Is Your Offer Any Good?

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about “marketing offers.” When many people hear the word, they think it means a sale or a promotion of some kind, such as “two for one” or “30% off.”

Both are offers, but here’s the confusing part, an offer doesn’t have to be a sale. It’s just whatever you’re giving in return for something else.

A free book in return for an email address is an offer. So is a mens dress shirt for $30.

What’s an offer?

It’s a combination of:

how many are included
the price
any personalization (like monogramming)
payment terms (all at once, in installments)
any bonuses (free cufflinks, or free monogramming)
a guarantee
a deadline to respond
number available (if limited)
shipping charges
future obligations (the shirt-a-month club, or must buy three more shirts in six months)

(thanks to Dean Rieck for this comprehensive list)

Free starter kit

For instance, yesterday I passed a truck that had a web site address along the top, with an offer of a free starter kit. Further down, it said, “dry cleaning services.”

Without knowing anything more about the company, I can’t tell if this is a good offer or a bad one. And, who is the kit for? Are they trying to reach would-be owners of dry cleaning stores (with a starter package to set up shop)? Or consumers with dirty clothes?

What are the terms?

If they’re offering dry cleaning services to consumers, why do I need a starter kit? What’s in it? Why would I want one? Don’t I just bring in my clothes? Or, do they pick up and deliver, and offer a starter set of forms or labels of some kind? It didn’t say.

An offer is no good, particularly one on the side of a truck, if its terms are unclear, the audience is fuzzy, and the benefits are unknown.

What’s your offer? Have you tested it? Tried 20% off versus $10 discount? Is everything spelled out clearly? Go take look. I’ll wait. Come back later and let me know what you found.

Or, ask a question. I’ll answer it. Free. How’s that for an offer?

The Worst Way to Grow Your Email List

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Yesterday Chris Brogan wrote a post asking people to stop adding him to their newsletters without his consent. He pointed out that the fact that you sent him an email once, and he answered it, doesn’t count as permission. It’s just about the worst email marketing mistake you can make.

Ironically, as I was writing this post, an email popped up in my inbox. It was from someone who spoke at an event I attended. We never had a personal conversation. She doesn’t know who I am. Yet, she felt it was OK to contact everyone at the event and try to sell her services. That’s not marketing; that’s spamming. And, it’s the worst way to grow your email list.

There are much better ways to grow your email list.

Use double opt-in

This means you ask for the email address, send a confirmation link, and don’t add someone to your list until after they confirm that they want your messages. It can all easily be done automatically (with AWeber or another service).

Contact people when it helps them

For example, if you met someone at a meeting who wanted a referral, by all means send it.

Or, send an email if you come across something that will interest them. If you talked about Legos and you see there’s an exhibit of Lego art in town send them the information.

Bonus tip: If you keep doing this (sending relevant and interesting information) they’re far more likely to like, trust, and hire you.

Behave the way you would in person

Be considerate. You wouldn’t drive up to a stranger’s house and expect them to lend you money, would you?

Show that you listened to what they said when you spoke. Mention something you discussed, and how much you enjoyed talking to them.

Do it shortly after the event, not months later (when they won’t remember you).

Make it easy to unsubscribe

A bit earlier in the day, Direct magazine reported the results of a study which found that 39% of emailers require three or more clicks to unsubscribe! And 30% send one or emails following that unsubscribe request!

Yes, it’s technically legal to email people without express permission. It is not legal to keep emailing them (at least in the US) after they opt-out. You do have 10 days to remove the name, but it really shouldn’t take that long.

Treat opt-outs with respect

People will always unsubscribe for various reasons. When they do, make it easy. Don’t make them go through three clicks, or wind their way through a confusing menu of options. One click, one page. And, when they go, tell them you’re sorry to see them go.

What do you think?

What are your own email pet peeves? Is unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters taking up way too much of your time? Or is it not a big problem?

Image thanks to morguefile

12 Steps to Web Marketing Failure

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image compliments of Ben Earwicker

Anyone want to fail at marketing? Would you like to spend lots of money promoting your business and get nothing for it?

I’m hoping you’re shouting. “NO!” at the screen right now.

Here are thirteen common marketing mistakes that companies (like yours) make every day. They don’t mean to, they just don’t always stop and think about what they’re doing.

Read these really awful errors… and then don’t follow them!

