5 Ways to Improve Your Marketing Right Now

I drafted this for a handout for Home Builders & Remodelers which I never handed out but wanted to share with you.

1. What Brought You Here Today?
   The five most important words you can ask a prospect walking through the door. You don’t need to beat the answer out of them but your sales team should be direct in trying to expose the driver. Was it an ad? Was it a referral? They weren’t just driving by. Something made them pull over and walk into your house. What was it? This helps you determine where your marketing dollars have more impact. You don't water a dead plant.
   
2. Consistency
   You may be bored with your advertising but your prospects aren’t. Research shows it takes an average of 7 impression of an advertising message to get it to stick. Throwing changeups doesn’t help matters. Establish a theme and stick with it. Evolve your marketing message over time. No drastic changes. Be consistent.
   
3. Don’t Confuse Branding w/ Selling
   You can run two kinds of campaigns. Long term branding and short term selling. Never should the two meet unless you want to be known as the lord of deep discounts. Coke is a great example. Coke ads don’t pitch price – RETAILERS pitch price. If you start pitching price, don’t be surprised at the sophistication level of clientele that you will start to attract. Fanta, anyone?
   
4. Pick Your Target
   You can’t be all things to all people so don’t waste your time trying. Instead, decide which types of customers you serve best and focus on serving them ever better. Be the niche guy (or girl) and peripheral business will follow. 20 years ago, someone at Cadillac had the great idea of creating an entry level product. You may remember the Cimarron which was basically a Chevy Cavalier with leather seats and the shield. Do you think the Cimarron helped or hurt Cadillac in the long run? Ferrari doesn’t make pickup trucks. A Volvo Boxter doesn’t make sense. A cheap Lexus doesn't make sense.
   
5. Find the Need and Fill It
   Let’s face it, everyone wants to serve the empty-nester or the upwardly mobile young professional market. The problem is that we live in NORTHEAST OHIO. People don't buy second homes here. Young professionals don't flock to the suburbs. Build what they’re buying. Market it right. Live to sell another day.