Unless you can answer this question, your marketing is garbage.

Think about it. You don't visit a website or store or look at a product unless there is a benefit for you.

For your next marketing campaign, be it a newsletter, blog, press release or direct mail campaign, give the reader a reason to not throw it away or close the webpage. Your window for engaging potential business is so small, but without a benefit, that window will shut within three seconds.

Here are some examples you can use to improve each of these marketing tools.

Newsletter

I'm a strong proponent of e-newsletters. For my business, I send two out to Egg subscribers each month. The reason they open my emails is for the useful article I include on marketing. I'm providing useful information my readers can put to good use. In return, I hope they'll explore my websites and contact me if they need marketing services.

What's in it for them? Free resources on a topic of interest

Blogs

If you read blogs, you probably do so to find information that helps you. The purpose of a goal is to do just that: provide a resource from an expert in any topic, like marketing, construction, retail, etc. Now, if you need a service, aren't you more likely to get it from someone who has demonstrated expertise in the area from their blog?

What's in it for them? Again, free information

Press Release

Press releases do more than just promote your company. They also help solve a problem a potential client has. If you're a great singer (at least in your mind) and you come across a press release about a national talent search, it gets your interest, so you visit the site. You end up becoming the next pop star, and the talent search gets a percentage of your profit. Everyone's happy.

What's in it for them? Solve a problem

Direct Mail

I'm willing to bet you've thrown away some direct mail today. We're bombarded with it, and much of it is worthless. It helps to have a well-designed piece, but without an apparent benefit, your direct mail will end up in the recycle bin. Make sure your postcard or letter directly addresses what benefit you can offer your reader.

Your copy is pristine. You have your benefits described. Your reader is intrigued...and then leaves.

What did you forget?

Your offer. Every piece of marketing material needs an offer. Without an offer, you've wasted time and money. You have to make it simple to buy from you. Remember: you never, ever want to make the customer work.

Your offer should be:

• Attractive enough to stimulate action • Simple to understand (no strings attached) • Good for a limited time (encourages readers to act now)

Discounts are a great example of an effective offer for an email campaign, direct mail or advertising. But think outside of the proverbial box to stimulate your target market to buy.

1. Free sample. Offering a sample lets interested parties see if your product works for them. If it does, the sale is easy to close.

2. Free report or ebook. Everyone loves free information, so once they read your free report or ebook, they will be more likely to believe in your ability to help them.

3. Referral program. People love being rewarded for doing nothing more than introducing a friend to your services. Offer incentive, such as a gift card or free products for every new customer your contacts bring you.

"Call now and we'll throw in an extra Ginsu knife absolutely free!"

"Act now! Quantities are limited!"

"100% money back guarantee for 30 days."

Now all you need is a call to action. You have to stimulate your reader to get off the couch and call you or visit your website NOW. Without a call to action, he will find something more important to do and never come back to your email or postcard again. At that point you've likely lost him.

A call to action stimulates immediate action, because the buyer (notice he's no longer a "reader") perceives that this offer is time sensitive. The less time between receiving your marketing message and acting on it increases the likelihood of purchase.

Turn readers into buyers with a call to action TODAY!: • Create a deadline for the offer • Offer free gift to a limited number of respondents • Offer an upgrade for a limited time

Add a call to action to your marketing message, and you'll see a drastic increase in your sales!