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Burst Marketing Lead Generation – Get Intimate

March 21, 2010

Tags: Burst Marketing, direct mail, Lead Generation, ROI, variable printing
Categories: Lead Generation, Lead Management, Lead Nurturing, Marketing ROI, Strategy

Plopped right on your desk is today’s mail. Bills, magazines, direct mail.

The competition for your attention is in full swing…and it’s survival of the fittest. Getting to the top of the pile has always been a challenge for direct marketers, no more so than now when time is at such a premium.

No, direct mail is not dead. Far from it. One client of our drops over 4 million pieces of mail each year and generates a very healthy ROI, thank you very much.

There are a number of tactics you can use to improve the response of your direct mail program. Lead among them is the use of variable print data. Enabled by technology, personalized messages can be created on each piece by pulling information from your database.

Research shows that mail with your name on it, along with a relevant message, generates a significantly higher response rate than those without it. The additional costs of variable printing can be highly justified by the higher returns generated.

Does it makes sense for you? Calculations depend on a number of factors including -

- What is the value of an individual sale?
- What has it cost you in the past to generate a qualified lead?
- What other elements are included in your communications mix?

Direct mail is a highly measurable form of lead generation. Testing the effect of variable printing is a matter of organizing and tracking the effort properly.

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Twitter Kills Bruno, Uncle Walter’s Lesson

July 19, 2009

Tags: brand, Burst Marketing, Movies, Twitter, Walter Cronkite
Categories: Advertising, Brand/Reputation, Lead Nurturing, Social Networking, Strategy

It takes a lifetime to build a reputation, but only a minute to destroy it. This axiom is amplified every day in the world of instant communication.

I heard a discussion on NPR last Friday that should cause anyone interested in Social Media to reflect on its use. The maelstrom of information and ‘expert’ opinions out there casts doubt on their voracity, and drives people to seek the opinions of friends and others they trust.

Motion picture promoters spend months and millions carefully crafting their campaigns. They rely on the buzz they generate to translate into good box office results – even if their movie is a bit of a stinker. They hope the receipts are in before word get out.

Enter Twitter.

Today’s hip moviegoer starts tweeting minutes after the opening credits. By the time the movie is over, hundred if not thousands of opinions are scattered about to followers everywhere.

Sorry Sacha. But I guess Bruno stinks. Because business dropped 40% between Friday and Saturday night.

So yeah, properly done, your message will probably get out. Guess it better be a good message.

“That’s the way it is”

I was too young to remember Walter Cronkite in his heyday. At the time of his signature television reports of the JFK assassination, Vietnam, Apollo 11, and Watergate, among others, I wasn’t yet 10.

But that doesn’t prevent me from knowing and understanding his primary legacy – truth, trust, consistency, and character. He wasn’t called “Uncle Walter” or named the most trusted man in America without good reason.

Although those of us in the marketing business are often charged with helping to shape public perception – Walter Cronkite stood for ensuring that the basis of our perceptions was reality.

Posted by: Steve Banis

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Lead Them to Water…Automatically

May 31, 2009

Tags: Albany marketing, autoresponders, email marketing, Lead Generation
Categories: Business Development, Lead Management, Lead Nurturing, Marketing Blueprint, Sales Process, Websites

A recent case study on MarketingSherpa.com demonstrated the effectiveness of autoresponders.

This is a tool offered within better equipped email platforms that allows you to program a series of messages to be delivered to your target lists at designated intervals.

What makes this so powerful is the ability to let these campaigns run by themselves. Further, with some extra work, you can separate, qualify, and bring your targets closer to doing business with you by following multiple communication paths.

Scooby Doo, where are you?

For example, say you want to reach customers that are interested in collecting old lunchboxes. (I had Scooby Doo in 2nd grade.) Some of these babies go for thousands of dollars. (Mine got thrown out, along with my baseball cards. Thanks mom.)

So you set up a landing page showing off examples of some boxes you have for sale. It also explains that you have a real nose for locating those hard to find boxes that make a collector drool.

Then your targeted communication program brings you visitors to your site who sign up to receive more information. Now here’s where the autoresponders get to work.

