Have you ever heard someone use the acronym 'K.I.S.S'? If you haven't, it stands for 'Keep It Simple, Stupid.' Although a bit rude, the meaning is obvious: Simplicity is the key to success.

     Do one thing and do it well. You wouldn't open an italian restaurant that offered quesadillas on the menu, would you? It just wouldn't make sense. You want to be known as the best italian restaurant in town, not as the home of the 'so-so' quesadilla. So keep it simple, stupid! By trying to appeal to a broader mass of people and offering items that don't really fit in with your services, you're detracting from the service you DO offer.

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Effective Advertising: What Works and For Whom, Part 2

     Last week we talked about identifying your target market. Once you have determined your target audience and created your advertising to focus on that group, then (hopefully!) your phone will start ringing more.

     Of course you want to turn those inquiries into actual sales, and we'll talk about that soon. But I want to discuss something else first.

     Do you track your leads? 

     I ask small business owners this question all the time, and they always say the same thing: 'No...?' This response is usually followed by a confused look, first by them and then by myself. I cannot tell you how many times I've had someone tell me how much they're spending on marketing efforts and how they feel they aren't getting the kind of responses they anticipated.

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So, you have your business going and people are constantly tossing advice at you, whether you asked for it or not. I'm about to do the same thing. (Sorry.)

In marketing your company, there are 3 little letters that you should learn to love: R.O.I.

     Before you can learn to love them, you have to learn what they mean! 'ROI' stands for 'Return on Investment'. As far as marketing is concerned, it's all about what you're getting back from what you're putting in. I wish I could tell you exactly what percentage is an 'acceptable' ROI so you had an easy mark to gauge from, but what's 'acceptable' varies from business to business and industry to industry. The main thought is that you need to set objectives for your company and create your marketing plan to achieve them. So, where to start?

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