The Silent Salesmen E-Book

Mitch Carson

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 248

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

How to create a successful promotional product campaign for any business According to award-winning direct marketer Mitch Carson, business owners and marketers should understand the value of using promotional items for business growth, and how to create successful promotional product campaigns. In The Silent Salesmen, Carson introduces his proven, simple promotional product strategies that are guaranteed to increase sales and profits. Business owners and marketers will discover step-by-step tips on how to develop and implement a versatile marketing plan that encompasses ready-to-use samples of sales materials paired with unique and memorable promotional products. Combined, these tools will make for an extremely effective (and profitable) marketing message.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Foreword

PREFACE

Making Promotional Products Work for You

Benefits of Promotional Product Marketing

Ready to Get Started?

Acknowledgements

CHAPTER 1 - The Potency of Promotional Products

Your Customers Need You

Psychology of Promotion

Sales Promotion

Public Relations

Human Resources

CHAPTER 2 - Your Marketing Plan

Current Situation

Measurable Objectives

Marketing Strategy

Action Plan and Budget

CHAPTER 3 - Advertising

Advertising Basics

Sequential Mailings

Direct Mail

E-Mail Marketing

Advertising

Web Site Marketing

CHAPTER 4 - Trade Show Marketing

Maximizing Trade Shows with Promotional Products

Phases of Trade Show Marketing

Before the Show

At the Show

After the Show

CHAPTER 5 - Sales Promotion

Setting Objectives

Duration

Selecting Strategies

Developing Tactics to Meet Objectives

Putting the Promotion into Action

Developing Goodwill

Increasing Response Rates and Expenditure

Types of Sales Promotions

Reward the Promoters of the Promotion

CHAPTER 6 - Public Relations

Promotional Products and Public Relations

Public Relations Programs

Sample Press Releases

CHAPTER 7 - Human Resources

Psychology of Motivation

Training

Motivation and Morale

CHAPTER 8 - Tap into the Power

CHAPTER 9 - Silent Salesmen Workbook

The New Reality

Business Profile

Focus on the Future

Seven Emotional Appeals That Stimulate Action

Identify Your Target Market

Identify and Analyze Your Competition

Entice Your Prospects to Contact You

Identifying Your Unique Comparative Advantage

Effective Marketing

Getting More New Customers

CHAPTER 10 - Million-Dollar Case Studies

Trash Can Mailer

Newsletter Article Promotion

X-Ray Mailer

Sweet Mailer Programs

Sample Carpet Cleaning Promotion

Sample Dentist Program

Sample Realtor Program

Sample UPS Store Program

Sample Insurance Sequential Mailers

Holiday Promotions

Gemstone Promotions

Anniversary Promotions

Success Stories

GLOSSARY OF USEFUL TERMS

RESOURCE GUIDE

INDEX

Copyright © 2009 by Mitch Carson. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Carson, Mitch, 1960- The silent salesmen : guaranteed strategies for increasing sales and profits using promotional products / Mitch Carson. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.

eISBN : 978-0-470-47872-1

To my late mother, Geraldine Carson: You always said I could do and be whatever I wanted. Well, mom, your son is finally a published author.

FOREWORD

Eight years ago on a hot autumn day in Phoenix, Arizona, I met Mitch Carson for the first time. He was sitting with a business partner in a restaurant and because I was by myself, he took note and used an open palm gesture to point out the empty chair. Without having said a word, I understood what Mitch meant and grabbed a seat at his table. We began talking, quickly found we had a lot in common, and eventually became good friends.

Over the course of the next hour, Mitch and I spoke about many subjects—but we always came back to two of our favorites: martial arts and marketing.

Although Mitch never made mention of his illustrious background as a karate fighting champion, I was well aware that I was sitting next to someone with great skill; someone who didn’t need to blow his horn. His skills were written all over his face and body. You could see the discipline in his posture, the focus in his eyes, and the determination carved into the marrow of his bones.

Perhaps of even greater importance, when speaking to Mitch I knew I was dealing with someone who didn’t need to put on airs. I knew I was talking to someone who was giving me the straight scoop. There’s something about a human being who trains his mind and body for years, then enters the ring and emerges victorious time and again. In Mitch’s case, it’s the quiet, calming confidence of a champion. Anyone who has won nearly 300 grand championships has developed his internal power to the point that his external world will reflect it.

And this leads to my most important point about Mitch: Champion athletes and martial artists, at the highest levels of accomplishment, are often also extraordinary entrepreneurs. They already know about having goals, being focused, and adding energy to your every action. They know how to deliver a punch that improves sales. They know how to throw lightning fast, nearly invisible combinations of punches and kicks that knock doors down and get people to take action. They know when to hit hard—when to hit softly—and when to walk away.

I’ve watched Mitch take failing businesses and punch up their sales with The Silent Salesmen approach to marketing. I’ve seen him take businesses that were already doing well and explode their profits. And I’ve watched him calmly walk onto a stage and stand before large groups of men and women who didn’t want to spend a dime on another product or service. An hour later, these same people clamored around Mitch begging him to take their money. Not a single person in the room felt “sold.” Every single person who bought from him, believed deep down in his gut that Mitch was helping him or her go to the next level in business.

That he was.

The truth is there are hundreds of riveting stories I could tell you about Mitch Carson and what he has done for so many—but there are two things I want to leave you with that will give you deep insight into the soul and character of this fine man.

The first is the phrase: “I’m going to get good at this.” I’ll never forget the day that Mitch began his radio show in Los Angeles. To put it mildly, Mitch’s first show was not the best I’ve ever heard. In fact, you might say it flat out stunk. Afterward though, Mitch was not discouraged. He realized he had a lot of improvements to make and he was determined to do whatever it takes to get good.

