Tips for Marketing Segmentation And Goals

Seven Offline Viral Marketing Ideas

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:02:09 +0000

Recently I participated in a forum discussion about offline marketing – that is using more traditional marketing offline to drive traffic to your website or blog. I can still remember the first time I saw a URL in a TV commercial and how cool I thought that was.The offline world has the constraint of geography, so the least expensive forms of viral marketing are going to be geographically bound, which can be challenging for some sites. Someone on the forum said that offli…

The offline world has the constraint of geography, so the least expensive forms of viral marketing are going to be geographically bound, which can be challenging for some sites. Someone on the forum said that offline marketing is a waste of time for most sites or blogs. I think that is a false generalization. In fact, every site should practice some form of offline viral promotion. We call these efforts drive to web programs and they can be very successful.

There are two important pieces to all promotion, and they become even more important in promoting your site offline. Just like the online world, your success at offline promotion is going to hinge on putting your message in front of the prospect in the right context – meaning at the right time and when they are in the right mood to perform the action you are looking for, which in this case is a visit to your website.

You need two elements for each viral marketing idea – the hook and the context. Once you figure out how you’re going to do it, you need to determine where you’re going to do it. If the niche and scope of your business won’t lend itself well to local leads, passing out business cards isn’t going to work as a viral marketing idea. I think every site could benefit from offline leads – it’s just a matter of how much time and money you want to throw at them.

So here are ten ideas with an explanation of hook and context for each:

1. Idea: Use your URL like your phone number. Most people get it on their business cards but leave it off many equally important items that become marketing materials. Here are a few: letterheads, press releases, yellow page ads, newspaper advertising, radio and TV ads, company vehicles, brochures, sell sheets, the bottom of every page of your catalog. Wherever there is a phone number there should be both a URL and contact email address that is generic (contact@yourco.com).

Cost: Nothing. You’re already paying for the materials anyway.

Context: Global, because all of your marketing materials travel all over the place, and your ads should be seen and heard everywhere in the markets you choose.

2. Idea: Webcards. You can get business cards pretty cheap this days. Companies like DCP Print offer 250 free business cards with their ad on the back (their own viral marketing) or $9.99 for 500 cards. They seem a little thin, but they’ll do. What you want to do is choose an attention-getting color that fits with the image of your site (a nice sky blue or yellow), and put your URL right in the middle in huge letters. Put a short description of the site and maybe your email and/or telephone number, and give them out.

Cost: Minimal.

Context: More locally focused, because you are handing them out. But check out the next idea.

3. Idea: Make every customer contact a viral marketing opportunity. Remember the webcards from the last idea? It’s a no-brainer to hand them out directly to customers, right? How about paper clipping a couple of them to an invoice or statement or other correspondence with a small postit note personally written by you asking them to keep one of the cards and give the other one to someone who might be able to use it.

This will work with many of the ideas on this page.

If you spend enough time building relationships with your customers they should be happy to help. Be sure to thank them for any referrals.

Cost: Minimal.

Context: Sort of a viral marketing meets chain letter idea that has potential. Global in scope.

4. Idea: Referral Bribes. This is a terrific idea, because it works both offline and online. For online you can send an email to your customers or put a link on your pages. There are tools like refer-a-buddy for websites and there are plenty of free refer this page to a friend scripts out there.

Offer your current customers an incentive to refer new customers. Maybe it’s a coupon for a percentage off their next order, or an entry into a prize raffle or something else of value. This encourages people to tell you who referred them so you can see who’s helping you out.

For the offline equivalent, make up a coupon and hand it out to people to hand out to other people.

Always send a thank you to people who refer other people, even if you bribe them.

Cost: A little to a lot, depending on the bribe.

Context: Global if you combine offline with online.

5. Idea: Tchochkes . Tchochkes [choch-kez] are little gifts (knick knacks) emblazoned with your URL that you give out to people. The webcard could actually be considered a tchochke, but they usually are stuff we have on our desk or around our house like paperweights, coffee cups, T-Shirts, refrigerator magnets and other stuff.

