Hello Nathan,
Thanks for coming to Google Answers.
Just to confirm your prerequisite for the question, I am heavily
involved helping companies improve their business processes and
marketing strategies. Many companies struggle with ways to reach
potential customers, and promotional items are one option that I am
usually approached with so I will be passing along the perspective I
see from these types of large companies that you are attempting to
target.
I think the most effective approach would be to analyze your current
offer as though I had just seen it through some textual advertising
medium:
"As a very special service to our clients with orders totaling $5000
or more in a year, we are the only distributor in the industry to
offer Unlimited Full Color Business Card Magnets, AT COST, For a Whole
Year! We are willing to sell them to you at a break-even so that you
will see that we truly appreciate your business and we want to make
extra sure that your marketing efforts are successful. Call
1-877-932-6246 for details."
There are several problems with the way this current offer is stated:
1. Many business, while they may be able to afford a large number of
magnets, may be skeptical as to their effectiveness. If you are
targeting only firms that know that they want magnets, then ignore
this point. Of course, large homogeneous target markets are always
more successful because you can reach a larger number of
"decision-makers" with the same marketing efforts.
2. What is COST? Even after a call to find out this amount, many
decision-makers are unlikely to take this statement at face value due
to the probable variance in manufacturing costs of magnets. Also, is
this the cost to you or to your manufacturer? This can also imply
lower quality product, which may not be something the company is
interested in if their objective is to put out a "high-quality" image.
You would probably be more successful if you structured your offer in
terms that would ensure quality while providing customer cost in more
definitive terms.
3. When sending out mass marketing offers such as this one, it is
somewhat contradictory to state that "we appreciate your business".
While this could be important in direct discussions with the customer,
they obviously realize that they are not the only ones who are getting
this offer. Making them feel special would involve giving them a deal
better than your other customers. While you don't necessarily need to
do that, this method of stating your commitment to them is not going
to be effective.
4. You state that you want to make sure that their marketing efforts
are successful...how do you do this? If you sit down with each
customer to put together a design as part of the cost of the magnets
MENTION THAT...these are the value-added features decision-makers
appreciate.
5. The toll-free number is a nice touch..nothing wrong there. However,
I'm assuming not sure whether this message will be going out to an
audience that is already on your website or outside that domain. If
outside, its worth writing out the website address even if this is a
linked message.
6. Percentage discounts can be effective on high-volume purchases. You
may want to consider that as well.
I've also taken a look at your website, and I don't think the design
of the site will attract very many decision-makers in companies
capable of buying 5000 magnets. It immediately struck me as an
"accessory" site rather than a "marketing tool" site. You have to keep
in mind that these types of people are used to seeing slick
presentations, proposals, and so forth from which they are expected to
make decisions. Consider your website your presentation. I have no
doubt that you are able to attract buyers that may purchase a couple
hundred magnets, but then keep in mind that their motivation for
purchase is probably somewhat different.
Recommendations:
1. Define who exactly you are trying to target. You can't claim to be
able to help other companies with their marketing woes if your own
strategy is flawed. Elements like your website and promotional offers
need to reflect this point.
2. From the offer, it appears that a company can get an unlimited
number of magnets in a year for $5000. Not only is this a potential
liability for you (if say a company comes along and wants to buy
$100000 in magnets), but you are also limiting yourself as far as
increasing customer profitability as time passes. Again, percentage
discounts (maybe staggered to provide value to larger customers) are
likely more effective and less risky as well.
I think this may be a lot to chew all at once, but you probably
understand the importance of many of these issues.
Hope this was helpful. Feel free to post a clarification if any of the
above information is unclear.
Cheers!
answerguru-ga |
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