The Most Common Marketing Mistakes
Marketing is one of the key determinants of business success and profits. Unfortunately many companies make common mistakes with their marketing. Here’s a few of these common mistakes.
Using institutional advertising
Institutional advertising is about creating brand awareness and establishing what that brand stands for in the mind of the consumer. Most television advertising is institutional and it is often used by larger companies as a way of promoting their brand image. It doesn’t want a response to a specific offer. For most businesses institutional advertising is a mistake. Far better to attempt to engage your prospects at an emotional level with a specific offer that solves their problem.
Chasing new customers at the expense of existing and past customers
Many customers leave you because of perceived indifference; not because you actually did something wrong, but because they think you didn’t appreciate them. This could simply occur because you failed to stay in contact with them and someone made them another offer that they decided to go with. The best bet is to stay in contact with your customers on a regular basis; seven times a year is a good number and much of this can be done using email. Promotional products like pens and mugs are a nice way of keeping in touch and saying: “Thank you for your business.”
Trying to achieve a goal with a one-shot campaign
Your prospects need to see a message between four and seven times before they will be motivated to try something new. No single marketing campaign can get this result unless the offer is very good.
If your budget is limited, focus on targeting a smaller group rather than a larger one. A classic example is direct mail. I have been guilty of sending out thousands of letters to everyone I know only to receive a poor response. A smarter thing would have been to select a smaller group and have a series of mailings.
Being tactical not strategic
Marketing is about strategy, to gain new customers, to have customers spend more money when they interact with you, to encourage customers to return and so on. The strategy is the message you are delivering and the action you want the customer to take. The tactics are the particular methods you use to deliver that message. Often people choose the tactics then the strategy: “Let’s do a brochure! Great idea” “What do we want it to say?”
Choosing a tactic before a strategy is like jumping in your car, pulling out of your driveway and then asking, “Where do I want to go?” If you are thinking strategy first, you would ask yourself what message you want to send and the action you’d like to take, then you would think about the right way to go about it,
Not being unique
Advertising is like wallpaper; most people know it is there but can’t recall specifically what it is. This is not good, especially when you consider that a marketing study found that only 20 per cent of people could describe the wallpaper in their own home. Let’s face it, it’s hard to stand out in a market when people can’t remember things they see every day.
Research suggests that people are exposed to between 4,000 and 9,000 advertisements daily. Seth Godin talks more about this in his book Purple Cow (a must-read for every marketer). If you want people to talk about you, be unique. This may simply involve identifying what you do best.
What is one of the best ways to make your business stand out? In some industries it is hard to stand out. For example, commodity markets like petrol, electricity or building products. But regardless of what industry you are in, there is one way that will allow you to stand out in the marketplace. By choosing the thing you want to be known for, a unique selling proposition or unique buyer advantage, you can create a strong presence for your business. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
It is difficult for business owners to choose the thing that they want to be known for. It’s almost as if by saying “We offer the fastest deliveries”‘ you are saying that your quality is not good. But what if you think your quality is also worth mentioning?
Given the amount of advertising noise heard by customers and prospects on a daily basis, you are better off sticking with one message and repeating it over and over.
Take FedEx for example, they do many things right, but the only benefit they promote is speed : “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”. This is a fantastic marketing slogan that is single-minded. It doesn’t tell you that they offer great value. It doesn’t tell you that their staff are the friendliest. It tells you that they are fast. By adding another four qualities, it would only dilute their message.
The key to picking something to be known for is to emphasise your strengths. There will be things that you are really good at and things that you are okay at, learn to accept this and focus on your strengths. You can never be all things to all people, so focus on the prospects that you are likely to convert into customers and fulfil the needs that are important to them.
Keeping in contact with customers and prospects is a marketing strategy that many companies neglect. What better way to say thanks for your business, than promotional gifts? Promotional pens and promotional mugs are an excellent way of thanking your customers and keeping your name top of mind.
Lipocavitation for Fatty Deposit Removal
Lipocavitation is a non invasive treatment which helps in the reduction of localised fat deposits. It is ideal for people who are dissatisfied with a certain area of fatty deposits but do not want to undergo any invasive surgical treatment like liposuction. It is performed as a walk in, walk out treatment and there is no lengthy recovery period as with surgical fat removal.
A good candidate for lipocavitation is someone looking for fat removal from a specific area such as the hips, thighs, buttocks, stomach or arms. The treatment does not generally result in overall weight loss, but an improved contour in the localised treatment area. For this reason it is not suitable for an obese person and it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle incorporating a healthy eating plan and regular exercise in conjunction with the lipocavitation treatments. It is also good to maintain a high fluid intake to aid in the removal of toxins from the body. Lipocavitation is ideal for those who have tried to shift the stubborn fatty bulges via diet or exercise and are aiming for a smooth and balanced shape.