At my wine shop we give out corkscrews with foil cutters that have our info printed in gold on them. I never have them out where people can see them but people often ask for them so I know they are getting around.

These can be very effective, but they can also be very expensive. If you come up with a well-designed coffee cup or paperweight it will end up on the desk of your customer, where everyone that comes into his office can see it. Make sure the URL is prominent, and try to make it fun and unique.

Cost: Could get very expensive.

Context: Global depending on where you send them.

6. Idea: Direct Mail with a personalized offer I have done this successfully many times, and your success is going to depend on how well you target your prospects and the quality of your offer.

If you have a super-niche site, subscription-based site, or high ticket niche item this idea is probably a winner for you, though it may get expensive. There are (snail mail) mailing lists for everything. I have used a broker, Edith Roman for years. Put together a mailing list and a good offer, like a trial subscription or free gift or special coupon or free knick knack or something like that.

Use a well designed, neat, personalized letter with a personalized URL (an easy one), and send them off to redeem their offer. Use a personalized splash page and a good offer.

Cost: Fairly expensive to very expensive.

Context: Global.

7. Idea: The World as Your Billboard If there is opportunity in a more local focus for your drive to web program, you should figure out how to get your URL in front of as many people as you can locally. Creative and unique wins the day.

I’ve seen posters, yard signs, billboards, bumper stickers, pens and pencils, car window signs. Think about it and come up with something good.

Don’t clutter them with text. Use your URL and a few descriptive words:

www.yankeewine.com
Bigger is better

One person had bookmarks made up and inserted them into books at the local bookstore (owned by a friend) in relevant categories. Brilliant. Another person created PDF viral marketing kits for site fans to spread the word in their town. Another brilliant idea.

Cost: Inexpensive.

Context: Local.

Always, always, always have business cards, web cards, brochures, tchochkes or some viral marketing medium on you, because you never know when an opportunity to pass them out will arise.

I have a supply of business cards and brochures in the trunk of my car. I even have a stack of cards in the saddlebag of my motorcycle.

All of these ideas are combinable, and you should be implementing at least one or two of them. I’d love to hear your offline viral marketing ideas. Post them at AffiliateBlog.

Seven Reasons Why Seasonal Marketing Sells Products

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:49 +0000

The celebration of Thanksgiving is approaching and later on will come Christmas, then New Year’s, Saint Valentines Day and so on…Now, what is so special about each celebration? They all increase the selling of products. There are many reasons why you should consider seasonal marketing to promote your products, including the seven which are listed below:

1. People tend to buy more products during seasonal celebrations than the rest of the year.

2. People are det…

The celebration of Thanksgiving is approaching and later on will come Christmas, then New Year’s, Saint Valentines Day and so on…

Now, what is so special about each celebration? They all increase the selling of products. There are many reasons why you should consider seasonal marketing to promote your products, including the seven which are listed below:

1. People tend to buy more products during seasonal celebrations than the rest of the year.

2. People are determined to purchase products, so it is easier to persuade them to purchase a product you offer (assuming of course you are doing it the right way).

3. Most purchases concern gifts to others, therefore quality is what matters while price is less significant.

4. The time of celebration is limited and specific. Therefore people cannot leave for tomorrow what they need to buy for the celebration. They must act in a timely manner. This urgency is a huge advantage to marketers trying to sell products.

One other motivating factor for buyers is that seasonal products are limited and something they have in-mind may not be available in the stores at a different time.

5. People connect seasonal celebrations with their childhood. That makes them more emotional and as you might already know emotion is the key factor that makes people buy a product.

6. It is not always necessary to offer a celebration related product to increase your sales. Even a valued Internet product like software or e-books can be a valued gift.

7. Marketers do not have to invent new or never before used methods to create interest in seasonal products. The old traditional marketing techniques are effective and can still be applied. People want to buy because of the “celebration”. In fact, many people may not see their purchase as buying at all, but as an act of making someone (including themselves) more happy.

