Archive for March, 2009
Marketing Lesson From World’s Greatest Swindler…
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been following the case of convicted swindler Bernie Madoff with some interest.
The amounts involved are quite mind-boggling…
…he’s reckoned to have defrauded his victims of over US$65 BILLION (around A$100 billion!).
Now, many (if not all) great swindles rely on a shrewd understanding of human nature…
…and so can provide marketers with some useful insights.
In the case of Bernie Madoff, what caught my eye was…
Still Seeing This Email Marketing Blunder…
Posted by: | CommentsPosted recently about the importance of the “From” line in your emails…
…and how people I would have expected to know better were making a BIG mistake.
The blunder I was seeing…
Image Advertising And Branding Unlikely To Produce Results…
Posted by: | Comments…in this marketing case study.
Just back from a trip to the UK and came across a case that provides a useful example of the limitations of conventional “Image Advertising” and brand building…
…even when you have a great product.
On my trips back to the UK I usually hire a car, typically from Avis.
In the past, it’s been a Ford or a Peugeot but this time…
…my heart sank when I saw the car.
How To Make Virtually Any Product Or Service Feel Unique
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve often mentioned the work of legendary copywriter and marketer Claude Hopkins.
He was one of the pioneers of direct response marketing and many of the techniques that we today regard as fundamental.
Reading through a newsletter today, I was reminded of one of the most successful of his campaigns…
…and how it can help you make virtually any product or service feel unique (even if you’re in a market where most of the offerings are similar).
The campaign was for…
Looking Ahead – Marketing Calendar April 2009
Posted by: | CommentsTime for our monthly look ahead at coming events that can provide focus for a marketing campaign or promotion.
The big event, of course is Easter.
This year Good Friday falls on April 10 and Easter Sunday on April 13.
In Australia, ANZAC Day is on April 25.
Also we have…
Are You Making The Most Of This Marketing Tactic?
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s a very effective marketing tactic that’s called different names but it boils down to offering customers additional items to complement their primary purchase.
McDonald’s is known for the “Do you want fries with that” tactic.
Amazon has the “Customers who bought this…also bought this”.
Out and about yesterday, I came across two examples that illustrate this tactic and might give you some ideas about how to apply it in marketing in your own business.
Marketing Lesson From A Very “Strange But True” Story…
Posted by: | CommentsIt would be hard to make this up.
Over in the USA…
“US authorities say a Florida woman phoned 911 three times after McDonald’s employees told her they were out of Chicken McNuggets.”
(“Woman Calls 911 After McDonald’s Runs Out Of Nuggets”)
Now, reading the story a little more closely, I do have a smidgen of sympathy for the woman (after all, she had ordered and paid well in advance, apparently).
However…
Simple Marketing Tip From A Baker To Boost Sales…
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been re-reading a number of old newsletters from marketing maestro Jay Abraham.
One of the points Jay makes is to allow your clients to purchase in the amounts and terms that suit them.
So it’s always worth testing an option for the customer to “buy in bulk”.
This is quite common in mail order campaigns for consumable products (vitamins or cosmetics, for example) where you’ll often see 3 options (1, 3 or 6 units for example).
Now, I came across a slight variation of this idea today at my local “Bakers Delight” shop…
Marketing And Using Curiosity To Engage Your Reader…
Posted by: | CommentsCuriosity is an extremely powerful force.
As human beings we have this “need to know”.
In particular, we “need to know what happens…next”.
What we in the copywriting and marketing fraternity sometimes refer to as…
