In this issue:

Marketing
• Getting More Out of Your Marketing Plan 

Trends
• Traditional media considered more influential 
• Unprecedented job turnover is expected 
• Customers actually want mobile marketing 

News
• Boost productivity by working less 

Tips
• Working your way through a networking event
• Three questions that provide crucial customer info
• When employees' job fears hurt productivity
• The secret to successful cold calling 
• Test this ideas for your next direct mail campaign 
• Find out why you shouldn't sign a loan application 
• Much more... 
 

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MARKETING 

Getting More Out Your Marketing Plan  

Marketing plans of  Marketing plans often don’t work because business owners have the wrong mindset about them.  

EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD operate with a set of plans - a plan for the business, a plan for cash, a plan for growth and certainly a plan for marketing. Running a business with no plan is like driving somewhere you've never been without a map or GPS device.

A marketing plan is commonly accepted as standard fare, but few businesses operate from any semblance of one. In my experience, it's not because they don't think they need one, it's because they've either never gotten around to creating one, or worse, they've created a marketing plan only to check it off the list and shove it in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

I've worked with many small businesses and created many marketing plans, and I can tell you that a big part of the problem is the current plan mindset. Marketing plans are essential mind and stress freeing tools, and you can and should lean very heavily on yours - if you avoid these marketing planning pitfalls.

1. It's not about the plan. People think plan and immediately envision the document. (I've seen people spend more time making the cover of a marketing plan look pretty than they take to make something meaningful inside.) It's like Lance Armstrong's book title - It's Not About the Bike. The plan is a vehicle, but it's the planning steps, stages, meetings, questions, and inputs (training for Lance) that create marketing plans that work.

In fact, I'll go a step further and state that a marketing plan, like a marketing system, is just a start. It's a systematic marketing planning approach that makes a marketing plan a living tool that can power and guide your business.

To have an effective marketing plan you must have an effective marketing planning process and that, as you'll discover in the next set of steps, never ends.

2. Deal with today's reality. Almost every business, start-up to mature, wakes up one day and decides to create a marketing plan. What usually occurs is that they create a plan from scratch - as though nothing has occurred in the history of the business to date.

It's as though the plan architect attempts to simply add on rooms and floors (or markets and products) without regard for retaining walls and foundations (maybe even budgets). Anyone who has remodeled knows what a disaster this approach can create.

It's okay to have a plan that's a stretch, maybe even taking you in new directions, but you've got to deal with where you are now and plan transitions that make sense for your culture, customer and message or you're destined to fail.

3. Look for the right questions. Everybody wants the magic answers. I've written a marketing planning software tool and the #1 request is for sample plans. The problem with someone else's answers is they are almost undoubtedly wrong. On top of that, even if they are right today, they will be wrong tomorrow.

The systematic planning approach suggests that instead of the right answers you should be focused on finding the right questions. Answers, like a system, are rigid. Questions, or a process of using key questions to produce answers, are an approach that will yield the right answers no matter the current circumstances.

Southwest Airlines wanted be known as the low-cost airline - period. There's a well-worn story about how Southwest  founder, Herb Kelleher, used to ask his executives when they posed some innovation whether it contributed to Southwest being the low-cost carrier or not. If they could answer yes, it got looked at; if no, it was scratched from consideration.

4. Simplify meaning. A marketing plan isn't sufficient unless it starts tilting towards the 50-60 page mark, right? Actually, it's far tougher, but far more useful generally, to create one that stays in the 4-5 page range. That way you might actually do it and potential readers might actually view it.

The quicker a prospect can make an important and meaningful distinction of how your message is different, the easier everyone's job will be. The only way to do that is to work hard at creating simple, metaphor-like messages that make it very easy for people to understand instantly what you're about.

Tear everything in your business to shreds and find ways to tell a very simple marketing story about your products, services, people and processes. Make it so simple that anyone can tell it.

5. Monitor friction. Marketing planning and implementation is mostly about doing the things that slowly build momentum; it's not about hitting it big next week. When you dig in and look closely at every marketing action, measure specific results of each campaign, landing page or direct mailing, you can begin to spot the places that are causing friction and thereby slowing momentum.

If you don't hold every initiative accountable you can't make your plan work - it's also a great way to waste a lot of money. Failure to monitor, analyze and measure marketing actions is the single greatest factor holding businesses back.

If you don't know what's working, there's a pretty good bet you don't know what's not working either.

6. Take out the trash. You don't have to do something just because it's in the plan. I've seen businesses so tied to the document that they commit time and resources to things that are clearly counterproductive once released into the real market. But, hey, it's in the plan.

Of course, this goes hand-in-hand with point #5, you've got to know what is and is not productive; but once you do, take the steps to cut your losses.

