by Yoon Cannon | Business Growth Tips Blog, Marketing and Sales Blog Posts, Success Mindset
Are you trying to boost sales but feel like you’ve lost your Midas touch in your business? You look back on those years when sales came so much easier to you and wonder why you might be suffering a sales slump now?
The good news is you’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs and even the seasoned self employed have felt the same way. What I found is the right thoughts can pull you out of your sales slump. It’s often the missing surge you need to boost your sales and turn your business around.
Figuring out what’s killing your sales can be as simple as answering these 5 questions. I’ve included short action exercises after each question. You can download the PDF version of
this here.
Let’s dive right into the 5 key questions to help you discover how to use your thoughts to boost sales.
#1. Are you more competitive or comparative?
If comparison constantly keeps creeping into your mind, I can tell you first hand it’s killing your sales and it’s killing your fun. Here’s my comparison confession:
I started out in the direct sales industry in 1990 where I honed my sales skills for six years. The company was run franchise style. They supported hundreds of locations throughout the country. I was one of them.
As many companies do, they mailed sales reports every week that ranked how each of the independent business owners were doing in weekly sales volume. I enjoyed many aspects of sales and sales management; however, seeing these weekly reports was not one of them.
Instead of adding fun, healthy competition as it was meant to be, I somehow turned it into an intense emotional roller coaster — and I don’t like roller coasters. It was not until
years later that I finally realized the problem wasn’t that my sales rankings went up and down.
The torture was I let my self worth go up and down.Looking back I was letting my sales numbers define me. My subconscious thoughts kept telling me that my sales results was a reflection of my IQ level. The weeks when I was at the top of the sales leader board I felt so smart, but I let myself get puffed up thinking too highly of myself.
Other weeks when my sales sank to the bottom of the national ranking reports I was crushed at the realization of how dumb and untalented I must be. This went on week in and week out.
You would think after six years I would have recognized the root cause of my insanity. But, in those years I never paused long enough to even think about what I was thinking about. So, I just tolerated the torture. I hope you choose to stop torturing yourself.
ACTION QUESTIONS:
> Are you pausing long enough to think about your thoughts? ________________________________________
> How often do you find yourself comparing your results with others? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> What advice do you need to give yourself about this? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#2. Are you serving yourself or serving others?
I doubt anyone would immediately answer this question saying, “Yes, I live to serve myself”. But, let me differentiate the two another way:
- Serving myself is wanting to make an impression to let people know how great I am.
- Serving others is wanting to make an impact to let people know how great they are.
- Serving myself is trying to get others to buy largely, to help you meet your goals.
- Serving others is trying to help others meet their goals through what you have to offer.
We can all start out with a heart to truly serve others, but sometimes life’s worries can subtly shift our focus off of others onto ourselves. If you want to boost your sales, I invite you to take the daily challenge to give yourself a ‘Check up from the Neck up’ with this one question:
ACTION QUESTION:
> Are you more focused on making a great impression or making a great impact? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#3. Are you driven more by fear or desire?
Studies on marketing have shown an interesting fact about consumer behavior. People respond more from fear of loss marketing than they do from desire to gain marketing.
In my business coaching practice I have seen that same fear of loss driver kill more sales than a lack of sales skills among the solopreneurs and entrepreneurs I coach.
Here are a few common behaviors that reflect fear driven decisions:
- You slash prices leaving little or no profit margins from fear of losing the business to someone else.
- Instead of pruning back the C and D clients you tolerate 80% of your headaches from the 10% of your clients that represent at best, only 20% of your revenue.
- You need more clients, but you stop advertising for fear you might lose money if it doesn’t work right away.
- You send people price quotes, but you don’t ask for the order for fear that you might sound too salesy.
When you’re driven more by fear you also end up trying way too hard and it shows. Whether you are presenting a proposal to a prospect one one one or your are delivering a sales presentation to a large audience, people can smell fear.
Fear revolves around you and not around them. Fear can make you forget to listen, forget to smile and even forget to breathe.
ACTION QUESTIONS:
> What is the worst thing you are afraid might happen in your business right now? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> If that “worst thing” did happen what difference would it make in your life … in 10 days? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> How about in 10 weeks? _________________________________________________
> How about in 10 months? _______________________________________________
> How about in 10 years? _________________________________________________
#4. Are you proactive or reactive?
