As a small business owner, how do you knock-out your competition? The answer is with marketing. Marketing is king! We all know that with marketing comes sales, and sales means money. So, how do you break through the noise on the internet to get customers standing in your corner buying products? How do you win the competitive battle?
Many businesses attempt to stay ahead of their competitors with better branding. But as you will learn in this article, a big difference exists between branding and direct response marketing. Only one will result in more sales than the other.
Branding Is Only A Jab
What is branding? Branding is a promise. It allows you to choose. It’s the difference between buying a Nike or Adidas shoe, by drinking a Coca-Cola v. Pepsi, eating at Wendy’s v. Burger King and using Visa v. American Express. It’s the level of interest a consumer feels about their experience with you. Whether the level is high or low depends on brand image, personality, energy and the ability to satisfy their needs. A brand is the personality that identifies a product, service or company. Just like when we say “Coke” we all know this means “Coca-Cola.” It’s brand awareness.
But does branding translates to money? Some may say “sure,” but I would say “not exactly.” For a majority of us, we often get consumed in our business that we forget to ask for the sale. For example, Super Bowl commercials are notorious for this. Do you ever recall actually placing an order for a product or saying, “I should buy that” during the commercials? I suspect not. That’s because the expensive PR firms get paid millions and millions of dollars to create an ad that is based on “branding”. They produce some funny or cute commercial that doesn’t even make an offer or ask you to go buy the product being promoted and advertised. After the commercial is over, you can’t even thing of who the advertiser was.
This is a major error because you are just throwing a quick jab at your potential buyer in hopes of getting the his/her attention. Instead what’s important is to get your buyer to take a specific action. Otherwise, you are just jabbing and jabbing without any results.
So, if branding is only a jab, what’s the answer? The answer is “direct response marketing”.
Direct Response Marketing Is Your “Knock Out”
In the business world, a knock-out means sales. Sales are achieved through direct response marketing. Although there is nothing wrong with branding your company, but by using direct response marketing you are compelling your customer to take a specific action – to buy from you.
Direct response marketing can be achieved through a variety of different marketing channels. For example, radio, television, magazine and newspaper ads, letters sent through the mail, and the Internet. Like a majority of businesses, you may only be focused on a few channels or on your branding and not on direct response marketing.
Elements to a good direct response promotion consist of the following:
1. The Hook – An “Irresistible Offer” That Grabs Your Reader’s Attention
First, you must create a “hook” to grab the reader’s attention. This can be done with an irresistible offer. The goal is to make the customer want what you have. You can accomplish this through direct response marketing. Through direct marketing response, the customer wants your offer so badly that he is willing to provide you with his information, open up his wallet or simply give you permission to follow-up later.
Direct response marketing is not the same as branding. Branding is simply when the customer remembers your product or company, but failed to take a certain action to buy or request more information from you.
However with an “offer”, you actually provide the customer with a precise offer for your product or service that the customer could buy or obtain without delay.
2. Minimize And Reduce The Risk
Offer a 30-day or other suitable money back guarantee on your products and services to minimize and reduce buyer’s risk to purchase. When a buyer is aware that he can return a product without any hassles, then he is more likely to purchase your product.
3. Provide Testimonials: Offers Proof
In today’s culture, people want to know who they can trust. Testimonials will do that for you. For example, testimonials reflect real people talking about the real benefits they have experienced from your business. Testimonials show “proof” that you will deliver on your promises. Testimonials reduce risk.
4. Provide A Clear Call To Action
Always provide a clear call to action in with direct response marketing.
When you ask your customer or prospect to do something specific, this is a clear call to action. For instance, with our Business Thrival Blueprint and Newsletter, we asked you to opt-in to our mailing list by entering your name and email address. You then receive a complimentary copy of the Blueprint and twice weekly newsletters.
A critical error made in Super Bowl commercials (and others) is that you don’t tell the customer exactly what you want them to do now. By doing this, you lose their attention and probably lose the opportunity forever. This is one of the most important direct response principles to learn.
5.Give A Reason To Respond Now: It’s The Final Punch
It’s the final punch. Give a “reason to respond NOW”. It results in the knock-out (sale or opt-in).
This is happens when you tempt the customer to immediately take action, without delay. For instance, by offering a special bonus to the first 20 customers who purchase your product within the next 20 minutes, this special bonus prompts an immediate action. It gives them a reason to respond now.
That’s it. The 5 most critical elements of direct response marketing. Consider using these as a checklist when making offers to your customers.
Track and Measure Results
After you turn a customer into a buyer, make sure to track and measure how well you are doing with that buyer. Know the result.
Each version of your advertisement should be tracked and measured to determine which version was the most successful, and which version was not successful. This data will allow you to make any modifications that will result in even better sales the next time you do a promotion.
If you don’t do tracking, it is unrealistic to believe that your direct response marketing will be successful. Stop to think. If you don’t know what’s working and what is not, how can you improve upon it?
Along with tracking, regular follow up and communication with the prospect or buyer is also very important. You need to follow-up and deliver the value you promised them, to keep adding value to them, and making them more offers. It is typically easier to acquire a sale from an existing customer than to obtain a brand new customer.
So, put on your gloves, lace up your shoes, and step into the Direct Response Ring. You can learn more tips on how to market your business using direct response principles by simply clicking here.
To learn more about business growth and online marketing, download my free 47 page “Business Thrival Blueprint“. BusinessThrival.com is a site dedicated to helping business owners achieve a thriving business and life.