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	<title>Don MacLeod &#187; Marketing</title>
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	<link>http://donmacleod.com</link>
	<description>Marketing, Advertising, Social Media, Digital and Idea Generation</description>
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		<title>Create Your Own Newspaper via Twitter</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/create-your-own-newspaper-via-twitter/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/create-your-own-newspaper-via-twitter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:51:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[create newpaper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=595</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Cool app from Twitter 3rd Party Developer called Small Rivers. Create your own newspaper on Twitter using a hash mark, tag name, user name and by lists. Visit this one I created using #marketing. Visit the Newspaper by clicking this sentence.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Cool app from Twitter 3rd Party Developer called Small Rivers. Create your own newspaper on Twitter using a hash mark, tag name, user name and by lists. Visit this one I created using #marketing.  <a href="http://paper.li/tag/marketing" onclick="urchinTracker('/outgoing/paper.li/tag/marketing?referer=');">Visit the Newspaper by clicking this sentence</a>.</p>
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		<title>Direct Response Copywriting</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/direct-response-copywriting/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/direct-response-copywriting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:26:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Direct Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[article writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[content writer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copy writing ad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriting services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriting web content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct advertising response mail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct mail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct mail services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct response]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct response copy writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[proofreading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copy writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=584</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a great deal of direct response copy writing in the world today. Direct response copy writing can take several different forms. It could encompass a direct-mail campaign as well as direct response ads. Within this article today on direct response copy writing, we will look at what this entails and where you can [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There is a great deal of direct response copy writing in the world today.  Direct response copy writing can take several different forms.  It could encompass a direct-mail campaign as well as direct response ads.  Within this article today on direct response copy writing, we will look at what this entails and where you can find more information about direct response copy writing.</p>
<p>To learn more about direct response copy writing, you should look at one of the masters: <strong>Dan Kennedy</strong>.  He has written many books which you should look into.  Dan has done many different areas of copy writing but direct response copy writing is one of his specialties.</p>
<p>When you talk about direct response advertising, there is a great deal of competition.  Many companies employ direct response copy writing so you must make sure that you have different ways for your advertising to stand up.  When you are doing direct response copy writing, you should make sure that you are writing to your prospects as you would write to a friend.  This will be slightly formal but informal in the sense that you are writing to the person in a conversational tone.  You do not need to stick to a certain length of space within your writing but rather write until what you need to say has been said.</p>
<p>Direct response copy writing is a complex subject so you should read more about this subject because a formula has been developed that you can use.  There is no reason to reinvent the wheel when you&#8217;re copy writing because that involves more work on your part and people have taken the time and effort to test the different parts of the letter to maximize the current formula and wring out the most sales possible with a direct response copy writing campaign.</p>
<p>There are three main parts usually to a direct response letter.  These are the headline, the offer, and the postscript.  The headline is the most read part of your sales letter so you must make sure to grab your prospects&#8217; attention immediately. If you do not grab their attention, you&#8217;ll find that your direct response copy writing letter is at the bottom of the trashcan along with many other junk letters.  The second most important part of the letter is the postscript.  This is where you will be giving an incentive for someone to respond immediately to what you have to offer.  With the offer, you want to make sure that this explains in great detail what a person will receive if they take you up on your offer.  The postscript will offer further incentives so that the person will respond immediately.</p>
<p>Hopefully this article on direct response copy writing has benefited you.  The key behind direct response copy writing is that you want the person to immediately respond to the offer that you have presented.  Good copy writing is done by following the formulas that have been established.  By focusing upon the three main parts such as the headline, the offer, and the postscript, you will be setting yourself up to have a high success rate.  Direct response copy writing can be very effective and produce great sales for you or your clients if you do it correctly so be sure to continue to learn more about the subject.</p>
