Monday Marketing Tips: 2013

Easy Way to Create an USP

Does your business have and are you using a USP?

“What makes you so special?” When you can answer that, and tell people what your business offers, what sets it apart from others, and what you can and will do that will make them want to do business with you, you are then using your “Unique Selling Position” (USP).

Ter Scott’s three part marketing formula has always been: Know who you are, know what your business is, and tell others. You can market more effectively by knowing the “who, where, what, why and when” of your business; in a way that expresses it concisely and interestingly enough to attract customers and motivate them to purchase and keep them as loyal customers.

You know who you are and what your business does when you have created a vision and/or a mission statement. The next step is to tell people your USP in the form of a “headline”; a type of slogan that immediately follows your business name as it appears on your stationery, business cards, billboards, newsletter and website. When creating your USP be sure that you use good, keywords because today so much in marketing is being able to find your business online. Also consider how it “sounds” as it will probably be spoken in an audio ad. (Imagine hearing an announcer saying: “And this portion of the program is brought to you by: My Imprint Rep DOT com. “Anything With an Imprint at Lower Prices and Better Service. Is My Imprint Rep, your Imprint Rep? And by….”

Remember when creating your USP, to reflect on your own philosophy and life purpose (or that of the originator of the business if that is not you).Your USP could be about you, your business, your product or service, your employees, or all of the above. An example of a short USP is the one I used above that is for my business: www.myimprintrep.com. When “you” are the company and you are branding yourself as a speaker, consultant, etc. you may want to use a USP for your personal marketing efforts. Mine are "Ter Scott, The Bricks to Clicks Marketing Consultant", and “The Man of 100 Blogs”; both could probably be made better but hopefully people understand by this that as the Bricks to Clicks Marketing Consultant, for example, that I can understand them, and I can assist them in solving their situation.

The best known USP statements are probably still those by the originator of the idea back in the 1950s by Rosser Reeves as Wikipedia explains:

His ads were focused around what he called the unique selling proposition, the one reason the product needed to be bought or was better than its competitors. These often took the form of slogans — Reeves oversaw the introduction of dozens, some that still exist to this day, such as M&M's "melts in your mouth, not in your hand." He argued that advertising campaigns should be unchanging with a single slogan for each product. His commercials for Bic pens, Minute Maid orange juice, M&M's candies, Colgate toothpaste and other products used similar methods, often making dramatic demonstrations. READ MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosser_Reeves

Ideally, your USP should be concise enough to be used as a short sentence to follow your business name but it doesn’t have to be; it could be much longer but then your probably just repeating your vision or your mission statement. Dan Kennedy who, with his No B.S. Marketing philosophy, states that your USP should answer: “Why should I, a prospective customer, do business with you, over any and all other options that I have out there which also include doing nothing?”

Invest some time in creating your USP. It will not only give your business the competitive edge over your competition. Would you like more assistance in creating an effective USP for your organization or business? Visit www.terscott.com/contact and inquire.

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Don’t miss my Marketing on Call, a full 90 days with yours truly. Get details here: http://terscott.blogspot.com/2013/12/more-about-ter-scotts-marketing-on-call.html and contact me for further details by using the contact form at my website: www.terscott.com/contactus. There is no cost for this 90 day pilot program which will later be a full year at a “steal” for only $100 a month. However, to be enrolled in the Marketing on Call, you’ll need to join and commit to 3 months minimum of being in the I.D. program. This is a program in which I and other business associates invest $25 monthly to gain about $500 a month so this is my sneaky way of getting you successful and earning cash flow to help any business venture you have.

PS. If you want to check my credentials to see if I really can help you succeed in marketing your small to medium sized business (I work with large companies too but I love small business as it is the financial engine of our economy), simply Google my name: Ter Scott.

Marketing on Call Bonus Assigment: Do Mystery Audits for Bestmark

In our Marketing on Call, you’ll get optional assignments such as this one. Why not take this one for a “test” drive (literally) and see some of the kind of things we’ll be doing. Bestmark is a great company that does secret audits of automobile dealerships (and some other companies).

Learn to market by "doing"- and get paid!

By seeing how companies evaluate customer service teaches one to do so and become a better consultant to his or her clients. I enjoy being an evaluator or a mystery shopper because I learn about businesses every time I do an audit. I now work with a select few companies because my time is limited. What's cool is before I speak in an area, or travel anywhere for business or pleasure, I first check to see if there is a "shop" available in the area I'll be at. If so, I sign on for it and this gives me a little pocket money as well. Some shops only take about 15 minutes; others maybe 45. They are all fun and I usually learn something from each. Obviously certain things are confidential, but I can pass on things of a "general" nature to my clients and use what I've learned with my experience in my consulting.

