©
“Discover the Marketing Secrets to Nourish and Grow your Small Business
Whether You’re Starting from Scratch or You’re a Seasoned Entrepreneur”
This Book
Belongs to
This “how-to” workbook is designed to help you improve the return
on your marketing investment. Through a series of simple exercises
and explanations, you are taken, step-by-step, though the process of
organizing a communications plan so you can successfully market your
product or service in any medium.
The Marketing Chefs
Page 2
COPYRIGHT
HUNGRY TO SUCCEED Copyright 2008 by Tricia Ryan, Mark Fodchuk and
Bernard Romano. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or
reproduced in any matter whatsoever without written permission.
For information, email info@themarketingchefs.com
The Marketing Chefs
Page 3
MEET THE “HUNGRY TO SUCCEED” TEAM
Tricia Ryan: Author
Tricia is a registered dietician with an MBA, which probably explains her love
of healthy cooking and marketing. She has spent much of her career building
brands for online and offline businesses in the food, beverage, OTC drug,
financial and hospitality industries. Tricia is renowned for her research and
problem-solving skills, and has parlayed this strength to launch a variety of
products for Berry Health, Boots Healthcare and Wrigley Canada. In the last
few years, Tricia has applied her extensive communications expertise into
the online world.
On a food note, Tricia has probably taken more cooking classes than Julia Child and Jamie
Kennedy combined. In fact, she has a legion of friends who would commit a criminal act just for
an invitation to one of her famous dinner parties.
Mark Fodchuk: Author
A proud carnivore who has never eaten tofu, Mark came into advertising
by way of teaching English and moonlighting as a greeting card writer.
Instead of marking papers, he wanted to write beer ads, so he quit teaching
and joined MacLaren Advertising where he honed his skills and crafted
campaigns for Molson, Esso and GE, to name a few.
Mark's career is characterized by campaigns that earned significant results
for both agencies and clients. Print, online, direct response, radio–you name
it, he's written it during his 20 years as an award-winning copywriter.
Cooking-wise, Mark's greatest satisfaction came from his stint as a cooking instructor for grade
nine high school students. Class attendance shot up, as students eagerly showed up for learning
the finer points of making pesto, grilling tuna and charring peppers for a zesty summer salsa.
Bernard Romano: Designer
Born in Italy and raised in Australia (which explains his love of certain
cheeses and the barbie), Bernard is a cosmopolitan art director with more
than 20 years experience in design and advertising. An art director with
some of Canada's most respected agencies, Bernard has won just about
every creative award in the book. Bernard brings a keen sense of design
and a thorough understanding of what it takes to motivate people through
the communication process.
When it comes to cooking, Bernard likes to eat.
The Marketing Chefs
Page 4
INTRODUCTION
Dear Reader,
So, you’ve got this appetite for starting a venture from scratch. Congratulations.
But how do you market your new business? Describe your services in 60 seconds? Find
customers? Position yourself against competitors? What basic ingredients go into a marketing
plan to ensure your business is a success?
You’ll find answers to those questions in this workbook.
Does your marketing need spicing up?
On the other hand, maybe you’ve been in business for a few years. You want to grow faster
but sales are sluggish. Are you in a price war? Threatened by new Internet rivals?
Perhaps your marketing activities are uncoordinated. Or have become stale—you’re running the
same ads, using the same media, spending on the same promotions—maybe those approaches
need spicing up. To increase the return on your marketing investment, perhaps you need fresh
ideas and new ingredients added to your marketing mix.
Those answers are here as well.
A marketing workbook for start-ups and seasoned entrepreneurs
Whether you’re starting new—or you’re an established business owner eager to sharpen your
marketing skills—virtually everyone faces the same challenges of how to cut through and make
the most from a limited marketing budget.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re an advisor, broker, builder, caretaker,
creator, owner or seller, you need to know how to transform
a communication plan into results. You need to increase sales volume,
gain long-term customers, and of course, turn a profit.
MARKETING TIP:
"In the world of small
business, you don't
have to be better than
your competition, you
just have to be
different and then
let people know
about it."
The Marketing Chefs
Marketing your product or service is serious business. We know.
Each one of us at The Marketing Chefs has been in business for
ourselves, more than once, so we know the issues you face as an
owner or manager.
Page 5
THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKBOOK
How to get the most out of this marketing workbook
You’ve got this business dream. This workbook helps you turn it into reality, if you take action.
For starters, we’ll show you how to define your business, create a marketing plan, a positioning
statement and an appetizing hook to promote your product or service.
We’ll walk you step-by-step through the process that major marketers and advertisers use
when assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the products and services they take to the
marketplace.
Know your customers—and what makes them customers
Next, you’ll learn the easy method for turning features into benefits that compel your customers
to buy your stuff. You’ll also learn how to analyse your customers by demographics and
psychographics. (You may find that you have more than one target audience and that you need
to market different ways to different customers–we all have distinct tastes.)
Online tips, tools and best practices
And because today’s business owners must embrace the Internet as a medium, we’ll show you
how to heat up sales in the online world and ways to make the most of your website. (If you don’t
have a website yet, we’ll show you the “must-have” ingredients that go into an effective site.)
Some extra food for thought
Finally, we’ve included an array of tips, best practices and success
stories from other entrepreneurs. Learn networking techniques to help
build word-of-mouth business. Tips on how to make the most of your
business card. How to work with editors to get the publicity your
business deserves. Good stuff like that.
We’ve also included a smorgasbord of resources that you can review
for more information on building your business.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“If you have fresh
bread, here’s a trick to
dry it out so it will soak
up flavour. Preheat
the oven to 325° F and
toast the cubed bread
on a baking sheet for
5 minutes.”
Page 6
THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKBOOK
Take time to digest the learning from each step
Some steps in this workbook may seem obvious. But in the excitement of bringing a product to
market, many entrepreneurs and business owners overlook some of the fundamentals of a well
thought marketing plan. Like the preparation that goes into a fine dinner, effective marketing
starts with gathering the right ingredients, using the right utensils and then adding a sprinkle
of creativity to make customers say, “Wow, this is good.”
In a crowded marketplace, well-thought out preparation leads to well-received results. This
workbook gives you a series of simple exercises that can be done on an à-la-carte basis,
one section at a time. This gives you time to digest and be comfortable with your ideas.
The exercises are however, cumulative and force you to stop and think about your product
or service from a variety of approaches.
Wow your customers with an impressive first impression
All your business communication—your brand name, logo, tagline, features, benefits,
positioning—needs to be clear and concise to give you the biggest bang for the buck. You have
less than 10 seconds to make an impression, so make it good. And professional. Like a dish that
makes you salivate just by looking at it, your first communications impression should equally wow
your customers, whether it’s your business card, brochure or website.
In the end, you’ll be in a better position to differentiate your product from your competitors, turn
prospects into leads, and leads into customers. And of course, generate more sale and profits.
Now let’s get cookin’.
While The Marketing Chefs operates as an educational consulting group, we also offer
our services as a full-service advertising agency.
If you need help in online marketing, direct response, promotions or corporate identity—
virtually anything to create synergy with an overall marketing effort, call us, we’ll be glad
to help. Contact Tricia Ryan, Toll-free: 1-206-338-2820 Tricia@TheMarketingChefs.com
The Marketing Chefs
Page 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Defining Your Business:
How to get a clear view of your niche in the marketplace
Page 8
2. How to Create a Marketing Plan:
What goes into a well-defined strategy
Page 14
3. Identifying Your Customer:
If you want to succeed, you’ve got to really understand
your customer. But who, exactly, is your customer?
Page 19
4. Translating Features into Benefits:
A feature is like an ingredient—how do you make it
more appetizing to your customers?
Page 40
5. Positioning Your Product:
How to give your business a strong voice
in a competitive marketplace
Page 49
6. The Elevator Pitch:
How to promote your business in 60 seconds
Page 70
7. How to Market in the Online World:
Getting the most out of the Internet, your website, email and more
Page 75
8. Attracting Publicity:
How to get free publicity for yourself or your business
Page 111
9. Research & Free Marketing Resources:
Our favorite websites and books to help you build
your business
The Marketing Chefs
Page 142
Page 8
1
HOW TO DEFINE
YOUR BUSINESS
> How to get a clear view of your niche
in the marketplace
DEFINING YOUR BUSINESS
Before we begin, let’s take a step back to really analyze the business you’re in. It’s harder than it
sounds. You might think you have one business, but if you examine all aspects, you might find that
you have more than one focus.
For example, a garage makeover specialist might prefer to spend most of his time designing
garage storage systems for car buffs, which is business #1. But serving “one-time” clientele
can mean expensive marketing (continually prospecting for new clients) and might not provide
a stable income. So he might wisely offer garage cleanups. And since he lives in Canada, and his
business is seasonal, he builds workbenches and storage cupboards during the winter months.
So he starts marketing those services too.
Adding each of these businesses makes sense, but it can complicate your focus, since our
makeover specialist really wants to design inviting garages.
For any entrepreneur, it’s important to have an overall concept of your business that logically
covers all the different aspects. After all, you may have separate businesses and marketing plans
for each “business line”.
Clarity leads to understanding
That’s why it’s vital to have a written document that makes it clear what your company does,
where it’s going, your customers and competition, your strengths, experience, and so on. A clear,
concise document leads to clarity and enables everyone involved in your company to share and
understand your mission.
Start by answering a few key questions about your business, product
or service. As a reference document, these answers will come in handy
if you’re preparing a business plan, a website brief, a publicity release
and even a financial plan for the bank or your investors.
MARKETING TIP:
“Most people think
of advertising as a
meaning of attracting
new customers.
But it’s also an
effective way to
remind past
customers
about you.”
The Marketing Chefs
Take the time to answer each question to the best of your ability.
Don’t be hard on yourself. The responses don’t have to be lengthy or
complex. You’re just getting started, gathering the “recipe ingredients”,
so to speak. We’ll refer back to this information as we move through
the workbook exercises so you can always add, edit or delete.
To give you an idea of what we’re looking for, we’ve included the
answers for our business, The Marketing Chefs. You’ll find them on the
following pages.
Page 10
DEFINING YOUR BUSINESS
Workbook Exercise:
FOR A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR BUSINESS, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
….
What is your company name?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How would you describe what your company does?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Who do you see as your primary customers/clients? Any secondary customers?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How would you describe the key product/service of your company?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
List any secondary products/services your company offers.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How would you describe your company’s background and experience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is the objective of any appointment from you or any visit from a prospect?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is your competition?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What makes your business unique or different from competitors?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is your company’s specialty?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Next page.
The Marketing Chefs
Page 11
DEFINING YOUR BUSINESS
Workbook Exercise:
FOR A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR BUSINESS, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
….
What results or benefits do you provide for your customers?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What key problems does your company solve?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Who are your references that might put in a good word for you if asked?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is your closing statement and call to action for whatever you’re selling?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COOKING TIP:
“Tenderloin is the
choicest and most
expensive cut of beef.
The tenderloin is part
of a larger cut called
the short loin which
contains beef's most
tender muscles.”
The Marketing Chefs
Page 12
DEFINING YOUR BUSINESS
HERE’S A “DEFINE YOUR BUSINESS” EXAMPLE FOR THE MARKETING CHEFS
What is your company name?
“The Marketing Chefs”
Who do you see as your primary customers/clients? Any secondary customers?
“Our primary customers are start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners that want to
create awareness to grow their business using smart marketing ideas. Our secondary customers
are experienced owners who want to freshen up their marketing skills, as well as marketing and
advertising managers for smaller companies.”
What does your company offer?
“A comprehensive marketing education program that includes hands-on workshops,
teleseminars, workbooks, online seminars and coaching. As a secondary service, we also offer
the creative and planning services of an advertising agency. The company is run by a seasoned
team of marketing professionals who come from the strategic, writing, art directing and the
Internet field.”
How would you describe what your company does?
“We train and coach small business owners to effectively adapt and use the tools used by the
Fortune 500 companies to grow their businesses. We also do it in an entertaining way, via
workshops that combine cooking and marketing. In addition, we provide creative and planning
services of an advertising agency for those business owners that want help in this area.”
How would you describe your company’s background and experience?
“Senior and experienced marketers from a range of marketing
disciplines—strategy, design, copywriting and Internet. We gained
our experience from working with Fortune 500 companies, agencies
and small independent businesses. All of us have been entrepreneurs
and consultants most of our careers, so we know the issues facing
business owners.”
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
"Loyalty is rarely
a result of quality,
but rather of
exceeding customer's
expectations when
things go wrong."
Page 13
DEFINING YOUR BUSINESS
How would you describe the key product/service of your company?
“We decipher marketing activities and translate the tools into templates that the small business
owner can easily adapt to his or her business.”
What key problems does your company solve?
“Most small business owners come to us when they have a ‘mess.’ They have already started a
number of their communication activities. They have a business card or letterhead, they want to
build a website or put an ad in a local community paper, but they don’t know what to say and are
unsure if the money they spend will translate back into sales.”
“An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger
than the brain cell it occupied." Arnold Glasow
Who are your references?
Our clients include:
Adcom Advertising, Bradley Systems, Andres Wines, Allied Steel Buildings, Berry Health, Boots
Healthcare, Capital One, Extraordinary Vacations, Fulcrum Communications, Future Strategies,
Kraft General Foods, HJ Heinz, Hostess Frito Lay, Leo Burnett Advertising, Lifestyles, Nestlé
Canada, Pepsi Canada, Reckitt Benckiser, Shady Maple Farms, Shoppers Drug Mart, Snack
Alliance, Sunstar Butler, The Loyalty Group – Air Miles, The Toronto Zoo,
Unilever, Wrigley Canada.
What is your closing statement and call to action?
“You need our educational programs and marketing services to grow
your business. Contact me today to sign up for our free group
demonstration at 416-259-6611 or visit our website at
www.TheMarketingChefs.com”
What is your company’s specialty?
“Online and offline communication expertise for small business owners
who are hungry to succeed”
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“A bamboo steamer
set over a wok is also
a great way to steam
halibut, salmon
or striped bass.
Steaming is an
excellent way of
retaining food's
shape, texture and
nutrients.”
Page 14
2
HOW TO CREATE A
MARKETING PLAN
> What goes into a well-defined strategy?
HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN
TO DEVELOP A STRONG MARKETING PLAN YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THREE THINGS:
1. The product or service:
What are you selling, really? This can be something more or different than it might first appear. It’s
certainly something you need to think about. Joanna, the hair salon owner, for example, is not just
selling a haircut service. She is selling a pleasurable experience that makes her clients look and
feel like a million. She pampers her clients. She listens to their stories and commiserates with
their heartaches. What she’s really selling is an indulgent little
luxury.
2. The consumer:
Who are you selling to exactly? If Tom developed a healthy new granola bar, is his target the
fitness crowd? Or teenage girls? Or is his customer the buyer for the grocery store, who doesn’t
care what nutrients go into the bar, as long as it moves off the shelf. Those are a lot of customers
to satisfy. How well do you know your customers? The key to understanding products is
understanding people’s relationships with them. What needs and motives does your
product or service address? What problems does it solve?
3. The marketplace:
How does your product and its advertising fit into the arena around it?
No sale occurs in a vacuum; there’s a good chance other products are similar, and the category
has been advertised to consumers before. They’ve seen it all and used it all. How will your
product stand out in the marketplace? Why should consumers choose it over a competing brand?
In an age of Internet competition, you have to distinguish yourself with more intense customer
service, unusual offerings or the power and personality of your talent.
MARKETING TIP:
"The key to creating
an irresistible offer is
to build value through
benefits and premiums
rather than through
creative price
discounting."
The Marketing Chefs
These are all interesting questions—and all related. You can’t locate
your target market until you know what you’re selling exactly, but you
can’t know exactly what you ought to promise until you locate a target
market and decipher its needs. Nor can you create an effective strategy
until you analyze the marketplace positions your competitors occupy
and successfully differentiate your product from theirs.
Sorting your way through isn’t easy, and every situation will prove
different from the one before. As a business owner, your goal is to
understand the parts of the scenario to see how well they all fit
together—so you can create a communications message that
works, speaks to real people about real needs. And sells like, well,
hotcakes.
Page 16
HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN
Begin your plan by asking: does your product satisfy the real needs and desires
of customers?
Marketing’s central idea is that “people buy products to solve problems.” Products are
problem-solving tools. Products may solve any problem from a physical one all the way up to
a psychological, social or even spiritual one.
For example, when people buy clothes at the Gap instead of at Wal-Mart, they are meeting the
civilized need to cover themselves, certainly, but they aren’t stopping there. They’re also choosing
to buy insurance—fashion insurance. People will pay more for these clothes because they want
to reduce the risk of wearing the wrong ones.
Meeting needs is the basis of all business. You can design a new wonderful machine, but if
it doesn’t satisfy some real and important need or desire, people won’t buy it, and all the
marketing in the world, won’t sell it.
Even Thomas Edison recognized this fact when he said, “Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to
invent.”
The success of a concept often hinges on whether something is newer, better or faster than
anything else. Being new or better can take on many forms:
• Offering something new:
• Offering something better:
• Discovering an underserved or new market:
• Offering a new delivery system or distribution channel:
• Increasing integration:
“Our satisfied users and their word-of-mouth
endorsements have been our most effective
consumer marketing.”
Sergy Brin, Co-founder, Google
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“As a general rule,
cook lean, tender cuts
of beef using quick
methods for short
periods of time; while
tougher, fattier cuts
of beef benefit from
longer cooking
methods.”
Page 17
HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN
MARKETING PLAN TEMPLATE
1. Background.
Key overview of the business and business environment
2. Goals & Objectives.
Set objectives as to sales, market share, profit goals, key market activities you want
to achieve
3. Target Audience.
Define your target audience using demographics & psychographics & potential
numbers as a percentage of the total market
4. Competitive Analysis.
Define your competition - who they are, what marketing activities they do, their
positioning, pricing strategies, estimate of sales and profits
5. Positioning And Brand Character.
Positioning - target audience, frame of reference and point of advantage.
Brand character- if your brand was a person, who would it be?
Key slogans and tag line
6. Communications.
What activities you plan to implement and why
7. Communications Plan.
A chart summarizing all marketing communications activities and why
8. Budgets.
Establish what you will sell and how much you will have to spend to promote your
business. Product costs. Projected sales. Advertising & promotion costs
9. Timelines.
Calendar with work back timelines to ensure implementation of your
programs and activities
The Marketing Chefs
Page 18
3
IDENTIFYING
YOUR CUSTOMER
? ? ? ?
?
?
? ?
?
?
?
> If you want to succeed, you’ve got to really understand
your customers. But who, exactly, is your customer?
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
The term “customer” can be misunderstood. Many business people think of the customer as only
someone who buys or uses their product. You might imagine if you win over those “customers”,
then you’ll be a success.
But often you will have a lot of intermediaries between those who finally buy your product and
those who influence the purchase decision and even those who influence where and how your
product can be sold. And each of them has a role in the fate of your success.
Think about your most lucrative target. If Judy creates an ebook on financial planning geared to
women, should she focus her marketing attention to all single women? Or narrow her focus to
divorced and widowed women? Or should she target the affiliate market, and cut them a deal to
quickly sell her products?
Those are a lot of customers to satisfy along the supply chain. The key to understanding a
product’s value (and its marketing niche) is to understand a person’s relationship with it. For
example, if you’re selling generic table salt, it’s not usually a highly emotional purchase. It’s an
inexpensive kitchen staple, and you don’t need sophisticated marketing or packaging to sell it.
On the other hand, “trendy status” is what helps Chef Stefan market his premium-priced black
lava sea salt obtained from Hawaii. His packaging is upscale and appeals to his customer base
of chefs and gourmets who rave about the flavor and color of his unique salt. (Excellent on raw
black bass, by the way.)
If you had to choose only one area of marketing to focus your efforts
on, it would be to identify first, your customers, and second, identify
their needs and desires.
MARKETING TIP:
“It’s often said there
are customers and
customers. There are
four basic categories:
A, B, C, and D.
Awesome, Basic,
Can’t Deal With and
Dead. You may want to
just deal with the A’s
and B’s—usually 20
per cent of your
customers make up
80% of your business.”
The Marketing Chefs
Truly understanding your customers, in addition to having a realistic
assessment of what your product offers, is invaluable in assisting you
in the development of a successful brand. This information will also
provide insight into how to convey this message in an engaging,
relevant, and consistent manner.
Some questions to consider during this process are:
• Who is your target audience? (be specific and include all
if applicable)
• What does the target audience currently need and desire?
• What does your competitor currently offer?
• How does your product/service fulfill this need better?
• What need does your product/service fulfill that isn't currently
being offered?
• If your competitor offers a similar product, how is yours better?
Page 20
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
ANALYZING YOUR TARGET MARKET
The more clearly you define your target market, the easier it is to shape your marketing activities.
That’s why it’s important to analyze the characteristics of your customer base so you understand
exactly who buys from you. And why.
If you’re just starting out, pay close attention to the customers of your competitors. Chances are,
their customers will have similar characteristics to your target audience. Use that information to
your advantage.
That said, sometimes your competitor is not so much another brand, as much as other ways
consumers spend their money to satisfy the same need. For example, although The Star is one of
four daily newspapers in Toronto, the paper recognizes its chief competitors include local TV and
radio as mediums for retail advertising.
A good understanding of your customers (and prospects) enables you to be much more effective
and efficient in your product development and marketing efforts. It all starts by defining your
customers on the basis of who they are (demographics) and how they behave (psychographics).
Defining your customers by demographics
The easiest way to get a handle on your customers (and their buying
behavior) is to look at them from a demographic viewpoint. This
includes the “outside” physical attributes, as well as socioeconomic
and cultural variables. You’ll want to know their gender and age,
geographic location and mobility, income, occupation and education,
race, nationality, religion, marital and family status.
Every customer is a sum of those parts, and if you think about yourself
for a minute, you’ll see that buying behavior is a direct result of one or
a combination of these demographic characteristics.
COOKING TIP:
“Blanching dense
vegetables like
carrots, squash and
beets can be done a
day ahead of time
to save time.”
Where you live influences what you buy
For example, if you live in Miami instead of Mississauga, consider how
geographical differences dictate everything from the clothing you wear, to the leisure activities
you enjoy, to the utilities you use to the foods you eat. If you’re a single, thirtysomething working
woman, look at how many product needs spring directly from such circumstances. Gender alone
can determine not only what you sell, but how you sell it.
The Marketing Chefs
Page 21
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Fish where the fishing is good
Good marketers track demographics the way fishermen track schools of fish, and for a similar
reason. There’s a marketing maxim that says “fish where the fishing is good.” With obvious
relationships to consumer behavior, demographic data tells marketers where to drop their lines
by indicating what buying patterns are, how they’re concentrated and where they’re headed.
In this next exercise, review the following checklist of demographic attributes and create a
demographic profile on your customers. Remember though, you may have more than one
customer target and more than one purchase influencer.
Workbook Exercise:
(DEMOGRAPHICS) CUSTOMER PROFILE
Gender_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Age____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Income_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Family_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Size____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Language(s) spoken _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Geographical location (region/city/neighborhood)_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Home type (house, apartment,condo, rent or own) ______________________________________________________
Marital Status____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Occupation________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Education___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Race___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nationality_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Marketing Chefs
Page 22
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Psychographics: Defining your customers by attitudes, personality and lifestyle behavior
Although important, demographics alone are not the only way you can locate a customer base
or explain and predict consumer behavior for your product or service.
Think of mountain bikers, for example. They share certain product needs, yet they cut across
many demographic segments. A 40-year old single male biker with an income of $75,000 may be
an electrician, a college professor or an airline pilot, each with a different lifestyle and
consumption pattern.
So, to demographics must be added psychographics—people’s attitudes, opinions and habits,
their personality traits, lifestyles and social class. Think of psychographics as the opposite of
demographics: not the outside of a person’s life, but the inside.
People often express their values and realize their lifestyles with the things they buy. For
example, Susan, a thirtysomething with two young children, is concerned about safety and the
environment. And she’s status conscious, so she buys what her neighbor drives, a hybrid Volvo,
only a different color, because she want to express her individuality. For the local Volvo dealer,
using psychographics helps define target markets, creates customers
profiles and helps the dealer shape an advertising strategy that
targets customers like Susan.
In this next exercise, review the following checklist of psychographic
attributes and create a profile on your customers. Remember though,
you may have more than one customer target and more than one
purchase influencer.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
"An easy way to
up-sell your prospect
is to offer a discount
on the original
product if they buy
a second product.”
Page 23
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Workbook Exercise:
PSYCHOGRAPHICS CUSTOMER PROFILE 1
Beliefs and Opinions
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interests and Tastes
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Lifestyle
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Personality Traits
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Buying behavior: Other ways to define customers
You can also separate customers into groups by the way they think about and use your products
or services. In other words, how they behave with them. By understanding the buying behavior of
a highly specific target, you can make your offer and even the language that goes into your offer,
speak to that audience.
Sometimes it pays to target ex-users or non-users, since those targets
often have less competition. Carving out a larger percentage of a smaller
segment can often be more profitable than getting only a small
percentage of a larger one.
