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How to retarget customers without becoming a ‘stalker’

Kylie Fennell
Retargeting is a marketing term that you may not immediately recognise though you have probably experienced it.
Retargeting or remarketing usually refers to online advertising. Specifically, it refers to the practice of marketing (via online means) to a potential customer who visited your website.
Most web traffic does not convert to a sale on the first visit making retargeting a useful tool. If done well it can help you recapture a lost customer and convert them to a sale. There are some pitfalls though…and one of them is the potential to look like a ‘stalker’.
What do I mean by stalker?
Let’s say that on one particular day you view a specific product on a webpage, let’s say a ‘Fiji holiday package’, then over the next few weeks, possibly even months, you notice that every time you are online, whether it is a news site, blog or social media, you notice ads for ‘Fiji holiday packages’.
At worst you may feel like you’re being stalked, at best you are enticed to click through, revisit the original website and purchase said holiday package.
Retargeting is made possible with cookie-based technology and inserting simple Javascript code on your web pages, enabling you to ‘follow’ a user that visited your website.
Retargeting is reported to have one of the best returns on investment for marketing tools because you are targeting people already familiar with your brand.
The good news is that smaller businesses can employ this technique without significant expenditure or resources.
There are some great articles here by DynamicBusiness and CMO that explain the ins and outs of retargeting in more detail but here is a quick snapshot outlining the pros and cons.
Pros
  • Retargeting can convert leads that may have previously been lost
  • Repetition can work. Marketers will tell you that you need to hear a message 3-5 times before it sinks in and potentially entices you to respond to a call-to-action
  • It can increase brand awareness
  • You can be quite specific in what kind of visitors to your site you wish to retarget
  • Google and social media platforms like Facebook allow small businesses to create ads that retarget visitors
  • The process is relatively simple for anyone who has access to their website content management system.
Cons
  • Some potential customers may not like the idea or feeling of being ‘stalked’, especially if they have already purchased what they initially looked for
  • There can be difficulties matching retargeting across numerous consumer devices, unless the user is required to be logged in, for example, retargeted ads on Facebook
  • Some argue that it would be better to try and attract the best prospects to your site in the first place, rather than focus on converting lost visitors who may not be good prospects
  • Care must be taken to ensure your ads appear on the types of sites you want them to appear on.

The most important thing with retargeting is trying to create a balance between frequency of ads (not being stalkerish) and representing your brand in a way you want to be perceived. For example if you are advertising ‘luxury handmade chocolates’, you may not want your ad to appear on a site devoted to ‘healthy living’.

You need to make sure that the service you use for retargeting, is reputable and understands relevant privacy law requirements, and allows you to specify who you want to target, how and when. Additionally, you want to have access to analytics that show click throughs and preferably conversions.
Also if you aren’t comfortable with coding you may need to speak to a website developer or marketing expert. 
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Look at meme! When you want ‘viral’ attention

Kylie Fennell
Who doesn’t love a great meme.
In the world of social media marketing a planned meme that goes viral is the holy grail.
Not convinced? Not sure what I’m talking about? Don’t worry you’re not alone.
The thing is you probably already know what a meme is without realising it.
Maybe you’ve seen a funny ‘grumpy cat’ picture or ‘success kid’ (the adorable toddler, clenching a fistful of sand in his little toddler hand) and had a good old chuckle. These are two of the most prolifically shared images used to create memes on the internet.
So what exactly is a meme (‘meem’). According to wikipedia an Internet meme is an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media, which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the Internet. It may take the form of an image, hyperlink, video, picture, website, or hashtag. It may be just a word or phrase, including an intentional misspelling. These small movements tend to spread from person to person via social networks, blogs, direct email, or news sources.
An internet meme has evolved from the original term meme “an idea, behaviour, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture”.
A meme often uses a recognisable image associated with a particular feeling or catch-phrase that has been altered or added to for humorous purposes.
 
Memes can help meet a number of marketing objectives, primarily social media engagement, search engine optimisation and brand awareness.
In its simplest form, a meme is usually funny, making it great fodder to share on social media. If it is entertaining enough it is likely to encourage social media engagement via likes and shares.
Just make sure you pick the right kind of meme. That is, one that is likely to connect with your stakeholders and unlikely to offend them or most people (remember you are hoping it will go viral, so try to be entertaining without being offensive).
If the meme relates to your business or industry or something topical in the news, even better.
Another great thing about memes is that they are often images or video, making them ideal for a number of social media platforms, ranging from blogs to YouTube to Pinterest. The use of images and video can also increase search engine optimisation.
Having a great meme can also create brand awareness, especially if you can brand it in someway, include a watermark or link it back to your sites or pages.
Overtly branded memes can be hard to pull off but when done successfully they can inspire thousands of user-made tributes, adaptations and unique creations that generate brand impressions for years.
Here are some great examples of branded memes.
You can share existing memes found on the Internet or you can create your own using sites such as memegenerator.net or www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk 
Just remember though to check the terms of use for any potential copyright issues and commercial use restrictions. Just because an image or meme is available on the Internet doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fair game. The most popular meme generator sites tend to use images that are considered as being in the public domain or out of copyright, but you should always check.
Another type of meme that is gaining serious traction is the animated gif and reaction gif.
An animated GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) file is a graphic image on a web page that moves. An animated GIF can loop endlessly (and it appears as though your document never finishes arriving) or it can present one or a few sequences and then stop the animation.
A reaction gif is a physical or emotional response that is captured in a gif, which you can link in response to someone or something on the Internet. For example, if you want to share a feeling of ‘Noooooo!’ then you choose an animated gif that clearly displays this reaction.
The one shown is a ‘Thumbs Up’. For example you could create a social media update about reaching a particular sales target and attach the ‘Thumbs Up’ gif to reinforce that feeling.
Specific text can also be created to accompany a reaction gif. Using the ‘Thumbs Up’ example again, you could overlay a sentence or create a caption like “the feeling you get when you meet your sales target”.
Just one of the many sites you can use to create and share reaction gifs is http://www.reactiongifs.com/
You don’t need any particular IT skills to create a meme, just a sense of humour and some basic marketing nous.

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Surprise

The element of surprise – why fiction needs ‘Red Weddings’ and Soapie-loving tough guys

Kylie Fennell
Out of nowhere, he dropped it on me. I think we were talking about a HR memo and out of nowhere ­

the huge, bearded mountain of a man – the man I regarded as a real tough guy, someone who kept to himself and rarely cracked a smile – drops into conversation casual-like, ‘did you know on the Bold and the Beautiful…’.

