5 Steps for Developing a Marketing Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website

A marketing tag line is the one or two line descriptor that often comes after a product logo or company name. It is one of those things that looks simple but isn't. Large companies pay advertising agencies a lot of money to develop tag lines for their companies and brands.

Many companies, however, do not have a large enough budget to hire an advertising agency. If you belong to one of these small budget businesses, do not despair. With some creativity and persistence, you can develop your own tag line.

First, decide what you want to communicate with your tag line.

If you have a positioning statement and/or unique selling proposition, write them down. Your tag line should reinforce them.

Ask yourself these questions.

1) Who are your customers?

2) What benefits do you give your customers?

3) What feelings do you want to evoke in your customers?

4) What action are you trying to generate from your customers?

5) How are you different from your competition?

Try to get one or more of these across in your tag.

Second, prepare to brainstorm tag line options.

Gather tag lines from other companies and brands. Look in other categories besides your own and try to find tag lines from both large and small companies.

As you find tag lines, write them on index cards or individual slips of paper. You will be mixing and matching them and pairing them with unrelated items as you brainstorm.

Pay attention to the words used, how they are put together, and which of the above questions they address. By doing this, you are more likely to come up with a unique angle for your own tag line.

NOTE: You are looking at others' tag lines only to spark ideas. Do not plagiarize. You must come up with your own, original tag line.

To find tag lines, look around. You may find them anywhere there are advertisements, packaging, or logos. Look in cupboards, around desks, in magazines, on TV/radio commercials, in print advertisements, and on Web sites.

To get you started, here are some tag lines I found in only a few minutes:

- hp - "invent"
- Craftsman - "Makes anything possible."
- Kenmore - "Solid as Sears."
- Hersheys.com - "The sweetest site on the Web."
- WebSiteMarketingPlan.com - "Marketing Plan and Web Promotion Strategy."
- Marketing Best Practices - "The Web's leading small business marketing newsletter."
- Nike - "Just do it."
- TLC - "Life Unscripted."
- Surprise by Design TV show - "We're not just changing rooms. We're changing lives."
- Schnucks (Midwest Grocer) - "We make it easy."
- Berry Burst Cheerios - "Naturally sweetened whole grain oat cereal with real berries."
- Altoids - "Curiously strong peppermints."
- The Name Stormers - "Company and Brand Name Development."

Find your competitors' tag lines - look at them and strive to be better and different.

Gather together books to help you come up with different ways to phrase similar ideas. My favorite is "Word Menu." Others likely to be of help are "The Describer's Dictionary" and "Twenty-First Century Synonym and Antonym Finder."

Third, brainstorm.

This works best if you can get a small group together, but can also be done solo. Set up a place with a lot of writing space - use dry erase boards, easels with big paper pads, note cards, etc.

Go through your props. Look up words or concepts in the books. Rearrange your various props so you can look at them in different ways. Write down *everything* that comes to mind and all the new ideas each phrase sparks. They do not have to make sense. You want a large number of ideas.

Fourth, consolidate your list.

After brainstorming, go through all of your ideas. Pull out those few you think have the best potential. Try to reduce longer ones to fewer words.

Fifth, choose the one best tag line.

You should be left with a short list of possibilities. To pick the single best tag line, get others' opinions. If you have some funds budgeted, work with a market research firm to test the tag lines with your customers.

You can also conduct informal research. Set up a free survey at SurveyMonkey.com and encourage people to take the survey. If you have direct contact with customers, ask them what they think. Give them an incentive to help you, such as a discount or small freebie.

When you are done, you will have a tag line that will help your business thrive.

Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits!

The greatest asset to your business is your Customer, specifically, your Customer Lifetime Value.

In my many years in Sales and Marketing, I've met many CEOs and business owners who don't have much clue as to what Customer Lifetime Value is, much less its importance and the impact it has on their bottomline. To most of them, what matters most is to increase revenue by continuously acquiring new one-shot customers.

This is one of the fatal mistakes that many business owners make; it's a sad scenario, but it's also the reality. Let me tell you something: it'll cost you 5 times more to attract a new customer than it is to bring one of your past customers back to you.

I don't know you personally, but if you're a smart business owner, you'll understand that every cent you invest in advertising is going towards acquiring new customers. You'll also realise that once you've acquired the customers, you just can't afford to let them go.

So what's Customer Lifetime Value?

Customer Lifetime Value is defined as the total value, in monetary terms, of your average customers spanning the entire period that these customers are likely to do business with you. It's the potential contribution of your customers to your business over a period of time.

Here's how to calculate your Customer Lifetime Value:

1). Let's say you've 2,000 steady customers and these customers remain with you for an average of two years; for the past two years, your net profit was $700,000.

The Customer Lifetime Value can be calculated as: $700,000/2,000 = $350.

What this means is that over an average customer lifespan of two years, each new customer you could acquire and keep is worth $350 to you in profits.

2). If you do not have the actual figures, you'll have to estimate. As the Customer Lifetime Value will have a significant impact on your bottomline, my advice is that you be prudent and conservative in your estimation.

Why is it so important to you and your business?

Lifetime Customer Value is important to you and your business for the following reasons:

1). Knowing the Lifetime Value of your customers is crucial to you and your business as it serves as a benchmark without which you'll be groping in the dark.

When you know the Lifetime Value of your customers, you can determine how much time, effort and money you can afford to invest to acquire that customer in the first instance.

In other words, you can invest more today to reap a much larger profits later down the road as long as your cashflow is healthy and can support it.

Every marketing campaign that you undertake costs you money as well as reaping you benefits such as increased sales, enhanced corporate image, etc. But how can you be sure that the benefits would outweigh the costs or investments? This is where knowing the Customer Lifetime Value is so powerful - it helps you to determine this even before you launch your marketing campaign.

2). When you realize that customers are actually an ongoing stream of revenue as opposed to a one-shot sale, you can re-focus your marketing efforts.

Instead of contantly struggling to acquire more and more new customers, you can now begin to focus on keeping your existing customers longer and selling to them repeatedly, in other words, repeat sales.

You may spend more like making stronger and more attractive offers than your competition in acquiring new customers now who will be your money spinners tomorrow.

This makes sense because you now know that on average you'll more than make it back over the years that the customers are with you and therefore you could afford to break even or even lose money now in acquiring the new customers.

Start shifting your focus to Customer Lifetime Value and maximise your profits today!

Start to have a proper understanding of Customer Lifetime Value because it's key to the success of your business. It'll allow you to acquire more customers than your competition through better and more attractive offers; it'll dramatically increase your bottomline through more repeat sales and shoot your profits through the roof.