Target customers according to an occasion
An effective way to segment your customers is to analyze when people buy or use your product
or service. Think of the popular holidays—Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s day and so on.
Each gift-giving holiday becomes a way to segment a group.
Rites of passage also give you the opportunity to target customer
groups. People give plants to new home buyers, rings at weddings,
and so on. Even certain times of day or year require purchases—an air
conditioner before summer, burgers for late night eating. Retailers hold
Grand Opening Sales, Anniversary Sales, Back to School Sales—you
name it. There are many ways to sell something by relating it to an
occasion.
Target customers according to benefits sought
What people seek in a product varies, and you can create market
segments appealing to these varying needs. Toothpaste marketing is
a classic case of benefits segmentation. If people want fresh breath,
they buy Close-Up. If they want fewer cavities–Crest; white teeth–
Ultra Brite and so on. Ask yourself what benefits consumers seek
from your products or services and create target markets accordingly.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“Arctic Char is in
the same family as
salmon and trout.
Try alternating them
in your favourite
recipes. Salmon
tends to be larger
than char and will
need longer cooking
times; trout is a
smaller fish and will
need a shorter
cooking time.
Use the internal
temperature of 140°F
as your guide.”
Page 25
BELIEFS AND OPINIONS
Target customers according to usage
Consider your own buying habits: perhaps you’re always running out to buy bread but you rarely
replenish the pickles at the back of the fridge. You buy a new computer every three years, but
would never buy a motorcycle. (Okay, not just yet.) In short, you’re a heavy user of some
products, a light user of others, a non-user of many more products. So is everyone.
So it’s important to understand the consumption levels so you can segment customers on usage
rate. Are your target customers ex-users, light users, first-time users, moderate users, heavy
users. Sell one way to a light user, another way to a heavy user.
Target customers according to loyalty status
Find out who your hardcore loyal users are, and what unites them. What separates them from
semi-loyal users? Consider creating appeals to each level of loyalty. Are they prospects? Leads?
Current customers? Or, the creme de la creme, an evangelist for your product. Again, each target
segment can be marketed to differently. Just remember to reward, or at least acknowledge, your
“evangelist” customers, as they are most effective at selling for you. And hey, their word-ofmouth endorsements are free!
Honk if you’re a Saturn evangelist:
Over the years the Saturn car company
has gotten a lot of free marketing
mileage from their employees and
customers.
That’s why the company rents drive-in
theatres and invites Saturn owners and
employees to a night of free movies and
popcorn and the opportunity to mingle
with a community of like-minded people.
Great publicity, buzz marketing, and a
true grassroots event that turns
customers into evangelists. Can you
create an event for your loyalists?
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
A customer is a smorgasbord of market segments
Let’s face it, your customers probably represent a melting pot of market segments, each defined
by unique demographics, psychographics and other buying behaviors. Combine these indexes to
target your likeliest customers. Even for a small business owner, segmenting your market helps
clarify things. Get to know what motivates each consumer group, what benefits they see in your
product, when they use it, and so on.
Embrace the opportunity to market to a target audience. If you own a bed and breakfast inn, for
example, you might target retirees, or gays or newlyweds. Or all three. (Remember, McDonalds
successfully targets children and parents and teens.) Be consistent in your branding, but use
language and benefits that appeal to your target customers. If you try to broadly sell to everyone
with a message and a language that is soft and bland as oatmeal, then you’re asking for failure.
Remember, there is no future for products everybody likes a little, only for products somebody
likes a lot.
To clarify: Be as creative as you can when identifying all the ways you can define your target
audience. This will help you later in the creative process as you start to think about cross
promotions, relevant media strategies and focused copy points.
Beyond demographics and psychographics, target audiences can be segmented in a variety of
ways, including:
Retail
Business
Industrial
Manufacturing
Online
Offline
Primary user
Secondary user
The Marketing Chefs
Non-user
Light user
Lapsed user
Heavy user
Suspect
Prospect
Evangelist
COOKING TIP:
“To instantly stop hot
or steamed vegetables
from further cooking,
plunge them into a
bowl of iced water
or place under cold
running water. For long
beans especially, this
method perks up the
color too.”
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Creating a customer profile
The following are examples of customer profiles that you might include in a creative brief.
The profiles were created to help the agency writer, art director or designer understand the
target audience on the basis of who they are and how they behave.
Getting a good handle on your customer helps you determine, among other things, language to
use, promotions to offer, even the advertising mediums to recommend. So, the more you can
flesh out your customers, the easier it is to sell to them.
Berry Wise Nutritional Supplement: (A new berry-based nutritional supplement made with
nine berries, 12 essential vitamins, nine minerals, four fibers and a high dose of antioxidants)
www.berrywiseinc.com
Primary Purchaser/User:
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
Female – head of household (women are chief vitamin buyers)
Age 45 plus
Lives in Canada and U.S.
University educated
Uses Internet to seek info
Income $75K plus
Health-conscious
Amateur nutritionists
Want control over their lives
Want to live longer
Want to age gracefully
Currently use supplements
Fit & active lifestyle
Uses health food stores
Buys organic & natural foods
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Virtually every person
who is online sends
and receives email,
but not everyone
surfs the web. Email
provides greater
visibility for any
Internet marketer.
Email is also a far
better vehicle than a
website for collecting
info, as well as for
developing a
dedicated following.”
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Customer Profile: For A Travel Agency
Let’s look at a typical customer profile for online marketer Tripcentral.ca
£ $100K household income (because a mass marketer draws a range
of demographics and market segments)
£ Primarily from households with available disposable income
£ Primarily mass vacation traveler (charter)
£ Likes quality 4 star accommodation
£ Winter-sun vacations south/ Summer—trips across Canada & Europe
£ Computer savvy
£ Urban/Suburban
£ Family size 2-4
COOKING TIP:
“Potatoes in Irish
Stew recipes are often
cut in two different
ways to serve different
purposes. The sliced
potatoes break down
during the long cooking and thicken the
stew without the
addition of flour. The
halved potatoes cook
to tender and add soft
bite to the stew.”
The Marketing Chefs
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Workbook Exercise:
FOR A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR BUSINESS, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ….
1. Write a brief description of your customer keeping in mind demographics,
psychographics, and buying behavior. Also note if they are the primary buyer
or secondary buyer.
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Write a brief description of the person who influences the purchase of your
product or service. Again, keep in mind demographics, psychographics, and buying
behavior.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Who’s your customer? A fun psychological way to define your target audience
As we said earlier, in marketing we try to understand customers based on similar characteristics
or patterns of behavior. So if you’ve developed a new technology widget, you’ll probably want to
target leaders, or “early adopters” and get them to help spread the word.
Which brings us to another psychological way to profile consumers– it’s referred to as the “bird”
model (dove, owl, peacock, eagle).
When we conduct research for clients, or prepare a brief for a creative team, we’ll often round
out a consumer profile using this predictive model. The exercise is fun to do, and you can ask your
customers to categorize themselves based upon the values associated with the models below.
“Bird” Model
Here’s what to do. Ask your customers which birds they identify with most strongly. Often they’ll
pick one or two bird models. The behavioral styles for each bird can give you ideas about the
strategy, language, tone or style you might use to win over your target audience. Depending on
your product or service, you might find that one behavioral style dominates as your primary
customer.
For example, if you’re marketing a “green” household cleaner to an
Owl, you might load up with rational facts and statistics. To a Dove,
you might use emotional images and language, and appeal to her warm
mothering instincts.
MARKETING TIP:
“For low cost
marketing, create a
memorable title for
yourself. The business
cards of one husbandand-wife team refer
to them as ‘Dad’ and
‘Mom’ because their
furniture store is
named after their
children.”
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
DOVE STYLE
Positive
Supportive
Reliable
Pleasant
Negative
Complying
Retiring
Soft Hearted
OWL STYLE
Positive
Diligent
Persevering
Creative
The Marketing Chefs
Negative
Picky
Righteous
Stiff
PEACOCK STYLE
Positive
Invigorating
Optimistic
Animated
Negative
Excitable
Impatient
Manipulative
EAGLE STYLE
Positive
Firm
Comprehensive
Productive
Negative
Uncompromising
Overbearing
Pressuring
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Summary of “Bird” Behavioral Characteristics
DOVE
PEACOCK
OWL
EAGLE
The Marketing Chefs
• Slow at taking action and making decisions
• Likes close, personal relationships
• Dislikes interpersonal conflict
• Supports and “actively” listens to others
• Weak at goal setting and self direction
• Has excellent ability to gain support from others
• Works slowly and cohesively with others
• Seeks security and belongingness
• Good counselling skills
• Spontaneous actions and decisions
• Likes involvement
• Dislikes being alone
• Exaggerates and generalizes
• Tends to dream and get others caught up in the dreams
• Jumps from one activity to another
• Works quickly and excitedly with others
• Seeks esteem and acknowledgment
• Good persuasive skills
• Cautious actions and decisions
• Likes organization and structure
• Dislikes involvement
• Asks many questions about specific details
• Prefers objective, task-oriented, intellectual
work environment
• Wants to be right, so can be overly reliant on
data collection
• Works slowly and precisely alone
• Good problem solving skills
• Decisive actions and decisions
• Likes control, dislikes inaction
• Prefers maximum freedom to manage himself and others
• Cool, independent and competitive
• Low tolerance for feelings, attitudes and advice of others
• Works quickly and impressively alone
• Good administrative skills
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Which target audience personality fits your product or service?
Here’s a quick little exercise. Check your business card and write down what personality it
conveys. Is it appropriate and does it address the personality of your primary target audience?
What helps convey that personality—is it the type style? The colors you chose? Is it your name?
Do the same personality exercise for your letterhead or storefront sign.
Workbook Exercise:
BUSINESS CARD PERSONALITY
The personality my business card conveys is:
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The personality my letterhead conveys is:
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Page 34
IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
The wonders of research
What do grown-ups read in newspapers? The comics? The editorials? The weather? The stock
market? The sports pages? The main news items? The columnists? Until George Gallop came
along, editors hadn’t the foggiest idea who read what.
Gallop invented a method of measuring readership. By interviewing a sample of readers, he took
them through the paper and had them point to the things they read. Turns out, people read the
comics more than the editorials. And the photo captions more than the articles.
Yes, editorial writers were miffed, but that’s the power of research. Today, readership reports
tell advertisers how well their ads get read. Or how poorly. Here’s something else to keep in mind,
thanks to Mr. Gallop: when you create print ads, write captions under your photos to boost
readership and your selling argument.
Vanilla, chocolate or strawberry: what do people like best?
The point is this: if you’re a businessperson, and you need information on customers, pricing,
or creative positioning to help develop your communications/marketing plan, consider market
research for answers. Research can get consumer reaction to the formulation, color, fragrance
or packaging of your new product when it’s still in the conceptual stage. If it’s not working, fix it
before you spend any more money.
COOKING TIP:
“When cutting apples
into slices or chunks,
sprinkle them with
lemon juice or lemonlime soda to keep
them from turning
brown. They can also
be soaked in apple
juice to keep them
from turning brown.”
Sure, sometimes you know, based upon intuition or firsthand experience, very clearly who your customer is. Sometimes your hunch is right,
other times it’s off, and you could be missing out on a lucrative target
you never even considered. Or, you could be missing out on a product
or service that customers really would like to buy from you.
Let’s say you developed a tasty new pet food for dogs. Your customers
will be dog owners, right? Probably. However, you won’t always know if
you should target just dog owners or include pet owners with dogs and
cats. Is there a difference between owners of big dogs and little toy
dogs? Owners of puppies and mature dogs? What’s the difference
between owners that keep their pets indoors versus outdoors?
Research can help determine if you’re barking up the wrong tree,
marketing-wise.
Quantitative vs. Qualitative—what’s the difference?
In the marketing world, there are two formal types of research: qualitative and quantitative. To
distinguish between the two, think of the difference between quality (qualitative) and quantity
(quantitative).
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Qualitative research involves an in-depth understanding of human behavior. It looks at the
“attitudes”, “image” or “feelings” a person might have about your product or service. Simply put,
it’s the why and how of decision-making. Qualitative research usually involves smaller but
focused samples of people rather than large random samples. Because you can probe deeper,
you’ll get a better understanding of motivation, but because of the small sample (usually 5-15 in
a focus group), it’s not statistically accurate.
Quite the opposite, quantitative research is the investigation of quantitative properties, like
numbers. It usually involves large groups, say 100 or more with consistent profiles (e.g. all cat
owners aged 25-35). Quantitative research investigates the what, where, and when. It’s ideal
when you need answers from large random samples— quantitative research is what pollsters,
for example, use to predict what percentage of the population will vote for candidate A versus
candidate B.
How Hyundai chose its first car colors
When Hyundai wanted to introduce its cars in Canada, they didn’t know what colors would
most appeal to Canadian drivers. Hyundai’s advertising agency suggested an inexpensive
and accurate way to find the answer: quantitative research, with a twist. Rather than
conduct focus groups and probe the ‘color attitudes” of consumers, the agency sent a
photographer to the top of the Toronto CN tower to photograph a view of the parking lots in
the vicinity. The images were enlarged and the car colors were counted: The winners?
silver, red and blue, the colors Hyundai picked for its successful launch. In essence, that’s
what quantitative research involves—numerical data from a large random sample survey.
Informal “grandmother” research
Not all research is formal. Many small businesses conduct what we
call “grandmother research.” You simply gather a group of family and
friends (grandmothers too!) and ask if they like the idea, the color, the
shape, the package, the pictures, the words, and so on.
While informal research is certainly less expensive, it’s usually a biased
opinion, because no one wants to offend you. Or hurt your feelings.
(Besides, family and friends aren’t necessarily the target for your
product or service.) While informal research can confirm a “hunch”
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“An inexpensive way
to drive prospects to
your website is to join
a ‘banner exchange’
and trade advertising
banners with other
related websites.
Look under ‘banner
exchange’ on search
engines.”
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Just because you like it, doesn’t mean your target audience will
David Ogilvy was a researcher before he founded Ogilvy and Mather, today one of the largest
advertising agencies in the world. Ogilvy tells the story of how he used research to settle
marketing arguments. For example, when Lord Geddes became Chairman of British Travel, he
wanted Ogilvy to feature trout fishing in advertisements—until Ogilvy pulled out a survey chart
that showed fishing interested American tourists the least of all 49 subjects tested.
That bit of research saved the client millions.
Research on a shoestring
Formal research can be time-consuming and costly, especially for small
business owners. However, you can use a variety of tools to reduce the
expense of primary research.
For example, you can do an Internet search and find lots of data and
statistics on your product category. One of our favorite research tools
is Google Answers—(answers.google.com/answers). While the service
is discontinued, you can still find the answers to queries on thousands
of subjects that have been investigated by Google researchers.
Wickipedia.com is another great website and research tool to use
for almost any subject matter. This continually updated Internet
encyclopedia is written by experts, professionals and consumers alike,
all happy to share their experiences and statistics on practically any
subject under the sun.
COOKING TIP:
“To remove the onion
odor from your hands,
rub a piece of lemon in
salt and then squeeze
the juice on your
hands, rub the juice in,
and then rinse it off.”
Keeping customers for life
You can do research in your own store or business by observing and recording customer
behavior. Ask customers for feedback, and to share their experiences, positive or negative.
Sure it’s tempting to dismiss their advice because it often comes in form of complaints. Instead,
look for ways to make their suggestions work in a positive light. Customer complaints can be a
good way to improve your company or product and service, and keep customers for life.
Hand out in-store surveys. Ask customers to provide their zip or postal code. (It’s a great way to
build a mailing list.) If you have a website, provide an online survey and ask for comments about
your product or service. Offer an incentive to respond. If you have their email address, send them
a “thank you”—it’s a quick, simple, inexpensive way to build a relationship.
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Here’s an interesting note: Researchers found that you can increase response to a survey when
you offer a donation to a charity for each returned survey. People feel good about a charity
donation. A similar approach can be applied to get new customers to consider your company.
Offer a donation for a test drive or for a demonstration of your product. Better yet, give your
customers a choice of three different charities.
Research from employees
Your employees (even if you have just one or two) can provide a rich source of insight and advice
for your company. Ask for their ideas, and listen to them carefully. When you can, act on their
suggestions. When employees know their advice is valued and welcomed, they’ll contribute more
and create a motivated environment. They’ll look for ways to improve things. Besides, employees
often know, more than owners, what is working and what isn’t. Use that research to improve your
operations.
Additional research resources
One other thing: No matter what business you’re in, or want to start, there’s probably an
organization you can turn to for help.
Dream of becoming a freelance closet organizer? Check out
http://www.closetorganizersusa.com/
How about starting a magic business in Hong Kong?
There’s the http://www.magic.org.hk/
The number of industry organizations and professional societies is
staggering. Almost all have websites you can use to search information.
So visit, browse, join, ask questions. Research.
Check the reference section of this workbook for a list of other free
research resources.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“How you present
yourself should be
carried through in
everything you do.
An advertising agency,
known for its fun
creativity, welcomes
visitors by a receptionist whose title card
reads ‘Director of First
Impressions.’
It’s a small thing, but it
can make a favorable
impression.”
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IDENTIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER
Workbook Exercise:
QUESTIONS ON TARGET AUDIENCE:
1. Who is my target audience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are their demographics?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are their psychographics?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Based upon psychographics, what hypothesis can I make about my target audience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What motivates them?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Are they the primary buyer or an influencer/gatekeeper?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why is it important for me to understand my target audience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Where will I use my target audience definition in my marketing efforts to guide me?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. From doing this exercise, did I learn that there was something I can add to my letter
head or business card or name to strengthen my target audience’s understanding of why
I have the correct product or service for them?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What research tools might I use to help me support and define my target audience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Marketing Chefs
Page 39
4
TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO
BENEFITS
YOUR PRODUCT IS:
Mountain Grown
Quick Brewed
Inexpensive
o
o
o
> A feature is like an ingredient—how do you make it
more appetizing to your customers?
TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
What can you do to make your marketing more effective in getting sales? Tell the benefits.
Let potential customers know immediately why they should be doing business with you. Not
because you have vats and boilers to sell them. But because you offer them the potential of
growing rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Be like Samuel Johnson and learn to turn
features into benefits. It’s something to keep in
mind when marketing your business, product
or service.
How many times have you seen ads or
commercials where people talk about how long
they’ve been in business, how many stores they
have, or how many generations the business
has been handed down, and so on. That’s a
waste of advertising dollars. None of these
things really interest the reader or listener
because there’s no clear benefit.
When renowned American beer-maker
Samuel Johnson auctioned off the
contents of his Anchor brewery he
made the following promise: We are
not here to sell boilers and vats, but
the potential of growing rich beyond
the dreams of avarice. Well said,
Mr. Johnson. And a good example
of the importance to link features
with benefits.
To make your product or service matter to consumers you need to promise benefits, not just
enunciate features. Communicate what your product or service will do to make their lives easier,
better or healthier. Show how your widget will save them time and money. Explain how your
service will make them feel safe, loved or accepted in certain social groups. Look at the following
features and resulting benefits:
Feature:
Self-cleaning button on an oven.
Benefits:
No more smelly scrubbing, sore hands, backaches or all-day labor
Feature:
Online support .
Benefits:
You can can relax, feel good about their choice and realize you’re
not alone with complicated technology
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Page 41
TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
Feature:
Compact digital hearing aid
Benefits:
More than just better audio, you’ll have the confidence to speak out,
interact with others, and improve your relationship with your family
and friends
Feature:
1.42 GHZ PowerPC Processor
Benefits:
You’ll exercise your skills quickly, stimulate your senses faster
and have bragging rights over friends who have smaller powered
computers.
Translating features into benefits ultimately requires an understanding of consumer behaviors.
What do people want in the material world? How many needs do they have?
The following list is taken from Robert Settle and Pamela Alreck’s
Why They Buy: American Consumption Inside and Out:
£ Achievement
£ Independence
£ Exhibition
£ Recognition
£ Dominance
£ Affiliation
£ Nurturance
£ Succorance
£ Sexuality
£ Diversion
£ Novelty
£ Understanding
£ Consistency
£ Security
MARKETING TIP:
“A few drops of
vinegar added to the
water when boiling
potatoes will help
maintain their white
color.”
As a businessperson, the real question to answer is what do consumers get out of your product
or service? Always ask who cares? And what’s the payoff? That’s the benefit.
When you’re trying to sell a product and begin listing benefits, from most important to least, you
immediately ask: Important to whom?
The list varies depending on who’s buying.
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TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THAT? (WSGAT)
At first it may seem hard to distinguish between a feature and benefit. To help you get a better
handle on this important difference, we suggest using a simple tool called the WSGAT (What’s so
good about that) learned from Bob Circosta of the Home Shopping Network. The WSGAT tool is a
simple chart that gets you organized by forcing you to list all your product or service features you
can think of, followed by the question: What is so good about that (WSGAT). The answer is your
benefit:
Summary:
Features: The practical side. Characteristics, facts or ingredients that physically describe your
product or service.
Benefits: The emotional side. Describes how the product or service helps solve a problem.
Tells customers what they will gain by using the product.
Features/Benefits Template:
On the left hand side of a sheet of paper (see next page) write down the features of your product
or service. Don’t worry about listing them in order of importance—you can do that later. You can
list as many features as you can think of and edit them later too.
On the corresponding right side, describe the benefit of that feature.
Think like a customer and when you describe your feature, ask yourself:
What’s So Good About That? (WSGAT)
COOKING TIP:
“If you need to peel
tomatoes before
adding them to a
recipe in which they
will be cooked, cut
them in half and place
them face down on
a microwave safe
plate. Microwave the
tomatoes for
approximately
5 minutes and the
skins should peel
off easily.”
The Marketing Chefs
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TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
Workbook Exercise:
WSGAT: WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THAT?
Product or Service Features
The Marketing Chefs
WSGAT
(What’s so good
about that?)
Product or Service Benefits
Page 44
TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
A sample of a WSGAT Chart for a Child’s Financial Planning Booklet
FEATURES
WSGAT
(What’s so good
about that?)
BENEFITS
Simple to use
Easy to implement
Easy to learn
Kids understand
Fun
Kids will engage
Structures money like real life
Angel, plan, wealth, fun & learn
All bundled – one stop shopping
Convenient – saves time
Visually fun
Kids like it, engages kids
Educational but fun
Kids don’t feel it is like homework, like to use it
Changes values & behavior
Kids learn to be smart consumers
Opens the dialogue on money, makes money
everyone’s topic
Easy way to introduce the topic of money into
the family, don’t have to talk about your money
Affordable – good value
Save the money you spent on it in the first
month
Children have their own real money to spend and
make decisions (with guidance from parents)
Stops children from whining & begging
Children always want something
& are asking
Mom becomes the good guy. Turns no into yes
Kids have control over their own money. Sense of
trust
Builds self confidence & self esteem
There is a charity component
Teaches social responsibility
Changes children’s attitudes towards items
they buy
Learning responsibility with their purchases
Life long learning
Life skill you keep for life
Promotes education
Kids are always learning & growing
Children as young as 4 can learn about money
The earlier you start the better the foundation
Let’s you assess your money spending
Parents actually save money
Saves you money
You have more discretionary spending
Parents are supported
They know they are doing it right
Proven researched & tested
Believable & consistent
Money back guarantee
100% of those that have tried it love it
Repeatable process
Life long, builds good habits
Mutual expectations on outcomes
Family harmony
The Marketing Chefs
Page 45
TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
A sample of a WSGAT Chart for a Berry Nutrient Powder
FEATURES
WSGAT
(What’s so good
about that?)
BENEFITS
Made from 100% naturally sourced berries and
fibers
Good for you
Contains nutrients found in blueberries & other
berries
Known to be healthy & high in antioxidants
Fortified food supplement
One source. Comes naturally from fresh fruit
Great berry taste
Makes it easy to drink or eat daily (high
compliance)
Boost nutritional intake
Makes you healthy. Helps you make up for
what you miss in a busy day
Contains 12 essential vitamins
A&B vitamins C, D, E. Each serving
approximately 30% of the daily requirement
Contributes to good health by regulating the
metabolism and hormone synthesis, enables
the body to quickly and accurately perform its
activities.
Excellent source of antioxidants
Antioxidants boost your immune system,
thereby helping to reduce infection, part of the
energy metabolism and helps slow down aging.
Contains 9 essential minerals. Calcium, Iron,
Potassium. Selenium, Copper, Iodine,
Phosphorus, Magnesium, Zinc. Each serving
approximately 30% of the daily requirement
Contributes to good health by regulating the
metabolism and assisting in the processes that
releases energy from digested food
4 Fiber source
Because of the refinement of food it is hard
to eat all the fiber you need – good for the
digestive tract health, helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, cancer. It also lowers blood
cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar levels
9 berry sources. Wild & cultivated
Blueberries, Acai (tropical palmberries)
Cranberries, Black Raspberries,
Red Raspberries, European Bilberries
Elderberries, Strawberries, Boysenberries
Red Grapes
Variety provides great taste
Variety of berries provides lots of different
vitamins & minerals your body needs daily for
healthy living
The Marketing Chefs
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TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
Using research to help define your features and benefits
In most instances you probably know intuitively or by experience, the key features and benefits
of your product or service. But sometimes, how you describe those things will vary by target
audience. For example, a mother wants her child’s breakfast cereal to be nutritious and healthy.