‘What?! Did you just say the Bold and the Beautiful.’  I was convinced I must have misheard him. He gave a bashful smile and confirmed that he did in fact say the Bold and the Beautiful. Then he launched into a complete update on the latest storylines, stars and actors to a level of detail rivaling TV Soap magazine. Then he fessed up that he was a major soap fan from way back. Days of Our Lives, Neighbours, Young and the Restless, all of the classics. He was a walking soap opera wiki.
I couldn’t help but laugh. I actually snorted with laughter, and then I howled with laughter and then I cackled. The crazed cackle was enough to bring my colleague into the room to check on me.
I wasn’t laughing because of this tough-guy’s viewing taste. Each to their own, I say. I was beside myself with amusement due to the complete surprise of it. It was totally unexpected, and it made my day. Fortunately this guy, that I now know a little better, saw the humour in it and wasn’t offended by my over the top reaction.
This got me thinking about how the element of surprise can be shocking but also utterly delightful.
Good fiction, particularly sci-fi and fantasy often features twists and surprises. Everyone must remember the (often misquoted) Empire Strikes Back scene where Darth Vader reveals he’s Luke Skywalker’s father. Audiences around the world cried out ‘Noooooooo’ in unison with Luke.
Every good story should have an element of surprise. It doesn’t necessarily mean a twist at the end, just unexpected events.
A good twist in a story or surprise ending shouldn’t be predictable, but it shouldn’t be completely shocking either. What I mean by that is that a reader should be able to go back after the fact and identify clues. However the clues should be laid cleverly enough that they never give the surprise completely away. This is a sign of good foreshadowing.
Sure, readers like to anticipate certain things and surprise endings that seem to come from nowhere can be annoying. A good surprise has to add to the story. It needs to fit and add to the reading experience. It shouldn’t appear disjointed.
It can be really enjoyable to not know how a story is going to unfold, though we tend to anticipate a happy ending – generally speaking of course.
This is where Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has made surprise his signature. He is known for killing off favourite characters when you least expect it and has turned heroic fantasy on its head. The success of his books and the TV series are proof that you don’t necessarily need ‘happily ever after’ to create a great story.
Martin says that it’s important for his readers never to feel too comfortable. That they mustn’t be convinced that the hero must prevail.
“I’ve said in many interviews that I like my fiction to be unpredictable. I like there to be considerable suspense. I killed Ned (Stark) in the first book and it shocked a lot of people. I killed Ned because everybody thinks he’s the hero and that, sure, he’s going to get into trouble, but then he’ll somehow get out of it,” Martin says. (We all know what happened to poor ole Ned Stark.)
“I try to make the readers feel they’ve lived the events of the book. Just as you grieve if a friend is killed, you should grieve if a fictional character is killed. You should care. If somebody dies and you just go get more popcorn, it’s a superficial experience isn’t it?”
I’m not sure I will ever take surprises to the same extreme as Martin, and I won’t be including a ‘Red Wedding’ in my books any time soon. I just couldn’t do it to myself, least of all my readers.
However I definitely plan on a few surprises. Shocking surprises – maybe; Delightful surprises – I hope. It may not be a man-mountain who loves soap operas, but…then again…
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10 DIY graphic design tips – how to create marketing collateral on a budget

Kylie Fennell
Previously I have written about how to create a logo and visual identity on a budget using DIY tools and know-how.
It seemed only natural that I follow it up with DIY tips on how to design your own marketing materials.
Ideally every business would have the budget to hire a graphic designer for all marketing collateral, but this can be difficult for small businesses or those just starting out.
It’s possible to design your own materials, but it helps to know a few basics and to practise as much as possible. I would advise that first you try out your skills on simple items that have a short shelf life, such as flyers announcing your latest specials. Then use your marketing budget to hire a designer for high profile and big ticket items such as advertisements and glossy sales brochures.
So here are my top 10 DIY design tips.
 
1. Know your purpose and audience ­– like any marketing activity, have a clear understanding of what you would like to achieve and who you are trying to connect with. Consider the best marketing tool to reach your target market. For example, would an e-newsletter be better than a letterdrop flyer? Do you want to create a Pinterest image or infographic?
 
2. Stay true to your visual identity – Hopefully you have created a visual identity guide for your business. If you haven’t, you need to know what visual design elements, colours, fonts and style reflect your brand promise. You need to respect this and bring it through in any design.
 
3. Choose your weapon – you need to choose the right design platform to prepare your material. The right platform depends on the medium you choose but also your budget and your experience.
If you are planning on creating a lot of design materials on an ongoing basis it is probably worth investing in some design software (though you may like to download a trial or free version if it is available). The Adobe suite of Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign is quite popular. There are some great tutorials available on the internet and you can also do short courses online or in person for these programs.
While these programs have extensive functionality designed for professionals, you should be able to get to know the basics quite quickly.
Photoshop is great for manipulating images and Illustrator is for vector graphics, suited to creating logos. InDesign is for mainly print materials such as a flyer or annual report.
Canva is a great free design platform for designing social media posts and much more.
If you want to create an e-newsletter, you can use free programs such as mailchimp that has fantastic easy-to-use and ready-to-go templates. You can also distribute your enewsletter via mailchimp.
Microsoft Publisher is fine for simple brochures and newsletters and in an absolute pinch you can design basic materials in Microsoft Word and then convert/save them as a pdf file. However Microsoft Word is not meant to be a design tool, so it is extremely limited and fiddly to use for designing.
 
4. Look for inspiration – if you have never designed marketing materials before, start looking around for inspiration. Find examples of design you like. Look online, in magazines, in stores. You can use them for inspiration and try to replicate some of the components yourself. Just remember though, you must not copy or use someone else’s design without their permission.
 
5. Prepare your tools – prepare your text and images first and perhaps create up a rough mock-up of your layout with pencil and paper. It’s great to have a plan.
As part of the plan understand your requirements. If you are printing your material you will need higher resolution images and files. If you are using a professional printer asked them for details of their requirements, that is, what file types will they accept and what resolution or ‘dpi’ (dots per inch) do they need. Large format and professional printers may require 300dpi.
If you are creating a material that will be used primarily onscreen, you will want smaller files and smaller image resolution. For these images you may only need 96dpi or 150dpi, depending on how big the design element will be.
If you don’t have any high quality images of your own to use, check out sites such as shutterstock.com, istockphoto.com or www.123rf.com. You can buy images from here at quite affordable rates, just check the terms of use. You can also find free images at sites such as Pexels but once again check the terms and conditions carefully and provide attribution when needed. Do not just lift images of the internet and assume they are free to use. You can also create your own images using programs such as canva.com or picmonkey.com.
Other useful sites include the following: stock.xchg, flickr, Open Clip Art Library, deviantART, everystockphoto and PicFindr.
Get to know the terms of usage on each site and whether there are any copyright restrictions on the images you would like to use.
 
6. Understand colours – you will want to know what colours support your brand (hopefully these are spelled out your visual identity guide) and how those colours work together. You will want to know the exact colour breakdowns to replicate your colours. You may need them in RGB, CMYK or Pantone. I explained a little about colour theory and different colour breakdowns in a previous blogpost as well as the different colour breakdowns. You can also use sites such as EasyRGB to help you match colours.
 
