Do Business Well

Types of Media

1. Direct mail. Direct mail can be very effective, though you’ll be fighting hard for attention in a medium that is saturated with highly sophisticated competition. What follows are some general rules for reaching a list of known customers, whether business to business or consumer:

A. Start with the envelope. Print something intriguing on the outside that will make your target curious about the contents. One mass mailer who sends our company at least two or three mailings per week puts “personal and confidential” on the envelope. It’s amazing, but folks are actually more likely to open that envelope first.

Another way to differentiate your mailing piece is to send it in anything except a standard white business envelope. How about hot pink? Maybe a nine by twelve with all of your ad material flat instead of folded? Mailing tubes really call for attention. We have had people mail our water bottles with their literature inside. We have had advertising piecesarrive by UPS or Federal Express . . . an expensive—but effective—way to get attention.

B. Most mail gets opened eventually, with or without a clever envelope or method of delivery. The real test is whether your customer will read what you send and act on it. By farthe most effective way to ensure a careful reading is a personal letter, but the recipient must believe it is personal.

Most people recognize the ability of computers to create mass “personal letters.” However, if the source of a lettermight be expected to send a truly personal letter, then it’slikely to be perceived as such. If recipients are active customers, for example, they’ll be more likely to believe the letteris directed to them only.

The least sophisticated personal computers can create letters that automatically merge the name and address of your customer, and sprinkle the name throughout the letter. This type of letter should be sent in a standard white business envelope with your company’s logo on the outside.

If the “personal” approach is not appropriate for your mailing, the next most effective method is a “gotcha.” The most outrageous gotcha we ever sent was a brochure with a party theme accompanied by a sprinkling of confetti. This was strategically designed to sprinkle the recipient on opening the brochure. Some of the recipients appreciated the humor more than others, but we were remembered.

At the very least you must catch the attention of thereader with the headline of your brochure or the openingline of your letter. It’s usually a good idea to use one of the “gotcha” words such as: free, save, guarantee, special, win,last chance, limited, new. Of course this line will almostalways contain at least one “you.” For example:”This is your last chance to take advantage of our special offer to save 50 percent on one of our new, guaranteed, Harlenfitzers. If you respond by July 15 you’ll also be entitled to a free tool kit, and a chance to win an all-expenses^-paid two days and four nights in beautiful downtown Cleveland.” We used to have a company called National Sales Head‑quarters. To get attention, we put out a newsletter called the “National Sales Enquirer.” We played off that name with outrageous headlines and stories that were purely designed to entertain. We used the names of well-known individuals in the industry (everybody likes to see their name in print), and used pictures and graphics to create a sharp look. Sprinkled in between the fun were serious articles about our products, special offers, and updates on our company’s plans.

C. Make certain that you ask for the order in the ad. Make it easy for the customer to place the order with an order blank, 800 number, and complete information on prices, terms, and delivery.

Somewhere in the copy, usually near the end, you’ll want to include words to this effect: “Don’t delay. Place your order for two dozen of our professional-quality hair dryers today, and you’ll receive two free. Mail your check with the order form below and shipping is free.

Just as with the personal sales call, you need to close the deal. Without a line such as the above, the average customer will read your information and think: “That company has some pretty nice things. I should order something from them sometime.” This is not the effect you are after. You want them to make a decision to order before they put the ad aside. So ask them to place their order now, and then make it as easy as possible. In today’s marketplace, you’ll lose business if you don’t offer an 800 number. They’re not expensive, and they’ll pay for themselves many times over.

People are still very intrigued by their fax machines. Offering a quick and easy way to order by fax can only add to your response rate and reduce your cost of handling orders.

2. Yellow Pages. Almost any business that is serving a local community will get its best return on the advertising dollar from the Yellow Pages. When I owned a retail store, I took the largest ad available, even though (or especially since) I had the smallest store in town. There was never a question that the ad was worth every penny. One day the phone started ringing off the hook. I finally asked a caller how he’d heard about my store. It turned out this was the day the phone books had been distributed.