Naturally, seasonal marketing may use different strategies to promote products. Instead of offering a product discount try the following:

- Offer a portion of the price of your product to charities and make people feel they contribute to this charity themselves.

- Try a special offer like “purchase one product and get the other at half price” or “purchase one product and get another free to offer as a gift”.

These types of special offers can very easily increase your sales volume.

So, do not hesitate. Start promoting your products (or affiliate products) now. And don’t forget, once a celebration ends, there are many others right around the corner. People are always looking for reasons to purchase gifts for others or for themselves.

Seven Tips for Marketing Yourself

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:59:58 +0000

During the real estate boom, agents might have been able to get their listings sold merely be hammering a sign into the ground. Now agents are seeing their listings staying on the market longer, so even those with years of experience must face facts. To stay in business, you need to become a pro at selling yourself to sellers besieged with marketing messages.

“A lot of people are brand new to this,” says Betty Wilson, owner & broker for Wilson Realtors in Orlando, FL.

Here’s our crash course in the art of selling yourself, with seven tips to help you cope with the real estate market’s new realities.

Assess Your Soft Skills

In 2004, two years of experience as an agent might have gotten you hired. No longer — not when you are competing against hundreds of candidates with skills similar to yours. Candidates must now assess their soft skills. “This is about doing a little bit of soul-searching,” Wilson says.

Ron Peterson, branch manager at a St. Louis office suggests agents ask themselves about core competencies, especially mentoring and team-building. “Intangibles are going to sell this individual,” Peterson notes.

Develop an Elevator Pitch

The elevator pitch is a brief self-marketing statement to be delivered at job fairs, conferences or other networking events. The pitch should echo the summary of a resume, according to Wilson, focusing on four key points designed to attract employers’ attention. The pitch should sound informal and unrehearsed. To practice, deliver it to your answering voice mail, Wilson advises.

Learn to Network

As any salesperson understands, who you know is essential to finding leads. Networking is about being able to connect from person to person to person, Wilson says. “It’s about building a web of relationships, until you meet someone who’s looking for what you do,” he adds.

That means attending conferences, classes, broker open houses, realtor organization functions, and special networking events designed for real estate pros. Even civic organizations, such as arts groups and other nonprofits, can be useful. Plan lunches or after-work meetings with former colleagues and others.

“Try to be out there and make an effort to be known,” says Wesley Jost, who has retooled his networking efforts after being laid off. “If you sit around and wait for something to happen, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Seek a Support Structure

In order to learn, or relearn, networking and interviewing skills, look to organizations offering workshops or classes, such as NOVA, a one-stop career-development organization.

Know Your Audience

Selling yourself effectively means learning everything you can about a company, from the time you write a cover letter to interview day. To get an inside track, you “need to have researched the prospect, be able to speak intelligently about them, and offer a skill set to solve their problems,” says Barry Mills, national recruiting director for MATRIX Resources, a national staffing company.

Be a Closer

Mills suggests people use a traditional sales tactic for closing the sale. At the end of an interview, ask the interviewer, “Based on this interview, is there anything that would keep you from hiring me for this position?” As Mills notes, “It’s very much a sales-type question.” What’s more, send a follow-up note to the individuals you’ve met at the company, thanking them for their time.

Practice Patience

Finally, don’t be discouraged if landing that client takes weeks or months. “Practice patience each and every day,” says Jost. “You won’t be handed opportunities like you were a year ago.” Put it this way: If you stop looking, you’re out of the game. As any salesperson knows, perseverance is essential to closing the sale.

Good luck,

Should The P&G Moms Disclose They’re “On The Take”?

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:59:20 +0000

When a friend or co-worker tells you about a product she likes, as women do, and you then bought it too, how would you feel if you found out afterwards that she’d been paid to tell you?Most private product talk among women is not commercial. Among men, either. Think TIVO, iPod, movies or restaurants – people refer those to each other because they love them, not because they get paid to do it.

