Next week is my first grade daughter’s week to be the weather girl for her class, which was communicated to me today amongst a little stack of papers that comes home daily from her classroom. Panic-stricken, she rushed into the kitchen and asked with concern “Mom, please tell me you didn’t throw away my weather sheet?!!?”
Ah, she knows me well. It’s a daily flood of papers, notes and messages in this house and in my office, as I am sure it is in yours. Anyone who knows me can confirm I am ruthless about throwing everything away – I’m a believer that if it’s important, I can get the information again if I really, really need it.
Between the glossy postcard in the mail about the wonders of the local real estate agent finally selling that overpriced house down the street, a brochure pleading the case for a environmentally friendly lawn treatment, an e-mail newsletter about the 50 percent off sale at the local boutique and a voice mail from a politician promising long-lasting change if she can just have my vote …. delete, delete, delete.
Harsh, perhaps, from someone who makes her living helping real estate agents set themselves apart in the marketplace, creating public relations campaigns for a landscaping firm and writing and distributing newsletters via email – but here’s the key differentiator: my job is to make sure their marketing matters. Set it apart so it doesn’t fall directly into the trash. Take it a step further so the receiver even looks forward to their lovely new brochure/email/advertisement.
I have lots of beautiful things on my bulletin board for inspiration when I’m pulling together marketing campaigns: advertisements in magazines I love, direct mail pieces that caught my attention, even a brochure about an upcoming seminar session that struck a chord (I may even attend).
Whether it’s culling your direct marketing list to just the hottest prospects or hiring a designer to upgrade your web site, do something today to make sure your marketing pieces are landing on someone’s bulletin board – not their circular file.
And cross your fingers for nice weather to report next week.
Weather forecast for tonight: dark. ~George Carlin
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