Dear Broker, here are your updates for this week...

M a r k e t i n g  t i p
Speak to your target audience in the way they best understand and respond

Brand. It's all about brand, right? All the marketing books and blogs and gurus will tell you that brand is king. So your sales and marketing messaging - what you say and how you say it - should also be focus on branding, right? Not always. In fact, most of the time, selecting who to buy from has little to do with brand.

Brand does matter, for sure. A good brand is an intangible that separates otherwise similar products - Nike versus Reebok, Target versus Wal-Mart, etc. You should strongly consider whether you have the resources to build a brand that differentiates you from the competition before you decide that you are going to rely on branding in your marketing message.

What the experts will often overlook is everybody else, or rather, the majority of companies in the country that are small businesses. And they overlook the way many people shop - searching for features. While benefits are critical, many people shop for features. Think about the last time you bought a car or a house or chose a plumber. You had a list of "must haves" and "wants" that had little to do with branding.

Let's continue with the example of choosing a plumber. It's three A.M. and a pipe in your house just burst. Do you know who to call? You probably reach for the Yellow Pages or jump on the Internet. You are looking for a plumber that is open 24 hours a day, fixes pipes, will arrive quickly, is licensed and insured, accepts your credit card, and appears reputable. A brand name you recognize may help, but it is not the first (or second or third) thing you look for. You are looking for features first and foremost.

What are your target customers looking for? Probably a generous credit window, low payments, an easy and fast process, professionalism, etc. This is true whether they are looking at an ad or hearing your outbound sales call. People like tangibles. People want you to "prove it" with actual features, not vague claims of "we're the best." Here are some of the common phrases your potential customers may be searching for in ads or listening for in your sales pitch...

• Application-only, no financials/bank statements/etc. needed
• Apply by phone
• Approvals in a few hours, not days
• Aggressively-priced, low monthly payments
• Pricing to maximize your profitability
• 100% financing with the minimum out-of-pocket 
• Many payment plans available
• All-inclusive price quotes with no hidden fees
• Risk-free, no-obligation quotes
• Tax deductible payments
• Approvals for strong to challenged credits and for new businesses
• Live representatives answer your calls 
• Over 15 years of experience providing money to companies like yours
• Dedicated to the transportation and construction industries
• Experts in [specific equipment type] financing
• Serving all your financing needs from equipment to operating capital

How to decide what to include in your marketing messages? Easy, listen to what people ask for. If your highest propensity leads are asking about certain features of your financing, move those features to the front of the list in your ads, direct mail, Web site and verbal communications. But also be sure to include other features you offer that are not asked about as often. If you attract twenty new people a day to your Web site, one of them may be looking for a less common feature - be sure to include it so you don't miss any opportunities. Appeal to shoppers looking for specific features by including them in your marketing message.

S a m p l e  d e a l  o f  t h e  w e e k
Two vacuum tank trailers financed with low monthly payments for challenged credit lessee