If they did get compensated somehow, and you found out later, would you be as…

When a friend or co-worker tells you about a product she likes, as women do, and you then bought it too, how would you feel if you found out afterwards that she’d been paid to tell you?

Most private product talk among women is not commercial. Among men, either. Think TIVO, iPod, movies or restaurants – people refer those to each other because they love them, not because they get paid to do it.

If they did get compensated somehow, and you found out later, would you be as trusting of their next referral?

People telling each other about products they like, like TIVO, iPods, or other products has been referred to in the past as word of mouth advertising or word of mouth marketing.

The trust that the recommendation is not secretly motivated in anyway by compensation from a third party is what makes it a recommendation accepted at face value from people who know and trust each other. That’s what makes it so valuable to product manufacturers and marketers. Some of them, like Apple, try to make products remarkable enough that people will WANT to tell others about them.

Others pay to manufacture that word of mouth. They use people who are members of a group, like Moms, or Teens, and pay them to do so-called word of mouth.

Often, these newly created word-of-mouthers don’t tell the others that they’re being compensated, and that’s where the question arises: Would you feel manipulated if you gave your trust to a friend’s recommendation, bought the product, and then later found out that the friend got paid to talk it up to you?

You no doubt know that marketers are not a very credible bunch these days. One of the most popular business books today is entitled, All Marketers are Liars ( http://www.bananamarketing.com/library.html )

So now, must we add “All Friends are Liars”?

Proctor & Gamble Co. has quietly come out with an advertising program, Vocalpoint, that is such a manufactured word of mouth campaign. It was developed to pitch its own and other companies’ products. ( http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_22/b3986060.htm )

P&G has recruited 600,000 women into their new advertising army over the past year or two. All moms. All on the take. Here’s how the company is using them:

“By crafting product messages mothers will want to share, along with giving them samples, coupons, and a chance to share their own opinions with P&G, the Cincinnati consumer-product giant is using personal endorsements to cut through advertising clutter.”

And, says the company,

“We know that the most powerful form of marketing is an advocacy message from a trusted friend,”says Steve Knox, Vocalpoint’s CEO ( http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_22/b3986060.htm )

Right. So let’s exploit that, he says. They’re not his friends to lose. They’re yours.

Ask yourself one question and you will know if you like this: Would you give your trust as freely to the recommendations of someone you know, if you can’t be sure up front if they’re on the take or not, for whatever product they’re talking about?

Aside from the possible loss of trust between friends,

“…Vocalpoint also raises a serious ethical issue: Should the person spreading the product message disclose her affiliation?”

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association Code of Ethics requires “connectors” like these moms to disclose who they work for. But P&G does not require these women to do that. And many don’t.

Ethics and morals aside, ask yourself: Do you want to be able to trust a friend’s recommendation to be motivated by nothing other than the interest she has in telling about something she thought you’d like to know about?

If you found out later that she DID get paid, in money or free product, would you weigh her recommendation differently next time?

If you, like me, would take any future recommendations from this person with a giant grain of salt, then we all know this gal has lost something she once had – my freely given, no strings attached, trust. This is not a good thing.

The FTC is looking into it… ( http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_22/b3986060.htm )

P.S. Telling your connection up front is always good policy. And that’s of course why I suggest that when you are introducing your product to others, you let them know right up front that you are marketing it and why – because it’s helped you, say – and now you’ve decided to make a business marketing it – so you can do good AND make some income. (That’s all laid out in the If My Product’s So Great, How Come I Can’t Sell It? book and CD program. http://www.bananamarketing.com/3scriptscd.html )

Short Run Printing on the Rise

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:58:41 +0000

With the fast growing number of printing companies offering short run printing service, more and more people are confident when it comes to their needs.Printing business is one of the most fast growing companies in the world. There are more printing companies available to meet your printing needs. One of the easiest ways to find a good printing company is by the use of the internet. In selecting a printing company, make sure that it offers the service you need for instance the short run printing service.

