Is it the $40 coupon you mailed them, or possibly the personal Christmas card, or maybe they saw our advertisement in that home remodeling magazine, or did someone tell them about us?

I believe it was all of the above and more. Marketing is branding either in small one-on-one instance like Chamber of Commerce meetings, a satisfied customer, or mass mailings. It is all branding and the spread of our logo, our image and our services. These are the critical factors for success.

What do we market?

Our differentiation is our best possible answer to "Why Fast Frame?". Yes we can be fast, but we also strive to be the best solution with our personal outstanding service, our product range including ovals, custom mat cutting, fabric wrap mats and liners, Frame View, shadow boxes for any art, Quality and by our community involvement.

How do we market?

A successful marketing plan covers all aspects of getting our logo, our image and our services to as many people as often as possible. Our advertising needs to cover the features that answer "Why FastFrame?". Do your mailers include an offer, the word FREE, a promotional statement, a differentiation comment or if possible all of the above. If you have Frame View, invite them to come see it on your next mailer or flier. You offer gift cards, so add that to your advertisement.

I have heard from some stores who say solo mailers don't work for us. I ask them how many times they mailed. Most say once or twice and I never got any back. I ask them what was your offer or your message and they show me a mailer with a $25 offer, a $100 limit and no marketing statement or services is listed. Why would the customer keep it? What value did it provide them? The $25.00 dollars, maybe but why not add as much as possible on it so they perceive even more value.

Marketing is done as an investment in your business and often there is no direct or immediate return on that investment. This is a difficult concept for many to believe and they often abandon efforts due to what they see as short term poor results.

General rules are 10% of your sales dollars should be reinvested on marketing. We believe in a 15% number and on occasion higher if you feel it is the right thing to do. You may have your mailers set to go out on certain dates based on your marketing plan, but then a good deal on getting your name in a local design magazine comes along. You may have to review and adjust your plan as these opportunities arise.

Other less expensive avenues of getting your name and logo out to people is to do special events that will allow you to get written up in your local or even your larger newspapers. Special art events featuring local artists on site for questions and personal signing of their art is one way to do this.

All marketing can be enhanced and the costs reduced if you can co-op market. For instance, get your entire shopping center involved in a charity drive to get people into your store without the need to do framing. Most any community event will gain very positive notice and could get you written up in your local papers or even a segment on the evening news.

Never turn down a donation offer

Donations get local visibility for our logo, our quality and our commitment to the community. Remember this is not only a good thing to do, but a chance to market. Don't be afraid to ask how you can benefit and work with the organization on the best methods to achieve recognition.

Marketing is one of those words used in our business but I am not sure it is understood. So ask yourself are you doing excellent marketing or just marketing. Your marketing dollars are hard earned and should be spent to get your message out and to as many people as possible.

Why FASTFRAME?

Because we are the best, with the best Services, the best Quality, the best Guarantee, and the best in Customer Satisfaction! Now go tell the world!