Timing Is Everything;
The time of day, day of the week and month of the year are critical to your marketing activities. Here are some guidelines to help you clock your activities.
Advertising
If your ad budget includes radio and cable TV spots, booking ads during the first quarter of the year is always guaranteed to save you money. During this period, you can find the lowest rates and the best package deals. As the end of the year approaches, now is the time to review your advertising budget so that you will be in a position to maximize your advertising dollars.
Negotiate for any advertising you book. Don’t necessarily accept the first offer you receive. The media won’t be eager to offer you their lowest rates in 2004, an election year, because they must, by law, offer political candidates their lowest rates. But an ad rep can work with you to help you stay within your budget, even if you don’t pay the lowest rates. For example, you agree to pay a higher fate for the first dozen spots you book, but you’ll receive “free” spots (called ‘spins”) that effectively bring the cost per spot down to the lowest rate.
Ask for a discount if you sign on for half or the full year, such as 5% for 26 weeks or 10% for 52 weeks.
E-mail marketing
If you use e-mail to reach your customers and prospects, keep these time-tested timing rules in mind:
- For business customers, send from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Earlier messages may become lost in the shuffle of the business day’s opening. The best days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
- For consumers, send from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the hours when those returning from work check their e-mail. The best days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Frequency is key: Don’t send to the same people so often that it becomes annoying. But you need repetition (usually 3 to 7 contacts) to establish a connection that may result in the closing of a sale.
Use initial e-mail to generate buzz about a new product or service you’re selling. Give readers a peek at what’s new one to three weeks before it becomes available. Then follow up with details to remind them of the product or service.
Press releases
A press release that you write yourself and distribute can be an extremely low-cost way to get your name before the public. Again, know when to issues a press release. Consider issuing a press release to announce:
• An opening or relocation of your business.
• The addition to your staff of someone new, especially someone who may have celebrity status within your community (e.g., a former police chief or PTA president).
• A company milestone (first, fifth or tenth anniversary).
• A new product or service launch.
• A community service you perform (e.g., providing assistance during a public emergency).
Work with a public relations firm to promote your business most effectively. Wendy Marx, President of Marx Communications n Stamford, Connecticut, says small business owners should expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,000 per month (usually with a three month minimum commitment) for public relations services, but prices vary nationwide.