In this present day, everyone and everything is in constant motion and rush. Short run printing is suitable for person or business on the go. With the advancements in printing technology available these days, it has become possible to have a short run print job done at no time.

The growth of digital printing and other alternative forms of printing is changing the corporate landscape as well-more paper is being printed on, short run printing has benefited these changes in the printing technology. For the first time, technology can make small print jobs economically possible.

A big question is why should you avail of short run printing? What benefits can you get if you avail short run printing? First of all, it offers improved quality of printed materials. Back then, in order to avail of cost effective printing, the alternative is to avail of lower quality printers and copiers. These days it is now possible to print full color materials with no additional prices. Short run printing has made printing high quality materials possible.

In a traditional printing press operation can be labor intensive from start to finish. Short run printing technology, on the other hand, requires little labor but it needs skilled employee to run a digital press. They have to be knowledgeable about pre-press and print.

Short run printing allows you to print small quantities of documents at affordable price and in a short period of time, whether it is color post cards, posters, or flyers. Short run printing also means that you can get your printing needs returned to you faster. You don’t have to wait months or even weeks any longer!

With the fast growing number of printing companies offering this kind of printing service, more and more people are confident when it comes to their needs. You can even expect more advancement in the following years regarding short run printing. As long as more people like you are always rushing up to meet deadlines and schedules, then you will probably never get enough of the service of short run printing.

Should I Lead With The Business Or The Product?

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:58:07 +0000

That’s a popular question.

Some people insist you lead with the business (and they tell you to offer the product as a last resort only if the prospect says No to the business); others say they’d rather lead with the product.

However, there is NO best way for all. Just like there’s no product for everyone.

Here are five questions to help you decide what YOU should do.

Remember, you’re the one leading, so choose what suits YOU. And no, it might not be the same way y…

That’s a popular question.

Some people insist you lead with the business (and they tell you to offer the product as a last resort only if the prospect says No to the business); others say they’d rather lead with the product.

However, there is NO best way for all. Just like there’s no product for everyone.

Here are five questions to help you decide what YOU should do.

Remember, you’re the one leading, so choose what suits YOU. And no, it might not be the same way your upline tells you to lead. But the two of you might not have the same taste in music either, and that doesn’t bother anyone, does it?

The questions:

1. What really excites you more: The product or the business?

2. What do you identity with more: the product or the business?

3. What do you believe you can do better – talk about the product (and your experience with it) or the business?

4. Where do you have more credibility and believability? With your product experience or your business (this or previous business) experience?

5. What is your tolerance for rejection? It’s 10-50 times more if you lead with the business than the product.

There is no best way. There is only the what works best for you way at this time. So follow your inner voice. Once you have given that an honest try, you can always experiment with another approach.

After all, isn’t the entire thing an experiment? We don’t know the outcome for sure, do we? So start with as many advantages as you can: Know yourself, act on that information. Then you will have given yourself the best chance possible.

Kim Klaver is Harvard & Stanford educated. Her 20 years experience in network marketing have resulted in a popular blog, KimKlaverBlogs.com, a podcast, YourGreatThing.com and a giant resource site, BananaMarketing.com which features hundreds of stories, tips, books and CD programs for those who want to learn the art of network marketing.

Shopping For Clothing With Sports Logos In The Brick And Mortar World

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:57:13 +0000

If you are a sports enthusiast, you likely have (on occasion) considering purchasing clothing items that bear the logos of your favorite sports team. In that regard, if you are considering making the purchase of clothing items with the logo of your favorite team emblazoned on those clothing items, there are some pointers and facts that you should keep in mind.

First of all, in this day and age, nearly every major sporting venue maintains a gift shop on the premises. For example, if you are a major league baseball fan, stop by the stadium — even when a game is not being played. Chances are, the shop on the site will be open and you will be able to select from a wide array of different items bearing the logo of your most favored team.