7. Keep it simple – if you aren’t very experienced with design you want to keep the style as minimalist and simple as possible. This means lots of clean or white space, very little text and nothing too busy. These rules also apply to more experienced designers. Just because you may know how to create a fancy looking fleur de lis with elaborate swirls using Illustrator, doesn’t mean you should.
The less words the better. If you can get away with seven words or less, than you are off to a great start. If you need to say more, limit your headline to seven words, follow-up with a brief sentence or two of supporting text, then include a call-to-action such as a website address.
ALWAYS include a call-to-action.
Try to use only a couple of fonts. Refer to your visual identity guide for your preferred fonts for headlines and body text, but don’t be scared to use another font or two as part of your design elements. Just make sure it doesn’t look too busy and the fonts all complement each other. Choose fonts that reflect the style you want to portray and make sure they are legible.
You can download free fonts at sites such as fontspace.com or Googlefonts. Just check the terms for commercial use, and remember you may need to embed the font or convert your file to a picture or pdf file so your fantastic font doesn’t get lost when opened up on another computer.
 
8. Look for balance – when you are laying out your design have a good balance of space, text and images. Arrange the text in a way that the eye doesn’t jump all over the place. Try and use a grid (a lot of the programs you use will have the option of placing a grid over the design) to make sure spacing is consistent and placement of text and images is balanced.
 
9. Triple check everything – before you finalise your design, check and proof all spelling and grammar. Check phone numbers, names and web addresses. Triple check it and get a second pair of eyes to also check it. Also ask for second opinions on your design. Perhaps create a couple of versions and ask your staff, friends or family, which one they prefer and which one they think you customers will prefer.
 
10. Practise ­– as they say practise makes perfect and the same applies to design. These tips alone will give you a good start when it comes to DIY graphic design but never underestimate the value of engaging a good designer. 
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6 DIY steps to create a visual identity and logo

Kylie Fennell

One of the first marketing tools you will need to develop for your business is your visual identity. 

Your visual identity is a core component of your overall brand.
When we talk about brand we mean much more than a visual identity, and when we talk about visual identity, we mean much more than your logo.
Brand is the overall promise or experience you give to customers and the set of expectations they have of you. It is what will influence people to choose one product or service over another.
You can refer to my previous blog post about developing your brand story for more information on how to build your unique brand story.
Here we will focus on your visual identity.
What is visual identity?
Visual identity is all of the visual design elements that make up your brand. It includes you logo, but also your brand colours, preferred fonts and style.
A successful visual identity will reflect your overall brand promise.
It is critical that your visual identity is delivered consistently across all communication platforms and touchpoints, whether it is advertising, uniforms, emails, websites or internal memos. This will help to build brand awareness and create a sense of belonging and pride for loyal customers, employees and other stakeholders.
Your visual identity must be clear and represent your organisation in a professional manner that speaks to your target audience. 
Where to start?
Just a word from the wise, visual identity is worth investing in, that is, engaging a professional designer who has a good reputation and impressive portfolio. It is entirely possible to create your own visual identity, but if you get it wrong it can be an expensive mistake to fix later on.
That being said, many organisations when they first start out find it difficult to find the budget for professional designers. There are a few options available to you, where you can completely DIY, or do a lot of the groundwork yourself first, to minimise the budget you need for a designer.
Here I will cover off some points to enable you to DIY or develop the foundations of your visual identity.
From a practical perspective you will probably want to start with your logo, as this will enable you to print your business cards and create the marketing platforms you immediately need such as our website.
Don’t jump into this too quickly, as there are many other parts of your visual identity you should consider first that will influence your logo design.

1. Consider your brand promise and style

You should have already developed your brand story by now and have an understanding of your values, strategic vision, point of difference and key target markets.
Go over your brand story and have it clear in your mind, how you want to be portrayed.
Start researching other logos and brands that portray a similar style of brand or statement that you would like to make.
Remember you want to differentiate yourself from the competition so look at their visual identities as well to make sure you can stand out.
Cut out or print copies of images that give the feeling you want to create. For example, are you going for a retro style, a completely modern style, or something whimsical? Whatever you choose try to keep your personal preferences out of all of these decisions. The visual identity must speak to your key target market, not necessarily yourself.
Also decide if you will have a tagline or short slogan to represent your business and whether it needs to be incorporated into your logo and other design elements such as footers in document templates.

2. Choose colours
Building on the above thought process, consider what colours you would like to use for your business.
Different colours evoke different feelings and represent different types of businesses and services. Refer to my blog post on the meaning of different colours to inform these decisions.
Remember again that the colours should represent your brand and your organisation. They don’t need to be your favourite colours. Where possible you should try to differentiate yourself from the competition.
When selecting your colours you are looking for one or two main colours that will feature heavily in your logo and marketing collateral. However you should also choose supporting colours to give you more choice in design materials. All of your colours should complement each other.
It helps to obtain a basic understanding of colour theory as well as warm and cool tones. You can buy a colour wheel from an art supplies shop to help you. I have also used paint sample cards from the hardware store to get inspiration for different colours and mix and match them with other colours to see if they work well together.
Basic colour theory
There are a number of colour schemes to consider when trying to ensure the colours go well with each other.
Here are some basic themes.
Complementary colour scheme – these are colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel such as red and green. Used together they have a big impact.
Analogous colour scheme – these are colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel. They can create a harmonious feeling.
Triadic colour scheme – these are colours that are evenly spaced around the colour wheel. This can be a quite vibrant scheme.
     
There are several other schemes you could use, but it is best to refer to a colour wheel or an expert to better understand them.
Warm and cool colours
You need to decide whether warm or cool colours best reflect your business.
Warm colours are vivid and energetic, and tend to have red and yellow tones.
Cool colours are more calming with blue and green tones whereas white, black and grey are neutral.
You don’t want to mix warm and cool colours (as a general rule) but this doesn’t mean you have to completely rule out whole colour groups. Since most colours are made up of a combination of the primary colours red, blue and green (blue and yellow), it’s possible to have warm and cool versions of the same type of colour.
For example, lime green can be a very warm colour if it has a lot of yellow in it, but it can also be cooler if it has more blue in it. A warmer lime green may suit a gym business as it suggests energy, where a cooler lime might suit a day spa and massage business where you want people to come in and relax.