<p>To learn more about direct response marketing master Dan Kennedy &#8211; <a href="http://www.dankennedy.com/" onclick="urchinTracker('/outgoing/www.dankennedy.com/?referer=');">click here.</a> I subscribe to his monthly newsletter and it is invaluable.  This is not an affiliate link and I make no money recommending the newsletter.  But if you want to make money, I would recommend you subscribe.</p>
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		<title>Digital Marketing is Growing Quickly</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/digital-marketing-is-growing-quickly/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/digital-marketing-is-growing-quickly/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:05:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital billboards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[text]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[text messaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=560</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Utilizing online distributions methods to promote products is known as digital marketing. This approach is both time saving and cost effective. Digital marketing is done through items such as cell phones, SMS, MMS, instant messaging, websites, emails, banner advertisement and digital billboards. Digital marketing involves some of the techniques of direct marketing and Internet marketing. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Utilizing online distributions methods to promote products is known as digital marketing. This approach is both time saving and cost effective. Digital marketing is done through items such as cell phones, SMS, MMS, instant messaging, websites, emails, banner advertisement and digital billboards.</p>
<p>Digital marketing involves some of the techniques of direct marketing and Internet marketing. In digital marketing traditional methods of promotions are executed digitally. It involves marketing in two forms, pull and push.</p>
<p>Pull digital marketing requires the user to pull or extract the content directly. The customer has to approach the promotional matter and see the matter by himself. Examples are websites, forums and web logs. All these require clicking on a URL in order to view the content. The content that is being displayed doesn&#8217;t have to follow any guidelines. Effort is required to only display the content on the website or forum and there is no additional cost of sending the information to the customer, but the customer has to make the extra effort of reaching to the content .The customer doesn&#8217;t have to opt-in for such kind of promotion and one message is being viewed by all and it cannot be personalized. The customers who see the content cannot be traced, although the click through rate can be considered which give details about the number of clicks the message received. This is be done by enabling the click though tracking during the campaign, which records the information.</p>
<p>Push digital marketing technologies requires the effort of both the marketer and the customer. The marketer has to push or send the content to the customer and the customer has to make the effort of receiving it. This is a very effective kind of marketing and the investments surely earn a big return as it creates brand recognition. SMS, MMS, emails, RSS podcasting are examples of push digital marketing. Since the content is sent to individuals, it can be personalized according to the intended recipient. Whether the message has been opened and viewed by the customer or deleted it can be tracked and reported. Information related to the customer such as name, geographical location could be traced. But when sending this king of message, certain criteria should be met as the SMS and emails sent are monitored. If the marketer doesn&#8217;t follow the rules and regulations properly, there is a possibility of messages getting rejected and blocked, before they reach the targeted audience and the message is considered to be spam. Bigger consequences involve marketers getting blacklisted temporarily or even permanently. The number would be blocked and they won&#8217;t be able to send any messages at all. Messages sent to the RSS feeders require a mechanism with an application to reach, when sent by an email marketing system.</p>
<p>Both forms of digital marketing should be used in consonance to achieve positive results. A smart marketer sends out emails along with SMS and uses multiple channels to market his products. The type of messages being sent should also be different from one another. They should not only be text, but animations, audios and videos. There is a possibility of using pull and push message technologies in conjunction like the email sent to a potential customer can have a URL or a banner ad, which on clicking downloads information. If there is enormous group of people to be reached via email, Email service providers can be hired who sends loads of emails to the customers on behalf of the marketer and they take measures so that the messages are not considered as spam.</p>
<p>Although much of the marketing is opt-in, federal laws, such as CAN SPAM Act, have been passed to protect the customers from unscrupulous marketers who would go to any extent to promote their products or hackers or spammers who have a bad intent i.e. like harming the computer or installing adware, spyware on people&#8217;s computers.</p>
