I just spent three days traveling throughout the Midwest teaching marketing seminars for groups of HVAC contractors. While I was the teacher, I learned a few things as well.  I discovered:

1. Omaha steaks really are better
2. All clam shell heat exchangers look the same to me
3. Despite what we social media junkies believe, there is still a large community of business owners who are not active on line.

In each market I met business owners running profitable companies which do not have a web presence and  do not check their email regularly.  Talking to them about social media as a marketing strategy was like speaking a foreign language.

It is easy to dismiss them as backward and doomed to fail, but that is not the case. They will continue to  carve our a comfortable living long after some of their competitors jump aggressively into the social media arena.  So how do I get them to take a second look?

What caught their attention was a comparison of a marketing budget based on mass advertising vs referrals and word of mouth.  These were concepts they could get their heads around.  Then introducing social media as a way of expanding their word of mouth made sense.

So that was probably the most important lesson for me from this trip.  It’s not that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, you just have to start with something they know!

Good marketing begins with a budget based on the numbers which drive your business.   To help our clients and friends start this process, Howard Cox of Somerset CPA and I will team up once again to teach Marketing by the Numbers.

In this workshop, we will show you how to build an ROI based budget.  Howard will show you how to calculate the Lifetime Value of a Customer, and how to use this a a starting point for your marketing budget.   I will explain the  relationship between leads and closing rates, referral percent and advertising targets to determine where you should be spending your money!

There is no fee to attend the program, but RSVP’s are required.   The class will be held at the offices of Somerset CPA, 3925 River Crossing Parkway, Indianapolis, IN 46240 on August 26,  7:30-8:30 a.m.

To reserve your seat,  fill out the form below. We look forward to seeing you there!

Simply click here to download the  Lifetime Value of a Customer worksheet.   It will open an excel sheet you can save to  your desktop or folder.  Please feel free to share this link with your clients and associates.

For more information about our eCourses and other marketing tools, be sure to check out:

• Free Stuff
• OnLine Education
• Blog

I recently taught a workshop with Howard Cox of Sommerset CPA’s.  The central theme of the class was building an ROI based marketing budget.   To do that, you must begin with a look at the numbers behind your business.  Why?  Because when it comes to marketing, it is all about the numbers.

• How much does your average customer spend?
• How many years does a client stay with you?
• How larger is your referral base?
• How good is your closing ratio?

Use this worksheet to help you analyze the “numbers” which should drive your marketing decisions!  Click here to download the Lifetime Value of a Customer Worksheet to begin analyzing your marketing budget foundation today!

If you need help completing the form, give us a call.  We would love to talk to you about your marketing budget!

I am excited about teaching Marketing by the Numbers with  Howard Cox of Somerset CPA’s later this month.  And so when Howard came in to talk about the program details, I thought it would be fun to put together a quick podcast to give people a feel for what we would be covering in the program.

One of the reasons I am so excited about team teaching with Howard is that I have always felt good marketing is all about the numbers.   While the creative execution is emotionally based, the decisions of how much, when and where should be financially based.

Click here to listen to the interview.

If you would like to Join Howard and I for the FREE seminar on January 26th fill out the form below.  When you do, you will also be given an opportunity to download our LifeTime Value of a Customer worksheet.

Would you set out on a long trip, without a map?   Of course not.  The same is true for your business.  You need a Business Map, and that map is your business plan.

It doesn’t have to formal, or very long, but it does need to answer some basic questions about where you are and where you are going

Not sure how to get started?   Join me for a FREE  overview of  business planning – How to Avoid the Ten Planning Mistakes Business Owners Make.

In this lively ninety minute workshop, participants will learn the elements of a good business plan, as well as tips and strategies on how to get started, and make planning an integral part of your business operation.

The next sessions is October 6 at 8:30 at the Fishers Train Station–11601 Municipal Drive, Fishers.

There is no fee to attend, but reservations are required.  You can register by filling out the form below.

And as an added bonus when you register, you are enrolled in the free eCourse: How to Write a Business Plan in 10 Weeks

To take advantage of one or both of the FREE offers simply fill out the form below.

