Marketing Tips and Trivia--Issue 11
According to the calendar, spring has sprung here in Toronto. But it does seem to be a bit schizophrenic. One day the front lawn is basking in sunshine and the next day it's covered with snow again. Both the rake and the snow shovel sit at the ready. With gardens, patios, barbeques, MGA's and boats to prepare for the season; the unpredictable weather has shortened the window of opportunity. Thus, with the sun finally shining as I write this Issue Eleven in April, it will be short and, as promised, about internet marketing and the quickly shifting landscape of reaching and motivating your target market.
The Rocket Ship to Success!
My first observation is counter to what many would have you believe. Internet marketing is not the rocket ship to success. Certainly its reach is wide; beyond anything we've ever known before...but reaching...and motivating...and selling are all different things. Very large corporations such as computer companies, soft drink companies and others have noted that they can register "likes" in the millions on Facebook and other sites while their sales go down. Apparently, it takes only a moment to click "like" with a mouse...but the majority of those people would never really go out and buy your product.
You may get thousands of views of your product video on YouTube...but how many of those viewers are potential customers in your geographical area, in your income demographic...with a need for your product? The eyeballs seem to be there...but turning eyeballs into buying customers is the challenge and because of a credibility issue; the internet seems to be having a problem getting it done.
Every advertising medium is a corruption of a communication medium. The printing press was created so that monks would no longer have to hand copy religious works. Someone thought, "Hey...I could print a brochure to sell my product, or get someone elected to political office. And I could make money doing that!"
Newspapers were created to provide people with the news of the day. But it quickly became obvious that subscription sales wouldn't cover the cost of gathering and printing the news. So advertising stepped in and created the economic engine that kept newspapers alive.
Radio and television were created by scientific minds with only the purest of motivations to help humans communicate more effectively...transmitting sound and pictures over vast distances. Again, people couldn't pay enough to make it viable, so advertising became the catalyst...and the corruptor of the original vision. I mean really...just when Erica is going to tell John that she's pregnant with Fred's child; do you really want to stop to learn which laundry soap cleans better?
The internet has followed a similar path. It was developed as a unique way that scientists and educators could use their computers to communicate with each other. Then business people saw how it could help their employees work together more efficiently. And for a while, it functioned well as a pure communication vehicle. But then, the advertising geniuses saw all those eyeballs looking at all those computer screens and we all know what happened next.
Some of the most prolific sites started off as free services that we all became addicted to...search engines...social media...reference sites...voice over internet services...and free video upload sites. However, the plan was always that the internet would become a very broad reaching advertising medium. And it has...but with the rapid explosion of advertising messages across every potential platform; is it an effective one?
You don't go to Google Search to receive advertising messages. You go to Google to search for information. But now you can't find that information the way you used to because the page is filled with ads for products and services you have no interest in at all. That's just a waste of time for you and money for advertisers.
You click on an interesting video on YouTube and an ad for a product you're not the least bit interested in comes up instead. You might wait to see the video, or you might not, but the relevant question is...how effective is that ad if it's aggravating you by keeping you from the video you want to watch? More and more businesses are finding the time and money they're spending on internet advertising just isn't translating into bottom line sales at this point.
As I feared, this discussion could fill a book and I really need to get to those spring chores, so I'll try to get to my "what's in it for you" message quickly...and perhaps with a story about a local business. They started as a local hardware store more than 20 years ago, but the big chains like Rona, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire, soon stole their customers with better selection and lower prices. Instead of folding their tent, they morphed into a very specialized business...repairing lawn mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, power washers and other gardening and home care products. They took on new product lines from major manufacturers. They developed four revenue streams.
One, their old hardware customers like me who'd rather spend an extra thirty cents and have them find exactly the item I need and show me how to install it. It beat wandering the aisles of a big chain for hours and then taking a blister pack home and opening it to find it doesn't fit.
Two, repairing and servicing any piece of machinery you have around the house. They'll sharpen a chain saw for you for fifteen dollars...or sell you the tools and show you how to sharpen it yourself for ten. Most people opt for the former, simply because it's easier.
Three, new equipment sales from major manufacturers. Sure their mark-up is a bit higher than the big chains, but most people appreciate their expert, honest opinion and the personal relationship that means they can always come back for advice and no-hassle warranty work if necessary.
Four, used equipment sales from the products they take in on trade and refurbish.
So what has this to do with the internet? Nothing...and that's the point. They don't have a website. They don't send out E-Flyers with monthly specials. You won't find them on Linkedin or Facebook. It's not that they don't know how. They use computers efficiently to control inventory, order products, process sales and perform many functions. But they prefer to spend their precious time and energy personally servicing and helping their customers, and making sure they're providing quality products to everyone who walks through the door. And so, that's the take away for today.
Should you have a website? In all probability.
Should you be on Linkedin? Sure...why not?
Should you be up on all the free social media sites? Yes...if you have the time to spare.
Should you test out internet marketing? Wouldn't hurt so long as you keep it affordable and monitor the true results.
Should you have me write a monthly newsletter for you? Well, I'll leave that one with you.