The first step is to examine the problem area and determine the exact treatment area by marking up the skin. A thin layer of gel is applied and spread evenly, and then the handpiece is placed in contact with the skin. In the treatment the handpiece delivers low frequency ultrasound waves down into the subcutaneous or fatty layer of the skin, targeting the adipocytes or fat cells. The minute vibrations produce tiny bubbles within the fat cells which disturb the outer membrane and allow tiny collections of fat to be expelled into the surrounding area, which then is removed via the body’s natural energy and waste removal processes. This selective destruction of fat cells does not interfere with adjacent structures such as blood vessels and nerves and is therefore a very safe treatment. Lipocavitation is a painless procedure, though for some people there may be a little discomfort associated with the noise during treatment which ceases when the handpiece is no longer in contact with the skin.
Several treatments are required to see a noticeable change in the smoothness and contour of the area, although this will depend on the desired result and the location of the stubborn pockets of fat. The treatment duration will depend on the size of the treatment area however it can usually be completed in 30 - 60 minutes.
For more information about Lipo Brisbane and Lipocavitation Brisbane, please contact Image by Laser.
Pregnancy and Dental Health
Pregnancy is an exciting time; however it is also a challenging time in terms of health. Changes in hormones mean many women face various health issues including oral health issues, but as with other issues these can be managed effectively. How you look after your teeth and gums now can affect your baby’s health as well as your own.
Before pregnancy
Whether you are pregnant or not, everyone should maintain good oral hygiene. It is important to have a daily routine of care established so you have a good foundation.
Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Use dental floss to clean between the teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. Just these simple steps will ensure that plaque, bacteria and food remnants do not build up.
Also, visit your dentist regularly - if you are pregnant or suspect you might be it is important to inform your dentist as it may affect the type of care necessary for you.
During Pregnancy
There are many common oral health issues that pregnant women face. Again, simple steps can be taken to deal with each issue.
1. Plaque and gingivitis
When you are pregnant, hormonal changes may lead to an increase in the amount of plaque on your teeth. If plaque isn’t removed, it can cause gingivitis and even gum disease. Symptoms include swelling of the gums.
Some pregnant women suffer from ‘pregnant gingivitis’, with the condition most likely to appear in the second trimester. Here, hormonal changes induce bleeding in the gums despite the best possible hygiene measures. Your dentist can identify this. Gums usually revert to normal after the baby is born.
If not treated, gingivitis can develop into a more severe form of gum disease such as periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection of the gum tissue that supports a person’s tooth, where the bacteria start to move deeper and thrive in the gap between the gum and the tooth causing the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissue to break down. If identified, this must be treated as a matter of urgency as gum disease had been linked to premature birth and low birth-weight babies.
2. Morning sickness
If you suffer from morning sickness and vomiting, the acid from your stomach contents has the potential to dissolve some of the tooth enamel, increasing your risk of acid erosion and dental decay.
To avoid damage to your teeth, don’t brush the ’softened’ tooth enamel if you have just vomited; wait at least half an hour. Rinse your mouth immediately with water, then smear some fluoride toothpaste or tooth mousse paste (available from your dentist) on to your teeth or use a fluoride mouthrinse.
3. Gagging
This can sometimes occur when brushing your teeth. If you feel sick, try to concentrate on your breathing while cleaning your back teeth. Alternatively, you may need to brush without toothpaste. A fluoride mouthrinse can be used after brushing.
4. Cravings
Cravings themselves are not a health issue but if you are frequently snacking on high carbohydrate foods, you may risk getting dental caries (decay). Try to vary the snacks you are eating and choose foods low in sugar, fat and salt but high in fibre. In addition, drink lots of water and milk.
Keys to maintaining good oral health
In addition to being aware of these specific issues, it is important to keep up with your oral hygiene routine of brushing twice daily, flossing and using a high fluoride mouthrinse and toothpaste.
You should also take care of your teeth and prevent dental decay by using fluoridated tap water for drinking and cooking.
Again it is important to keep visiting your dentist regularly to monitor your oral health. Your dentist will also be able to clean your teeth thoroughly of any plaque build up.