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		<title>Using Power Words In Advertising</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/using-power-words-in-advertising/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/using-power-words-in-advertising/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:56:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Copy Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[excellent words]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Excellent Words & Phrases For Ad Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power words]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=510</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Plus the Top Ten Power Words according to Yale University Words cannot only influence the minds of people but can completely change their perception abut a particular thing. Words have the persuasion power to entice and motivate. They are used by the politicians, public relation folks, and even by parents to pass on their message. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h6><span style="color: #000080;">Plus the Top Ten Power Words according to Yale University</span></h6>
<p>Words cannot only influence the minds of people but can completely  change their perception abut a particular thing. Words have the  persuasion power to entice and motivate. They are used by the  politicians, public relation folks, and even by parents to pass on  their message. These words are known as power words and they can do  wonders when used in advertisement.</p>
<p>New or improved words create a sense of curiosity. The customers  get an impression that the product is something that is different from  others and he tries to get it before anyone else does so as to have edge  over others. The laundry products have always been advertised as new  and improved, from years. Although it can be either new improved version  of the existing product, but the power of both the words and the  product reinforces each other&#8217;s strength.</p>
<p>Take for instance the line &#8220;Money back guarantee&#8221;, these power  words helps gain the trust of the customer. It is a must to print these  words at the closing line of an advertisement. After this sentence, the  methods of payment and how money will be returned if the customer is not  satisfied should be stated.</p>
<p>Most of the successful advertisements have a little known secret  that surely generated curiosity within the reader. People are knowledge  thirsty, they want to know what others do not know. They think that  there is some vital information they are missing because of which they  haven&#8217;t gained success in something particular.</p>
<p>Words &#8220;Insider say that&#8221;, is similar to &#8216;secret&#8221;. It gives out  information from some expertise that is still unknown to the outside  world and only if the customer gives money, information will be divulged  to him.</p>
<p>Free word in the headline of the message simply does wonders.  The reader easily absorbs the message, unless and until something free  is given to the customer in reality. By any change, if the company  tricks the customer into paying money for something, which was supposed  to be free, the trust of the customer is lost instantly. Usually the  word FREE is spelled as FR~E on websites as ISP filters blocks messages  having the actual word, considering it to be some kind of spam.</p>
<p>You is a very important word to be used in an advertisement. It  directly points out the advantages to the customer, if he buys a  particular product or service. Step into the shoes of the customer and  try to note down the points which will be of benefit and what points  will decrease the interest. The advantages then should be referred to  the customer by addressing them with &#8220;you&#8221;. The customer feels that he  is being directly talked to.</p>
<p>The word &#8220;Immediately&#8221; rings in the emergency. It can be  interpreted as &#8220;Don&#8217;t wait any longer, get it now!&#8221; This motivates the  customer to take some necessary and quick action.</p>
<p>Power in itself is a powerful word. Give that power to the  consumer and see the magic. This gives the consumer a feeling that he  can get possession of something that he lacked till now and this could  make him achieve the impossible.</p>
<p>The basis of a successful ad is to understand the  consumer&#8217;s needs and then design the ad accordingly. Just  stating the advantages of using the product or service of the company  isn&#8217;t enough. Sentence should be so designed that the customer should  see his advantage in the product. For example, when advertising for a  digital camera, just stating that the in-built memory of the camera is  of 1 GB, won&#8217;t do the trick. Instead, the sentence should be changed to  &#8220;enough memory to store 350 pictures or 50 videos&#8221;. The solution to the  problem of the customer is reflected in this sentence. Ideas can be  taken from advertisements of other similar brands like how the sentences  are written and placed in an advertisement. After the sentence framing,  adding power words to spice up the advertisement will definitely make a  winning ad campaign.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Top 10 Power Words You Should Use                      in Your Advertising<br />
</span></strong></p>
<p>According to the psychology department at Yale  University,                      some words in the English language are more powerful  than                      others. Here are their top 10 most powerful:</p>
<p><strong>10. New</strong> &#8212; It&#8217;s part of basic human makeup  to seek                      novelty.</p>
<p><strong>9. Save &#8212; </strong>We all want to save  something.</p>
<p><strong>8. Safety &#8212; </strong>This could refer to health  or long-lasting                      quality.</p>
<p><strong>7. Proven &#8212; </strong>Helps remove fear from  trying something                      new.</p>
<p><strong>6. Love</strong> &#8212; Continues to be an all-time  favorite.</p>
<p><strong>5. Discover &#8212; </strong>Presents a sense of  excitement and                      adventure.</p>
<p><strong>4. Guarantee &#8212; </strong>Provides a sense of  safety at the                      time of purchase.</p>
