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Good marketing takes planning ahead for back to school
June 18, 2010 Leave a Comment
One thing that always frustrates us here at REACH Magazine is the business owner that calls us two weeks before our magazine goes out and wants to get into that issue. The problem is that we put it to bed (that’s printer lingo for sent it to the printer) the week before.
Some types of business have “prime times” when consumers are more active in your category of business. Plan far enough ahead that you don’t miss critical deadlines and so that you are not rushed on your advertising decisions and development of advertising copy and creative.
Back to school is not just for school supplies
Many decisions about family involvements are made as preparation for school is happening. Sometimes a child going to school suddenly frees up time for mom to be employed or to take on volunteer work or other involvements. What sporting activities are our kids going to be involved in. Even though some of these decisions are made in September and October, if your business is effected by these decisions you will want to get out in front of your prospective customers early enough to prime the pump and get them thinking that you are one of the options.
Because of all the changes that happen in the back to school time period there are many businesses that are impacted significantly by marketing and advertising during this period.
Consider these businesses and how they might be effected by changes and plans that are made for back to school:
• Shoe stores
• Day cares / after school programs
• Clothing stores
• Technical schools / for mom’s coming back into the work force because their kids are now in school
• Dance Schools, Gymnastic Schools, Sports training, fitness, recreation
• Shipping stores (what did junior forget to take to college on move in day?)
• Computers, electronics
• Carpet cleaning and house cleaning
• Salons and spas
and more…
We are currently working on REACH magazine’s Back to school edition which will arrive in homes the first week of August. If you want to be in front of consumers with a compelling message and in the vehicle that consumers LOVE, please call me soon because we will put this issue to bed before you know it. Peter DeMott 937-478-6222
Some good lists of top 10 things you can do on the internet to get noticed as a small business
May 22, 2010 Leave a Comment
I subscribe to several other blogs about social media and internet marketing to feed me good ideas and keep me up to date. Both of these blogs are available as email subscriptions which makes it very easy to keep up.
Mashable is all inclusive and covers everything social media from the iPad and cell phones to YouTube and Facebook. When it arrives in my mailbox it starts with a list of links to each article so that you can scan the list and see what may be interesting to you and go straight to whatever interests you most.
TopRank is a bit more focused on SEO and getting noticed on the internet.
Here are three article links that I found informative and useful:
10 Easy Local SEO & Online Marketing Tips from TopRank
http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/05/local-search-tips/
7 Essential SEO Tips for Small Business from TopRank
http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/05/7-seo-tips-small-business/
From Mashable, this is more in depth for the business owner willing to invest more time
10 Small Business Social Marketing Tips
http://mashable.com/2009/10/28/small-business-marketing/
Although social media is growing exponentially, I have to say that REACH Magazine is still powerful marketing for many categories of business. I have been in incentive marketing for over 20 years now, and have a long track record of matching up the right businesses for the right media and with the right incentive offers. There are many coupon venues in the Dayton market, but none of them have the rank and power of REACH magazine (The Media Audit 2009) and for the right business, REACH can be a powerful lead generator or sale generator. Please feel free to give me a call to discuss your business and marketing in REACH magazine. Along the way you also get the information that I have found helpful in the realm of social marketing free of charge. In addition we now have a new viral internet marketing program for businesses trying to reach consumers in a new and interesting way with no up front investment at all. Peter DeMott 937-478-6222
The amazing secret about REACH Magazine in Dayton
March 24, 2010 3 Comments
I love selling REACH magazine to businesses in the Dayton market because in the majority of cases I am able to help them get their name out and grow their businesses.
What baffles me though is how few business owners have any knowledge of how popular REACH magazine is in the Dayton market. When I go to networking events (this was at a Dayton Chamber event on 3/23/2010) I bring my camera and try to have a little fun. Randomly, I ask, “What do you think of REACH magazine?” Here is a typical example of the responses that I receive from Dayton area consumers:
ASK YOUR CUSTOMERS about REACH Magazine
It would not take much effort as a business owner to discover how popular REACH magazine is. You just have to be willing to ASK YOUR CUSTOMERS. If your current customers “LOVE REACH Magazine” wouldn’t it be likely that people who are not your customers yet might respond well to your being represented in the magazine?
Proof of REACH’s popularity and usage by consumers
When I talk with local businesses about REACH magazine, I don’t just rely of evidence such as this video clip. REACH magazine is a part of THE MEDIA AUDIT which rates TV, Radio, Newspaper, and Direct Mail magazines in the Dayton and Cincinnati markets. They actually do this all over the country in many medium to large markets. The information from their surveys is used by radio and TV to determine advertising rates based on shows and day parts. For REACH, we just use the information to powerfully show that REACH magazine is the most popular and well used coupon direct mail magazine in this market hands down.
Again, ask your customers
But, I think that many business owners are inundated with sales people showing them “data” to get them to buy something. Sometimes I just think they need to see something like this just to realize they need to look into something a little more closely.