Your Babies oral health
Mothers-to-be can also directly affect the oral health of their babies. For example, babies begin to develop their teeth and bones in the fourth month of pregnancy. The calcium and phosphorus they need to do this comes from what you eat and, if necessary, from your bones. Your baby will need even more of these minerals when you are seven to nine months pregnant
The best way to obtain these minerals is through the intake of dairy products or, if you are difficulty consuming the recommended amount, your doctor may recommend calcium supplements. The recommended daily intake of calcium for pregnant women is 1,100mg during pregnancy and 1,200mg during breastfeeding. Also speak to your dentist about dental care for your new baby.
Looking for a Brisbane dentist? For a dental clinic and dentist in Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, contact TC Dental Studio today.
Cairns Real Estate - Investment Properties With Potential
Real estate is a popular investment choice, for those with stored capital or disposable income. Investment properties offer many advantages, including tax breaks / benefits and high returns. However, before investing your money in property, it is important to have researched your location, purchasing options and economic situation.
The city of Cairns, located in beautiful Tropical North Queensland, Australia, is a popular place to invest in real estate. Bordered by two World Heritage sites, the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforests, Cairns is visually attractive, has a relaxed tropical ambience for residents and attracts domestic and international tourists in their hundreds of thousands. It is the ideal place to invest in a holiday home or unit, which can be leased out at premium rates.
However, before you leap into the Cairns property market, let’s review the current state of play. Like anywhere else, property price fluctuations in Cairns are driven by supply and demand. High demand and low supply equals high prices and vice versa.
Geographically, Cairns is a coastal city bordered by rugged mountain ranges, which are protected against hillside development. Therefore, Cairns development opportunities are limited to a thin band of land that sits between the beach and the mountains. Couple this with the fact that Cairns and Tropical North Queensland is predicted to experience exponential population growth over the next two decades, increasing from its current level of around 158,000 to 210,000 by 2036 and you have a critical land supply issue. Hence, property demand will be high, leading to high returns for long term property investors.
In other ‘good news’ for Cairns property investors, the Tropical North Queensland region was hard hit by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Tourism, the region’s main money spinner, was down 15% in 2009. Indeed, the median house price for the Cairns region, as at the end of September 2009 was $355,000, down 5.3% from $375,000.
What does this mean for investors? It means the market is currently flat, but expected to rebound strongly in 2010 and future years, making this the perfect time to snap up a well priced Cairns investment property.
Another positive for Cairns property investors is the rental market, but you need to take a longer term view on this before seeing a return. The rental market in Cairns has suffered of late, with prices for houses and units in late 2009, down on results from the same time frame in 2008. This was due to a large amount of property coming into the market during that time.
However, the GFC also hit Cairns’ major property developers hard, with many of the city’s big players, like Hedley Constructions, CEC Group and CMC Cairns, suffering major financial losses, with two of those three going into liquidation or voluntary administration in 2009. As a result, construction on new properties has slowed substantially across Cairns and the region. This means that in the coming months and years, as the population grows, vacancy rates will shrink and rental prices will increase again.
In summation, Cairns and Tropical North Queensland has weathered the worst of its economic storm and is beginning the rebound process in 2010. At the moment, it is the buyers market and property prices are low. For investors willing to make a long term commitment to one of Australia’s top three tourist destinations and Queensland’s fastest growing population centers, high returns are sure to follow.
If you are considering investing in Cairns Real Estate, Cairns Investment Properties is a local Cairns Real Estate Agent offering excellent advice with a wide range of investment properties on its books.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Laser hair removal is one of the most common cosmetic treatments practiced today, with many people choosing to eliminate excess hair in this manner rather than the more time consuming traditional methods. Waxing, shaving and plucking only give short term results and can be fraught with unwanted side effects.
Laser hair removal has been shown to be fast, gentle and effective and is becoming more popular as people recognise the benefits it can offer. This procedure can be a solution for sufferers of ingrown hairs and shaving rash as the hair is removed and the associated maintenance with having to wax or shave is no longer needed to keep the area free from hair. Laser can be utilised safely on many areas of the face and body, and after several treatments a significant reduction in the number of hairs will be evident.
Laser is a single wavelength of light which is pulsed onto the skin in the treatment area to in order to reduce the number of actively growing hairs. The light energy converts to heat once absorbed into the hair shaft thus damaging the follicle and preventing it from growing another hair. The process is called selective photothermolysis in which the laser targets the melanin rich hair follicle whilst bypassing the lighter colour of the skin.
This heating of the hair follicle is what is felt during treatment resulting in a slight pinching sensation. It is important that laser hair removal treatments are accompanied by a cooling mechanism to reduce discomfort from the treatment and protect the skin whilst ensuring the treatment is delivered effectively. The length must be removed off the hair prior to treatment (usually by shaving) to ensure the energy is transferred to the base of the follicle where the cells responsible for hair growth lie. This process damages the cells responsible for growing a hair if it is in the active or anagen stage of growth.
