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Dear Reader,
Nine years of unprecedented economic growth have left
most of your competitors struggling to adjust to a new
economic reality and create marketing strategies
appropriate to succeed in a DOWN economic cycle.
Matter of fact, most companies throw creativity out of
the window and fear guides their strategic choices. The
new buzz is "budget cuts" as management teams go
into predictable action all over the world, the "cut-
reflex" is somehow seen as the answer: withdraw-
withhold-and wait.
| Training Your Customers To See Darkness Even When The Sun Comes Up |
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What businesses don't consider is while they "wait and
see" they lose market share, or if they implement
pricing discounts these policies will come back to haunt
them in the near future. They train their customers to
expect low prices for their products, so when times
improve and they raise prices, their customers do not
buy.
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| Your Customers Needs Are Alive And Well Even In The Darkness |
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Have your customers or the consumer stopped needing
things? Do they no longer desire things? Have they
given up the pursuit of material gain because the
economy is down? These needs and wants are still alive
and well, however if you do not try to reach out to
your customers due to inaction, it will be a period of
economic darkness and surrender for you.
FACT: In 1991, which was our last dark economic
period, many marketing efforts turned to selling direct.
Some businesses reached out to their customers, and it
worked. They created offers that were full of benefits,
features, and convenience which are seen as reasons
to buy. And the consumers did buy.
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| Reason To Buy |
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Does it make sense for a buyer, who is more
discriminating with his money (due to tougher times), to
respond to an ad that clearly shows him what he gets-
why he should get it-and gives him compelling reasons
to get it, OR to respond to an ad that is funny? Of
course, will he respond if you have no ad at all?
While consumer confidence is going down and your
competitors are doing-nothing, this is the best time for
you to offer your customers real value, tell them why
your offer is valuable, and give them an offer they can't
refuse. It is also important to keep your eye at the
future. If you build a database of customers and
continue to sell them products over the years, when
tough times come again they will be there continuing to
buy and supporting your business.
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| Seize Your Golden Opportunity! |
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Creating a direct marketing business is available to any
business if they use common sense and mix it with
some creativity. The results are completely measurable
and unforgiving, so you have a clear opportunity to
adjust your choices and strategies to discover what will
work for your business. While everyone else is
retreating into their "budget cut shells" you can reach
out and take advantage of a less crowded marketplace,
and get your message heard. Now is the time to seize
your golden opportunity!
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| FYI About Immediate Updates! |
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Whenever we discover information that is timely and
important to discuss NOW you will get an immediate
Update! This is the fifth such update, and it interrupts
the "Media-Art of War" issues we have previously been
sending to you. Next week you can expect Issue 16
and a media discussion, unless a sudden unexpected
update appears on the horizon.
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