The document provides tips for recession-proof marketing and increasing return on investment. It discusses understanding prospects, demonstrating value over lowering prices, addressing objections, telling stories to establish credibility, creating a sense of urgency, and testing different headlines. Specific tactics include leaving brochures out of direct mail, ending copies with questions, offering installments, and keeping envelopes blank to increase open rates.

1. Recession Proof Your Marketing 12+ Ways to Increase Your ROI Presented by Sheri Jacobs, CAE President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC CalSAE Annual Conference April 14, 2010 Long Beach, CA

2. 9 Trends That Are Here To Stay!

9. Communications becomes more mobile.

11. Individuals become the primary influencers.

12. What is Recession-Proof Marketing?

13. The last 7 words spoken by all failed companies are…

14. But we’ve always done it that way.

15. Your challenges… Getting my message read Drop in spending Reduced budgets Selling intangible benefits What else?

16. What do you hope to learn today?

18. Marketing in a recession is about 4 things… Demonstrating unique value. Justifying the purchase. Using high return marketing tactics. Keeping members happy so that they will stay.

19. Who you are selling to. What you are selling. Your competition . The best channels to reach your customers. What motivates your customers. To sell anything you must know everything you can about…

20. It all starts with understanding your prospects and what you are offering.

21. Do you know? How prospects find you? Why do they join, register or purchase? What other organizations they belong to? What they need based on their size, location, business or other factors? What is keeping them up at night?

22. Don’t know…ask! www.wordle.net

23. Know where to spend you money.

24. 4 out of 5 Online Adults Now Participate in a Social Network Source: 2009 Razorfish Brand Experience Report

25. How often do you…? ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ More than once a month Less than once a month Not at all I visit social networking sites (Facebook or LinkedIn) I update my profile on social networking sites I read customer reviews on Amazon I post reviews on Amazon I read blogs I use Twitter

26. How much do you trust what you see? ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 1 = Low Trust 2 = Some Trust 3 = High Trust Information posted on a listserv Email from a friend Email from an association Online article from the association’s publication Online advertisement, banner Information on a blog

27. Very Active, Low Trust Not Active, Low Trust Very Active, High Trust Not Active, High Trust High Response Rates, Increase ROI Association Web site Online forums Email from a friend Wiki Blogs Banner Ads Twitter Program/Product Reviews

28. How well do you know what you are trying to sell?

29. Conduct an Asset Audit.

30. How well do you know your competition?

31. How do you compare? What do prospects see when they look at other organizations? Marketing and promotions Product line Brand strength and recognition Strengths and weaknesses (resources, staff size)

32. 12 (+5) Ways to Get Members and Prospects to Respond.

33. Should I spend $1000 for a laptop?

34. Price: $3,848.00 Ouch!

35. Price: $989.00 Yes!

36. Proof of Value All the features I need in a laptop. $3,848+ vs. $989

37. 1. Proof of value Don’t lower the price, add more value. Premium membership and regular membership Your organization vs. competitor Regular fee vs. special offer fee

38. 2. Take away the risk. Offer a free trial Guarantee satisfaction Guarantee low price No money down

39. 3. Tap into the emotional needs. What emotional needs will your product solve? Staying afloat during the recession Sorting through an avalanche of information Budget constraints – no money to travel and attend conferences

40. 4. Address objections If cost is an issue, talk about it. Membership is less than $2/day Offer freebies to offset the cost to attend a meeting If lack of time is a concern… Tell how attendees can stay connected at the conference

41. MarketingProfs Conference What you get with the cost of registration: Free copy of B2B Marketing in 2009: Trends in Strategies and Spending A free Premium Plus membership for Basic and Non-members. Free one-to-one expert advice Free ongoing private (exclusive) networking with fellow attendees on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Free meals throughout the entire conference

42. 5. Involvement & Ownership

43. A good involvement device in direct response advertising has doubled and even tripled response rates. “ Write down 3 issues you want to address when you come back from the the CalSAE Annual Conference .”

44. 6. Tell a REAL story. A good story should capture a person’s attention , relate the product or service to the sales message, and help you bond with the prospect.

45. Actual Copy XYZ Association holds eight 1/2 day educational programs each year presenting some of the best national and state speakers discussing cutting edge solutions to the challenges faced by association executives.

46. Another way to say it: XYZ offers programs “ that are worth getting up at 5:00 am and driving halfway across the state to attend.”

47. 7. Establish credibility quickly.

49. 8. Help justify the purchase. You buy on emotion and justify the purchase with logic. View logic as the answer to the unspoken objection, “Why should I buy this thing?”

50. Emotion: BMW. The Ultimate Driving Machine! Logic: Ultimate efficiency. Well equipped. No-cost maintenance. No-cost BMW Assist Safety Plan.

51. 9. Create a Sense of Urgency Introductory price/offer Limited quantity – only the first 20 people who register will receive a free white paper Pricing based on number of seats sold First 10 seats sell for $49 Second 10 sell seats for $99 Third 10 seats sell for $149

52. 10. KISS – Keep it Stupid and Simple Make it so easy to register, join or buy that all the customer needs to do is click or sign on the dotted line.

53. 11. Be Specific “ Top rated educational program” or “ 97% of past attendees rate this meeting as one of the most important moves in advancing their career.”

54. 12. Create a Must-Read Headline The entire purpose of the headline/subject line is to get the prospect to read the next line .

55. When customers have skin in the game.

56. 13. Use the words “ How to” Old Headlines (Actual titles) Copywriting 101 Tactics for Avoiding Rehospitalizations Exceptional Customer Service Builds Business Revised Headlines How to Write Marketing Copy That Sells How to Avoid Losing Patients to Other Hospitals How to Grow Your Business and Keep Clients happy After the Sale

57. 14. Use a number in your copy The numbers 5 and 0 feel manufactured. When you use a number such as 6, 7 or 9 it feels more real. 11 Steps to a Successful Virtual Conference or 10 Steps to a Successful Virtual Conference

58. 15. Cut your copy in half! Provided that - - If In order to - - To The majority of - - Most Accordingly - - So Facilitate - - Help Frequently - - Often

59. 16. Use Curiosity to Get Them Interested Program: Physicians and health care reform 50% of Physicians Report Health Care Reform Worsened Conditions for Their Practice

60. 17. Avoid Clichés Clichés are trite and overused expressions. They will make your marketing invisible! wordle.net

61. Marketing with Direct Mail.

62. 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times End your price with a 7 or a 9. $139 will typically generate more sales than a price of $130 .

63. 2) Leave out the brochure! 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times

64. 3) End your copy with a question people will always say yes to . Are you looking for ways to cut costs yet still deliver great service? 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times

65. 4) Design the brochure so that it can easily be skimmed. Use graphics instead of words. When asked how young professionals (YP) first learned about their association, 76% of survey respondents selected colleagues and 56% selected employers. A significant percentage of young professionals also become aware of the association through the organization’s website (70%) and through their academic environment (66%). 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times How do young professionals first learn about your association? Colleague 76% Website 70%

66. 5) Offer installments to lower the perceived price. If your members are resistant to paying $599 to attend your educational conference, try offering it for three installments of $199 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times

67. 6) Keep your envelope blank An envelope with no writing has to be opened to see what’s inside. 6 Ways to Get People to Act During Tough Times

68. One final thought…

69. If we mixed up your marketing collateral with another association would anyone notice?

70. Q & A Do you still have questions? Contact me. Sheri Jacobs, CAE, President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC [email_address] T. 847.849.3396