MarketingIdeaShop BRAINY Tidbits	Issue #41 March 9 , 2004 Circulation: 1,347
The ezine with brainy ideas & resources for marketers & small businesses	This newsletter brought to you each week by Lois Carter Fay & Marketing Idea Shop

A Media Plan Can Save You Money

Welcome to all our brainy new subscribers!


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IN THIS ISSUE

1. Do You Need a Media Plan?
2. Quote of the Week
3. Marketing 101: Choosing Media
4. Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers
5. A Little Fun
6. Smell the Coffee


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1. Do You Need a Media Plan?

The short answer is...if you advertise, you need a media plan.

==>So what's a media plan, you ask?

It's an annual schedule of your advertising that includes the name of the media outlet (such as the New York Times newspaper), dates of advertising insertions, rates, discounts, cost per insertion and total cost per publication or station, demographic coverage, and distribution coverage (meaning locale). It also might include a list of special focus issue dates or editorial coverage expected by the publication


==>What's the benefit of a media plan?

A media plan helps you control your advertising costs, make sure you have coverage throughout your sales territory or a specific area of the territory, and assures you that when your industry is the focus of editorial in a publication that your business will be represented. If you don't advertise, your prospects cannot see your ad or contact you as a result your ad.


==>Why shouldn't I decide month-by-month what advertising I want to run?

You'll save money by planning your advertising schedule on an annual basis. Publications give discounts to advertisers who commit to multiple ads over the course of a year. Although some publications do offer rebates to a lower rate once you reach the discount levels, if you advertise month-by-month, most do not allow the advertiser to qualify for these discounts if the advertising is placed monthly.

You will also be less likely to advertise in a publication on the spur of the moment because of some advertised special or pressure by the sales rep if you prepare an annual plan. This will keep your costs down and your advertising focus strong.


==>This all sounds like a lot of work. Is it?

Yes, a media plan can require many phone calls and a substantial amount of time to prepare, but once it's done, you have your entire year of advertising (and your budget!) mapped out.


==>How do I know who to call?

There are subscription-based resources to help you, such as Standard Rate and Data Service, as well as various media directories. Many can be found at larger libraries. But all this research will take you a great deal of time, so it might be best to hire a consultant or ad agency to do this work for you while you concentrate on your other business issues.


==>Eek! What will that cost?

Surprisingly, it might be very inexpensive if you allow the consultant to place the media for you. Publications and other media often offer a discount to qualified agencies and consultants for handling all the planning, placement and delivery of ad materials. They usually don't offer this discount directly to advertisers. Many consultants and agencies offer media planning and placement as a service that is paid for by these commissions, so the advertiser pays the same amount whether they use a professional or do it themselves.


==>Should I consider sending news releases to these same media outlets?

Yes! Publicity can greatly expand your prospect's awareness of your company. Plus, a "news" article has greater credibility than advertising, so if your prospect sees this and then sees ads for your company, it will have a greater impact than advertising alone. Your best bet when planning your advertising is to create an integrated marketing plan that includes all the phases of marketing--everything from personal selling to direct mail to advertising and PR. A plan will keep you focused and moving toward your goals.


I have room for just a couple of new clients, so if you need help with your marketing, media or PR plans, give me a call soon at 800-203-8660 or 540-289-3840 and let's talk! Or send an email with your specific request to me at mailto:lcf@marketingideashop.com and I'll get back to you.


In the meantime, I suggest you pick up a copy of PR Tactics 101, one of my latest ebooklets. In it you'll:

==> Learn the difference between PR and advertising ... so you can put together a hard-hitting plan to attract new business.

==> Understand why PR should be part of your marketing plan ... and learn how to put it to use to get people talking about you.

==> Find lots of quick links to terrific websites and resources that can help you get the word out and find out what is said about you ... so you can get your prospects to call you.

==> Learn the reasons why your company should use PR to get the word out ... so you can convince your boss to increase your budget.

==> Get step-by-step instructions on how to write a news release ... so you can save money by doing it yourself instead of hiring a consultant.

==> Learn 15 simple rules for writing the perfect news release ... so you won't put your foot in your mouth when you give it a try.

==> Get 34 tried-and-true ideas for news releases that can land you great publicity ... and convince your prospects to call you.

This booklet is just $17. You can download it here and be reading it in minutes.

Or call me at 800-203-8660 to order offline.



If you're looking for even more great story ideas for your media plan, check out Joan Stewart's teleseminars with TV reporter Shawne Duperon.

Shawne was Joan's guest on two teleseminars in 2003, where they suggested more than 300 stealable story ideas you can use in your 2004 publicity campaign. The recorded teleseminars, "116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June" and "103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through December," are available as CDs or cassette tapes. Read about what you'll learn or order them, complete with handouts listing all 219 ideas, here.

January - June ideas

July - December ideas


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2. Quote of the Week

Setting deadlines and scheduling a time to work on your goals every day will help you become successful.

~~Lois Carter Fay


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3. Marketing 101: Choosing Media
By Robert Grede
© Copyright 2004
Reprinted with permission

There are many types of media to help you spread the word about your business. Each offers different advantages:

NEWSPAPER advertisements offer short lead times and a variety of ad sizes. But reproduction is lousy compared to magazines. And newspapers, once read, are tossed.

