If you were asking what people really want from a marketing campaign, most people would say generating high quality leads. 2-step marketing is designed purely to generate high quality leads.

2-step marketing is a good way of establishing your authority. I’m a marketing consultant like 1,001 other marketing consultants that are around, but say, because I’ve written a special report on how to double the sales of photocopiers, if someone in the photocopy industry is particularly interested in that report, I come across as having some authority within that area. I am not just “another consultant” but a consultant who’s written something that is very specific and of interest to that particular business. It is a very good way of quickly, easily and inexpensively establishing authority by producing a reasonably authoritative work which will be of interest to people.

You must remember that this is not about selling straightaway, but about getting a foot in the door. It’s about people raising their hand and gathering the names of people who have said that they are potentially interested in finding out more about what it is you’re talking about. They are not ready to buy but, they are interested.

We offer a 1 hour FREE consultation, if you would like to see what we can do for your business contact us 01858 445 543 or email alastair@idealmarketingcompany.com

Don’t let your specialist knowledge go to waste.  If you understand your prospects’ problems, why not tell them in language and imagery that they understand? Why let all your specialist knowledge go to waste when producing your brochure? By all means, decide on a common layout and theme for the three brochures, but select pictures for the cover that best reflect each market. Write at least the key sections of your text addressing the specific needs of the butcher, baker and candlestick maker.

This is one of the ideas covered in the book – “the Marketing Launchpad” by Alastair Campbell available now from Amazon – order your copy today.

Think about why you are creating your brochure in the first place. It is not to boast, or show off your new offices: it is purely a selling aid.  Any pictures, text or diagrams are only there to explain how you can help your prospect in order to assist the selling process. Anything else has no place in a brochure.

Consider who you are creating your brochure for. Many companies still produce a ‘one size fits all’ brochure for existing clients and prospects from all industries. Before you fall into that trap too, ask yourself if all your customers buy for the same reasons, or if you have a different appeal for a number of different markets? Chances are you’ll answer ‘yes’ to both those questions.

That should help you decide to make your brochure a carefully targeted, skilful piece of communication.  What you don’t want is to end up with a flabby, meaningless document that doesn’t successfully talk to anybody. Sure, it may be glossy, but so is the finish on the outside of the waste paper basket – and that’s where it’s likely to end up.

This is one of the ideas covered in the book – “the Marketing Launchpad” by Alastair Campbell available now from Amazon – order your copy today.

You won’t see many large companies letting their branding decline during tougher ecconomic times.  But smaller companies often cut their marketing spend at just the time that they should be expanding.

Pleased to say that the IOD Institute of Directors Magazine has recently published and article I wrote on how to market your business even during period of ecconomic decline.  Hope you find it of interest

http://www.director.co.uk/ONLINE/marketing_11_06.html

Thanks to everybody who was able to attend the Marketing Seminar at Hothorpe Hall in Thursday night.  I got a great deal of positive feedback from the evening and more questions that normal about enroling on the Marketing Mentor programme.

Hope that everybody left with lots of positive ideas.

Colours CAN be eye catching 

Any promotional material should be professionally printed. For many people, the first impression that they have of your company is your brochure. You may have put a great deal of thought into its content. However if it is obviously printed up on a home printer, it creates a very poor first impression of what they can expect from your company. This does not mean that you need to produce a full colour extravaganza on thick matt paper. Far from it. Often a simpler approach will work better with your target market. In fact, if you are following an earlier point and are considering producing several more targeted brochures, the slight extra cost in this can be offset by printing a more thoughtful 2 colour brochure for example, rather than always going for the expensive option. If your printer always advises that full colour is best, beware. It may be best for their profits, but not always for you. Think about your target reader and what will suit them best.

Headlines & subheads. Use a different typeface for subheads such as Ariel or Gills Sans. For the short subheads that break-up paragraphs, headlines at the start of a section or for contact phone numbers at the bottom of your page, these typefaces work well. They also create variety and add a change of visual pace to your document. These are both important factors in encouraging your reader to keep on reading.

The body copy

In most cases, a simple easy to read typeface such as Times, Times New Roman or Garamond is best. These are what most newspapers are set in and most books so our eyes are used to their look. 

It is also easier to remember the text: studies show that we understand 9 times as well in such typefaces as many others. We can also read 4 times as quickly. If you don’t believe me, try this simple test. Next time somebody has sent you an e-mail that you are struggling to understand, convert it into Garamond. Instantly it will appear clearer and you will be able to read it far quicker. You will understand the sentences that before you found incomprehensible.

Rememeber your layout an all aspects about it are there to make people understand and remember the points you want to make – not to win design awards.  

Before you pass your material on to be printed, try to get as many people to proof read it as possible. Not just for punctuation, but to see whether your ideas have come through and make sense to different types of readers from outside your company. You may have overlooked some very simple points that will put the whole of your brochure in context.

Try to follow a logical structure in your argument: Do you have this problem? Have you tried this, but found that it didn’t work? You may also have had this experience. Here’s what you can do about it today.