Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Knowing How to Spend Your Advertising Budget

By Beverly Maniago

Here's the truth: you can't run your marketing campaign without any money. You definitely need to have a budget, an amount that will give you an opportunity to promote your business to your target customers.

Because you're dealing with business money, you can't afford to use it to something that doesn't work or doesn't give you any return. So to ensure that every penny counts, take note of these tips:

1. Create a plan. While you're making a budget for your business every month, you may also want to create a budget for your advertising money. Where are you going to spend it? How much should go for a particular marketing channel? How long do you expect to use your funds? You definitely don't have to follow your budget to a T. For example, if you can find a better printing company for your business that can offer you with lesser costs for your materials, then better go for it. Nevertheless, make sure that you use your advertising budget as your guide in making your decisions for your marketing campaigns.

2. Develop your goals and objectives. Besides having a plan, you also need to identify the reasons why you're setting up a campaign. Are you trying to entice your customers to buy your newest product or service? Are you simply reiterating your brand into their consciousness? Would you like them to avail of a sale or a discount immediately? The objectives will tell you where the funds will go, what kinds of marketing campaigns you're going to come up with, and where you would likely place them (if you're putting up billboards and fence wraps, for instance, you have to pay for the rent of space).

3. Choose the advertising material that gives you the highest market growth and profit. You know that it's always better to combine your marketing strategies. If you're running an online marketing campaign, you may also want to have offline strategies. After all, not all of your customers are found in the World Wide Web. However, not all advertising materials can provide you with the results that you like. It's therefore mandatory that you evaluate your campaigns and channels at least every month. You can compare the results with the objectives that you have set. Depending on the outcome, you will then know which of your marketing strategies are working and which ones are not. By the following month, a good portion of your marketing budget may then go to those techniques that work.

4. Always set up a contingency fund. There are times when you need to spend more on a particular campaign or when you have to create an emergency commercial advertising for your business. To ensure that you don't end up messing your advertising budget, you will obtain the money that you need from your contingency fund.

By properly managing your advertising budget, you end up not only being careful with your marketing decisions, but also protecting the overall profit of your business.

Would you like to save on your Brisbane billboard advertising It's then time to work with adpHence, the best print advertising company in Australia. You can send them an e-mail or call them for more information on their products and services.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Build Your List, Grow Your Business


Every point of contact with potential customers is an opportunity to build your e-mail list.



Close the Deal With Urgency

Urgency is what gets top sellers up in the morning and keeps them fired up all day.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The 5 Mantras of Marketing

By Colleen S. Davis

Marketing is a very important process that any business needs to have in order for one to succeed. In fact, the key to any business success is in the marketing campaigns that one comes up with. Marketing and promoting one's business can make or break it. This is the very fact that makes marketing a primary effort that any business should never be without.

Sadly, many business owners and marketers often don't prioritize this particular strategy as it takes a lot of one's effort, energy and resources. So most content themselves with the hope that that their products and services are excellent and that people will definitely find them even without any promotional mumbo-jumbo.

But this is the hard truth - you need to market, whether it's catalog printing, flyers printing, cheap catalog printing or even with door hangers. However wasteful or even dreadful marketing is for you, there's no escaping the reality that promoting one's business is a must if you want to succeed in your field.

So how can you make marketing a less tedious task? As one marketer said, you need to "market from the heart." Here are five powerful mantras that you have to learn so you can have a real and rewarding marketing process that you would want to do again and again:

I am passionate about my business; hence, I am passionate about my marketing campaign. Passion for something can get you anywhere. If you have passion, you can do anything even if you have to push yourself to more than your limits. As there are plenty of ways to market your business, you just need to choose what would be appropriate for you - be it catalog printing or even cheap catalog printing, flyers printing, custom postcards, etc. The key is to find a campaign that you would enjoy doing and you know you are good at. Don't forget to be effective while you're at it. When you enjoy what you're doing and is passionate about it, it becomes more of a pleasure than a task to do the process.

I am authentic and it shows in my business. There is something unique that you can offer your target market. So don't let that information rot within you. You have to tell your audience why you are different. As you need to stand out, your target clients would appreciate it if you tell them why they need your product.

I am creative and I will find ways to market uniquely. Be imaginative. Let your creative juices flow. The bottom line is to not bore yourself to tears while doing your marketing campaigns, and your audience as well.

I have passion and I have a purpose. Be conscious of your objectives and purpose when marketing. If you know your intent, it would be easier for you to tell it to your target audience. The more vocal and honest you are of your goals, the more comfortable your target audience will be with your marketing strategy.

I have faith and I believe that the Universe is abundant. The Universe is so wide and open that there's no need for you to give up. If you stick to what you want and do what you want, then the Universe will be so gracious that it'll give you what you deserve to have.

For more information, you can visit this page on catalog printing and cheap catalog printing

Executive Prospectus

Entrepreneur.com: Growing Your Business

Inc.com > Marketing