Ideal Marketing Company Blog

We all like to complain about things from time to time.  This BBC page has a summary of the past 12 months most controversial and complained about adverts.

What I always find interesting about these lists is how some things which seem harmless to me WILL cause offence in others.  Also how some very uncontroversial products of service will rely on sex or violence to sell. Judge for yourself at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8020881.stm

Finally, I recently looked back at some of the goals I had when I set up The Ideal Marketing Company.  What seemed like an ambitious dream a few years ago is now part of my day to day reality. 

If you do this, you will look back on 2008 as the year that you accomplished a whole series of things that in 2009 seemed difficult – if not impossible. This process, or similar ones have worked for the most successful men and women in history, from Henry Ford to John F. Kennedy from Mother Teresa to Richard Branson.  It’s used by great athletes and scientists, business owners and authors. Most people who achieve extraordinary things are not extraordinary people.  They are just ordinary people with goals that give them extraordinary enthusiasm and drive.  Now their secret is yours to use for the rest of 2007.

Goal setting is just one of the many areas that I cover in my marketing seminars – call or e-mail to find out more.

Marketing Mentor Seminar

Just come back from running a 1 day seminar at Hothope Hall which I host every other month as part of the Marketing Mentor programme.  The group were very inspiring and a real pleasure to talk to.  It’s important to talk to ‘real’ business people regulalry to see how far away from reality the media portrail the business world is.  A very positive ‘can do’ meeting with a number of people who are certainly going to have a great year in 2009.   It’s not all doom and gloom and this group will prove it in 2009.

Out of 10, how would you rate yourself in 2008 for each activity? Nobody would be expected to have a 10 in each area, but could you do with a higher score in one or more areas?  Have you been so busy achieving a 10 in one area that you have neglected the other 6?  Perhaps all 7 could do with a general improvement?

You may have your own categories and if so that’s great.  But we should all be able to measure what we’re proud of and what we could do with more help in.  Now that you’ve looked back and have decided that, let’s say, your earnings are not what you would like them to be, it’s up to you to decide what you would like them to rise to by the end of the year.  First of all, realise that this is possible and secondly, understand that if you want to increase by more than the norm, then you will have to put extra effort and energy into this area.  So if you want to double your earnings, then you will have to be prepared to double your effort.  You will have to be worth more to your employer, or if you work for yourself, you will have to be worth more to your customers or increase the number of people you serve.  If you are willing to take the time and effort to do this, then there is little that will stop you. 

In short, you need to have a goal for what you want to achieve, a plan for how to get to that destination and then do something to get you there every day.

If you are still struggling with what you actually want to do differently in the New Year, here is a thought for you.  The best way to find the answer is to ask the question.  By asking ourselves questions we can usually find the truth.  Some people can go their whole life without ever considering what they really want out of life, and then wonder why things don’t work out the way that they wanted.  It’s like climbing a ladder only to find out that it was leaning against the wrong building.

Goal setting is just one of the many areas that I cover in my marketing seminars – call or e-mail to find out more.

How 2008 went for you will probably determine how much of a change you want to make for 2009.  If it went well, you might want to make sure it stays on track in 2009.  If it went badly, perhaps some serious reflection and re-evaluation is in order.

The best way to think about your resolutions or goals is to imagine boat.  A boat goes from harbour to harbour all its life.  When the boat’s captain sets out on a journey, he or she knows exactly where the boat is heading and, unless there is a terrible disaster, it will arrive at its planned destination.  The boat may not travel in a straight line; it will have to adjust its course many times during the journey, but after a few hours, days or weeks, it will arrive at its destination.

Imagine what would happen to the boat if the captain didn’t decide where he was going and just set off to see if he could stumble across a suitable place to dock.  For every warm, secure harbour to aim for there are a hundred miles of rugged coastline or sandy beach.  And what would happen if the captain decided to play it safe and just stay where he was?  A ship that’s left in harbour will turn to rot and rust.

What would you describe as the main areas of your life?  You may wish to consider these 7 categories:

Health, Family, Career, Education, Wealth (savings and investments), Home

and Fun.

Goal setting is just one of the many areas that I cover in my marketing seminars – call or e-mail to find out more.

Make the most of opportunities in 2009

With the memory of Christmas starting to fade and New Year’s muted celebrations well and truly behind us – how are you doing with your new Years resolutions?

According to a survey for Franklin-Covey, the top NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008 were:

   1. Get out of debt or save money

   2. Lose weight

   3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)

   4. Get organised

   5. Develop a new skill or talent (such as playing a musical instrument)

   6. Spend more time with family and friends

   7. Other

   8. Work less, play more

   9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)

   10. Change employment

The survey also found that 35 percent of respondents break their New Year’s resolutions by the end of January and only 23 percent of those surveyed don’t ever break them. Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed attribute breaking their resolutions to having too many other things to do, while 33 percent say they are not committed to the resolutions they set.

In fact, in my opinion, for many people, just a few days into the New Year will find that their resolutions will have already start to run out of steam. 

Goal setting is just one of the may areas that I cover in my marketing seminars – call or e-mail to find out more.

The copy

Which do you find easier to read – Chaucer or The Sun editorial?  My guess is that whilst we hate to admit it, The Sun will win out every time.  I’m not suggesting that you copy their writing style, but elements of it are admirable. It’s clear what they are about.  They use short, punchy sentences.  There is little ambiguity over what is meant and you don’t need to re-read any of it because it was clear the first time.  At school we are taught to expand our vocabulary and write to impress.  With direct mail copy almost the opposite is true. You want to use words that everybody will understand and that people won’t stumble over.

One good way to discover any pitfalls is to read out loud what you have written and see if any bit makes you stumble.  If they do, re-write it until the whole letter flows smoothly.  Another important aspect is to use sub-headings to break up the text and use a PS at the end of your letter.  When it’s all written, look at it without reading the words.  Does it look like hard work to read? If it does, see if you can break it up with spaces and breaks.  

This material comes from one one of the Marketing Mentor Marketing Seminars.

The headline

You cannot sell to people if you haven’t got their attention. The headline is there solely to catch people’s attention.  Newspapers use headlines to communicate what they stand for and the type of stories that you will find inside.  The headlines actually sell the papers: once you have bought the paper, each story headline sells each individual story.

If you don’t have a clear benefit driven headline at the start of your letter you can wave goodbye to about half of your readers, so spend time getting it right. It has to appeal to your perfect customer so think up a series of headlines that sum up what the letter is about.  Create at least 10, but you may write as many as 100 before you find one that perfectly sums up what you want to say.

This material comes from one one of the Marketing Mentor Marketing Seminars.

Some areas of direct mail that are worth testing:

The list of names it is sent to

The headline

The time of year / month / week
The offer

The copy inside the letter

The supporting material

References quoted

The envelope

The follow up method

Timing of the offer

This material comes from one one of the Marketing Mentor Marketing Seminars.

I haven’t mentioned for a while that I am a member of a networking group in Leicester called Working Breakfast.  It’s based on the London Road at the Regency and meets every Thursday – see www.workingbreakfast.com for more details of what the group is about.  At the moment we are particulaly looking for a well respected leicester recruitment agencies to join.  If you know of a good recruitment agency in leicester or if in fact you are one, then you’d be very welcome to come along one week to see what you make of the group.  However only one can join so don’t put your vist off for too long…