How costly? Well, according to research conducted by Price Waterhouse accounting firm, 70% of people who leave a supplier do so because of lack of contact, follow-up or individual attention. That's not good. But think of how easy it would be to make your business stand out from crowd if you sent your customers a regular postcard...

3. Another idea to ponder, and this one has actually been proven through numerous studies: It costs 6 times more to win a new customer than it does to make a sale to an existing customer. What this means that if you have a customer list, and if you send regular postcards to people on that list, you'll build repeat sales for your business and become more profitable in process. This leads right to our fourth and final Reason for Repetition...

4. A business that customers hear from is one that they'll keep in mind -- and keep on patronizing.

Martha Retallick is an avid (and some say rabid) postcard marketer from Tucson, Arizona, USA. Examples of her postcards can be seen at:

http://www.Lrpdesigns.com/cardshow.html

You can subscribe to her free Postcard Marketing Secrets e-zine at:

Additionally, The Wall Street Journal has done an excellent job of integrating Internet into a traditional business model. Besides offering both online and offline newspaper versions, there are several email alert services. Because they have successfully integrated online marketing into their own business, WSJ writers and editors are able to intelligently address both online and offline activities.

OK, let us do some quick exercises using The Wall Street Journal. I have both an online subscription (with access to 30-day archives) and a print newspaper subscription, so I will skim some articles...

* Here's one (9/17/02, newspaper front page and WSJ online) - WorldCom Lawyers are advertising in white pages.

What about your company?...advertising in white pages...give your products their own phone numbers...advertise numbers elsewhere...personalities for your brands/services...mascots...root beer...separate sites for each...etc.

Remember, *do not* censor - just play one idea off another and write down *everything* that comes to mind. It doesn't matter if it is sensible or even relevant - just make sure you write down enough clues so later you know what you were thinking.

* Here's another one (9/16/02 newspaper front page) - Snoop Doggy Dog is reinventing himself.

It seems he has a new sound, new album, etc., etc. I also think I remember he has done some acting in past. In order to keep "Snoop Doggy Dog" brand fresh, he expands into other categories. But notice he is still in "entertainment" industry - not venturing into industries that are not a fit with his image. You can use this approach as a springboard for your own business. Think of ways to expand into other categories - to reinvent - while staying in your same general area of expertise.

* Here's a third (9/23/02 WSJ online special report): According to a Harris Interactive Poll, more Americans want to live in California than any other state.

For first time in five years, Florida is *not* #1. Hmmm...a changing American mind set? The springboard here is to think of ways to apply this "California Dreamin'" to your strategies and/or products.

More potential springboards from 9/23/02 Website homepage: Salomon Smith Barney gets fined $5 million for issuing misleading research...Pepsi's looking at healthy snacks...customers distrust e-commerce sites...you get idea.

Whether brainstorming alone or in a group, remember two rules - 1) no censoring and 2) use props as springboards for new ideas. Do this and your brainstorming session is sure to be a success.

~~~~~~~~ Resource ~~~~~~~~

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Copyright 2002 Bobette Kyle. All rights reserved.