This one's a bit tricky because some things don't work as planned right away. I've seen an advertising program bombing until the organization started to receive some favorable press, then all of a sudden, the advertising took hold.

7. Guess again. People don't want to admit it, certainly consultants don't, but a marketing plan is a set of guesses, hopefully based on some knowledge. But no matter what, you need to commit to correcting the course.

I suggest that you meet at least every six weeks to renew your questions, assumptions, results, goals and objectives with an eye on using your flexibility to make real-time adjustments based on real-time results. Commit to a schedule so that your plan never has a chance to decay. There will be things that work better than expected and those that don't, but having a group, or even all staff, check in on the marketing twice a quarter you can keep it alive and driving while you make the adjustments to take advantage of new found opportunities.
 
John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide. He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system. You can find more information by visiting www.ducttapemarketing.com. 

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T R E N D S

Traditional media considered more influential 

Fewer people may be reading offline newspapers and magazines these days, but those that do are more influenced by the medium's advertising than its online counterparts, according to a consumer trend study by TargetCast TCM.

While 60% of consumers say newspapers need to change the most to stay relevant, most are nevertheless sticking with the media they've known for years. For example, those ages 35+ still consider newspaper ads to be more influential in determining their purchase decisions.

Additionally, more than 40% of adults ages 18-64 say they prefer the experience of reading a printed newspaper vs. online sources, and just 15% of all respondents say they would rather read magazines online. Among those ages 45+, a solid 57% prefer the experience of reading a printed magazine vs. reading a magazine online. A significant number of adults aged 18-64 (41%) also indicate radio is still relevant in their purchase decisions.

The study also discovered a divide between men and women in how each gender engages with both traditional and digital media. Overall, men generally are more willing than women to adapt their usage habits to incorporate more digital and online platforms as replacements for traditional media. In addition to increased willingness to trade in traditional newspapers, magazines and TV for digital, 34% of men - compared with just 23% of women - say radio is not as relevant to them today because there are so many other sources for music. 

Source: MarketingCharts.com, October 9, 2009 



Unprecedented job turnover is expected 

A new report reveals an alarming preview of the post-recession job market. The 2009 Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations Report, a collaboration of Robert Half Inc. and Career Builder, offers insights into what today's employees may be planning for tomorrow.

Currently, nine out of 10 surveyed employees are "satisfied with their current work situation," many staying put out of fear, known as "corporate cocooning." However, once the economy recovers, 45% of respondents said they plan to "change jobs, careers or industries."

Nearly half said that higher compensation will be the most effective way to retain them after the economy improves. The top perks employees will be looking for are technology upgrades (79%) and tuition reimbursement or subsidized training (61%).

Wise employers will heed this warning and take steps now to engage their valued employees and avoid unwanted turnover. 

Source: Herman Trend Alert, October 14, 2009 



Customers actually want mobile marketing 

Mobile users just aren't getting enough ads. Placecast recently shared findings from a Harris Interactive poll on Americans and location-based shopping. The firm found that a fair amount of consumers are interested in receiving opt-in mobile alerts from their favorite places.

Based on responses from the poll, 42% of 18- to 34-year-olds and 33% of 35- to 44-year-olds expressed some interest in receiving opt-in alerts on their cell phones from their favorite establishments. Products of interest included restaurants, movie/events tickets, clearance sales, clothing, electronics, music and happy hour specials.  

"There is an opportunity to influence impulse purchases using a mobile phone: nearly a quarter of adults owning cell phones (22%) make this type of impulse purchase at least once per week or more often," says Placecast. "Among women with cell phones ages 18 to 44, 27% report making at least one impulse purchase a week; among men 18 to 34, this number rises to 31%." 

Source: smallbusinessnewz.com, October 20, 2009 

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N E W S

Boost productivity by working less 

Is it possible that our 60+ hour work weeks and spending weekends staring at our Blackberries are actually hurting productivity? A groundbreaking study seems to confirm that getting away from work can yield unexpected on-the-job benefits.

The members of 12 consulting teams at Boston Consulting Group were each required to take a block of "predictable time off" during every work week. The researchers discovered that working together to make sure each consultant got some time off forced teams to communicate better, share more personal information and forge closer relationships. They also had to do a better job at planning ahead and streamlining work, which in some cases resulted in improved client service, based on interviews with clients.

Some fought the idea, claiming they would have to work more on weekends or draw poor performance ratings. But the point of the experiment wasn't to eliminate the "good intensity" in work. Instead, researchers targeted "bad intensity" - a feeling of having no time truly free from work, no control over work and no opportunity to ask questions to clarify foggy priorities.

