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Index
of Previous Articles
Trade Journal Trends Falling Ad Inquiries? What You Can do to Make the Most of Your Ad Dollars How to Make Your Trade Ads Work Harder Tips for Effective Marketing Communications Criteria for Selecting an Advertising Agency News Releases ... The Dos and The Don'ts Know Thy Customers - And Keep Their Business Trade Journal Trends Falling Ad Inquiries? What You Can do to Make the Most of Your Ad Dollars At a first glance, reader responses from trade journal ads seem to be falling, often prompting an anxious mood among advertisers. If ads aren't pulling a significant number of inquiries, why continue to throw money at advertising? Look at two things: the source of the responses and the value of image-awareness a solid campaign can produce. Several studies suggest that contrary to popular belief, inquires haven't necessarily declined. Rather, the method of response has changed. Reader service cards (RSC), the standard yardstick of inquiry measurement, now must compete with phones, faxes and the internet. Consider the tried-and-true reader service card, whose month-long delay in returning information to the advertiser has to some people, become archaic and sluggish compared to a phone, fax or e-mail response. First, the reader must circle a number (or fifty numbers) on the card, then mail it to the publisher who must then gather the data from all RSC respondents, sort the information and ship it off to advertisers. Then, by the time the sales department sees the inquiry, the respondent may or may not remember what he wanted to know about your company. Yet, RSCs are carefully documented as inquiries, frequently leading advertisers to believe that these cards are the most reliable way of tracking responses. RSCs get the job done, but without a sense of urgency. This is where a toll-free phone number may provide a potential buyer an immediate means of contacting you. If you don't have a toll-free number, include your regular phone number. An e-mail address in the ad can also open a door that will allow potential buyers to learn more about you as well as inquire about products and services. "We're finding nearly a 50/50 split among people who are using the internet as are filling out reader service cards," says Lisa Zurick, midwest regional manager, Electronic Design, a Penton Publishing trade journal. "We've conducted focus groups and have learned that the internet isn't much of threat to our magazines, but the internet does take away from the reader service card responses." The internet is also able to provide engineers with more data than an ad can, and certainly more quickly than it will take for the RSC. "People go to the printed medium like magazines first," Zurick says. "From the magazine, you'll learn what's on the internet. It's important to include your web site address in your ad, and then pay attention to the number of hits your site is getting once the ad runs." In a current study conducted by Penton Research Services, called "Know the Inquirer Better," the company surveyed a broad section of business magazine readers, asking them how they received information after seeing an ad. The results are surprising, showing just the opposite of the perception that ad inquiries are dwindling. "The majority of people report that the number of inquiries they make has increased," says Ken Long, director of Penton Research Services. "The way they're getting information is changing, and people now are relying on faster ways of getting it. The overall pace of business has increased over the last five years, which reflects the trend to want information faster. "People don't want to wait. If an ad grabs someone's attention, he'll pick up the phone. People want to talk to someone who's knowledgeable right away. Or they'll get on-line to learn more about a company." The study shows that although phone and internet responses are on the rise, they're not always documented as such. "A lot of companies just track the RSC and not the phone calls," Long says. "When they look at only the RSC, they see a drop in inquiry numbers. It's more a tracking issue and a change in methods than it is a problem in overall inquiry pulling." The immediacy of reader needs may give a clue as to the type of response an ad may generate. People with immediate needs pick up the phone, the survey shows, while people with a need that may come up later in the year tend to answer the RSC. Five years ago, the internet wasn't as popular. Not as many sites existed the type of information people could post and have downloaded was just being discovered. The study also projects that internet access among companies will become enhanced with more terminal hook-ups and faster modems in the next five years. Things aren't slowing down. Inquiry generation isn't the only reason for advertising, though. The value of image advertising also has its own merit. Even if inquires don't seem to be pouring in with the same gusto, it doesn't mean the ads aren't being noticed. "Keeping
your name in front of your audience just makes good marketing
sense," says Roy Harry, president of Media II. "Who
a potential client will call often depends on who is first in
brand recognition in the buyer's mind. Creating this kind of
awareness can't be done without advertising." How to Make Your Trade Ads Work Harder In addition to the reader service card number, list your phone number, fax number and website or e-mail address, if applicable. If your web site offers more information about a technology or product, make note of it in the ad. Make a bid for action by offering something: a brochure, demonstration disk, hand book, pricing guide, catalog... Reprint
the ad for salespeople and distributors to use in presentations.
