5 Ways to Market for Immediate Results

Sales are down, and I need more customers now! Sound familiar? Maybe you are the one who said it. I know what you're thinking, there's no magic pill for delivering immediate results and no spontaneous marketing effort that will skyrocket sales. You're right, there isn't. Sure, you could launch some catchy TV or radio ad that would spike sales. Of course the initial investment is risky when unpredictable results could leave you breaking even or worse, losing money. Some businesses feel that throwing more sales people at the problem will equate to increased sales. Although more sales people may be necessary to grow your business, this is not the right answer either.

If you want immediate results, you need to have a strategy to create sales consistently. Thus, you avoid the need all together to market for immediacy. I would rather have immediate results happening all the time, wouldn't you? So how do I continually grow sales? Here are my Top 5 Ways to Market for Immediate Results:

1. Network ? Be involved in industry organizations, referral-generating organizations, and show up at networking events where your clients are. There are many good organizations that may be a fit for your business. Test them out before joining, and then make a commitment to participate at a level that positions you as the expert in the group for your field. Referral groups are much more valuable than groups that meet just to pass leads. Referrals have a much higher rate of converting to customers than leads do. Networking has to be a key part of your marketing plan as it is possible to get immediate results by attending the functions.

2. Thank New Business ? New business is hard to get. Once you get it, you have to thank them for it. Many businesses have no mechanism in place to thank their new customers. Depending on your type of business, you can show appreciation to someone in a variety of ways. The key is to make it as personal and genuine as possible and still be able to systemize the process. If you don't set up a system, thanking your customers will always fall to the back burner. Taking the time to say "thanks" will leave an impact resulting in more business referrals and more loyal customers.

3. Reward Referrals ? Every referral you get should be rewarded in some way. The reward should leave the impression that you really appreciate the referral. Again, this must be systemized, or it won't get done. The better you do at thanking the source of the referral, the more you will stay at the top of their mind. They'll look for more ways to refer you business. This is an opportunity to be very creative. One of the companies we work with mails a real coconut, cut in half and equipped with a zipper for opening. Each coconut contains a thank you card and invitation to attend an appreciation party with a chance to win a trip to Cancun, Mexico. Imagine getting that in the mail!

4. Go Online ? Use your website and email as tools to market and grow your business. This is important for almost any business regardless of size. A good website with the essentials about your company and how you have differentiated yourself is a must. Key word search marketing and search engine optimization can open up the floodgates for new business fairly quickly. Investments in online marketing are very cost effective with most key words at around ten cents per click thru to your website. We have clients spending less than $50 a month in key word marketing and getting huge results.

5. Talk To Your Database ? A database of customers and prospects is the most important asset any company can build. This will allow you to integrate marketing campaigns that will have great returns. We work with a specialty retailer who has focused on growing a customer and prospect database. We helped them put together a plan including direct mail, email, and a supporting flight of radio ads concentrated in what was typically a slower month for them. The result was a doubling of same-store sales from a year ago.

These 5 activities will help you avoid the panic of, "WE NEED MORE SALES!" An ongoing strategy is much more important than a short-term fix to market for immediate business. The little planning required by these activities will deliver great ongoing results.

Doug Edge has served several companies as a CEO, VP, Director of Business Development and Sales Manager providing him with years of experience in operations, sales and marketing. Doug has done three start-ups of his own and worked for a large radio station group growing revenues over 600% in three years. He also worked for a large Marketing Agency in Indianapolis prior to starting Edge Marketing.

Doug serves as the Ringmaster for Edge Marketing overseeing the business operations. His passion is for helping small businesses and start up companies achieve their revenue growth goals. Doug serves as Executive Director of Entrepreneurs Alliance of Indiana and sits on the board of the Business Marketing Association of Indianapolis, Rainmakers Marketing Group and Crossroads Communications (Radio Station Cluster). More information about the author is available online at http://www.goedgemarketing.com.

Email Doug@gorainmakers.com

____________________

Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!

Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!

Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!

Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!

Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!

In The News:

---

Reuters
Audi says it will increase US marketing efforts
Chicago Tribune, United States - 2 hours ago
Those marketing dollars have an aim to push Audi US sales to 200000 vehicles by 2018. Schwarzenbauer said the company has a goal to sell 1.5 million Audis ...
Audi plans record US marketing spending Reuters
Audi plans to boost US marketing budget Automotive News
Audi says it will increase US marketing efforts Fox 28
DetNews.comall 15 news articles

Columbus tech firm buys Dayton marketing company
Bizjournals.com, NC - 5 hours ago
Implications International, which specializes in interactive marketing, brand design, and Web development, has offices in Peoria, Ill., Mumbai, India, ...

Halekulani to get marketing boost from Japanese hotel
Bizjournals.com, NC - 4 hours ago
Effective April 1, Imperial Hotel will start reservations service, sales, marketing and public relations activities within Japan for Halekulani and Waikiki ...

Proton Laboratories Announces New Sales & Marketing Office
MSNBC - 17 hours ago
Proton will start by marketing a variety of enhanced water products that provide health benefits for people and the planet as well as the commercial product ...
Proton Laboratories opens Southern California office Bizjournals.com
all 9 news articles

Zoo honored for marketing campaign
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 1 hour ago
... different companies around the US The Utah Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services recognizes excellence in marketing communications ...

Wellstar/TMI Begins Marketing Imaging System to Long-Term Care ...
MSNBC - 4 minutes ago
TMI's marketing plan includes a program where LTC facilities can lease the equipment necessary to perform skin assessments and store the necessary data ...