Never purchase advertising by price alone – consider ROI (Return on Investment)
There will always be something cheeper to buy. Buying things because they are cheeper is not the best plan. Return on Investment is the critical issue when purchasing advertising. If you spend $50 and get nothing back from it, that was 100% loss. If on they other hand you spend $500 and get a 10 time return in measurable sales (depending on your type of business of course) then that more expensive advertising created a RETURN ON INVESTMENT or ROI, that advertising cost less than the $50 ad that had no ROI. This is critical to understand as a business owner, but too many times I hear the question, “how much does it cost” before the business owner has a clear understanding of what the advertising can do. Many make advertising decisions based on price alone rather than based on value and return on investment.
What happens when mom visits and tries to take someone’s REACH magazine?
Tell me what YOU think of REACH magazine. Your comments are welcome below.
Coupon Usage up by double digits
December 1, 2009 Leave a Comment
Double Digit Coupon Growth Continues
For the fourth consecutive quarter, coupon redemption and distribution continues to experience double digit growth. When comparing the third quarter of 2009 with the same timeframe in 2008, the industry saw a 29% increase in coupon redemption and a 10% increase in distribution.
Source and complete article : CouponInfoNow.com Newsletter 12/1/09
Coupons Are Popular Again
August 11, 2009 Leave a Comment
Actually coupons have always been popular with middle to upper income consumers. But, there is a new revival in interest in coupons as a result of the economic concerns facing us today. I’ve been helping businesses grow for over 20 years by helping them to put together direct mail promotions in REACH magazine . That is, promotions that work. You see not every promotional idea works and given my years of experience in this business, I have a pretty good eye for consumer perceptions.
What do I mean by Coupons are popular again? I just received this article in an email newsletter. You can read the entire article if you create a login at this company, but here is a small excerpt of what their recent finding have been:
Coupons Are Cool Again Consumer Response Spikes While Marketers Continue to Pump Out More Coupons The second quarter of 2009 marks the third consecutive quarter of increased distribution and redemption for coupons. The first half of 2009 saw a 23% increase in consumer response to coupons and 20% increase in the number of coupons made available. Read More : http://www.promotionsinfonow.com/coupons Source PromotionInfoNow.com – 8/11/09
REACH magazine here in Dayton is known for being the go to place to look for coupons for consumers looking for services and products (not grocery coupons) and restaurants. If you hold up a REACH Magazine and show it to 10 different people and say, “Have you ever seen this magazine”, 9 out of the 10 will say, “Oh yes, REACH, we love that magazine…we use it all the time.” If you are trying to reach consumers in the home, I would love to give you a business consultation. I’ve been in this business for over 20 years and not every promotional idea will work effectively. I will bring my knowledge to the table and you can make an informed decision about what coupons in REACH magazine can do for you. LEARN MORE TODAY.
The most powerful word for small businesses
June 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
It is amazing sometimes to see how businesses make choices about how they are going to advertise to consumers. Some simple questions to your customers or even random people you meet can provide you with valuable information that can make a big difference.
I’ve been testing this with REACH magazine. I have been asking businesses to do a simple survey before we even have a consultation appointment. Go ask 5 people, “What do you think of REACH magazine?” When I meet with them they usually tell me that several said, “REACH Magazine, I LOVE that magazine, I use it all the time.” They then admit to me that they didn’t have a clue that REACH was so popular. If they didn’t do their homework, I will stand up and call out to all their employees…”Hey, what do you guys think of REACH magazine?” Again, the answers come flowing back in glowing terms. And again, the business owners are surprised… saying “I had no idea.”
I hear over and over, “coupons don’t work for our business, I’ve tried them,” only to find out that they built an ad with no understanding of where consumers are looking and of what consumers want (the incentive must have consumer perceived value in order to work). For the ones that listen, they are pleasantly surprised or even overwhelmed with the results of the right incentives in the right publication at the right time. 20 years experience and I see this over and over and over again.
I gave a consultation recently and after I asked my questions I suggested that the client not start until the September mailing time frame. “You don’t want me to go in your program NOW?” was his response. “No,” I said, “I think that it would be better for you to save your money for now and mail in our September and October editions, then again in late spring of next year.” He then said, “Wow, I appreciate that you are not just trying to get me in the program now like all the others that I have talked to.” I wanted him to advertise in the right publication at the right time with the right incentive offers to be as successful as possible so that he will come back again and again at the right times with the right offers and the right publication.
ASK is a very powerful tool. Put it to use and you will quickly be making more money as a professional, as a business owner. In my consultation appointment, I ask more than I tell because the more I learn about each individual business the better I can serve them and help them grow their businesses.
When you have done your homework, perhaps you may want to give me a call: 937-478-6222 or send me an email peter@photosbypdemott.com . Is it time for you to ASK me some questions?