When you go through a streak of no sales or your whole year has been a sales slump it is easy to be reactive and slip into worry mode. Worry can keep you stuck in a cycle of struggle if you let it become a daily habit.
“Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do,
but never gets you anywhere.”
(Erma Bombeck)Worry and fear go hand in hand. Worrying is reminding yourself of all the negative outcomes you fear might happen and playing that tape in your head day in and day out. I looked up what is the opposite of worry in the thesaurus. It said “confidence”.
ACTION QUESTIONS:
> What is one area in your business do you want to gain more confidence? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> What is one area in your business (with some training) you could get better results to boost your sales? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> What is one thing you can commit to doing differently to increase your sales? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#5. Are you getting bitter or getting better?
Challenges are inevitable. But, if all you do is continue to rotate your mind and dwell on your frustrations you’ll only grow more bitter.
Success in anything, whether at school, sports or sales, there are only three areas we can focus on getting better at. We can intentionally improve:
- our thoughts
- our delivery (execution)
- our strategy (technique)
Are you committed to getting better in your business every day?
The right strategy can boost sales. How is your sales and marketing strategy working for you?
ACTION QUESTIONS:
> What is one marketing or sales strategy you want to intentionally improve in your business this month? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> What is a new sales-marketing technique/strategy you want to learn? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SHARE YOUR COMMENTS: What thoughts are boosting or killing your sales?
© Copyright 2021-2022
by Yoon Cannon | Business Growth Tips Blog, Marketing and Sales Blog Posts
I recently surveyed my email subscribers and asked them what is the number one burning question they would like me to help them with. One of the questions that came up again and again was asking about easy local business marketing ideas to boost sales. So, here are four tactics you can implement right away when it comes to attracting more local clients and customers to your business.
Succeeding as a local business requires a strong foundation in the community as well as a little creative outreach. In a market that seems dominated by online retailers and smartphone shopping, local businesses are still a draw for many people — in fact, Search Engine Watch reports that almost 60 percent of consumers search with Google every month looking for local businesses to visit. Leverage your status as a local business to reach new consumers in your area and stay competitive with the big box stores.
Local Marketing Idea #1: Update your website.
The first easy fix to attracting more local customers to your business is your website. Too often, small local businesses have a website that is completely out of date when it comes to content and design. Update your content and make sure the site is mobile-ready. Mobile customers need to be able to find and use your site, or you will lose business. Google reports that 50 percent of mobile users visit a local business within 24 hours of searching online for one. Having an out-of-date site could mean losing half of your potential local customers, so stop relying on word of mouth advertising alone and get your site up to date, so you can meet the neighborhood. If updating your website does not feel easy to you, check out my free training that will help you simplify the process.
Local Marketing Idea #2: Support the community.
Sponsoring local events and programs is one of the easiest ways to connect yourself with the community. It gives you a chance to advertise directly to the people around you as well as build lifelong bonds with community members and other business owners.
You can offer sponsorship in a variety of ways; you could offer your services for free to a group, provide funding for community causes or provide prizes for a nonprofit’s fundraising events. O-ring manufacturer Apple Rubber cosponsors a Fourth of July celebration in Lancaster, New York, every year that is attended by more than 40,000 people. Sometimes, it can be as simple as opening your doors to let a group use your physical space for their event. Whatever you choose to do will resonate with the community and build goodwill for you and your business.
If you happen to be from my hometown in Bucks County, PA, consider supporting the CB East High School’s new Patriot’s stadium. Even a small $50 investment in the athletic program book can get your business repeat exposure to the local community. (Okay, so I had to throw that one in there for my two boys playing on the high school soccer team 🙂
Local Marketing Idea #3: Share your community support on your website.
Taking pride in your place in the community will not only give more visibility to the community groups you support, but it also makes you much more three dimensional. Be sure that your website mentions all the work you do for the community and posting photos is even better.
There is a local health club in my community who does an excellent helping to spread the message through their sponsorship of an annual race in memory of a local community member.
There are plenty of sports teams to support. If you contribute by supporting a youth sports team make sure that you proudly display a jersey instore. Being proud of your place in local culture shows the neighborhood you are enthused to be a part of it and endears you to them.
