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In this issue:
Marketing Article: Postcards Make It Rain Referrals
Marketing Article: Is Your Ad Killing Your Brand?

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One of the simplest ways to expand your marketing efforts is through the consistent use of postcards. Create a list of narrowly targeted prospects and then hammer away at them with powerful marketing messages.

One of the most effective ways to get a prospect's attention is to talk to them about problems you know they are facing. Create a card that describes, in some detail a problem a client had...then of course describe the brilliant solution you provided...and send them out to your clients, friends, contacts, and other network folks.

I would try to get in the habit of making this a monthly mailing. Over time, everyone on your list will begin to expect your cards and grow to see that you can solve their problems too.

But, I have found that one of the real ways to put this tactic into overdrive is you also ask them to forward this card to anyone they know who might have a similar challenge. The impact of this practice over time will create an automatic referral marketing machine. The longer you do it, the more effective it becomes.

One of the great challenges of most small businesses is that they usually offer a variety of products, solutions, and services...but most clients tend to think of you only for what they perceive it is that you do. Sending these problem solving postcards is a great way to gently introduce them to everything you might be able to offer them.

If you do this routinely you will be amazed at the results. Don't just do it once and forget it. Design your campaign with the idea that you are going to do at least 6 times and you will be far better off right from the start.

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John Jantsch is a marketing coach, creator of Duct Tape Marketing and the author of Referral Flood - How to create a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising. Find out more at http://www.referralflood.com

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It's funny to me how companies spend thousands of dollars to develop a brand only to wreck it when they create their advertising campaigns. They pour over colors, fonts, logo designs, Web site creation, USPs, and target audience analyses. But then, when it's time to bring their message to the public, it all falls apart.

Case in point: a local technical college in my town has recently begun to run a television campaign. This institution previously had an image of providing cutting-edge training on technically based vocations. They have spent the last several years touting how high-tech their facilities are, and how leading edge their curriculums are. That's why I can't image what happened during the production of this ad.

The background music is slow and rather classical. The pictures are of smiling students carrying books, and of one of the oldest buildings on the campus. The copy did do its job. The copy mentioned how the workplace was changing and becoming more advanced day-by-day. It talked about how even the simplest of jobs now require at least some technological "know-how." But the clash between the copy and the imagery was painfully obvious.

What would I have done differently? I would have chosen each element with the express purpose of supporting the brand. The music would have been more upbeat and modern. The images would have been of students working at computers, or in engineering labs. The closing shot would not have been one of the oldest, stodgiest building on campus, but of the new stucco and glass building they added 2 years ago.

The end result *could* have been an ad that completely portrayed the innovative and advanced curriculums offered by this technology-based school. The copy, the visuals, and the music all working in harmony would bring about a much larger response, and would also reinforce the brand this institution has worked so hard to create.

When you create advertising pieces for your company, look for the branding aspects of each, individual element. As you work through the process, ask yourself these questions:

· What identity am I attempting to portray? · Do the graphics reinforce that identity? · Does the music support my brand? · Is the copy descriptive of aspects related to the brand? · Do the colors fall in line with how I want to be viewed? · Is the medium itself appropriate to my brand?

When the final product (whether it be a piece for TV, radio, the Web, or print) is completed, show it to several people who are unfamiliar with your organization. Ask them to describe the "essence" of your business based on this one piece. If your combination is put together right, they'll be able to do just that.

When you pay close attention to each element you'll have a powerful end result. When everything works in concert, you will have a much more beneficial campaign that works to contribute to your branding efforts rather than destroy them.

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