Sometimes I am quite amazed at the logic & reasoning behind our local media. You'll find this story interesting so I thought I'd share it with you today before I go on vacation for the 4th of July!
Recently, a local sales rep for the "I Wanna" Newspaper approached me inquiring why I didn't advertise in his paper. In his words he said, "I noticed that you buy old gold & silver and wondered why you don't advertise with us. I politely asked the young man to show me the most recent copy of his paper which he did. Then I proceeded to turn to the section where all the "We Buy Old Gold & Silver" ads would be and noticed at least 20 ads for this...yes, every Tom, Dick & Harry had their ad in there proclaiming how they paid the most in our area & not to dare go anywhere else. The sales rep said...see there, all of your competition is in this paper...why aren't you? Politely I said, you've just answered your own question young man. He then gave me a really puzzled look and I said, If everyone else is in there, why would I want to be? I'd much rather dominate another form of media these guys are overlooking (and I do)!
The young sales rep then left my store unable to give me a coherent comeback or answer. Let me leave you with this thought...if you are not going to completely dominate the media you choose to work in...why do it? Search for better, more affordable media and one that your competitor's are overlooking...them completely dominate it! Remember what a hero of mine (PT Barnum) once said..."A little advertising is like anything else you do a little at...not worth much! If you are going to swim amongst the sharks...you better prepare to bring a big speer gun (or a lot of advertising dollars) to overwhelm them. Or do as I prefer, find often overlooked media and test it first for response...then
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Bill Warren's Marketing Newsletter for Jewelers
From time to time, I will also be including a CD of a total "Turn Key" program taking all the guesswork out of implenting a successful promotion for your jewelry store! You'll love each and every compelling issue as I promise to fill each with ideas that will stretch your mind and help you grow your store in ways you never dreamed of.
Over 20 years, I started saving every idea or technique that worked in helping me build my successful jewelry business in a small downtown of western North Carolina. I'm now willing to share these powerful techniques with you....
Here's what others are saying:
Now you can sleep because Bill never does!!! By the volume of clever, effective, and new marketing ideas that Bill Warren turns out, he must never sleep. He stays awake all night long to come up with the marketing tools he creates and is willing to share with us in the jewelry industry. Why not give Bill a call today and start benefiting from his creative marketing genius? It will help you make more money and isn't what all of this is about? Steve Morris, Helms Jewelers, Rockingham, NC
The brightest and best young retail marketer I have ever known. I have personally seen what his marketing techniques have done for many retailers in North and South Carolina. In our current economic environment, his strategies can bring your business, sales and profits to a higher level. I guarantee, if you are not utilizing his expertise, you are doing a disservice to yourself and your business. Ralph Timmerman, Camelot Bridal Co.
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for sharing some of your marketing ideas with me over the years. I truly believe we are all given special gifts in life and your unique marketing mind is a gift! I hope that some day I’ll be able to help you as much as you’ve help me market my business. I can’t wait to hear about more of your great ideas. Tim Hiatt - Ellis Jewelers - Lexington, NC
If you own a jewelry store and would like to take your sales & profits to a higher level, please contact me today! The newsletter is $59.95 per month and can either be billed to your credit card or you can pay by check. Simply email at: goldman86@bellsouth.net or call me directly at 828-729-1020 and let me know you would like to subscribe and then I'll get you set up!
I'm truly excited about the launch of this product that will definitely help jewelers increase their business by opening up new & exciting profit streams for their store that they've never thought of!
"Til Next Time,
Bill Warren
Warren Marketing Systems
545 Main St.
Hudson, NC 28638
828-729-1020
goldman86@bellsouth.net
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
You Can't Reach "Em Like You Used To!
Ok, bare with me here...I'm really not trying to be negative! We as retailers today, simply cannot reach customers the same old way we always have! The days of your store putting a full page ad in the local newspaper and getting rich by saturday are long over!
As of late, I've developed dubious feelings toward many of the traditional media outlets such as the local daily newspaper, yellow page ads, placemat ads, etc. Not that these medias don't still work, but I don't feel that they work as well as they once did. I do feel that print yellow page ads are a complete waste of money...(I do think online yellow page ads are great!)
Todays younger consumer doesn't look in the yellow pages (they do a google search instead) and they certainly don't read the local newspaper (their daily news comes to them on their iphone, ipad or the homepage on their laptop)!
New media that we retailers need to explore for marketing today would include but are not limited to: websites (that have been optimized by search engine optimization), email marketing, text marketing, voice broadcast (to your inhouse customer base), youtube videos, ezines, social media such as facebook, twitter and more.