The 7 Commandments of Marketing

Marketing is the key to success with any business, online or traditional. You can have a website or business location. You can have a great product. However, if no one has heard about your business or your product, you have NOTHING!

Marketing is everything you do to promote yourself and your business. Without an aggressive marketing effort, your website is just one of EIGHT BILLION listed on Google. Without an aggressive marketing effort, your store better have a location next to Walmart and hope for their overflow. How do you stand out from the crowd?

There are seven (let’s call them) commandments for your marketing efforts. Keep these in mind and you are well on your way to creating an effective marketing machine. Remember, there is only one way to score the effectiveness of your marketing efforts – SALES!

Commandment #1. Use a Rifle NOT a Shotgun

Rifles leave a neat, clean hole where you point them. Shotguns scatter shot in the general direction you point them. Most failed marketing efforts are born in a scattered marketing message aimed at the world.

Let’s say you were trying to sell a snowboard. To effectively sell a snowboard to a fifteen year old requires an entirely different conversation than selling the same item to his mother. Therefore, commandment #1 directs us to segment our possible customers into different groups who share common concerns. If your product could be sold to a fifteen year old or a 40 year old, you’d better decide who you are going to focus your marketing efforts upon for the greatest success.

Commandment #2. KNOW Thy Customer Like Thyself

Following commandment #1, we selected a targeted group of people for our marketing message. Now, we MUST understand that targeted market as well as we know ourselves. We must crawl within their mindset. We must understand what they think about our product, what they want from our product, and the alternatives they have to our product.

Customers buy for their reasons, not yours. If you want to sell them your product, you MUST sell to their concerns, not your own. Every piece of marketing copy must FOCUS upon them. If you don’t speak their language, you don’t get their money.

Commandment #3. Be PASSIONATE About Your Company & Your Product

Attitude is infectious. If we are around upset people, we begin to take on that attitude ourselves. If we are with positive people, the same phenomenon occurs. Most people like to associate with enthusiastic people. And, most of us like passionate people. If you aren’t passionate about your company and your product, why should anyone else be? Commandment #3 means to show passion for your product by speaking and writing about it with enthusiasm. Talk about what your product can help people accomplish in their lives. If you can’t work up enthusiasm for your own product or business, find another business or product.

Commandment #4. Accept the fact that “NO” won’t kill you

In the process of running a business and selling a product, you will hear “no” more frequently than you hear “yes” (if you’re doing it right). What? By “doing it right”, we mean you are TRYING things. Some work. Some don’t.

Whenever you think of a new marketing approach, remember, the worst that can happen is they say “no”. So, try it! This is not a matter of life or death. This is a great experiment!

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin

Commandment #5. Wear a CLOWN SUIT! It’s hard to ignore!

The cheapest and easiest marketing in the world is free advertising. How do you get free advertising? Wear a clown suit! Do something OUTRAGEOUS! Become news worthy. How?

When Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream first tried to expand to a nation-wide operation, it had trouble finding distributors. They determined the problem was that Pillsbury put out the word to all distributors not to work with Ben & Jerry’s. Pillsbury’s edict effectively blocked Ben & Jerry’s from the services of the national distributors. What to do? Put on a clown suit!

Ben & Jerry’s set up a one-man picket line outside Pillsbury headquarters. The picket sign read “Who’s the Doughboy afraid of?” The result? National-wide FREE publicity on television and newspapers. Publicity they couldn’t afford to buy.

In order to differentiate yourself from the crowd of competitors, you MUST be DIFFERENT! Design your own clown suit and wear it proudly!

Commandment #6. NEVER Give Up!

Albert Einstein said, “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up“.

In marketing, everything you do moves you forward. If one campaign fails, you are that much closer to the one destined to succeed. Watch others. Learn from others. Learn from your own mistakes. BUT KEEP GOING!

Commandment #7. Always Be Closing

“Always be closing” is often referred to as the “ABCs of sales”. However, it also applies to marketing. The objective of marketing is to increase sales. Not to “inform”, “educate”, or “entertain”. I repeat: The objective of marketing is to increase sales.

Therefore, this last commandment directs us to write all marketing copy with the sale in mind. Only information that moves a potential customer toward a sale is allowed in our marketing copy. How do we know what should stay and what should go in our marketing materials? Read through it asking yourself one question – “So what?”

Another way of stating “so what?” is asking “why should the customer care?” You’ve been in business since 1972. So what? Your product folds flat. So what? You’re a family owned business. So what? The alternative?

“We have been in business since 1972 so you’ll always know where to find us. Since we are a family-owned business, you’re always talking to an owner who can answer your questions and solve your problems. Our product folds flat to save you valuable office space when not in use.” See the difference? Now you’re talking about the customer’s issues, not yours.

There you have my seven commandments of marketing based upon 33 years of business experience. “Commandment” is defined as “A formal pronouncement or rule”. Keep in mind and put into practice these seven commandments of marketing. When you do, your marketing efforts will result in the only true value of marketing – increased sales!

Marketing and Advertising Techniques of Super Bowl Advertisers

Each year, advertisers with super sized budgets sink millions of dollars into Super Bowl advertising. While most of us do not have a large enough budget to advertise on the Super Bowl, the commercials -- both past and present -- demonstrate several marketing techniques we can apply elsewhere.

Here are some lessons for us all, as demonstrated by Super Bowl advertisers:

Make Advertisements Entertaining

The primary focus of Super Bowl advertisements is usually entertainment. After the fact, discussion and analysis revolve around how amusing or interesting the commercials were. Little or no mention, however, is made of how effective they were in advertising the product.

I love an entertaining commercial as well as the next person, but entertainment value can be a two-edged sword. Sometimes, the creators get so caught up in the entertainment aspect they forget the ultimate goal -- to sell more product.

To me, the advertisers guiltiest of forgetting to sell are those that give no branding clue until the very end. People come away thinking how cute, funny, or otherwise entertaining the advertisement, but with little or no idea of the actual product.

There are, however, ways to entertain while communicating your brand throughout the commercial. Remember the frogs -- Bud, Weis, and Er? Total entertainment, yet who didn't know it was a Budweiser commercial?

You can do the same with your own marketing. Whatever form of entertainment you choose -- games, performances, contests, etc. -- remember to simultaneously reinforce your brand or business. A couple of ideas: (1) display your logo prominently and (2) give premiums, coupons, or other discounts to participants.

Gain Celebrity Endorsements

Celebrity endorsements are frequent in Super Bowl advertisements. Past and present endorsements include Coke's Mean Joe Green (1980), McDonald's Larry Bird and Michael Jordan (1993), and MasterCard’s Homer Simpson (2004).