MAGAZINE advertisements have much better reproduction capabilities and can be highly targeted. But magazines have long lead times, up to 12 weeks in advance of publication.

TELEVISION spots are highly intrusive, using a combination of audio and visual content to bombard viewers. Cable shows allow precise targeting. Both TV spots and cable shows can be quite expensive.

RADIO spots offer short lead times, a targeted audience, and can also be highly creative. But neither TV nor radio offer long copy opportunities with their 30- or 60-second limitations.

INTERNET advertising, such as pay-per-click advertising, offers a very targeted audience and reaches a wider range. But it's harder to control the costs.


Robert Grede is the author of NAKED MARKETING - THE BARE ESSENTIALS (Prentice Hall) and an acclaimed speaker. Click t o find out more or order his book through Amazon here:



Before you develop your media plan, you need to know what you want your marketing to do for you. There's no better time than now to write and implement your marketing plan. A marketing plan can help you:

==> Create a path to success...so you reach your marketing goals.

==> Remain focused on your goals and stop you from going off on tangents...so you are more successful.

==> Spend your marketing dollars more wisely...so your marketing is more effective.


MARKETING PLAN ESSENTIALS: ONLINE AND OFF, an ebook by Lois Carter Fay, is a great place to start. Read more about it or download it here.

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AND NOW, A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS...

Good salespeople keep learning. They listen to tapes and CDs, read books and avidly read newsletters that teach them new sales techniques or remind them of things they know they should be doing but have forgotten. If you're like me, you're always looking for new ideas to help you increase your sales. Whether you're a salesperson or the sales manager, you're going to love Marketing Idea Shop's ebook, 52 READY-TO-GO SALES MEETINGS. It's filled with strategies and techniques to make your sales explode. How great is that?

Read more about what you'll learn, or buy the ebook and you can be reading it in just minutes. Click here to find out more.

And watch for Marketing Idea Shop's new sales teleseminar series,
coming soon!


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4. Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers

==> Are you a woman business owner? Want to win $5,000 for your business plan? The Women's Business Center (WBC) in Washington, DC, has a business plan competition targeting woman-owned businesses, operating (and having made sales) for at least one year. The deadline is April 1, and the award will be made May 11. It requires a short application with a 3-page max business plan as to how the funds will be used to strengthen the business. Download the application and feel free to pass this notice on to your favorite women business owners. Visit:

http://www.womensbusinesscenter.org


==> A big thank you to Digital Women for this list of sites that offer website templates. If you're designing your own site or you're a designer who needs to get a site up in a hurry, these can help. Some are free, some are not.

*** APlusTemplates
*** ATemplate
*** BasicTemplates
*** WebTemplateWorld
*** TheTemplateStore
*** Template Monster


==> Thanks to Kim Komando for this tip. Want to find out how many pages on your site are indexed on Google? Put this in the search block on Google.com: "allinurl:[www.your-domain-name.com]" without the quotes and substituting your own domain name for the bracketed area. So Marketing Idea Shop would use allinurl:marketingideashop.com to do this search. (I searched and found that I really need to do some work on this!)


==> Thanks to Don Crawford at Shickel Corp. for this website. This site is maintained by a large research firm, Frost and Sullivan. It monitors over 300 industries and provides market research reports.

http://www.frost.com


==> Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs

Getting quoted or profiled in a book is a great way to get publicity for yourself and your company. Here's a way to secure long-lasting, positive PR for you and your mentors or friends.

In my new ebook, SUCCESS SECRETS OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, I will have profiles and words of wisdom from a cross-section of women business owners around the nation (and possibly the world). Many people have nominated truly outstanding women for inclusion in the book. Thank you!

However, I still need more nominations. If you know a woman business owner who you think is amazing, please email me and tell me her name. I'll send you the nomination form. If your nominee is chosen, your name and website will be included in the book as well.

Although I can only profile 30 to 50 women entrepreneurs in this ebook, you have another opportunity for fame. In addition to these in-depth profiles, I will include succinct quotes about success from many more women entrepreneurs.

What's your definition of success? Email your comments to me at mailto:lcf@marketingideashop.com?subject=Success_Quote

Don't miss out! This is a fabulous chance to get publicity for yourself and your company. I will, of course, include your name and website in the book if your quote is chosen.



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bi-weekly Internet marketing tactics newsletter. Subscribe.

Also read B.L.'s blog

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5. A Little Fun

Thanks to Dick Cook at Norfolk Wholesale Floral for this one:

Virus Warning: You have just received the Amish Virus. Since we have neither electricity nor computers, you are on the honor system. Please delete all of your files. Thank thee.


Help keep the smiles coming...please send me your marketing, PR or sales jokes. I'll be happy to give you credit and list your website! Email me.


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6. Smell the Coffee...

As you read this I am on my way back from the Midwest. I prepared this newsletter in advance and sent it out remotely. Technology really does make business run smoother, doesn't it? Well, most of the time. :-)

As I return to the mountains, I'm sure I'll find it's looking a lot like springtime. What a glorious time of year. My crocuses were just bursting to bloom when I left last Thursday on my trip so I am looking forward to seeing my flower beds. Are your flowers starting to pop up?

Have a good week!


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THE FINE PRINT

© 2004 Marketing Idea Shop. All rights reserved.

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We appreciate your business.

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We will not distribute your email address or personal information to anyone. Period.


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