The many types of consumer marketing include sales promotions, advertising, coupons and Internet promotions. The key to consumer advertising is focusing on the right target market for your products and services. Many companies use market research surveys to garner demographic information about their customers, which includes their age, household income, occupation and household size. Companies then target specific demographic groups, which are often the most consistent buyers of their products and services.
Direct Mail
You can reach consumers through direct mail in several ways. Small businesses like beauty salons and restaurants frequently use coupon magazines to reach consumers. Coupon magazines are booklets of coupons distributed to residences that contain coupon ads from multiple advertisers. Coupon advertising is effective, because many people clip the coupons then redeem them before the offer ends. You also can mail postcards to consumers about your products and services. Postcards are usually cheaper to mail than envelopes. However, some companies, like mail order businesses, often use direct mailings. A comprehensive direct mailing with sales letters, brochures and order forms provides the consumer with more product information. Consequently, consumers will often mail in orders and money directly after receiving the packages.
Display Ads
Display ads can be placed in magazines and newspapers. Your display ad can vary from the size of a business card to a full-page ad. Smaller companies will often place multiple small display ads in various magazines or newspapers. You can potentially reach more customers with multiple ads. Another type of display ad is a yellow pages ad. Small businesses often place both print and online display ads with their local yellow pages. The advantage of using the yellow pages is that most consumers have them. Therefore, people can look your business up when they need your types of products or services.
Referral Marketing
Many companies use referral marketing, especially direct sales companies. For example, a saleswoman who sells perfumes and cosmetics at home parties will often ask party attendees if they want to have a party. Health clubs sometimes ask members to write down friends and family members who may want a health club membership. Referral marketing is basically asking current customers if they know anyone else who may benefit from the company's products and services. However, referral marketing works best when you are working with satisfied customers. People are more likely to recommend your company if they had a positive buying experience.
Customer Loyalty Programs
Customer loyalty programs are designed to build long-term sales, according to "Entrepreneur" magazine. For example, a video rental company may offer frequency cards to both existing and new customers. The frequency card is usually plastic and contains a magnetic stripe on the back. The magnetic stripe is usually programmed in the store's computer and register and properly identifies a customer when she makes a purchase. You can reward customers based on the number of times they use the frequency card. For example, give your video rental customers a free drink once they spend $10, or a free popcorn when they spend $20.
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