You’ve written a series of messages that goes to every new person who signs onto your list. Out goes a welcome message immediately. Next day, you send them a little biography about yourself, and the big finds you’ve made in the past and how you’ve seen some of your clients make lots of money on their lunch box investment.

Lead them to water

One week later, you send out a testimonial letter with a story from one of your customers. It says that you helped him relive his childhood and connect with his son by finding him the exact box he had when he was 8 – the Rocky and Bullwinkle one with a bright blue background. It made him cry.

Two days later, you send an email asking your reader to let you know what kind of interested party he is…a real collector looking for that hard to find, expensive treasure or someone just interested in the topic. You can now create two lists from those who respond – qualified buyers and tirekickers.

Now separate them into two lists, and send each their own set of email messages. For the qualified list, it may pay off to make them personalized. All the while, you’re bringing the qualified prospects closer and closer – without ever picking up the phone.

It takes thought, creativity, intuition, hard work, and a little bit of talent. But once you’ve got your process, it’s all automatic.

Posted by: Steve Banis

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You’re Not Paranoid

May 25, 2009

Tags: 1 to 1 marketing, albany lead generation, Albany marketing, personalized marketing
Categories: Business Development, Customer Focus, Lead Nurturing, Strategy

That’s right, people really are following you.

As the world continues to shrink, the number of things competing for our attention has gotten way out of whack. That’s been a big problem for media outlets – TV, Newspapers and Magazines in particular.

So marketers have been keeping a closer eye on you.

Don’t be surprised. You used to be able to simply buy a list of “high net worth investors” or “dog lovers” or “golfers” or “cooking enthusiasts.” But now, those categories are way too big to be cost effective.

“Dog lover” is too broad. You need to drill all the way down to “Labradoodle lovers in Upstate NY.”

The era of 1 to 1 marketing is finally maturing. Mass advertising is inefficient. Enter “on-demand” TV. Direct mail needs more fine tuning. So add a personalized URL (PURL, landing page) to further qualify your list.

Finding your target is a tricky thing. Creating a virtual marketing “GPS” is the way to go. Surround your target and triangulate their coordinates. Then fire off your rounds of communication.

***************

In appreciation

As a father raising a growing boy, I don’t like that at all times, war wages somewhere on the globe…and that all too often our nation is caught in its grip.

Today, however, is Memorial Day. A day to put aside ideology and honor those who have followed their convictions to serve our country. I want to offer my sincere gratitude to all our veterans and to the memory of those who passed in service. My dad is a Holocaust survivor and neither he nor I nor my son would be here without the sacrifice of those in our armed forces.

Posted by: Steve Banis

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Phone…Part II

May 3, 2009

Tags: albany advertising, albany lead generation, Albany marketing, albany telemarketing, banis, Banis Marketing
Categories: Business Development, Lead Management, Lead Nurturing, Marketing Message, Marketing ROI, Strategy

Consumer telemarketing has achieved the unfortunate reputation achieved by used car salesman, carnival game operators, and Bernie Madoff.

However, to reach the communities you’ve built over time – your customers, prospects and other contacts – using voice to deliver your message can be both courteous and extremely effective.

The people on your lists expect that you will engage in ongoing communication with them by virtue of your relationship. So you’ve already received their permission to contact them. That makes you compliant with CAN-SPAM and perfectly OK to pick up the phone.

Boston College did just that. Well, sort of.

Kickoff

The Boston College football team had a strong 2007 season, eventually going on to its first ever Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title game. The game was set to take place on December 4, 2007 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Great news. Except that the Eagles clinched their spot only two weeks before the ACC Championship game. BC had just two weeks to sell as many tickets as possible and ensure solid support for a game taking place 1,160 miles away.

They needed to drum up support from alumni and get fans to travel down . And they needed to do it quickly and cost-effectively.

Nothing like the spoken word

Boston College used an automated voice-messaging solution to target more than 115,000 season ticket holders and alumni.

They had their star quarterback Matt Ryan record the message, explaining the historic event and the sense of urgency to participate – and then offered up a call to action. Even if fans couldn’t come, they asked them to donate their tickets to a Jacksonville-area charity to help fill the stands.