Celebrity endorsements are a way to draw initial attention to a product or company, which creates an opportunity to deliver the marketing message. If the celebrity is highly regarded by your target audience, endorsements can also give credibility to a brand.

If you do not have a large enough budget to hire a national celebrity, try redefining "celebrity" by thinking in niche terms. Your "celebrity" could be someone well known in the industry -- one of your customers or suppliers, for example.

Another way to redefine "celebrity" is to think locally. Brainstorm a list of people who are well known locally in certain circles. Your list could include well-regarded business people, minor league sports personalities, and other high-profile citizens. Then, approach your favorites with a proposal. The key is hiring someone known and respected by your target customers.

Demonstrate an Important Product Benefit or Feature

My favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time is the 1998 Tabasco commercial. The commercial shows a man sitting, eating pizza on his front porch. Before each bite he splashes on a liberal dose of Tabasco. A mosquito flies in, bites the guy on the hand, and flies off. A second later, we see the mosquito explode in a mass of flames. Cut to the guy chewing and smiling, Tabasco bottle clearly displayed on screen.

Besides being incredibly entertaining, the commercial demonstrates the product's primary benefit in a way that is simple and straightforward. All the while, very clearly communicating the brand.

There are many ways to demonstrate an important product feature to your audience. Think of other commercials you've seen and adapt the technique to your own budget and situation.

Detergent commercials, for example, often show how the product removes stains better than the competition. You can set up your own comparison and communicate it through print ads, on a Website, or in a retail store.

Target The Audience

Have you noticed an abundance of fast car, junk food, and beverage commercials during the Super Bowl? A major reason for this is targeting. Smart marketers try to get their products seen in places where their target audience hangs out.

It is not too much of a stretch to imagine that folks attracted to testosterone-laden football may also like speedy cars. And if you watch football, you most certainly like to snack during the game. Hence, we see an abundance of junk food, beer, and soda commercials.

When putting together your own marketing programs, try to imagine where your target audience can be found and think of ways you can be seen in those venues. If you are a Virtual Assistant, for example, participating online in small business groups makes much more sense than being seen in sports groups.

Associate Your Brand with a Mascot or Symbol

My favorite commercial from this year's Super Bowl was the donkey that wanted to be a Budweiser Clydesdale. I must confess the Clydesdales are near and dear to my heart (I live less than a mile from Grant's Farm where they breed and raise the Budweiser Clydesdales). I'm pretty sure, though, I'd love this commercial anyway.

Besides telling a cute, heartwarming story, the entire commercial reinforces the connection between the Clydesdales and Budweiser beer. It's a connection that Anheuser Busch has worked hard to establish and maintain over the years. Today, I'm sure most people immediately think "Budweiser" when catching a glimpse of the famous Clydesdales.

So you don't have billions of dollars and decades of time to invest in a mascot? Think smaller.

How about hiring a freelance illustrator or art student to develop a character, then begin using that character at key points of contact with your audience. To name a few, you could use your "mascot" in a logo, on postcards, on your Website, and/or on store signage.

Take these techniques to heart, apply them diligently, and watch your business grow.

Website Promotion Strategies For Targeted Web Site Traffic

If you're looking to drive more targeted traffic to your web site, you'll want to pay close attention to the website promotion strategies presented in this article.

As an internet marketer, or a want to be internet marketer, you know that web site traffic is your livelihood. Without it you have nothing. No traffic - no sales - no profits. You'll continue to be stuck in a dead end job or worse yet, unemployed with no way to take care of yourself or your family.

I've written this article to end the hype and confusion that's abundant on the internet about website promotion and getting quality prospects to your web site or affiliate link. There are no secrets to website promotion. Common sense and proven principles prevail.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 1. Tap Into Existing Markets
The first consideration when it comes to your website promotion strategy is your product or service. Too many people think they must reinvent the wheel or come up with something new or exciting.

The first rule of creating an effective website promotion strategy is to find an existing market and then shoot for a piece of the action. It's much cheaper and much easier to tap into an existing market than to try to create a new one. Creating new markets are best left to the multi-million dollar corporations who have the money and time to develop them.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule #2. Consistancy Is The Key
Too many marketers throw up a web site and expect the world to beat a path to it's door. You can't locate your web site on a super highway with a million vehicles passing by every day. It's in cyber space and no one will ever see it unless you promote it.

The key to succesful website promotion is consistency. Day after day, week after week, month after month you must be doing something to let your prospects know your web site is there and offers a solution to their problems.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 3. Avoid Website Promotion Strategies That Don't Send Targeted Traffic
Too many greedy promotors are pushing strategies that simply don't work. They may bring some traffic, but the traffic they bring is simply trying to gain some form of reward for visiting your web site. Simply put, they have no interest in your offer, your product, or service. They're not targeted and have no interest in spending money with you. What good is a million visitors if no one buys anything?

Avoid FFA pages where your add is is only listed for a few seconds at best. Don't post on classified sites. The limited readership is simply not worth the effort. Stay away from so called optin safe lists. Your ad will be deleted in mass without ever being seen. I also recommend staying away from banner exchange and traffic exchange clubs.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 4. Focus On Traffic First
You can have the prettiest web site, the most compelling sales message, and the best offer on the planet. But if no one sees it, you have nothing.

Therefore you must-must-must focus on getting targeted traffic to your web site first. Once you have the traffic coming , then you can shift your attention to optimizing your sales message, improving your offer, and tweaking your site to get the best conversion rates. But until you have ample traffic(several hundred visitors per week) your attention is best focused on getting targeted traffic. So put first things first. Targeted traffic is king.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 5. Use Only Time Tested Proven Website Promotion Strategies And Techniques
Stop wasting time with outdated website promotion strategies that no longer work. FFA pages, advertising on classified sites, and safelists are good examples of this. They simply won't bring you enough targeted traffic.

Instead, focus your efforts on website promotion strategies that have stood the test of time and continue to work.

Eight Potent Website Promotion Strategies That Can Bring You All The Targetd Traffic You Need!

Writing articles for ezines and to post on other web sites. This is an often overlooked website promotion strategy that can bring a ton of targeted traffic to your site. There are many advantages to this strategy. Targeted traffic, exposure, and boosting pr for higher search engine rankings are just a few.

Advertising in ezines is a popular website promotion strategy and can work well. There are to many factors involved to go into all of them here. Just keep in mind the actual product, the copy and the audience all play a vital role in how well prospects respond. I don't push this technique because I believe writing articles is far more powerful.

