How to Turn Your Marketing Into a Money-Making Machine - Setting The Stage For Successful Marketing
Powerful Marketing has become elusive to many companies seeking
strong sales results and overall growth. The sad truth is that Marketing
comes across as a rather frustrating process. After all, how do you
guarantee the outcome of a campaign when it is unclear what will work
and what will not? As someone once said, 90% of Advertising doesn't
work-the question is, which 90%! If we could hone in on that 10% that does work, we would do more of it,
right? The good news is that there is a way, and it is through a scientific
approach to our Marketing efforts. But before we can expect to see any
results, our mindset must be a focused one, and that requires being on
the same page with others on our team, and having solid sources of
information (and inspiration!) accessible to allow us to forge ahead in a
new direction. Getting There There is a place where ideas can happen, where our flowing creativity
can give rise to new ways, new possibilities in our thinking. If we are
going to increase our Marketing results, that openness must be firmly in
place, allowing ideas to bounce freely and solutions to present
themselves. If you are not convinced that your Marketing needs help, ask yourself
these questions (and get your team involved!): * Am I, or are we as a company, resisting change? * Are there those on our team who come up with great ideas but these
are quickly shot down in favor of the status quo? * Is our Marketing stale, lacking life, and not producing for us? A "yes" answer to one or more of these questions means that there is
room for improvement. And unless you and others involved are
determined that change is essential, it will never happen, and any
potentially great idea will never come to fruition. Places to Start One undeniable place to start, once you have decided to charge ahead,
is a most excellent book titled Scientific Advertising. This brilliant
publication, which came out in 1923 (no less than 80+ ago!), was written
by a very successful adman, Mr. Claude Hopkins. As the title clearly suggests, Marketing and Advertising can indeed be
approached scientifically. Through tracking of various efforts-the
success of a headline, copy, the rate of response to a coupon, or other
call to action-what works can be determined, as well as what doesn't.
In a nutshell, follow Claude Hopkins' ideas even today, and you will turn
your Marketing 180 degrees. As the preface to the book says (and I paraphrase somewhat here):
"This book is hopelessly out of date, but amazingly current." To those who know this powerful book, it is the Bible of Marketing. Read
it, and read it again. Implement what it propounds, and you will see the
changes-the content is as true today as it was when it was first
published. Use this as your starting point, and see your Marketing truly produce the
results that you expect. Never again leave campaigns to chance, and
really know what works towards creating a money-making machine! Josh Barinstein is President of Red Frog, Inc., the Portland, Oregon ad
agency that provides worry-free experiences and powerful results in the
areas of Marketing, Print design, Web/CD-ROM development, and
Video production. Learn more at http://www.RedFrogInc.com or by calling 888-955-0550. You have permission to distribute this article as long as all of the text
contained herein remains intact.
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