Her six-year, however, wants cereal that is noisy, tasty, fun to eat and share. The grocery store
manager wants a cereal priced to move off the shelf. When it’s obvious what your primary
benefits are, it’s easy to complete the WSGAT exercise to help create the selling copy that will
resonate with your target audience.
Sometimes you won’t be sure what your audience really wants. Or wants to hear. Or what
feature/benefit is going to trigger a purchase. Once again, market research comes into play.
This fact might be useful to know if you’re marketing a green household cleaner to Canadian
consumers. Your features and benefits WSGAT exercise suggests you can either hype the environmental issue, or position your cleaning product around safety and health issues, especially
to moms with young children.
Which route would you go? Both positions make a compelling benefits story.
If this were our money, we’d first research the bigger market opportunity by size of the potential
target audience. We’d find out as much
information as we can about the issues most important to them.
We might also look up which positioning—“children’s health and
safety” or the “environment” has more competition in the cleaner
marketplace. Once you have all the variables on the table, you can
calculate the bigger financial opportunity.
Of course, to the mix, you need to define your passion as it relates to
your product or service.
If your passion is “children and safety” more than “the environment”,
then you know which features and benefits to focus on.
Section 8 gives you lots of research resources, so check them out.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Create a unique email
signature to use at the
end of email messages
to better brand your
company. Include
all your contact
information, as well as
promotional messages
to call attention to
something special.
E.g: Free shipping until
December 31 for all
online orders placed on
www.mycompany.com.”
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TRANSLATING FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
Summary: Questions to Consider on Features & Benefits
1. What are the key features of your product or service? (top 3-4)
2. What are the key benefits of your product or service? (top to 3-4)
3. Who is your primary target audience? refer back to section 3
4. What benefit does your key competitor provide for your target audience?
5. What benefit does your product provide for your target audience that is different
from your competition? Is this difference a big idea or just a small difference?
6. What research might you need to confirm which feature and benefit matters
most to your target audience? (What questions do you want answered?)
The Marketing Chefs
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5
POSITIONING
YOUR PRODUCT
> Learn how to give your product or service
a strong voice in the marketplace
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Why do some people choose Reebok, while others choose Nike or Adidas? Have they tried
all three and compared how fast they can run with one brand over the other?
Probably not.
The reality is, each of these three brands has a different positioning for their brand image, which
appeals to different kinds of people. It isn’t the shoes that consumers choose, it’s the image the
shoes represent. Brand image is 90 percent of what the shoe marketer has to sell. And
positioning helps shape the personality of your brand image.
If you stand for everything, you stand for nothing. That’s why the essence of positioning is
sacrifice—deciding what’s important, what can be cut away and left behind, reducing your
perspective to a very narrow point of view. Keith Reinhart, chairman, DDB Needham
THE POWER OF POSITIONING
Consumers will intuitively “position” a product against similar or related products. Each product
is given an evaluation, a definition or a ranking compared to other products or services. People
will then condense their estimate into one (and often permanent) perception. Pepsi is for those
who think young. Cheer is all-temperature. Apple is for those who think different.
Let’s say you’re introducing a new house painting service in your town. You probably won’t have
any real positioning in the consumer’s mind, except that you probably rank low in their index of
similar established services. But your name, your business card, your truck graphics, style of
advertising and above all, the nature of your service itself, should be
thought of as a contribution to your positioning.
To be successful, a product or service must carve out for itself an
identity that is not only distinct in the marketplace, (how people will
recognize it) but also viable, (how worthwhile is it to buy).
How to create a positioning
In essence, positioning is how your target market defines you in
relation to your competition. What space does your product occupy
in consumers’ minds? Some products have a strong positioning.
Others are weak. But every product has some kind of positioning,
even if it’s at the bottom of the rung.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Once you have a
domain name, place
your URL on every
marketing and
business document.
Let your company be
known and promote
it everywhere.”
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Discovering and then expressing a distinct competitive positioning should become a goal of your
advertising. And it starts with the development of a good positioning statement. It gives you a
starting point. We like to suggest that a good positioning statement should contain a ‘hint’ of the
following elements. (Many slogans or theme lines are simply crystallized positioning statements.)
Your target audience definition (see section 3)
A competitive frame of reference
A point of advantage (see section 4)
To help clarify your positioning, the next step is to ask the following questions:
1. What makes your product/service unique or distinct? Preemptive?
2. What position does your product/service now occupy?
3. What positions do your competitors’ products occupy?
4. Does your target audience see a real benefit from your offering?
5. Do you have a foundation for building your relationship with your target?
If you don’t have the answers, you may have to refine your product or service before you enter
the market. Why spend time and money trying to communicate a weak-positioned product or
service? Every year more than 20,000 new products are introduced in America, and 90 per cent of
them fail, often because of weak positioning. That’s why it’s important to get all your ducks in
order beforehand.
A good positioning strengthens everything
Positioning is important because you’re competing in an environment
blaring with marketing noise. And not just from your competitors.
The average person is bombarded with more than 3000 advertising
messages each day. Seven days a week.
Positioning is important to win the attention of your consumers and to
build a relationship with them. If you can stand out with a unique or
slightly distinct benefit or a preemptive claim, you have a better chance
at getting their attention and being successful.
For decades Folger’s emphasized that its coffee was “mountain
grown.” All coffee is mountain grown, but Folger’s said it first,
which made it their preemptive claim to consumers. Folgers has
owned that positioning for years. If you have a parity product,
preempt your competitors by being the first to make a claim.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“Don't throw out
sprouting garlic.
Instead, plant the
cloves fairly close
together in a pot or in
the garden (if your
climate is suitable at
the time). The new
shoots that appear
will have a mild garlic
flavor and can be used
in the same manner as
regular chives.”
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Positioning leads to clarity
In addition to helping to define your strengths, positioning gives you clarity. It forces you to slow
down, step back and stop trying to be all things to all people. This is why many small business
owners get stuck. They try to do too much, follow too many good ideas and can’t sort out what
they want to do. So they either try to do it all, or they freeze and fail to make any decision.
This stage is sometimes called the FEAR Factor—the place where we get confused, and quite
often, we stop making decisions. In doing so, we allow our fears (lack of money, lack of time,
lack of education) stop us from proceeding. It’s frustrating and unhealthy. As a small business
owner, we must never stop trying to move forward and finesse our positioning—it’s really the
foundation of your business. Positioning is like a core body workout. Get it right and your
business will remain healthy.
To reconfirm, a positioning statement contains three things:
1. A target audience definition
2. A competitive frame of reference
3. A point of advantage
Let’s take a moment and review the key questions (on the next page) you need to ask yourself
about your product or service to help build your positioning statement.
In moving through each question generate as many answers as you
can. We are not moving to a final positioning statement yet.
MARKETING TIP:
“Know your competitors. Knowing
everything about your
competitors is just as
important as knowing
everything about your
own business.
If marketing online,
analyze your
competitors’ sites to
check for information
and traffic. It’s easy,
just go to Alexa.com
and download the free
analytic software.”
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Workbook Exercise:
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKET
1. Who uses my product or service? = Target audience
Generate a list of possible target audiences (Section 3)
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2. Who are my competitors and how do they position their product
or service? = Frame of Reference
Generate a list of possible competitors and their positioning
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Workbook Exercise:
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKET
1. What makes my product better or different than what is currently available?
(Point of Advantage) Sometimes called a Unique Selling Proposition: (You should
buy a _______ because it’s the only one that __________.” E.g. M&Ms “melt in
your mouth, not in your hands.” This is also the place to make a preemptive claim,
if you can. E.G “Mountain Grown” coffee. Generate a list of possible advantages
(use ideas from your WSGAT chart in Section 4 )
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
An example of a positioning statement for a service:
The following example shows how easy it is to create a positioning statement. We’ll use the story
of Alex Mandossian, a former Madison Avenue copywriter who switched gears 10 years ago and
headed to the online world. Today Alex is ranked among the ten most successful Internet
marketers in North America.
More specifically, Alex defines himself as a traffic conversion strategist—in other words, he
“teaches small business owners how to turn first time website visitors into paying customers.”
Who is Alex’s target audience? Small business owners and entrepreneurs.
What is Alex’s frame of reference? Traffic converters. Remember, in Internet marketing you have
traffic generators and traffic converters. By focusing his competitive target on website visitors
(converters), Alex sliced this arena in half. While he reduced his audience, he increased his
chance of success because he focused his energy on a niche target.
What is Alex’s point of advantage? Turns first time website visitors into paying customers.
A positioning statement is often part of an internal document you might refer to. The statement
isn’t always what the consumer sees or hears. For Alex, his positioning has not been crafted
into a “memorable” slogan. Yet.
Consumers buy benefits, not positioning statements
Keep in mind that your positioning statement doesn’t have to describe
a consumer benefit. It’s not an ad, it’s your internal reference of how
you want to be perceived in the marketplace. For example, Alex’s
positioning statement states…”turns a first time visitor into a paying
customer.” He does not tell you how he does it, nor does he tell the
customer what the benefit is – we assume the benefit is that the
customer will make more sales and (hopefully) more money.
In describing your Point of Advantage (the element that makes you
unique or different), you must consider how to position that difference
in a way that consumers understand. For example, Tide might be
different because it’s positioned as containing unique cleaning
enzymes. But remember, the consumer does not buy enzymes. He or
she buys a proposition that offers cleaner clothes or better smelling
clothes, or softer clothes, or brighter clothes. That’s the benefit.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“When storing carrots,
remove the tops
because they will
draw water from the
carrots and cause
them to wilt. If carrots
wilt, cut one end off
and stand them up in a
glass of cold water to
crisp them up again.”
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
To review, a positioning statement contains three elements, all of them critical to how consumers
think of you and their relationship with your brand:
1. A target audience definition
2. A frame of reference (the competitive arena surrounding your product)
3. A point of advantage
Case Study:
Example of a positioning statement for a product: e.g. Jello
Sometimes a brand can have more than one positioning statement. After all, your product may
have a multitude of target audiences, and how you speak to them varies on their relationship
with your product. As an example, let’s look at a product like Jello to help clarify the different
positionings available.
What is Jello’s target audience?
Let’s start by asking: who is the target audience for Jello? Is it the person who eats Jello? Or is it
the person who buys Jello? Should you advertise to the buyer or the end user? Most people
might say it’s the Jello purchaser we should to talk to. In this instance our key target is moms or
cooks. But keep in mind, other targets and influencers could be:
Kids
Grandparents
Dads
Dieters
Families
Everyone who likes jiggly desserts
What is Jello’s frame of reference? (product arena/competitive category)
Gelatin
Fun food for kids
Desserts
Kids’ desserts
Salads
Family desserts
Jellied salads Low calorie desserts
What makes Jello unique or different?
Fun
Creative
Quick
Flexible – many uses
Inexpensive
Now what is Jello’s positioning? In this instance, it’s not so easy to figure out. This is where many
small businesses owners often get stuck: you have a mix of options and you’re not sure which
one to pick.
Your intuition says you should have only one positioning. But it’s too hard to choose. Since you
can’t figure it out, you might be tempted to skip the positioning process. You jump to the next step,
and work on your branding, logo development, catchy copy lines, research or choosing your
media. In essence, you are forcing yourself to work backwards at what you want to say.
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Think about the hypothetical situation on the previous page. You just gave away your power.
Odds are, you’ll enter the marketplace with a lackluster message that lacks focus and connection
with your consumers. By the next quarter you’ll wonder why you failed to meet your sales target.
Sorting through your options
Typically our mind tries to sort, or at least rank, these options. Or, based
upon one strong piece of information, we pick one element for the
positioning. We could decide on a “point of advantage” and force-fit
that advantage into a positioning statement.
For example, in the case of Jello, we know that kids really like it. So we
can pick a target: (Mom’s with kids) and say to them: Jello is the brand
of gelatin that makes fun desserts for kids. But how do you know if this
is the best positioning to take? Should this be the only position for
Jello? While the positioning certainly seems valid, perhaps it’s not the
most lucrative from a marketing viewpoint.
COOKING TIP:
“When cleaning
mushrooms, avoid
using water because
it will reduce their
flavor. Use a brush to
clean sand, grit and
other debris from the
pits and ridges.”
What are Jello’s positioning options?
Based on our knowledge of the product and its many uses, Jello could
be positioned the following ways:
To moms with kids, Jello is the brand of gelatin that makes fun desserts for kids
To cooks, Jello is the cooking ingredient that has endless creative dessert applications
To weight-watchers, Jello is the brand that makes delicious low-calorie desserts
In the case of Jello, these are all viable positioning statements and you may have seen advertising
that reflects all three positions. Of course, unlike small business owners, Jello has the budget to
talk to these different target audiences in different media vehicles.
The brand uses television to target moms, cooking magazines for cooks and low-cal food
magazines for weight watchers.
Since most small businesses don’t have the luxury of a huge marketing budget like Jello does, you
must adapt. Narrow your positioning to the one that is the most powerful and unique, or the one
that will generate the greatest number of sales. Or follow the positioning you are passionate
about—never underestimate the power of passion to help sell your products and services.
Your customers will detect it, and reward you for it.
Keep in mind the phrase “get rich in your niche.” Decide what’s important, narrow your focus
and pinpoint the one positioning you feel will generate the most sales. You can expand beyond it,
but later.
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Positioning checklist:
The differences promoted for your product or service should be:
Important: Your difference delivers a highly valued benefit to the target buyers
Distinctive: Your product difference is unique from your competitors
Superior: Your difference offers a superior benefit to your customer
Communicable: Your difference can be easily explained and communicated
Preemptive: Competitors cannot easily copy your difference
Affordable: Buyers can afford to pay the difference
Profitable: You can market your difference in a profitable way
Or sometimes, you simply need to be first with a solution to someone’s problem
MARKETING TIP:
“A tagline doesn’t
have to be memorable
to everyone to be
effective—it just has
to be memorable to
your customers.”
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Workbook Exercise:
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKEPLACE
Answer yes or no. And why?
1. Is my brand perceived as the only game in town?
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2. Do people consider my brand first and price later?
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3. Is my brand perceived as sufficiently special that prospective clients/customers
can tell me apart from the masses of otherwise excellent products/services in
similar fields?
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4. Do I know clearly who my brand’s target clients are?
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5. Do I know who my brand’s target clients are not?
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Workbook Exercise:
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKEPLACE
6. Can clients tell what my brand stands for?
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7. Is my positioning niche one that a perspective audience wants?
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8. Do I have a plan and delivery system that can effectively convey to the right
audience the need for my brand position?
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9. Is my tagline different from my positioning?
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10. Does my tagline support my brand story?
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11. Does my tagline have snap, crackle or something that makes it pop?
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Use this Positioning Checklist to test your knowledge:
1. What is a positioning statement?
2. Why do we need one?
3. What are the 3 components of a positioning statement?
4. How do you plan to use your positioning statement?
5. What slogan do you want to remember when you think of your positioning?
LOOKING AT LOGOS
How to add recognition and build trust for your business
As a business owner, you have enough on your plate without the added responsibility of
designing a logo. Leave that task to specialists like a graphic designer. We’re here to talk about
when and how to use logos in your advertisements and marketing materials.
Logos or logotypes, as they are sometimes called, are an identifying symbol of a business,
product or service. There are three types of logos.
1: Wordmark
The name of the company or product set in a particular typeface, using a particular style such as
Serif. Sans Serif. UPPER CASE. Lower case. Italics. Bold.
And so on. Think of IBM or Coca-Cola and the font they’ve consistently used to symbolize their
brand over the years. Again, work with a graphic designer to choose a font or typeface
appropriate for your business.
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
2. Using a picture or an image
McDonald’s uses the ‘golden arches.’ Nike has its famous ‘swoosh.’ BMW has its ‘kidney-shaped’
symbol. Because these companies have been so steadfast in the use of their logo images, you
instantly know, without words, the name of the brand or the marketer. Familiarity builds trust.
And favoritism.
3: Combination of the first two
The third type of logo is a combination of the first two. It consists of a company or product name
in a particular typeface, along with an image or illustration.
Make sure the graphic is relevant to your business
If you decide to use a symbol or graphic as part of your logo, make sure it is relevant to your
product or service. Make it easy for people to connect the dots and understand what you’re
offering. I remember getting a business card from a rubbish removal owner who had, as his
graphic, a rabbit driving a truck. Yes, as I found out, the business owner liked rabbits, but it had
absolutely no meaning to his customers. In fact, it confused them. And me. The business owner
would have better off with a driverless truck. Or no truck at all.
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Another point to remember: when you have a logo designed, keep the image simple and
uncomplicated. This is important because if your image contains too much detail, it can lose
much of its definition, especially if your logo has to be reduced to fit into a small ad for the
yellow pages, a newspaper, or for the Web.
Why use a logo
Most consumers like to buy products they’re familiar with, which is a good reason for having
a logo in the first place. People feel more comfortable buying from a company they recognize
because it gives them confidence about the quality of the product or the legitimacy of the
company selling the product. Recognition and familiarity reduce the perceived risk out of the
purchase.
So, if people see your logo a number of times, they will begin to build up an implied trust, even
if they’ve never bought or considered your product before. Should they have a need for your
service in the future, your logo might be the tipping point for choosing you over a competitor.
Another benefit of having a logo is simply that it adds credibility and class to your ad, letterhead,
or business card. In testing, we’ve found that ads with logos tend to pull better responses that
those without a logo. It’s a small increase, but every marketing tactic counts, especially for a
small business.
A logo adds recognition and trust
Keep in mind, though, that a logo doesn’t actually sell anything. It simply adds recognition and
trust to what it is you are selling.
MARKETING TIP:
“Think strategically.
Your Web site should
be a part of your
overall marketing plan.
Put your Web address
on all your printed
material, including
business cards,
letterhead, press
releases and invoices.
Include it in all your
advertising.”
The Marketing Chefs
Given that a logo doesn’t really sell anything, there’s no need to give it
too much prominence. Many times we’ve had clients return an ad with
comments like “... love the concept, but make the logo bigger.” The fact
is, customers are more interested in your product or service, not your
logo. It’s more important to enlarge your product description or
emphasize your benefits in words or pictures.
Eye flow suggests where to place your logo
Since people tend to read from left to right, and top to bottom, it usually
makes sense to anchor your logo in the bottom right corner of your ad.
This is the last area where people tend to focus their attention before
they turn the page. So, don’t let your logo get in the way of the
important things that really sell...namely the words and pictures.
Use your logo as your signature.
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
And while having a logo is important as part of an integrated marketing ‘package’, it’s certainly
not the most important item. Think about radio, for example. You can’t see the logo in this
medium. However, you might imagine the logo, especially if you allow a melody or few music bars
to represent your product or service.
Think about the instantly recognizable music signature for McDonald’s, “I’m lovin’ it” campaign
or the loveable “quack” mnemonic for Aflac Insurance.
One final point on logos: while it can help with recognition, it’s not always critical that you have
a logo—some small businesses get along without one. Especially where “word-of-mouth” is your
calling card.
Finally, keep in mind, that if you are creating an advertorial (ad designed to look like editorial
material) you’ll lose the editorial effect if you include a logo.
So use a logo in the lower right corner when you’re running ad and no logo if running an
advertorial.
COOKING TIP:
“Want to keep brown
sugar soft and fresh?
Place a piece of bread
in with the brown
sugar to prevent it
from becoming hard.
Or seal the package
tight and store it in the
refrigerator.”
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
LET’S HEAR IT FOR SLOGANS AND TAGLINES:
Helping consumers quickly remember your brand or business
Often, what goes hand-in-hand with a logo is a tagline or slogan, as most call it. A slogan can
also be used in voice-overs for radio and TV spots, or on the supers found on TV spots.
A slogan, in most instances, states the essence of the product, campaign, or company—
memorably, you hope. Slogans stand by themselves as a succinct selling argument. While
slogans are purely written words, not requiring a visual, they can often accompany a logo.
Just Do It.
Think Different.
I’m lovin’ it.
Good slogans help consumers quickly remember your brand or business. If they are repeated
long enough, even bland slogans become engrained as snippets of language that people carry
around for a long time. Think of memorable taglines from the likes of Allstate “You’re in Good
Hands”, American Express “Don’t leave home without it” or Budweiser’s “This Bud’s for You.”
In Canada, Dofasco has used its tagline “Our product is steel. Our strength is people” to help
define the steel company for more than 30 years.
Slogans are often witty, whimsical, succinct, rhyming or in some way,
have a rhetorical flair that makes them memorable. They can be short:
Coke. Always (one word.) Or long: With a name like Smuckers you
know it’s got to be good (12 words.)
MARKETING TIP:
“A tagline doesn’t
have to be memorable
to everyone to be
effective—it just has
to be memorable to
your customers.”
Slogans can be a well-crafted phrase, often incorporating the essence
of your positioning. But a slogan’s real job is to be a mini ad. Make a
case for the product, the company, or the relationship to the competitor.
Remember the long-standing slogan from Avis? The car rental
company used a competitive positioning with memorable results:
When you’re number two, you try harder. Slogan: We try harder.
How to think of slogans
If you have an ad agency, usually the writer and art director are responsible for developing
your slogan or tagline. The creative team might review your positioning to help trigger a slogan
idea. (They might also review your mission, your strategy, your competitors, your key selling
proposition and so on, to help in the slogan development.)
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
But if you don’t have an agency, you can try your hand at coming up with a slogan yourself. It’s
not all that difficult, and in fact, can be fun and gratifying. And less expensive too.
More than being clever, a slogan needs to be smart. One enduring slogan is Campbell’s “Soup
is good food.” At first glance it may seem not all that great—all those monosyllables, and its
promise may even appear banal. But those four words reflect the selling strategy. The
monosyllables help emphasize the soup’s basic simplicity, and the message positions soup
as food, and not just as accompaniment to a meal. It defines soup in a simple, memorable,
fundamental way; a slogan that still resonates well with consumers today.
How to think of slogans
One way to get a knack for writing slogans is to run a number through your head: You’ll see the
similarity of their purpose, and how variously it can be expressed.
Just do it (Nike)
You don’t just shape your body, you shape your life (Bally’s Health Spa)
Fly the friendly skies (American)
It’s worth the drive to Acton (Old Hide House)
What will you find this time? (Marshalls: Discount retailer of brand-name clothing)
Blood. It’s in you to give (Canadian Blood Services)
Good clothes. Good prices. Good cause. (Goodwill)
Built for the human race (Nissan)
Start rolling around in your mind the elements of your brand that you’ve
already uncovered. Jot down 2-7 words statements that are filled with
positive aspects of your business or product. Work with active verbs
and concrete nouns. Avoid “will” “could” or “can.” Use bold and
forceful statements. Don’t censor yourself. Don’t shoot down any
thoughts.
Sometimes the ‘eureka’ tagline hides in the shadows. Feel free to think
large. Give yourself time. Think about it while performing other tasks.
Remember the subconscious can bubble up when you leave an idea
and move to another task. A shower is often a great place for
inspiration. So is exercise. So go for a walk or bike ride.
Taglines have simplicity, rhythm and truth. Sometimes you can find it
by rearranging the words. Or adding a word. Still stuck? Here are few
tricks copywriters use to work on headlines:
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“When sautéing garlic,
beware of burning,
which makes it strong
and acrid. In Chinese
and Indian cuisines,
you heat oil or butter
with whole or peeled
cloves of garlic, then
scoop out the cloves
the minute they
change color; this
delicately flavors
the oil or butter. For
salads, rub the salad
bowl with garlic before
adding the greens.”
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Elevate the product. Look for the highest possible benefit:
(Fed Ex) It’s not just a package. It’s your business.
(BMW) The Ultimate Driving Machine
Differentiate from the competition:
Shoes that fit better, perform better (New Balance)
It’s more than a credit card. It’s smart money (Mastercard)
Real food for real people (Beef)
Don’t sell features, sell benefits:
Unwrap a smile. (Little Debbie Snacks)
Drivers wanted. (Volkswagon)
How things get done (Black and Decker)
Find a human truth. (Say what people are thinking. Saying)
Stronger than heredity (Rogaine)
You’re not getting older. You’re getting better (Revlon)
Talk to Chuck (Charles Schwab)
Use threes: (Things go better with threes)
Heart. Steel. Promise. (Mack trucks)
At grocery. At homes. At last. (Starbucks)
wherever.whenever.forever. (Sony Playstation)
Try parallelism, repetition
Buy it for looks. Buy it for life. (Moen)
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. (Radio Shack)
What happens here stays here. (Las Vegas)
The quality goes in before the name goes on. (Zenith)
Rhyme:
Crave the wave. (Ocean Spray)
Love the skin you’re in. (Olay)
MARKETING TIP:
“Include technology in
your marketing plan.
Maintain a blog. Use it
to answer questions,
gather feedback,
spread information,
and announce new
products. Post often—
daily if possible.
Concentrate on your
expertise and avoid
sales pitches.”
Try opposition:
Your feet won’t believe your eyes.
Outerwear for your inner self.
