Top Ten Advertising Mistakes ...

1.  Developing an ad that is soon forgotten after the sale is over.

2.  Not spending enough money to reach an audience multiple times.

3.  Making claims not substantiated with proof.

4.  Failure to use “intrusive” ads (on radio and TV) in a patent, consistent campaign.

5.  Creating ads – but failing to create a campaign.

6.  Scheduling ads to run on Thursday-Friday … instead of earlier in the week.

7.  Targeting audiences qualitatively with poorly written ads.

8.  Producing cute “creative” ads that aren’t persuasive.

9.  Mistaking responses from friends and relatives as more important than actual results.

10. Focusing on “event-driven” advertising and failing to consider the ad message to those who don’t attend.

Good Selling!

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373

(253)579-4040 text and direct

getmedana@gmail.com

http://get-me-dana.blogspot.com

P.S. Need help with your ad messages? Please give me a call. That’s what I do!

Some Interesting Questions ...

Are we, in fact, created in the image of God?

If so, does this mean we are walking “miniatures” of Him who spoke worlds into existence and flung stars from His fingertips?

Is it possible that He has prepared us for greatness?

Has He given us everything needed to succeed?

Has He allowed us to choose whether we will do great things?

Is it possible that circumstances and experiences we have had wonderfully prepared us for just this moment in time?

If so, now what? Do you have the courage to act? Will you seize the moment? Will you become what you are uniquely blessed to be?

Are you willing to take action?

Good Selling!

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373

(253)579-4040 direct and text

getmedana@gmail.com

P.S. If I can be of any help along the way, please give me a call. Thanks!

The Power of Words ...

“In the beginning was the word.”

So begins a powerful scriptural definition of God.

Not to diminish the importance of that – but in quite another sense, that significant phrase could be used also as a definition of marketing.

Words create a theatre in our minds, where actors perform and scenes unfold before they begin in real life.

The minute you speak something – whether good or bad -- you give birth to an idea, an expectation, a desire. And by speaking it, you set in motion the universe that will eventually produce what you have sown.

I believe that words are powerful. They create in us the ability to change, to grow, to achieve, to become.

Words affect emotions, logic and our spiritual natures.

If we want to create better advertisements, if we want to market our products and services more effectively – we must choose carefully our words.

By controlling what we say and how we say it – using positive words with enthusiasm – we can change attitudes and situations.

Words are powerful.

Use them wisely.

Good Selling!

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373

253-579-4040
getmedana@gmail.com

P.S. Need help with your advertising words? Call me! It’s what I do!

Bazinga!

The Chances of you being born to be exactly who you are today are: 1 in 1.3 times ten to the 29^th power.

Can you believe it?! Wow! What incredible odds.

 

And yet, there you are. Glorious in your individuality. Resplendent in your intelligence. A wonderful human being who has been awarded the grand prize. Far richer than anything the world has to give.

You, my friend, were born.

You are alive. You are here.

What a marvelous journey you are on.

Having survived those tremendous odds just to be born, is there anything in life you can’t do?

Please, hang on and enjoy the ride!

And, good selling!

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373

(253)579-4040

getmedana@gmail.com

P.S.  If you need any help along the way, just give me a call. It’s what I do.

Another Real-Life Lesson on "How NOT to Manage Your Business ..."

Most of you know I have consulted with a number of local businesses in Pierce County over the years. Some took my suggestions. Others did not.

One that comes to mind easily is now in decline. They tried to manage by consensus. When I say “manage by consensus” I mean that they let the employees make the decisions that most directly affected the business. Unfortunately, none of them had any real financial interest in the business other than a paycheck – and none of them had ever run a business before. To put it nicely, they didn’t have a clue.

But, the company had another business consultant who told them the collective thinking was much better when it came to decision making.

Now, don’t confuse the popular concept of employee empowerment with management by consensus.

Employee empowerment means you give your employees the authority to do their jobs.

Management by consensus means you give the employees the authority to do your  job.

See the difference?