In addition to shops that are maintained at sporting coliseums and stadiums at this point in time, many major department stores now carry clothing and other items that bear the logos of different sports teams. By stopping into such a department store, you will be able to find those items that most appeal to you.

In addition to many major department stores, there are also a growing number of discount retail stores that now carry a wide array of different types of products — including clothing items — that carry the logos of major sporting teams. In many instances, you will be able to make the purchase of exactly the piece of merchandise that you seek at a price that fits well within your everyday budget. (These stores — together with department stores — are good venues through which you can make the purchase of gift items that bear sports teams logos for friends and family members who favor such items.)

Most major sporting teams in this day and age now maintain catalogues through which people can order clothing and other items that bear a team’s logo. You can order those products that you desire simply by dialing a convenient toll free telephone number. In most instances, the team will send to you those products that you order for no additional shipping handling charge (or only for a nominal shipping and handling charge). Generally speaking, such catalogue orders can be made twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and fifty two weeks a year.

Shine a Spotlight on Your Professional Service Firm

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:56:18 +0000

As a life-long dancer, I know a bit about the importance of good preparation before performance. Before a dancer is ready for the spotlight, she has to master the basics including alignment, strength, flexibility, balance, choreography, and artistry.The same is true for successful marketing. When you send a brochure, run an ad, promote a website, give a talk, or just tell someone what you do, you’re on stage. But if you’ve not mastered the basics, you will not engage your audience and you risk serious injury to yourself and to your firm.

Before the Curtain Rises

Well before any performance, dancers invest time building a solid foundation. It’s this foundation – not the costumes, lighting or even music – that enables them to give a persuasive, moving performance that connects with their audience.

With effective marketing, the same sequence applies. Before the curtain rises on your attempts to attract clients, make sure you’ve mastered the basics first:

Get aligned. Dancers spend years learning how to align their body properly for balance and how to keep “knees over toes” to prevent injury. What have you done to align with your customer’s worldview? Do you really understand what keeps your clients up at night…what their real problems are, which may or may not have anything to do with what you currently offer? What are you doing to stay aligned? Do you say no to opportunities that aren’t within your niche? Do you still have a “Plan B” in case your current direction doesn’t pay off or have you fully committed to finding a good niche and making it work? How aligned are your services and pricing with what really sells in today’s market?

Build strength. Accomplished dancers may look graceful and light on their feet, but the illusion is only possible because of tremendous strength and power from within. How do you demonstrate your firm’s strength? By showing the market your authority to do good work through well-written case studies, client testimonials, bios, media appearances, and measurable results.

Be flexible. Without flexibility, dancers cannot move fully or prevent injury. The same can the same be said of your approach to serving your clients. Do you only offer one way to address a client’s needs (i.e., high-priced consulting)? If so, you’ll miss opportunities. Package what you do in several ways, at various price points.

Go slow to go fast. Dancers aren’t born being able to execute complicated choreography. Ballet dancers train for years before going “en pointe” (into toe shoes). It may not take you years, but an effective, customer-focused marketing strategy takes time to develop and launch. This doesn’t mean you avoid revenue-producing work in the meantime, it just means you take the time to work “under the radar” to craft the right approach that accelerates your effectiveness once you launch it.

Artistry. Every dancer interprets the music and story in her own unique way. This artistry is what differentiates truly outstanding performers and makes for a memorable audience experience. What have you done to identify and communicate your unique competitive advantage? What makes you stand out from others offering the same services? Why should customers buy from you when they have a number of choices? What about your offer, price, guarantee or standard sets you apart and how do you demonstrate that?

Expert instruction. In any sport or art form, exceptional performers receive expert instruction, feedback, and coaching. Dancers rely regularly on classes, instructors, mirrors, feedback from partners, video, and critics’ reviews to continuously improve and refine their performance. What are you doing to refine yours?