Making the sky the best place on earth. (Air France)
Alliteration
(New Zealand Tourism) Linger Longer in New Zealand
Ben knows best. Uncle Ben’s Rice (good use of cliche tweaking too)
The Marketing Chefs
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Tweak a cliche
Life is short. Stay awake for it. (Caribou Coffee)
Not America’s favourite paper. (Village Voice)
Play tricks with type and punctuation
Best. Sipped. Just. Like. This. (Baker’s bourbon)
Comfortable. Jeans. Real. (Wrangler)
Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit. (Cadillac)
Don’t just claim it. Own it.
Totally completely obsessed with freshness. (Bruegger’s Bagels)
We’re fixed on doing it right. The first time. (Auto Tech)
The difference between good and great can be as little as one or two
words. So rearrange your words. Add or delete. Keep in mind, it’s often
hard to tell at a glance if a slogan is good.
A slogan is much like a song: you may not like it until you’ve heard it a
few times. As time goes by, a slogan will begin to carry more weight, as
more of your ads and marketing materials use it.
And don’t be disheartened about a lackluster initial response. Dan
Weiden, creative director on the Nike account for many years, recounts
that when the “Just Do It” slogan was introduced, it was met with
silence during the first presentation. Go figure. (Hey, that sounds like
a great slogan for an accounting firm, don’t you think?)
Now here’s your chance to think of your slogan. Narrow down your
ideas to five strong contenders and go to the next page to complete the
exercise.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“The muscle fibers in
raw meat are mostly
water. When the
internal temperature
of meat goes up,
these fibers shrink,
squeezing out more
water. The higher the
heat, the faster this
process occurs.
Result: overcooked
meat that looks
shrunken and feels
firm. The lost water
carries with it flavor
and nutrients, and the
meat becomes dry and
bland.”
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POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
Workbook Exercise:
POSITIONING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE MARKETPLACE
While we can’t guarantee you’ll be able to write the perfect tagline by yourself,
give it a try. Start by writing down key words and thoughts from your positioning
and feature/benefits exercises. Start with:
Your brand name/service/product:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your positioning:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your primary benefits:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key words 5-7:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your tagline or slogan:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Marketing Chefs
Page 69
6
THE ELEVATOR
PITCH
> How to promote your business in 60 seconds
THE 60 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH
How often have you been at a business function, community meeting or networking event and
been asked the question: what do you do? Even though we know the question is coming, we often
fumble for the answer. That’s why you need your “elevator pitch” ready at a moment’s notice.
The “elevator pitch” is the short description about your business you’d give in the time it would
take if you were going up an elevator. An elevator pitch, or your “60 second commercial” as we
sometimes call it, is clear, concise and to the point. Granted, it’s not easy to develop your elevator
pitch. It takes a bit of thinking and practice to crystallize what points to include. It’s even more
difficult to decide what points to exclude. Often they can be things you’re really excited about, like
a new technology, a great sales force, a great location, your overseas connection—but if it’s not
central to the success of your business, then it doesn’t belong in your pitch.
Your elevator speech should be simple enough to understand and describe
so that even your grandmother or neighbour could say it for you. After all, they
could be your secret sales force, and word-of-mouth is the most
effective and least expensive form of advertising.
If you’re in an easy-to-understand business, your pitch could, in theory, be very short: “I sell ladies
clothing.” However, that doesn’t really distinguish you from the hundreds of other ladies clothing
retailers out there. A more memorable pitch gives listeners a reason to remember you:
“I specialize in giving wardrobe and accessory advice and selling classic, high-end clothing to
more mature, fashion-conscious women in the Oakville-Burlington area.” Much better.
MARKETING TIP:
“Too busy to write a
sales letter or develop
a website yourself?
Don’t know how to find
a copywriter or web
designer? Post your
project or creative
brief and have bids for
copywriting, design, or
web site development
at www.elance.com.”
The Marketing Chefs
The best sales people have these wonderful 60-second elevator pitches
etched in their brain. These are simple yet carefully crafted “selling
propositions” that leave the listener with a distinct impression and clear
understanding of what business you’re in. And a desire to learn more:
“that sounds like what I need, do you have website so I can find out
more?”
The elevator pitch should touch—very briefly, on three items:
The products or services you sell
What target market to serve (demographic, geographic or industry)
Your strategic position/competitive advantage
We use a simple formula to create a 60-second elevator pitch.
Once again, review your target audience information (Section 3) and
your features and benefits information (Section 4 ) to help build your
60-second commercial.
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THE 60 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH
Here’s an Elevator Pitch example to use as your guide:
Simon Fong: Handy Man—Odd Jobs
Proposition statement: I can do any odd job around the house —from computer defragging
to toilet unplugging and I can do it right every time.
Because....
Fact or Feature …Some 80% of customers are frustrated by the tradespeople that come to
work in their homes
Which means to you…
Additional benefits
I’m in the 20% range and I won’t let you down and be frustrated. I show up on time and I’m on
budget.
I can say this because…
Evidence…
I have a money back guarantee and customer testimonials that will
amaze you.
Do I have permission to tell you more?
Completed attention grabbing statement:
I can do any odd job around the house and I can do it right every time.
Some 80% of customers are frustrated by the tradespeople that come
to work in their homes. I’m in the 20% range and I won’t let you down
and be frustrated. I show up on time and I’m on budget. I have a money
back guarantee and customer testimonials that will amaze you.
Tagline:
Simon Fong. Odd Jobs Done Right.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“Strongly flavored or
salty foods such as
salt pork, smoked
bacon, and olives
can be blanched or
parboiled in a large
quantity of unsalted
boiling water to
remove excess salt or
smoke flavour before
using in a delicate
dish.”
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THE 60 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH
Workbook Exercise:
YOUR 60-SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH TEMPLATE:
How to create an attention grabbing statement:
3. Add additional benefits
1. Make a proposition statement
4. Provide evidence
(must be a benefit to your customer)
5. Ask for permission to continue
2. Back it up with fact
Proposition Statement: (must be a benefit to the client)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Because...
Fact or Feature:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which means to you...
Additional Benefits:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I can say this because...
Evidence:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Permission: (to tell you more)________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Marketing Chefs
Page 73
THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKBOOK
Use this Elevator Pitch Checklist to test your knowledge:
When do you need a 60 second elevator pitch?
What resources do you already have on hand to create your elevator pitch?
What are the key components of an elevator pitch?
Can you have more than one elevator pitch?
COOKING TIP:
“Tear saving tips for
onions: Peel the onion,
cut in half and let soak
in water for approximately 10 minutes
before cutting.
Also, try lighting one
or two candles in the
area you are cutting
the onion. Adds
ambiance too.”
The Marketing Chefs
Page 74
7
HOW TO MARKET IN
THE ONLINE WORLD
> Getting the most from the Internet, your website,
email, and more
HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
For a medium with such a brief history, the Internet has certainly changed the marketplace.
Radically.
We can thank British physicist Sir Tim Berners-Lee for leading the Internet revolution, which
unofficially began in 1989, with the exchange of a few interlinked hypertext documents among a
few excited scientists. Berners-Lee formulated many of the elements that serve as the foundation
for the world wide web (the web) by creating a publishing “standard” that allows anyone in the
world to place an electronic publication on the Internet.
Today, with more than 1.2 billion users and growing by the nanosecond, the Internet is the fastest
growing medium of all time.
THE INTERNET: A NEW CHANNEL TO ENGAGE CUSTOMERS
More than simply a new way to view ads, the Internet is also an interactive marketing “channel.”
Consumers use it to email customer service to ask about their billing and warranties. They use it
to research product features, compare prices, order those thick tenderloin steaks advertised in
that food magazine. For a “Hungry To Succeed” business entrepreneur, the Internet is not just a
new advertising medium, it’s a new way to identify, engage and develop strong relationships with
customers.
No, the Internet won’t solve all of your marketing problems. But it
certainly helps even the smallest business compete on a more level
playing field. Especially when you know the rules. And practice them.
(Which is what we cover in this workbook section.)
Take a look at some of the research statistics listed below. The facts
demonstrate the importance of the Internet to the communications
industry. And to your growing business.
Quick facts about the WEB
• 232 million North Americans use the Internet
• 85% use search engines to find information
• On any given day 60 million people search using:
Google (53%)
Yahoo (28%)
MSN (13%)
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“To make homemade
breadcrumbs place
dry sliced bread in a
225°F oven until firm to
the touch and crisp,
about 1 hour. Let cool,
then break up the
dried bread with your
hands or chop with a
knife into about 1-inch
square pieces. Crush
with a rolling pin to
produce a fine meal or
process in a food
processor. Store in an
airtight container.”
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
•
•
•
•
Only email is bigger than search engine traffic
Search engine traffic growing 20%+ per year
78% of online shoppers purchase by clicking an email link
54% of small businesses rate email as the top online promotion vehicle driving
new/existing customers to websites
• Email marketing intrusive, annoying, daunting and confusing? (Perhaps, but it’s
proven to work)
• 60 billion emails sent by Internet users daily
Make the most of what the Internet offers
Who needs to be on the Internet? Today, all companies–if for no other reason than to prove your
enterprise exists. And to be truly successful, you need an Internet strategy integrated into your
business vision.
Start with your website.
In today’s marketplace, your website is your digital calling card. Consumers use it to check out
your credibility, your products and services, your job postings, your hours of operation, if you
have a retail location. They visit your site for more detailed information on your delivery promises,
your pricing, your guarantees and to allay any fears before they buy. Or call. Or visit your land
store. A website is vital to your business even if you’re not a big Internet user yourself.
MARKETING TIP:
“An inexpensive way
to create buzz and
learn what your target
really thinks of your
product is to create an
advisory board
representative of your
customers (even if
they’re kids) and
publicize it. Listen to
the board’s ideas.
Reward them for their
efforts—even it’s a
small token of
appreciation.”
The Marketing Chefs
Don’t have a website yet? This section organizes the information you
need to know before you even call a web designer. That’s why it’s
important to develop a creative brief that outlines such things as your
site objectives, target audience, offers, contact info, guarantees, links,
colors, logos, key words, measurement rubrics, etc. in advance. The
more up-front thinking you put into your site, the less expensive your
site costs will be.
Make sure your site starts on a firm foundation
While the “creative brief” information is critical to the development
of your website, it’s equally important for you and your web team to
ensure it’s anchored on a firm foundation. Begin with an appropriate
domain name and register it at a GoDaddy.com or Regitrar.com. Then
find a dependable hosting company followed by registering your URL
with Google, Yahoo and MSN. At the same time, ensure you have
compelling title tag and strategic key words for your site.
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
If you’re unsure what these words mean, don’t worry—we will walk you through the basics so
you understand the terminology enough to converse with your web designer to “optimize” your
site. In other words, your goal is to make your site as consumer-friendly and search enginefriendly as possible. And create a site that’s strategically right for your business.
If you’ve already got a website up and running, you may wish to review the following to ensure
your site is optimized as much as possible.
Website Tips
1. Know where you will be hosting your site. You don’t want to be left in the dark or without
service if your web team changes at any time. Besides, the web hosting company will bill you
annually for hosting. This way your service is never interrupted and you know what you are
paying. Average price is about $200 - $300 per year or $20.00 - $30.00 per month.
Look for a hosting company others are recommending. Make sure
they have 24 x7 support, offsite backup storage and a 99.9% guarantee
uptime.
2. Know where your domain name is registered. Register it for at least
2 years. This tells people you are serious about your website.
(Average price is $18.00 for two years.) Some domain names registeries
like GoDaddy.com let you know well in advance of your renewal date.
As you get busy with life you can forget to register your domain and you
can lose it. Scam registrars go after domain names that are expiring
soon or have recently expired. Expired domain names do not have to go
through the authentication process to be transferred, as the previous
registrar would have relinquished management rights of the domain
name. Domain name expiry dates are readily available via WHOIS.
3. It’s wise to register misspelled versions of your domain name.
Also consider registering the .org and .net version. You never know
when someone will decide to use the misspelled word for malicious
purposes to destroy your good name.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“Ham is usually
labeled one of two
ways: ‘Partially
Cooked’ or ‘Fully
Cooked.’ Partially
cooked hams - also
labeled ‘Cook Before
Eating’- need to be
roasted to an internal
temperature of
155 to 160 degrees
Fahrenheit. Fully
cooked hams - also
called ‘Ready to Serve’
- can be eaten as is,
but they will taste
better and have a
more appealing
presentation if baked
or glazed.”
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
4. Get other options on other related domain names. Services like GoDaddy.com or netfirms.ca
can help recommend other related domain names if the one you want is taken. For example we
have registered:
TheMarketingChefs.com
TheMarketingChefsLive.com
TheMarketingChefsOnline.com
5. Consider registering more than one name. With a few domain names in your pocket, you can
create landing pages or squeeze pages for special offers and promotions. The cost is
relatively inexpensive.
6. Try for a name that your target understands. An ideal domain name is one that includes
a problem the consumer wants to solve, or the solution So re-consider your domain. Using your
own name is not always the answer. Which do you think might be better for a non-toxic
cleaning product domain?
Zerotox.com
Or
Nontoxicleaner.com
7. If possible, always register a .com name. Most consumers, when
guessing a domain name, will type in a .com suffix. In Canada you can
get away with .ca, but most Americans have never heard of it.
If you plan to market beyond the Canadian border then use .com.
Other registrations like .org often indicate that the name is affiliated
with a charity.
Website tip: Know your website host. A lot of
smaller host companies amalgamate, or are
bought out, and if you have a down-time problem,
you want to know who to call. If your livelihood
depends on your website, it pays to sign up with
ankind
established,
reputable
firm
youbusiness?
can count
What
of website
is right
forthat
your
on, day in day out.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“An easy way to get
your product in stores
or supermarket aisles
is to generate sales
some other way and
then show the proof
of this demand to
the stores and
supermarkets.
Success invites
success.”
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
Recently a friend mentioned that his company hired an expensive
design firm to redo their website and “make it better.”
When we asked why they were doing this, he said he wanted his website “to be cleaner, easier to navigate and as ‘sexy’ as his competitor’s.”
When we asked about the purpose of his website, all we got was
a blank stare. “What are you trying to achieve with your site?”
We don’t think he understood the question.
Our friend is not alone. When it comes to websites, a lot of business
owners think “if you build it, people will come.” Many believe that since
the Web universe is so large, thousands of new prospects will be lining
up to see what you’re offering. Overnight. Sorry, it’s not that easy. While
it’s true there are a lot of potential customers in cyberspace, the fact is
you have to work at making your website successful.
COOKING TIP:
“To remove pin bones
from a fillet of fish, lay
the fillet, bone side up,
across an inverted
mixing bowl. The curve
of the bowl will cause
the bones to stick out,
making them easy to
find. Use a needlenose pliers to pull the
bones out.”
Start with a purpose for your website
Until you decide the purpose of your website, you can’t create a strategy to achieve that purpose.
It’s like deciding to go on a road trip without a destination. Where will you end up? You could go
anywhere. If you want to land in a specific place, you have to plan it out.
Your website purpose may be different than your competitors. That’s okay, every business is
unique. What’s important is to make sure the goal of your website is achievable and that it’s
realistic for your efforts. And budget.To put these goals into perspective, we’ve divided websites
into seven basic types:
Transaction website:
Most retailers hope to sell products via their website.
(Dell, the online computer seller, is a well-known example
of a transactional site.) But trying to get customers to buy
from your online “store” is like trying to get customers
buying from a land-based store. It’s typically a full-time job
and you have to spend time and money getting people to
your site. And you’ve got to win them over with advertising
and special offers and guarantees and testimonials and
so on, and generally run your site as a real store.
The Marketing Chefs
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
Promotional website:
Perhaps your website objective is to support a
short-term contest or promotion for your product
or service, or to drive traffic to your home website
or offline store. You can set up your site as temporary
one-off, perhaps just one short page with a limited
number of click-through pages.
In this instance, your goal may be to create some
excitement, capture a name and email address,
and perhaps encourage visitors to “tell a friend.”
To perk up coffee sales and promote
its 100th anniversary, Melitta created
a promotional website aimed at its
female target, who were also invited to
tell a friend. The contest was promoted
in magazines, in-store and online.
A promotional website is often (but not always)
less complicated than a traditional corporate
website. That said, many of the same design
principles and search engine optimization tactics
should be incorporated into your promotional
website—a compelling headline, consistency with
your brand message, strong call to action, and so on. Keep in mind that a promotional website
requires much the same effort to register the domain name, add title tags and keywords, Google
analytics, and possible links to your home site.
Promotional sites often work best in tandem with both online and offline marketing efforts to
drive immediate traffic. One of the more interactive promotional sites we encountered was for a
gas utility that engaged visitors with an online scratch ‘n win contest—and for every friend you
recommended you got an extra chance to scratch an online card.
Information website:
One of the best uses of a website is to give specific information
about your company and its services to customers, prospects,
employees and potential employees. Many of these people will
hear about you or company through friends or through a variety
of offline sources.
If, for example, you need the name of a web designer, you’ll
probably ask a few friends for names, then check out their
websites to check for professionalism, work examples, prices,
testimonials and such.
You’ll have a chance to learn about them before you contact them. An informational site acts as
in-depth company brochure that can be frequently changed and updated.
The Marketing Chefs
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
Relationship website:
Customer service is ideally suited to the web. And a
website is an excellent means to build a better relationship
with existing customers, especially your best customers or
clients. You can post special promotions, members-only
offers, as well as provide detailed information on topics
related to your services. Adding a FAQ (Frequently Asked
Questions) list works wonders at saying you understand
and anticipate what your customers are thinking about.
(It also saves you from having to email the same
responses to similar questions.)
Blog/Podcast website:
Some sites start as a blog, and morph into a hybrid “corporate relationship” website that
continues the intimate dialogue between the site owner and his or her network of other readers
and bloggers. You can still promote your products or services, but because a blog, by its very
nature, is more casual and immediate, and engaging, you may find more success going this route.
Besides, search engines such as Google are biased in favour of sites that are updated on
a regular basis, which make blogs a natural when it comes to traffic generation. And blog websites, if done right, truly help you understand and interact with your market.
Blogs can now have audio and video added to them, which takes you into podcasting, the newest
tool in online promotions. Google spiders love podcasts. Like blogs, podcasts are updated frequently and help generate traffic.
Squeeze Page website
Some sites are set up with a single purpose: to capture
contact information from a prospect. Then you can market to
that person as long as he or she stays on your mailing list.
Typically the business marketer offers something of value,
such as a tips letter, special report, ebook or even an
e-course. The goal is to make an offer so irresistible that
a visitor is willing to divulge their name and email address.
It’s a great way to start building a long term relationship to
convert prospects into customers.
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Sales Page website
This type of site is designed to sell one specific product
to the visitor. You only have one option on a site like this:
buy this product or leave. Typically this site consists of
a well-written benefit-loaded sales letter that compels
the reader to order. Typically these pages are sent to
people who have opted into your list from either
a squeeze page or an opt-in box on your main site.
Website tip: It’s a good idea to get your own domain
name. Ideally it should be the same as your company’s
name. But if your name is difficult to pronounce or spell,
or is unavailable, choose something that gives a hint
about your business: e.g. IntelligentMusicic.com. (Of course, it can simply be a memorable
name—think Yahoo, Google, Amazon—even nonsense names can be built into great brands,
it takes more time.
As much as it’s a new medium, Internet
doesn’t change business fundamentals. If you
want your website to be a success you still
have to invest time, effort, and of course,
planning.
Website Tip: Always offer something that
will be sent out periodically. Even if you
offer a special report, include a tip-sheet
or newsletter with your offer. This way the
person automatically gives you permission
to continue the email relationship.
TRAFFIC GENERATION: HOW TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE FIND YOUR WEBSITE
If you were the owner/manager of a major
brand, let’s say Nike, you’d be quite confident
that people would find your site simply by
typing your URL name www.nike.com into
their browser.
The Marketing Chefs
In the online world there are key activities
that can be employed to generate traffic
to your website. Some of these include:
• Registering with Google, MSN & Yahoo
• Using key words & title tags in your html
code on your website
• Search Engine Optimization activities –
daily monitoring and tweaking
• Public Relations
• Post Articles
• Buy mailing lists
• Implement affiliate programs
• Purchase AdWord campaigns
• Buy links
• Trade links
• Joint Ventures and cross-promotions
• List your domain in directories and
social networks
• Having more than one site – landing
pages, squeeze pages and corporate site
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But most of us don’t have a business quite as recognizable as Nike. At least, not yet. Perhaps
you’re a realtor, a wedding planner, a florist, or you’re launching a tanning salon or a new
clothing line. Now what? Typically, consumers search for a company, product or website by
typing a category—such as “tanning salons in Mississauga”—into a search engine like Google
(www.google.com) or Yahoo (www.yahoo.com).
Using software “spiders” that crawl through millions of websites, search engines create lists of
websites based on those keywords and phrases. (If it’s a popular keyword—like “business
consultant”, search engines can turn up thousands or even millions of matching web pages,
which is why you want to be in “top ten” results.)
The good news: some 55% of all e-commerce transactions originate from a search listing. The big
question: In that vast universe of Internet choices, how can you be found to ensure your site
ranks near the top of all listings when a consumer does a search?
Tips to increase your website traffic
1. Register with Google, MSN & Yahoo
Google, MSN and Yahoo require you to register your
site so these search engines can begin to track your
traffic. The cost to register is free. While at Google,
also register for Google Analytics. (It's free.) Give the
link to to your webmaster to include the htlm code on
your site. This will enable you to analyze the traffic
at your site.
Here are links to register with the key search engines.
Or simply type in Google URL registration and the link
pops up. The same for Yahoo and MSN.
Submit URL to Google
http://www.google.com/addurl/?hl=en&continue=/addurl
Submit URL to Yahoo
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/
Submit URL to MSN
http://beta.search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx
Note: when you register for free, know that your email
may be sold to a list. So if you don't want a lot of free
offers, have a gmail or hotmail account.account if you
do not want to receive lots of free offers.
The Marketing Chefs
Why generate traffic from
other sites?
Software spiders pick up your
brand name all over the Internet
and feed this repetitive
information into the rating
program.
The more visitors to your
website the higher your rating
in Google. Ratings go from
1-10, with ten representing
the busiest sites for traffic
(e.g. CNN is 9, Adobe Acrobat
is the only 10. )
To add traffic ratings to your
site, open your Google tool bar
and add it to your computer.
The rating tool also tells you
where your website generates
traffic from.
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Try to submit to all the smaller free search engines if you can. Google, Yahoo and MSN want to
know what other sites are indexed by other search engines. The three larger search engines will
notice and give you higher rankings in their search results.
TIP: Include your website address on everything. This tactic is easy. Remember, most customers
will find you in the offline world first. So include your site URL on all your printed material, from
stationery to envelopes to ads to packing materials. If you use TV or radio, include your web
address on screen or on air, as most people find website names easier to remember than most
phone numbers.
2. Keywords and Title Tags
Because a search engine finds you by quickly scanning the word content of your site, you can do
a few simple things to improve your chances of being found. A common misunderstanding is that
keywords mean a list of single words. Not so. Keywords refer to particular single word or short
word phrases that people type in when searching for your product, service or site. (e.g. “Healthy
Immune System” could be a keyword phrase).
Title Tags
What is a Title Tag?
The title tag (see <TITLE>) is one the most
important factors in achieving high search
engine rankings. In fact, improving the title
tags of your pages can often generate
quick and noticeable differences in your rankings. And because the words in the title tag are
what appear in the clickable link on the search engine results page (SERP), changing them may
result in more click-throughs.
Search Engines and Title Tags
When calculating your web page's relevance to a
search, most search engines consider the content of the
title tag as one of the parameters and display that content
in search engine results pages (SERP). In fact, title tags
are equally as important as your visible text copy and the
links pointing to your pages—perhaps even more so.
Your title tag therefore needs to be carefully constructed in such a way that it increases your
website's position in the SERP, and it is attractive enough to encourage a targeted prospect to
click on your link.So think like a customer and write your title tag using words that your target
would use when searching for your product or service.
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Title Tag Tips to Boost your Page Ranking
• Keep your title tag short and readable: Search engines don't prefer long title tags. In fact,
Google prefers short and readable title tags (no more than 60 characters).Because some
search engines display title tags in the search engine result pages, make the words
descriptive and informative.
• Use different title tags for different web pages in your site: Never give the same title tag for
all web pages. Keep it relevant for each page.
Do company names belong in the title tag? It’s a frequently asked question. Yes, if you
think it will attract more users. If your company is already a well-known brand, it’s
probably essential. Even if you’re not a well-known brand yet, it gives you the
opportunity to further your brand. But it’s probably more important to include in your
title tag a few descriptive phrases to enhance your brand as well as your search
engine rankings.
• Never keep the title tag empty and never use irrelevant words in the title tag.
• Combine 2 phrases rather than make them separate (i.e. if your keywords are “Healing
Energy” and “Self Healing” make the keyword phrase “Self Healing Energy.” The search
engines will find your site for both keyword phrases without you
having to repeat the word “healing.”
• Separate each keyword or keyword phrase with a comma or
a hyphen; which works best is open for debate, but having none
can be a problem.