<p><strong>3. Health &#8212; </strong>Especially powerful when it  applies to                      a product.</p>
<p><strong>2. Results &#8212; </strong>Works in rationalizing a  purchase.</p>
<p><strong>1. You &#8212; </strong>Listed as the #1 most powerful  word in every                      study reviewed. Because of the personal nature of  advertising                      copywriting, you should use “you” in your headline,                      opening line and as often as possible. In fact, many  copywriters                      will throw out a headline if “you” is not in it.</p>
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		<title>Getting Customers to Remember Your Brand. Three Impressions Every Week.</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/three-impressions-in-seven-days/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/three-impressions-in-seven-days/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:42:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ad impression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing impressions]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Society is flooded with so much advertising these days that we face the danger of not being noticed by our prospective customers.  When  I looked on Google to find out how many messages the average consumer is exposed to on a daily basis, the range was from 547 &#8211; 5,000+ (Source: Google Answers). Will your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Society is flooded with so much advertising these days that we face the danger of not being noticed by our prospective customers.  When  I looked on Google to find out how many messages the average consumer is exposed to on a daily basis, the range was from 547 &#8211; 5,000+ <a href="http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=56750" onclick="urchinTracker('/outgoing/answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=56750&amp;referer=');">(Source: Google Answers)</a>. Will your customers know who you are without an ad staring them in the face to remind them?</p>
<p>In other words are you trying to rely completely on direct response to your ads (short term), or are you creating a broad and lasting awareness in the minds of your target audience?  Without a strong attempt to brand yourself you will need to constantly advertise your goods and services.</p>
<p>By branding, I&#8217;m referring to the act of exposing prospects to your name, logo, tag line, etc. on a frequent basis, and to the extent that people are already aware of you when they are ready to purchase a product or service that you offer. (NOTE:  I offer a complimentary e-book &#8211; &#8220;The Basics of Branding.&#8221; see sidebar for details.)</p>
<p>For best results a business needs to expose each prospect to the same ad impression at least three times within a week. By running a very strong campaign over the course of a month you can easily create a very lasting effect on the people you would like to have as your customers. One thing to aware of, consumers are bombarded with so many messages, they tend to block out some messages. Consider this when planning your marketing strategy.  There are many different formulas that media buyers will use to determine how many billboards, radio spots or online  pre-video rolls to purchase to reach the consumer effectively.</p>
<p>It is important to maintain continuity through use of the same logo, business name, or tag line in all your promotions so your targets are receiving the same impression with each exposure, regardless of the exact mode of delivery.</p>
<p>Radio, television and outdoor are by far the most effective means of brand creation available. These formats can be reinforced with online marketing, direct marketing and social networking.  The former creates awareness while the latter hopefully creates &#8220;brand ambassadors.&#8221;</p>
<p>You want people to be aware of your name, logo, or tag line and associate this awareness with your products and services well before they even need what you have to offer. What can you start doing right now to see that your prospective customers are exposed to the same message at least three times over a seven-day period?</p>
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		<title>Marketing Tactics Begin with End Result in Mind</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/marketing-tactics-begin-with-end-result-in-mind/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/marketing-tactics-begin-with-end-result-in-mind/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:33:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Don Macleod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[know your customer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing tactic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=473</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Successful marketing tactics begin with the end in mind. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how do you expect to know how to get there? That makes it essential to understand exactly what the customer wants and anticipate their needs long before they begin a search for a product or service. But [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Successful marketing tactics begin with the end in mind. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how do you expect to know how to get there? That makes it essential to understand exactly what the customer wants and anticipate their needs long before they begin a search for a product or service.</p>
<p>But how do you really know how to visualize the future?  What can you do to turn your small business into a huge business with high profits, high conversions, and high profits?</p>
<p>Start by knowing your customer.</p>
<p>This is the #1 marketing tactic that every marketer must know, believe, and understand. It’s not enough to have a general knowledge of the market and the customer. It’s vital to know the audience and relate directly to their needs. It’s about anticipating their next move and then their next move after that.And it’s about appealing to their emotional needs.</p>
