From The Marketing Side tionship to their success at selling your materials .
How ? Part of the success in selling comes from the salesperson ’ s confidence in the product or service . Being able to show a two-page spread advertisement in a well-respected journal or magazine gives them confidence in the brand and helps them to sell . Any prolonged marketing campaign whether in print or online that a salesperson can refer to and a potential customer can recall adds legitimacy to the sales pitch .
Like Nuclear Fission
But brand marketing is not for everyone . It is most effective when it reaches a certain level or mass . Think of nuclear fission . A certain mass must be attained to set off a chain reaction . That ’ s how brand marketing works . It is most effective when it reaches a certain level or mass . One trade show , one advertisement isn ’ t sufficient . Sustained multi-media messaging is what is required to set off the chain reaction of sales .
Successful brand building requires maintaining a sustained presence in the marketplace . While purchasing decisions in education do have seasons , building brand means sustaining your message through the off-seasons as well . Purchase decisions often percolate in the off-seasons .
Brand marketing is not for everyone . It is especially not for small companies or meagerly funded start-ups . If you have to watch your pennies you should consider direct marketing . Direct marketing can be very effective even when conducted on a small scale . Its effectiveness is often diluted when it is executed on a massive level .
Target Shooting
Successful direct market requires good marketing . All targets are not equal and the successful direct marketers know how to distinguish between good targets and bad . The best targets are educators who are relatively new in their current position but not brand new to education . These are the educators that have the greatest need for supplemental materials and supplies to facilitate the new teaching challenge they have undertaken . Educators that have been in the same position for many years have most likely met their needs for teaching materials and supplies .
The best targets also have access to discretionary funds . And that means they work in districts and schools that are well funded . Educators in poorly funded districts and schools are limited in their ability to make purchases for their classrooms .
‘ Tis the Season
Timing can be a critical factor in the success of direct marketing . There are decision-making seasons in education when more consideration is given to marketing messages than at other times . The strongest of these seasons occurs in March and April — months that are traditionally devoted to purchasing decisions being made regarding the upcoming school budgets .
Direct marketing also needs to be precise . A week or two difference in promotion dates can result in dramatic changes in results . Take for example winter / spring breaks . Approximately half the districts and schools in America close down the week before or the week after Easter , and the precise date for the Easter weekend changes from one year to the next .
If your promotion arrives at the beginning of a school break it is old news when educators return . When they return from their break they are often confronted with a glut of direct mail and emails that they don ’ t have time for . Consequently , your marketing message receives half the consideration or even less than it might when received at other times .
What ’ s the Deal ?
Success in direct marketing is also dependent upon “ the deal ”. Experts in the field generally agree that 80 % of response can be attributed to the list
selection and the offer . The list selection is the choosing of the targets , the offer is “ the deal ”. Take into consideration that more than 90 % of elementary school teachers are female . They are seasoned shoppers and they like to take advantage of sale prices . Discounts get their attention .
A special offer is one that expires after a certain period of time . Procrastination is the death knell for direct marketing . An expiration date gives the recipient a reason to decide now whether or not to make a purchase . The more decisions you can prompt , the more orders you can generate . This is one of the fundamental differences between brand and direct marketing . Brand is about message , direct is about action : “ Act now to take advantage of this special offer ”
Don ’ t Mix and Match
As you lay out your marketing plans for 2017 ask yourself which form of marketing best fits your circumstances . If you sell through sales representatives or dealer networks and you have the budget , brand marketing may make the most sense . Otherwise direct marketing may represent the best ROI . Whichever path you choose , resist making the common mistake of trying to execute direct marketing campaigns with brand marketing strategies and vice-versa . n
BOB STIMOLO , EDmarket ’ s Official School
Market Consultant , is President of School Market Research Institute ( SMRI ) a full service marketing and research firm . EDmarket members are entitled to ½ hour free telephone consulting with Bob . Call 1-800-838- 3444 ext . 205 or email rstimolo @ smriinc . com to schedule your free session . Visit SMRI ’ s website www . smriinc . com .
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