Local Marketing Idea #4: Share more video, more pictures, more engagement.
In some cases, your social media presence will be the first exposure people have to your business — and what do people on social media love? Videos and pictures. Actively share and post images and videos that are more than simple advertisements for your company — show real testimonials from real locals and local news items of interest to your customers. You should also make the effort to post reviews of other local businesses you like to show that you don’t just promote local business, you shop local as well.
As you implement these four easy marketing ideas, be sure to be prepared for new business. You never know when you’re going to get the opportunity to engage more local customers. One time I ran into the grocery store with only my credit card in my pocket. I bumped into a CPA who came to one of my local marketing seminars. He asked me for my business card, so he could learn more about my business coaching — yikes! I didn’t have any.
I have since then stocked all three of our cars with a stack of my business cards, which came in handy when I least expected it — like while dining at local restaurants, meeting people at neighborhood socials, watching my sons’ soccer games, etc.
QUESTION: What has worked the best for you when it comes to attracting more local clients to your business? What has worked the least? Share your comments and questions below.
Use my printable MARKETING CHECKLIST to help you get clear on your marketing plan. Download your free copy here.
© Copyright 2021-2022
by Yoon Cannon | Marketing and Sales Blog Posts
One small error or oversight is all it takes to derail a marketing endeavor. When creating ads that make an impression, you want them to be memorable for the right reasons. The wrong reasons can prove fatal for a brand, especially in today’s hyper-connected world.
These 10 advertising mistakes offer valuable lessons we can all learn from. Let’s take a look at what happened and find out what they can teach us.
Advertising Mistake #1: Mr. Clean’s Mother’s Day Stereotypes
Mr. Clean decided to advertise the brand’s cleaning products with what the company probably thought was an uplifting message about mother-daughter bonding. Unfortunately, the advert depicted a mother and daughter cleaning windows together, featuring text about getting “back to the job that really matters” on Mother’s Day.
The advert was interpreted as reinforcing gender stereotypes that imply a woman’s job is limited to housework.
The lesson: Do your utmost to avoid using stereotypes. Before publishing any marketing material in print or online, take a second look.
Advertising Mistake #2: PETA’s Fat-Shaming Billboards
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a history of advertising campaigns that attempt to guilt or shame consumers into adopting their hardline approach to lifestyle and animal rights. One of their more shocking campaigns ran in Florida in 2009.
The billboard depicted an overweight person in a swimming costume on a beach. The text read, “Save the whales. Lose the blubber. Go vegetarian.” The fat-shaming caused an uproar, and the outcry soon led to the adverts’ replacement.
The lesson: Never use insults to get your message across. Laugh with people, not at them.
Advertising Mistake #3: Pepsi Didn’t Read the Room
In 2017, soft drink company Pepsi caused outrage with an advert inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. The advert starred Kendall Jenner, who appears to end a standoff between protestors and police officers by offering one of the officers a can of cola. Pepsi apologized, the advert was pulled and parodied, and 6 months later, company president Brad Jakeman resigned.
The company said it hoped the advert would portray the brand and its products as a culturally unifying force. Instead, it came across as tone-deaf and as an attempt to trivialize an important social cause.
The lesson: Read the room and avoid referencing sensitive subjects.
Advertising Mistake #4: Bacardi’s Offensive Attempt At Humor
In a poor attempt at humor, an affiliate of the alcohol brand Bacardi ran an advertising campaign that implied that people who want to appear better-looking should find an ‘ugly girlfriend.’ The advert took the form of a mini-site and a Facebook page.
The brand shut down the campaign after a couple of weeks due to complaints.
The lesson: Avoid being judgmental or degrading people in your campaigns.
Advertising Mistake #5: Adidas’ Poor Choice Of Words
After the 2017 Boston Marathon, Adidas sent a congratulatory email to customers who participated in the race. The subject line was a simple, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!” A similar short, sweet message would’ve been appropriate for any other marathon.
However, the subject line could have been better worded when it comes to one of Beantown’s biggest fitness events. In 2013, 3 people died, and more than 250 people were injured when a bomb exploded at the marathon. The company apologized immediately.
The lesson: Have more than one person proofread all the copy included in your advertising campaigns.