Free search engine marketing is a website promotion strategy that can literally explode your traffic with targeted visitors. To succeed you must get good listings. The first page is best. You can find an abundance of free search engine optimization articles and tutorials on the internet.

Pay Per Click search engines can bring targeted traffic and are a main stay until you get listed in the free search engines. Even then you may want to consider keeping your PPC listings depending on how profitable the campaign is. A pay per click is worth mentioning is Google Ad Words.

Google Ad Words offers another low cost website marketing strategy to send a lot of targeted traffic to your web site. Choosing the right keywords can get you click throughs for as little as .05 Cents per click. Thats a low figure when you consider the traffic google ad words can send you. In fact you can make a good living on the internet even if you have no web site by sending prospects directly to your affiliate link through google ad words. Some Pay Per Click engines don't allow this. But use caution. I recommend you read a good ebook about Google Adwords before you jump in blindly. If you don't know what you're doing you can run up a huge advertising bill and have little to show for it.

Opt-in Email marketing. You absolutely must collect the names an email address of your visitors if you want to have any real success for your website promotion efforts. Few visitors will buy the first time. That's why you need an autoresponder series set up to follow up with them and keep the prospect returning to your site. Some experts say your prospect must hear from you at least seven times before they will buy. Keep in mind I'm talking about opt-in email here. We avoid spam at all costs.

Joint venture marketing is another great website promotion strategy. It can drive a lot of targeted traffic to your site in a hurry. Basically it involves setting up deals with other marketers who already have a responsive opt-in list. They mail your offer to their list and in return you split the profits with them. This is a great way to generate sales in a hurry and begin to build your own opt-in list.

Exchanging links with related but non competitive sites will bring you targeted traffic and boost your page rank. An absolute must if you want to be listed on the first page of google. It's a necessary website promotion strategy and should not be overlooked. You can learn more about link popularity/link exchange from my web site.
In this tutorial you've learned the importance of implementing solid website promotion strategies to bring targeted visitors to your web site. I've give you five rules on what not to do and what to do to make your website marketing strategy work. And last but not least, you now have eight website promotion strategies that have stood the test of time that you can begin implementing immediately.

Today's Definition of Marketing. Has It Changed?

With the continued proliferation of the Internet, the meaning of the word "marketing" also seems to proliferate. Cyberspace has opened up a whole arena of new marketing technologies, techniques, and twists. Amidst the online exuberance, it seems each online marketer or salesperson changes the definition of marketing to suit his or her preference.

Many times, ill-conceived notions and perceptions reduce the meaning of the word "marketing" to a shadow of it’s true self. Many see marketing as a series of tactics or gimmicks. Some define marketing as pyramid programs and the like. Others treat the words "marketing" and "sales" or "marketing" and "advertising as synonymous. None of these adequately convey the definition of marketing.

Different Marketing Definitions

Along with all of the new terminology, new techniques, and new twists the Internet has brought us, it has also opened opportunities for misguided notions about the definition of marketing. While the above definitions describe different facets or definitions of related terms, they do not convey the much broader process that is truly marketing. By taking a look at some dictionary and trade definitions of marketing we can get a better feel for what marketing is truly about:

American Marketing Association Definition

The process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. (Note 1)

American Heritage Dictionary's Definition of Marketing

The commercial functions involved in transferring goods from producer to consumer. (Note 2)

Merriam Webster's Marketing Definition

1 b: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service. 2: an aggregate of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer. (Note 3)

Marketing Definition From MSN Encarta Dictionary

The business activity of presenting products or services to potential customers in such a way as to make them eager to buy. Marketing includes such matters as the pricing and packaging of the product and the creation of demand by advertising and sales campaigns. (Note 4)

Note the phrasing: "The process," "functions involved," "process or technique," "an aggregate," "the business activity." These all get to the heart of the definition of marketing.

As a process, there are certain foundations of marketing that will never become obsolete. We still have products, services, and ideas to sell at some price. We deliver to our customers via some means of distribution. We promote and we advertise. Those are the basics. Those basics still exist and always will.

If The Marketing Definition Hasn't Changed, Then What Has?

What has changed is the business environment. Companies compete with more efficient technologies. Customers have better access to their cost options and they communicate to each other in ways not conceivable in the pre-Internet age.

In some industries, the Internet has lowered the cost of entry so that entrepreneurs -- many times from a home office -- have entered the competition. The changes in competitive environment are numerous. What have also changed are marketing strategies and the marketing programs we have available to implement those strategies.

These have changed, but the basic marketing definition has not. Superior marketing is and always has been analysis, then action. It is strategy development, then logical and thought-out tactical implementation. It is the way to customer satisfaction and increasing profit.

The steps to successful marketing and implementation include:

1) Analyzing your customers and the business environment in order to

2) identify key opportunities to better and more profitably meet customer needs,

3) figuring out how to act on those opportunities, and then

4) implementing your plan.

The process doesn't have to be cumbersome. Five-year plans and novel-length documents are not required. The logic of the action is what is important.

By applying the basic marketing process, rather than a tactic here and a technique there, your chances of success skyrocket.

Slogans: Creating and Using Them In Life, Career and Business

Information is coming at us from all directions nowadays. This pace requires us to demand that we receive it fast and predigested in order to inch ahead of the game. This also requires a new filing system method for storing the bites and bytes.

In this article, we will go into greater details on:

* Why slogans are important in today’s society fast-pace information systems.

* What is a slogan?

* Learn the six major types of slogans.

* The many uses for slogans.

* Seven ways to make slogans memorable.

First, lets create a clear definition for a slogan. A slogan is a noun, usually repeated and persuasive that creates a memorable catch phrase, motto, or jingle, that expresses a particular aim or concept. A concept that you want to stick in your audience’s mind like glue to paper.

Second, what makes a slogan memorable? Brevity is first in line -- normally 10 words or less. Rhythm is the only exception to brevity. Rhythm is easier to create if there is an association to the receiver’s past -- like a particular jingle on TV during their teen years for those now in their 50s. I still hold one from a TV ad long ago, "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should." And I never smoked.

An additional method is through repetition or language vividness. More on this later.

Third, what are the benefits for using slogans? Brevity, as mentioned earlier, meets the requirements of today’s fast pace. Slogans also influence decisions, persuade, and add credibility. Our brains are like filing cabinets. A slogan makes it easier to file and pull when needed. For NLPers, neuro-linguistic programming, slogans create anchors. When people repeat the slogan, then consider it filed.