Several treatments are required as not all hairs are in the active stage of growth at one time, though a reduction in the number of hairs should be noticed after each treatment. Subsequent treatments are usually performed when the next phase of hairs appear in around 4 - 5 weeks time. Hair that regrows will be fine and sparse and these are the hairs that will be targeted in the next treatment. During a course of laser hair removal treatments it is important that the skin remain as pale as possible as this results in a more effective treatment as well as minimising unwanted side effects. Tanning and solariums should be avoided and fake or chemical tans should not be used at least 1 week prior to treatment.
Post treatment it is advisable to keep the area cool for the next several hours, so avoid sun exposure as well as hot baths/sauna/spa’s. The hair remains in the follicle post treatment and gradually moves up and sheds within approx 2 weeks.
No waxing or plucking should be done in between treatments; however the area can be shaved if needed. Removing the hair with waxing or plucking during the course of laser hair removal treatments will render the treatments less effective as there will be less hair present to treat. Costs vary depending on the area and the amount of hair growth of the individual, as will the number of treatments required.
For more information about laser hair removal Brisbane and laser hair removal Sunshine Coast, please contact Image by Laser today.
Five Signs that Your Local Marketing Needs a Tune-up
Local marketing is a powerful tool that can help any business generate leads and close new business at a local level. It is an unreasonable expectation to think that most business people will be highly skilled in the fine art of local marketing so here’s a quick snapshot of some pointers that may indicate that your local marketing could do with a tune up.
1.Your business is mono-tactical in its approach to generating leads and winning new business. This is quite common – especially amongst small businesses. For example a local plumber may advertise in the local classifieds to generate 100% of his leads and sales. Some companies may use a handful of local marketing tactics. The point here is that your business will go from strength to strength if it increases the actual number of local marketing tactics used.
2.Your company doesn’t have a local marketing budget allocated, but instead will look at opportunities as they arise. This is another popular approach amongst franchisees and small businesses. The key here is that there is no pro-activeness in funding and executing local marketing strategies on a regular basis. Imagine the possibilities that arise when you regularly allocate funds to local marketing programs.
3. Your firm is oblivious to peaks and troughs in your revenue cycle and schedules local marketing activities without thinking about the impact they may have at various times of the year. Just as you wouldn’t dare plant carrots in June because they won’t grow, there my be times during the year when local marketing will have a minimal impact on your target market whilst at other times clients will be falling all over themselves to do business with you. Identifying these cycles and making the most out of them is the key to being successful.
4.Your company doesn’t track the return on investment it gets from any local marketing activity that it implements. This is possibly the biggest local marketing sin a business can commit. Without a formal review of the success of local marketing activities undertaken a company can’t realistically make a well considered decision to replicate or reject a tactic that it has used.
5.Your business doesn’t have a formal, conscious plan that incorporates the use of other people’s people and other people’s money. Your suppliers, local business associations, sponsorship properties and even charitable organisations have much power in being able to assist you in successfully marketing your business throughout your local territory. By identifying ways to use other people’s people, money, resources, advertising, business relationships, time and capital a company can expand its local marketing capability and reach.
So there you have it – some common local marketing mistakes that franchisees and small businesses tend to make and some of the ways to overcome them. By addressing one or more of these five areas a company can positively impact the number of leads and new sales it can attract through local marketing activities.
For more information about local marketing and local area marketing planning, contact Greg Mullane, Marketing Manager, LAM Plan
Hawaii History
The Pacific had been crossed many times and most of the lands around it had been explored before the world knew there was an inhabited archipelago in its very center.
The first white man to discover the islands was Captain James Cook in 1778. He called them the Sandwich Islands, after the Earl of Sandwich. Captain Cook, making his first landing on the verdant island of Kauai, found the islands populated by about 300,000 natives. They were Polynesian in origin, and among the most advanced of all the Polynesians. The islands were ruled by four warring native kings.
About 30 years later, the local wars ended with all the islands united under King Kamehameha I, the wisest and most enlightened of the native rulers of Hawaii. He welcomed other lands, promoted trade and commerce. Traders from abroad brought goods for the from far lands and bought the exotic products of Hawaii in return. Unfortunately they also brought diseases for which the isolated Polynesian People had no natural immunity.