Rehearsal. Only after getting aligned, building strength, developing flexibility, learning choreography, and expressing artistry is a dancer ready to rehearse for an actual performance. When you’re ready to take your strategy to market, make sure you’ve tested it first. This means trying out your positioning statement informally at networking events, writing an article or two and getting feedback, conducting a small amount of telephone research with people in your target market, and so on.

Before you spend the money to develop a new logo, print new business stationary, design new brochures, revise your website, or go on a sales call test and rehearse your message. When you start getting a “that’s for me!” response from your audience, you’re ready for the spotlight.

On Stage & In the Spotlight

Once you’re on stage, your hard work and preparation pay off. However the marketing process continues:

Lights, camera, action! Being in the spotlight means it’s time to shine. The dancer’s hard work pays off, enhanced by music, lighting, sets, costumes and makeup. The same is true of how you present your message to the market. Your website, brochures, talks, published articles, how you introduce yourself when networking, and the sales process are simply vehicles for communicating the fundamentals you’ve put in place before the curtain rises. If you start with them, without the basics outlined above, you risk looking foolish and off the mark when it comes to connecting with your audience.

Connect with your audience. Being on stage doesn’t guarantee that a dancer will engage the audience. You’ve gotta work it! At a recent repertory performance of amateur dancers at Joy of Motion, a local dance school, the audience enthusiastically hooted and hollered as the Street Jam dancers fully engaged them with their energy, funk, attitude, and huge smiles of joy. The audience fed off that energy and, in turn, motivated the dancers to give their best. What are you doing to build and sustain a relationship with your clients? Are you pushing a stale portfolio of products and services or are you listening to what your clients want and responding in kind?

Exceptional performance. Long-term success at the box office depends on an exceptional performance time after time. So once you’ve closed the deal, what are you doing to ensure exceptional performance for your clients? Your most powerful marketing strategy is turning in a great performance time after time.

Remember your supporting cast & crew. Nobody tolerates a prima ballerina that alienates those around her for long, no matter how talented she is. Likewise, if you don’t attend to relationships with employees, peers, supervisors, vendors, and allied professionals, you’ll find yourself wondering why everyone around you is so “difficult to work with.” What are you doing to nurture relationships and alignment within and beyond your firm to ensure your strategy to attract more clients moves forward?

In the end, if you give your audience a good value, at a fair price, based on solid preparation and a stellar performance, you’ll garner good reviews, and have a long, fruitful run at the box office. Break a leg!

Seven Ways to Use Market Segmentation at a Health Plan

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:55:30 +0000

Implementing marketing segmentation is never a slam dunk and health plans have more difficulty than other firms because of their regulatory environment. Every business function can be mobilized to take full advantage of the opportunities that market segmentation offers.

Implementing marketing segmentation is never a slam dunk and health plans have more difficulty than other firms because of their regulatory environment. But the pattern of decisions is simple when they are broken into steps.

First, market segmentation research is needed to identify and define market segments. This process is fairly involved and is described elsewhere. (See for example the whitepapers at www.deftresearch.com.) The research helps firms decide which segmentation strategy to use. These strategies may be based on purchasing behavior, consumer characteristics, lifestyle information, or other market information.

Second the team must ask, “which segment or segments does the health plan wish to target?”

The market research will provide objective information facilitating this decision. Most experts would agree that it is foolish to target a segment to which you do not now have a reasonably good fit (e.g. the GMC truck division pursuing a “green”, hybrid-oriented segment).

Finally, the fun begins. Once target segments have been decided on, there are at least seven ways to use segmentation.

1. Positioning. Take health care as an example. Most health plans offer multiple plans where premiums and access to branded drugs and providers differ. There are segments of the market willing to trade lower premiums for more restrictions on access. But other segments are not willing to make this trade. Market segmentation will help companies re-position their “basic” and “premier” plans to match segments’ motivations and concerns Sticking with health care for an example, some seniors are motivated to act because of service, convenience, or help with health maintenance. If segmentation is implemented, more seniors will find the right product for them.