Advertising Mistake #6: Burger King Goes Below The Belt
When Burger King decided to advertise its BK Super Seven Incher, the ad agency it used took an approach that went below the belt. The advert featured an open-mouthed model faced with a sandwich. The pose and the accompanying text suggested a sexual act, which provoked a backlash from angry customers.
Burger King responded by saying it was a limited-time promotion and that a Singapore-based agency was responsible for creating the advert. Several years later, the model stumbled across the advert and called for a boycott of the fast-food company, as she had no idea they’d used her image.
The lesson: Don’t include sexual innuendo in your advertisements, and don’t use people’s images without consent.
Advertising Mistake #7: Hacienda’s Massacre References
In the mid-2000s, Hacienda Mexican Restaurants ran a billboard campaign in Indiana. The advert featured a cocktail, a headline that read, “We’re like a cult with better Kool-Aid,” and a slogan that read, “To die for!” The Kool-Aid and death references alluded to the mass murder-suicide that took place at the Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978.
The marketing chief, Jeff Leslie, said that the brand wasn’t trying to be controversial but rather that it wanted to be noticed. Whatever the brand’s intentions, the public, and press weren’t having any of it. After two weeks of outcry, the brand removed the advert.
The lesson: Avoid sensitive subjects, especially when they’re tragedies that resulted in the deaths of innocent people.
Advertising Mistake #8: Flora Forgets Inclusivity
In a misguided attempt at being relevant, South African margarine brand Flora ran an advert that featured a heart made of porcelain, and the words, “Uhh, Dad, I’m gay,” shaped like a bullet headed toward the heart. The advert also featured the text, “You need a strong heart today.”
Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch company that owns Flora, ordered the withdrawal of the advert after activists, the public, and the press condemned it as homophobic.
The lesson: Be inclusive. Your ad will reach different groups of people.
Advertising Mistake #9: Airbnb Forgets The Importance Of Timing
Despite being one of the most user-friendly, well-designed sites, Airbnb doesn’t always get everything right. In 2017, they learned an important lesson regarding the timing of advertising campaigns. On August 28, Airbnb launched its Floating World campaign, which features an image of a house floating on the surface of the water. It also featured lines of text that read, “Stay above water” and “Live the life aquatic with these floating homes.”
The problem was that Hurricane Harvey was pummeling the city of Houston. A spokesperson apologized for the insensitivity of the timing.
The lesson: Pay attention to current events and make changes where necessary.
Advertising Mistake #10: Antonio Federici’s Naughty Religion
Italian ice cream company Antonio Federici ran an advert in the United Kingdom featuring models dressed as a Catholic priest and nun in what appeared to be a sexual encounter. It also featured text that read, “Submit to temptation.”
Many angry Christians called for a boycott of the company and to submit enough complaints to see the advert banned by UK authorities. The company ran a few other adverts featuring sexualized images of religion, all of which prompted a backlash from Christians.
The lesson: Leave religion alone, as the advert undoubtedly will offend people.
The Takeaway
No matter what format your marketing takes, your advertising needs to avoid offending, insulting and marginalizing people. Creating a memorable ad is one thing; creating an ad that tarnishes your brand is another.
If you need help coming up with your wow factor message that’s laid out by professional graphic designers, book a complimentary discovery call to see how we can help you.
SIGN UP HERE: http://paramountbusinesscoach.com/coaching/coaching-call-sign-up/
QUESTION: What question can I answer for you about advertising your business? Please share your comments or questions below:
by Yoon Cannon | Business Growth Tips Blog, Marketing and Sales Blog Posts
First, the benefits of creating irresistible offers:
As entrepreneurs and small business owners we all want to increase sales. But, getting the sale is not just getting one big YES. Rather, it’s about setting up a system that generates a series of yes-es.
It’s important that you are able to give your prospects an opportunity to say yes to one or several no risk offers as well as giving them some low risk offers. This way, it’s your prospects who put themselves in your pipeline.
Creating irresistible offers is what grows your list — your in-house email database of potential prospects. Different offers will appeal to different types of buyers, which makes it great for you to auto segment your multiple types of prospects.
