Timing is everything...especially when your marketing is involved!

Timing is everything, and sometimes a successful campaign can be completely dependent on when it is distributed. Be sure that your marketing is time effective if it corresponds with a particular holiday or season. If you have a marketing campaign that is relevant year round, even better.

Bakeries that are busiest in the spring would have more success marketing in the late winter or early spring when customers are preparing for events. Likewise, advertising clothing a school supplies during the late summer will be well received by parents who are anticipating sending their children back to school.

Recently while driving in my car I heard a radio jingle that included a Christmas song. The advertisement caught my attention because it was the middle of August, so I listened. Turns out the advertisement had nothing to do with the holidays but it stood out. That advertisement would not have caught my attention if I heard it in December on a radio saturated with holiday songs and advertisements.

Frequency is one of the most overlooked aspects of marketing. For a marketing piece to be effective it must have several touch points or follow-ups. I often hear customers who say they have had absolutely no response on their annual post card campaign. I am never surprised by this statement.

As a consumer, ask yourself if you remember something you got in the mail six months ago, six weeks ago, or even yesterday…chances are you don’t. It only makes sense that the more often you contact a buyer, the more likely they will be to remember you and show interest in your product or service.

Try doubling or tripling your marketing frequency. Instead of yearly mailers, consider mailing quarterly. Now before you cringe at how much it would cost to quadruple your mailings consider this: 4,000 post cards mailed once a year will cost nearly the same amount as mailing 1,000 mailers four times a year. Qualify the leads ahead of time and increase frequency; chances are you will get a better response.

Amanda Moore

www.piptampa.com