There’s a mistake that both amateur and professional marketers make all too frequently. It shouldn’t happen but it does. That mistake is forgetting the call to action. What is a call to action, you ask? In simple terms, it’s the instruction you give to the reader or viewer about the next step you want them … Read more
When you want to convey an example to illustrate how your product is used or how your service made life easier for someone, one of the most effective techniques is to create a fictional case study using a fictional person’s name. When you use a name, you create a stronger connection with the reader, and … Read more
The envelope arrived with stamp stating “Renewal Notice.” There was no return address, but I assumed that it was from one of the many magazines and newspapers I receive. That’s exactly how it looked, right down to the alphanumeric code atop the address label. It wasn’t. It was actually a pitch from a charity. … Read more
Not long ago, I made a first purchase from an online retailer. The price was right, and the product showed up a day earlier than expected, so I was already impressed. About a week later, the retailer did something surprising. They mailed me a postcard with a handwritten message from an employee thanking me for … Read more
What is a brochure? An ad? A radio commercial? A website? You get 5 points if you said they’re all marketing communications channels. But they’re also something more. You can’t be everywhere, and that includes everywhere your prospective customers are. So you develop materials such as ads and brochures to stand in for you. In … Read more
Want to know one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience? Instead of just telling them about you and your product or service, tell them a story. Our roots as humans go back to oral communication, and from the time we were children, stories have captivated us — not just the fairy … Read more
One of the most common advantages people cite about social media is the “fact” that it’s free. Your company can start a Facebook page, set up a LinkedIn profile, give your followers a place for pinning … and none of those things costs you even one cent. Or do they? Granted, they may not … Read more
You’re just not pleased with the way things are going. Sales seem to be down, despite that new marketing campaign you launched three months ago. And frankly, you’re tired of it. So toss it aside and come up with something new.
Bad idea. And I say that as someone who profits when companies need brand-new marketing approaches, because it usually means that they need a new website, brochures, advertising — all those things they hire people like me to help them create.
The Olive LLP accounting firm was one of the region’s largest, and its financial institution practice was one of its strongest. But there’s always room to grow, and the practice leaders were looking for ways to raise the profile of its professionals.
The practice served banks, thrifts, and credit unions in a four-state area, with different professionals assigned to offices serving each state. The leadership recognized the value of staff-authored articles in industry trade magazines, but didn’t have the time to develop articles or the know-how to place them. They looked to Scott Flood Writing to find a way that would provide the highest visibility and recognition for the firm without reducing the staff’s ability to rack up billable hours.
As the parent of a Purdue grad, I just received a letter from the university’s president, Mitch Daniels. Given the time of year, and the fact that Mitch and I are not regular correspondents, I assumed that the enclosure would be a pitch for money. And it was.
But after looking at the envelope, I hope that President Daniels chooses to invest some of the money Purdue will get from other recipients to fund some remedial education. That’s because the headline printed on the envelope noted that this was “no oridinary time” for the university.