Grand Opening Postcard Marketing Lessons From Walmart Supercenter

By Luis Galarza and Anna Phommatham, Offline Marketing And Advertising Strategies

Can You Learn Postcard Marketing From A Walmart Supercenter? Well, Today We Analyze Their Postcard Mailing Approach For A Grand Opening!

Today I receive a postcard advertising announcing the grand opening of a new Walmart Supercenter and quickly saw the opportunity to use it as an example that can give you some good postcard marketing advice, specially if you decide to open a new store or branch of you current business.

OK, so this post if specially for marketers looking to open a new physical location or new web site but already did some work on exposing their brand. Why? Well, because that's exactly what Walmart already has done with there brand, so every time they plan their marketing and advertising campaigns Walmart focus on sending a postcard invitation that reminds consumers when the new store will be opening and they use there brand logo so consumers know that the company that is opening the new location is a merchant they know and trust. And that is one of the main things that make this marketing strategy work, the trust consumers have on your brand or even better the authority you have in your market or niche. Without the trust from prospects you will never be able to succeed on your first location or website, so what make you think you can monetize an untrusted brand? So, i recommend you to add to your daily "to-do-list" tasks, to build trust in your brand and become an authority in your market by over delivering in your offerings, which can be done by providing top quality on everything you do, sell, or even on stuff you giveaway for free.


Here Are The Postcard Marketing Lessons We Can Pick From Walmar Supercenter Grand Opening Direct Mail Promotion.

1.- Use a big size full color postcard to show that you are serous about your business, plus will make your offer stand out from the rest of the mail.

2.- Use a lot of white space to make it easy to read and to understand your message.

3.- Write a easy to understand headline for both sides of the flier, and don't use the regular "Grand Opening" phrase on the headline, instead use it as your sub-headline together with the day of the event.

4.- Make your headline sales copy focus on a special benefit that your target audience will be interest in, but build curiosity at the same time, for example Walmart use "A Fresh, New Way To Save", which make people read the rest of the sales copy and not only the date of the event. Why it worked? Because everyone know that Walmart means "a way to save", but most consumers ask themselves what "fresh" have to do with this company, so they have to read the rest to find out.

5.- Use a large picture or photo next to your headline and sub-headline that is closely related to your main headline, in this case the merchant use a large photo showing fresh fruits.

6.- On the other side use a more descriptive and straight to the point headline, that even if your prospects don't read the rest of the sales copy, they now know what your marketing message means. Another thing add the name of your company or your brand to remind people who this offer is coming from, if you have done a good job creating authority, the name of your brand will increase the sales power of the headline. This merchant used "Produce Straight From The Farm. Low Prices Straight From Walmart".

7.- Next, follow your headline with a sales copy that will welcome your prospects to the new location or website. Also, fill it with powerful words and a list of benefits, plus remind them of the other products and services then can get from you at that location.

8.- Another thing Walmart does to make there sales copy strong, is adding a few more small pictures below the sales copy with a sub-headline that give enfacise on the message from the main headline (the one from the first side). They use "If Our Produce Were Any Fresher, It Would Still Be In The Field".

9.- Use your logo and tagline or slogan on both sides of the postcard. On the main side make sure your logo is under the headline and sub-headline. On the second side you can add it right under the pictures, which are the eye catchers. Remember that you are using the power of your brand so adding your logo and tagline to both sides of the mail piece is a must.

10.- Also don't forget to add the address of your new location with directions and a map of the area to make it easy to find your store or office..


All the best,

Luis Galarza & Anna Phommatham, Business And Marketing Consultants
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Offline Marketing: Business Cards Branding Strategy

By Luis Galarza and Anna Phommatham, Offline Marketing And Advertising Strategies

How To Use Business Cards For Better Branding!

In the offline marketing world, business cards is your main tool of business networking for your company, for the same reason is also one your main brand marketing tools. If you doing what you supposed to do with your business cards, which is handing it to every person you meet or interact on any form, from the taxi-cab driver or restaurant waiter to your bank manager, your company cards it should represent your brand in a professional way and it supposed to be sending the right message to prospects.

The best ways to have those little carton offline marketing tools to do the job right which is sending the right message is by having:

- The Right Design
When I said the right card design, I mean having a design that goes with the type of business, product, or service you are promoting.

- A Professional Design
Also the design have to be presented in a professional way to the viewer which is a potential customer. So, even if you business have to do something with trash don't give out dirty business cards, instead your design have to tell the customer that you are professional and the right person to do the job because you take your business serious.

- The Right Colors
The right colors is also something important, first because some colors mean something different in the mind of your prospects, second make sure you use the same colors on all you other stationery's, and third your colors need to go with what you do.

- The Company Logo And Tag Line
You company logo and tag-line are the main base of your business cards. Your logo needs to tell what you do or if you do it professionally, and your tag-line need to tell why they should buy from you. Here is an article about USP (Unique Selling Proposition or Message) or Company Tag Lines to help you understand how important is this part, this is what separate you from your competition.

- Of Course The Right Information
Here is where you need to decide for just a blank space or a good sales speech that will help do the prospecting for you that way you will only get calls or visits from potential customers, not just anyone looking for more information. Personally I like the second one... but, you need to see what's better for you, because if your tag-line and company name is clear enough you may not need any extra sale copy.

- The Complete Contact Information
This is something that should be obvious but everyday I see many business cards with not enough contact information or too little information, like one phone number + address, or one phone number with no address, or the address and no phone numbers... You need to make it easy and simple for potential prospects and customers to contact you.