• Pay close attention to the “compelling” keywords you include in
your title tags. The title tag helps the search engines decide the
theme of the web page being crawled for indexing. Yahoo and
MSN Search are especially influenced by keyword-rich title tags.
• Want to discover the keywords used by your competitors? Visit
their websites, click "View Source" and check out the keywords
and phrases in their title tags. Yes, it's spying, but it's ethical.
And smart too.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Get bids for Web site
development at
www.elance.com.
Simply post your
requirements and wait
for the bids to come in,
or get estimates from
firms in your city.”
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Example of Keywords and Title Tags for FiberSure Fiber Supplement
Why is this important information?
These keywords should be what consumers typically
type in when searching for a solution to their problem.
How do you find this information?
Go to www.fibersure.com website or any website
you want to check.
On your tool bar click on the “View” button.
In the drop-down box click on “Source”.
You’ll see the html code created by your web team.
How do you identify the best keywords and title tags?
Internet marketers use a tool called www.wordtracker.com.
It is a membership site, however you can buy a day rate for
about $9.00 and check the following…
What key phrases consumers type in when searching on the Internet
How many people type in the phrase in a 24 hour period
How many competing sites for the phrase
How much your competition pays to use the key words in AdWord campaigns
What you'd have to pay for a higher page ranking than your competitor
TIP: www.goodkeywords.com is a free site that you can use to check your title tags and keywords.
TIP: Some Internet marketers suggest the best title tags are optimized 2-3 words and
83 characters in length.
TIP: To improve your campaign performance, use this Free Google tool to find keyword ideas,
words and phrases for your page www.adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
More Keyword Tips:
Because a search engine finds you by quickly scanning the word content of your site, you can
do a few simple things to improve your chances of being found:
Use common “key” words and phrases that people are mostly likely to type in. If you specialize in
gas barbeque repairs, make sure you use the keyword phrase “gas barbeque repairs” repeatedly
throughout your website, as well as using sentences such as “I repair all makes of gas
barbeques.” And you might want to vary the spelling of “barbeque”, as consumers could type in
“BBQ” or “barbecue” into their search inquiry.
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Refer to your geographic location.
Most people searching will add a location to their search: “gas barbeque repairs in Toronto.”
So make sure to mention your neighborhood, city, province/state if appropropriate to your
product or service..
List your products or services individually.
The more specific you are, the more likely your site will show up in relevant searches.
The barbeque service website might list “natural gas BBQ repairs”, “propane BBQ repairs”,
“barbeque cleaning”, “BBQ assembly” and so on.
3. Driving Traffic with AdWord Campaigns: What's This?
When you do a Google search you typically see all-copy ads on the top or right side of the page.
Called "AdWords" these paid-for ads are strictly formatted to four lines and a maximum character
count. When visitors click on the ads, they are sent to a website and the site owner pays for each
click. (This is how Google makes most of its money.)
If you go to Google.com and and search "advertising" you can register and get a free account.
Google will guide you through the copy process. Google is very specific on how many words you
can use per line. Ideally you should create a couple of different
ads and submit them at the same time to see which one draws
the most traffic for you.
Google has two ways to place your ad. Google places it for
you on a relevant site picked by them or you can choose the
targeted site. There is no difference in the price. Our preference
is a site-targeted campaign becuase you can visit the site and
see your ad is appear.
When you create a campaign, you can tell Google your
price-per-click and you can limit what you spend each day. You
can monitor your campaigns as often as you wish, and it's well
worth the time to test and measure to see what works best.
Because you pay Google each time
someone clicks your AdWord ad, you can set
a limit to how much you spend each day.
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Buy “search terms” (sometimes called sponsored links) on the most popular search engines.
A search term is simply a word (e.g. spas) or short phrase (e.g. mortgage broker Tampa) that a
user might type in a search engine. Think of an electronic yellow pages, and how you “look up”
a product or service. Typically, advertisers bid for search terms on a “cost-per-click” basis. This
means you pay the search engine company like Google or Yahoo only when the consumer clicks.
As you might expect, the more popular (and broader) the search term, the higher the bidding cost.
In other words, “dining room lighting” is likely to be more expensive than “50 amp halogen pot
lights.” Of course, if the person clicks your search term and enters your site without doing the
action you want, (order, download your video, give you their email, etc.) then you have to work on
improving your conversion rates. There are a few simple ways to do that too, which we discuss
later on.
To learn more about Google’s search term advertising program, AdWords, go to
www.adwords.google.com.
Get listed in directories
Like the traditional Yellow Page phone book, directories list websites by
topic areas, and are compiled by humans, not software. You can submit
your site for inclusion. For the best-known directory, Yahoo
(www.yahoo.com), go to the home page and scroll down to “suggest a
site.” Some directories are free, others are not.
At the time of this writing, we compiled a long list of the most popular
online directories. In terms of numbers, here's what we found:
350 + Blog Directories
40 ILQ + Directories rated by inbound link quality
330 + Pay Directories
260 + Free Directories
500 + Free & Paid Directories
50 + Deep Link Directories
35 + Reciprocal Web Directories
3 + Niche Directories
90 + Web Directory Lists
COOKING TIP:
“To foil line a baking
pan or sheet, turn the
pan upside down and
mold the aluminum foil
to the bottom of the
pan. After the foil is
molded to the pan's
shape, slip it off and
turn the pan over. The
molded foil should slip
right into the pan and
fit perfectly.”
Key Blog directories and feeds
Google Blog Search - beta (since Sept. 14, 2005)
Ask Blogs & Feeds (launched June 1, 2006)
Technorati.com—Blogs from around the world
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Feedster - an RSS Search Engine
IceRocket.com – blogs and more
Sphere.com - Connecting blogs and news
BlogPulse - Trend discovery (and blog search)
Blogdigger - RSS / Atom Search Engine
Check for more blog search engines listed on Google
You can also join blogging communities and online groups and connect to trade links at
groups.google.com. Or find links for your website by using the link section in the Alexa toolbar.
(Alexa is a primary search engine owned by Amazon.com, a supplier of site information).
DRIVING TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE
Get links from related sites. One of the quickest and least expensive ways to drive traffic to your
site is to simply locate other sites that target the demographic profile you’re trying to reach and
ask the site owners to post a link from their site to yours. Of course, you must agree to link their
site on yours. (Often, it’s like getting a personal recommendation, especially if both sites are
complimentary.)
Another linking strategy, especially to help local residents and visitors find you, is to get listed on
local directory websites. These are often run by local papers, Chambers of Commerce, or tourist
bureaus. Ask the related businesses to link with you. If you’re the owner of a bed and breakfast,
you might ask to be listed with a local tour boat operator and a bike rental business, and offer to
link them on your website as well. Almost everybody likes to trade.
Check who’s linking with you. Got a website up and running and want
to know how many sites are linking with yours? Go to this free
resource: www.linkpopularity.com to find out. If you’re starting out,
you’ll find this information valuable, as you’ll also see who’s linking to
your competition.
Link Tip: Don’t let your visitors be lured away. Think twice about
posting links on your homepage—offer a “link” page instead.
Why direct visitors who’ve just arrived at your site away to another?
Link Tip: Make each link count – only link to sites that add value to
yours. Remember, visitors view these links as recommendations from
you. If you link to an inferior site, it detracts from your credibility.
Link Tip: Remember the redirect page – if you change your domain
name, be sure to put up an automatic redirect page at your old domain.
If you don’t, you’ll lose traffic from links you never even knew exited.
Many sites will link with yours and not even tell you. That’s a reality.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Once you register
your domain name,
remember to keep it
renewed. Businesses
have been known to
let a name expire
and then find that
their website has
disappeared from
the Internet. Don't let
that be you.”
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Here is the Alexa ranking of the most popular search engine directories. Alexa ranks the most
popular search engine directories much like Nielson ranks the most popular television shows.
Search Engine/
Directory
Alexa
Rank
Search Engine/
Directory
Alexa
Rank
1. Yahoo! Search
1
26. Arakne Links
65,973
2. MSN
2
27. Pedsters Planet
66,623
3. Google
3
28. AnooX
71,290
4. Open Directory
515
29. Info Tiger
76,996
5. ExactSeek
10,206
30. Claymont
93,549
6. ScrubTheWeb
13,159
31. NetInsert
101,670
7. SearchSight
13,512
32. IRKA
103,418
8. EntireWeb
19,111
33. DareDirectory
104,512
9. Link Centre
20,867
34. Cipinet
104,662
10. GigaBlast
25,032
35. TopSites
105,099
11. Exalead
29,212
36. WebbieWorld
105,963
12. World Site Index
29,913
37. TowerSearch
107,905
13. MavicaNet
33,968
38. Web Directory
110,226
14. Accoona
36,760
39. ABD
110,849
15. 01WebDirectory
36,962
40. Burf
118,179
16. What U Seek
39,151
41. SearchWorth
122,365
17. BusinessSeek
40,404
42. AnyApex
123,450
18. Info Listings
41,081
43. Cache Directory
123,736
19. IllumiRate
44,859
44. Clickey
123,784
20. FWD
49,645
45. Purple Directory
125,546
21. AMRAY
51,823
46. CherryDir
127,531
22. Amfibi
53,209
47. SimpleDir
129,861
23. Submission4U
54,841
48. SgtSearch
135,158
24. Zeezo
63,769
49. Dramba
139,072
25. Wikidweb
64,372
50. Rio Directory
145,250
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Buy Banner Ads to Drive Traffic: Just as in the real offline world, you can purchase advertising to
get your name known on the Internet. Yes, it costs money, but like traditional offline media, prices
are often negotiable. As you might expect, this strategy works best when the sites where you
place your ads or banners relate to your product or service.
Buy Search Engine “Optimization” Services
You can hire online media consultants to review your website. They recommend strategies and
content improvements so that search engines move your ranking closer to the top of the search
engine display screen.
Include Your Website Address on Everything
This tactic is easy. Remember, most customers will find you in the offline world first. So include
your site URL on all your printed material, from stationary to envelopes to ads to packing
materials. If you use TV or radio, include your web address on screen or
on air, as most people find website names easier to remember than
most phone numbers.
5 Extra Powerful Ways to Generate More Traffic to Your Website
Want to really bump up traffic to your website? The following ways take
a little extra time, effort and yes, money, but are worthwhile to stand out
from the cyberspace crowd and really drive site traffic.
If you can’t do all the following tactics yourself, choose one or two, and
hire a specialist to do the legwork for you. It’s probably less expensive
than you think, and certainly will pay off in increased traffic.
1. Joint Ventures (JV) e.g Virtual Seminars: Many celebrity speakers
are available (and willing) to perform virtual online seminars (e.g. Mark
Victor Hansen, Suzanne Somers, Harvey McKay). These speakers often
have lists to trade, and you can often form a joint venture to drive
instant traffic, with endorsements to both websites.
MARKETING TIP:
“Use your packaging
to do more than just
make your product
look pretty.
For example, use your
packaging to promote
a special offer,
contest, a catalogue,
or some other
incentive to drive
traffic back to your
store or website.”
To get high profile speakers, you need to have a list and make it worth their while to speak to
your target audience. On the other hand, there are many "niche experts" on the Internet with lists
of 5000 or more. Most would welcome the opportunity to participate in a telephone or Internet
discussion of interest to your reciprocal target audiences. So ask, you have nothing to lose.
When you plan these events you can offer your listeners something to buy – your book, a free
product, a new course. When it comes to Internet joint ventures, the profits are usually split
50/50. for both parties, and now both you and your JV partner have expanded mailing lists.
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2. Online Press Releases. Reporters, editors and webmasters are always looking for fresh
content. So are search engine “spiders.” So if you want to increase your page ranking on sites
like Google, Yahoo and MSN, it pays to develop a press release campaign that gets your website
noticed by human beings and software spiders.
Online press releases can drive traffic and generate immediate response, not to mention,
conversation and debate on blogs. And that activity leads to links back to your website.
Unlike the offline world, where a release may get stacked up in a pile on a reporter’s desk, online
PR releases tend to get read. These are thought to be more immediate, which is the nature of the
Internet.
Today, most reporters simply visit PR hosting sites (see below) where articles can be quickly
submitted and downloaded. As well, you can simply direct a reporter to your web URL, where
(hopefully) all your press materials and high definition artwork awaits, ready to be used. It's a
huge time and money saver, for you, and the reporter or editor. (For more details on press
releases, see the "Attracting Publicity" section on this workbook.)
Free and Pay-For Press Release Sites
www.prweb.com (one we like the best but the most expensive about
$360.00 per release but this will give you analytics)
www.free-press-release.com
www.prleap.com
www.press-base.com
www.i-newswire.com
www.przoom.com
www.prwebdirect.com
www.Express-press-release.com
COOKING TIP:
“Revive wilted celery
by placing it in cold
water and refrigerating it for several hours
or to speed up the
process, place it in ice
water for one hour.”
3. Submit Articles
An online article, with a compelling headline, can generate a lot of buzz
for your company or business. Like a press release, an article can be a powerful way to draw
attention and drive traffic to your website or store.
And don’t worry about keeping up with those journalists who write 5000-word essays for the
New Yorker or Business Week. You’re not writing to win a Pulitzer prize—you’re writing to attract
the attention of online readers who hunger for short, easily scanned, quick tips on subjects
related to your business or service.
If you can offer three or four tips on “Four secrets to improve your (fill in the blank)” you’ve
probably got the makings of an article that will attract readers and drive traffic to your website.
Got a dozen tips? You can probably translate those into three or four articles, no problem.
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Think about the articles splashed on the covers of supermarket magazines. Then adapt them to
your offerings.
How to double your salary in one year: practical advice from a HR consultant
Tanning myths exposed: what to look for from a tanning salon
Teeth whiteners: What works, what doesn’t
You can see how it doesn’t take much to write a compelling article that is certain to draw
attention from your target audience. Write about what you know, and keep the articles to 300-700
words, no more. If you have more to write about, that calls for another article. Another important
point: Include a short 2-3 sentence bio on yourself with your article and link it to your website.
That’s how you build traffic, as readers will start to recognize your name and look for articles
with your cutline.
Article Tip: The search engine spiders will improve your page ranking when you write article
headlines that include keyword phrases your audience searches for.
Too busy to write an article yourself? You can always have professional writers do that job for
you. Post your requirements at www.elance.com and writers will bid on the job for you.
Listed below are a few of the many article submission websites suitable for business topics.
Most are free. We prefer to submit to www.ezinearticles.com, but you
should check out a few to know their requirements and get a taste of
their offerings.
www.isnare.com
www.ezinearticles.com
www.ideamarketers.com
www.articlecity.com
www.articlehub.com
www.workathomearticles.net
www.articlesfactory.com
www.marketing-seek.com
www.netterweb.com
www.goarticles.com
www.article-emporium.com
www.article-directory.net
MARKETING TIP:
“Include technology in
your marketing plan.
Maintain a blog. Use it
to answer questions,
gather feedback,
spread information,
and announce new
products. Post often—
daily if possible.
Concentrate on your
expertise and avoid
sales pitches.”
Free Locations to List your Ezine or Ebook
http://directoryofezines.s5.com/ http://directoryofezines.s5.com/directory1.html - Free
http://directoryofezines.s5.com/directory2.html http://directoryofezines.s5.com/directory3.html - Free
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TRAFFIC CONVERSION: HOW TO CONVERT WEBSITE VISITORS INTO CUSTOMERS
Okay, your banner ads are working, you’re linked with dozens of directories and complimentary
sites, your keywords and phrases are fine-tuned, the planets are aligned, and wow, you’re getting
visitors to your website. Great. Now comes the million-dollar question. Are you getting their
names? Are you converting your visitors to customers? Paying customers, hopefully.
Getting traffic to your website is important, but if no one sticks around, or buys into what you’re
selling, or doesn’t do what you’re asking them to do, then you’ve probably got a vanity site, and
your business isn't going anywhere.
It's not enough to simply get noticed. When you have an online business, you need to get visitors
to take some desired action once they arrive at your site. (If you have real store, you’d expect to
convert your walk-ins to purchase something, wouldn’t you?)
Think about it—do you want visitors or customers? You’re in business to make the virtual cash
register ring. Traffic conversion marketing is the process of taking visitors (or prospects) and
giving them the right incentives or information to make them customers.
Hopefully repeat customers. Better yet, evangelists for your products
or services.
What’s the visitor conversion rate for most websites?
Why is traffic conversion marketing so important to an online business?
Hard to believe, but the average website converts less than 2% of
traffic that visits. Imagine if you were running a retail store, and only 2%
of walk-ins bought from you. Within your first month you’d be bankrupt.
Most bricks and mortar retailers expect 45%-75% of visitors to
purchase something before they leave their store.
Why do most websites convert at such a low rate? Some say it’s
because of the medium, but we’ve seen business after business
achieve much higher success rates because they have the right
conversion strategy.
COOKING TIP:
“For an easy way to
pour out just the right
amount of pancake
batter, pour the batter
into an empty, clean
squeeze bottle, such
as a ketchup or syrup
bottle. Squeeze out the
desired amount into
the pan for the size
pancake you want.
This also makes a nice
round pancake.”
So if you can double, triple or quadruple your conversion rate, from 2%
to 4% or 8%, then imagine what your current business and profits would be like.
Go to www.google.com and type in "Google analytics." You set up an account for free.
Google immediately gives you html code that your web team can insert into your your
website html code. Return to Google analytics and type in your account information.
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A number of tables will pop up and you can be
in analysis heaven.
Some key statistics you'll find:
• The number of people that come to
your site
• How long they stay
• The number of pages they read
• Your bounce rate (the number of people
that come to the site and quickly leave)
• What is your source of traffic?
This analytic tool provides links to help
you understand each statistic. Check it
daily to measure your success rates.
Improving your conversion rate improves your profits
There’s a second reason that conversion marketing is so important: it’s getting more expensive to
drive traffic to a website. The online business environment is more competitive than ever, and
with more competition, the higher the bidding for keywords, higher advertising rates for key sites
and so on. (Why do you think Google is a multi-billion dollar company?)
So, by shifting your focus on improving your visitor conversion rates, you’ll increase the return on
your investment. And with that extra profit, you can plough it into marketing and generating more
traffic to your website. It’s a circle, yes, but that’s how the big (profitable) business sites do it. And
so should you.
Tips to convert website visitors into buyers into evangelists
Here are a few simple things you can do to improve the “stickiness” of your website and to
assure your visitors enough to take an action. Or feel satisfied enough to return. And recommend
your site to others.
For starters:
Conversion Tip 1:
Create an Opt-In Offer to Capture Customer Email Addresses
Converting a website visitor into a customer is rarely done
on the first visit, no matter what product or service you’re
offering. First time visitors tend to quickly browse and scan,
and if something intrigues them, they may bookmark
your site to return later.
The Marketing Chefs
Calculate your visitor
conversion rate:
If 100 visitors visit your
website on a given day,
and during that day
6 purchases/actions are
made, your conversion rate
is (6/100 x 100)= 6 percent.
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But there’s no guarantee they will, and besides, how can you
remind them to return if you haven’t captured their contact
information?
The easiest way to convert a visitor is to create an irresistible opt-in
offer, and follow-up with email messages designed to build rapport
and develop the relationship with these visitors or prospects.
Developing this relationship can increase your conversion rates
by 15 to 25 percent (and more).
As an Internet marketer your goal should be, at the very least, to capture the email address of
your visitors. Without this information, all your efforts in getting them to your site will be lost.
Provide an incentive for them to give their email address. One method is to ask them to sign up
for a free report (with an irresistible title), a free newsletter, a free course, free product, free
chapters of your ebook—anything that requires NO financial commitment from them.
Conversion Tip 2.
Provide Toll-Free Numbers to Improve Customer Trust
It’s taken a long time for people to feel secure about giving personal information over the Internet.
That’s why it’s important to allay any fears or doubts that people may have. One easy solution is
to provide a visible phone number on your website. Check out www.k7.net—its phone service
is free.
Most online shoppers not only expect a phone number, they expect it to be a toll-free call. In
reality, most of your website visitors won't call—but having a toll-free number assures them they
could contact you if they really needed to. It also adds to the credibility
of your business. Ideally, your toll-free number should be visible on all
your pages.
MARKETING TIP:
“An inexpensive way
to drive prospects to
your website is to join
a ‘banner exchange,’
and trade advertising
banners with other
related websites.
Look under ‘banner
exchange’ on search
engines.”
The Marketing Chefs
If you don't have physical store presence, you don't need a local
telephone number because those who search with an area code are
most likely looking for a local business. If you can’t afford an answering
service yet, the next best thing is a virtual 1-800 number service.
You can order a toll-free business line for as little as $2 a month
through a service called Kall8. Check out www.twobucktollfree.com
for details.
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Conversion Tip 3:
Use Guarantees and Return Policies to Convert Visitors into Customers.
Make visitors comfortable about your guarantees and return policies. State them loud and clear.
Go beyond what your competitors offer. The stronger your guarantee and the easier your return
policies, the more you reassure potential customers.
Restrictive return policies scare customers away. Think of Sears Roebuck. Its iron-clad “If you’re
not 100 percent satisfied, we’ll pay the shipping and replace it for free” guarantee helped make
Sears the trusted company it is today.
Unless someone has a major problem, most people won’t bother to take you up on your
guarantee. That said, you must honor your guarantee or return policy to prevent “bad-mouthing”
or worse, “bad-viral blogging” from hurting your business. If you have a product or service worth
selling, stand by your guarantee. And make it a notch or two better than your competitor’s
guarantee.
Conversion Tip 4:
Provide Easy Access to Customer Service.
A well designed website can make you look like a much bigger operation than you might be in
reality. Enhance that image with customer service options that look and “feel ” professional.
That’s what credibility is all about.
Because many home-based or small businesses operate on limited
budgets, you may not have a dedicated customer service person to
answer the phone or emails.
COOKING TIP:
“To squeeze the most
juice out of citrus,
pierce the fruit with a
knife and microwave
for 30 seconds or
place the fruit in hot
water for a few
minutes. Then roll
each piece under your
palm on a hard surface
until the inside feels
soft. Both heat and
pressure release juice
from the cells.”
The Marketing Chefs
That’s okay. Even if the call goes into voice mail, most people will leave
a message for you to get back to them. "All of our representatives are
currently assisting other customers" goes a long way to projecting a
professional image compared to a phone that rings off the hook or
worse yet, a website with no contact phone number. Make an effort to
respond to ALL your calls, usually within one business day. Preferably
within four hours.
For emails, set up an auto-responder service to reply to every inquiry,
especially if you don’t have someone dedicated to looking after that
operation. “Thank you for your inquiry. We’re currently experiencing
a lot of activity and will get back to you within one business day.”
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Again, think like a customer, and get back soon with a personalized reply. That helps develop the
relationship, and adds to your conversion rate. Once again consider the www. k7.net free service
so consumers feel that they can reach out and touch you.
Conversion Tip 5 - Make Your Site Secure and Make it Known
A lot of people are wary to purchase anything over the Internet. Reduce that fear for visitors.
Advertise your site as secure and advertise it throughout your site. (Even a “lock” symbol beside
a privacy policy helps assure shoppers.) If you’ve been on major shopping sites, you probably
recognize logos from Hacker Safe and VeriSign. These logos are important to many online
shoppers concerned about the security of your site and the safety of any personal information
they need to hand over to you.
Don't just put these logos in the checkout area—make it known that your site is secure and if you
have an online store work with your shopping cart service or ecommerce provider to make it
happen. Your customers may be reluctant to shop online—remove this barrier for them and
watch your conversion rates improve.
Marketing Tip: While it all depends on what you're offering, make sure your returns policy is fair,
that it's stated clearly, and that it's inline with your competitors and appropriate for your
products. You don't want to give the store away, but you also don't want to scare your customers
away before they even make a purchase.
Conversion Tip 6: Let Your Customers Tell You What's Wrong and Right
Customers are your lifeblood. If something irritates them about your
website or your service, wouldn't you want to know so you could
correct it? If they especially like a new feature or product you're
offering, wouldn't you want to capitalize on that information?
Make it easy for customers to send feedback. Include email links or
mailing addresses. If you can, offer rewards for constructive feedback
you receive. For example, if you implement a customer's suggestion,
you could reward them with a discount on their next purchase. (Be sure
send a personalized email to thank them.)
Customers can tell you what you need to know. Use it to improve your
operation. You should also welcome feedback from those who are
leaving the site without making a purchase to find out why.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“The most basic Web
site services are free
services like Geocities,
which provides a
Web-based interface
to graphically build
your site. These services are easy to use,
but limited in the
amount of space and
bandwidth. They
typically also place
advertisements on
your site to offset
their cost.”
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If your ecommerce service provides information about incomplete purchases, look at those
statistics and watch for trends. Bradley Systems, a maker a “green” non-toxic household cleaner,
offers a free bottle of their Zero-Tox product if a customer writes a testimonial and allows it to be
posted on their website.
Conversion Tip 7:
Offer Special Discounts and Promote Them Heavily
This technique can be especially effective for first-time buyers on your site. Can you give them
an extra 5 or 10 percent discount? That might be just the encouragement they need to make
a purchase. Can you offer to guarantee to beat your competitors' prices by a certain margin?
