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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 311
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| Thought for the week: "Analogies decide nothing, that is true, but they make a person feel more at home." Sigmund Freud |
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In this week's issue:
Getting direct mail to the right people
Direct mail is tried and tested, and there's nothing like it for delivering your message precisely and at a low cost. Put simply, businesses that know how to use it tend to get more in their own mailboxes than businesses that don't.
Direct marketers have a saying that goes 'The money is in the list' - the list being the list of people you're going to send your mail to. The most important factors for direct mail success are:
- The list.
- The offer.
- The letter.
But you need to get all three right. Send a great offer with dynamic copy to a bunch of people who aren't interested, and your campaign will bomb. In fact this is the number one reason why direct mail campaigns fail.
With this in mind, here are six types of people you can target and dramatically improve your chances of success:
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People who have purchased something related to what you are selling.
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People who RECENTLY purchased something related to what you are selling.
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People who have money to spend.
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People who have shown a propensity to buy or respond via direct mail.
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People in your local area.
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People in affinity groups who have a strong desire for your particular product.
Affinity groups are groups of people with something in common - interests, hobbies, plans or associations. For instance, rugby players are an affinity group who are more likely to need the services of a fitness instructor. Fell walkers are an affinity group who are more likely to buy outdoor clothing, boots and accessories.
The perfect mailing list would represent a group of people who meet all six of these criteria. If you sell a product or service and can find a list of people like that, grab it with both hands!
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The UK Small Business Marketing Bible contains hundreds more tips and tactics for boosting your sales using proven marketing strategies that work no matter what product or service you sell. |
EnterQuest readers can also get their hands on a free copy of our sister publication, BETTER business magazine. Simply send us your name and address to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com, putting 'EQ magazine offer' in the subject box.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
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Farmers target commuters with vegetable bags. The Ferry Farm Stand in Bainbridge Island, Washington state, is offering bags of fresh fruit and vegetables for $5, to commuters waiting to board at a busy ferry terminal. The initiative was set up to encourage commuters to try local produce.
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Virgin launches pitch TV channel. Virgin is asking budding business owners to come forward for its latest venture. Entrepreneurs will be asked to pitch their ideas which can then be voted for, on the web. The ideas with the most votes will make it onto Virgin's Atlantic service TV channel, where they will be watched in the air. People watching the clips will be encouraged to contact the pitchers.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'unbowed'?
a) not giving in to demands or pressures
b) relaxed, unworried
c) quick to surrender
d) disorganised, messy
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has said that public procurement of which of the following products or services amounts to just 2% of its allocated budget?
a) local food
b) IT development
c) logistics
d) research into rural development
2) The O2 Business Confidence Index has revealed that which of the following issues is the one which small firms see as their greatest threat to survival?
a) cash flow concerns
b) lack of support from banks
c) customers turning to competitors
d) having to make redundancies
3) Elsewhere, a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) revealed that nearly half of firms surveyed have had difficulties trying to deal with which of the following areas of business law?
a) tax and VAT
b) employment
c) intellectual property
d) health and safety
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Site helps self-employed to source equipment and supplies
The Bizual site enables start ups, the self-employed and micro firms to get their businesses off the ground without forking out too much for essentials. The site works via sign-up. Members can offer one another deals on their own products and services - which include anything from office furniture to business cards - while other members benefit from cheap prices.
Bank's guide to securing Olympic contracts
Lloyds TSB has released a guide for businesses that want to take advantage of the commercial opportunities created by the 2012 Olympics. It features advice on tendering for opportunities, tips for project management and details of the Olympics supply chain.
IPO guidance on applying for patents
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has published a patents application guide to help people thinking of patenting their idea or invention. The guidance covers preparing a patent specification, requesting a patent, requesting a patent search and the publication of the patent application.
Business planning workshops with Palo Alto
Palo Alto software has announced a series of business planning workshops aimed at entrepreneurs, start ups and growing firms, in association with business partner and angel introduction agency Company Partners. The workshops cover everything from financial basics to pitching for business, and take place on 19 May and 30 June at the British Library. Attendees receive a free copy of Palo Alto's Business Plan Pro 11.0 software.
Palo Alto is also offering one EnterQuest reader a free place. Simply e-mail marketing@paloalto.co.uk, quoting 'EnterQuest' when you enquire about the course.
Win a great prize package worth £500
A landmark study of more than 1,000 small businesses has shown that while 45% say they have the determination to survive the slowdown, a significant 45% say they don't actually equip their staff with the tools necessary to thrive in harsher times.
Now EnterQuest has teamed up with Plantronics, who commissioned the study Rise of the super SME - a guide to plain sailing through the recession. We're giving away the ultimate business must-haves, worth £500.
The prize package consists of the latest Plantronics Bluetooth headset - the Discovery 925; an Apple iPod Touch for storing all your contacts and downloading business podcasts; some Altec Lansing laptop speakers; an executive wireless headset for office landlines; and a swanky business 'manbag'.
The Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece's noise control technology and carrying case with rechargeable battery lets you stay in touch and in style while you're on the go.
For your chance to get your hands on this great prize just answer the following question:
Q: Which of the following Bills affecting employment law was published earlier this week?
a) the Equality Bill
b) the Flexible Working for Small Business Bill
E-mail your answer, together with your name, address and daytime phone number, using 'Plantronics competition' as the subject line, to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com.
All entries must be received by 30 April. Full competition rules are available on request.
This book guides the reader through applying common sense to practices in all aspects of business, including competition, marketing and customer service. It advises on how to create a community and also includes a top ten list of the lies told by entrepreneurs. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is a).
Unbowed means not giving in to pressure.
The business owner was unbowed by the demands of customers to stock a new line of clothing, as the suppliers were asking for too high an initial order. |
How's your business radar? The answers
1) The answer is a) - The CLA said that the public sector spends just 2% of its food budget on procuring local food. This amounts to just £36 million from a £1.8 billion pot.
2) The answer is a) - Businesses remain most concerned about cash flow, according to the O2 Business Confidence Index. O2 surveyed around 3,000 small firms to see how they are coping with the downturn.
3) The answer is b) - The BCC survey revealed that nearly half of firms have experienced difficulty in getting to grips with employment law. The findings were released before the publication of the unpopular Equality Bill. The BCC is calling for a moratorium on more red tape for businesses. |
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Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