Formats of creating irresistible offers:
Whether it’s free (no risk) or paid (low risk) offers they can be delivered in the form of:
- Assessments
- Checklists
- eBooks
- Free reports
- Free consultation
- Guides
- White papers
- Tele-Seminars
- Webinars
- Video training
Creating irresistible offers is a lot like cooking in the kitchen. If I want to get my three kids to come downstairs for dinner I know all I have to do is bake some chocolate chip cookies in the oven. They can smell that from anywhere in the house. My kids (and all their friends) suddenly drop whatever they’re doing and come flocking into the kitchen.
In any house, you can bet chocolate chip cookies are always a big hit with kids. But, when it comes to your business do you really know what makes a truly irresistible offer? What is the hot button that will have your ideal customers drop whatever they’re doing and come flocking to you?
There is a simple process for creating irresistible offers. If you’re going to spend the time to create, develop and deliver on your offers you want to make sure you’re not promoting the wrong offer. The biggest reason businesses suffer from wrong offers is because they missed a key step.
#1 missed step that causes small business owners to have the wrong offer is:
NOT doing something called market research. To many of us entrepreneurs the idea of doing market research can sound boring, unsexy or perhaps simply too time consuming. I find that the opposite is true. We waste more time just guessing what our offers should be rather than just asking our target market. The simple wisdom here is: “if you ask them what they want, they’ll tell you.”
Take action on creating truly irresistible offers.
- Send your customers and prospects a short survey. Try Survey Monkey. They’ve got great plans starting from free all the way to just $780 a year. They also integrate with a list of great 3rd party tools and software to offer you even more insights into your target market.
- Integrate survey questions in every prospecting and client conversation. You’re talking to your target market anyway. Why not spend 2 more minutes to ask them your survey questions while you have their attention, so you can discuss different irresistible offer ideas.
- If you prefer to outsource to the experts who do market research everyday, contact a market research firm. They can manage both small market studies or larger focus group projects to reveal what truly motivates your target market.
Conducting a market research project is far less costly than blindly launching new products, new services or new offers.
Need some expert help in creating truly irresistible offers for your business? Book a complimentary discovery coaching call with me here:
QUESTION: Where are you stuck in creating truly irresistible offers for your business?
I invite you to share your comments in the comment box below.
ABOUT YOON CANNON, Founder, ParamountBusinessCoach.com My mission is to encourage, equip and empower entrepreneurs to help you grow a thriving business and life you love! For the past 25+ years I have started 6 different businesses and sold 3 of them (both B2C and B2B), so I completely understand the struggles you go through whether you’re starting from zero or growing a 6 and 7 figure business. I invite you to book a free sales growth strategy call with me below. http://paramountbusinesscoach.com/coaching/coaching-call-sign-up/
© Copyright 2020-2022
by Yoon Cannon | Attract More Customers, Business Growth Tips Blog, Create Your Dream Business, Marketing and Sales Blog Posts
It’s funny how ranking high in search engine results locally can often be far more challenging than ranking high globally. That may seem counterintuitive, but in many instances it’s true.
But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean that it can’t be done – and done effectively. In this article, we’ll share with you proven local SEO strategies that you can implement immediately to get your content or webpage to rank high in local search engine results in 2021.
Strategy #1 – Take Advantage of Directories and Listings
This is one of the more obvious steps to take when trying to rank high in local search results, but it’s a good place to start. You should list your company or website in as many relevant directories as possible. These directories will, more often than not, be national or global directories, but they serve as a search engine in and of themselves. They require you to include a local address, then they can filter queries for their users based on location.
In addition to this helpful service directories provide, the fact that your company or website is listed in several different directories is something search engines look for.
Strategy #2 – Set Up a Google My Business Account (GMB)
According to a recent study carried out by Search Engine Land, “GMB and reviews are the variables that have grown the most in their perceived impact.”
Setting up a GMB will not only help your company rank high in search results but will get you listed on Google Maps as well. You can also post social media engagements onto your GMB listening, which would be another good way to boost your search engine results ranking.
As valuable as the service is, you might be surprised to know that it is completely free to set up a GMB listing.
Strategy #3 – Solicit Reviews
Whatever you have to do to get your company or your product or service reviewed, chances are that it will be well worth it. Reviews play a major role in search engine results. Also, there are many users who, when looking for information about a company or a product, will only click on reviews or review sites.
