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In this issue:
• Marketing Article: First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions
• Marketing Article: Just the Facts Ma’am, Just the Facts

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When you meet someone for the very first time either you remember something very good about the person or you remember something very bad about them. It doesn’t matter how delightful the person might be or how brilliant they might be, if they do not register a good impression in the first few seconds, in your mind, they have nothing to offer you.

Here is an example. You attend a conference and you are introduced to Paul, one of the speakers on the agenda. The first thing you notice is Paul is wearing a wrinkled shirt; his hair is greasy; he has bad breath and barely acknowledges your presence. You conclude that Paul is lazy because he didn’t bother to iron his shirt and he has poor hygiene because of his breath and hair. He doesn’t seem very friendly. Your first impression is Paul couldn’t possibly have anything credible to say given his appearance and interpersonal skills. Next, you are introduced to Kate, another speaker on the agenda. She is well groomed and dressed very professionally. She automatically extends her hand to shake yours and gives you a very warm welcome. You are so impressed by her appearance and congeniality you can’t wait to hear her speak.

These are examples of how quickly we make decisions and judgments about people and things. Within seconds, you decided whether or not you wanted to spend your time listening to Paul or Kate, not based upon what they have to say, but based on your first impression of them.

That first impression is just as important for a postcard campaign. You only have a few seconds to get the potential customer’s attention. It is tricky with postcards because you don’t know whether the reader sees the front or the back first.

For this reason, it is critical to make the front and back equally attention grabbing. The back of the postcard is only distinguished from the front because it has the mailing address. Here are some ideas for making a good first impression with your post cards.

• Use high quality, glossy, color postcards. They are slightly more expensive but well worth it when trying to make a good impression.

• Choose the appropriate size for your campaign and audience. Studies have shown that businesses respond better to the 6”X9” postcard whereas residence and consumer contacts respond just as well to 4”X6” postcards.

• Use an attention grabbing headline on the front and perhaps paraphrase the same message on the back. Make sure your name and contact information appears on the back but don’t hesitate to put your logo and some of that same information on the front.

• Use a photograph or graphics that is complimentary to both the front and the back. Everyone likes pictures and pictures tend to register with the reader much quicker than words.

Remember, with postcards you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the reader. The success of your postcard campaign depends on how many people respond to your offer. Improve your chances of being successful by making a good and lasting first impression.

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Concept Marketing Group, Inc. is a full-service marketing consulting firm with over 29 years of experience in traditional marketing - including 13 years on the Internet. Concept Marketing Group Inc. assists in developing and implementing effective sales and marketing strategies for businesses through targeted, managed, strategic marketing campaigns. Visit our site, www.marketingsource.com, email us at concept@marketingsource.com or call 800-575-5369, for more information.

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Just the Facts Ma’am, Just the Facts
by Concept Marketing Group Inc © 2006

There was the classic TV Show and more recently the movie, “Dragnet”. The main character, Sergeant Joe Friday, was known for the quotation, “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.” He would let a witness to a crime tell their story with all their emotion and commentary on what they believed happened. After a few minutes of listening to this extraneous information, Joe would interject his most famous line of dialogue, “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.” As with Sergeant Friday, journalists are most interested in the facts you present in your press release.

The facts are the deciding factor as to whether or not a press release is published. Your press release is only successful if newspapers and magazines publish stories or broadcasters broadcast information based upon receiving and reading your press release.

Because newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations receive hundreds of Press Releases a day, they don’t have time to read creative writing pieces. They are most interested in releases that give them facts that are going to be of interest to the public masses.

Journalists are looking for NEWS. They decide which press release will be made public not based on how cleverly it is written; how many words it contains or if it contains the most persuasive point of view of all the press releases received that day.

They are the gatekeeper of the news based upon the facts they read in your press release. You will need an attention grabbing headline so they will keep reading. You want to summarize your facts in the first paragraph so the reader can see your information quickly. You must include your contact information at the beginning and at the end of the press release so they easily know how to reach you in the event they have questions or they want to interview you. Be sure the information is concise, clear and interesting.

When deciding to use a Press Release to announce your next big product; your upcoming book; or your new location, remember the key to success is having the Press Release picked up by your distribution (newspapers, magazines, radio or television). The way you ensure your press release is used by the media is to remember Joe Friday’s mantra, “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.”

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Concept Marketing Group, Inc. is a full-service marketing consulting firm with over 29 years of experience in traditional marketing - including 13 years on the Internet. Concept Marketing Group Inc. assists in developing and implementing effective sales and marketing strategies for businesses through targeted, managed, strategic marketing campaigns. Visit our site, www.marketingsource.com, email us at concept@marketingsource.com or call 800-575-5369, for more information.