My favorite form of media to use is still direct mail, of which, you can test its effectiveness easily and at low cost. Direct mail is also easily and superbly supported by all of the other media listed above. It works great, hand in hand with radio, cable tv as well as other traditional medias. I suggest you really look at developing your customer mailing list if you haven't already and make direct mail your main focus and develop other marketing methods around it.
If retailers keep using the same old tired methods, (newspapers, yellow pages, etc), they simply will not be around long...today's consumer gets it's daily dose of media from other sources and as retailers...we need to take notice and explore these lucrative options before its too late!
"Til Next Time,
Bill Warren,
Warren Marketing Systems
http://www.warrenmarketing.blogspot.com/
http://www.hudsongoldmine.com/
828-729-1020
hidden69@charter.net
As of late, I've developed dubious feelings toward many of the traditional media outlets such as the local daily newspaper, yellow page ads, placemat ads, etc. Not that these medias don't still work, but I don't feel that they work as well as they once did. I do feel that print yellow page ads are a complete waste of money...(I do think online yellow page ads are great!)
Todays younger consumer doesn't look in the yellow pages (they do a google search instead) and they certainly don't read the local newspaper (their daily news comes to them on their iphone, ipad or the homepage on their laptop)!
New media that we retailers need to explore for marketing today would include but are not limited to: websites (that have been optimized by search engine optimization), email marketing, text marketing, voice broadcast (to your inhouse customer base), youtube videos, ezines, social media such as facebook, twitter and more.
My favorite form of media to use is still direct mail, of which, you can test its effectiveness easily and at low cost. Direct mail is also easily and superbly supported by all of the other media listed above. It works great, hand in hand with radio, cable tv as well as other traditional medias. I suggest you really look at developing your customer mailing list if you haven't already and make direct mail your main focus and develop other marketing methods around it.
If retailers keep using the same old tired methods, (newspapers, yellow pages, etc), they simply will not be around long...today's consumer gets it's daily dose of media from other sources and as retailers...we need to take notice and explore these lucrative options before its too late!
"Til Next Time,
Bill Warren,
Warren Marketing Systems
http://www.warrenmarketing.blogspot.com/
http://www.hudsongoldmine.com/
828-729-1020
hidden69@charter.net
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A Creative Way To Say "Thanks"
I'm sure most or many of you send "Thank You" notes or cards to customers who make substantial purchases from your retail store. However, have you ever thought about sending a thank you card to everyone who makes a purchase from your store, every week?
Something I've found that pays huge dividends is that in our store, we send each customer making a purchase of as little as $10 or more a thank you postcard (you can use many sources to automate this like http://www.targetmailers.com/ or even handwrite your own). On each of these postcards that we send (for only $.69 by the way)...they are personalized with the customers name, a sincere thank you message and a small area with a gift certificate for $25 off the customer's next jewelry purchase. Now don't pass out...yes, we really do give a $25 gift certificate and I see so many of these cards being redeemed...its absolutely mind blowing!
How could I just give away $25 you say? Well, first of all, yes, we have a very few who come in just for this amount, but usually, most folks spend much more...and hey, it got them in the store again so I could suggestively sell other items on the backend!!! I've also figured that it normally costs me around $40-50 of marketing/advertising to get a new customer in my doors so why wouldn't I want to get someone already pre-disposed to buy from me back in my door? (More on this thought later)!
Think about it...how are you using your thank you notes? This one way can lead to success on down the line and it "fills up the pipeline" for future business! Go ahead..give it a try!
"til next time,
Bill Warren - Warren Marketing Systems
http://www.warrenmarketing.blogspot.com/
828-729-1020
http://www.hudsongoldmine.com/
Something I've found that pays huge dividends is that in our store, we send each customer making a purchase of as little as $10 or more a thank you postcard (you can use many sources to automate this like http://www.targetmailers.com/ or even handwrite your own). On each of these postcards that we send (for only $.69 by the way)...they are personalized with the customers name, a sincere thank you message and a small area with a gift certificate for $25 off the customer's next jewelry purchase. Now don't pass out...yes, we really do give a $25 gift certificate and I see so many of these cards being redeemed...its absolutely mind blowing!
How could I just give away $25 you say? Well, first of all, yes, we have a very few who come in just for this amount, but usually, most folks spend much more...and hey, it got them in the store again so I could suggestively sell other items on the backend!!! I've also figured that it normally costs me around $40-50 of marketing/advertising to get a new customer in my doors so why wouldn't I want to get someone already pre-disposed to buy from me back in my door? (More on this thought later)!
