If I showed you a way to make a dollar, would you give me back a quarter?

Should be phrased to portray that the "J.A." in the equation will be doing all the work!

The 'challenge' you describe isn't much of a challenge.

It's almost too easy.

Click here to see an example of WHY it's too easy...

http://www.marketingbestpractices.co....cgi?read=2373

Cheers!

-- TW

PS: Here's something (below) I posted on another board a few years ago (please excuse the all caps + ranting) -- but it DOES illustrate why this 'challenge' isn't really a challenge at all...

When I go out on marketing consultations, I get frustrated seeing so many small biz owners saying "We need maketing help, we need marketing help, we need marketing help!!!"

Then, when you examine the situation by SIMPLY seeing if they are FIRST doing the VERY BASICS -- it turns out, they're not even doing 'DA BASICS!!!'

They're on the (desperate) look out for some new, trendy, slick, instant, hip, happnin', snappy REINVENTION of the "marketing wheel." But, they are attempting to REINVENT the wheel, without having ANY CLUE what that (original, simple, boring, EFFECTIVE) wheel was/is, in the first place!!

It's MIND BOGGLING!

Sample scenario...

Have you done a who-what-where-when-why-how survey of your existing + previous customers to find out WHO they are and how to reach more of them?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you done a who-what-where-when-why-how survey of your existing + previous customers to find out to find out ALL the reasons they bought from you - from THEIR perspective -- so you can use those appeals in future marketing?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you done a who-what-where-when-why-how survey of your existing + previous NON-customers (the people who DIDN'T buy after all) to find out who THEY are and what THEY have in common?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you done a who-what-where-when-why-how survey of your existing + previous NON-customers (the people who DIDN'T buy after all) to find out ALL the reasons they DIDN'T buy -- form their perspective -- so you can eliminate those drawbacks in future marketing?

Ummm, no we haven't.

(Here's my personal favorite) When someone contacts you, do you ask "How did you hear of us?"

Ummm, no we don't. (That one just KILLLLLLLLLS me!!!!)

Have you REcontacted ALL your previous customers?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you REcontacted ALL your previous NON-customers?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Can you even ACCESS your list of previous customers fairly easily?

Ummm, no we can't.

Can you even ACCESS your list of previous NON-custoemrs fairly easily.

Ummmm, no we can't 'cause we routinely throw that info away(!)

Do you have a referral generating SYSTEM in place that works the same every time?

Ummm, no we don't.

Do you have a testimonial generating SYSTEM that workd the same every time?

Ummm, no we don't.

What do you *DO* with testimonials when/if you DO get them? -- ANYTHING?

Ummm, no we don't.

Have you tested different benefits + appeals?

Ummm, no we haven't

Have you tested different offers + packages?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you tested different headlines?

Ummm, no we haven't

Have you tried direct mail?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you tried telemarketing?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you tried joint venturing?

Ummm, no we haven't.

Have you tried cross-promotion?

Ummm, no we haven't.


***************************************

....and that's just the FIRST FIVE MINUTES!

The list goes ON + ON + ON + ON!

Meanwhile, I'm smiling weakly ask I ask all these questions through increasingly clenched teeth, as I am secret breaking several pencils under the table.

Can you see how frustrating it is when a client INSISTS the marketing "solution" is to get a new LOGO??????????

... AND YET they HAVE *NOT* covered ANY of these total BASICS first!!!

A new logo (for instance), might be a good marketing asset. But PLEASE, for GOD SAKE... do the very BASICS... FIRST!

Then... AFTER you THOROUGHLY *COVER* "DA BASICS," ... THEN *AND ONLY THEN* -- move on to the snazzy, sexy, experimental, envelope-pushing, wacky, trendy marketing "fads."

Sorry to rant so much... it's just frustrating... 'cause all this stuff is soooooo obvious.

EVEN IF you don't KNOW the basics... in my mind, that's no excuse! -- If you don't know the basics ... and you go about the task of improving your marketing, WOULDN'T/SHOULDN'T your FIRST question be "OK, I don't really know what I'm doing, so let's see what THE BASICS ARE first???"

You'd THINK so, wouldn't you!

And, conversely, if you *DO* know what DA BASICS are, and you're STILL not doing 'em -- all I can say is "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

I am PASSIONATE about marketing!

If you're gonna do it -- I say EAT YOUR MARKETING VEGETABLES FIRST, BEFORE TRYING TO "PLAY" WITH DESSERT!!!

Please don't get me wrong...

I am NOT assuming that all of you reading this have not covered all the basics -- but I'm pretty sure that SOME of you are not covering SOME of the basics! (Remember, the above list is INCOMPLETE.)

If you are reading this, please be aware that you can "see" me, but I can't "see" you -- so I admit, I have NO IDEA what YOUR individual, current, marketing situation is.

I'm just tellin' you why I get soooo frustrated sometimes and start to rant.

Not excusin' it -- just explainin' it.