I just got home and found this on the drive.
In fact, there were two.
Good job it wasn't raining otherwise I'd have come home to a soggy mass! But it got me thinking....
Ikea must have spent a small fortune on; photography, catalogue design, printing and finally door to door distribution, only to stumble at the final hurdle. Although you can't say I didn't notice it, it's now on my 'to flick through' pile. So door to door distribution is a good way of getting your leaflets, catalogues, brochures into the households you wish to get into. But, the moral of the story is, be warned, it's down to the individual delivering whether it actually reaches the letterbox or not!
Then again, it is a Sunday, so perhaps he/she had a heavy night!
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Don't do it!!
"Marketing is always the first to go when it comes to budget cuts" an 'oh so wise' friend told me this week.
Although not news, it does baffle me!
Who decides "we don't need to communicate with our customers anymore" or "we're doing well today, it's bound to stay like that for the foreseeable?"
No-one. Because it doesn't make sense so why cut out the very thing that enables you to communicate with end users?
When times are tough and budgets need slicing. Surely your marketing effort is even more important.
Don't let customers get wind of the fact times are hard ... keep finding ways to communicate the great things your company do. Remind them you can give them what they want or need. If you don't they'll soon find someone else who can!
If the market's quiet, chances are your competitors are feeling the pinch too, so DON'T be the one to lag behind. Remind and reinforce your brand. BE the brand of choice.
Never assume your customers will remain loyal. Chances are they can get the same somewhere else and if you pull all your regular communications they'll soon forget you.
Instead of cutting marketing altogether how about shaving costs by being a bit cleverer? There are things you can do better without spending a penny:
- Improve your SEO on your website (if you use Wordpress there's a traffic light system which shows you when your Search Engine Optimisation is at its best on every page)
- Post regular news stories and share via your social media networks
- Get the press to publish the 'good news' ... there is power in PR
- Hook up with a local charity for a fundraising event
- Become an expert in your field and get blogging
- Sponsor someone, something, somewhere..........
Never let the grass grow under your feet, keep their attention!