<p>Understanding the customer begins with a clear picture of who they are and what key characteristics they share. It is those key characteristics or idiosyncrasies that make them the best prospects for your product or service. That’s why they are so important to your future success – because they have a need for what you have to offer.</p>
<p>Once you are able to clearly identify the customer and what they want, it’s essential to craft and create a message that speaks directly to them. A general message about a product and the features it offers is never enough.<br />
Customers want to know “what’s in it for me”.</p>
<p>They are seeking value and looking for benefits or products. Your message must clearly articulate the benefits and advantages of what you have to offer. The message must appeal directly to the customer’s needs and appeal to him in a very unique way.</p>
<p>What are most customers looking for in terms of benefits?<br />
People are always looking to save both time and money. If they can find a product that saves time, fills a need, and is appropriately priced, they will buy it. They’ll even pay more for a product if they truly believe it offers significant or multiple benefits over other similar products. They’re not as interested in features as they are benefits so focus the message towards their emotional buying needs. And don’t be afraid to highlight multiple benefits of a product to really engage the customer.</p>
<p>In today’s fast-paced world and advanced technology, people are always looking for the best and the fastest. They are also looking for ease of purchase. Marketing tactics must respond to this need and your message must be emotionally appealing and soundly convincing.</p>
<p>Back it up!</p>
<p>But just as importantly, be sure you can back up your claims of benefits and value to the customer. It’s not just a customer you want to attract. It’s a ‘repeat customer’ that can help your business soar too. Provide the customer with quality products and follow-up to make sure they are satisfied. Learn from your customers and use that valuable knowledge to anticipate the next need that will surface from customers.</p>
<p>Proactively create a marketing plan that integrates multiple marketing tactics to help ensure optimal success. Deploying effective tactics will quickly result in higher conversions and more sales. And with more sales, you’ll have a thriving business that grows exponentially as word spreads virally about your products and service.</p>
<p>Don’t under-estimate the value of utilizing proven, successful marketing tactics when it comes to marketing your products. Know where you want to go before you start the journey. Start with the end in mind.<br />
Envision success and visualize the sale. Take advantage of tried and proven tactics to create a successful business and a secure future.</p>
<p>Success awaits those who can see ahead of the crowd.</p>
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		<title>Doing Research On Marketing</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/doing-research-on-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/doing-research-on-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:59:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doing Research On Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing research]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Research on marketing is essential to understand the pattern of marketing. This is possible by searching existing knowledge related to business marketing. It is a form of business research, business-to-business marketing research and business marketing research. Marketing research is done in many forms and all these forms are known as problem-identification research. Research in advertising [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Research on marketing is essential to understand the pattern of marketing. This is possible by searching existing knowledge related to business marketing. It is a form of business research, business-to-business marketing research and business marketing research. Marketing research is done in many forms and all these forms are known as problem-identification research.</p>
<p>Research in advertising is done to determine the copy testing of advertisements. It is also used to know the efficiency of ads placed in any medium, the customer attention it gets, the message it delivers and how it motivates the customers to buy the product. Commercial eye tracking is done to understand the visual behavior of the customer. Ads, websites, etc., are analyzed for this. Before an advertisement is released in the market, its performance can be forecasted with the help of copy testing which takes consumer&#8217;s level of attention, motivation, brand liking, and entertainment into consideration. </p>
<p>When a customer buys something online he analyzes it in order to make the decision, this one of the criteria on which consumer decision research is done. Interviews and surveys can be done to understand consumer&#8217;s level of satisfaction, which is known as customer satisfaction studies. The demographic and psychology of the people of a particular geographical region can be studied with the help of segmentation research. </p>
<p>When analyzing is to be done about brand recognition, brand performance, brand preference and awareness, ad tracking is done. A favorite brand can be recognized with the help of brand equity research. Tests are conducted so as to determine what customer thinks about a brand or a product and it is specifically known as brand name testing. The demand of a product can be understood by demand estimation. After the demand of the product is taken care of, the quality should be checked from time to time. Appointing mystery shoppers who is usually an employee of the market research firm does this. He buys goods through a salesperson and notes down the whole experience. This procedure can be used to do research about rival companies&#8221; products.</p>