There are five major slogan types:

(1) A feature -- a uniqueness or difference between a substance, product or object. Ex: "Write an ebook in 7 days."

(2) A benefit -- a result that someone receives. Remember, this saves you [time or money].

(3) A question -- thought-provoking methods. "How would you like to be a millionaire in three years?"

(4) A challenge -- a dare. Ex: The Marines, "We are only looking for a few good men."

(5) A structure -- a design or collection put together for a single purpose. Ex: "The Abundance Center holds all the information you will ever need to know on abundance."

There are seven ways to make a slogan memorable:

(1) Make it exciting

(2) Be boastful or exaggerated

(3) Self-referencing

(4) Metaphorical, playful or humorous

(5) Inspirational or uplifting

(6) To trigger painful memories or possibilities

(7) Use of vivid or freshful language

Okay, the basics are out of the way. Yet to come: How to use slogans in your personal life, career, and business. Including examples for re-enforcement.

Create Life Slogans

Life slogans help energize goals, dreams, and even change beliefs. One of my favorite slogans gets me jumping out of bed every morning (benefit, self-referencing): "Everyday begins as a clean new slate, I am free to choose what gets written there." Is there a slogan that swirls around in your head in the morning? Share it with others -- write a poem or create a story about it.

Playtime: Create a life slogan, two or three, that get you hopping. Try them out for a day or two. Measure their energy from 1-10 (10 being highest). Share and ask for feedback.

Do you have children? Create positive slogans that rhythm and trigger action. I don't recommend negative slogans like, "Last one in, is a rotten egg." Create positive slogans, "First one in, gets a hug (rhythm and action). This slogan is a little too cute, yet it makes my point.

Create Career Slogans

Do you belong to Toastmasters or give presentations? Use slogans for the title, then repeat it in your content along with its meaning, and as the last line. Watch how many mention its affects afterwards. Create a new one for each speech.

Create interview slogans. Ones that help them remember you. Know the company’s slogan. Create a slogan that builds on you're your features and benefits of why they need to hire you. Use it during the interview. You can create one that can use one or two of the different types: self- referencing, metaphorical or inspirational.

Slogans are powerful enough that people, like comedians and actors, have developed entire careers around them. You don't need to be famous to start. Slogans can even become book titles later on.

Business Slogans

In business, slogans are usable for self-introductions, prospective presentations, on web sites, in e-mail signatures, and even speaking engagements.

Example: You are a coach giving a presentation for a contract with a company for life coaching or business coaching. Create a slogan for a process or concept on what applications you will be using. Or give the process an acronym, like S.T.O.P. [something]. Let the acronym be the start of the slogan. Create one for your complimentary sessions. You can also create a slogan to share each week with your clients.

Be creative, use a slogan in each of your sales and marketing processes, change them frequently if you need to. Sold a contract a year ago with one slogan, create another, and sell them another contract this year.

Use slogans in article titles, ebooks or books. Sometimes a slogan takes off and becomes so memorable it becomes the brand for a company. Coke Cola with the slogan, "The real thing," took themselves to first place in the marketplace with these three words. Everything afterwards just wasn't the real thing.

Creating a Slogan

Where do you start to build slogan’s? Re-read any of your notes or material. Highlight phrases that contain high energy. Do you lead teleclasses, like I do? Ask participants at the end of each call for two or three words of what they are taking away. Whatever they provide was memorable for them. Hear it multiple times, those are sure slogans. This also applies to pilot programs you might give. Ask for feedback, they are usually built in slogans.

Ask, "What do I want people to remember about [me][my company]?" KISS it -- keep it simple and short. That is possibly a slogan.

Next, ask, "What do I want them to do?" This is another type of slogan. Yellow pages had a great one for years, "Let your fingers do the walking."

Another way to create a slogan is to take two phrases that have parallel construction and place them together with a comma. Ex: Prizefighter Ali, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

Rhyme helps create memorable. Read poetry for triggers or language that influences or inspires.

Ask friends for help. Make it a game at a meal event. Ask clients too on feedback as to what makes you memorable to them. They always keep it short.

Be playful when creating slogans. Keep take of them too in your business journal or in a slogan file on your computer. Add and use them frequently. Encourage others to do the same. Success attracts success. Share it and it will, "Always attract back everything you need."

Hello, My Name Is . . . What Your Name Tag Says About You

When you attend networking functions, what kind of name tag do you wear? One of those sticky things you scrawled your name on, or something a bit more sophisticated? For just a few cents to a few dollars, you can have a classy, customized name tag that will draw attention and comments and help you make the most of every networking opportunity.

Instead of relying on those disposable sticky tags, you can get your own engraved or imprinted name badge at your local office supply store. Some even allow you to add art, such as a full-color logo or even a color photo. At prices ranging from $10 to $20, you can have a distinctive and attractive name badge.

In addition to your name, your tag might include your company name, the URL of your web site, the name of your product, or your slogan or tag line. A catchy URL or slogan can be a conversation starter, inviting the people you meet to ask about your business.

If you have a graphic designer create your logo, letterhead, business cards, brochure and other marketing materials, ask him or her to also design a special name tag.

As an author, I like to draw attention to my book. For less than $3, a local copy shop made a laminated tag with a color image of my book’s cover. Wearing it guarantees that people will ask about the book. Your tag might include an image of your company logo, or photos of your products or storefront.

Make your name tag large enough that the people who meet you can recognize the images and read the text. One entrepreneur breaks this rule in a creative way. He uses a name tag that is a miniature version of his brochure! The tag gets attention, and gives him an opening to offer a full-size brochure.

Do you have an attractive and distinctive web site? Get a name tag that reproduces the home page.

Wear a name tag or button with a provocative question or statement on it. It will inspire those you meet to ask questions, and give you an opportunity to tell them about what you do.

You can print a tag yourself and put it in one of those plastic name tag holders, or go to a copy shop or graphic company where they can make one for you. In a pinch, you can put one of your business cards in a plastic tag holder.

Consider having more than one tag. Each tag may be designed to appeal to a different audience or emphasize a different benefit. You can even make them to coordinate with your outfits!

Wear your name tag proudly at the next networking event you attend. Wear it to professional meetings and conferences, when you make a speech or teach a class, or when you are just out and about running errands. You never know when the person in line with you at the post office will become your next customer.

Successful Marketing for Introverts

In my experience I have seen many levels of introvert and extrovert. Let me share some of my own.

* Invite me to a party -- I'd rather have a root canal

* Have me speak about something I'm passionate about in front of a group of people -- I shine.

* Put me in a "casual" networking group -- root canal please.