Think about it...how are you using your thank you notes? This one way can lead to success on down the line and it "fills up the pipeline" for future business! Go ahead..give it a try!
"til next time,
Bill Warren - Warren Marketing Systems
http://www.warrenmarketing.blogspot.com/
828-729-1020
http://www.hudsongoldmine.com/
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Do You Stand Out Or Blend In?
Let me ask you a question...does your business stand out in a crowded marketplace of competitors or does your business blend in? If there are 25 jewelry stores in your area, what makes your store different from all the rest? Please don't say..."Well, we give good customer service or our prices are good!"...everyone says this and its time for something new.
Today I attended a business showcase for my county and out of hundreds of other businesses..how were we able to stand out in the crowd? First of all, by doing something completely off the wall! Please understand, I don't take myself to seriously and I have a pretty good sense of humor...so here's what I did. I purchased a doctor's lab jacket and had it embroidered with the following: Bill Warren, DDJ Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry. When people came up to my booth and saw me standing there in a lab jacket, lets just say it made for interesting conversation. After breaking the ice and sharing a few chuckles about the lab coat, I proceed to ask to see a ladies hand and offer a "Free Examination". I would zero in on one finger of their hand and then say, "Dear lady, I can see by this finger ailment that I need to prescribe a 2 carat diamond ring, to be applied to this finger daily for the rest of your life. It will surely cure depression, chronic anxiety and chase all the blues away when you look at it!" Talk about having fun...the ladies loved it and I had a blast.
So let me ask you, which business do you think made a more memorable impression, those who introduced themselves as, "Hi, I'm John Doe and I work at so & so jewelers"...or me in the lab jacket giving a humorous examination? I'll let you decide for yourself, but I already know that answer...:)
"Til Next Time,
Bill Warren, DDJ
Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
Today I attended a business showcase for my county and out of hundreds of other businesses..how were we able to stand out in the crowd? First of all, by doing something completely off the wall! Please understand, I don't take myself to seriously and I have a pretty good sense of humor...so here's what I did. I purchased a doctor's lab jacket and had it embroidered with the following: Bill Warren, DDJ Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry. When people came up to my booth and saw me standing there in a lab jacket, lets just say it made for interesting conversation. After breaking the ice and sharing a few chuckles about the lab coat, I proceed to ask to see a ladies hand and offer a "Free Examination". I would zero in on one finger of their hand and then say, "Dear lady, I can see by this finger ailment that I need to prescribe a 2 carat diamond ring, to be applied to this finger daily for the rest of your life. It will surely cure depression, chronic anxiety and chase all the blues away when you look at it!" Talk about having fun...the ladies loved it and I had a blast.
So let me ask you, which business do you think made a more memorable impression, those who introduced themselves as, "Hi, I'm John Doe and I work at so & so jewelers"...or me in the lab jacket giving a humorous examination? I'll let you decide for yourself, but I already know that answer...:)
"Til Next Time,
Bill Warren, DDJ
Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Easiest Sale You'll Ever Make
What is the easiest sale you'll ever make? It is selling someone who has a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or some other important life event. What can you do to pre-empt these special moments in your customer's lives? Ok...I'll tell you...remember when I first started this blog...I asked if you would start collecting your customer's info such as address, email, birthdays, anniversaries, etc? Here's what you do....
How about sending a postcard or gift certificate to these customers for $25-100 with no strings attached! Yes, I really mean it..no strings attached! We've been doing this for years in my store and let me tell you, it creates a major amount of "Goodwill" for your customer and needless to say, it burns a hole in their pocket until they use it! So many businesses forget to do this simple but effective way of marketing! If you keep a data file on computer of your customer's you can simply upload your list to a company like http://www.targetmailers.com/ and pick a postcard/gift certificate...they'll even mail it for you. You can also easily print gift certificate yourself with any laser or inkjet printer using a program such as Microsoft Publisher.
The point here is...do it!!! This is FREE MONEY! Very rarely have I ever had a customer simply spend the amount of the certificate...they usually spend much more, plus it creates a feeling of "I'm Important" to your customer.
Ok...put this blog post to use and let me hear your success stories on this simple but super effective technique!