<p>Before practical application of a concept, concept testing should be done which tells whether the targeted audience will like the idea or not. Test marketing is done by introducing a product in small numbers in the market and observing the sales, after which the product is launched on a large-scale. After the initial phase, when the company thinks of increasing the price of the product, price elasticity testing should be carried out which shows customer reaction to price fluctuations. Distribution channel audits are conducted to understand the attitudes of retailers and distributors towards specific products and brands. </p>
<p>The more tech savvy form of marketing research is Internet strategic intelligence. The likes and dislikes of the customers can be directly known with the help of chats, blogs and forums. Online panels are a group of experts who accept the marketing research done online.  </p>
<p>All the researches that are carried out can be classified as primary research, which gathers original research, and secondary research, which is based on a primary research and information published by other resources. Secondary research costs less as research is done on already researched data, but the result isn&#8217;t efficient.</p>
<p>The research designs used by marketing research are either based on questioning or are based on observations. Quantitative marketing research and qualitative marketing research are based on questioning. Quantitative marketing research is done to derive conclusions like questionnaires forms and survey. The number of respondents involved is high. Qualitative marketing research is done to understand something like in-depth interviews and projective techniques.</p>
<p>Marketing research based on observations is called experimental technique and ethnographic studies. Test markets and purchase laboratories are examples of experimental techniques. The quantity measured is determined by understanding the factors that are responsible for the success of a product and then one or some of the factors are changed and the result is observed.  In ethnographic studies observations are done longitudinally or done at several instances of time or cross-sectional, or done at only a particular time.</p>
<p>Research on marketing is similar to exit polling in politics. The market is studied from different angles, at different time, and under different circumstances.</p>
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		<title>Are You Using Facebook Marketing In Your Business?</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/are-you-using-facebook-marketing-in-your-business/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/are-you-using-facebook-marketing-in-your-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:55:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=374</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a small business owner, you know that you are constantly wondering how you can acquire more clients. If you own an online business, the answer to your traffic problem is internet marketing. You need to remember that without marketing, you will never be able to get targeted traffic into your website. Today, any kind [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a small business owner, you know that you are constantly wondering how you can acquire more clients. If you own an online business, the answer to your traffic problem is internet marketing. You need to remember that without marketing, you will never be able to get targeted traffic into your website.</p>
<p>Today, any kind of business, whether online or offline are now using internet marketing in order to expand their reach for new customers.Online marketing is not quite as easy as it may sound. You have to consider the fact that you need to work hard in order for you to secure targeted traffic into your website. You need to make a lot of good articles to read that is related to the products or services that you are selling and you also need to join forums and the discussions in it. Also, you need to get your website to be attractive.</p>
<p>Whatever you are selling, marketing is a hard task to do, but when it works, it is well worth the effort and money.However, thanks to social networking, such as Facebook, you will see that internet marketing is a lot easier than ever before. First of all, in all social networking websites, Facebook is the most popular website. Here, you will already have the numbers you need. This means that it already has traffic. With millions of subscribers logging and out each day and also millions more registering each day, you can be sure that you will be able to get your fair share of targeted traffic in this website.</p>
<p>In Facebook, you will see that all kinds of people with different social backgrounds join. Also, the members themselves will try to separate themselves from distinct groups. The fact that Facebook will allow people to create and join groups you will be able to easily find your target customers.   Whether the group is separated by age, school, gender or interests, you will see that you will find all sorts of groups here in Facebook.</p>
<p>Another great thing about Facebook is that it will provide every member with the tools needed in order to communicate with their network. These tools can be considered to be great tools for you to use in order to advertise or market your products or services to other Facebook subscribers. From applications to news feeds and blogs, you will see that Facebook will be able to provide it all.</p>
<p>The next question would be how to market on Facebook. The first thing that you need to do is subscribe in Facebook. After subscribing, you may want to try adding your old friends. Invite them to join Facebook to start building your network.Then, try joining groups with interests that is related to the products or services that you are selling.Use the tools in Facebook to attract people to view your profile page. Add videos, pictures and applications.</p>