2. New markets. Products or brands could be positioned to meet the needs of a segment the company does not now serve very well. For example, many limited income seniors have been automatically enrolled in Medicare’s Part D plans, but they don’t have to stay there. If a health plan knows what this segment’s concerns are, it could induce them to switch.

3. Geography. Health plans have found it productive to emphasize different products and selling strategies in different geographies depending on the mix of segments in those geographies.

4. Direct marketing is all about segmentation, but it is often focused narrowly on internal sales analysis. Segmentation can leverage the value of in-house data and make additional data worth the cost.

5. Advertising agencies often drive segmentation research and use it well. For example, the client has chosen to target the “mass affluent” as defined by some combination of assets and attitudes. Media buyers need to know the magazines this segment reads and the types of web sites and search engines they use. Copy writers will incorporate the deep values of this segment into commercial scripts. Creative directors will insist that the visual imagery of advertising be consistent with what the “mass affluent” look like, talk like, and do. Account planners will concentrate their research on the target segment,
using the classification tool to recruit and screen the right people.

6. Call centers. Health plans can ask segment classification questions in their response call-in customer interviews and in their telephone enrollment interviews. The classification can help find the best plan for each caller and this will help assure better retention.

7. Channel mix. Segments may have different affinities for different distribution and sales channels. Perhaps one segment of buyers is unreceptive to e-mail communications; another segment may never accept a personal visit but will read your
e-mail.

It is the exceptional firm, but some have literally organized themselves around segments. In these firms, any employee can tell you who their target is, and who the target is not. If they have multiple brands, each brand is adapted to fit one segment. Brand tracking is done at the segment level. The advertising agency for each brand is expected to zero in on that segment in its messaging and media selection. Because some segments inherently offer higher or lower unit margins, financial expectations of the brands are adjusted accordingly. In health care, one example is Wellpoint’s commercial operation organized around products and services for different segments of employers.

Conclusion

Market segmentation is a far-reaching strategy that can benefit health plan players. Once the targets have been set, the firm has an opportunity to consolidate management of operations around its segmentation strategy. Every business function can be mobilized to take full advantage of the opportunities that market segmentation offers.

Shopping For Team Approved Sporting Gear

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:54:53 +0000

If you are hunting for team approved sporting gear, there are some tips and pointers that you should keep in mind. Most of these tips and pointers are centered on helping you save some money on your team approved sporting gear purchases. In many instances, these products can be rather expensive.First of all, when looking for a particular sporting good or gear item, take the time to shop around. Do not make a purchase at the first venue you find a particular product that y…

First of all, when looking for a particular sporting good or gear item, take the time to shop around. Do not make a purchase at the first venue you find a particular product that you are in the market for — unless you have extra money to blow. Take the time to see what is available at stores and shops both in the brick and mortar world and online. By shopping around, chances are really good that you will be able to find the exact piece of sporting gear that you are seeking at a solid price, at a price that will not break your budget in the process.

By shopping around, you will also open yourself up to a far better selection of sporting gear. Indeed, by taking the time to shop around, you may come across a version of the particular type of sporting gear or goods product that you are seeking that you did not even realize was available on the market in this day and age. Your shopping spectrum will broaden widely.

Remember that in the 21st century, many major department stores in the brick and mortar world now carry different types of team approved sporting gear items, including clothing. Therefore, as you look around for sporting gear items, make sure that you pay a visit to a major department store. You will be surprised at how broad the selection of these types of products has grown over the course of the past ten years.

In that same vein, keep in mind that many discount retail stores — the major chains — now carry team approved sporting gear and clothing items. In these stores, you likely will be able to find a nice array of different types of products at prices that actually may surprise you. Indeed, many times these discount stores carry these products at surprisingly low prices. Additionally, the quality of these products generally tends to be good — keeping in mind that these products are produced through licenses from sporting teams which want to maintain their reputations.