Ottaway Communication, Inc.

GETTING YOUR BUSINESS MORE SALES: FREE INFORMATION

We are amazed at the difference in attitude we see in the first quarter of this year when contrasted against the first quarter of last year. The change for the positive is overwhelming. Most of you see the economy coming back and are planning for it. That is not to say that people aren’t moving with caution…they are, of course, but people see opportunity now where they didn’t at this point last year. Remember the NYSE low of March 9, 2009 when Ford and Citibank were at about $1.00 a share?

So, what to do now? Where to go to get more leads?

1. BULK EMAIL DISTRIBUTION: This is an important element of all annual budgets. If done improperly, if can backfire. If done well, it is very cost effective and powerful. We have a system set up to develop your offer and get it out quickly and effortlessly. Don’t overlook an email blast!

2. ADVERTISE “ONE 2 ONE” VERSUS MASS MEDIA: Budgets are generally smaller now, and therefore mass media doesn’t make sense for many businesses. Using direct marketing…whether search, postal or email…you will be able to see the response…and the interest. The added benefit is the “free market research” that we can provide you too. You’ll know quite quickly what people are interested in and what they don’t care about. This allows us to move your advertising budget into the best responding campaigns. No need to spend where people don’t want to buy.

3. CHARITY BEGINS IN THE STORE/OFFICE: Make no mistake about it, even in tough times; people want to help others who are less fortunate than they. You absolutely, positively must connect with a charity. The big guns are doing it with great success, and you can too. What’s nice is that everybody wins. We keep suggesting ideas to clients and they seem to think that it sounds like work. Well, it is, but that’s what we do. Pepsi dropped their Super Bowl sponsorship in favor of allocating $20 million to charitable causes and set up a website to let their customers participate. Theirs is an intricate plan, but yours doesn’t have to be. Get involved with an organization that makes sense for your business and that would make a good partner. Your customers will thank you, especially the younger ones.

We have plenty of great marketing ideas below, so please take a look. If there are topics that you’d like to see us address, please email me at bottaway@ottaway.net. We welcome your feedback. And, speaking of feedback, thanks for the many complimentary comments on our sales newsletters. We appreciate it!

Focus, plan and sell,

Bob Ottaway, President

FREE MARKETING INFORMATION FROM
OTTAWAY DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

Here’s more helpful stuff we know you’ll find useful:

1. Change in media spending in 2009. Top 10 category changes: Spanish Language Cable TV (+32.2%); Cable TV (+14.8%); Free Standing Coupons in Sunday Newspaper (+11.5%); Internet (+0.1%); Spanish Language Network TV (-3.9%); National Sunday Supplement (-7.2%); Spot Radio (-8.7%); Network Radio (-9.7%); Network TV (-9.9%); Local Newspaper (-10.4%).

2. Buy online, pickup at store. Watch this category. It is gaining steam. The idea was toted loudest by Circuit City, and they still disappeared, but Sears is experimenting with it online and even offering to let you sell your products on their site. Check it out at: https://seller.marketplace.sears.com/SellerPortal/d/help/about_marketplace.jsp#SellOnSears. Certainly this is something that is worth considering in some form if you have a store front.

3. Website Refreshing. According to a recent survey the top two reasons the companies are updating their websites are: (1) Better organized and updated home, category and product pages. 43.7% (2) Better search engine optimization. 40.2% InternetRetailer.com

4. Mobile Phone Advertising Is Rising. The total spent in 2009 was $760 million. It is expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2012. Make sure that you have pages on your site ready for mobile. If you don’t, call us.

5. Social Media—Not As Easy As It Looks. This from a group of experts interviewed in the New York Times. According to Jason Liebman of Howcast Media: “What’s often not factored into social media campaigns is the time to cultivate a following and fans. Social media channels require someone to actively manage them, and that’s often a greater investment than an advertising campaign in terms of manpower. NYT, 2.25.2010, p B6. We steadfastly concur.