The response was immediate, with ticket sales flying through the roof on the day of and the day following the message’s release. In all, close to 5,000 tickets were sold, with more than 400 purchased and given to charity.

In the end, Boston College was able to ensure it was well represented in Florida and managed to profit $200,000 from a campaign that cost $10,000 to launch.

The phone is alive and well my friends – it’s just living a different existence in your marketing mix. It’s extremely cost effective. And it can work very well when delivering a timely message.

Have a particularly important piece of news to deliver? A once in a lifetime sale? A special event you don’t want people to miss?

Use voice. But don’t use it too often. Like endless jabbering from the person seated next to you on the plane – it loses its charm quickly. Then it’s just annoying.

[case study was reported on Marketingprofs.com]

Posted by: Steve Banis

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Start Slow To Become An Overnight Success

April 12, 2009

Tags: albany blogs, albany business development, albany leads, Albany marketing, Banis Marketing, banismarketing, Social Media
Categories: Brand/Reputation, Business Development, Customer Focus, Lead Management, Lead Nurturing, Management, Marketing Blueprint, Marketing ROI, Strategy

Recently, I’ve been running into some business owners who are starting to ask some really good questions.

There is opportunity now. But where? With whom?

I need to hang onto my customers What’s the best tack to take?

I’m determined to get aggressive. Where’s my best bang for my buck?

Last year’s questions might have been about branding, advertising, or how to go “viral”. Many wanted to talk about that. And agencies are only too happy to oblige as these are the highest margin products and services they sell.

Today it’s different. It will stay different.

The right questions to ask today are who, what, and what’s the return on that? For the most part, that means starting with the few and working outward.

Back on April 2nd, Seth Godin wrote a little about this approach. Begin with 10 utterly loyal clients, friends, associates, etc. and work from there. Start slowly and let it build.

Depending on your situation, the place to start is with your team, moving onto your key customers, and then finally to dedicated FOOs (friends of the organization).

Let your team in on the secret…you need them. They need you. You both have roles to play. Yours is to lead – provide vision, direction, tools, and resources. Theirs is to perform their jobs with gusto. Relate to customers better than ever. Spread the word with more sincerity and urgency. Share ideas.

Strength in numbers

Same with your customers. Not only do you want to keep your important customers happy, you also need them to know that you need their help to succeed with other customers as well. Testimonials, invitations to present within their circle of influence, and asking for their ideas is not only helpful, it can also be flattering.

FOOs can also be a fountain of good ideas. They have exposure to other industries, competitors, and can help you get a handle on things that might be working for others. Also, because they typically have no axe to grind, any referrals from them, even those that may not lead directly to business, may lead to something more concrete.

Bottom line? Yes, there is opportunity now. Yes, there are customers out there up for grabs. Most of the best ones seem to be laying low.

Now’s not the time for a big splash. Now’s the time to throw a bunch of pebbles into the water and make many little ripples. In time they’ll all connect to make a big wave.

Posted by: Steve Banis

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A Little Inspiration

April 5, 2009

Tags: Albany marketing, Banis Marketing, Blogs, saratoga marketing, Social Media
Categories: Brand/Reputation, Decision Making, Lead Nurturing, Social Networking, Uncategorized, Websites

There are a number of good reasons to create and maintain a business (or personal brand) blog.

You give readers a chance to get to know what you’re about and provide them a forum for discussing your ideas. Posting regularly (at least once or twice each week) offers search engine spiders the one thing they crave most: new content. So it helps with SEO.

The best blogs try to provide a service to readers. Good information, insights, and tips. That’s what keeps them coming back and builds your credibility.

Blogs also provide an essential service to its creators…it lets them think out loud.

We take in so much information that it’s hard to remember all of the little observations that can turn into big ideas each week. So writing is a chance to noodle through your thoughts, organize them, and pick out a few gems.

Panning for gold

This process goes on all over cyberspace. And readers are the big winners. You can mash up your favorite blogs using your reader. This allows you to decide which “gems” have value to you.