But the bottom line is; there's no magic to all this...especially on the internet. The magic is in you and your product. Spend your time and resources making it the very best that it can be. Value the customers you have and give them products and service they'll tell their friends about. Value the referrals from your customers as much as you value the customer because what you do reflects on both of you. Work hard at creating the very best product and service you can...and the rest will take care of itself.
Next month...will be Issue Twelve; our one year anniversary. The sun will be shining. The boat will be in the water. The patio will be warm. The barbeque will be sizzling.
Life is good.
DBD
You may get thousands of views of your product video on YouTube...but how many of those viewers are potential customers in your geographical area, in your income demographic...with a need for your product? The eyeballs seem to be there...but turning eyeballs into buying customers is the challenge and because of a credibility issue; the internet seems to be having a problem getting it done.
Every advertising medium is a corruption of a communication medium. The printing press was created so that monks would no longer have to hand copy religious works. Someone thought, "Hey...I could print a brochure to sell my product, or get someone elected to political office. And I could make money doing that!"
Newspapers were created to provide people with the news of the day. But it quickly became obvious that subscription sales wouldn't cover the cost of gathering and printing the news. So advertising stepped in and created the economic engine that kept newspapers alive.
Radio and television were created by scientific minds with only the purest of motivations to help humans communicate more effectively...transmitting sound and pictures over vast distances. Again, people couldn't pay enough to make it viable, so advertising became the catalyst...and the corruptor of the original vision. I mean really...just when Erica is going to tell John that she's pregnant with Fred's child; do you really want to stop to learn which laundry soap cleans better?
The internet has followed a similar path. It was developed as a unique way that scientists and educators could use their computers to communicate with each other. Then business people saw how it could help their employees work together more efficiently. And for a while, it functioned well as a pure communication vehicle. But then, the advertising geniuses saw all those eyeballs looking at all those computer screens and we all know what happened next.
Some of the most prolific sites started off as free services that we all became addicted to...search engines...social media...reference sites...voice over internet services...and free video upload sites. However, the plan was always that the internet would become a very broad reaching advertising medium. And it has...but with the rapid explosion of advertising messages across every potential platform; is it an effective one?
You don't go to Google Search to receive advertising messages. You go to Google to search for information. But now you can't find that information the way you used to because the page is filled with ads for products and services you have no interest in at all. That's just a waste of time for you and money for advertisers.
You click on an interesting video on YouTube and an ad for a product you're not the least bit interested in comes up instead. You might wait to see the video, or you might not, but the relevant question is...how effective is that ad if it's aggravating you by keeping you from the video you want to watch? More and more businesses are finding the time and money they're spending on internet advertising just isn't translating into bottom line sales at this point.
As I feared, this discussion could fill a book and I really need to get to those spring chores, so I'll try to get to my "what's in it for you" message quickly...and perhaps with a story about a local business. They started as a local hardware store more than 20 years ago, but the big chains like Rona, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire, soon stole their customers with better selection and lower prices. Instead of folding their tent, they morphed into a very specialized business...repairing lawn mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, power washers and other gardening and home care products. They took on new product lines from major manufacturers. They developed four revenue streams.
One, their old hardware customers like me who'd rather spend an extra thirty cents and have them find exactly the item I need and show me how to install it. It beat wandering the aisles of a big chain for hours and then taking a blister pack home and opening it to find it doesn't fit.
Two, repairing and servicing any piece of machinery you have around the house. They'll sharpen a chain saw for you for fifteen dollars...or sell you the tools and show you how to sharpen it yourself for ten. Most people opt for the former, simply because it's easier.
Three, new equipment sales from major manufacturers. Sure their mark-up is a bit higher than the big chains, but most people appreciate their expert, honest opinion and the personal relationship that means they can always come back for advice and no-hassle warranty work if necessary.
Four, used equipment sales from the products they take in on trade and refurbish.
So what has this to do with the internet? Nothing...and that's the point. They don't have a website. They don't send out E-Flyers with monthly specials. You won't find them on Linkedin or Facebook. It's not that they don't know how. They use computers efficiently to control inventory, order products, process sales and perform many functions. But they prefer to spend their precious time and energy personally servicing and helping their customers, and making sure they're providing quality products to everyone who walks through the door. And so, that's the take away for today.
Should you have a website? In all probability.
Should you be on Linkedin? Sure...why not?
Should you be up on all the free social media sites? Yes...if you have the time to spare.
Should you test out internet marketing? Wouldn't hurt so long as you keep it affordable and monitor the true results.
Should you have me write a monthly newsletter for you? Well, I'll leave that one with you.
But the bottom line is; there's no magic to all this...especially on the internet. The magic is in you and your product. Spend your time and resources making it the very best that it can be. Value the customers you have and give them products and service they'll tell their friends about. Value the referrals from your customers as much as you value the customer because what you do reflects on both of you. Work hard at creating the very best product and service you can...and the rest will take care of itself.
Next month...will be Issue Twelve; our one year anniversary. The sun will be shining. The boat will be in the water. The patio will be warm. The barbeque will be sizzling.
Life is good.
DBD
Site Designed by: D. B. Davies, Marketing Strategist
"The purpose of advertising is not to fit in; it's to stand out."