Tips for Effective Marketing Communications Arm your sales forces with an easy-to-read catalog that adequately describes your products. Make sure it presents a professional image and is up to date. It's better to cut back on color or paper stock than to save money by printing too few books. While the look of the catalog is important, accessibility to its information is more important. Put your table of contents on page three. Keep it simple and include drawings if applicable. Page layout must be simple enough to make the information easy to find and understand. Add cross references to guide readers to related information and products. Never underestimate the importance of white space. Include part numbers. If you print list prices, keep them up to date. Publish
your catalog on your web site but also make it available on
CD-ROM for those using modems. Resist buying the lowest priced ad space. Rather, look for the highest circulation that reaches your target audience for the dollars you have to spend. An ad's position in a magazine doesn't effect its readership as much as you may think. In other words, it makes little difference whether your ad is in the front, middle or back of a magazine. About ten percent of inquirers are typically contacted by a sales representative within a few weeks or months of the ad's running. Card packs may be more valuable than credited with. About 89 percent of card pack recipients report looking through the card packs they receive. Nearly 13 percent of ad inquires lead to sales. Another 12.5 percent report future buying plans. Another 25 percent find a related product that they end up buying within a year. Many remaining leads end up in information files, which could result in future sales. Studies show that editorial readership is fairly consistent throughout the entire year, dispelling the notion that summer readership dwindles to nearly nothing. According to a study conducted by the Laboratory of Advertising Procedure (LAP) of 10,000 ads, it was determined that full-page ads generated 224 percent more inquiries than fractional page ads. Two-page spreads and multi-page inserts generated more than three times the inquiries than fractional ads. Offer free information (whether it concerns selection, planning or installation) in your ad to spark inquiries. Include a photo of a free brochure you can offer. Clearly list your company name, phone, address, email address, web site (URL) and fax. If you have a toll-free number, emphasize it. It's better for headlines to be informative than to be witty. A good headline will succinctly tell the benefits of the product. Offer something free literature, samples or a consultation. If
you are advertising more than one product, be sure each one
is photographed and described separately and has its own reader
service number. If possible, hold your brainstorming sessions off premises. Different surroundings can spark new ideas. Use a round table to keep everyone at a place of importance. (No one at the head of the table, for example). Use visual aids such as computer presentations. Try to conduct the session early in the morning when thoughts are fresh. Try to separate close friends during brainstorming sessions. Put the group leader in the position closest to the door, with an aiding moderator directly across from him or her. Try to limit the number of participants to nine or ten. Begin the session with rules of behavior. If you're a creative writer or artist, try to work in the same block of time every day in the same place. Gradually, your subconscious will recognize this time and place as your space where creative work gets done. Read. Listen to other people who have tried things you would like to try. Try
to spend some time with young children; their wacky thoughts
and enthusiasm can be contagious. Criteria for Selecting an Advertising Agency: Examine your past experiences with agencies, and ask yourself a few questions What are the long and short-term goals of your company? What is your planned growth for the next several years? What specific problems do you face? (sales, image...) What do you expect from an agency? Why did your past agencies fail or why are they no longer with you? How large of a budget do you have to work with? How will your internal capabilities fit with the agency? Talk with your colleagues in the industry for firsthand input and referrals. Photographers, printers, media reps or others may supply a wealth of information as to which agencies might be able to fit your needs. Look in business trade publications. Consider
print and electronic capabilities. Can your agency incorporate
your print ads, photos and brochures to an electronic format
should you need it in the future? Trademarks must be used in connection with actual products. You can't trademark an ad or design. You can copyright an ad or design, however. Trademarks cannot be confusingly similar to an existing product trademark. Trademarks cannot be deceptive. (Lemon soap was disallowed for having no lemon). Trademarks cannot be generically descriptive. For example, "fresh" for a bread brand would be disallowed because it is a common trait that everyone wants in this product and could mislead the buyer. Trademark registration is not always mandatory, except for certain gold and silver products and for goods sold in interstate commerce. Within
five years upon registering your trademark, should another person
or company be able to prove through literature, stationery,
bills or other documents, that they were using it first, then
the trademark belongs to them. Follow the trademark name with the generic name of the product or service (Rollerblade® in-line skates). Don't use the trademark as a plural (Not Kleenexes, but Kleenex tissues). Don't use the trademark in the possessive form. Always show the ®, SM or after the trademark either the first time it appears in copy or in the most prominent place in the literature. An
"®" for products or "SM" for services
denotes a trademark registered with the U.S. Patent Office.