<p>Basically, this is how Facebook can help in marketing your products or services. It will readily provide you with traffic and the tools you need to market, but it is entirely up to you to do the marketing itself.You have to figure out how to properly use the tools in order for you to effectively market your products or services. These are the things that you need to remember about Facebook.</p>
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		<title>POLL:  Outsourcing</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/poll-outsourcing/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/poll-outsourcing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:04:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outsourcing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=368</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Does your company use outside services for advertising, marketing or social media?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Does your company use outside services for advertising, marketing or social media?</strong></p>
<p><center><script src="http://www.webpasties.com/pastie.php?mode=poll&amp;pid=7673&amp;mid=1705" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
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		<title>How To Make A Marketing Campaign Appealing?</title>
		<link>http://donmacleod.com/2010/how-to-make-a-marketing-campaign-appealing/</link>
		<comments>http://donmacleod.com/2010/how-to-make-a-marketing-campaign-appealing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:58:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How To Make A Marketing Campaign Appealing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing campaign]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://donmacleod.com/?p=346</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Marketing campaigns cannot survive if they boring. Everyday there are more than three thousand marketing messages reaching out to the customers and it is really a huge competition if one expects to be recognized among the crowd. This message should talk to the customer and influence his mind. Strong, creative, confident and exciting are the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Marketing campaigns cannot survive if they boring. Everyday there are more than three thousand marketing messages reaching out to the customers and it is really a huge competition if one expects to be recognized among the crowd. This message should talk to the customer and influence his mind. Strong, creative, confident and exciting are the key factors that a message should have, as that will embed it into the customer&#8217;s thinking and he remembers it for a longer time. The customer should feel empowered and should think of taking some action right away. For instance Nike&#8217;s catch line is Just do it, it&#8217;s a line that has such a great impact on the minds of the people that they use that line even when talking about everything else, along with Nike products. It is obvious that by adding certain features, the marketing appeal can be multiplied. </p>
<p>Scientists agree to the fact that using visuals to make a person learn something is the best option than any other means and as one of the famous saying goes &#8220;a picture speaks a thousand words&#8221;. So the best bet is to add visuals to promote marketing. Visuals can be anything like pictures, animations, or graphics. See yourself what wonders it does by placing a picture of a representative and products on the company&#8217;s website. This not only brings the customers close but also strengthens the relationship. </p>
<p>Different colors depict different types of emotions. Messages can be delivered to people suing colors and meaning can be added to it. Red and blue are colors liked by aggressive shoppers where as yellow color can catch good attention of the on lookers. Green reflects health, money and nourishment, so it can be used in food advertisement. Black means strength and power that is why it has been used by Jaguar, on their website background and advertisement. Wealth and royalty means purple. Colors used on business cards can also be used to attract the customers. But the colors should be carefully played with, too much can be distracting. A professional help can be sought when selecting colors for business cards, website font, website background, logo, etc., to send the right message. On websites, fonts can be added which change colors and graphics that move. </p>
<p>There are lots of options available when thinking of what technology to use. The good news is that most of the options are cheap and easy to use. Audios and videos can be added to your website to attract attention. Like when one visits the Pepsi homepage, they are greeted with energetic music, which attracts teenagers instantly. To make a more realistic approach, welcome message, introduction video, interviews, or how the goods are produced, can be added to the website.      </p>
<p>Just listing the benefits isn&#8217;t enough. Customers want more, they want their needs to be met. Like if some is thinking of buying an exercise equipment, don&#8217;t just say that the machine has display, automatic incline, cooling device, CD player, programs, but also add that there is a program with audio instructions which encourages the person to do exercise, which is meant for people who need real motivation to get out of their couch and to start sweating out. So convey exactly why the customer should use the product, be more precise. </p>
<p>Uniqueness is the biggest key factor. Not only should the products and services be unique, the marketing campaign should be unique too. Not only will the effort be appreciated but also the impression will be everlasting. Once faith of customers is gained, they will be like free walking advertisement and will spread the word to their friends and acquaintances like anything.</p>
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