3. Understand your colour breakdown
Once you have chosen your colours, it’s important to get exact colour breakdowns so the same colour can be replicated everywhere. Just because a colour may look one way on your screen, and when you print it, doesn’t mean it will look the same way on someone else’s computer or printer.
If you choose a specific lime green, you want it to be the same lime green on your business cards, as it is on your signage, as it is on your uniforms. This maintains the integrity of your brand.
This can be achieved by understanding the breakdown of your colours in terms of red, green (blue and yellow) and blue. As a minimum you will want to know you RGB and CMYK breakdowns. Your Pantone or PMS breakdown will also be helpful. You can try and determine the breakdowns yourself using the tips below, but this is one area where engaging a professional designer to help you can be worth it.
RGB – this stands for Red-Green-Blue and is the most appropriate colour breakdown when choosing a colour for computer screens. For example, websites and documents designed to be viewed electronically.
Teal is the main colour for my business and is a cross between teal and turquoise. It can be represented by the following breakdown.
RGB 0-138-151
You can check the RGB breakdown of a colour you use in a word document by selecting the text or background colour in a shape and clicking on ‘format’. When you choose colour, choose ‘more colours’ and then choose the RGB slider.
CMYK – this breakdown is used for printing with ink. It stands for cyan (a blue colour), magenta (a reddish colour), yellow, and key (representing ‘black)’.
The CMYK breakdown for my main colour is as follows:
CMYK 100-0-31-24
You may be able to check the CMYK breakdown for your RGB colour by choosing the CMYK slider instead of the RGB slider in Word, using the same process as described above. You can also try to use an online approximation tool to convert your RGB to the CMYK code.
PMS (Pantone Matching System) – Pantone colors are a result of specific mixtures of ink and can overcome some of the inconsistencies you may get with calibration between different printers that can result in minor CMYK variances. You would use a PMS or Patone colour when you want the colour to be as completely accurate as possible.
You can use programs such as Illustrator or Photoshop to help select a PMS colour close to your CMYK colour. You can find some instructions at this website.
The Pantone approximation of my main company colour is as follows:
Pantone 321C

4. Choose your fonts
Font choice is also important for different communication mediums and can evoke different feelings.
You should try and choose 2-3 fonts maximum (not including the font you choose for your logo) that will be used across your communication materials.
You will want to choose at least one serif font and one san-serif font.
Serif fonts are fonts where most of the letters have little tails, so the words run into each other. Times New Roman is an example of a serif font.
San serif fonts don’t have tails on the majority of the letters. The letters don’t run into each other, it is more like printing than say running writing. Arial is an example of a san serif font.
Generally speaking san serif fonts are great for headings and serif fonts are good for body text, as they encourage the reader’s eyes to flow onto the next word.
The exception is online or on websites, where san serif fonts are more user-friendly. Verdana is a very popular web font.
It’s a great idea to think ahead what fonts you want to use, as well as what size and style of fonts (bold, italics, underline) for specific situations and documents.
You can even create email signatures and templates for documents you intend on using a lot to ensure the fonts are consistently used. You can also develop rules for spacing, bullet point style. This consistency will support you brand and give your communication materials a professional look.
A couple of words of warning though. I recommend choosing popular fonts that would be available to most people when they open Microsoft Word or similar documents. Customised fonts are great in terms of building a unique brand but can cause difficulties if you don’t know how to protect their use and there may be licensing costs.
If a person receiving your communication material electronically doesn’t have the same font, their computer will choose a default font, defeating the purpose of selecting fonts for your brand in the first place.
There are a couple of things you can do to protect your font and the integrity of its appearance, such as converting documents to a pdf file or learning how to embed fonts. However sometimes this isn’t always feasible so it can be better to choose popular fonts.

5. Now design your logo
Once you have figured out all the above, you should be able to work on a logo that represents your brand, using appropriate colours and fonts.
When it comes to your logo you may want to get a professional to design one for you.
A professional designer will create a logo based on your brief about style, colours etc, but they will also give you the logo in different file types such as JPEG, PNG and EPS and on different backgrounds.
Without going into too much detail here, what you need to know is that you will need a high resolution version of your logo for high quality and large format printing, and a lower resolution one for on screen applications such as the website. Some file types also have a transparent background, which works really well for some design situations.
You may also want a colour one and a black and white one or even grayscale depending on where it will be used.
Some organisations have landscape and portrait versions made to suit different design situations. Additionally you can have logos with different background colours eg. One with a white background and one with a dark background, depending on where the logo will be used.
A professional designer will create all of the different versions for you.
However it is possible to create your own logo versions using design programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop.
You can also use DIY logo design online services such as freelogoservices.com, logomaker.com, logoyes.com or vistaprint.com.au

6. Create a visual identity guide
Once you have locked in the above details and have your logo, you should compile the key information in one guide that can be referenced by anyone who needs it. A Visual Identity Guide should be accessible and referred to by staff, printers, designers and marketing officers to ensure your brand is protected.
In your visual guide, outline your style, logo and how it should be used, fonts, colours and colour breakdown and guidelines and samples of how to use all of the above.

There you have it, a DIY guide for developing all or part of your visual identity. To stay in the know about my writing projects and to receive regular writing tips and articles like this, sign up here.