Bestmark is a company that I've worked with for years. They are very professional and pay on time, etc. Check them out here:

Want to make some extra cash for sharing your opinion? Do you post reviews on websites like Yelp? Now you can get compensated with cash! Check out Bestmark’s website: https://apply.bestmark.com/?r=WI10299

f you’ve not signed up yet for our Marketing on Call, be sure to do so before the course is filled. Get details here:

Don’t miss my Marketing on Call, a full 90 days with yours truly. Get details here: http://terscott.blogspot.com/2013/12/more-about-ter-scotts-marketing-on-call.htmland contact me for further details by using the contact form at my website: www.terscott.com/contactus. There is no cost for this 90 day pilot program which will later be a full year at a “steal” for only $100 a month. However, to be enrolled in the Marketing on Call, you’ll need to join and commit to 3 months minimum of being in the I.D. program. This is a program in which I and other business associates invest $25 monthly to gain about $500 a month so this is my sneaky way of getting you successful and earning cash flow to help any business venture you have.

What is "Penvertising"?

Penvertising is a marketing word coined by yours truly which is the act of advertising with imprinted pens.

The really is an art and science in marketing with imprinted products and pens especially. Much goes into the act of writing ad copy for your pen, how much copy to use, what copy to use and even the layout of your pen, the colors of your pen and so much more.

If you want to know more about penvertising, please contact me at my contact page on my site: www.terscott.com.

Make it a great day!
Ter

Building a Good Foundation to Market Your Business Starts with the Originator.

MONDAY MARKETING MINUTE

Before I share this, let me tell you that if you are not registered as a "follower by email" that you are definitely missing out; do so before leaving this page. Also bookmark this page and get back here frequently for reference. I will tell you right now that what you are reading in these articles will later be published and for sale at your local bookstore where others will pay a lot to get what you are getting here at no cost. Also, this material will be presented and sold at my day long workshops where attendees will pay $1000 and up. So, enjoy!

There are no short cuts in doing a good job with anything; even with your marketing. One must build a good marketing foundation to continually build upon as the business becomes a viable venture, meaning that it cash flows and the owner sees the expected results. From here it continues to meet and exceed the goals that have been set. I’ve seen where some businesses have survived by doing the day by day promotions and seasonal specials for a time, but ultimately businesses which succeed are those which are run from a plan which is used as a track to run on and a road map to future growth and earnings.

Everything starts with the originator of the business and it grows from there. The business starts with an idea by the originator and a plan emerges to go forward in creating an organization. Because the business is the idea of the originator it follows that the philosophies, personality and everything about the person exists in the business. (This is why I ask the originator so much about his or herself when I create logos for businesses; because the created image used as a logo is, or should be, a reflected image of the idea, the thoughts, and wishes of the originator).

As the originator moves forward from the idea of the business, the thoughts and wishes for the originator’s dream must be conveyed (marketed) “to and through” everyone associated with the business which includes the internal customers (employees and staff) and the external customers (those benefited when purchasing the products and services). I’ve always been a fan of Dave Thomas who started Wendy’s. He started with an idea, conveyed it to and through everyone involved with the company and now, even after his passing, the company successfully continues with his original philosophies.

With the business being so tied to the originator’s thoughts, personality and wishes for its positive results, the originator must do some real soul searching; it all starts with the originator. After a business has been around for years and the originator has passed on, successors may sometimes rightly ask “What would (name of originator) have done?” Asking the question helps to keep everyone doing what was intended for the business.

Having a business is like having money; it simply amplifies who a person is. If a person is a “good” person, he or she will have a “good” business. If a person is not “good” or “liked” the business will not be “good” or “liked”. Again, everything starts with and is the reflection of the originator. So, do you want to own a business that strives and continues to grow to success? You then need to be a person who thrives and continues to grow to success; personally. The originator and the business are one and the same.

In a future article I will touch a bit on knowing who you are, what you want to do, how you want to do it, and how long you want to take to get there. That’s marketing.
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PSS. Check out my products and services at my site: www.terscott.com. As mentioned, I design logos for companies and I do more; everything having to do with marketing your business offline and online as the "Bricks to Clicks Marketing Consultant".

Run your Marketing Ideas by Someone

Before you print anything, run it by someone.

When I create logos, I like to run it by people who are between the ages of 8 to 10. I show it to them and ask: “What is this”?

