Is It Time To Kill Your Marketing Program?

Ouch . . . sounds pretty drastic I know, but . . .

If you've been in business for any length of time, you've no doubt been faced with the question, "Should I dump this marketing program or should I wait a little longer for it to start producing results?"

Even if you're new in business, you may have tried a new way to market your business and with lukewarm results found yourself wondering how long you should stick with it before giving up and trying something else.

It's the age-old question of "When is the right time to put a marketing program out to pasture?"

This reminds me of my advertising agency days. We'd create a new ad campaign and run it for awhile, and because we (and the client) were exposed to that campaign day-in and day-out, we'd all tire of it quickly.

Knowing when to hold and when to fold

Often, the client would want a new campaign and we'd have to remind them their prospects hadn't seen the campaign nearly as much as we all had, and that it was best to let the campaign keep running.

How do you know what to do?

Just how do you know when it's time to let an ad campaign or marketing program keep on running and when it's time to try something new?

The answer is very simple.

Look at your results

It's time to make a change when the marketing is no longer producing results. And by results I mean, it's no longer moving you toward your objective.

Are you achieving your objective?

Every marketing activity should have a specific objective - that is what you hope to achieve. Your objective may be to generate a certain number of phone calls, or web site hits, or even sales.

Tracking your results will tell you

You'll want to track the results of your marketing activities from day one, so you'll know how well they are producing and you can monitor their trends.

For example, you may get consistent results for weeks, months or even years. In this case, my motto is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Don't be tempted to make a change just because you're tired of it. If it's working, leave it be.

Are your results on the decline?

However, if your tracking shows you are steadily getting fewer and fewer responses (e.g. phone calls, web site visits, sales) it's probably time to freshen up that marketing or start anew.

Or, maybe your results never really materialized

And, if your marketing program has never really generated the response you are looking for, even if it's relatively young, it's also time to take a good hard look at reworking it to make it more effective.

Just be careful not to give up too soon

You do need to give your marketing time to work - most people will not act after seeing your message just once, but rather need to be exposed to it repeatedly before taking action (industry standard is between three and seven times).

Having said that, if you've given your marketing ample time to produce results and nothing's happening, odds are you missed the mark and either the message or the medium is off.

Is your message missing the boat?

If your message is off, it means you are not effectively speaking to your prospects or hitting their "hot buttons." Do you really understand their problem or challenge? And does your marketing speak clearly to that issue and position your product or service as the best solution?

Or are you missing your audience?

If the medium is off, it means you have put your marketing message in a place where your prospects aren't likely to see it. It's important to understand your prospects and where and how you can best reach them so you can put your messages in those places.

After all, if they don't see your message, they can't respond.

What type of response rates can you expect?

For direct marketing efforts a response rate between 1% and 3% is considered good. On the web a 1% conversion rate is the norm, so if you're doing better than that consider yourself lucky.

You can expect a higher response rate from your current subscribers or clients because they already know and trust you. As far as new mailing list subscribers, expect between 5% and 15% of your web site visitors to join your mailing list.

The key is to make sure your marketing is reaching enough people so these response rates yield results you can be happy with.

If you've given it time and it's still not producing . . .

If you've given your marketing program time to work and nothing much is happening, or if your results are on the decline, it's time to kill that program. Or, at least, to give it a makeover.

Starting fresh can breathe new life into your business

Consider starting over with a fresh new approach, a new message, and some new mediums. Make sure your new marketing program is grounded in solid marketing strategy (The 10stepmarketing System is a simple way to be sure of this - and you don't need a marketing degree to figure it out!)

If your marketing program is not delivering the results you want, it may be time for a 10stepmarketing Extreme Marketing Makeover. I'll help you take your results from drab to fab in just six short weeks. But only a few lucky people will get the chance to get my help making over their marketing this year. If you'd like to be one of them, you can learn more here.

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners and solo-preneurs successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

---

How Can I Break Into Cliques?

Have you ever gone to a networking function and seen... Read More

The Most Important Marketing Principles of All Time

As you have probably experienced there is a lot of... Read More

Time for A Marketing Tune-up

If you have been in business any length of time,... Read More

Getting Into Marketing Momentum ... The Accelerated Way

GETTING INTO MARKETING MOMENTUM: The 5 Power Principles for Getting... Read More

Marketing - The One Marketeer

I'm regularly asked to speak to people, that have either... Read More

Mobile Marketing a New Age Strategy

More and more companies seem to be looking for new... Read More

Gift Cards - Is It Time to Use Them for My Business?

You're probably thinking, here we go again somebody is trying... Read More

Whats Your Selling Sentence?

What's your Selling Sentence? If you have a business, you... Read More

Referrals - How to Get Them

Referrals are an extension of Networking. If people like you... Read More

Networking Events ? Lose the Fear and Gain the Benefits

"Kevin, are you saying I need to go to Networking... Read More

Forward Thinkers Stay Ahead of the Curve

What is it like from a marketing perspective to be... Read More

Mortgage Marketing to Realtors ? Creating a Memorable Positioning Statement

Mortgage marketing to Realtors involves having a crystal clear position... Read More

50 Benefits Of Joint Venture Marketing

What Is A Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More

Tradeshow Booth Cures - Knick-Knack Knockouts

Okay, we were kidding about the smoke, but not about... Read More

Private Practice Marketing: 3 More Secrets I Wish I Knew When I First Started Out

Secret #4 - Get very comfortable asking for paymentOne of... Read More

Give It Away Now - The More You Share, the More You Sell!

Give away your knowledge, and you'll make money. How does... Read More

Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement?

What Stands Between You and Writing an Artist Statement or... Read More

What Your Customers Want

Your customers don't know what they want. And to assume... Read More

Stay in Touch with Leads and Get More Closes

How many leads have come into your business since the... Read More

How Price Gouging Can Hurt Your Business

"Price gouging" is an emotional, inflammatory term. Everyone is against... Read More

If My Work is Good Enough

"If My Work is Good Enough, I Shouldn't Have to... Read More

Five Marketing Tips to Double Profits

It's a startling fact: almost all entrepreneurs aren't marketing their... Read More

10 Simple Ways to Boost Your Sales IMMIDIATELY!

Alright you've got yourself a nice website with a great... Read More

Mortgage Broker Marketing - Sell Problems, Not Solutions

Are your marketing messages to Realtors® guilty of these promises?-... Read More

Ditch Coupons Before Customers Ditch You

Everyone wants to feel like they're getting a good deal.... Read More