10 Insider Tips on How to Get Free Publicity

Kylie Fennell

Headline: “Publicity: The Friend of Journalists and Businesses Alike”
Mission: Dispel publicity myths and show how you can get free media coverage for your business.
Background: Some journalists may cringe at the word publicity. I know I have. This is usually after being at the receiving end of a poor publicity attempt.
As a former journalist, I can recall the days of receiving a blatant sales plug disguised in the form of a media release. This would be followed by a series of harassing phone calls (usually when you’re on deadline) from an overly enthusiastic publicist, asking eagerly ‘did you get my press release yet?’, ‘So are you going to print it?’ ‘Are you? Are you? Are you?’, ‘Ohhh, why not?’.
I have also been on the other side and been the one pitching story ideas to journalists. Fortunately for me, I have enough inside knowledge to avoid the publicity pitfalls. As a result I have been very successful at getting positive media coverage for my clients.
Major myths: journalists don’t like businesses trying to get free publicity for themselves; only publicists or marketing professionals can approach journalists and arrange publicity.
Facts: There’s a huge difference between good and bad publicity attempts. The overriding fact is that journalists are in the business of ‘news’. Journalists appreciate anyone approaching them with newsworthy materials. As long as it’s done in a professional, respectful and convenient manner.
Why you should want publicity: The true value of publicity is hard to measure but it’s widely acknowledged as being far more effective than straight out advertising.
Media coverage or editorial is third-party opinion, so the impact is considered around three times that of a paid advertisement. As an example if a half-page ad in the local newspaper costs $500, then a half-page worth of editorial in the same newspaper would be valued at $1500.
Then you also take into account where the story appears. Is it on a right hand page early on in the newspaper? Is it one of first stories on the news bulletin? These rank even higher.
So yes, publicity is well worth the effort, and can cost next to nothing other than an investment of time and a little effort.
Here are our top 10 DIY tips on how to get free publicity for your business.
1. Know your targets– investigate the best media outlet for your business and industry. Consider all mediums, such as, local newspapers, trade, industry and commercial magazines, radio, TV (local and national), online news sites and bloggers.
There will also be popular bloggers and social commentators that are specific to your type of business or your target audience. Get to know them.
Sometimes your target media outlet may be specific to a news story idea or angle, but generally speaking you will have core contacts that you should have up-to-date details for.
Populate this list by reading, listening, watching the media yourself. Ask your customers what media they use. Research what kind of stories they are interested in. Take a note of key journalists details. If you are interested in engaging a TV or radio presenter, ask for the appropriate producer’s details.
If you’re not sure who the best contact is, call the main number/reception and ask for the appropriate name, number and/or email address.
In Australia, you can subscribe to Margaret Gee’s Media Guide, which has comprehensive listings of specific media outlets and their contact details. It may be worthwhile investing in this if you are intending on sending out a lot of media releases and widely. You can also conduct a free online search using keywords, location or publication type. This will give you basic details to inform your own media list.
2. Develop relationships with key media and influencers ­– once you have identified your targets, consider reaching out to them and introducing yourself. Always have a reason though to initiate the call. You could send them a brief email, saying who you are and offering yourself as an industry expert. Use a current topic as a specific segue, for example, “I saw your story the other day on ‘calls for cats to be registered’. I’m a local vet with 15 years experience and agree this is an important issue. If you would like a local angle on this story or an interview opportunity, please call or email me on the below details.”
A better option would be to develop a tailored media release with your comments and send that through to the contact.
You can call journalists as well, but be very aware they are extremely busy and NEVER call them when they are approaching deadline. Get to know their publishing dates or on-air times, better still get to know their deadlines and avoid contacting them at those times.
When it comes to bloggers and social commentators, follow or subscribe to them. Engage in their comments and stories and make comments where you can add something of value.
You don’t want to plug your business you just want to start positioning yourself as an industry expert.
If you can successfully demonstrate you’re an expert in your field, are approachable and accessible, and can provide good content/interview talent/visual opportunities, then they will start coming to you for comment.
3. Have a story idea– all you need is a good story or ‘yarn’ to get you started.
This isn’t as hard as it sounds. Straight sales plugs are not newsworthy, but a lot of other things are. You should have an idea what kind of stories are usually covered by your target media outlet and try to come up with your own.
Journalists want stories from everyday people about everyday things as well as extraordinary happenings. Human interest type stories are always a winner – David vs Goliath, underdog makes good, everyday Joe overcomes overwhelming challenges.
Consider things that are interesting to your customers and the wider community. Brainstorm ideas with your staff, customers and other key contacts. Ideas may include: Supporting a community initiative; a free seminar; major awards won; environmental initiatives; current issues you could comment on or leverage.
4. Create a great media release – if you cant afford to pay an expert to write a good media release, write your own.
Journalists will give precedence to a well written media release, over a poorly written one. The easier you can make their job, the better your chances are of gaining coverage.
Have a goal in mind of what you want to achieve with your media release and how to best connect with your target audience (as well as the media outlet’s audience).
The most important parts of the media release are an attention grabbing headline, and the opening paragraph. Include quotes from an expert such as yourself. Make sure your contact details are included. Aim for 1-2 pages and make sure it is free of spelling mistakes.
While different news outlets and countries have slightly different preferences in terms of format and presentation, the basics are usually the same. You can find media release writing tips and a media release template here.
Email your release directly to your contact with a personalised note if possible (not a blanket email). You may like to follow up a day later with a phone call, but make sure you don’t call on deadline and have a point to your call.
Eg. ‘Did you get my media release?’, will not get as good a response as, ‘I’m following up my media release to offer you an interview/photo/vision opportunity.’ You will get an even better response if you can offer them something exclusive.
Have key messages or a spiel ready for what you want to say when you speak to the journalist, this is like a mini audition for an interview opportunity so you want to sound like great ‘talent’.
If you have key messages, use them as a guide only and be careful not to read them like a script, you want to sound natural. Be yourself, but your most professional self.
It’s okay to target particular outlets and offer them exclusive coverage first. You can give them a couple of days to consider your exclusive offer before sending the release out more widely. This can work if your story is newsworthy enough.
If you have enough lead time before an event or announcement date, you may like to send out a media alert first (a week before), which is like a date claimer.
You include basic what, where, when and a headline and an opening paragraph, similar to a short media release, which is enough of a teaser to get them to book it in their diaries. Don’t give away the whole story though, as you will save that for the follow-up media release late on.
5. Give your contact exactly what they need – Different types of media outlets have different needs or approaches. It’s a good idea to tailor your media release or approach to the specific outlet. For example, a TV program will be interested in vision and interview opportunities, a blogger may not be very interested in a corporate media release but they may be interested in doing a Q and A session with you on a specific topic or giveaways for their followers.
Newspapers and magazines will want photo opportunities and if there are logistical issues getting a photographer to you they may like you to submit your own good quality images.
6. Take your media releases online – It’s time to dispel another myth. A myth that ‘media releases’ are just for media. This is absolutely untrue. These days media releases can be targeted directly to consumers and even if they aren’t, they may be of interest to a lot of your stakeholders.
You should have a dedicated ‘newsroom’ page on your website that publishes copies of all of your media releases. You should also include videos, images and resources that may be of interest to our stakeholders. All kinds of people visit your online newsroom, not just media, and you should take advantage of this.
Regularly updating your content on your website, by adding media releases, also assists with search engine optimisation (SEO).
Offer your media releases in html and pdf format and optimise them for SEO by including relevant keywords.
Free information on hot keywords and trends can be found at Google Trends and Insights, Wordtracker and Ubersuggest.
Include backlinks to your website and social media in the media release.
Offer an RSS feed or subscription option on your website for people wishing to receive your media releases.
And don’t forget to promote your media releases on your social media platforms.
It’s also a great idea to use an online media release distribution service. Journalists subscribe to these services and it will help to create backlinks to your website. This is great from an SEO perspective and can help get you mentioned on Google News. New stories are generally speaking much higher ranked on Google results than corporate web pages.
There are hundreds of online media release distribution services. Some of them are free, while others aren’t. Do a bit of research on the most credible ones and find the best option for you – www.prweb.com is one such site and you can find a list of free services here.
You can also submit a media release directly to Google News, but you must first register as a provider by providing general information about your business and a URL to your media release. You can find more information here. Make sure you meet all of their requirements. Google News should let you know if your story has been approved or not.
7. Put yourself out there – I have already mentioned that you should try and pitch yourself as an industry expert. There are many ways to do this.
You can put yourself up as a media spokesperson by registering with websites that connect journalists with specific sources. One such site is www.sourcebottle.com, which does offer a free service.
Also get involved with industry events and speaking opportunities that keep you front of mind. This will help build personal brand awareness and build credibility for you and your business.
8. Keep up momentum– aim to send out a media release about once a month, though this may fluctuate depending on story opportunities. Don’t be too discouraged if you don’t always succeed at getting coverage. It’s okay as well to politely ask a journalist if they have any feedback on your release and/or story idea.
9. Monitor and promote media coverage – keep copies of your media coverage and promote it in your shopfront, or include links to stories on social media or your website. If you would like to reproduce a story or images in full, just check with the media outlet first. Many media outlets are fine with you putting a scanned in copy of a story on a website for instance if you credit the publication/journalist/photographer’s name.
Don’t forget to sign up for Google News Alerts so you can keep track of your online mentions.
10. Get expert help when you need it – It can be worthwhile to engage an expert to help you with media release development, distribution and selling-in. Don’t be scared to ask for a quote on different options. If you can’t afford full services, perhaps enquire about them editing a draft media release for you.
In summary don’t be scared of approaching a journalist or blogger. Just approach them armed with a great story idea and well written release. Be professional and respectful but don’t contact them on deadline. Did I mention, ‘NEVER contact a journalist on deadline’. It’s that easy.