* Put me in a "structured" networking group where I can ask for what I need and help others at the same time -- I'm in heaven.

We all have our levels of how we interact, the environments where we thrive and the environments where we are extremely uncomfortable. I have seen many people go into business for themselves, myself included, that would rather give up their dream than to market their business and themselves. I was almost one of those statistics. I almost QUIT my dream until I discovered the secret.

I'm sure you've heard the phrases for successful marketing, Find Your Passion; Market from your Passion; Marketing from Within, etc. This is actually correct, but there are a few more steps. Too many times we focus on things we can't do (weakness) versus the things we can do (strength). The most common phrase I've heard is "I don't want to feel like I'm selling." Then we have this belief we're supposed to market from the standard marketing box; cold calls, networking groups, speaking, knocking on doors, etc. NO! You don't need to jump directly into the marketing box first. Get out of the should(s) and the can't(s). Step into what you do well and what you enjoy first, then, open the marketing door.

The Secret

1. Give yourself permission to redefine marketing to fit your style.

Example #1

A program participant was very good at her profession as a lawyer but was very uncomfortable with marketing. I have clients brainstorm and write down their strengths and passions. She expressed she had very few on her list. It doesn't matter how many are on your list as long as you pay attention to what's there. Some people have 30-40, others have 5-10. She chose her top 3.

Out of her 3 the main passion and strength on her list was one-on-one conversations. We then began thinking of who might be good strategic partnerships for her business. She was thrilled she could not only market from her favorite and most comfortable approach, but also choose her favorite environment, which happened to be in a cozy coffee shop. However, that wasn't all that was holding her back. She had never given herself permission to call one-on-one conversations marketing. Once she redefined marketing to One-On-One Conversations, she left saying, "I feel like I've had a black cloud lifted off my head."

2. Give yourself permission to market from your comfort zone.

When she gave herself permission to market from her comfort zone she began taking more steps naturally. Two weeks later I turned around at my networking group and there she was. She was enjoying herself because she gave herself permission to redefine marketing to fit her passions and strengths AND she allowed herself to market from her comfort zone. I have seen this so many times. Once you give yourself permission to stand in your comfort zone, it's amazing how you will naturally evolve towards expanding your marketing. It becomes FUN and Exciting!

Example #2

Look at what you already have. All you need to market may be right in front of you with your most comfortable group of prospective clients.

A Life Coach I met had a horrible fear of marketing but really believed in his chosen profession and didn't want to give it up. Through the process described above most of his fears disappeared. But he still found himself hesitating. He had identified his best client but that first step of where to begin seemed too big. In asking Bob about his past profession and contacts he realized not only would they be a perfect client but he knew a large number of people he could comfortably approach. Bob did several things.

1) Gave himself permission to redefine marketing to fit his style.

2) Gave himself permission to market from his comfort zone.

3) Identified a market he had come from and was comfortable.

4) He became so energized with his approach he is making cold calls speaking from the passion of his business.

Sometimes we are so close to things we can't see them. Look right in front of you -- your perfect client and ease of approach might be within reach.

However you approach your marketing, you get to choose how you do it. If need be, ditch the word marketing and insert ____________ (the words that fit YOU).

Digital Printing vs. Press Printing - A Comparison Guide

When it comes time to print your brand identity materials, there's one overarching question for you to consider — whether to print the resulting materials on a digital printer or traditional press. There are many differences between the two processes, some of which are outlined below.

Digital Printing

Less expensive — Digital printing is a direct-to-paper printing process. As a result, it often runs about one-half of the cost of press printing.

Lose color accuracy — Digital printing is a four-color printing process. Four colors — cyan, magenta, yellow, and black — are printed in tiny dots that when visually mixed together, create various colors. This, in addition to the different set-ups and settings on the machines from press-to-press, batch-to-batch and printer-to- printer, can produce a wide range of different color results. You can never be certain what you'll get.

Lose color range — Four-color printing has limitations on the brightness, saturation, and range of colors available — when mixing colors in this way. To produce bright reds, oranges, blues, and purples, especially, press printing is a better choice.

Cost of proofing — Proofing is one way to produce accurate color. Proofing can be costly, especially when compared to the overall cost of the job. But, since the proof is created on the same equipment that the final job is printed on, it is often quite accurate.

Can be faster — Since no pre-press work or press setup is needed, running your job on a digital press can be faster, depending on how many jobs the printer has in the queue before yours. Some printers can even offer same-day service. Three days is a standard turnaround time for many of the web-based digital printing companies.

Limited paper choice — Digital presses can only accommodate a limited paper thickness, and many digital printing companies only offer smooth, white papers. Thus, if a thick business card is important to you, then digital printing is not your right choice.

Limited finishing choices — Foil stamping, metallic inks, and embossing services are usually not offered by digital printing houses. Some digital printers also do not offer die-cutting or special folding services.

Limited choice of material sizes, styles, and formats — Digital printers will offer a very specific "menu" or range of products. If you want to create innovative marketing materials, such as the brochure-style business cards that we create at elf design, then digital printing is not a choice for your project. Large formats are also not available with many digital printers, as the largest paper size they can accommodate is 11" x 17".

Press Printing

More costly — The difference in costs is mainly due to setup costs. For press printing, films must be produced, and plates may have to be produced as well, which are additional items that add to the overall cost. Additional time is involved in setting up and aligning the press, as well as washing the press. Also, there are more overruns from traditional printing, since you cannot program in a specific number of pages to be printed as you can with a digital printer. Most printers consider overruns to be billable, or they add an additional cost for that into the initial estimate. Jobs done on a press will typically run about twice the cost of digital printing.

Excellent color accuracy — The Pantone Matching System (PMS) offers great color accuracy. Pantone colors are mixed to precise, pre-set specifications, which are printed each year in their color matching guides. You can consult these books to see exactly what the final color will look like in advance. It's a lot like going to the paint store and specifying colors for your home on the paint chips they offer — you know what you'll get. So, if color accuracy is important to you, then press printing may be the best choice.

Brighter colors are available — Since the Pantone colors are mixed using inks, they can be created to be much brighter and more intense. So, if lively colors are important to your brand image, then press printing may be the way to go.

Cost of proofing — For four-color press jobs, proofing is often not too expensive when compared to the overall cost of the job. However, it can be inaccurate, depending on the type of proof run and the type of press on which your final job will be printed.

For two- or three- color jobs printed using the Pantone system, complete color proofing is often not available. However, samples of the colors are available in the Pantone books. And, inexpensive laser prints or inkjet prints can be created to view the positioning of the elements of the page. With a little imagination, you can visualize how the final job will look.