The best way to get your customers or clients to leave reviews is to ask. Sounds easy enough. And in most cases it is. You should be engaging with your customers, and asking for their feedback in the form of a posted review is a good way to engage. But make it easy for them. If you’re engaging with your customers or clients via email or social media, attach a link to some review sites where they can post their reviews. You could also send them a simple review template along with the link so that they could write and post a review in a matter of minutes.
As a general rule of thumb, people love sharing their opinions. And when it comes to ranking high in local search results, that is definitely behavior you want to encourage.
RELATED BLOG ARTICLE: 5 Great Tips for Marketing Your Small Business
Strategy #4 – Solicit the Help of a Professional
While there is certainly the right way to go about it and plenty of wrong ways, there is no shortcut. The truth of the matter is that in order to get a high search engine ranking, you need backlinks – and a lot of them. Getting backlinks means creating a lot of content that features a link to your company’s website and then getting that content published on high-traffic sites. The process takes a good amount of time and manpower.
The good news is that there is no shortage of professionals willing and eager to lend a helping hand. A digital marketing manager is one of the top careers in IT in 2021. Along with SEO content writers you can find on sites like ProBlogger or BloggingPro, soliciting help from professionals can be a real-time-saver in addition to yielding results – for the right price; of course.
RELATED BLOG ARTICLE: How to Generate More Leads with Content Marketing When You Hate to Write
Strategy #5 – Publish Local Keyword Optimized Content
It’s more beneficial in terms of SEO results for your company to be linked to from an outside source (like a directory, reviews, or a blog). But publishing your own content that ranks high for certain local keywords then linking to your company from there (even if it’s internal) still has value.
The added bonus of this strategy is that it shouldn’t be difficult to find local keywords that are easy to rank for. You can use a powerful tool like Ahref’s Keyword Difficulty Checker to get an idea of what keywords you should target, then create and publish your content accordingly.
Strategy #6 – Optimize Headers and Meta Descriptions for Local Searches
In the grand scheme of SEO, this is a relatively small factor – though not inconsequential. However, it’s so easy to do it would be negligent not to. Simply include your location in headers and meta descriptions of your online content. It’s a quick fix and implemented along with other smart SEO strategies, it will yield results.
Strategy #7 – Partner With Local Service Providers
There’s strength in numbers. It’s possible to succeed on your own, but the odds are far more in your favor if you have help, if you are an army rather than an individual going into battle.
You probably already have associations with other businesses – suppliers or couriers, for example. The chances are that they, too, are looking to boost their local search engine results. Talk to them. See if you can’t find a way to work together toward these shared objectives. It could be as simple as a mention with a link on their website in exchange for doing the same for them.
The Bottom Line
Boosting your local search engine results won’t happen overnight, which is a further reason to get started implementing these strategies today. Optimize your website, target easier local keywords at first, take advantage of directories and GMB. Engage with your customers and solicit them for reviews, and boost your backlinks with the help of a freelance writer and local businesses you already partner with.
QUESTION: Which of the 7 strategies in this article do you think will yield the fastest results? If you implement all 7, how soon do you think it will be before your business is on page one? Share with us in the comments below!
by Yoon Cannon | Business Growth Tips Blog, Marketing and Sales Blog Posts
With the advent of social media and email marketing, printed advertisement has taken something of a backseat. However, its relevance cannot be overstated even today. According to published reports, 38% of US adults visiting a business’ online page based on printed ads. Wow! That is quite significant, don’t you think?
From the psychological marketing perspective, research showed that printed ads require 21% less cognitive effort to process compared to digital marketing content. Therefore, diversifying your marketing tactic to cover both digital and print advertisement niches will enable you to reach more potential customers than before. Let’s take a look at how you can benefit from using print advertisement in addition to digital marketing, which is standard in today’s day and age.
Types of Printed Advertising Media to Consider
There is a wide range of printed media that you can use to promote your brand and reach new audiences. Based on statistics, 56% of customers find print marketing to be the most trustworthy type of marketing, with 66% of direct mail printed ads opened.
In some ways, you can’t go wrong with the printed advertisement for the simple reason that people are used to it. Whether you target the elderly, millennial, or teen demographic, your audience is bound to appreciate printed ads far more than their digital equivalents. With that, some of the printed mediums you can explore to market your business includes but are not limited to:
- Magazine ads
- Posters and billboards
- Brochures and flyers
- Stickers
- Office supplies (notebooks, mugs, lighters, pens, etc.)