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Advertisements that sell – 10 tips on how to write a killer ad

Kylie Fennell
Writing effective copy for advertisements is a true artform.
Here’s an example of a clever ad from an outdoor
advertising company selling billboard  space.
You need to know how to stand out from the competition and sell with your words.
Whether you are selling a brand, product, service or idea you need to be persuasive.
The good news is that writing ad copy is not vastly different from writing other business materials. There are a few ways though that can help take your ad to the next level.
Here are my top 10 tips to help your ads sell.
1. Know your purpose
It’s critical that you know the purpose of your advertisement before you start writing.
What do you want to achieve? Do you want to build brand awareness? Do you want people to pick up the phone and purchase a product? Do you want them to come into your shop for a particular sale? What is your call to action?
Be very clear about this.
2. Be prepared – know your facts and audience
You need to know the context of your advertising activity.
What is the medium you are writing for? Is it TV, newspaper, social media? What are the guidelines, space, word count?
Who is your target audience or market segment? Who is the exact customer persona or personas you are speaking to? What appeals to them?
What is your organisation’s vision, brand key messages or tagline? Do you need to incorporate these or ensure your ad copy supports these?
What is your point of difference and how will you make this clear?
What design element, images, vision, charts, testimonials need to be included?
3. What’s in it for me?
If you are asking your audience to do something (which of course you should be doing) you need to make the specific benefits for that particular market clear.
Your customer has a problem and you are offering the a solution.
Make the What’s in it for me? (WIFM) clear and tailor your copy to your target market.
4. Nail your headline and hook
Advertising legend David Ogilvy says the headline is 80%.
“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”
Make it short, punchy and to the point. It has to hook the audience to read or listen further.
5. Be persuasive
There are a few techniques or approaches that will make your ad copy more persuasive, here are some examples:
Highlight your claim – what is your claim? How are you solving the customer’s problem?
Use Experts or big names or customer testimonials – can you get someone credible or respected to back your claim?
Refer to facts and figures – numbers, data, research and indisputable information can be very convincing
Harness emotion – can you appeal to their emotions?
Elicit trust – can you get them to believe and trust in what you are saying, can you empathise, put yourself in their shoes?
Create a sense of urgency – convince your audience they need to act now.
Talk directly to the person – if you are speaking one-on-one to a customer you should use their name. If you are reaching a broader audience you still want to speak directly to them. Use ‘you, your’ wherever possible. Focus on the person not the product or service.
6. Use strong active words and positive language
Positive language is always more powerful than negative phrases, just as active language is stronger than passive.
What this means is that you should use strong verbs and action words wherever possible.
Active words means ‘doing something’ instead of ‘having it done’.
For example: ‘ ‘It is my recommendation’ (passive) vs ‘I recommend’ (active), ‘You can make an application’ (passive) vs ‘You can apply’ or just ‘Apply now’ (active).
There are some golden phrases and words in advertising that continue to sell and get good responses (as long as they are not overused).
Top power words that sell include Absolutely; Accomplish; Achieve; Benefit; Best; Clear-cut; Compelling; Convenient; Critical; Dependable.
Experts agree that words and phrases like ‘money’, ‘immediate benefit’, ‘save $150’, ‘protect your child’, ‘find love now’ and ‘lose weight in two weeks’ are still very effective, as long as they aren’t overused.
You will also find a comprehensive list of 100 positive words and 70 action getting phrases at this link.
Some of these phrases include: Act now! Send your name. Free. Be first to qualify. Booklet free. Everything supplied. Free booklet explains. Get started today. Get your copy now.
Just remember though, it’s all fine to use positive language, as long as the statement are based on truth. That is, you need to be able to back up what you claim in advertisements.
Make sure you ad copy complies with relevant laws and regulations, such as Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Laws as well as Anti Discrimination Laws. You can find information on relevant Australian advertising codes at the Ad Standards website.
7. Be specific and concise and specific
Less is best when it comes to ad copy. Use short, simple words and language. Get straight to the point and be specific.
In print and online ads you want there to be as much white or clean space as possible. The less words to read the more likely you are to keep the reader engaged. The same applies for TV or radio ads, where too many words can be distracting.
Look for opportunities to simplify words.
For example:
  • Accordingly > so
  • Adjacent to > next to
  • Approximately > about
  • Utilise > use
  • Obtain > get
8. Finish off strong
Finish off your ad copy strongly with a call-to-action and relevant contact details.
For example, ‘Book your appointment now on [phone number]’, or ‘Find out more at www.website.com’.
9. Step away from the computer
After you have written your draft ad copy, you should try and step away from the desk. Take time to let the copy marinate and give yourself a breather.
Come back to it the next day if you can wait that long. Read it again with fresh eyes. Check it carefully in hard copy. Reading the copy backwards or with a ruler under each line can help focus your editing eyes.
Check for appropriate style and tone for your audience. Is the WIFM and call-to-action clear?
10. Revise and check!
Once you have made your revisions get someone else to check your copy. Better yet give to two different people.
Often it helps to give it to someone who knows nothing about the content as they can give you a new perspective, as well as a subject specialist.
Always double, no, triple-check phone numbers, contact details and names.
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3…2…1….blast-off – how to market the launch of your new business

Kylie Fennell
When starting a business there are a few basic marketing activities you need to get underway. 
Image courtesy of koratmember/freedigitalimages.net
Ideally you would have developed a marketing strategy for your ongoing operations, but just as much focus should be given to launching your business.
You will only have one ‘grand opening’ for your business, so you should make the most of it. 
Getting your launch marketing activities right will put you in a good starting position and create a great first impression.
Here are my tips for marketing the launch of your new business. You can also use some of the same tactics for marketing a new product, service, idea or store location.
The ‘Coming Soon’ phase
In the weeks leading up to your grand opening, you want to start sharing the ‘Coming Soon’ message.
You can achieve this by:
  • Creating a ‘Coming Soon’ web page. You don’t need your full website to be up and running for this. A holding page or temporary page is fine for the ‘Coming Soon’ phase. Refer to my previous blog post for tips on setting up a website.
  • Tell everyone.Tell all of your friends, contacts/everyone you know or meet, about your upcoming business opening.
  • Create a contact list– start building an email/mailing list of people who would be interested in receiving information about your business. This will be the starting point of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system – one of your most valuable assets. You may not be able to afford specific CRM software, at least not initially, so you can use a simple spreadsheet to capture contact details.

    You could also set up a simple subscription form on your website and Facebook page. You can even create and manage contact lists in a free web-based tool such as mailchimp, which provides tailored sign-up forms and can be used later to develop and distribute e-newsletters.