Oh, the company I worked at used to love to have committee meetings to accomplish this. Then the boss would say, “Well, I still have final say.” But the fact is, keeping the team leaders involved not really what is most important. It’s making the right business decision. And most often, management by committee is a very poor decision.

It often leads to situations where the company suffers from analysis paralysis. The misguided business consultant tells the company president: “Since we can’t all agree on a solution – we’ll just study the problem some more.”

I used to be required to be at weekly review meetings where 100’s of pages of reports were analyzed … but with management by consensus, most of the meetings never lead to any decision or direct action. Instead, new reports were dreamed up to further study the imaginary problems the other “business” consultant came up with.

In just a few short years, the advertising program I implemented took the business from about $1-million a year to over $10-million a year.  But by managing by consensus, the business has shrunk and is MUCH smaller today.

Business leadership is a matter of courage.

Business owners who manage by consensus want to share the responsibility for possible failure.

Managing by consensus allows them to escape the possibility they may one day have to look in the mirror and admit, “I, alone, was wrong.”

Take my advice: don’t put the success of your business in the hands of your employees by managing by consensus. It’s just not worth it.

Good Selling!

Dana

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373
 
(253)579-4040 direct and text
getmedana@gmail.com

P.S. Need some help with direction for your company? Please contact me. It's what I do!  

A Great Way to Spend the Weekend ...

It’s almost the weekend … and I’ll have a few hours I can spend doing one of the most enjoyable things possible. I’ll be able to do some recreational reading.

I’m reading a new book by Regis Philbin which is funny as well as interesting. And, I’ll most likely take a look at another book I recently purchased: “Og Mandino’s “University of Success”.  Then on Sunday,  I’ll spend some time reading the Scriptures.

It’s fun to read, I think. So much to learn and to think about … ideas bound together in a handy package and ready to open. Knowledge is a treasure that is inexpensively available.

I hope you will have some time to do a little reading this weekend as well. Who knows what truth you will find that may affect your life for years to come.

Good Hunting!

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO Box 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373
 
253-579-4040 direct and text
getmedana@gmail.com

P.S.  If you need some new ideas for your business, please give me a call. It’s what I do!

Value. Creating it in a retail environment ...

Many years ago, I worked for a man I consider a master marketer. We often discussed ideas of seemingly great importance as we drove long distances together late at night. I was always amazed at how philosophical we were after midnight. Some of the ideas even held up in the light of day.

One of those midnight discussions focused on an important marketing truth -- that in the marketing world – “perception is reality”.  And its corollary – “value is based on perception”.

When selling products and services – you must create in the mind of the potential customer, a perception of the product that will encourage them to spend the amount of money you want to receive.

If the perceived value in the customer’s mind is higher than the price marked on the item, the customer believes it to be a good value. “Wow!” You want your customer to say. “I am pleasantly surprised. I would have thought it would cost a lot more. This is a great value!”

Yet if the asking price is higher than the perceived value, the customer thinks: “I’m getting ripped off. This is highway robbery!”

So in marketing, the key is to control the perception of value – so that the customer thinks the price is a good deal.

How do you do that?

Well, you can elevate the price of the item or service if the product has an outstanding reputation, strong testimonials from satisfied customers, beautiful presentation … and in a retail environment – the store’s interior lighting and décor will affect the perception of value.

People expect things to cost more in prettier stores.

If you went to a restaurant with soft candlelight and were served by a waiter, you would expect to pay more than at a KFC where you grab your own plastic sporks.

You get the picture, right?

Now advertising can help create the perception of reality. It can help build a reputation. It can effectively present favorable testimonials. It can help in the presentation of the product or services.

But, it’s up to you to develop your lighting and décor.

The same principle can be applied to your website, brochures, direct marketing materials … virtually everything you use to market and sell your product.

Good Selling!

Dana

Mr. Dana Kehr

Pro Marketing Northwest
PO BOX 731413
Puyallup, WA  98373
 
(253)579-4040 – text and direct
getmedana@gmail.com