Six Ideas to Gain and Retain Customers

Consider the following

• Targeted direct mail is even more effective today considering the onslaught of e-mails facing them each day. Create a response you can measure such as a coupon or a “gift” as an incentive to take an action you desire.
• Generate publicity about your business from special events that benefit a charity via specific purchases made in a certain time period.

Get A P.I.M.P. Working for You

By Leslie R. Wolff, A Marketing & Creative Tactician

Caught your attention didn’t I? That’s the premise in putting a P.I.M.P. (Proprietary Integrated Marketing Platform (or Program) to work for the benefit of your business.

If one is willing to make the effort they can create an approach to their marketing effort that doesn’t focus only on imitating, duplicating or replicating what others do. Surprisingly it’s not that difficult.

“You’ve gotta be original, because if you’re like someone else, what do they need you for.” – Bernadette Peters

So why is it so rare? One aspect is attitude, if one is afraid of leading the way, due to a totally risk averse outlook as it relates to their job function, it will never occur, perhaps until their replacement is hired

Smart Moves To Use If You Are “David Competing Against Goliath”

By Leslie R. Wolff, A Marketing Curmudgeon

You are in a ‘David versus Goliath’ situation when your competition is outspending you in the marketplace? If they have the staff, the money and distribution channels that can play havoc with your best marketing efforts it’s time to outthink, outsmart and outflank them … and it is possible.

“Commonsense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge

A fact of smart marketing is understanding the majority of actions to take are based on common sense. And common sense will tell you that there are ways to counteract the efforts of the bigger and more aggressive competitor.

There is no magic formula but there are some smart moves one can make to level the playing field, or in more than a few cases tilt it in your favor. BUT it requires an open mind, one accepting of change, and if you have that you are already ahead of most of your competitors.

Question Your Customer Service Thinking!

Fight the “commoditization” of your business & increase its value to your customer

A Different Perspective
By Leslie R. Wolff, A Marketing Curmudgeon

In an increasingly competitive marketplace it is becoming more difficult to stand out from the competition. What do you do when there exists a 5P’s environment? What are the 5P’s? When a customer’s Perception is that your Product, Price and Performance are on a Parity level with your competition. This is the time to take the step to challenge how you think about your customer. What you learn from this exercise could differentiate your firm from the competition in the eyes of your customer. Pay attention because you need to become an expert in Customer Service. It can be a very profitable situation for you.

Do you know the #1 reason customers leave vendors?

The Japanese market for foreign EC providers is right at the booming time!

Guest Post by Tadao Mochizuki
Website: http://www.speedex.ne.jp/en/

Japanese market is characterized in that there are no religious taboos and that the Japanese people have the capacity to accept unique and high-quality products and services.  Furthermore, the yen exchange rate remains at a record high level.  To take advantage of the strong yen, consumers trying to purchase inexpensive products coming from the United States and European countries are increasing in Japan. The only barrier for Japanese customers to reach your product is : the language.

Read more to earn cross-border EC customers in Japan:
http://www.speedex.ne.jp/en/

How Communications Technology Hurt Your Business Relationships

By Leslie R. Wolff, A Marketing Curmudgeon

A Different Perspective

No this is not an anti technology diatribe, rather it is an effort to have you think about how you use it and whether what you do truly benefits you and your company.

Relationships are based on mutual respect and mutual interest that can provide over a period of time mutual benefits. Do you have that in mind or do you simply use technology as a way to “drown” your client in your communications to the point they turn a “deaf” ear and “blind” eye to your message(s)? If you have no interest in building relationships, do
your employer a favor and go to work for the competition.

A key aspect of building relationships is showing respect you have for your customer or prospect’s time. Technology has given us the capability to do more, but “more” is neither always better nor effective or cost efficient.

When it comes to Marketing should the CEO? be coached or not coached?

That is the question.

A Different Perspective
By Leslie R. Wolff, A Marketing Curmudgeon

The Scenario: You have had a successful career in Executive Management, now you’re in charge of the whole
shebang. Everything is now under your rule. You came from a stellar career in Finance, Engineering, IT, Production or variety of other experiences but the one where your exposure is limited is in the marketing arena. Yes, you’ve had some exposure both within the company, through cross-pollination of discussions with others, perhaps even from other industries and you have faith that you have a good marketing team in place. Or at least you hope so, but how do you know? In order to set the right direction who can you turn to with confidence that will give unvarnished advice,
stimulate your creative and strategic neurons and most importantly challenge you to think. Now you find yourself overseeing Marketing as an important aspect of your responsibilities and even though you ask around you can’t even get a consensus as to what marketing truly means.

5-Marketing Fundamentals … The Keys to Success

A Different Perspective
By Leslie R. Wolff – A Marketing Curmudgeon

In a recent article in the prestigious publication the Harvard Business Review the writer declared, “Marketing is Dead.” It grabbed a lot of attention especially on the business oriented social media such as LinkedIn.com. The onslaught of comments from around the world was interesting, but the opinion from those with the most experience in the marketing arena seemed to feel that HBR hurt their reputation as a publication to be taken seriously for having published this piece which had little merit to it.

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.” – Jim Rohn

In a world driven with a fascination with Internet technology and its various applications there seems to be a misunderstanding as to what’s a delivery system and what is smart thinking.

Cutting Through The Cluttered Communications Landscape, 2 of 2

By Leslie Wolff – A Marketing Curmudgeon
Click Here to Read Cutting Through Clutter, 1 of 1

Common Sense Marketing: Out of Sight = Out of Mind
One of the most effective ways to accomplish the repetitiveness desired is the use of promotional products, which in my younger days were referred to as advertising specialties. They are a multi-billion dollar industry because they work. They deliver:

• Residual impact, which is what you need to look for and depending on your budget this is one area to give serious thought to, but in highly creative approaches. Keep in mind an imprinted message doesn’t disappear after 10, 30 or 60 seconds. It’s there to be viewed repeatedly for an extended period of time.

Cutting Through The Cluttered Communications Landscape, 1 of 2

By: Leslie R. Wolff – A Marketing Curmudgeon

In today’s world we are being “attacked” by onslaught of communication messages daily by the hundreds, if not thousands. E-mail abound, the Internet has unleashed an information overload that is physically, as well as time needed, insane and impossible to absorb.

It used to be just advertising that look to grab our attention as these comments from The Financial Times reflected on a number of years ago.

“As consumers are bombarded with ever rising numbers of advertisements, companies are finding it harder and harder to be heard because of the clutter of competing messages.”