- Business cards
- Direct mail (catalogs, newsletters, coupons, etc.)
Balancing Printed and Digital Marketing
Adding print advertising, like magazine advertising, and even guerilla marketing to your digital marketing mix helps your brand stand out and attract bigger public interest than it would otherwise.
This will organically seep into your online engagement, sales, and word of mouth, given your reliance on print. While some may mistakenly regard magazine advertising as retro, the reason print advertising accounts for nearly 40% of website traffic proves that consumers continue to read physical printed materials. However, you shouldn’t neglect the power of digital advertisement as it can improve your printed ads and create an omnichannel campaign with greater reach.
Great Return on Investment
Studies found that “Average advertising costs for small business operations that use Google Ads as part of their online advertising strategy are between $9,000 and $10,000 per month.”
So, compared to digital advertising, Magazine Print Advertising is typically cheaper for the small business owner.
Another hugely important reason I recommend diversifying online marketing with traditional magazine advertising is that platforms like Google (and social media) can change the rules of their game at any time. Case in point: take the latest Google core update, which changes the search engine’s algorithm. Google changed their rules so much that even the biggest SEO Agencies saw a huge drop in their website traffic and had to remodel their SEO strategy to play by the new rules. Using both digital and magazine print ads will help protect your business from the risks of ‘putting all your eggs in one basket” while providing your business multiple sources of traffic to your website.
Grow Your Local Franchise Location
If you’re a small business owner who owns a franchise, you want to follow what the mega brands have been doing for years. Many international brands like Coca-Cola not only advertise on global networks, but they also continue to advertise in local magazine ads to make their brands relevant to local niche communities.
Build Website Engagement and Conversions
While many small business owners like to advertise your phone number in magazine ads, you should still always publish your website address on all your print ads. If you’re running a full-page magazine ad you should also include your brand’s social media handles. This will help to increase your online engagement while greatly increasing trust, assuming you have an updated professional website that provides quality, trust-building content.
RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Reasons Why Your Website is Leaking Leads
If you need help writing better website copy there are sites you can order website reviews. I have not tried this service yet. If you end up using them, post a comment on this blog to let us know what you thought of their services.
Since I run into this challenge a lot of my private business coaching clients, we now offer top-notch website copywriting, graphic design, website remodels and new website builds through our done-for-you marketing agency brand.
Extended Longevity Compared to Digital Ads
Finally, magazine advertising has much longer longevity compared to Google PPC or Social Media ads.
One downside with Google, Facebook and LinkedIn ads is they appear and then disappear on the user’s screen. So, there’s no way for that user to go back to that ad at a later time when they now have a need for the services that you offer.
Magazine ads, for instance, do not disappear. When a magazine subscriber sees your ad, if they don’t have the need yet, they may not visit your website or call you right away. But, when a triggering event occurs, they remember seeing an ad for it months prior. That’s when they go back to the magazine and find your ad is still there. That’s when they contact you to become a customer.
Each time someone comes across your printed ad, even long after the initial publish date, you are increasing your brand awareness, so more people will know what the name of your business is, what you do and your contact info.
Opting for Omnichannel Marketing in 2021 (Conclusion)
So, the purpose of this article was not to convince you whether magazine print advertising is better than digital advertising. It was to educate you on the different benefits magazine print advertising offers. Ultimately, it’s best to diversify your marketing efforts to having an omnichannel approach, which is synonymous with multi media marketing or cross media marketing.
This does not negate the importance of having a compelling message in your magazine ads presented in a professionally designed ad. A confusing ad or an ad that looks like cheap clip art is highly unlikely to bring you that 38% traffic to your website.
RELATED ARTICLE: Print Advertising Tips
If you need help coming up with your wow factor message that’s laid out by professional graphic designers, book a complimentary discovery call to see how we can help you.
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QUESTION: What question can I answer for you about advertising your business? Please share your comments or questions below:
Whatever you have to do to get your company or your product or service reviewed, chances are that it will be well worth it. Reviews play a major role in search engine results. Also, there are many users who, when looking for information about a company or a product, will only click on reviews or review sites.