Things like: Phone numbers, location, email address, fax number, skype number, cell phone numbers, 1-800 toll free numbers, IM name, website, blog, Twitter web address, etc...


All the best,

Luis Galarza & Anna Phommatham, Business And Marketing Consultant
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Offline Advertising - Part 1 - Picking The Best Publications In Which To Advertise

By Luis Galarza and Anna Phommatham, Offline Marketing And Advertising Strategies

Knowing Which Is The Best Offline Print Publication For Your Advertising Is A Marketing Research Step That You Don't Want To Miss!

The worlds most successful mail order marketers realize there are two distinct groups of offline publications in which to place advertising for maximum sales or leads results.

In the first group includes newspapers and magazines designed to fill the needs, wants and interests of the "general public". Theses "national" publications can be found on newsstands across the nation in almost any country and they are design to target a general audience.

The second group is what are called "trade" publications because these are design to target specific niches or small markets with a simillar interest or need. This consists of hundreds of mail order magazines, newspapers, adsheets, etc. Contrary to what some publishers of these "trades" claim, very few copies get into the hands of the general public. Over 90% of the readers are mail order dealers or those thinking of entering mail order.

While an advertisement placed in one of the general public newspapers or magazines may bring astronomical results, the identical ad may fall flat when inserted in a mail order trade publication... Likewise, and ad that has sensational pulling power in one of the trades, may get little or no response when it appears in national publications... As with any other profession, most mail order dealers are interested in what's happening in their own field, plus they also read national newspapers & magazines. However, the general public reads national publication, but about 99% have very little interest in the "internal" affairs of mail order. They couldn't care less. This is very important to remember when placing ANY
ads.

Readers of mail order publications are interested in two basics needs. First, how they can build-up their business and increase their income. Second, ways of saving money. Unless what you have to offer falls into either of these two categories, ads placed in any mail order trade
publications are simply a waste of money.

With so many hundreds and hundreds of mail order trade publications from which to choose, the logical question is, where will an ad get the best results? There is no 100% accurate answer? It is a matter of "testing" and tracking the results of each individual test.

Now let's take a brake, but don't forget to check back tomorrow for Part 2 of this offline marketing and advertising article, where we are going to talk about how to find the right publication for your adveritsement.

All the best,

Luis Galarza & Anna Phommatham, Business And Marketing Consultant
Free Internet Marketing Training Guide For Beginners Blog

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10 Offline Advertising And Marketing Ideas You Can Use Today

By Luis Galarza and Anna Phommatham, Offline Marketing And Advertising Strategies

Offline Advertising Can Help You Build Your Local Or National Business, And Bring Qualified Traffic To Your Website!

After starting and managing 2 restaurants, a successful events food selling business, a local - national telecommunication business, a hosting company, and other online & offline businesses i can tell you what really works in the Offline marketing and advertising world.

Here are 10 different offline advertising ideas to get you start it today:

1.- Offline Classified Newspaper Ads: Placing classified ads in local newspapers can boost your sales or website traffic and give you a sence of trust. Take advantage of local newspapers great advertising rates that can help you promote your business with minimum investment. An excellent source for placing classified ads campaigns is http://www.nationwideadvertising.com

2.- Offline Flyers: With the rigth sales copy you can make flyers work for you. You can place them in computer stores, libraries, restaurants, car windshields, apartment buildings, or anywhere that allows flyers and have a good amount of traffic.

3.- Offline Direct Mail: A good copyrighted direct mail piece when done consistently over a period of time can help your business brand awerness and even result in instant sales. One of the top benefit of direct mail is it allows you to reach thousands of well targeted people (consumers or businesses) at good rate.

4.- Offline TV Informatials: Purchase informatial times on local cable T.V. Now is very affordable and if you commit to a block of advertising you can develop Brand Awareness. You can also do group advertising to spread the cost between partners, this work good if you are a MLM or affiliate marketer.

5.- Offline Viral Advertising CD-ROM Business Cards: Pass out your CD-ROM or diskette business cards at special events. It could be at trade shows, seminars, fairs, etc.

6.- Business Cards: Give your business cards to everyone you know and leave them everywhere you go. You can get 250 free business cards here http://www.vistaprint.com

7.- Become A Free Learning Resource: Hold a free offline class how to use a computer or the Internet. You could display your website have your web site on display as an example.

8.- Offline Giveaways: Give away promotional items such as free USB Drives (new), free mouse pads. And just put your advertising on them and give them away at computer or internet events or at places where people can use computers like: Internet Cafes, Libraries, etc...

9.- Card Decks Advertising: The card deck you advertise in should be targeted toward internet users if you looking to use offline advertising to promote a website. But, also you can use coupons decks that can generate a ton of traffic full of hot propects and buyers.

10.- Chamber Of Commerce or Other Business Associations: Use the power of networking with other local business owners to boost your referrals by word-of-mouth. Plus, you can have the Chamber of Comerce help you host a free seminar for their members, where you will talk how your product or service can solve an specific problem.

You need to target your offline advertising to groups of people that will actually be interested in your product or service, for example if you're selling business books, you will want to market to small business owners, and where new entrepreneurs meet.

So, if you have a business that is fully based online using offline advertising to make money online is a great idea because research shows that many consumers and business owners today go online to learn more about products and services they want or need...


All the best,

Luis Galarza & Anna Phommatham, Business And Marketing Consultant
Free Internet Marketing Training Guide For Beginners Blog

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