Press printing can take longer than digital — There are several additional steps involved in press printing, which are taken care of using direct-to-press, digital technology. Films and plates must be made, the press set up, run the job and then tune us needed for drying. Then cutting, folding, and other finishing must take place.

Types of paper — Choose from an entire rainbow of paper colors — fire-engine red to deep blue, sunflower yellow to pitch black. There is also a wide range of thicknesses and textures from which to choose, including specialty papers, such as vellum and metallic papers. If you are considering using nontraditional paper your card or materials, press printing is the best way to go.

Fine line screens are available — The result of this is that even under close inspection, the color will look smooth and seamless. It will also appear brighter and more intense.

Wide range of finishing techniques — All finishing options are possible with press printing. Metallic inks can be run through the press as easily as can a nonmetallic ink. Embossing, die cutting, and foil stamping can be done in traditional printing houses. You can create materials that really stand out using these techniques.

Innovative formats, shapes, and sizes are possible — Traditional press printing can accommodate a wide range of paper sizes and can result in innovative and creative finished projects. This is largely due to the "have-it-your-way" range of options, where you can specify special sizes and finishing techniques.

We hope that the above primer on the pros and cons of both digital printing and press printing helps you to decide which you will choose to produce your materials.

Business Card Design - How to Stand out and Get Noticed

One of the most powerful, yet over looked weapons in your marketing arsenal is your business card. If designed properly this little 3 x 2.5 piece of paper will not only let people know how to contact you it will also tell them why they should contact you. In order to be effective and get you more business your Business card must stand out, and get noticed.

How a distinctive business card resulted in a $5,000 Sale

A friend of mine and his wife recently went furniture shopping. By the end of the day they had gone to 8 stores and had 8 Business cards. 7 of the Business Cards were your garden variety white cards with one or two color writing on them.

One card was a little different. The salesman, we will call him Bob, had decided to make his card stand out a little by putting his picture on it along with a couple of color pictures of his furniture. Bob’s business card made an immediate impression.

The next day they flipped through the all the business cards that they had received the previous day. They immediately remembered Bob from his business card. They went to Bob’s store and spent over $5,000! All because of a business card.

5 Tips to make your Business Card Stand out

1 - Use Full Color Printing

In the old days full color printing (4 color printing) was extremely expensive. You could pay over $200 /1000 for high quality full color cards. Prices have dropped and you can now get beautiful full color cards printed for about the same price as a plain two color card.

2 - Use a Tagline

A “tagline” is a one sentence benefit statement. Think of your Business card as a “Mini Billboard”. Pretend that you are writing a classified ad for a newspaper. You only have a small amount of space to describe your product or service in an intriguing way … what would you write to describe it? For example: A Realtor could say “Helping Build dreams one home at a time”

3 - Put a picture on it!

I highly recommend that you put a picture on your business card. Studies have shown that people are more likely to hold on to a Business card with a photo on it. It could be your picture, a picture of your product, or a combination of both. Picture cards get attention!

4 - Don't use Business Card “Templates”

There are websites you can go to online where you can choose from pre-made business card designs called templates. The problem with this is that the more people who use these templates the more you card starts to look like everybody else’s. You want to have a business card that stands out from everybody else’s, not one that gets lost in the crowd.

5 - Let a Professional Design It

Unless you are a professional graphic designer designing your own card is like performing root canal on yourself. Its going to take a lot of time and you may not be happy with the results. Leave the designing to the professionals and use you time doing what you do best … selling your product or service!

Six Ways To Attract New Customers To Your Restaurant

Without new business, your restaurant won't be able to grow. You need a constant stream of new customers to replace those you lose as a result of customers relocating, switching jobs, or changing dining habits. Here are six strategies for getting more customers through your doors.

1. Market Your Restaurant In Hotel Rooms
Business travellers and people on holiday may not be familiar enough with your town to know where to find an excellent meal. You can give them a hand simply by doing some hotel room marketing. Talk to hotels within your three-mile radius area and ask if you can place menus and advertisements in their rooms and lobby area. Some hotels have a “Nearby Attractions” list which they provide for their guests. You can ask to be added to the list. When guests get hungry and start trying to figure out where to eat, you'll be one of the first restaurants to come to mind.

2. Form A Strategic Alliance With Event Venues
After a concert or sporting event, people are hungry and want to eat. Remember that people sometimes travel a long distance to come to these events, so they don't want to travel home on an empty stomach. One venue in the United States showed a nearby restaurant's advert on all of the venue monitors between concert acts. After the concert was over, that restaurant was packed with concert goers. You can do your part by promoting upcoming events of that venue at your restaurant.

3. Enter Contests
One of the biggest ways to get some media attention and, therefore, to attract new business is by winning a contest. For example, enter your chef in a cooking contest. Read restaurant publications and browse the Internet to find out about any contests you may be able to enter. If all else fails, create your own contest and invite local restaurants to participate. Then, even if you lose, you'll still generate great publicity and get new patrons in your door.

4. Sell Gift Certificates
Your loyal customers may want their friends and family members to give you a try. Provide them with your gift certificates, so they can buy these as presents for loved ones. A gift certificate allows the recipient to try your restaurant completely risk-free since they usually don't have to pay anything for the experience. Plus, each gift certificate serves as a referral to your establishment. Make sure your gift certificates come in flexible amounts so that buyers have the freedom to decide how much to spend.

5. Give Samples Out At Busy Locations
Send your food on the road if you really want to lure in new customers. Go to locations that have a lot of human traffic, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, parks, etc, and offer samples of some of your most tasty food to everyone that passes by. When they stop to take a sample, give out a menu, business card, or a coupon so that they'll know exactly where they can go in order to taste more of your scrumptious food.

6. Offer “Happy Hour” Specials
At the end of a hard day, many workers want to relax and unwind before heading home, so invite them to your restaurant for some “happy hour” specials. Drink specials and low-price finger food buffets are both good ideas. You could also have Frequent Diner cards for happy patrons so that after so many drinks they receive a free drink or a discount on their meal if they decide to stay for dinner. Inform all local businesses about your offer.

Slogans: Creating and Using Them In Life, Career and Business

Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason to create a count down calendar. A count down calendar starts with Franklin Covey’s philosophy, "start with the end in mind."

The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar is that it makes you think and focus harder as well as makes the planning easier.

First, you write down the exact results you want or expect. Let’s say you have a teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you are delivering on X date. This becomes your D-day -- sort of speaking. It may be end of the event planning, however, it can also be the beginning of your follow-up plan. For simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day point.

