Email newsletters can be an effective marketing tool when they contain online coupons.
Businesses use marketing to increase brand awareness among consumers, promote new products and generate buzz about advertising campaigns. Successful marketing efforts can have a lasting effect, transforming everyday products into something special because of the way information about the products is creatively presented. While traditional marketing tools may incorporate newspaper ads, radio spots and store signage, you may be looking for something different--amazing, even--when it comes to marketing tools. Learning what marketing tools are available can help you develop amazing marketing campaigns.
Social Networking
Since many people spend at least part of their day on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, using these sites as marketing tools can be particularly effective. Create an account for your company, then jump-start your "fans," "friends" and "followers" base by offering special discounts or a grand prize sweepstakes to those who join, add or "like" your social networking page. Periodically offer incentives for customers to upload photos to your page related to marketing strategies (for example, a pet store can offer a drawing with a store gift certificate as a prize for customers who upload a photo of their pooch to the store's social networking account.) Integrating with people's personal lives is an excellent way to build a rapport with customers, enhancing brand loyalty.
Use email as an amazing marketing tool to boost your company presence online by sending monthly newsletters highlighting special online coupons, industry news and tips related to your business. Occasionally feature profiles of loyal customers whose lives have been positively affected by your business. For example, a car mechanic marketing newsletter might contain a news tidbit about a surfer customer who plans to drive from Southern California to Nicaragua on an extended surf trip after having his car serviced at the auto shop. Since most people's inboxes are inundated with junk mail, take care to send newsletters infrequently enough that their arrival feels like something special. Daily or weekly marketing newsletter may be overkill.
Word of Mouth
When it comes to amazing marketing tools, nothing compares to old-fashioned word of mouth referrals. Market your business by offering incentives to customers who frequently refer new clients to the company. For example, a catering business might offer a catered cinnamon roll and fresh coffee office breakfast party to companies referring three new corporate clients during the winter holiday season for company parties. On a smaller scale, a printing company might offer to print 100 free business cards for clients who refer a specified number of new customers during a pre-set amount of time. Specifying a time frame creates a helpful sense of urgency for clients to make referrals immediately; it also reduces the additional paperwork and tracking involved for you so that it's not a year-round responsibility.
Freebies
People respond amazingly well to freebies; most customers will pause at the grocery store to sample foods that they normally wouldn't consider buying just because the item is offered for free. Use freebies as a marketing tool by giving away inexpensive products emblazoned with your company logo. Items such as pens, small notepads and key chains are items people will look at repeatedly, further cementing brand recognition and loyalty.
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