1. Never explain you you’re doing

You’re a professional. Doctors don’t explain, why should you. The client doesn’t need to know why you’re charging, or what your process is, just that you’re doing it. That should be sufficient for anyone. Right?

2. Hire other people to write all your posts

Your own voice, views, and opinions don’t matter. Besides everything that you could say has already been said. Your own slant isn’t important.

3. Replying to comments is a waste of time

Interacting makes you seem approachable (who wants that)? Much better to be off doing something else. If you’re unreachable, it makes you much more desirable. Play hard to get.

4. Use lots of fancy words on your web site and your brochures

Write desiccated instead of dry and obstreperous rather than disruptive. Acronyms are good too. Don’t spell them out and never explain what they mean; they’ll show your prospects how smart you are.

5. Freebies are for sissies

Don’t give anything away or do anything for free (ever). It will just cut into your profits.

6. Make your products appeal to everybody

The more average you are, the more money you’ll make. Everyone can read English, and everyone wants large shipping containers and packing supplies. They have soo many uses!

7. Advertise to everyone

Your products and services are great. Everyone will want them. Get them in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Even people who don’t have pets will want your dog food.

8. Ignore emails from your contact form or ebooks

If they really want to reach you, they’ll call. Who has time to answer emails anyway.

9. Do everything for free

Eating is overrated. So is sleeping indoors.

10. Never share your ideas

Don’t even tell your partners or your vendors. Someone might steal them. Force everyone to sign non-disclosure agreements. Even the janitor.

11. Turn off all your social networking tools

Disable Google Plus, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, on your blog, LinkedIn and web site. Don’t let anyone share until you have a private forum or something to sell.

12. Include a 5-page legal policy on your site

Everyone will read all those rules and regulations. They won’t mind. Oh, and require written permission before anyone can link to you.

Important note: I am not making these up. They’re real. Even the last one.

The Pajamas, the Lizard Brain, and the Employee Manual

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

My mom got a PajamaGram for Valentine’s Day yesterday. It was packed in a pretty hatbox with a gauzy bow, bath salts, and a card. Someone clearly put a lot of thought into the packaging.

This seems like a win? Right? It turns out it was a small business marketing failure.

She not only loved the gift inside, she liked the hatbox so much she wanted to buy another one and use them for pretty storage boxes.

A marketing “win” gone wrong

So she called PajamaGram. No luck. No matter how much she tried. They wouldn’t give her one. They wouldn’t sell her one. They said she had to buy something to get another box.

This could have been a chance to make a happy customer even happier. She would have told people. She would have raved!

The rules were more important than the customer

It would have been thoughtful and an easy way to make a connection with a customer, and gain a new fan. But no. Instead, they followed the “rules.” They did what the manual and the lizard brain (don’t stick out, don’t make your own decisions, be afraid) told them to do.

So, instead of a rave, they get a big Bronx cheer.

Manuals are great when they protect you from dangerous mistakes (turn off the electricity before you touch an exposed wire). They’re not so good when they create a barrier between you and your client.

Image: morguefile

Do You Make This Common Online Marketing Mistake?

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

You carefully set up your online marketing campaign, selected “your people“, offered solutions to their problems, designed eye-catching graphics, and sent it out into the world.

And it went splat.

What happened?

You missed an important step.

When you create an online campaign, there are three places you can send people.

Home pages

Your home page is the “front page” of your web site. The door where most people enter your site. Check your stats; it’s probably got more visits than the other pages. It’s great as a general introduction to what you do and to invite people to explore your site further (here’s mine).

It’s not so good as a direct sales tool.

Product pages

Then there’s a product page. That’s a page that’s talking about a specific product or service you offer. It can be a selling page, or informational (like this one on Amazon). This is better as a sales tool, and but there’s a better choice (especially for services).

Landing pages

Finally, there’s a landing page. The landing page is a special page (or sometimes a mini-site) set up to sell something, encourage sign ups (to a newsletter), or encourage visitors to download information.

Landing pages have fewer navigation buttons, so that visitors concentrate on what’s in front of them (and don’t wander off elsewhere on your site). The goal is for visitors to arrive, read what you have to say, and take action right there.

There’s a fierce debate on the web about long vs. short copy, but landing pages tend to be long in order to answer questions and explain everything about the product (since you can’t do that in person).

When you run a campaign, send people to a landing page. Tell them what they need to know to buy your product. Don’t distract them. Get more sales!

Image: jyri