My fellow bloggers are some of the most brilliant and creative people on the Web. I use their ideas in my business and for my clients almost every day.

I’d like to share a few of the best resources I’ve found on the web for marketing ideas and information in hopes that you’ll find a little extra help in these difficult times.

• • • •

(the brief descriptions are by EvanCarmichael in his post last year)

• • • •

Duct Tape Marketing Blog – The award-winning John Jantsch offers his astoundingly practical advice, tips and tricks for small business marketing.

Seth Godin’s Blog – One of the most famous names in the industry, Seth Godin’s blog has long been a favorite for all things small business marketing. As the author of the most popular ebook ever, his blog never fails to give you advice you need.

Marketing Profs – What started as a simple blog by marketing professor Allen Weiss in 2000 has today turned into a fully-staffed venture that provides marketing know-how and offers valuable B2B articles and event information.

Brand Autopsy – How do you conduct a marketing physical for your brand? Check out John Moore’s blog to find out.

Marketing Sherpa – Using case studies, surveys, and other techniques, Marketing Sherpa researches what works – and what doesn’t – in all things marketing. (BMB note: Emarketers and online merchants will find studies by affiliate Marketing Experiments extremely useful)

• • • •

This list is by no means complete. In the future I’ll try to add to it so you can extend your own blog library.

…your comments on the burstmarketingblog are always appreciated.

Posted by: Steve Banis

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Survive and Advance

March 22, 2009

Tags: albany advertising, albany lead generation, Albany marketing, Banis Marketing, saratoga marketing
Categories: Business Development, Courage, Customer Focus, Lead Nurturing, Sales Process, Strategy

I don’t know if you’re a college basketball fan, but in case you missed it (hard to do); it’s March Madness time again.

Each year as the calendar points towards spring, a field of 65 college basketball teams square off to determine the national champion. And every game is sudden death. Win and you play on, lose and you’re season is over.

It’s a fine, if dramatic, metaphor for what you face every day. Jim Valvano, the late coach of North Carolina State coined the phrase “survive and advance.”

No kidding.

Where are they coming from?

Even as some competitors are shutting their doors, others are still advancing. And some of the survivors aren’t the same competition you’re used to seeing.

The CEO of Dollar Stores recently said that he is seeing customers in his stores that were once regulars at Target. Former Macy’s customers are now helping to create big sales at WalMart.

Seen the deals at Caribbean resorts lately? They’re cheap. That’s because Wall Street execs are staying home or loading up the Volvo station wagon and crying their way to the dude ranch. It’s creating business for more cost-effective lodging such as owner rentals.

And that doesn’t count new competitors from around the globe showing up on customers’ desktops.

Even as the field of traditional competitors narrows, the overall competitive landscape is actually getting more crowded. That puts a premium on focus.

Among many other factors, advancing depends on your ability to:

protect and defend your customer base,
finely tune your target prospects and your marketing message,
choose your allies wisely. It’s never been more important because the margin for error has narrowed.

Focus on your sales funnel. Recognize that the number of steps to completing a sale have increased…and take longer. Have a plan:

- Define specific target names and locations: attack your competitors
- Fine tune your relevant message and call to action
- Be ready to “welcome” inquiries
- Use a series of messages to move them closer to a meeting or visit
- Make targets an offer and ask them to take action
- Ask for the business and be ready to adjust
- Make a client – and nurture the rest
- Continue to communicate to your clients
- Thank clients for their loyalty and ask for referrals

Keep focused. Keep moving forward. Survive and advance.

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Why choose us?

Get In Touch

Burst Marketing

Burst Marketing Lead Generation – Get Intimate

Lead Them to Water…Automatically

Scooby Doo, where are you?

Lead them to water

You’re Not Paranoid

Phone…Part II

Kickoff

Nothing like the spoken word

Survive and Advance

Where are they coming from?

Why choose us?

Get In Touch

“Thou shalt never stop producing new content.”

“That’s the way it is”

Scooby Doo, where are you?

Lead them to water

Kickoff

Nothing like the spoken word

Today it’s different. It will stay different.

Strength in numbers

Panning for gold

Where are they coming from?