3-Second Test You Must Take

For any printed marketing--and even some electronic marketing--be sure you take the Three Second Test. Place the piece at a distance a potential viewer would see the material and count for three seconds.

Now, ask yourself: what message is communicated?

If the primary marketing message can be communicated within three seconds, your piece is solid. If more than one message is coming through during the timeframe, you may be trying to do too much.

The worst result of the Three Second Test is if you cannot articulate any message from your piece. In this case, you should probably start over and refocus on the primary message.

Now this test doesn't work for everything. A sales letter, for example, requires a bit more. The test is best for print ads, flyers and direct mail. It can also work for banner ads and e-mail blasts.

Regardless, the idea is clear: any marketing piece needs to get to the point clearly and quickly. Boil down your communcation to one clear and concise primary message.

Move your business to the next level with the Three Second Test. You will be challenged but you will achieve results.

Marketing is a Steak

If marketing is a steak, it needs to be either rare or well done.

The well done part goes without saying: market your business well and your brand will grow. Marketing well means understanding your Marketing DNA, following a S.M.A.R.T. plan and repeating your message consistently.

The rare part is a bit harder to grasp but equally as effective. Being rare means being unique and special. Marketing that cuts through clutter is new and different. It creates buzz and conversations. Rare marketing fosters cruise control marketing.

If your marketing is neither rare nor well done it's just...um...medium.

Medium is the worst kind of marketing. It's bland, commoditized and fails to create action.

So move your business to the next level with rare marketing or marketing that is well done. Don't settle for anything medium.

Opinions are Like (BLANK)?

Fill in your own blank. I'll go with "data" as in "opinions are like data."

You see, opinions are like data because everyone has some. Demographic statistics, sales forecasts, budget variances and more. In fact, many businesses are drowning in data.

Too much data means too many opinions. Paralysis by analysis, as the saying goes.

Even worse, small businesses owners are always subject to other's opinions. It seems that everyone who walks into your store thinks they know the best way to run your business.

So whose opinions matter? What data are important?

It can't all be important. Especially with respect to marketing. Try and please all opinions and your marketing will fail. Miserably.

Remember, successful marketing focuses on a narrow but deep market. So pay attention to the opinions and the data about your niche. This is where you'll find actionable information.

Still struggling to find out what data and what opinions are most useful? Do an 80/20 analysis: undertand the 20% of your market that gives you 80% of your revenue. Find data and opinions that represent the 20% and act on that.

Data and opinions alone cannot move your business to the next level. Instead, move your business to the next level with actionable data and opinions that directly reflect your narrow target market.

22% Increase in Sales with a Cup of Coffee

Trying to find ways to grow your sales? Try a free cup of coffee.

One initiative I tried with a QSR client of mine was to give away free coffee during breakfast hours. The restaurant competes directly with QSR breakfast category leader, McDonald's. To make matters worse, the location is down the street from McDonald's and a bit tucked away--not ideal for capturing traffic coming off the highway.

So I recommended they give away coffee for free. That's right. Free.

Coffee is a low cost item for this concept so the cost of goods was not a factor. We utilized a sign waver at the main intersection for a couple of weeks so labor cost increased slightly. But the bump in sales more than compensated for the extra labor.

In fact, the bump in sales was a healthy 22%.

Better yet, the increase in sales sustained beyond the promotion. And if sales dip again, the store is prepared to roll out this easy promotion any time they need it.

For your small business, can you create buzz and traffic with a low cost and high value item? Is there a cup of coffee you can offer your prospects to get them in the door?

Free is a powerful concept. Leveraged well, free can move your business to the next level.

How Far Do Your Loyalists Go?

Every successful business needs some loyalists.

Loyalists are generally satisfied customers, but not always. Friends and family make great loyalists as do suppliers and vendors.

Loyalists move to the next level when they become brand evangelists. Evangelists spread the good word about your product or service. They are the ones feeding the word-of-mouth, generating referrals and recommending your business to others. They drive your passive marketing efforts.

So how far do your loyalists go? Are they evangelizing? Are they willing to take on a permanent tattoo on their body to show their loyalty?

Perhaps few loyalists will go that far, save the ones pictured here.

Nevertheless, the point should be clear: move your business to the next level by creating brand loyalists willing to go to the extreme to express their devotion and willing to do whatever it takes to spread your good word.

So maybe instead of asking "how far do your loyalists go?" I should ask "what are you doing to create brand loyalists willing to go to the extreme for you?"