| There aren't many things in life that you | | | | information? They should be able to answer |
| would get into with out a plan. Marketing is | | | | this question and should be updating their |
| no different. Your overall marketing plan | | | | information monthly.You can get burnt on |
| should cover about a six month period, and | | | | mailing lists - it is the most expensive part |
| should be made up of weekly and monthly | | | | of your campaign. Ask friends who own |
| marketing schedules.This is how you do it:1. | | | | businesses. Don't just purchase from the |
| Figure out how much money is in your | | | | first person that tries to sell you mailing |
| budget.As we all know, marketing of any kind | | | | lists. Do your research.3. Select what media |
| costs money. How much money you are willing | | | | to use. (i.e., Direct Mail, Television, |
| to commit to the cause is going to determine | | | | Radio, etc.)This decision will depend on both |
| some key factors about how that money can be | | | | your budget and your target market. If you |
| best spent. Remember, you want to be | | | | have not done a good deal of marketing in the |
| economical but you also need to be realistic | | | | past we recommend picking one media to start. |
| on what it will take to pull in the leads you | | | | This is much easier to keep track of and you |
| need to close new and repeat business.2. | | | | will better be able to tell whether or not it |
| Determine your target market.Who is most | | | | is working. Also, since repetition is the key |
| likely to buy your product? Are they married? | | | | to marketing success, using one media to |
| Are they business owners? What is their | | | | begin with will help you reach the same |
| income level? These are the people that you | | | | people multiple times. If you run a |
| want to target. One of the most common | | | | |
| mistakes in marketing is answering "Everyone" | | | | newspaper ad and send out a postcard, you |
| to the question "Who is your target market?" | | | | run the risk of the majority of the people |
| It may be that you have more than one target | | | | only seeing your ad once. However, if you |
| market, but there is no product in the world | | | | send out the postcard twice you can guarantee |
| that appeals to each and every person. Even | | | | that you get your message to the same people |
| Coca-Cola targets different people with | | | | twice and you will start to build |
| different messages. Decide who is MOST LIKELY | | | | recognition.Once you are getting the returns |
| to buy what you have to sell and target them. | | | | that you want from the first media, or if you |
| Your message to teenagers will be different | | | | decide that it is not working for you, you |
| than your message to housewives even if the | | | | can branch out into another form of |
| product is exactly the same. Different | | | | advertising. Over time you will build up a |
| markets may require different mail pieces or | | | | very diverse marketing plan.4. Make a |
| advertisements.2a. Using the Right Mailing | | | | Schedule and Stick with It.Figure out how |
| List.In making sure that your message is | | | | many people you have in your target market. |
| getting across to the right people - people | | | | For this example we will use Direct Mail |
| who are in the market for what you're | | | | Marketing. If you have a mailing list of |
| offering usually comes down to finding the | | | | people in your target market that has 1500 |
| right mailing list.There is a great deal to | | | | names, figure out how many times per month |
| know about mailing lists. There are pointers | | | | you can mail a postcard to them and still |
| you could follow when buying a mailing list | | | | stay within your monthly budget. Once you |
| that tell you what to watch for in a mailing | | | | come up with this number, do it!The |
| list company to make sure they're reputable. | | | | importance of having a marketing plan cannot |
| They are:i) Get references. Talk to other | | | | be stressed enough. Create one and follow it |
| people that have purchased mailing lists from | | | | and you'll start seeing the benefits.Joy |
| that company.ii) Do they guarantee on | | | | Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her |
| delivery? That means due to the inevitable | | | | only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 |
| number of bad addresses there are in a list, | | | | the company did close to $9 million in sales |
| can they still guarantee a high percentage of | | | | and employs over 60 persons. She attributes |
| deliverable addresses. That number should be | | | | her explosive growth to her ability to choose |
| 90% or better. People move all the time so a | | | | incredible staff and her innate marketing |
| mailing list company cannot guarantee 100% | | | | savvy. Now she's sharing her marketing |
| deliverability - but they should guarantee at | | | | secrets with others. |
| least 90%.iii) How often do they update their | | | | |