Success,
Bill Warren
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
How about sending a postcard or gift certificate to these customers for $25-100 with no strings attached! Yes, I really mean it..no strings attached! We've been doing this for years in my store and let me tell you, it creates a major amount of "Goodwill" for your customer and needless to say, it burns a hole in their pocket until they use it! So many businesses forget to do this simple but effective way of marketing! If you keep a data file on computer of your customer's you can simply upload your list to a company like http://www.targetmailers.com/ and pick a postcard/gift certificate...they'll even mail it for you. You can also easily print gift certificate yourself with any laser or inkjet printer using a program such as Microsoft Publisher.
The point here is...do it!!! This is FREE MONEY! Very rarely have I ever had a customer simply spend the amount of the certificate...they usually spend much more, plus it creates a feeling of "I'm Important" to your customer.
Ok...put this blog post to use and let me hear your success stories on this simple but super effective technique!
Success,
Bill Warren
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Branding - Is It Really All That?
Branding....ah yes, it seems to be the buzzword in the marketing world these days! Some say, you simply must have a branded product in your store and the people will come! Many books, seminars, etc. have been devoted to this very topic. And yes, even I've been seduced by this type of marketing/advertising myself, but then I "snapped out of it"!
I think retailers have lost sight of what the most important brand is and its "Their Own Brand"! Yes...I mean themselves or their businesses! The brand we need to concentrate on building is not some suppliers line or today's latest fad, but instead building the brand which is our own! For instance, in my jewelry store, I'm much more interested in folks thinking, "Wow, that store has the nicest and most comprehensive wedding band collection anywhere at a great price" instead of someone thinking, "Hey, lets go over here because they carry XYZ Brand". It can't be repeated enough, the most important brand you sell is yourself and your store...work on building it instead of making some supplier rich....do it for yourself!!
While I'm not against offering a great product and I do believe great products enhance trade with our businesses, so many retailers have forgotten how to sell and rely on the brand to sell for them! Oops...did I say that? Yes..and I mean it! Instead of pouring so much money into a brand and the marketing of it...lets pour the same money, time and resources into training our salespeople as well as ourselves in selling the products we already have! I think it will be a much more worthy pursuit and better use of your money!
Before I close, let me give you a quick test and something to think about: When I say "Pizza"...what name automatically comes to your mind? I'll bet you said Domino's because we've been conditioned to that brand...but is it really the place you use for Pizza? If I say "Car"...what comes to mind? Ford or Chevy I bet...but is it really the car that you drive? The power of a brand and top of the mind awareness (known as TOMA) is great, but is it really the most important thing? We'll talk about it more in another posting.
For now, concentrate on your brand (YOU) and build your biz from that point...let branding come as a part of people saying, "Wow...that store was so awesome...they treated me so well, I wouldn't think of going anywhere else...I can't wait to tell my friends".....now there is the right kind of "Branding" we need as retailers.
'Til Next Time,
Bill Warren
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
hidden69@charter.net
I think retailers have lost sight of what the most important brand is and its "Their Own Brand"! Yes...I mean themselves or their businesses! The brand we need to concentrate on building is not some suppliers line or today's latest fad, but instead building the brand which is our own! For instance, in my jewelry store, I'm much more interested in folks thinking, "Wow, that store has the nicest and most comprehensive wedding band collection anywhere at a great price" instead of someone thinking, "Hey, lets go over here because they carry XYZ Brand". It can't be repeated enough, the most important brand you sell is yourself and your store...work on building it instead of making some supplier rich....do it for yourself!!
While I'm not against offering a great product and I do believe great products enhance trade with our businesses, so many retailers have forgotten how to sell and rely on the brand to sell for them! Oops...did I say that? Yes..and I mean it! Instead of pouring so much money into a brand and the marketing of it...lets pour the same money, time and resources into training our salespeople as well as ourselves in selling the products we already have! I think it will be a much more worthy pursuit and better use of your money!
Before I close, let me give you a quick test and something to think about: When I say "Pizza"...what name automatically comes to your mind? I'll bet you said Domino's because we've been conditioned to that brand...but is it really the place you use for Pizza? If I say "Car"...what comes to mind? Ford or Chevy I bet...but is it really the car that you drive? The power of a brand and top of the mind awareness (known as TOMA) is great, but is it really the most important thing? We'll talk about it more in another posting.
For now, concentrate on your brand (YOU) and build your biz from that point...let branding come as a part of people saying, "Wow...that store was so awesome...they treated me so well, I wouldn't think of going anywhere else...I can't wait to tell my friends".....now there is the right kind of "Branding" we need as retailers.
'Til Next Time,
Bill Warren
Warren Marketing Systems
828-729-1020
hidden69@charter.net
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