Now you can prepare a count down calendar in several ways. One way would be to use a calendar with the days of the month filled in. You mark down the D-day and then you back track from there to today.

Count down the days until __________. Number of marketing days to go until __________.

Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 marketing days to go until seminar.

Any doesn't matter which calendar method you use, you will need to write down your measurements or your mini-results that will deliver the end results you want. I use the pivoting question, "What is it going to take to..." to get my thinking moving in the right direction. I like to think through and write these on the back of my calendars. This gives me a bird’s eye view for that particular commitment that my software does not provide.

Another way would be to use a blank form like this with the appropriate number of days in between. Then cross out the days that you will do any marketing -- say Sundays or days filled with other requirements. For my teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular calendar for these. In fact, I use green color paper to print out the calendar.

If you don't want to create your own, visit your local office supply store, they have countdown calendars available for purchase (blank planning books).

A third way to complete a countdown calendar would be to complete it in a linear form.

Day 21: Speaking event results I desire -- describe those results.

Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinko’s.

Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail to organizer.

To Day 1: Today.

Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, like teleclasses, you can create a linear countdown calendar like the one above. Eventually you will see a consistent pattern of to-dos.

At that point, don't stop doing this with the thinking you have it down pat and you don't need to. This will jump up and bite you in the assets fairly quickly by bogging down your mind and making you wonder if you are missing something. If that occurs, jump back into the habit, it is a great one to have. Even if it is frustrating because it takes thinking time.

Once you have your count down calendar completed then you can enter it into your automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or Act. This will track all your deadlines, goals, and projects. You will have a separate count down calendar for each one.

SWOT Analysis -- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

When conducting strategic planning for any company -- online and/or offline -- it is useful to complete an analysis that takes into account not only your own business, but your competitors' activities and current industry happenings as well. A SWOT is one such analysis.

Completing a SWOT analysis helps you identify ways to minimize the affect of weaknesses in your business while maximizing your strengths. Ideally, you will match your strengths against market opportunities that result from voids in your competitors' products and/or services.

Traditionally, a SWOT confines strengths and weaknesses to your company's internal workings while opportunities and threats refer only to the external environment. Here, I suggest a twist to the "text book" approach. To get a better look at the big picture, consider both internal *and* external forces when uncovering opportunities and threats.

A Basic SWOT Analysis

You can develop the basic analysis in a brainstorming session with members of your company, or by yourself if you are a one-person shop. To begin the analysis create a four- cell grid or four lists, one for each component:

| Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities | Threats |

Then, begin filling in the lists.

Strengths. Think about what your company does well. Some questions to help you get started are: What makes you stand out from your competitors? What advantages do you have over other businesses?

Weaknesses. List the areas that are a struggle for your company. Some questions to help you get started are: What do your customers complain about? What are the unmet needs of your sales force?

Opportunities. Traditionally, a SWOT looks only at the external environment for opportunities. I suggest you look externally for areas your competitors are not fully covering, then go a step further and think how to match these to your internal strengths.

Try to uncover areas where your strengths are not being fully utilized. Are there emerging trends that fit with your company's strengths? Is there a product/service area that others have not yet covered?

Threats. As with opportunities, threats in a traditional SWOT analysis are considered an external force. By looking both inside and outside of your company for things that could damage your business, however, you may be better able to see the big picture.

Some questions to get you started: Are your competitors becoming stronger? Are there emerging trends that amplify one of your weaknesses? Do you see other external threats to your company's success? Internally, do you have financial, development, or other problems?

Expanded SWOT Analysis

You can take an additional step beyond a traditional "text book" SWOT analysis by delving deeper into industry dynamics. A more in-depth SWOT analysis can help you better understand your company's competitive situation.

One way to step beyond a traditional SWOT analysis is to include more detailed competitor information in the analysis. Note Internet-related activities such as trade organization participation, search engine inclusion, and outside links to the sites. This will better help you spot opportunities for and threats to your company.

You can also take a closer look at the business environment. Often, opportunities arise as a result of a changing business environment. Some examples are:

A new trend develops for which demand outstrips the supply of quality options. Early on, the trend toward healthy eating coupled with an insistence on good-tasting food produced a shortage of acceptable natural food alternatives, for example.

A customer segment is becoming more predominant, but their specific needs are not being fully met by your competitors. The U.S. Hispanic population experienced this phenomenon in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

A customer, competitor, or supplier goes out of business or merges with another company. With the demise of many pure- play "dot coms", examples of this abound. As each went out of business, opportunities arise to gain the defunct business’ customers.

You can also expand the reach of a SWOT analysis through surveys. You can learn more about your own as well as competitor’s sites and businesses. Areas to consider researching include 1) customer awareness, interest, trial, and usage levels, 2) brand, site, and/or company image, 3) importance of different site or product attributes to your customers, and 4) product and/or site performance.

Whether using a basic or more advanced approach to SWOT analysis, you are sure to come away with newfound insights. Use these to increase your company's effectiveness and as input into your business or marketing plan.

Optimizing Your Email Marketing

Email Campaigns

Email marketing can be a tremendously valuable tool for web businesses. Because it is so fast, cheap and easy, and because it is everywhere, email lends itself ideally to direct marketing. In this day and age, to say that the whole world is on the Web is not a stretch. Hundreds of millions of people plug into the Web on a regular basis.

Most regular internet users have an email address. Now that access to the Internet is available on PDAs and mobile phones, people can literally be reached anytime and anywhere. The capacity to send and receive email, and thus communicate with a large audience about your product, is huge and ever-broadening. Even though you only want to focus your email campaigns on those who have expressed an interest in your product, the way of attracting and finding large numbers of those targeted prospects is easier via the Internet.

There is no faster way to get your marketing message into the homes of consumers than through email. Additionally, no other method is less expensive. Other than internet access costs, which are likely already incurred for general use, emailing costs nothing. Unlike with direct mail, there are no printing or postage costs. Email allows you to reach potentially large numbers of people instantaneously for free.

Optimize Your Email Campaign

There are ways to optimize any email campaign. Valiss can help you direct your campaign to a targeted group of consumers and avoid crossing that line between responsible consumer communications and annoying spam. Our experts know how to use email marketing to enhance your web presence and convert prospects into loyal customers.

Ted Prodromou spent over 25 years in the computer industry working for IBM, Digital, and Cellular one. Today he's the owner of Valiss IT, a consulting firm that provides small business coaching and marketing help. He’s also a certified personal and professional coach.

Ted has created and led many coaching workshops and today is helping small businesses automate their marketing with his latest coaching program, "Attract Clients While You Sleep".