By asking kids this question they are brutally honest and if they know what it is, usually people who are older will know.

Also, I like to ask the opinion of people who are outside the field or industry that the artwork or marketing will be used. For instance if I’m doing a logo for an assisted living company I might ask someone very far removed from this as possible such as a young college aged person. If I was creating a logo for a plumbing company, I might ask someone who is in accounting. Surely, an accountant may need a plumber, but he or she certainly has a different perspective. Always when asking, simply ask: “What is this” and shut up. The response will be very revealing. Let them go to what they go to, the color, the design, shape, etc. and take note.

Finally, many a business card could be saved from a costly reprint if it was just run by someone who could see that you’ve left your phone number, web address, or misspelled a word. I actually have a service in which for only 10% of your ad cost, I will offer my expert opinion. See the details at: www.terscott.com/advice10.

Before I go, I want to tell you how to save on all of your imprinted promotional items, get great service, and even get free shipping on your first order. Go to www.myimprintrep.com/123order and for more details visit: http://newtonrep.blogspot.com/

That’s it for now. Be sure to run all of your marketing materials by someone before to publish them and save cost and embarrassment!

Ter Scott

Is your email address bringing customers to you?

Happy Monday!

Here's what I emailed recently to a few of my clients:

Tip: Make it easy for your customers to remember you and make it easy for them to contact you! Instead of promoting your site as: www.terscott.com for example, first see if your site will work using caps too, such as: www.TerScott.com. If so, promote it that way instead because it’s easier for your customers to remember you. Also, if your email address is odd, hard to tell someone (in your “elevator speech” or “30 second commercial” and hard for them to remember, make it easier. “Personnameunderscore762” for example won’t be remembered; you know that you’ve seen these. If yours is like this, change it now. If you own a bakery for example, see if jimbakes@emailaddress, or jimsgoodies@emailaddress is available. My email is: terscottpromotes@yahoo.com because that is what I do; I promote!

That's it for today!

Make it great!
Ter

Terrific. Energizing. Results!

Don’t Chase Money; Attract It

PRESS RELEASE: Ter Scott Answers Your Toughest Marketing Question.

As a business person, you don’t have time to be knocking on doors all of the time, yet you need to be “in the face” of your customers and prospective customers all of the time. Is TV the answer, Radio, Newspapers, Social Media, and other types of advertising? Yes, but specifically things truly are different with each business type.

I’ve been showing businesses how to improve their bottom line during good times and bad with proper marketing techniques. I show people how to have “systems” in place so money comes to them almost automatically. I don’t care if you sell real estate or Girl Scout cookies, you will always need customers to replace those who leave and for those who are just waiting to know that you exist and have what they want.

Work hard, work smart or both?

Work smart by having systems in place. Start with asking me your toughest question having to do with your marketing. Go to terscott.com/dollarmarketing and I will answer your question by email for a dollar- which will go to a charity. Don’t wait, like you, I only have so many hours per day, and as I stated, your buck goes to charity.

Make it a great day!

Ter

Free or Low Cost Advertising

When marketing your business, it may go without saying that you should take advantage of all the “free” marketing that is available. However, some business owners and marketers don’t always think of this and if they do, they don’t do so on a regular basis. Here are a few places to submit your advertising with an easy retrieval system for repeat submissions.

Compose your content in a word document and save it for future use. You can also edit it and use it for other advertising venues with just a little “tweaking”. Remember that you ad needs to be “relevant” to the readers of where you are advertising.

Also, you should set up a system so you’ll be able to easily resubmit your ad when it expires.

Many of these ad options are for copy only; meaning that there is no artwork involved. But if you submit photos have those in a file on your computer for easy access an upload. Title and save your photos with meaningful “keywords” so when you are submitting them for an online ad, the search engines, and thereby the right audience of viewers will find you.

You may have used these two sources that I will list here, but be sure that you setup a schedule to resubmit and create and submit new ads. www.craigslist.org and http://www.backpage.com/ are the two places online for submitting free ads. They work! You may need to experiment with your ad copy over time, but you will see results. These two places work so well that there are books out there on how to master this revenue source.

I know that I have readers from all over the USA here, but I do offer a few options to those who live in my local area; I use these places myself: Reader magazine offers free classifieds and www.twinportslife.com offers both a free business listing (charges a minimal fee to link it to a website) and currently offers your display ad free on the site for up to 3 months.

You should also do a Google search using keywords such as: free classifieds, free online classifieds, free classifieds (your city name here), etc.

Good luck!

Ter

Terrific. Energizing. Results!