How CEOs Can Drop The Ball With Marketing

Bald Dog

I would write a Consumer's Guide entitled, "Seven Costly Mistakes People Make When Selecting Their Next Automobiles... And How To Overcome Them."

This report is informative full of relevant information, but also packs the deadly punch of great sales letter. No, the sales elements don't have to be obvious and manipulative. You can sell directly to the subconscious mind, bypassing the conscious mind.

This report sells the next step. The report also contains the qualification criteria for getting an appointment. For instance...

In order to request and appointment and/or a test drive, please make sure you have written proof of your ability to buy a vehicle if you decide so.

It keeps tyre-kickers away. And from here on it's the same. However, you also set up a keep in touch system with buyers. They receive your monthly newsletter with tips from the mechanic, the insurance person, etc. Vacation tips. Anything.

The same as the sales and marketing folks, except that they work together as a team (as opposed to a bunch of individuals), they are compensated the same way, so they win or lose together. Oh, and as professionals, they are paid salaries not that retarded commission rubbish.

Some folks crank the lead generation machine. Some folks do the appointments with qualified prospects. But they work synergistically as a team.

Thoughts?

__________________
Raise your sight! Blaze new trails! Compete with the immortals!
Tom “Bald Dog” Varjan
Request your free copy of "B2B Online Business Development Insider For Wise Buyers" at http://www.varjan.com

susana

This is the exact opposite of how most large companies operate. They spend a lot on marketing.
I don't think direct response marketing is all that well understood by business owners. They don't understand the power of a well written sales letter. When I decided to develop sales products, I took an expensive coaching program in how to write direct response copy. I wanted to be able to sell my products using my own voice.
Most companies websites have a menu of products to sell....and no compelling reason for people to buy. So, they click away before making a purchase.
They could definitely use some serius marketing advice.

Susan

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www.susanadamshome.com

Calvin

How would this message be delivered?

Bald Dog

Great point. I’ve attended seminars and workshops with the best copywriters in North America, and I’ve hardly ever met a “corporate” marketer. Only entrepreneurs. The big companies are obsessed with image at the expense of the message.

It reminds me of an army that marches to battle dressed in the finest and most eye-poppingly amazing uniforms, great silk flags, etc. but don’t have weapons because that’s too expensive.

They are obsessed with this “branding” nonsense. Ben Mack has a concept of direct response branding. Amazing stuff. It combines direct response and branding.

And one more thing. When we look at the revenue per employee indicator, large corporations are way behind smaller entrepreneurial businesses. I’ve read somewhere that the average corporate “top dog” spends an amazing 28 minutes a day to perform revenue-generating activities. The rest is spent on meetings and other silly things.

Bald Dog

By any means. Small ads in newspapers, magazines, direct mailings, website, letters to current clients, flipside of business cards.

susana

What most big companies doen't understand is that 'message' is what gets someone to call them--not some pretty picture on a brochure.

Susan

saltydog

Would someone please give an example of the image advertising you're discussing?

Bald Dog

Fred Cringingnuts, CPA
Tax Returns – Financial Support – Corporate Taxes
28 years experience - competitive prices
Tel : 123-456-7890

There is no call for action, no benefit, nothing, jusy a plain declaration that Fred is a CPA. And the reader goes, "Who cares?"

You can also find a comparison here:
http://www.varjan.com/faq-direct-res...arketing.shtml

Hope it helps a bit.

Agent Smith

You have some really good articles Tom.

Besides "free reports" what else do you recommend?

Bald Dog

Thanks for the kind words. Slowly improving attempts of an East European refugee.

Besides reports audio can be pretty good. People can get to know you from a new angle. You can create some questions and then ask a friend or your spouse to interview you.

Now, who gets interviewed in this world? Experts. You're just being interviewed by the staff editor.

Even better. You can gather some friends in your home, run an interactive workshop and record it. It shows that...

• ...you know your stuff
• ...you can interact with people
• ...you're fun to be around

Blogging can be pretty good. I started mine at http://varjan.blogspot.com/ a while ago, but then abandoned it. Then some one year later I re-started and now I post usually once a week or depending how I have new topics. It's pretty good.

Thoughts?