About a year ago, I wrote a post about a Marketing Organization Chart which looked at the four key elements of your marketing plan: Strategy, Lead Generation, Conversion and Customer Service.   While all the pieces are important, I would like to take a closer look at the impact of customer service on your overall marketing budget.

Many firms make the mistake of spending the bulk of their marketing funds on new customer acquisition, and very little on retention.  In most cases, this is a huge mistake.  Why?  If you have existing customers, people who know and like you these are the people most likely to buy your new products and refer you to others who might use your services as well.

To understand the value of a customer, think about what that customer will spend, not just this year, but over the next few year. Consider also, what the impact would be on your business if that client introduced you to at least one other person who became a client.

How much is  a customer really worth?  And how much should you be spending on retention vs acquisition activities?  Working with Howard Cox, an accountant at Sommerset CPA’s, I  have created a model which will help you  analyze your own business.

We will be demonstrating how this model works in a FREE seminar on January 26th.  Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your seat by  filling out the form below. When you do, you will also be given an opportunity to download our LifeTime Value of a Customer worksheet.

To learn more, check out the short Podcast interview with Howard Cox. Click here to listen to the interview.

Good marketing begins with a budget based on the numbers which drive your business.  As 2010 kicks off, this is the ideal time to build a marketing budget for your business.   To help our clients and friends start this process, Howard Cox of Somerset CPA and I will team up once again to teach Marketing by the Number

In this workshop we will show you how to build an ROI based budget.   Howard will show you how to calculate the Lifetime Value of a Customer and how to use this a a starting point for your marketing budget.  Then I will explain the  relationship between leads and closing rates, referral percent and advertising targets to determine where you should be spending your money!

There is no fee to attend the program, but RSVP’s are required.   The class will be held at the offices of Somerset CPA, 3925 River Crossing Parkway, Indianapolis, IN 46240 on January 26, 2010 from  8:30 – 10:00. Note the time change: 8:00 – 9:30!

To reserve your seat,  fill out the form below.

There is a common misconception that marketing people can’t add.  People assume we view numbers as graphic elements, simply using the prettiest one.  But that is not true, good marketers know it is all about the numbers.

That is why I am so excited to be team teaching Marketing by the Numbers with Howard Cox of Somerset CPA.  We will look at building an ROI based approach to marketing.  We will focus on using the relationship between leads and closing rates, referral percent and advertising targets to determine how much you can afford to spend on marketing, as well as where you should be spending your money!

The class will be held at the offices of Somerset CPA, 3925 River Crossing Parkway, Indianapolis, IN 46240 on Tuesday, November 10th from  8:30 – 10:00.  The fee is only $35 for members and non members of Rainmakers. Seating is limited to reservation are required.

]]> http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/11/marketing-by-the-numbers/feed/ 0 http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/08/free-stuff/ http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/08/free-stuff/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:07:44 +0000 Lorraine http://www.roundpeg.biz/?p=3015

At Roundpeg, we have developed a number of tools and resources which we are happy to share for free!

• Business Plan Outline - As a small-business owner, you need a map — a business plan! Without it, you are traveling blind. Often, the road to achieving your goals is a series of small steps.

  

  Creating a schedule for these interim steps or milestones will help you track progress toward the overall goal. A business plan does not have to be complicate or difficult to write.

  Just answer the questions in this simple outline and you will be well on your way. Download the business plan outline now.

As an added bonus you will be invited to participate in a free eCourse – “How to Write a Business Plan in Ten Weeks” which will step you through each section of the outline. You may opt out at any time

• The Marketing Budget – There is a formula to determining how much you should spend on marketing.  It is based on the average sale per customer, and how long a customer continues to do business with you.  Your marketing budget is also affected by how larger your referral network is.    This simple spreadsheet helps you put all the pieces together.

• The Marketing Calendar is a a great way to look at your entire year.  This easy to use spreadsheet will help you plan when and where you should be spending marketing dollars. It will also give you a chance to compare different tools to make better choices next year. Your marketing is much more productive when you have a plan.  Download the marketing calendar