    However, you must comply with relevant privacy laws and anti-spam laws, which you will need to make yourself familiar with. These differ from state to state and country to country but generally you can’t send marketing information to anyone unless they agree to receive it.  If someone agrees to only receive certain type of information, you can’t send them different types of information. You can’t pass on any person’s contact details to a third party without their permission and their details must be kept securely. You must also include an unsubscribe option in any email/text message communication.

    Don’t ever abuse the right to send contacts information or overload them with too many emails/letters. If you do they may unsubscribe.

    You could send your current contacts advice initially that your business is ‘coming soon’ and a little information about it and ask them if they are happy to receive any further updates or information about opening specials.

Get active on social media and blogs
Set up your social media accounts and post that the grand opening is ‘coming soon’. Refer to my previous blog posts on how to tame the social media beast, and identifying the best social media platforms to use for your business. You can also find tips on developing social media content here.
You can start a blog and follow and comment on other blogs relevant to your industry. Read about the benefits of business blogging at my previous post.
On social media you can also post ‘teasers’ or sneak peeks of your store, products or services or staff. Count down the days to opening on your social media pages.
Organise your marketing collateral
You will need to have your basic marketing material prepared and ready to go.
Once you have chosen or created a logo and visual identity, including colour schemes and preferred fonts, you can start printing and creating email templates.
The basics include a business card and email signature. These should include your main phone and email contact details, website address and details/links for social media pages if you have them.
You will also want to start preparing letterhead templates and other stationery if needed. You may need flyers, catalogues, posters and/or product lists, and signage ready to go. Refer to this blog post for all the different types of marketing material you may want to consider.
Make sure all of your marketing material includes your key messages and speaks to your target audience. Your point of difference should be clear. Read these tips on how to develop a unique brand story and key messages.
Contact media
Determine the most relevant media for your audience and business, then send them a media release advising of your upcoming business.
Often your local paper and radio are happy to highlight good news stories of businesses opening, especially if you are buying advertising at the same time. Just don’t demand media coverage. Don’t ever pressure a journalist to write something ‘because’ you advertised.
Editorial (or media coverage) is not an entitlement for advertisers, but it can give you a better shot at being highlighted in your local media. That being said, if the news angle or story idea is strong enough, you shouldn’t have to advertise to generate media interest. Tips on writing a media release can be found here, as well as how to identify news story ideas or media angles.
If you are interested in advertising, contact the media outlet’s advertising representative and determine the best advertising plan for you. Ask them for details on their audience and demographics so you can ensure your advertisement reaches your target market. There may also be opportunities to buy an advertisement and ‘advertorial’ in a specific feature relevant to your business and target market.
Once you have determined your advertising plan, ask the ad rep how you may go about approaching editorial to see if they would be interested in doing a news story on your business. They will give you the best advice for their media outlet.
Other advertising and cross-promotion
You should also consider other advertising and promotional opportunities such as outdoor signage and billboards.
Look for opportunities to cross-promote with other businesses by offering discounts/deals for each other’s clients. Choose likeminded businesses, those located near to your business or complementary businesses, eg. hairdresser and a make-up artist, butcher and a fruit and vegetable shop, an accountant and a solicitor. You can put business cards or flyers in each other’s shops.
Even if you don’t have a shopfront you can develop mutually beneficial relationships with other businesses and share each others’ details, promotional material and perhaps promote links to each other’s websites or social media.
Giveaways, discounts and competitions
In the lead-up to your launch and at any launch event, offer giveaways, discounts, or competitions to win a free product/service. Send details to your contacts and post details on your social media.
If your business is focused on a specific region or location you may want to consider a letterbox drop, and offer discounts or giveaways to them. This is an especially great idea for direct neighbours, especially if your neighbours are residential and you want to get off on the right foot with them.
Get out there
Start getting out there and introducing yourself to potential customers and influencers. Try to reach your target audience in person if possible.
You can set up a stall at trade expos, festivals or community events. Consider sponsoring a popular local event.
Get listed
Make sure your business name and contact details are listed on key directories. These directories will differ depending on your business type and budget, but they may include Yellow Pages, TrueLocal,and/or Yelp. Some directories are free, but if they are charging money just make sure the directory seems credible and well-used.
Check out where your competition is listed and perhaps get listed there as well. At the same time, investigate what other promotions your competition are doing and how you can compete.
Launch event
Hold your own launch event and invite contacts, supporters, potential customers and media. If you have a shopfront try to hold the event on site. If you don’t have a physical shop, hold it at a local hotel, café, restaurant or function centre.
It doesn’t have to be a particularly lavish type of event. Make sure you have marketing material on display and product samples. You may also want to prepare a slideshow or presentation.
If you are a service based industry you may like to offer a free or discounted price seminar at a local venue. You can give away some of your ‘secret sauce’, which will help to develop brand awareness, and hopefully give you leads on potential customers or opportunities to upsell your full services.
Coincide activities
Get the most bang for your buck by trying to coincide promotional and advertising efforts with each other. For example, if you are sponsoring an event on a particular weekend, you may want advertisements in the local paper around the same time and pictures or teasers for the event on your social media pages.
Have your operational ‘ducks in a row’
It is all great to have all your marketing sorted for your launch, but there’s no point if your operational ‘ducks aren’t in a row’.
This means your product and services need to be ready for launch. Marketing materials need to be sorted. Distribution channels need to be ready as well as customer and product support infrastructure. Packaging, pricing and people (staff) also have to be locked in readiness for launch.
Marketing strategy
Try not to lose sight of your overall marketing strategy for your business. Your launch is only one promotional activity in the grand scheme of things. You want to keep your promotional momentum going well past your launch and your overarching marketing strategy should support this. Learn here how to DIY and create your own marketing strategy.