Within 100 years the native population had dropped to 50,000. In the meantime the trends which were to most the Hawaiian Islands one of the Polyglot regions in the world in ethnic origin, had started. First came the missionaries, from New England. They found native people ready to embrace a new religion, and set about converting Hawaii to Christianity.
They also saw in Hawaii opportunities for business. They established small firms to trade with the rest of the world. They succeeded so well that the children of the missionaries are now the chief directors and owners of Hawaii’s great companies, operating huge plantations and far-flung trading companies.
With the dwindling of the native population through the ravages of disease and the development of Hawaii’s plantation fields, field labor was recruited from other lands. The first groups were Chinese. Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos followed. Puerto Ricans, Germans, and Portuguese came later.
During this period Hawaii was a monarchy. Toward the end of the nineteenth century agitation for annexation to the United States began. For a brief period the islands were a republic. Annexation was accomplished in 1898, and in 1900 Hawaii became a Territory of the United States, under a governor named Sanford P. Dole. At that time two-thirds of the population were foreign-born aliens, most of them uneducated Orientals.
Impetus to the transition between an Oriental crossroads community and an integrated American society was given by the sudden impact of World War II, the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, the establishment of the islands as one of the great military bases for the war and a staging ground for the whole Pacific Campaign.
It brought to the islands many thousands of fighting men to man the installations, and hundreds of thousands more who stopped briefly in the islands in transit between the distant fighting fronts and home areas. With the war’s end many stationed in the islands stayed to work and live; others who had sampled the benign climate and glimpsed the exotic charm of the islands, returned. With the war’s end the fighting bases became great permanent military installations with a military personnel of about 50,000.
Hawaii has a very heterogeneous population with Americans of Polynesian, Asian, European, and African extraction, immigration to Hawaii still continues. Most of the newcomers are young people. Hawaii’s varied population is reflected in the food specialties which are served. These include poi, a paste made from taro root; roast pig and coconut. The islands have superb fruits; some of them, like the passion fruit, are quite rare. Others are guava, papaya, pineapple. There are also native nuts that are unusual. All are served at the popular luau feast.
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Holistic Tips to Soothe Dry Winter Skin
The skin all over your face and body needs some tender loving care to survive Winter. Sensitivities, eczema, psoriasis and itchy skin are often made worse in the cold, dry weather. A holistic approach works best—that means thinking about what you put on your skin, what you put inside your body and factors in your environment.
Natural skin and mineral makeup excel because they don’t contain detergents or synthetic substances that dry and irritate skin. Plant oils closely resemble the oils in your skin and work to nourish the deep layers. Swapping from a chemical or petroleum-based skin or makeup product will make a difference and keep your natural beauty glowing.
1. Drink plenty of water: Hydrate your skin from the inside out and help carry nutrients to your skin cells. Eating lots of juicy fruit and vegetables helps too.
2. Pull on an extra jumper and turn down the heaters: A cooler environment helps reduce moisture loss from your skin. If you do put on the heater, place bowls of water around the room.
3. Keep showers short and warm: As glorious as a long hot shower can be in Winter, hot water will strip moisture from your skin. And, we all know that shorter showers save precious water.
4. Luscious lips: No-one’s lips are safe in Winter. When dry lips crack or become stressed, you increase the chance of a coldsore. Keep lips protected with a plant-oil lip balm. Petrochemical lip balms sit on the skin rather than soaking in and working to heal the skin as well.
5. Use gentle, creamy, plant cleansers: Ingredients such as sulphates, propylene glycol and alcohol can irritate and dry skin. Choose soaps hand made from 100 per cent olive oil. Shampoos that contain sulphates and chemicals can also cause itchy scalp and dry skin problems.
6. Use a natural moisturiser that nourishes your skin.
Petrochemical or mineral oil moisturisers form a layer on top of your skin rather than being absorbed in to lubricate and support the skin. Apply the moisturiser while your skin is damp to lock in extra moisture. Intensive skin boosters like rose hip, sweet almond and jojoba oils do wonders for your natural beauty.
7. Exfoliate and hydrate. Gentle exfoliation removes the dead cell layer making it easier for your skin to absorb moisturisers. Hydrating flower mists or masks help refresh dry skin.
8. Use plant oil-based makeup or mineral makeup. Synthetic-free makeup and makeup without petrochemicals is gentler and less drying for your skin. However, not all mineral makeup is pure. Some mineral makeup contains irritating and drying ingredients, so avoid those that list Bismuth Oxychloride and Talc.
Another benefit is that mineral makeup containing the minerals Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are non-chemical sun blocks that also help to protect skin from damage in Winter.
Holistic skin tips provided by Biome Eco Stores.