After five months of predictable time off, internal surveys showed consultants were more satisfied with their jobs and work-life balance, and more likely to stay with the firm, compared with consultants who weren't part of the experiment.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Sept.  22, 2009 

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T I P S

• Avoid awkward moments at networking events with these tips from etiquette expert Cynthia Lett. First, if two people are deep in conversation, rather than interrupting, wait for one of them to turn toward the room. Then make eye contact and introduce yourself. He should introduce you to the other person, but if not, do it yourself. Repeat your full name which the other person may not have caught. Later, if you're stuck in a conversation you'd like to end, try: "I know you want to meet others, and I'm glad we had the chance to speak. I wish you well with your project."
  
  Source: www.businessweek.com
  
  
• Expose what your customers are thinking by asking the right questions. These three survey questions provide crucial information: 1) What has been your best experience with our company? 2) What do you value most about your relationship with our company? 3) If you were running a company in our industry that provides the products and services we do, what traits would you be sure it possessed?
  
  Source: www.fuelnet.com
  
  
• Is employee productivity down? People may be worried about losing their jobs, which can cause productivity to plunge. Be completely transparent about the details of any future reductions. By helping employees feel more in control, you'll reduce the psychological costs of fearing the unknown while increasing trust. If you must let some people go, remember that the way you treat those leaving determines the trust you have with those staying - so be honest, proactive and caring. If you come across any less, you'll pay for it for years. Finally, build confidence by promoting your plan for building a positive future even more than you discuss the tough decisions of today.
  
  Source: www.workplacemagazine.com
  
  
• Cold calling fails because most salespeople are trying to "get" something. This makes you sound like you're cold calling. No one wants to "give" something to someone they don't know, like, trust and respect. However, cold calling is really a process of "discarding" or "disqualifying." The objective is to disqualify as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. That eliminates the time and money wasted sending literature and following up with people who will never buy. Ask permission to take 45 seconds to say why you're calling and to see if there's a reason to continue the conversation. Use that time to help them identify a problem. If the prospect (not you) identifies a problem, and they're serious about solving it, now it's worth your time to ask for an appointment.
  
  Source: blogs.bnet.com
  
  
• If you sell products through an e-commerce site, never use the product descriptions provided by the manufacturer. Why? Since other websites will likely use the same copy, the duplicate content may get penalized by search engines. Instead, write unique product descriptions that fit the personality of your website. But don't get carried away with lavish creative writing treatments. Make sure the basics are there: size, weight, color, texture, advantages, uses, upgrades, compatibility, etc.
  
  Source: www.bizreport.com
  
  
• Develop a powerful direct mail campaign using these tested techniques. First, try a larger envelope. Consider the #14 or 6" x 9" format. It still mails at the preferred letter rate, but stands out from a #10 envelope. If possible, use real stamps or fake meter marks. A "Do Not Bend" ink stamp works well when combined with an editorial-based freemium. Stress your main message throughout the direct mail package, including the teaser, postscript, call-to-action copy, order form, etc. Finally, know your direct response colors. Blue works well for male or professional audiences. Red equals urgent and is good to emphasize discounts and deadlines. Yellow draws the eye and is good for highlighting benefits. In general, purple, pink and gray just don't pull well.
  
  Source: www.targetmarketingmag.com
  
  
• Be careful if you purchase online banner advertising through ad networks. Several recent studies indicate you may be getting ripped off. In one study, more than half of the ad impressions and 95% of the clicks were fraudulent. The problem isn't with the ad networks, per se, but with some of the unscrupulous publishers in their networks. These fraudulent sites use techniques such as layers of nested I-Frames to create pages of invisible ads. Until ad networks get better at tracking down and removing these sites from their networks, avoid run-of-network (RON) online ad buys (where you have little control where the ads show up) or try to buy the ads directly from selected websites.  
  
  Source: www.mediapost.com
  
  
• Don't sign that loan application! That's the advice of banking and finance expert Sam Thacker. Why? In almost all cases, signing the application gives the lender permission to check your personal credit.  The more lending sources make credit inquiries the lower your credit score goes. In some cases, your credit could drop 50 to 100 points. Also, if you have several inquiries on your credit, it sometimes makes the lender ask "Why didn't they get funding with the other sources? Is there something about this company that I am unaware of?" Finally, less scrupulous lenders will file a blanket UCC filing on your business to cover due diligence.  If you decide not to do business with them, they can charge your company whatever they like in order to release the UCC.  The best thing to do if you are talking to different sources is to fill out the application but don't sign it.  Pull credit reports from all three major credit bureaus for all parties expected to sign personal guarantees and submit them with the application. Once you have accepted a proposal, it is appropriate to sign the application and have your personal credit pulled.  Most reputable financing sources will not have a problem with this strategy. If they do, ask why.  
  
  Source: www.allbusiness.com
  
  

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