For help with your marketing needs contact us at Kylie Fennell .
Sales tips

Sensational sales techniques

Kylie Fennell
Marketing and sales can sometimes be seen as one and the same. While related to each other they are completely different beasts and disciplines.
Sales is a critical component of the overall marketing mix but requires specific techniques and skills.
The difference between a below average salesperson and an excellent salesperson is vast. And the difference between a poor sales call and amazing pitch is just as vast.
At the end of the day, those differences can usually be measured in volume of sales.
Effective sales rely on having the right people and using the right techniques.
Here are my sensational sales techniques and tips on what makes a good salesperson. 
What makes a great salesperson
In an ideal world, it would be great to have salespeople who have extensive sales experience and a proven track record.
Sometimes though you may not have the resources to secure a very experienced salesperson or you are looking to upskill an existing employee. In that case, you might want to consider the characteristics of a good salesperson.
  • A people person – someone who genuinely likes to engage with people. The key word here being engage, that is, two way conversations
  • Problem solver – a desire to help people. Someone who obtains satisfaction from solving people’s problems
  • Proactive and innovative– able to think on their feet, take their own initiative and flexible enough to respond to emerging situations and come up with creative solutions or responses
  • Action oriented – someone who follows through with what they say they will do and instead of focusing on what ‘can’t be done’ they will say ‘what I can do is…’
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills – oral communication skills are particularly important and the ability to tailor information for specific audiences. A good salesperson is always well presented.
  • Resilient – the ability to thrive under pressure and bounce back from set-backs, while keeping an upbeat and positive attitude wherever possible.
GENERAL SALES TIPS 
Don’t use sales scripts!
If you have ever been on the receiving end of a salesperson using a script, you would have recognised the robotic tone immediately. You may have instinctively had a feeling of  ‘here we go, here comes the pitch’. This is not a great start to a sales call especially when selling relies on developing trust and rapport with prospects.
Instead of using scripts, you should develop key messages, phrases or transitional sentences that can be used a guide. Develop a list of questions and anticipated objections as well as potential responses, but these should be used as a reference only, not read word-for-word. Good salespeople sound genuine because they are speaking with their real voice, tone and style.
An exception to this rule is having a set script for when leaving a voice mail. Carefully craft a script that suits your personal style and use a friendly tone. Deliver your message at a medium pace and repeat at the end of the message, key information, such as your name and the number to call back on.
Know your prospect
Before you pick up a phone or approach a prospect in person, know whom you are speaking to.  It helps to develop customer personas or profiles on your key targets. Understand what drives them, what are the barriers, challenges or problems they face and how can you solve them.
If your selling to a business, know the business and industry they are in. Do a bit of research beforehand online and referring to other marketing collateral the business may produce. If you’re prospects are all in the same business type or industry, become an expert in that field.
You need to understand your prospects’ needs and problems, some of which they may not have even realised they have yet.
With any prospect, it’s also a good idea to obtain an understanding of when is a good time to contact them, day/night/time and how, email/phone/in person.
Find out if the person you are speaking to is the right person in terms of influence and decision-making. You can politely enquire by saying ‘I have some information about Y that will assist your organisation with X, but I just wanted to confirm who the best person was to speak to about that’.
Be upfront, honest and make a great first impression
Try and use the prospect’s name in your opening sentence if possible, and aim to be friendly but short and concise. It’s also a great idea to thank them.
Eg.  ‘Thank you first name for speaking with me today…’
For cold calling introduce yourself upfront and be open about the reason for your call.
Eg. ‘My name is full name from company name. I am calling about our X service and to arrange a time to….’
When you do get to the ‘ask’ be clear about what you are asking of them. If you want them to book an appointment, say ‘I would like to set an appointment time for one of our consultants…’. Don’t ask it with an open-ended phrase such as “if you would like a consultant to…”.
Have a conversation
It is critical , particularly when it comes to cold calling that you understand that the sales call (whether in person or over the phone) is a conversation, not one-way dialogue.
A conversation is dynamic where both participants speak, listen and respond appropriately. Something that can never be achieved via a script.
You want to have a professional, open and meaningful conversation with the prospect.
Focus on the prospects’ needs and restate your understanding of their needs eg. ‘From what you are saying I understand…’.
Ask them to elaborate where appropriate to draw out a clearer picture of the situation, simple questions such as ‘and why is that?’ can help.
Know the difference between a question and an objection. Listen and interpret.
You should be aiming to open and maintain dialogue in a genuine way. By opening the conversation and not seeking to control it, you will help to build rapport.
Sometimes you may need to bring the conversation back on track, but your primary role is to listen to the prospect’s needs, empathise with them and provide solutions where needed.
The ask should then fall naturally out of the discussion, without abruptly derailing the conversation or rapport.
A great salesperson ideally needs to believe in the product or service they are selling, or at the very least believe that the solutions they are offering will address the customer’s problems.
During the conversation, they should be enthusiastic about the idea of providing a solution and helping the prospect.
You should use an enthusiastic and friendly tone and smile (even over the phone). You should show active listening skills eg. ‘Uh huh’, ‘I see’ and display positive body language eg leaning in and nodding.
Roleplays are a great way to get a feel for what does and doesn’t work.
Backing up your claims
There are various ways you can provide evidence of your claims and benefits of your product or service. Here are a few of them:
  • Highlight benefits specific to the prospect and their situation
  • Use testimonials/case studies – provide copies or refer to them in conversation eg. “this reminds me of customer X who….”
  • Use facts, figures, charts, images, videos, expert testimonial to support the benefit claims
  • Compare to competitor’s product/service pointing out the superiority of your offering
  • Connect the offering to something they an understand, ‘it’s like X but…’
  • To encourage a wavering or unsure prospect, narrow it down to two choices for them, ‘so you can purchase package X or package Y…’
  • Reduce obvious risks where possible – if there is a cooling off period, trial period or money back guarantee, highlight these.
Offer something special
While you may not be throwing in a set of steak knives, you may be offering something else to the customer that hints at exclusivity or a special deal, such as:
  • A discount or 2 for 1 offer
  • A package or bundle ­at a discounted price
  • Cross-sell or upsell to other products or services. ‘If you like this you may also be interested in this’ or ‘customers who bought this, also bought this’.
Specify a timeframe to secure the offer, so there is a sense of urgency.
Monitor and evaluate success
You should try and keep track of what does and doesn’t work for you. How many points of contact does it take before you secure a sale? How many separate calls before a sale? What time of day best works with this type of customer?
Keep notes and keep in touch with possible prospects where possible. More importantly stay in touch with previous clients to encourage repeat business.
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Nailing your communication touchpoints for a sale ­– “Easy” as pie marketing advice

Kylie Fennell
Once you have a marketing strategy and goals in place, one of the hardest things to do is decide what marketing or communication tactic to use.
There are so many ways to connect with your target audience, and it’s a matter of deciding which way will be most effective. You also need to be aware of what’s possible within your current budget and resources.
Additionally it’s important to keep in mind, when communicating with potential customers, that it may take several different points of contacts (touchpoints) before they take the step of buying from you.
Industry experts will give you varying numbers of how many points of contact, or touchpoints, it takes to make a sale.
Experts such as Dr Jeffrey Lant in his ‘Rule of Seven’ states that you must contact your buyers a minimum of seven times in an 18-month period for them to remember you. Other experts have also cited seven as the number of times you have to contact someone and ask for a sale before you get a “yes”. You can read more on that here.
What all experts agree on is that there is no definitive figure, and that the number of touchpoints will differ and fluctuate across industries, organisations and target markets. 
They also agree that in today’s world when we are overloaded with advertising and messages, the number of touchpoints may need to be higher and more varied.
If you want to cut through to your target audience, whether you want a sale or to engage your staff, you need to pick the right communication tool and use several different tactics.
My infographic provides an ‘Easy as pie’ guide on how to choose the best marketing or communication tactic for your target audience.
For professional advice on creating effective communication touchpoints speak to an expert via www.kyliefennell.com

PS You will notice this infographic is food inspired. This won’t come as a surprise for those people who know me, and how much I love cooking and pies. Regardless, I hope all of you find your marketing ‘easy as pie’ with this guide. 


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