Now that we’re about to experience Super Bowl XLV, what’s next? Five years ago in this column, I acknowledged -- duh! -- Anniversary X. Here's a reprise of that column, amended slightly to bring some points up to date.
Welcome to the February edition of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips from JDK Marketing Communications Management.
February 14, Valentine’s Day, marks the fifteenth anniversary of JDK Marketing Communications Management. In this span of time, we’ve been fortunate to expand our client industry representation to nearly 50 different and varied companies while broadening our capabilities to some 23 “ways...to help bring business your way.”
Thank you's are in order to: my "stable" of fine creative talents (i.e. graphic designers, photographers, videographers, web developers) and commercial printer resources; business colleagues for their friendship, counsel and referrals; and, of course, to my clients who have given me the opportunity to not only make them look good, but me as well. You are all among my readers here and I appreciate your efforts in my behalf.
There, I’ve said what I wanted to…and kept it reasonably short.
Since I've been occasionally chided for being too wordy in some of my NYUM Tips, I’m trying to be more mindful of that particular proclivity. (Though obviously not enough, you see, to resist alliterative turns of phrase.)
But the point to be brief and concise is, generally, well advised.
As marketing guru Robert Middleton -- http://www.actionplan.com/ -- points out:
“Since all marketing is about communication, the faster you can get your message across, the better results you'll typically get...
”Some places you can use the short message technique:
”1. On the home page of your web site. People want to be able to glance at this one page, read a few words and know what you're about. You need to go beyond a few bullet points, but you don't need several long paragraphs outlining every single thing your business offers.
”2. In an email that points to more detailed information on a web page. In tests I've done, a message that was only 84 words got 50% more click-throughs than a message that was 284 words.
”3. In an Audio Logo. A concise statement in ten words or less saying who you work with and the problems you address will almost always generate more interest than a long-winded description of what you do, who you do it for and how you're different.
”4. In a phone message left on voice mail. Saying your name, company name and your phone number will generally get more return calls that a big recorded sales spiel that often convinces your prospect that they definitely don't need your services.
”5. In an answer to the question: ‘Tell me more about your services,’ it's better to tell a little and then ask a question than it is to give an itemized list of every service you offer.”
…And I think I’ll end it right here, before I’m accused of doing what I said I wasn’t going to do.
See you again the first Tuesday of next month for another “trying-not-to-be-too-wordy” edition of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips.
Joel Kweskin
joel@jdkmarketing.biz
704.846.4835
704.575.8850
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