Boston Globe
FedEx trims '09 marketing budget by 25%
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jan 8, 2009
United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. will cut its marketing budget by more than 25 percent for 2009, the company recently disclosed on its blog. ...
FedEx cuts marketing spend by more than 25 percent Reuters
FedEx cuts marketing budget DM News
FedEx to reduce marketing budgets by 25% Brand Republic
all 45 news articles

Katz Media Launches New Marketing Unit
FMQB, NJ - 8 hours ago
Katz Media Group has launched a new, national marketing unit that will create custom solutions for advertisers and their agencies with the goal of ...
Katz Launches National Marketing Unit, Trims Staff Media Buyer Planner
Katz Media Group forms marketing unit BtoB Magazine
Katz creates unit to handle ads for new radio platforms SmartBrief
all 6 news articles

Examiner.com
Cape May tourism department wins marketing award
Examiner.com - 12 hours ago
by William Sokolic, Jersey Shore Examiner The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International will recognize the Cape May County Department of ...

Adrants
Evolution of Dance 2 Debuts Monday With 'Viral Bridge Marketing'
Adrants, MA - 7 hours ago
Another marketing babblespeak acronym. Yes. Are you ready? OK. Viral Bridge Marketing. Yup, VBM, people. What's it all about? We're not really sure but it's ...

marketing - Google News

You Cannot - Not Market

Everything you do - or don't do sends a message and marketing is about sending messages. You can market well or you can market poorly, but you... Read More

10 Surefire Ways to Add Sizzle to Your Brochures

Businesses rely on brochures as their front line in communicating their products or services. Yet according to Shannon Cherry, APR, many find them not as successful because... Read More

Unleash the Power of Post Cards

Direct mail marketing is essential for a business to survive.Choosing the correct materials can make the difference between success and failure of your marketing campaign.Postcards are visually... Read More

Marketing Copy - Brand Identity Guru

Tips on writing great copy for your marketing efforts.It's just four steps that I call the Writing Path1. I create a deadline for something to be produced.... Read More

Catalogs are Selling Machines

If you've got a mailbox, you're no doubt aware of the popularity of catalogs. People love to look through catalogs, and more important, they love to buy... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - What Your Client Wants

Your business depends on the success of your marketing efforts. If your marketing works, you'll get rich. If it doesn't you'll go broke. It's simple.The key to... Read More

The Most Powerful Marketing Weapon Ever Invented

It was probably first discovered out there in the caves or wherever else the history of mankind begun. And yet this weapon has been used so sparingly... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling ? Part 6

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth?: Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling ? The Final PartAdditional Lessons from Popcorn MarketingI'm assuming that the movie... Read More

The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy Available To Small Businesses

Most small business owners want to generate huge profits, with little effort and in the least amount of time. If you fall into this category then joint... Read More

Make More Money with Marketing Metrics

Do you know how effective each of your individual marketing tactics is? Many small business owners market in a vacuum. They spend money on brochures, advertisements and... Read More

Service Marketing - A Relationship Building Approach

Can we imagine a place in the world today without a marketing activity. It looks remote. When we all move from one place to the other, we... Read More

8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns

It's almost a given that when I speak to a new client, she tells me how much she's always hated marketing herself. "I'm no good at it"... Read More

Promote your Business and Products through Submitting Articles to Top Web Sites

Articles submitted to online publishers bring your site new visitors and increase your ezine subscribers. You can also get these benefits by submitting your articles to top... Read More

Five Tips for Trade Show Success on a Small Budget

No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can afford to have a successful presence at trade shows without incurring big expenses. Here are five tips... Read More

Trade Show Promotional Products ? Boosting Booth Traffic

I was about seven or eight years old when I learned the value of promotional items at trade shows. I just didn't know it yet. I was... Read More

How Simple, Small Changes Can Add Real Money To Your Pocket

I want to share with you a story. This story happens everywhere and everyday in America . If you grasp the simple lesson from it, you can... Read More

Love My Dentist

I love my dentist! When is the last time you could say that about yours?True, dentists do tend to get a bad rap (remember Steve Martin's sadistic... Read More

Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker

Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies heavily on the strength of program content and presentation. Nothing can spoil a meeting more than hiring the... Read More

Fundraising Letter Envelopes: How To Make Them Irresistible

Readers spend only a few seconds deciding the fate of your direct mail fundraising appeals. Either they open them on the spot, set them aside for later,... Read More

So What Do You Do?

Once you have the attention of a business prospect, at some point in the conversation, the prospect will ask you, "So what do you do?". In most... Read More

The 5 Minute Marketing Plan

If I were to ask you right now, what marketing tactics have you used, umm, say in the last month, could you tell me?Chances are you probably... Read More

There Are Benefits... And Then There Are Benefits

Not all benefits are created equal. Knowing which ones to use when can make a big difference in the credibility -- and success -- of your marketing... Read More

Value Proposition is the Key to Success

Value proposition is treated as the standards or service that the organization is planning to offer or deliver to targeted group of customers with the help of... Read More

Mail Orders Most Common Mistakes

THE GREAT MAIL ORDER MYTH There are a number of totally unrealistic beliefs about the mail order business. To belive in any of them can be dangerous... Read More

Mobile Auto Detailers and Newspaper Companies as Clientele

If you are a mobile auto detailer or mobile car wash company you might wish to think of attaining the local newspaper as a strategic client for... Read More

Helping Your Prospects Overcome ?Buying Fears? By Using Testimonials

You DO use direct marketing for your small business? right? If so, you're taking advantage of the most cost-effective means of advertising available. (Yes? I'm biased? I... Read More