Once your customers find out how pleasant it is to shop with you and become your paying
customer, you're encouraging them to return to buy more. You might also consider setting up a
referral system where if an existing customer refers another prospect to you and that prospect
completes a purchase the existing customer is rewarded.
If you offer a special discount - for new customers, for those who opt-in to your email newsletter,
or for other purposes, let it be known on more than one page. Preferably every page.
Other Traffic Conversion Tools
These tools are designed to assist in the education experience of
potential customers. It’s like turning a cold call into a warm call.
Traffic conversion is about converting web visitors into customers,
and anything you can do turning potential into enthusiasts and
enthusiasts into evangelists. The tools for conversion are things like:
Audio postcards
Teleseminars & webinars
CDs , MP3 files
Books – hard cover, soft cover, ebooks, workbooks
Book tours - virtual
Podcasts & Blogs
MARKETING TIP:
“Print marketing
collateral in color.
Customers respond to
color. Invest in a good
color inkjet or laser
printer so you can
print your business
cards, letterhead
stationery, labels, and
brochures on-demand.
Be sure to use quality
paper.”
1. Audio postcards
Research shows that audio has the ability to increase participation in
your emails or website by up to 30 percent. Very quick, affordable and
easy to create tools like like those found at www.audiogenerator.com
or www.audioacrobat.com provide you with the technology to add audio and visuals to your
emails and website. The cost of this service is about $1.00 per day and you can send out as many
audio postcards as you want.
The Marketing Chefs
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Each site has a tutorial and a free trial to create your
own audio postcard. All you need is a telephone,
computer and a picture or logo for your brand.
Possible uses for an audio postcard: invitation to a
meeting, send a Christmas card from you and your
team, send an audio of meeting notes, add
personalization and a friendly face to an email.
Remember this is a conversion tool. It makes you
real and accessible to your customer.
2. Teleseminars (telephone seminars) and webinars are very popular tools for getting a group of
people together to talk and learn about any subject under the sun. Teleseminars are easy to
create and host, and require technology everyone has – the telephone.
You can use a tool like www.gotomeeting.com to host your meeting and provide the bridgeline.
The cost is about $550.00 per year and you can have as many meetings as you like. The basic
service allows for 16 people on a call. You can use the service for teleseminars and for
webinars, which allows you to bring people into your PowerPoint presentation conducted from
your computer screen.
Possible uses for teleseminars:
• Train someone on your product or service
• Market research
• Provide customer feedback to your technical team
• Deliver information to people over a large geographic area
Check out bridge line services such as www.voicetex.com to book
your meetings. www.gotomeeting.com has a more extensive service
that allows for 1000s of customers to be on a bridge line
3. CDs and MP3 files
Recordings turned into MP3 files and CDs add perceived value to your
products or services. When you host a teleseminar or a webinar, you
can record the session and then turn the recording into a CD or MP3
file. These CDs can be sent out as free samples that provide added
value to your product. These inexpensive recordings can be used for
instructions, education or entertainment, free offers on landing/squeeze
pages and on your website in exchange for an email address.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“To remove the core
from a head of lettuce,
hit the core solidly on
the top of the counter.
This will separate the
core from the head.
The core can then be
removed by giving it a
slight twist and pulling
it out.”
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4. Books (hard cover books, workbooks and ebooks) Becoming a published author is easy on the
Internet. Services like www.lulu.com allow you to print and self publish and having a ‘book’
provides credibility for whatever you’re selling. It lets you add the title “author” to your list of
accomplishments and it positions you as the expert.
To help convert a customer, give away a chapter of your book for free. Make it part of a
promotion, give copies away or joint venture and offer it as a premium to your venture partner’s
database. This tactic will drive visitors to your site.
5. Virtual Book Tours A virtual book tour is a combination book launch plus teleseminar.
Consumers are invited to hear you speak and promote your book over the telephone and even
over the Internet. Listeners are often given the opportunity to send in questions about your
subject material and they are encouraged to engage in a dialogue before, during and after
the book tour.
A virtual book tour is the fastest way to get your books sold. It beats sitting at Chapters or
Barnes and Noble hoping for a sale and for someone to ask for your autograph. The book tour
again adds personalization and contact with you. It is a great way to convert traffic. Virtual book
tours can also be recorded and offered on your website and landing pages for free.
6. Podcasts and blogs are now the “hottest” area of the Internet for driving traffic. Your
customers can use the blog tool to provide feedback to update information on your subject
material. Podcasts are simply the addition of audio to the written blog.
Get started with Google’s easy to use, free blogging tool
www.blogger.com or check out many other free and paid blogging
templates. Registration of your blog using a tool like www.addthis.com
gives you access to 100s of social networks.
MARKETING TIP:
“Choose a Web site
address (URL) that’s
intuitive and easy to
remember. Your company’s name (if it’s
short) or the name of
your main product
might work well.”
The Marketing Chefs
Your blog personalizes you and gives your customers access to you
in an interactive way that aids conversion. Podcasting adds the audio
component and adds richness and dimension. Easily downloadable,
Podcasts allow you to be heard by people listening to their iPods or
other media players while they're jogging, running errands or on their
way to work.
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Podcasting is easy to accomplish. Simply download software like www.audacity.com for free,
buy yourself a headset with a mike (Logitech premium USB headset 350), plug it into your
computer and you are in business.
For royalty free music, go to www.studiocutz.com and you’ll be podcasting professionally in no
time.
Podcast files are best saved as ".wav" files, uploaded and registered into services like Technorati
and iTunes.
Some Internet Terms
Autoresponders - An autoresponder is a computer program that automatically answers e-mail
sent to it. These automated programs can be very simple or quite complex, depending on your
requirements.
Blog - A blog (a portmanteau of web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological
order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb,
meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a
particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text,
images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for
readers to leave comments in an interactive
format is an important part of many blogs.
Directories - Web directory, an organized collection of links to other
websites
Domains - These sometimes colloquially (and incorrectly) referred to by
marketers as "web addresses."
Feeds - A web feed is a data format used for providing users with
frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed,
thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web
feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is
performed by an Internet aggregator. A web feed is also sometimes
referred to as a syndicated feed.
Hosting - A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service
that allows individuals and organizations to provide their own websites
accessible via the World Wide Web.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“When choosing
stalks of celery, look
for the lightest colour
with the shiniest
surface, as these will
have the finest flavor.
Darker green stalks
may be stringy. Try
Chinese celery, which
has thinner stalks than
regular celery and a
remarkably intense
flavour.”
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HTML - Initials for Hypertext Markup Language, the predominant markup language for web pages.
Joint Ventures - A joint venture (often abbreviated JV) is an entity formed between two or more
parties to undertake economic activity together.
Landing Page - In online marketing, a landing page, sometimes known as a lead capture page, is
the page that appears when a potential customer clicks on an advertisement or a search-engine
result link. The page will usually display content that is a logical extension of the advertisement or
link, and that is optimized to feature specific keywords or phrases for indexing by search engines.
Links - A hyperlink, is a reference or navigation element in a document to another section of the
same document or to another document that may be on a (different) website. In search engine
optimization it is suggested that high ranking links help you drive traffic and improve page ranking.
Opt-in - Opt-in e-mail is a term used when someone is given the option to receive "bulk" e-mail,
that is, e-mail that is sent to many people at the same time. Typically, this is some sort of mailing
list, newsletter, or advertising. Obtaining permission before sending e-mail is critical because
without it, the e-mail is Unsolicited Bulk Email, better known as spam.
Podcast -The term "podcast" is a portmanteau of the words "iPod" and "broadcast", the Apple iPod
being the brand of portable media player for which the first podcasting scripts were developed
(see history of podcasting). These scripts allow podcasts to be automatically transferred to a
mobile device after they are downloaded.
Press Release - A press release is a pseudo-news story, written in third
person, that seeks to demonstrate to an editor or reporter the
newsworthiness of a particular person, event, service or product.
MARKETING TIP:
“When cooking
lasagne noodles, add
a tablespoon of oil to
the water. Because
lasagne noodles are
long, wide and thick,
they have a tendency
to stick together when
they cool. The oil in
the cooking water
helps prevent them
from sticking
together.”
The Marketing Chefs
RSS Feed - An RSS (meaning Really Simple Syndication) feed saves
you time by removing the need to continually check with your favourite
web sites. No need to bookmark. No need to risk your email address.
No more figuring out how to unsubscribe from an email newsletter.
Just run your RSS reader and check the RSS feeds.
Squeeze Page - A term to describe a webpage that, when the visitor
"lands" on it, he is asked to opt-in to some type of list in order to proceed
further. The rationale for using a squeeze page is that most visitors will
not buy from a site on the first visit. So if you can collect the email
address, along with permission to follow-up, then you get other
opportunities to make the sale later.
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Teleseminar - A teleseminar or teleconference, is when a group of people call a specified phone
number at a specified time, and listen to an interview with somebody. It can also be held in an
interactive format, with the participants able to talk freely with one another or with the host and
guest. Teleseminars are often held by internet marketers, as a means of sharing information as
well as meeting their clients in an intimate, one-on-one format.
URL - Abbreviation of Uniform Resource Locator, the global address of documents and other
resources on the World Wide Web. Quite simply your address on the Internet like your address
at your home.
Webinar - Web conferencing is used to conduct live meetings or presentations over the Internet.
Free 1-800 telephone service: www.k7.net
Inexpensive toll-free 1-800 service: twobucktollfree.com
Resource for American legal information: www.nolo.com
Royalty free podcast music: www.studiocutz.com
Royalty free podcast music: www.magnatune.com
Royalty free podcast music: www.musicloops.com
Spam check copy: http://spamcheck.sitesell.com
Domain names: www.godaddy.com
Analytics tool: www.alexa.com
Google page rank tool: www.google.com
Free keyword tool: www.goodkeywords.com
Technology for audiopostcards: www.audiogenerator.com
Audio and video technology for postcards, store podcasts: www.audioacrobat.com
Find sites linking into you: www.linkpopularity.com
Great site to get your CDs personalized: http://www.kunaki.com
Powerful thesaurus to find synonyms and related concepts: www.lexfn.com
Software tutorials: www.lynda.com
The Marketing Chefs
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Search for royalty-free stock images and photos: www.iStockPhoto.com
Announces your teleseminars: www.seminarannouncer.com
Canadian government site, currently 11,000 small business:
www.canadaone.com/business/addbusiness.html
Follow your competitor's online activity: wwwgoogle.com//alerts
A site to buy media space on blogs and improve your profile ranking: www.text-link-ads.com
Register to more than 100 social networks: www.adthis.com
Social networking and microblogging service utilizing instant messaging, SMS or a web interface:
Twittter.com
Great way to discover killer websites, videos, photos, blogs and more: www.StumbleUpon.com
Blogging tips:www.funmoneygood.com/podclass
Allows blog owners and podcasters the ability to manage their RSS
feeds and track usage of their subscribers: www.feedburner.com
Premier Internet search engine for blogs: www.technoratia.com
Teaches basic html code: www.htmlplayground.com
File Transfers (large docs): www.YouSendIt.com
Anti-Spam Software: www.SpamBully.com
Auto responders: www.aWeber.com
Blog Software (Self-Instal): www.WordPress.com
CD/DVD Manufacturing & Publishing: www.Kunaki.com
MARKETING TIP:
“Include technology in
your marketing plan.
Maintain a blog. Use it
to answer questions,
gather feedback,
spread information,
and announce new
products. Post often—
daily if possible.
Concentrate on your
expertise and avoid
sales pitches.”
Shared Desktop: www.Glance.com
Keyword Analysis: www.GoodKeyWords.com
Count Down Timers: wwwCountDownTime.com
The Marketing Chefs
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Eight tips to help ensure your emails are DELIVERED, OPENED and READ.
Are you an e-marketer who wants to make more
sales and profits without spending a dime more
on advertising?
Then get customers salivating for your product or service
using email as the lead method to drive your online
success. Email is the inexpensive marketing channel
that allows you to speak directly to prospects and
customers and carry on a relationship that contributes
directly to sales.
Give email a starring role in your ebusiness
Yes, your website is important. But email, used properly, can take on the starring role as your
primary sales tool. As a high response medium, email sells, promotes, informs, creates buzz,
acquires and retains customers, reinforces branding and provides customer service, all in one
swoop.
Email is still the Internet’s killer application because it works. Forget the prediction that with
stuffed email boxes and spam filters that block even legitimate messages from getting through,
email marketing is on the way out. Not so.
That said, gone are the days when a marketer could simply compose a message, click “Send”
and expect everyone on your mailing list to receive and respond. Think about your own online
habits. For most, email still is a private, personal space, and most people don’t want strangers
invading their privacy. Only friends, colleagues and select businesses are invited in.
With that in mind, it’s important to ensure your emails are the “invited” kind, and that they are
delivered, opened and read.
So here are eight tips to make your email marketing campaigns more effective:
Tip Number 1
If your email list is large, break up your mailings into smaller batches
Many of today’s email programs have services that block bulk mail and redirect it to the
recipient’s trash bin or Bulk Mail box, which is the equivalent of sending it into Spam limbo.
This happens frequently, especially if you have a huge mailing list. You can avoid such filters by
breaking up your mailings into smaller blasts, say 50 at a time. Yes it’s more time-consuming.
But your chances at getting through to your recipient’s in-box list are much better.
The Marketing Chefs
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
Tip Number 2
Pay attention to your FROM name
Believe it or not, your FROM line is more important than your SUBJECT line. The “FROM” name
tells the recipient whether or not to delete the email, while the SUBJECT line tells the recipient
whether to open it or not. In fact, if the FROM is someone you know, love and trust, you’ll probably
open it, even without a SUBJECT line. (If it’s from your Mom or sister, or the Tax department, you
won’t delete, right?)
Want to improve your click-through rates? Keep your FROM name consistent through all
campaigns, and match it to the brand your customer recognizes and trusts. If they don’t
recognize you, they’ll probably delete you.
Tip Number 3
Keep your SUBJECT line personal and friendly
Your customers and prospects will base much of their decision on whether or not to open
your email based on what’s written in the SUBJECT line. Like the headline of a print ad, the
SUBJECT line copy is vital to the success of your email marketing efforts. Naturally, people
respond to emails that have appearance of personal email versus commercial email and those
that have a friendly tone rather than a corporate businesslike tone. The following are examples of
SUBJECT lines we’ve received that appear more personal and inviting:
SUBJECT: Wait ‘til you hear this…
SUBJECT: About your website, <Firstname>
SUBJECT: Who said this?
SUBJECT: This finally came …
SUBJECT: Not sure if you got this?
SUBJECT: <Firstname>, here’s what I promised…
SUBJECT: I almost forgot…
SUBJECT: Sorry, I goofed…
SUBJECT: Sorry, I goofed…
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
“Always use butter,
whether salted or
unsalted, within
1 week of the date
stamped on the
package. Because
butter readily absorbs
odors, store it well
wrapped in the refrigerator and away from
other foods. In general,
unopened unsalted
butter lasts about
8 weeks, salted
up to 12.”
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Tip Number 4
Keep your SUBJECT line message short, but compelling
Realistically, you have only about 60 characters (including spaces) in this area to write
a message everyone on your list can view. This equals to seven to nine words to gain attention
and get the recipient to open and read your email message.
Tip Number 5
Avoid using these 12 spam words and phrases
•
•
•
•
•
•
Amazing
Buy now
Congratulations
Free
Great offer
Guarantee
•
•
•
•
•
•
Investment
Maximize
Money
New opportunity
Order now
Dear friend
In addition, customary phrases like “click here” or “click below” or “unsubscribe” are also often
blocked because of their use by spammers of unsolicited email. Also, avoid exclamation marks
and ALL CAPITAL LETTERS PLEASE!!!! Again, they scream spam.
Tip Number 6
Be creative in your spelling
Normally, we recommend changing offensive words like “free” to something like “at no charge”
or “complimentary” or “at no cost.” However, if you must use some of the previously mentioned
offensive spam words, one way around it is to devise creative ways to conceal the words and
phrases. For example, we’ve seen F*R*E*E or f^ree or Fr*ee instead of “Free.” Don’t get too
creative or your reader might not understand your meaning.
Tip Number 7
Use a spam check service
As an e-marketer, you might experience the frustration of seeing your permission-based email
messages mistakenly blocked by anti-spam filters. That’s today’s online reality. To protect their
clients from real junk, many Internet and Email Service Providers often end up blocking legitimate
mail in the process. A good sanitizing strategy is to check your email message in advance to see
if it will trigger problematic “red flags.” It’s easy to run your content through online spam
checking services like:
• www.lyris.com/resources/contentchecker/
• www.mailingcheck.com/download-spam-checker/
The Marketing Chefs
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HOW TO MARKET IN THE ONLINE WORLD
These free services use rules to rate your email on what’s acceptable as “passable” words and
word combinations. When you get their service, paste your subject lines and text into the form
presented and you’ll instantly get a score. Content checkers often classify your emails into four
categories: safe, questionable, high risk, and spammy. Most services will give you feedback of
what led to your score, good or bad, so it pays to compare and retest before dispatching your
message.
Tip Number 8
Include a person’s first name in the subject line (usually)
One of the first things you learn at a Dale Carnegie course is that a person’s first name is the most
persuasive and compelling word in the world. Think about your own name and how you respond
when you see it or hear it called. It’s friendlier and more personal than your surname. That’s why
it’s important, if you have an opt-in, to ask visitors to submit their first names so you can address
them appropriately.
SUBJECT: Mark, thought you might want to know this…
SUBJECT: Mark, will you be part of this test?
SUBJECT: Mark, what’s the biggest mistake photographers make?
However, over the last few years the use of a person’s first name in the SUBJECT line has
become overused to the point where it seems artificial, like a fake smile. So use your judgment
when deciding to employ it. Or vary the use of first names and compare your response rates.
While the tactic of using a recipient’s first name is a way of personalizing the subject line, it could
make your email a candidate for deletion. Sometimes a simple non-hype statement stating the
requested information has a better chance of getting your email opened and read.
In conclusion:
Who knew there were so many ways to increase the opportunities to
get your marketing email delivered, opened and read?
Will every tip or suggestion listed here work every time? It all depends
on your target audience, their frame of mind, your offer, and how well
you know them. (And of course, the effectiveness of their spam filters.)
Again, email is simply another marketing channel to carry on a
relationship with your prospects and customers. And it still works,
so try some these suggestions in your next mailing.
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
Choose a Web site
address (URL) that’s
intuitive and easy to
remember. Your
company’s name (if it’s
short) or the name of
your main product
might work well.
Page 110
8
ATTRACTING
PUBLICITY
> Be a Media Magnet
ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Inside Secrets to Get Free Media Publicity for Your Business, Organization and Yourself
Ever notice how some individuals and organizations have a knack for getting their names in the
news? The media spotlight loves them.
Even on a local level, certain businesses appear to have a steady supply of “good news stories”
that garner media attention, and of course, get the public talking—and taking action.
Coincidental? Hardly.
So how do you attract this type of public attention for yourself and your
enterprise? Without significantly adding to your marketing costs.
Or without the need to hire a public relations firm, even if on a retainer.
That’s the information discussed in this section of the workbook.
Regardless of your business, budget or background, with the proper
knowledge and right publicity tools, anyone can be a media magnet.
Once you understand what it takes to create publicity, especially the
free kind, you’ll forever be on the lookout for interesting ways to create,
pitch and develop ideas into a positive story for your product, service
and organization.
In this section, we guide you through the 4-step publicity process: what
to publicize, how to publicize, where to publicize and when to publicize.
You’ll learn which activities attract the most attention, how to
communicate with the media and when to build on previous publicity.
MARKETING TIP:
“Popular blogs can be
as influential as many
print publications, but
pitching a blogger
requires a careful
approach. Unlike print
publications, blogs
have no editorial
calendar, so it’s important to read previous
posts and become
familiar with the
subject matter
covered.”
Finally, we cover the ingredients that go into the making of a professional
press release, as well as tips on to handle a media interview.
Profit from the subtle art of media publicity
The art of publicity is to get a third-party—the print, broadcast and Internet media—to write
or talk about your product or service in a favorable manner, without any real costs to you.
It’s amazing how a simple endorsement from a reporter, beat editor, radio personality, columnist
or even an unbiased blogger—carries clout in a way that paid advertising cannot.
In the online world, you can double, triple or quadruple your publicity quotient by having
“your story” picked up and distributed in newsletters, e-zines and PR websites, as well as having
it discussed on blogs, webcasts and social networking sites.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
The trick, of course, is to give media people a “hook” to make your story “newsy.” Keep in mind,
their job is NOT to hype you or your business. Their job is to inform, educate and entertain their
audience, and if you can give them an angle or a twist that makes their job easier, you’ve got a
better chance at getting an interview or a mentionable article or story. Yes, it’s often easier said
than done, but there are certain things you can do to make your product or service interesting
and newsworthy.
Dentist turns glum
newspaper story into
a happy ending. And a
remarkable million-dollar
publicity story of his own.
In 2007 the Toronto Star (Canada’s
largest daily newspaper) wrote a
major story on the War on Poverty.
The story highlighted the lack of
affordable dental care for low-income
people in Ontario and
featured Jason Jones, a young
25 year old who lost all but four teeth
because he was poor and could not
afford dental care.
The front-page story described how the young man became an oddity, as his empty, elderly
cheeks limited his ability to find work and express his naturally positive nature.
The touching story prompts a huge response from readers, including a call from a local
dentist Dr. Raj Singh who, without hesitation, offers to give the young man free dentures
and dental implants.
Six months later Jason Jones and his new smile grace the front page again, thanks to
Dr. Singh and his staff who are all featured on the front page as well. It makes for one of
the most heart-warming stories of the year. The resulting publicity for Dr. Singh and his
office is phenomenal, with the story and photos flashed across the country and the world
via the Internet. The example shows how easy it is to make a story yours if your ears are
tuned, your radar on and your heart big. That’s what public relations is all about.
By the way, Dr. Singh is today so busy, it’s hard to book an appointment. All because his
kind gesture turned a human-interest story into the biggest publicity coup of his career.
ACTION PLAN: Keep your eyes (and ears) open to stories and trends in the news.
Then figure out how you can participate or help in some way. Reporters, in particular, love
when the public or a business gets behind their story. It’s a great way to develop a media
relationship and you’re sure to get a responsive ear when you update what you’ve done to
help. In a case like this, the resulting publicity gathers steam and becomes a media story
on its own.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Why Every Business Needs Publicity
Everyone in business faces two obstacles to success: getting noticed and turning a profit.
One must come before the other.
Whatever your product or service, whether you’re opening a sports injury clinic, running a gift
basket service from your home or seeking to promote your town’s annual rib-fest, you must first
attract attention to prosper.
Publicity certainly can help. It can increase your business recognition, draw attention to your
website, enhance your positive image or reverse a negative image, as certain oil companies have
found. Publicity can provide the spark you need to ignite action. In a crowded field, it allows you
to stand apart. And it may be the competitive edge you need. If you’re seeking to make a name
for your business or yourself, publicity is the way to do it.
Just ask Donald Trump.
The Purpose of Publicity
If you’re thinking about adding publicity to your promotional mix, you’re
smart. Entrepreneurs who understand publicity know its major goals
are to stimulate business activity, increase profits and build public
awareness of a product or service, individual, organization or cause.
With sensible planning, publicity can accomplish a number of other
objectives, some short-term, some long-term:
• Increase your visibility
• Create interest in an event you’re sponsoring
• Give you and your company recognition and credibility
• Attract new clients or new members
• Increase profits at a relatively low cost
• Turn a hobby into a business
• Establish a new image to replace an old one
• Get a new venture off the ground
• Generate good will
• Boost employee morale
COOKING TIP:
A roast with the bone
in will cook faster than
a boneless roast.
The reason?
The bone carries the
heat to the inside of
the roast quicker.
Advantages of publicity over traditional paid advertising
Advertising with publicity enhances the credibility of your marketing message. Publicity is usually
timed first, so when people later see your print or online banner ads or hear your commercials,
they pay more attention and your messaging gets an added boost.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
While publicity and paid-for advertising usually work best in tandem, publicity does have certain
advantages:
1. Less expensive:
Advertising and publicity both make use of the media to reach the public, but publicity costs are
considerably less. Unlike advertising where companies must pay for time and space, publicity is
virtually free. In most cases, your publicity costs will be your time to write news releases
(or paying someone to write them for you) your letterhead and postage expenses to mail
announcements, and your distribution fees for popular online PR websites.
Of course, if you hire a PR firm, you’ll pay an hourly rate or retainer fee, but most small
businesses don’t go this route until they’re in a bigger league.
2. Size of audience:
With publicity you can tell your story to thousands of current and potential customers, perhaps
millions, if mass media picks up your release. (You might even capture a new untapped audience.)
And in the age of the Internet, your publicity story can go viral, and find an audience around the
world.
That said, especially on a local level, it’s often faster and more immediate to address your press
release to a specific individual—a reporter, producer or beat editor who might be interested in
your activity. Once you’ve established a rapport with local media, you’re more apt to get repeat
exposure. Publicity works this way.