Carefully investigate and evaluate the various Yellow Pages alternatives in your community. After asking around you’ll probably be able to determine which Yellow Pages are working best for other businesses similar to yours. Take the largest display ad you can afford in the best phone book. Order smaller displays in the lesserbooks.

Provide your potential customers with a clear-cut reason forshopping with you, rather than competitors listed in the same directory. Create a headline that clearly spells out the difference: longer hours, more selection, easy access, better service, never undersold, exclusive brand name, unique services or offerings.

Only a few very small businesses have realized the potential of local 800 numbers. The cost for such service is quite reasonable. With all the changes in phone company tariffs over the years the average consumer has no idea whether his call to you will be a toll call or not. If this customer is trying to decide whether to call you or your competitor, the fact that you have a toll free line could make all the difference. As an added benefit, you’ll like the convenience of being able to call your store or office from anywhere using your 800 number rather than coins or a calling card.

You will be paying thousands of dollars per year for the space in Yellow Pages ads. Spend the five hundred dollars or so to have a good graphic artist help you prepare the ad. The Yellow Pages rep may be quite competent at laying out ads, but he’s undoubtedly done it hundreds of times and may be in a rut. This will mean your ad will look like all the rest. You want to stand out!

3. Television. TV is still outside the reach of most very small businesses. Realistically, it wouldn’t be an appropriate medium for most small companies, even if the costs were much lower.

For those who want to try television, cable has opened the door to a lower-cost opportunity. There are companies in most areas now who offer a complete package for putting you on TV. They’ll help you write the script, tape the commercial, and buy the air time. Be careful. This is a new area, and there are folks out there who’ll rip you off. Thoroughly check their references with an eye to successful campaigns they’ve produced.

1. Radio. A very effective media for many very small businesses is radio, because it allows you to inexpensively target a specific demographic group in your local area. An upscale restaurant might find that a classical or jazz music station brings the highest return on its advertising investment. Business-to-business advertisers should consider drive-time, all-news, or talk show programs. Companies hoping to reach full-time moms could look to a Christian radio station or one offering household tips.
2. Other media. Some of the best results I’ve heard of over the years have come from unusual advertising approaches. For example:
3. A. The bank that used placards on the back of the local bus line to advertise its services. Since each ad consisted only of a clever headline and the bank’s name, the entire cost of the campaign was the placement and the copy writing.
4. The retailer who told me he got more business from three bus bench ads than from any other source.
5. Businesses that put prominent advertising on the products they sell. Car dealers have been putting their name on the license plate holder for years. Some are so bold as to create a chrome name plate that is permanently attached to the car.
6. There’s no reason you can’t do the same. Take a look at every item you sell. Is there some way you can add your name and phone number without detracting from the value?
7. If you repair products, design an attractive decal with an easy-to-remove adhesive back that you can place on each item you repair. A chain of auto tune-up shops did this and wound up with hundreds of thousands of cars driving around their territory with the company logo in the rear window. It was soon clear to the rest of the population that lots of folks were using the services of this company.
8.  If you’re a service provider or sell an item where there is just no way to put your name on your product, consider gifts bearing your name. A close friend of mine has given away an executive date book with his name and phone number on the inside cover for years and years. One year he decided to stop this practice and save a little money. In no time at all he was besieged with phone calls wanting to know where this year’s book was. Several years ago, we spent seventeen dollars apiece to purchase one hundred Cross pens with our corporate logo on the pocket clip. We made a big deal of handing these out one at a time to our best customers. If we had sent out a pen of lower value, we could not have made such a big deal of it. In addition, the customer would probably not have kept it as long. Moreover, we made a statement about the quality of our company.
9. Do you realize how inexpensive it is to send out door hangers? If I owned a restaurant, I’d pepper the local neighborhood with copies of my menu and some kind of special offer for my otherwise slowest night.

Video rental shops can create a flier with the latest releases and a list of two-for-one specials. Even the local jewelry store could offer a special sale open only to those in the neighborhood. Movie theaters, dentists, bike shops, photo studios, and shoe stores should all be concentrating on their closest potential customers. It’s amazing how many people within a mile of your business don’t even know thatyou’re there.

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