“I became a champion in karate by making mistakes and correcting them,” said Mitch. “I’ll do the same with radio.”

That he did. Today, Mitch interviews people from all over the world on his show, and I’ve never heard of a single guest being disappointed.

The second take-away phrase I learned from Mitch was: “No one is going to give more than me.”

The first time I heard Mitch say this I was taken aback. Instead of hearing him say he was going to make more money than anyone else, he was saying he was going to give more than others.

You might think this idea antithetical to running a great business, but Mitch has proven time and again that giving is not just good, it’s great.

When you give to your prospects and customers, you send The Silent Salesmen into their subconscious minds. Everything you give—and much more—comes back to you.

In The Silent Salesmen, Mitch Carson gives you more than anyone will ever give you on this subject. Follow his advice and your business profits will soar.

MATT FUREY www.mattfurey.com

PREFACE

Congratulations! You are on the verge of discovering the astounding power of promotional products. For those of you new to this exciting marketing tool, promotional products are generally useful, and often decorative, items imprinted with a company’s name, logo, or message and used in marketing and communications programs. The ultimate intent is to generate more revenue for the company handing out the promotional gifts by giving potential customers something to remember the company by. Though use of promotional products may seem like a simple marketing solution today, the industry itself had a somewhat staggered start.

Let’s take a look at one of the first recorded uses of promotional products. Research shows that in 1789, when George Washington was elected president, commemorative buttons were distributed to the public during the election. Wooden specialties, the Farmers’ Almanac, and advertising calendars can all be traced back to the early 1800s. However, it wasn’t until the latter part of the nineteenth century that a large quantity of promotional products were marketed, helping to create the industry as it is known today.

Making Promotional Products Work for You

You may be wondering how this form of advertising can work for your company. Whether you are looking for a way to motivate your staff, generate more business, encourage customer referrals, increase trade show traffic, introduce a new product, or support your community, promotional products are the answer. Promotional products are used in several ways. Corporate CEOs award employees with desktop accessories or apparel, glassware items or technology toys with logos engraved, screenprinted, or embroidered as an incentive to continue working hard. Marketing departments design products with company names and logos on them and give them away at VIP openings or fund-raising events.

The effectiveness of promotional products is clear. Research shows that customers, both new and old, who receive promotional products return sooner and reorder more quickly and more frequently than those who receive no promotional incentives.

Benefits of Promotional Product Marketing

The key value of promotional products is in their unique ability to carry a message to a well-defined audience. Because the products are useful to and appreciated by the recipients, they are retained and used, repeating the imprinted message many times without added cost to the advertiser.

Promotional products have the following attributes. They:

• Are flexible: You can offer a wide variety of items to various target markets. They can be useful, commemorative, funny, and even controversial.

• Are tangible and long lasting: By offering useful and consumable items, recipients are likely to hang onto your gift, many for up to one year.

• Offer easily measured impact: You’ll know exactly who received your items and, through simple management of your promotional program, you know exactly which items are most effective for your markets.

• Provide higher perceived value: Consumers consistently cite the perceived value of promotional products as a key influencer in purchasing decisions, far outweighing the effectiveness of coupons.

• Complement targeted marketing: By thoroughly understanding your prospective customers, you can offer items that will appeal to each segment of your demographics.

• Complement other advertising media: Promotional products allow you to weave together comprehensive marketing campaigns through a variety of media.

Ready to Get Started?

This book has been developed by marketing experts who specialize in the use of promotional products. Throughout the text, you’ll discover real-life success stories about how the creative use of promotional items dramatically impacted the bottom lines of companies big and small. We’ll explore step-by-step ways to develop your marketing plan and a comprehensive advertising campaign for any budget. We’ll share our expertise on trade shows and maximizing your participation no matter what your goals. Our comprehensive study of sales promotion will help you develop your personalized program for a variety of objectives. We’ll also explore the area of public relations and how promotional products can enhance your image in your community. Want to increase enthusiasm and commitment in your own workforce? Our chapter on human resources offers a variety of tips for motivating and rewarding employees. We’ll also share our personal collection of trusted resources to eliminate all the guesswork in putting your plan into action right away.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My many clients must be recognized because their case studies are the basis of this book. Thanks are due to the entire team at John Wiley & Sons: Matt Holt, who believed this book would stand out in the crowd and the rest of the Wiley team including Jessica Campilango and Kim Dayman who walked this first-time author through the process.

To authors Joel Bauer and Dave Lakhani who made the necessary introductions to make this project possible.

To my friend Matt Furey who wrote an amazing Foreword for this book.

Last, to all my generous friends who supported me through this year: Robert Adler, Joel and Cherie Bauer, Edna Bowen, David and Simone Brien, Steven Clausen, Don Danielson, Mark and Chris David, Sterling Davis, Darryl Eisner, Mal Emery, Carla Henry, Martin Howey, Annie Kim, Hugh Lipton, Charles Martin, Randal Matz, Hana Na, Vince and Susan Nigro, Orunmila Olodumare, Amparo Polanco, Tabatha Rivera, Chet Rowland, Victor Salerno, Manuel Santana, Lynn Sarkany, Robert and Peggy Schubert, Charles Sevilla, Virpal Sidhu, Janet Switzer, Scott Tucker, Vern Vilmenay, Bob Wall, and Mace Yampolsky.

CHAPTER 1

The Potency of Promotional Products

E. Jerome McCarthy wrote the classic book Basic Marketing1 that defined the four Ps of marketing: product, place, price, and promotion. In order for an organization’s marketing strategy to be effective, it must present a high-quality, desirable product; the marketing must be delivered to the right place to reach targeted clientele who desire the product; the price must be in line with the value of the product with consideration given to competitor pricing; but the power is in the promotion.