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Determining Marketing Effectiveness Even If You Didnt Track
What if you've done a variety of marketing activities over the past year, but you did not establish any way to track the response? Now you don't know what worked and what didn't.Is there anything you can do now before you continue with your marketing efforts and potentially continue spending money on not-so-effective marketing activities?First of all, don't beat yourself up.

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Tackle a Newsletter and Come Out On Top
Unlike any other marketing vehicle, newsletters give you the opportunity to contact your audience and convey your expertise in a way that offers value and information. Newsletters provide a reason -- and a structure -- to maintain ongoing contact.

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Who is Your Perfect Client
When I started my coaching practice I believed that I could coach anyone. My marketing wasn't targeted.

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5 Steps for Developing a Marketing Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website
A marketing tag line is the one or two line descriptor that often comes after a product logo or company name. It is one of those things that looks simple but isn't.

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Breaking The Voice Mail Barrier
Even if you never place a cold call, you still have to reach people by phone. That customer who was so interested last month never called you back, and now you must call her.

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Viral Marketing with a Powerful Twist
What would you do with 500, 1000 or more additional visitors each day? Imagine how your web business will grow with an extra 2000, 5000 or MORE leads each month . .

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A Guide to Brochure Printing
Brochure printing can be easy if you first identify your needs and have a clear sense of your budget. Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a trade show handout, a data sheet, or another application, brochures are a great promotional tool.

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Three Alternative Methods On Getting Quality Testimonials with Bonus
Here are three alternatives to increase your testimonial numbers or their quality. Create an online diary or blog, use an auto responder method, set up a form on your web site or set up a survey.

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Survival Strategies
1. Do the moneymaking things first.

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Business Card Design - How to Stand out and Get Noticed
One of the most powerful, yet over looked weapons in your marketing arsenal is your business card. If designed properly this little 3 x 2.

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Direct Mail Response Rates Low? Eliminate These Mistakes
Are your direct mail response rates lower than you expect? Check your sales letter or direct mail package against this checklist to uncover the reasons for your poor response.LIST You are mailing to people who are never likely to buy You are not mailing to others in the same business who influence the buying decision Your list is out of date Your names and addresses are not formatted correctly for proper delivery Your list has job titles only, not namesFORMAT You are using the wrong format for your audience (self-mailers to professionals, for example) Your letter and brochure are not complete sales pitches in themselves Your liftnote or buckslip confuses your offer or main selling promiseENVELOPE Your envelope gives too much away, so your prospects throw it away unopened Your mailing envelope looks like junk mail Your package is addressed to "Occupant" and not to a person by nameMESSAGE Your letter lacks a strong, customer-focussed headline The opening line in your letter is not compelling You spell your prospective customer's name incorrectly Your letter lacks specifics about product size, weight, color and other vital details You discuss product features but not customer benefits You talk too much about your company and not enough about your reader You do not create enough desire Your letter lacks urgency You do not offer a guaranteeOFFER You are offering the same thing that your competitors are offering Your offer is not specific Your offer is not exclusive Your offer is not relevant Your offer is not valuable Your offer is not unique Your offer is not usefulCALL TO ACTION You do not ask for the order You ask for the order, but too late in your letter You conclude by saying, "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me" You give too many ways to respond-or not enoughREPLY DEVICE Your reply device is too cluttered You do not tell prospects what to do to buy your product or service Your reply device is not postage-paidTIMING You are mailing at the wrong time of the year Your letter is arriving on the wrong day of the week You are mailing too often, so prospects ignore you You are not mailing often enough, so prospects do not remember youAbout the author Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using creative direct mail.

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Increase Your Sales By Following-Up
The difference between a successful business and one that just gets by is that the business that is just getting by thinks that the marketing is over when the sale has been made.One of the main reasons customers leave, change suppliers, or stop buying is because of apathy on the part of the company.

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Money-Makers Secrets to Renting Profitable Mailing Lists
As an entrepreneur involved in selling and/or promotion ofsomething by Direct Mail, you should already know that mostimportant aspect of your mailing have to do with the sales letteror circular you send out, and the mailing list you use. Withthese thoughts in mind, and assuming you've got what should be anorder-pulling sales letter or circular, let's focus our attentionspecifically on the problem of finding mailing lists that produceprofitable orders.

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Promotional Mugs: Become a Part of the Legendary Coffee Experience
When you want someone to like you, associate yourself with something that they love. Take coffee for instance.

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More Marketing Dope
Direct marketing can make you very successful, but you've got to understand the basics. Here are some more gems of the industry that can take you from being a diamond in the rough to the luminous bling-bling.

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A Simplified Marketing Plan that Works!
When I started my first business in 1981, I researched business plans and marketing plans. I looked at all of the formats and read a lot about the purpose of creating a business plan.

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Meaning and Marketing - The Hurricane
I step outside my back door and look at some large limbs lying on the ground. They are all dead.

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5 Ways to Use Your Business Cards More Effectively
Contrary to popular belief, the best use of business cards is not making origami or collecting dust. But, in this article you will find 5 of the most effective ways to use your business cards on a daily basis!When Joe Girard, the world's greatest salesman, was selling cars he would frequently go to Detroit Lions football games.

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Guide to a Profitable Marketing Mix
You may have heard the term Marketing Mix used in connection with marketing planning.Marketing Mix means the combination of promotions, products, places (distribution channels), and prices you chose for your business.

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The Easiest Small Business Direct Marketing Tip You'll Ever Get
This really and truly is the easiest (and most profitable) small business direct marketing tip you'll ever get. And when I say easy? I really mean EASY.

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