples:
Include a promotional offer on a new product in current product packages being shipped to your current customers.
Have a component supplier offer coupons for your products in their product shipments.
24. POINT OF PURCHASE DISPLAYS
 Point of purchase displays come in a variety of sizes and structures. Each is designed to present your product or your product information in a way convenient for the retail shopper to find.
Examples:
Contract with a retailer to place a point of purchase rack at the end of an isle to exclusively promote your product.
Place a brochure holder with information about your company and products in several retail environments.
25. PREMIUMS AND INCENTIVES
Many companies provide rewards and incentives by giving products to employees, vendors, and customers.
Inclusion of your company’s products in catalogs and price lists of com-panies who provide premiums and incentives can generate incremental revenues. These types of products can be found at www.corporatevalues.com.
Examples:
Negotiate with a premiums provider to include your golf balls are part of their product catalog.
Negotiate with a premiums provider on the Internet to include your products in their on-line product catalog.
26. PRIVATE LABEL
In some industries, private branding is a common way for companies to market their products and/or services. Private branding of a product or a service can generate sales in new markets, often without negatively impacting your current sales.
Examples:
Source your generic computer line with a reseller who private brands your product for resale.
Source a professional services offering through another party under their company name.
Provide a software package to a company who re-brands and sells the product through their own distribution channels.
27. RADIO ADVERTISING
 Radio advertising is a lower cost way to broadcast your message to your prospects. This works particularly well in covering a specified geographical market. Costs for each radio station will vary, based on their market penetration.
Examples:
Run a radio campaign promoting the benefits of one of your products and provide a discount for those who call a specified phone number.
Run a radio campaign promoting a new product that solves a well known problem.
28. SEMINAR OFFERINGS
Offering of seminars, lectures, and similar opportunities to present information to prospects is an excellent approach to gain recognition for your company and its products and/or services. These events can range in time from as short as a breakfast meeting to as long as a multi-day conference.
Examples:
Offer a breakfast seminar that delivers a 10-step approach to solve a particular problem.
Participate at a conference in which one of your employees is one of the features speakers.
29. SUB-CONTRACTORS
 Sub-contractors have a clear interest in your company’s success. Use that relationship to leverage your sub-contractors to promote your products and/or services.
Examples:
Have a subcontractor include a promotional insert in product shipments made by the subcontractor.
Offer a subcontractor financial incentives to provide leads to your company.
30. TELEMARKETING
 Telemarketing to your prospect base can generate new leads for your company. This can be done by your company or outsourced to telemarketing companies. Despite the negative aspect of invasion of privacy issues, this venue is still used very effectively by many companies.
Examples:
Outsource a telemarketing company to contact a list of prospects that you have purchased from a lists company.
Have company employees call prospects to follow up on a mailer that was sent to them the previous week.
31. TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
 Television commercials are a proven way to create brand awareness. These ads are typically produced to run in less than 30 seconds and are run frequently to penetrate the largest possible target audience.
Examples:
Run a series of 15-second spots regularly on a network show.
Run a series of 30-second spots on a cable network on show that reach your target audience.
32. TELEVISION INFOMERCIAL
Typically run in 30 minutes segments, infomercials present a product and its benefits and offer the product for sale by a toll free phone number. These are often run on cable stations or second tier networks, due to their lower advertising cost structure.
Examples:
Produce and run a television infomercial on a product that has clearly defined medical benefits.
Produce and run a television infomercial on a product for the home.
33. TRADE SHOW DISPLAYS AND ATTENDENCE
Participating in trade shows by displays, lectures, and/or general attendance is an excellent way to generate leads for a company’s products and/or services. Due to the targeted focus of the attendees, prospecting can be very effective.
Examples:
Rent space and display your company’s products at a national trade show.
Attend a regional seminar that would attract your targeted audience and participate actively to secure new prospects.
34. VIDEO MAILER
Video mailers can be a very effective way to communicate your marketing message, particularly if they are sent to a pre-qualified audience. Video mailers can be either in analog videocassette or in digital format.
Examples:
Produce a DVD to promote the sale of a new major product launch and mail to a pre-qualified prospect list.
Mail a videocassette to a prospect list to promote your company’s products and/or services.
35. YELLOW PAGE LISTING
For certain industries, a yellow page listing provides a con-tinuous stream of leads. Content and formatting of the ad is key to generating a strong lead flow. Yellow page listings are also now available on the Internet.
Examples:
Contract for an 1/8 page listing in your company’s local yellow pages.
Contract for a text listing on an Internet yellow pages site.
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