MARKETING TIP:
“An interview is not
meant to be free
advertising. When
you’re questioned,
resist the temptation
to push your product.
Interviewers dislike
hard sell. Let the
interviewer mention
your product and
you’ll gain credibility.”
The Marketing Chefs
3. Instant credibility:
You’ll notice a remarkable transformation when your name is
announced over the radio, or your face is on the six o’clock news,
or your article is mentioned on a blog or you’re quoted in a
newspaper story. Suddenly the public perceives you as an expert.
Your credibility shoots up. Unlike with paid advertising, media publicity
is usually viewed as unbiased, and as an implied endorsement for your
product, service or cause.
After all, if the media is credible, so must be the news they report.
Like yours.
4. High impact:
Much like a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend, publicity is
also an extremely persuasive marketing tool. Publicity can sway public
opinion; improve personal images or reverse negative attitudes.
For example, publishers send out free books to critics in the hope of
getting positive reviews for their authors. Movie studios do much the
same, and send actors on publicity tours to talk up their films.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Even a well-timed letter to an editor about current issues can be a persuasive but subtle publicity
ploy. Because of its implied media endorsement, publicity can have a longer-lasting impact than
paid advertising.
5. Versatility:
Publicity is flexible because it can place you or your business in the
spotlight on your terms—almost anytime and any place you choose.
By availing yourself to new media opportunities—for example, in
delivering a teleseminar, signing up as an industry expert
(www.expertclick.com) or participating in a web forum, you can
expand new markets or launch a new business or a new career.
6. Longevity:
Publicity is like a tattoo—the media ink you get offers you a permanent
record of your accomplishment. Once you’ve been mentioned in media,
even once, you can use the video clip, the sound bite or the press
clipping to further your cause.
COOKING TIP:
Add a little lemon and
lime to tuna to add
zest and flavor to tuna
sandwiches. Also, try
using a bit of mustard
instead of mayo to cut
the fat and add a tang.
Add these public records to your marketing materials and website to
stimulate more business, woo potential clients, or as a means to garner more publicity.
Think about it—why will a restaurant take a food critic review and reprint it on their website or
laminate it and place it in their display window, even though the review may be years old and
faded with age? Because good publicity delivers positive repercussions for a long time.
Summary: why publicity is so highly regarded
• It’s less expensive than paying for advertising
• It offers higher results for your marketing dollar
• It’s an "implied endorsement" from the influential and respected media, which
gives you instant credibility
• It gives you exposure to your target audience and potential audiences you may not
even know about
• It can directly lead to inquiries and sales
• It can create interest in a one-time event you’re sponsoring
• It’s a key way to drive traffic to your website, and as such,
is a great way to boost your ratings and page rank
• It’s a morale booster to have your name or company in the
public eye
The Marketing Chefs
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Is publicity really free?
Until now we’ve said that publicity is free, unlike advertising where companies must pay for time
and media space. Publicity is free, sort of. Yes, you can create a news release and if it attracts
the attention of a reporter or editor, you might be interviewed or have your story written up or
mentioned for free in the local paper or trade magazine or e-zine newsletter.
But, as many businesses confirm, you stand a better chance of having your story “picked up”
if you already pay for advertising in that particular medium. Editors are known to say “we’ll give
them a freebie mention after they pay for another ad.” Ouch. That’s reality.
Here’s another reality bite. Not all publicity efforts will guarantee a media pick-up, or even a
mention of your name or business, IF the media is not interested. (Your story may be tucked away
for use another time.) Don’t be discouraged. Learn from your no-responses. Even paid advertising
is no guarantee of results, either.
On the positive side, the media, especially smaller community newspapers and trade journals,
are always hungry for story ideas and activities with a local twist or industry-specific slant.
Often a cover “pitch” letter and an interesting press release to a specific media person is all
that’s needed to get the ball rolling.
Start local, see what works, and move up the media ladder. Getting an Oprah-mention takes a bit
of publicity practice.
Tip: How to get maximum return
on a single news release:
“Write one release to a prime
target, then shop it around. One
on-topic, on-target release can
go farther then yet another e-mail
blast, because journalists always
want new exclusive ideas.”
Mitchell P. Davis,
publisher,
Yearbook of Experts
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Why it pays to include pay-for PR websites
While publicity, by its very nature is free, you can pay to have your news releases posted online
through paid distribution sites. (Plenty of free distribution PR sites also exist, but you may find
them NOT as effective as paying sites. They still are worth your consideration, if only to get more
mileage out of your publicity efforts. These sites are noted in our resource section.)
Our two favorite pay-for sites are PRWeb.com, especially if you’re posting fewer than 10 releases
a year, and www.ExpertClick.com The Online Yearbook of Experts. An Expertclick subscription
lets you post up to 52 press releases a year with no additional per-releases charges. It also
places you into its online database of experts, which journalists search frequently.
Start a viral poll or survey
When the city of Dallas, Texas (Home of the Dallas Cowboys) considered
renaming its football stadium, Mike, an online entrepreneur, decided to
quickly build a website to conduct a poll. The website allowed Dallas
residents to vote on questions related to this local issue - such as:
“Do you want the name of the stadium to change?"
Mike sent a news release to the Dallas-area media (newspapers, radio
and television stations, etc.) about this new website where people could
go and vote on this important issue.
RESULTS:
The website received substantial publicity from the local media and
the news spread via word-of-mouth. In just 10 days Mike received over
100,000 visitors to his site, added 50,000 new opt-in subscribers to his
email list, and sold more products, as he says, “like crazy.”
You may not realize it, but you’re an expert in demand
Think you’re not an expert? Yes you are. If you’re in business, or have a hobby, you undoubtedly
have a skill or an area of expertise with background information that some journalist or editor
needs. Whether it’s via a phone call or an email, you are a source, and somebody worthy of an
interview or a quotation. And if you’ve been interviewed or quoted more than once, you’re
probably perceived as an uber-expert.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Fact is, most reporters today rely on online sites such as www.PRWeb.com or
www.ExpertClick.com for searching stories. If they need information on a topic, they’ll scan the
PR headlines or subject areas or experts to find a release or a person that can satisfy their
journalistic needs.
In the end, publicity, however you get it, is about getting the media to buy a strategic message—
your story. Start by giving your publicity story appetite appeal.
Sometimes it’s necessary to build promotional values into your product. Publicity
can help that along. Not many people were comfortable eating Horse Mackerel
sandwiches until a brilliant PR person started a campaign and called it tuna fish.
Soon after, Charlie the Tuna was born. Wonders, what a name change can do.
And keep in mind, when Marion Morrison changed his name to John Wayne, his
“brand” suddenly took off like a wild horse.
Where to find opportunities for publicity
There’s no secret formula to generating publicity in the media.
For the most part, it’s an easy two-step process. First, create or plan
a noteworthy event or activity, and second, notify the media of your
activity or accomplishment.
Simple, right?
The real secret is to find those activities that not only draw public
attention, but activities that draw the attention of those in the print,
broadcast and Internet media. It’s not that difficult.
Find out what the media want
To receive publicity you need the media. But what does the media
want from you? Think like a journalist. Or an editor/producer in the
media outlet you want your story to appear. What types of events or
actions invite a further investigation from them? What types of
activities displease the media? (Bet you know this one.)
The Marketing Chefs
MARKETING TIP:
“Beware of jargon.
While a limited amount
of jargon may be
required if your goal
is to optimize your
news release for
online search engines,
the best way to
communicate your
news is to speak
plainly, using ordinary
language. What does
“capacity planning
techniques” mean?”
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Here’s a quick guide to acceptable practices to keep in mind.
1. Inform. Amuse. Educate. Entertain.
To earn media publicity, your activity must be newsy, of course. And interesting, not just to the
media but also to their readers, listeners and viewers. Offline reporters and story editors always
need new material to fill in their pages or hours of broadcast time. Online journalists and bloggers
constantly seek fresh content to feed their websites and blogs and ezines and newsletters each
day. But that content must inform, educate or entertain their audience in some way.
Google is a young company that has not spent money
to advertise its brand name. Google’s growth has come
entirely from word-of-mouth, as satisfied users tell their
friends, and others learn about it through the media and
online. Now that’s the epitome of good publicity.
So, before you undertake any promotional activity, ensure it has a story element that informs or
entertains. Or both. If it doesn’t, you may have to change your approach. And even if you have an
entertaining hook, if you’re promoting the same event again and again, you’ll have to find a fresh
twist of some sort. The press (and people) weary fast.
But take heart, consider how many “easy hamburger dinner” recipes you see every month in food
magazines. They may seem similar. But all it takes is one new spice or ingredient and wow,
you’ve got a new cover story and the makings of a whole eating experience.
Apply that knowledge to your recurring publicity activities.
2. No hype. No hard sell. No me-me.
Remember, publicity is not advertising. Comparatively, publicity
whispers, advertising shouts. As far as the media is concerned,
the guaranteed way to doom any activity from getting publicity is to
include an obvious sales pitch in your press release. Again, think like
a journalist and remember the needs of their readers, listeners and
viewers.
Strive for journalistic merit and tie-in your press release with the buzz
of a real news story or a current trend you’ve been hearing about.
Better yet, give your promotional activity a warm human-interest angle
that the audience might sympathize with. Forget self-serving, and the
spoils will come to you.
The Marketing Chefs
COOKING TIP:
Sunlight doesn't ripen
tomatoes, warmth
does. Store tomatoes
with stems pointed
down and they will
stay fresher, longer.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Publicity campaign on YouTube earns Hollywood call for actor, and
major recognition and sales increase for sponsor
Bride Has
Massive
Hair Wig-Out:
One of our favorite publicity stories involves an amateur
video recording about a bad hair meltdown posted on
YouTube in 2007. In the six-minute clip, a young woman
enters a hotel room filled with bridesmaids and complains
of her bad haircut, an hour before her wedding. Then, in
a burst of anger, the bride-to-be takes a pair of scissors
and begins furiously cutting off her hair -- repeatedly
telling the camera operator to stop filming.
It's not obvious that the video is a dramatization, nor that
it's affiliated with any organization.
As it turns out, the video of the screaming bride-to-be with the awful haircut was actually
spearheaded by Sunsilk Canada, a major hair product company. This fact only came to light
only a few days later, when bloggers started asking questions. In fact, the hair product
company planned the publicity campaign this way—and it worked much better than any
expectation.
Results:
The inexpensively shot video became an overnight hit and has been viewed by more than
3 million people and counting. The resulting media pick-up earned the video-maker Ingrid Hass
and the actress Jodi Behan both instant notoriety and calls from Hollywood, which was their
intention. Even famed director Norman Jewison was quoted as saying he’d hire the aspiring
actress. The clip made it on NBC's The Today Show and earned the actors interviews on Good
Morning America and as well as requests to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
And the sponsor, Sunsilk, noticed a huge up-tick in visits to its website, increased sales and
dozens of requests for interviews from the print, broadcast and Internet media. The point is
this: the stunt was entertaining, without any sales pitch at all. What kind of viral publicity
campaign can you create for your product or service?
3. Local angle. National slant. Universal subject.
Whether it’s print, radio, television or online, each media channel is only interested in material
that relates to their specific niche of readers, listeners or viewers. Shape your story around
satisfying the needs of that particular audience. A shotgun strategy that tries to satisfy everyone
may not be effective at getting you the pick-up you desire. In fact, it may reduce your chances of
getting media publicity, because many journalists and producers look for “exclusive” stories.
The Marketing Chefs
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Generally speaking, a nationwide TV program is apt to present stories with a national slant while
a community paper is usually focused on local activities. The Internet, on the other hand, tends to
be organized by topic, rather than region. Use your activity to take advantage of the media and its
audience.
It’s easy to become an opportunist
If you want publicity, put away your timidity. Become an opportunist.
Be open-minded and keep your radar on. You cannot sit back and hope
for something to happen. Take charge and become pro-active in your
business life.
It doesn’t mean you have to single-handedly develop a new fat-busting
diet based on fresh-water mollusks or invent a bean-powered car.
But it does mean that when you’re trying to attract media coverage,
you need a spark to get things ignited. (Bean-car, hmm.)
It’s easy to become an opportunist when you’re aware of what’s
happening in your community, your own area of interest and in the
mass media. Capitalize on those events and make news from those
stories.
MARKETING TIP:
“Contact every local
organization and find
out how to get your
name listed as a community resource in
their phone and web
directories. The media
frequently uses these
guides as sources for
interviews.”
Here are a few ways for making news:
1. Jump on the bandwagon of a current trend.
Follow blogs, magazines and talk shows for the latest buzz on food fads, fashion styles and fitness
stories. Keep your eyes and ears open to what health issue Dr. Phil is chatting about and what
ecological, travel or business-related trend is grabbing time on the six-o’clock news. Then find
a way to translate that story into an opportunity to gain publicity for your business.
Another bachelor/bachelorette TV season starting? If you run a pub or bar, start an online survey
to vote for the best “pick-up” line and post the results on your website. (Go viral and be sure to
collect email addresses.) Set up an evening to bring in a few local models to meet and greet and
to announce the winning phrases. Invite the entertainment media and “prospects” from your new
batch of email names—and let the fun begin.
Got a retail storefront? Decorate your display window to coincide with a scientific or
environmental story in the news. When Knut, the German baby polar bear, made worldwide
headline news, we saw department stores, fashion boutiques and toy stores dressing up window
displays with cute polar bears. (A few years ago, similar media hoopla occurred with the arrival
of Dolly, the first cloned sheep. Imagine the media publicity you’d generate if you brought in a real
baby lamb to mark the arrival of your winter collection of wool coats.)
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Run a camping backpack store? Call the zoo and see if you can rent a kangaroo for an afternoon.
Guaranteed publicity for your “pouch” story.
Celebrating a 40th anniversary of your business or service? Dress your staff in bandanas and
tie-dyed shirts, crank up the Jefferson Airplane tunes and send incense sticks in a press kit to
the local media. Cool, man.
If an upcoming movie or play is getting a lot of advance press,
tie in your product or service to the themes related to the show.
When the Sweeny Todd musical drama about a mad barber
living in London during the 1800s opened in Toronto, a local hair
salon took advantage of the critical buzz. Mynt Hair Studio
www.mynthairstudio.com promoted its own grand opening
with a contest to win a pair of tickets to the acclaimed show.
A bloody good idea.
Ride the coattails of the latest Oprah and “Entertainment Tonight” themes
If you want the scoop on the latest water-cooler buzz, simply pay attention to media shows
headed up by the likes of Oprah, Ellen, Martha, Jay, David and our fav, Jim Cramer, to name
a few of the more popular names. When these talk celebrities spot a hot story or trend, it’s a safe
bet the rest of the media will pay attention, especially if your “hook” relates to the latest buzz in
some way.
That’s what publicity is about—the latest “thing”, whatever that is.
Summer or winter Olympics coming up? Ride the coattails of media
attention and celebrate the event with wine and food samples from the
host country, or from the country where your products originate. Ikea
offers ‘Swedish meatballs’ and they’re always a hit. Yah.
COOKING TIP:
Let raw potatoes
stand in cold water
for at least half an
hour before frying to
improve the crispness
of french-fried
potatoes.
The Marketing Chefs
When elections occur, certain restaurants grab media publicity by
asking patrons to vote for candidates with their choice of hamburgers.
An ice cream parlor or beer pub can do the same. The community press
loves to cover events like this, so find your hook, announce your story
in a news release and be sure to offer free samples to reporters.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
To tie-in with an environmental story, a florist brings in a Green Peace author to sign autographs
and sets up a display on “Amazing Amazon” plants. To piggyback on a story about identity
frauds, a computer retailer presents free seminars on protecting yourself against online scams.
Libraries are great free venues for such seminars and welcome suggestions from entrepreneurs.
These programs are regularly written up in local community papers, so take advantage of the
free publicity.
The possibilities for publicity news are endless. In every case, the main requirement is that your
story be associated with some interesting current event and not a commercial activity.
2. Include statistics when pitching a story idea
Did you know 28 percent of Canadians said they believed in ghosts and spirits? A pretty
compelling statistic, and perhaps it’s no wonder why Halloween is a $5 billion industry in North
America. The National Retail federation estimates the average consumer will spend $65 on the
pagan holiday, including $23 on costumes, $20 on candy, $18 on decorations and $4 on greeting
cards.
We found those facts in one section of the Weekend Edition of the
Toronto Star. The next time you’re reading a newspaper or magazine
article, notice how many times the reporter mentions statistics high in
the story.
Facts and figures validate your news release
When possible, load up with facts and figures when you create a press
release. That’s because statistics help validate your story.
That same weekend edition of the paper mentioned a story about a
Toronto city corporation going “green.” It said the corporation spent
$90 million on energy refits and cut its annual greenhouse emissions
by 19,000 tonnes, the equivalent of about 10,000 cars. Hard facts,
impressive statistics.
MARKETING TIP:
If after several
attempts, your press
announcements are
being ignored by a
particular media outlet,
remedy the situation.
Try targeting another
person or department.
But never contact the
media and ask why
your news releases
aren’t being used.
Bad manners.”
In another story about creating better building materials, the reporter
described how two McMaster University engineers found that fired clay
bricks became stronger and less porous with the addition of 15 percent
crushed glass from recycled bottles. Since roughly 700 million bricks are
produced in the province annually, that small improvement could make a big change.
Interesting. Imagine how a homebuilder or building supply store could use facts like these to
draw attention and publicity to their store or business.
That’s what we mean about using facts to give credibility and “newsy-ness” to your publicity
stories. In fact, lead with statistics if you really want to get a journalist’s attention.
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Where to find facts and statistics
Where do you find relevant facts and statistics to give your story journalistic credibility?
Today you’re in luck. The Internet makes it quick and easy to search for virtually anything.
Start with government agency websites and industry-specific websites for the latest statistical
information with the most reliability. You can also use search engines to Google keywords for
the information you require. For other common resource sites, check the last section of this
workbook.
A bookstore owner might lead off her press release with a statistic on inner city literacy rates
to bolster her announcement of a learn-to-read campaign and her free weekly story-hour for
children. It’s bound to capture the interest of education/city/human interest reporters—and their
readers or viewers.
COOKING TIP:
When buying a turkey,
purchase one pound
of turkey per person
to be served. This
formula allows for
the holiday meal plus
a little left over for
the prized turkey
sandwich.
Similarly, with all the recent headline news about subprime mortgage
losses, a real estate agent might lead off with a statistic on how many
people fail to qualify for a mortgage. Use that fact to offer a seminar on
“How to qualify for a home loan in today’s market.” With proof of a
problem, the media is often willing to provide support for a story and
publicize your event.
How many people over 50 are finding it difficult to enter the job market
after a downsizing? Those statistics are easy to find, and if you’re an
outsourcing business, or a financial consultant, you can include those
facts in a press release to get media attention and publicize, say an
offer to conduct an online career/financial seminar for those affected.
To summarize, use facts and stats to give your story credibility and to
provide support for your event or cause.
3. Participate in community events
It’s easy to generate publicity for yourself or your business by piggybacking onto major public
events. A lot of these activities recur year after year, which gives you plenty of advance time to
plan your publicity strategy. For example, events like trade shows, fairs, auto and home shows
attract thousands and usually receive lots of press. Naturally, you can ride the publicity train by
arranging a display, exhibition or demonstration to coincide with the event and notifying the
media of your plans.
To set the wheels in motion, find out who is in charge of public relations and offer to put on some
kind of demonstration. If you’re a dentist, offer a “zoom” teeth-whitening demo. If you sell
cosmetics, provide free make-overs for the public.
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Got a catering business? Prepare a butter sculpture or exotic fruit carving display, or better yet,
a chocolate fountain and offer a chocolate door prize. Yes, a door made of chocolate, it’s a sure
hook to whet the appetite of the media.
Work with organizers to get your name on the publicity calendar of events and the media
materials. While there’s no guarantee of coverage, you certainly improve your chances. Besides,
media people always need a reference point and appreciate a little advance notice, so use
a press release to let them know of your plans.
If it involves food or drink, the media will be there.
Even the (seemingly) insignificant can impress the masses and the media
To encourage a new, younger audience to sample their products, Proctor and Gamble
(P&G) created Potty Palooza, a portable restroom that is shunted off to various
outdoor concerts and festivals. Unlike the typical portable potty,
the P&G version is immaculate and comes equipped with
running water, wallpaper, hardwood floors and of course,
Charmin™ ultra white toilet paper, Safeguard™ soap and
Bounty™ paper towels.
To get media coverage, concert-style T-shirts with the message
“Potty-Palooza…it’s Loo-la-la” were sent to the local media in advance of each
appearance. In addition, the company emailed presses releases to the local media
two days before each festival or fair.
The hoopla worked. Stories ran in TV and print in all local market stops. Three
national news stories covered the “event.” More important, during the time period,
sales increased by 14 percent among consumers who used the facilities. Proof: even
something insignificant as toilet paper can be newsworthy, if promoted with panache.
Action Plan: Check out a calendar of local crowd-gathering events for an opportunity
to place your product or demonstrate your service. Speak to the event planner with
your idea. Be inventive. Send out a T-shirt or promotional item to intrigue the local
media.
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More ideas to generate free publicity
If you need a little help with your creativity, here are a number of suggestions for publicity ideas
to get the ball rolling. See how you can adapt them to your business or situation.
Use a celebrity connection to draw publicity
You don’t need a movie star named Brad or Angelina to drop by your place of business to draw a
crowd. Sure it might work like gangbusters, but there’s a price to pay. On the other hand, local
celebrities, including radio and TV personalities as well as sports athletes, musicians, authors
and occasionally, even politicians, can attract a lot of people.
Use random acts of kindness to attract publicity
Guerrilla marketing involves promotional tactics that get “street” publicity in
unexpected and often unusual ways. We love the following example gleaned from
the kind-hearted tactics of a well-known department store.
During the holiday season Marshall Fields sends “Jingle Elves” onto
the streets of Chicago to perform random acts of kindness. These
ambassadors of goodwill offer hot chocolate along Michigan Avenue,
pay bus and subways fares for commuters, hand out lip balm and hand
lotion to pedestrians and read stories at local libraries.
What a great idea. Actions speak louder than words.
These kind gestures are far more persuasive than any ads that proclaim, “we care
about our customers.” The elves serve as reminder that holiday spirit is about
giving, not receiving. The goodwill from the media coverage, word-of-mouth
recommendations and blogger chat is phenomenal.
Good for you Marshall Fields, every retailer should follow your lead.
Action Plan: Think about a guerrilla-marketing tactic for your product or business.
High school and college students from a drama class make excellent recruits to
help deliver your activity to the streets. What can you do in a tangible way for
your community at important event times of year?
Popular journalists, columnists and yes, cartoonists, are great people-magnets too. Stretch your
imagination when trying to figure out the personality that best suits your publicity event.
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Just be sure to invite the local media too. If your story interests them, your name or business
could end up in the news. Some celebrities, like authors, are more apt to take you up on your
publicity offers, since they stand to promote their own wares too.
Keep in mind, a bookstore or library isn’t the only place to showcase an author. Why not invite
a décor author to your home hardware store, a fashion writer to your boutique, a sports writer
to your sports bar, a food writer to your grocery store, a financial author to your bank. You get
the picture.
COOKING TIP:
Got an appetite for
moist and juicy grilled
hamburgers? Add cold
water to the ground
beef before gently
shaping into patties
and grilling: (1/2 cup to
1 pound of meat).
To access an author, usually call the publisher first. From there, you
may be put in touch with the author’s agent. Most local personalities
will attend your event for a small fee, or have their fee donated toward
a charity or cause, which gives you one more non-commercial reason
to promote your event.
Go “green” and let your community know
Journalists, in particular, love to jump on almost any story about saving
the environment. Switching from paper cups to ceramics? Turning off
the night-lights in your office? Allowing looser, more casual clothing for
employees to reduce the air conditioning power consumption? You
can pitch your ideas to business journals, your local daily and weekly
newspapers, and local TV stations. Alternative weeklies also love
stories like these.
Use your community involvement to promote your business
It’s easy and worthwhile to use your community involvement to help promote your business.
For example, make donations that represent your business. If you have a garden supply business,
for example, contribute seeds and simple tools for a community garden. Then promote your
donation in a press release.
If you own a hair salon, perhaps team with a neighborhood spa and offer to send a combo team
to a senior’s home for a day of beauty and pampering. Be sure let the media know about your
good deed and watch the accolades pour in. You’ll feel better too.
Offer to teach a class at a local college
Professors, especially those teaching business-related courses, are always looking for someone
from the trenches to give students insights gleaned from the real world of business. To get the
wheels in motion, let the college department know you’re available. Ask to speak to the professor
on a topic that you might cover. Try “A day in the life of (fill-in your profession).” Let the press
know of your activity. Bring your business cards—it’s amazing how this publicity and networking
can pay off down the road. You might even gain future employees.
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Stage an event
Band together with other local businesses and a hold a theme day or an event such as a
“Spring Fling” or “Summer in the City” activity. For example, during the dead of winter, more
than 30 Toronto restaurants put down their competitive knives and unite to publicize an annual
“Winterlicious” event. The activity promotes a set price dinner to encourage hibernating
Torontonians to get out and try new foods and eating experiences. The event gathers momentum
every year, thanks in part to the publicity and media coverage.
