![\"Small](\"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Small-Business-Marketing-Strategies1.jpg\" "\\"Small")
<\/a>\u2022 <\/span>Not generating as many leads as possible\u2026<\/p>\n\u2022 <\/span>Not converting as many of those leads as you should\u2026<\/p>\n \u2022 <\/span>Losing chances for referrals and repeat business\u2026<\/p>\n \u2022 Losing out on profits that should be yours.<\/p>\n How to Double Your Profits Overnight<\/strong><\/p>\n The good news is you can improve in all 3 of these areas without spending a lot of money. \u00a0In fact, you may be able to cut your advertising costs significantly. \u00a0For instance, some of my clients spend 50% less on lead generation advertising than they did before I worked with them\u2026simply because they generating more leads from the same amount of prospects.<\/p>\n And those increases don\u2019t have to be huge to have a dramatic effect on your business. \u00a0For instance, let\u2019s say Sally sends out 1,000 postcards a month to a list of potential customers. \u00a0Each potential customer is worth $100.<\/p>\n So if Sally gets a 1% response rate\u2014which is pretty good for a \u201ccold\u201d list\u2014she\u2019ll get 10 new customers a month. That\u2019s $1,000 in gross profits.<\/p>\n Not bad. \u00a0But what if Sally increased her response rate to 2%? \u00a0Then she\u2019d get 20 new customers a month. \u00a0That\u2019s $2,000 in new sales\u2014from the same list. \u00a0And she doesn\u2019t have to spend any extra money on printing or postage. \u00a0She doubled her profits without increasing her expenses.<\/p>\n So you how can you do that in your small business? \u00a0Well, there are actually 3 ways to increase your response rates.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start at the top.<\/p>\n Are You Talking to the Right People?<\/strong><\/p>\n First, you need to examine the quality of the prospects you\u2019re marketing to. \u00a0In other words, are the people you\u2019re communicating with a good match for your business?<\/p>\n You see, most small businesses cast too wide a net. \u00a0They want to appeal to everyone. \u00a0And as a result, they end up sounding just like everyone else. \u00a0Or worse, they get ignored entirely.<\/p>\n To get more people to respond to your marketing messages, you need to get your message to the right people. \u00a0That means you need to find the right demographic\u2014the people who really need what you\u2019re selling. And you need to make they\u2019re ready, willing and able to pay for your services.<\/p>\n The Power of Focus<\/strong><\/p>\n Let’s say, for instance, a dentist wants to get more patients. \u00a0If he sends out a mass mailing to 1,000 homes in and around his office, he may get a few people coming in. \u00a0Maybe some of them can\u2019t afford what he charges. \u00a0Maybe some of them aren\u2019t ready to take action. \u00a0And most of them simply aren\u2019t interested in getting their teeth fixed\u2014either because they don\u2019t care or they don\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n But if he focuses that mailing on the right demographic, he can skyrocket his response rates. \u00a0For instance, if our dentist found people between the ages of 40-70 (when many people start to need dentures, implants, etc.) \u2026who live within 3-5 miles of his office\u2026and who also have household incomes of at least $75,000 -$100,000 a year\u2026he\u2019s much more likely to get a good response rate to his mailing. \u00a0Why? Because that group is more likely to need his services. \u00a0They\u2019re close enough that his office is convenient. \u00a0And they can afford his services.<\/p>\n Even better, those same people may have children. \u00a0And kids need regular dental checkups. \u00a0They eat sugary foods and don\u2019t like to brush their teeth. They may need braces. \u00a0And when they\u2019re a little older, they\u2019ll probably need to have their wisdom teeth removed.<\/p>\n Now our good dentist is still mailing 1,000 postcards a month advertising his services. \u00a0But now he\u2019s sending them to a demographic that\u2019s much more likely to need his services. \u00a0What do you think that will do to his response rates\u2026and his profits?<\/p>\n Not Just for Direct Mail\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n And please don\u2019t think these lessons only apply to direct mail. \u00a0Demographic marketing works just as well online. \u00a0In fact, it\u2019s become amazingly easy. Facebook lets you target ads demographically. \u00a0So does Google. \u00a0So with a little thought, you can create an online advertising campaign that only reaches the people you want to do business with. \u00a0And unlike direct mail, you don\u2019t have the hassle of fulfillment.<\/p>\n Marketing to the right demographic is step 1 in your marketing overhaul. \u00a0 That alone can give your business a huge boost. \u00a0In fact, the single biggest factor in the success or failure of any marketing campaign is the target audience. \u00a0After all, if you don\u2019t reach the right people, no one will care how great your offer is.<\/p>\n See you on the other side!<\/p>\n