A "" is used to denote a trademark prior to registration
or for a trade name that cannot be registered. News Releases ... The Dos and The Don'ts News releases announcing new products, services or personnel are cost-effective promotional tools when executed properly. Editors receive hundreds of releases each week. Make yours good. Specifically, send worthy information to interested markets in the proper format in plenty of time. Product introduction, significant modifications, promotions and major company news are good candidates for news releases. If your company is considering implementing a press release schedule, here are a few pointers to keep in mind and increase your chances of getting into print. Follow Format — Headline and company contact with phone number at the top of the page. Double spaced. Single side copy. Photos attached to separate photo page with caption. Timing — Don't wait until the product is launched to notify the media. Send the release before the unveiling. If you have produced a piece of literature for the new product, send a separate new literature release a few weeks after the actual new product release. Style — Write in journalistic style. Lead with the meat of your purpose: what's happening, why the product will benefit the reader, and what to do to get more information. No Fluff — Don't couch the purpose of your release in company background and "ad copy." Fluffy releases usually get trashed. Be to the point. Length — Maximum of two pages and a photo sheet. If additional information is necessary, write it as a separate release with a "Background" heading. Editors will be able to quickly decide on the relevancy of the information and keep it in a resource file should a story opportunity arise. Follow-up — You are not dealing with the sales department. Don't bug editors to see if they received your release and if and when they plan to run it. This behavior is considered pesky, and editors have too many other things to do. If your release has merit, it will be judged accordingly. Most
releases that get published will only have a few sentences printed.
The information that's run usually comes from the story's lead. Monday,
Tuesday and Sunday have been found to be the most effective
days to advertise, according to a recent study by Geoff Hasler,
President of Winning Marketing Strategy. "Monday has less
clutter and less competitive advertising. Tuesday is also good.
Sunday is the best day to hit people. They're relaxed and have
more time to consider your offer," Hasler says. The word "free" is probably the most powerful word you can use in your marketing promotions. A test of the following offers showed: (a) Buy one year for $99, get the second year for $10 (b) Buy two years, get 50 percent off (c) Buy one year, get the second year free With
an annual rate of $109, all three offers cost the same amount.
Yet, the "free" offer (c), pulled 40 percent better
response than (a) or (b). (Source, The Newsletter on Newsletters). If
you mail similar-looking direct mail packages regularly, switch
your second color. Mailing the same offer to the same list,
but changing colors (from brown to blue, for example), boosts
response. People think it's different, and they're more likely
to open it. (Source: 63 Very Profitable Ways to Boost Your Direct
Marketing Response).
Know Thy Customers - And Keep Their Business In the beginning, you made your product. And it was good. As your products multiplied, it became necessary to find buyers. You did. And this was good. But then competitors slithered into the marketplace and tempted your clients. This was not good. What's a creator of quality products to do? Study, acknowledge and react, and then study some more, according to a study conducted by Penton Research Services, Cleveland. Customers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in a changing business environment. They buy more products, but from fewer suppliers and their buying power is growing. Knowing what these people are looking for in a supplier enhances the opportunities for keeping business relationships strong. "You see more and more companies partnering with suppliers," says Kenneth Long, director of Penton Research Services. "There's lots of opportunity in these partnerships, but you really have to know what your customers want, to maintain high levels of satisfaction. "Things are changing, and to keep up with changing customer needs, you have to stay on top of where they're coming from. Even the definition of what constitutes a quality product changes. It's important to know what kind of quality your customers are looking for." Recent
downsizing has forced companies to rely on outside sources to
provide many of the goods and services once produced internally.
Goods-producing industries outsource the most. Yet, many service
and government firms report they plan to do more outsourcing
in upcoming years. Building and maintaining solid relationships
will be crucial in determining where business dollars are spent.
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