How To Easily Write your First Press Release:
All along we’ve stated that a press release is your number one tool for
generating publicity for your business. Now let’s get to the nitty-gritty of
what goes into a press release and how to format the structure so that
it’s accepted and used by the media.
To repeat, press releases, also known as news releases, are brief
documents that are used to communicate news (not advertising) to the
media. Although a one-page news release is the most basic of publicity
tools, it’s also one of the most powerful documents that your company
can possess—IF it is used correctly. One well-crafted news release has
the potential to generate publicity that reaches thousands of potential
customers.
Looks like a letter, reads like an article
In appearance a press release looks like a letter, while in content it
resembles a newspaper article. Like a letter, a press release message
is typed on business stationary with your company name or logo at the
top. Keep the release short, preferably one page. If the release
continues onto a second page, write “more” at the bottom of the
second page.
MARKETING TIP:
“When pitching a
blogger it’s better not
to include the press
release in the pitch,
since most bloggers
don’t write stories
based on press releases; they prefer to point
out links to a release
and write their own
commentary.”
Unlike a letter, a press release NEVER includes a salutation or a signature. It is an impersonal
and factual statement about your activities. But as stated earlier, your statement must be useful,
accurate and informative.
Although you may be tempted to call a local media person, don’t. The press release is the
accepted method of communication with the media, and any other means will usually doom your
chances and dismiss you as unprofessional.
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Guidelines for constructing the release
The format of your press release is important. Major media outlets receive hundreds of press
releases each day, which is why an established style and format must be followed.
A professional, properly formatted press release gets taken seriously. Improper formatting is
a waste of time and money, and will earn you the contempt of the media, and your efforts will
either be deleted or tossed in the wastepaper basket. Media people don’t have the time to wade
through poorly prepared material.
COOKING TIP:
Steak Sauce With
A Kick: Deglaze your
frying pan (after
searing your New York
steaks) with brandy.
Add two tablespoons
of butter, a little white
wine and a splash of
Grand Marnier. Serve
over steaks. No more
bottled steak sauce
again.
Yes, there are subtle differences between an offline and online press
release, like the addition of hyperlinks, and online media kits, and
placement of contact information, but we’ll describe those minor
differences as we progress. That said, once you become familiar
with the press release form, it’s easy to write to the pattern.
The press release style
While a press release is your opportunity to tell the media about
your newest product or latest accomplishment, it’s not written from
your personal viewpoint. Instead, it’s prepared as if a reporter were
interviewing you. Remove your ego from the picture. In your press
release you must always refer to yourself in the third person—as
“he” or “she.” Sorry.
The personal pronoun “I”, “me” and “mine” should never appear
unless you are quoting yourself and your statement is set apart in
quotation marks. That said, quotations and reaction statements
add color because they are the only way to use subjective language
and exclamations. You could write: Mr. Edmonds accepted the music award saying,
“I’m overwhelmed, wow, let’s rock!”
Like a news story, a release should have the tone of an impartial reporter and include the basics
of who, what, when, where and why. It’s about facts, not opinions (unless it’s a quotation.) The
press releases should be written in an inverted pyramid, where the most important points come
first and the least important facts come last. That way, if the editor needs to shorten your copy,
the last statement can be cut without hurting the essential message.
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THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKBOOK
The press release appearance
Your press release will be competing with many other pieces of mail for a reporter’s attention,
so make sure it is neat and professional looking. Use one side of the paper (for offline releases)
and double-space the copy.
Letterhead: Always print your press releases on business letterhead
with the name, address, telephone numbers and Internet address of
your organization. This not only adds an air of legitimacy, it provides
the reporter with the correct spelling of those pertinent details.
Legibility: Use an easy-to-read standard font style. You can’t go wrong
with Times Roman or Arial. Avoid the decorative or script styles, as they
are too hard to read, and reporters read a lot.
Layout: Keep the layout simple and easy-to-read. Stick with one font
style for the body of the release and use a standard size font: 12 to 14
points is the preferred size. Allow margins of at least one inch on every
side. Also, for visual appeal, center the headlines & subheads on the
page.
Formatting a traditional press pelease layout
Although press releases will vary slightly from online to offline and
from event to event, most of them adhere to the following general
structure. Here’s an explanation of each feature followed by a sample
release. See page 134-135.
MARKETING TIP:
“Keep in mind that
big news events don’t
disappear; they
often resurface in
“anniversary” stories.
So keep track of major
events. When you
contact the media
about your plans
to celebrate that
anniversary, you’ll
create an opportunity
to be featured on
the news.”
1. Identify your organization, with your company name or logo at the top. Include address,
telephone numbers and Internet address of your organization.
2. Begin your message by centering the words ‘PRESS RELEASE” (all in capital letters) about
two lines below the business heading.
3. Type the date at the left hand margin, two lines below the words PRESS RELEASE.
4. Identify when the story should be released. If your story may be published right away, type
“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:” directly under the date. If you’d like the information held until a
specific date, type FOR RELEASE AFTER (fill in date, including year). Not all media will honor this
embargo, so beware. This release date information is usually set in capital letters and bold type.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
5. Contact Information. Write “CONTACT:” followed by the name, title phone number and email
address of the person to contact for further information. This information may be single-spaced
and is typed on the same line as the date, on the flush right side of the page. Ensure the contact
person is has authority to speak for the organization, and is reachable. Reporters have deadlines
and will not wait.
6. Headline. Skip two lines after your contact information and give a summary of what your story
is about. Boldface type is optional but suggested. We recommend writing your headline and
summary last, to be sure you include the most important news elements
in the body of the release.
Use title case in the headline only, capitalizing every word except for
prepositions and articles of three characters or less.
7. Subhead. Also called summary paragraph. Set directly below your
headline. The subhead should be written to elaborate on the news of
the headline in one to four sentences. The summary uses sentence
case, with standard capitalization and punctuation.
8. Dateline. This is the city of origin for your press release, followed by
the state or province abbreviation if it is not a major city or if it may be
confused with another city by the same name. The dateline is written in
capital letters plus a dash, followed by the first line of the lead
sentence. e.g: TORONTO, Ontario - July 2, 2008 -
COOKING TIP:
Instead of the water
your recipe calls for,
try juices, bouillon, or
water you've cooked
vegetables in. Instead
of milk, try buttermilk,
yogurt or sour cream.
It can add a whole
new flavor and
improve nutrition.
9. Lead Sentence. This is the opening line contains the most important
information of your story usually in 25 words or less. Grab your reader’s attention here by simply
stating the news you have to announce. Do not assume that your reader has read your headline
or summary paragraph; the lead should stand on its own.
10. Body. A news release, like a news story, keeps sentences and paragraphs short, about three
or four lines per paragraph. The first couple of paragraphs should answer the who, what, when,
where, why and how questions. The news media may take information from a news release to
craft a news or feature article or may use information in the release word-for-word, but a news
release is not, itself, an article or a reprint.
The rest of the news release expounds on the information provided in the lead paragraph. It
includes quotes from key staff, customers or subject matter experts. When submitting online do
not include an e-mail address in the body of the release. If you do, you run the risk of receiving
spam. Provide your email address only in the spaces provided during the submission process.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
The final paragraph of a traditional news release contains the least
newsworthy material. But for an online release, it’s typical to restate
and summarize the key points with a paragraph like the next one.
MARKETING TIP:
“If your store
promotes lesser known
“special” days—such
a Secretary’s Day or
Groundhog Day instead
of the well-known
holidays such as
Christmas, you face
less competition for
attention and will
probably get more
press for your
business.”
For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release
(or for a sample, copy or demo), contact Mary Smith or visit
www.prweb.com. You can also include details on product availability,
trademark acknowledgment, etc. here.
11. Last paragraph. This includes a short corporate backgrounder or
“boilerplate” about the company or person who is newsworthy. For an
online press release, the contact’s name and phone number is listed
next. (For a mailed press release, the contact information is listed at the
front of the release.)
12. Contact information. For an online press release, the contact’s
name and phone number is listed next. (For a mailed Press Release,
the contact information is often listed at the front of the release.)
13. Ending. Skip a line after the last sentence and type a symbol for the ending: ### or -30- to
indicate the conclusion.
For online press releases you can offer a hyperlink to your online media kit.
1. If your release is longer than one page—
a. Don’t break the paragraph or sentence at the bottom of a page. Arrange the material
to look nicely centred on the first page and begin again at the top of the second page.
b. Type “-more-” at the bottom of each page to indicate that there are more pages.
c. Number the pages consecutively at the top. It is not necessary to number the first page
d. If mailing, staple the pages together.
Tip: Since you want the journalist to act now, invite them to contact you again.
After your press release ending, you may wish to state the following call to action:
If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with
John Ryan, President, please call Pamela Decker at xxx-xxx-xxxx or e-mail Pamela
at (email address)
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Bradley Systems, Inc.
1101 S. Kilbourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
1.
3.
2.
July 2, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4.
6.
PRESS RELEASE
55.
Contact: Tricia Ryan
Tel: 416-259-6611
Email: Tricia@TheMarketingChefs.com
Unlikely Partners Celebrate 10-Year Migraine-Free Relationship
7.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between The Hertz Corporation
and Bradley Systems, developer of America's first 'Zero-Toxic' cleaner-degreaser that
poses no health hazards to employees. 9.
8.
CHICAGO, Illinois – July 2, 2007- Considering that many marriages don’t last this long,
it’s remarkable that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between
green cleaning product developer Bradley Systems and The Hertz Corporation, the
world's largest general-use car rental company.
10.
The business relationship began in 1997, when Hertz was looking for an industrial
strength cleaner-degreaser that posed no health hazards to its employees. And it had to
be safe enough to meet California’s strict environmental standards. Such a cleaner didn’t
exist—so the Fortune 500 company asked Bradley Systems to develop one.
“Hertz wanted a cleaner-degreaser so safe that OSHA (the U.S. Occupational Health and
Safety Administration) would not require their employees to wear any personal protective
equipment to use it,” said Mark Bass, co-founder of Bradley Systems Inc. “But the product had to work fast and cut through dirt, grease and grime. That request provided the
impetus for us to develop RTX#9, dubbed America's first 'Zero-Toxic' Cleaner” because it
has no ozone-depleting, greenhouse gas, or global warming chemicals, and is
biodegradable in water.”
-more-
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Doesn’t aggravate allergies, asthma, or trigger migraine headaches
RTX#9 is now used at all of Hertz’s car rental operations in North America. “Employees
who use RTX#9 in the workplace prefer it to other cleaners because it is unscented and
has hypoallergenic ingredients—so it doesn’t aggravate allergies or asthma, or trigger a
migraine headache in susceptible individuals,” says Bass.
According to CleanLink, a cleaning industry publication, research suggests that cleaners
could be the reason people who are employed as cleaners and janitors have a higher
incidence of asthma than found in other occupations.
According to reports,” says CleanLink, “a common component of products with lemon,
orange or pine scents—known as terpenes—can react with ozone in the air to form
formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen [cancer-causing agent].”
Hertz and Bradley Systems share a similar vision in their commitment to establishing
environmentally responsible business practices throughout their operations. In fact, it was
positive environmental feedback on the RTX#9 from Hertz employees that led Bradley
System develop Zero-Tox, its lead consumer cleaner-degreaser product.
11.
Zero-Tox is the first all-purpose, hypoallergenic household cleaner that is zero-toxic,
biodegradable, with no chlorine, no petroleum, and no ammonia. It carries no health
warnings and it has been tested at Duke University and was awarded the ACMI’s AP
Seal of Approval. Zero-Tox is available in both the United States and Canada at
www.zerotoxonline.com
12.
Contact: Tricia Ryan
Tel: 416-000-0000
Email: Tricia@TheMarketingChefs.com
13.
###
If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Mark
Bass, please call Tricia Ryan at 416-000-0000.
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Tips to get your release published
1. Grab attention with your headline. Telegraph a single newsworthy story in under eight words,
so editors can understand your point at a glance.
The Car That Floats Like a Fish
Unlikely Partners Celebrate 10-Year Migraine-Free Relationship
In Rome, Finding an Ideal Rental
Gluttonous Rite Survives Without Silverware
TV Showman, Once Exiled, Returns With Video Site
Notice any hint of a sales pitch? Probably not. The headline is like a mini ad that sells the rest of
your news release. Your headline needs to “grab the reader by the eyeballs” and intrigue them to
continue. It must excite your media person to think: “my readers will love this, what’s the rest of
the story?”
Work hard on your headline. Sum up your story to fit in a fortune cookie. Look at the headlines
you see on magazines and newspaper tabloids at grocery stores. Make your press release
headline as interesting and attention-getting. Here’s a copywriter trick: Concrete noun. Active
verb. Interesting Object. Imply a benefit. Every headline story deserves this kind of attention.
A great headline gets you the interview and the free publicity. Now, intrigued about that
“gluttonous rite without silverware?” Read on.
2. Flesh out your headline with an informative subhead.
Subheads are useful tools often overlooked by many press release writers. The subhead gives
you the opportunity to flush out your angle and further hook the reporter without stepping on the
drama of the headline.
Here are examples of headline/subhead combos used in press releases:
Headline:
Ultra –Thin Movie, Pop Stars Set Bad Example
Subhead:
Website forum goers weigh in: teens don’t find ultra-thin celebs
attractive; girls say negative self-images are reinforced by
Hollywood’s super skinny.
Headline:
Gluttonous Rite Survives Without Silverware
Subhead:
It was Friday evening at a Legion Hall in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.,
and the scene was a vegetarian’s nightmare.
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Headline:
Staying a step ahead of aging
Subhead:
Researchers find that while you will slow down as you age, you may
be able to stave off more of the deterioration than you thought.
Headline:
TV Showman, Once Exiled, Returns With Video Site
Subhead:
One of Big Media’s most controversial executives is back after a
period of quasi-forced retirement.
3. 1st paragraph.
Your 1st paragraph is directly under your headline (& subhead), and therefore carries nearly the
same weight as your headline. Make sure your 1st paragraph has a brief, but very powerful
"synopsis" containing all of the most important news information: Try for 2-4 sentences.
1. Who is this news story about?
2. What happened in this news?
3. When exactly did it happen?
4. Where exactly did this news happen?
5. Why did it happen?
6. How did it happen? (if appropriate)
The following example, from PublicityInsider.com, demonstrates a good press release headline,
subhead and lead paragraph.
Headline:
Ultra –Thin Movie, Pop Stars Set Bad Example
Subhead:
Website forum goers weigh in: teens don’t find ultra-thin celebs
attractive; girls say negative self-images are reinforced by
Hollywood’s super skinny.
Lead 1st
paragraph:
America’s teenagers are angry at Hollywood for glamorizing ultra-thin
bodies, and many girls say they feel too self-conscious about their
bodies as a result of watching TV, movies and music videos.
The findings are gleaned from more than six months of ongoing
discussions and debates at the website of Vitaminhealth.com.
According to Vitaminhealth.com President John Ryan, “anger and
resentment toward the Hollywood ultra-thin runs deep,
particularly among teenage girls.”
Notice now how the release is beginning to sound more like a credible news article with
journalistic merit. That’s what to strive for in writing your releases.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
4. Body copy paragraphs
The second and succeeding paragraphs expand on the event or activity. Add important facts and
statistics to validate your story. Try to include more quotes, especially from an industry analyst or
a recognized expert on the topic. The quotes give a personal, human perspective to the story, so
use them, even if you have to invent them and have the person “agree” to state them.
Again here is an example from the PublicityInsider.com release:
“This demonstrates once again the need to teach young girls and boys about how to
develop a positive self image,” said dietitian Alison Anderson, author of “Learning to Like
my Body Just As It Is”. Vitaminhealth.com has done a true service by bringing these
attitudes to the public’s attention.”
The Close or Boilerplate. Finally, spend a sentence or two describing
your business and include corporate background or history, if available.
This helps editors understand your business so they can write about it.
Straight boilerplate copy might say, for example: Vitaminhealth.com
was founded in 1997 to provide consumers with a wide choice of
vitamins, supplements and herbal products. The site offers consumers
a range of articles, research materials and message forums for the
health conscious consumer.
On the hand, here’ s another example from Ken Evoy, a successful
author and Internet entrepreneur. Dr. Ken Evoy knows how to sell on
the Web. He has been featured in local and national media, on topics
ranging from medicine and toys to investing and the Web. He knows
how to tailor great answers for your audience demographics. Your
readers will appreciate the story, both for its human interest and for
its content value. For more information please visit the Web site at
http://media.sitesell.com/. For a free download of the actual book
for review purpose, please call (450-458-1064). Photos available
upon request.
MARKETING TIP:
“To attract publicity,
affiliate yourself with
a charity. Choose a
cause you believe in,
then contribute your
valuable time or
expertise. If you’re
raising funds, notify
your local media.
After collecting the
money, arrange to
donate it in an official
ceremony with the
press notified.”
Note: Journalists like to offer free items and helpful information to their audience.
Here’s your chance to shine and make your publicity really sell. In your press
release, offer something free that the publication's audience will find useful.
This gives them a way to contact you and dramatically increase your sales.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Summary: 14 Key Points To Remember When Writing a Release:
1. Make sure your story is interesting, newsy and informative.
2. Be accurate, but if you can honestly describe your event or
product as the largest, biggest smallest or even the second
COOKING TIP:
largest or one of the oldest, you’ll make your story stand out.
It's important to let
3. Ask yourself, “How will people relate to this story and will
a roast -- beef, pork,
they connect?
lamb or poultry -4. Your headline represents 80% your news release
sit a little while before
effectiveness. Make it jump. Make it command instant
carving. That allows
the juices to
attention from the editor.
retreat back into the
5. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.
meat. If you carve
6. Don’t use exclamation marks, unless in a quotation.
a roast too soon,
7. Give facts and statistics to add credibility to your release.
much of its goodness
8. Provide as much contact information as possible: individual
will spill out onto the
contact, address, phone, fax, email, website address.
carving board.
9. Before you issue a release, ensure you have the story with
enough substance behind it.
10. Follow accepted press release formats to ensure it gets
read by the media.
11. Avoid hype-bloated phrases like “breakthrough”, “unique”, “state-of-the-art” etc.
12. Write your release from a journalist’s perspective. Never use first person pronouns
like “I” or “we” unless in a quotation.
13. To get a feel for good newspaper writing, read the New York Times or the
Washington Post.
14. Shorter is better: if you can say it in two pages, great. If you can say it in one page,
better.
Tip: “Boilerplate” is an old newspaper term meaning a block of standard text that
is used over and over again. For a press release, it’s often the “filler” copy about
biography details or company information you might use at the bottom of all your
releases.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Follow a Standard Press Release Format
Make sure your press release looks like a press release. The following (from PRWEB) can be
used as a template for your online press release.
Headline Announces News in Title Case, Ideally Under 80 Characters
The summary paragraph is a little longer synopsis of the news, elaborating on the
news in the headline in one to four sentences. The summary uses sentence case,
with standard capitalization and punctuation.
City, State/Province (PRWEB) Month 1, 2006 -- The lead sentence contains the most
important information in 25 words or less. Grab your reader’s attention here by simply
stating the news you have to announce. Do not assume that your reader has read your
headline or summary paragraph; the lead should stand on its own.
A news release, like a news story, keeps sentences and paragraphs short, about three
or four lines per paragraph. The first couple of paragraphs should answer the who,
what, when, where, why and how questions. The news media may take information
from a news release to craft a news or feature article or may use information in the
release word-for-word, but a news release is not, itself, an article or a reprint.
The standard press release is 300 to 800 words and written in a word processing
program that checks spelling and grammar before submission to an editor or PR
service. This template is 519 words.
The ideal headline is 80 characters long. Some editors will accept headlines with a
maximum of 170 characters. We recommend writing your headline and summary last,
to be sure you include the most important news elements in the body of the release.
Use title case in the headline only, capitalizing every word except for prepositions
and articles of three characters or less.
The rest of the news release expounds on the information provided in the lead
paragraph. It includes quotes from key staff, customers or subject matter experts.
It contains more details about the news you have to tell, which can be about
something unique or controversial or about a prominent person, place or thing.
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ATTRACTING PUBLICITY
Typical topics for a news release include announcements of new products or of a
strategic partnership, the receipt of an award, the publishing of a book, the release of
new software or the launch of a new Web site. The tone is neutral and objective, not
full of hype or text that is typically found in an advertisement. Avoid directly addressing
the consumer or your target audience. The use of "I," "we" and "you" outside of a direct
quotation is a flag that your copy is an advertisement rather than a news release.
Do not include an e-mail address in the body of the release. If you do, it will be
protected from spambots with a notice to that effect, which will overwrite your e-mail
address.
"The final paragraph of a traditional news release contains the least newsworthy
material," "But for an online release, it’s typical to restate and summarize the key
points with a paragraph like the next one."
For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release (or for a
sample, copy or demo), contact Mary Smith or visit www.prweb.com. You can also
include details on product availability, trademark acknowledgment, etc. here.
About XYZ Company:..Include a short corporate backgrounder, or "boilerplate," about
the company or the person who is newsworthy before you list the contact person’s
name and phone number.
Contact:Mary Smith, director of public relations
XYZ Company
555-555-5555
http://www.prweb.com
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9
RESEARCH & FREE
MARKETING RESOURCES
> How to find research support
RESEARCH & FREE MARKETING RESOURCES
Informative sites to expand your knowledge.
Whatever your business or service, it's important to keep on top of what's happening in your field
or in the market. Or to find out more about your target audience. Or to decide whether a marketing
opportunity is worthy of pursuit.
Most of this information can be found on the Internet, often free of charge. Usually it's a matter of
finding the right sites and sifting through the material, which tends to be quite current.
Listed below are some of the many sites and resources we use to obtain useful data on such thing
as market size, competitive information, consumer usage and attitudes. It's a good place to start,
and once you've refined the opportunity, you may wish to consider primary research. Either way,
you'll probably save time and money.
Finally, on the following pages we list some of our favorite marketing-related books we’ve enjoyed
over years. Cheers.
Print Measurement Bureau - Surveys all categories of products & services advertised in
print- www.pmb.ca
Google - If you want consumer trend research, simply type in consumer trends for your subject
area. www.google.com
Association websites – Every business or service has an association website of some sort. We're
big fans of Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org/) and Convenience Store Association
www.nacsonline.com
Advertising Age Magazine www.adage.com - The bible for U.S. marketing and advertising news.
Magazine profiles - Almost every magazine has a rich target audience profile on their site,
designed for advertisers. Check out the publication if you think your target matches the profile.
Canada Post/United States Postal Service- Helpful sites, especially for direct marketerswww.canadapost.ca www.usps.com
Bibliography of Our Favorite Marketing Books:
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
by Seth Godin Penguin Group,
New York New York 10014 USA
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RESEARCH & FREE MARKETING RESOURCES
Positioning: The Battle Field For Your Mind
by Al Ries & Jack
Trout McGraw Hill Inc.
Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping
by Paco Underhill Simon & Schuster
New York New York 10020
Eating the Big Fish: How Challenger Brands Can Compete Against Brand Leaders
by Adam Morgan
John Wiley and Sons, New York, New York 10158-0012
Clued In: How to keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again
by Lewis Carbone
Financial Times Prentice Hall Saddle River NJ 07458
Ageless Marketing: Strategies for Reaching the Hearts & Minds of the new Customer Majority
by David Wolfe & Robert Snyder
Dearborn Trade Publishing Chicago, Illinois 60606-7481
The New Marketing Manifesto: The 12 Rules for Building Successful Brands in the 21st century
by John Grant
The Orion Publishing Group, London England WC2H 9EA
The Great Marketing Turnaround: The Age Of The Individual And How to Profit From It
Stan Rapp and Tom Collins
Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Trading Up: Why Consumers want New Luxury Goods and How Companies Create Them
by Michael Silverstein & Neil Fiske
Penguin Books New York, New York 10014
A New Brand World: 8 Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century
by Scott Bedbury
Penguin Books, New York, New York 10014
Guerrilla Marketing For Free
by Jay Conrad Levinson
Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York 10003
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How To Build a Product or Service into a World Class
Brand
by Al Ries and Laura Ries
Harper Collins, New York, New York 10022
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RESEARCH & FREE MARKETING RESOURCES
Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People
by Marc Gobe
Allworth Press, New York, New York 10010
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies
by James Collins and Jerry Porras
Harper Collins, New York, New York 10022
The End Of Marketing As We Know It
by Sergio Zyman
Harper Collins, New York, New York 10022
NicheCraft: Using Your Specialness To Focus Your Business Corner Your Market & make
Customers seek You Out
by Dr. Lynda Falkenstein
Niche Press, Portland, Oregon 97201
Jump Start Your Brain
by Doug Hall
Brain Brew Books, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
The Marketing Edge
by Thomas Bonoma
McMillian Free Press, New York, New York 10022
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space & make the
competition Irrelevant
by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne
Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, Massachusetts 02163
Permission Marketing
by Seth Godin
Simon & Schuster, New York, New York 10020
Evolution
by Faith Popcorn
Random House Publishing, New York, New York 10023-6298
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