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Advertising and media channels are ever-changing. This makes finding the right advertising mix a moving target. All the while, many businesses still rely on their sales teams, gatekeepers and receptionists to track where their leads are coming from - not the best way to accurately measure advertising response in an increasingly complex advertising environment.

To effectively track response rates your advertising needs to include a response measuring tool. There are several out there, and some are easier to implement than others.

Here are five tricks to easily ensure that you will be able to track your ad response, and hone your marketing efforts to generate more leads and sales.

1. Include a Timely Offer and Strong Call to Action

Give people a reason to call you and get them to act fast! Include an offer that will make prospects and customers call you right away. Put a deadline on a current promotion, or tell them what they will get right now from your service. For example: "Call 1-800-NEW-FLOOR to receive $100 off your first order."

2. Use a Phone Number as the Direct Response Tool

It is imperative to the success of your business to give people an easy way to contact you at once after hearing a commercial, viewing a billboard, or watching TV. The best way to do this is with your phone number. Getting someone to call means you are one step closer to making a deal. By offering a phone number, you are offering a one-on-one customer experience - giving prospects a direct route to your selling team.

3. Feature a Vanity 800 Number as the Direct Response Tool in all Ads

The phone number will not be much help if folks cannot remember it (really, who has a pen handy when hearing a radio ad, or seeing a billboard?). Get a vanity 800 number, and make it memorable, like 1-800-NEXT-HOME. A vanity 800 number that relates to your business, in this case real estate, will assist in reinforcing your brand, delivering a consistent message, and will always give consumers the ability to contact you immediately (and is also great for word-of-mouth referrals). Plus, someone who hears your radio ad featuring 1-800-NEW-HOME may be looking for a house three months down the road. They will recall your vanity 800 number from the radio ad and call you before they call your competition!

4. Prominent Placement of your Direct Response Tool

Feature your vanity 800 number prominently on the screen, and leave it there throughout a television commercial. Mention it at least three times in a radio ad, and make it the focal point of a print ad. Make sure it is easily heard and understood - visible and easy to read - and your ads will pull higher response rates.

5. More Impressions will Pull More Responses

One-off ads will not work. Make sure you (or your agency if you use one) have a moderate to heavy ad schedule, whether it be radio, television, print, outdoor, or a combination of many of these channels. Buying more time or space will decrease the cost per ad, and your vanity 800 number will increase your ability to generate leads and sales. Delivering a consistent message multiple times will ensure consumers remember you.

Finally, if you can find a vanity 800 number that correlates with your business type, for example a real estate agency and 1-800-NEW-HOME, or an auto dealership and 1-800-NEW-AUTO, then snatch it up quickly! These numbers are rare - and hard to come by. They can cost your business as little as a few hundred dollars a month, and they can increase your incoming call volume two or three-fold. And, we all know that more calls equals more opportunities for sales.

Laura Noonan has 16 years of experience in the vanity 800 number and telecommunications services industry. She coaches hundreds of clients each year on using toll-free vanity 800 phone numbers as direct marketing tools to increase advertising response rates. Laura can be reached at lnoonan@800response.com or by calling 800-NEW-SALES.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Noonan

New Survey from 800response Reveals Consumer Recall Rates of Advertisements

800response (www.800response.com), the leading provider of vanity 800 numbers and web-based call tracking and recording services, announces the results of two recent surveys conducted in conjunction with an online survey firm and research experts. The surveys focus on consumers and measures their recall rates of vanity 800 numbers compared to consumer recall rates of numeric toll-free numbers when featured in advertisements.

The study findings reveal that vanity 800 numbers improve consumer recall rates in visual ads by up to 84%, and yield a nine times higher recall in broadcast ads versus numeric toll-free numbers.

"The results of the two surveys confirm the overwhelming value of using unforgettable phone numbers as consumer response tools particularly in television, radio, outdoor, and print advertising where they are significantly easier for consumers to recall after even just one exposure in advertisements," says Laura Noonan, vice president of marketing at 800response.

84% Improvement in Recall Rates with Vanity 800 Numbers in Visual Advertisements

Data shows that when vanity 800 numbers are used in visual media (i.e. television, print, billboard) advertisers can expect to see an 84% improvement in recall rates over numeric phone numbers. Sixty-five percent (65%) of consumers were able to correctly recall a vanity 800 number that was featured in a visual image - simulating a billboard or print advertisement. In comparison, only 31% of consumers could correctly recall the numeric toll-free number in a visual image.

Consumers Are 9 Times More Likely to Recall Vanity 800 Numbers in Broadcast Advertisements

A second survey measuring phone number recall shows that an audio file featuring a vanity 800 number yields a nine times higher recall rate compared to an audio file featuring a numeric phone number. Of the survey respondents, 72% correctly recalled the vanity 800 number, with just 5% correctly recalling the numeric toll-free phone number in otherwise identical audio clips.

"As ad spending continues to grow, the use of toll-free numbers will also rise because advertisers will continue to look for increasing response rates to their advertising, and will need to track their media spending and ad campaigns. Through this study, and past research, vanity 800 numbers are proven to generate higher recall rates. Based on the statistical data we expect the activation and use of vanity 800 numbers to grow as well," says Noonan.

Additional data from survey #1 reveals that the majority of consumers continue to associate the 800 prefix as a toll-free phone number, and survey #2 also shows that consumers prefer to dial easy-to-remember vanity 800 numbers when reaching a local business in their market.

'800' is the Most Widely Recognized Toll-free Prefix

Results confirm that 800 is by far the most widely recognized toll-free prefix among consumers, with a 94% recognition rate. Recognition of the 800 prefix is consistent from 2002 to 2007. However, the 2007 study data shows a decline since 2002 in the recognition rates of 866, 877 and 888 prefixes with just 55%, 56% and 70% recognizing 866, 877, and 888 as toll-free respectively.

When Given a Choice, Consumers Prefer to Dial a Toll-free Vanity 800 Number to Reach a Local Business

After viewing an image that simulated a Yellow PagesTM advertisement, survey data also shows that 58% of respondents prefer to dial a vanity 800 number to reach a local business, rather than dialing a local or toll-free numeric phone number.

"Knowing that consumers can better recall vanity 800 numbers in multiple advertising media, and that 58% of consumers prefer to contact a local business by dialing a vanity 800 number, further proves the benefits available to advertisers who utilize a vanity 800 number. These surveys demonstrate that vanity 800 numbers are the strongest consumer response tools available according to recognition and recall rates," says Noonan.

Details of the Surveys: Two electronic surveys were distributed to 1,500+ opted-in respondents. Both surveys were executed through a market research firm, Infosurv, Inc. and e-Rewards, an electronic survey provider. Data analysis was conducted in conjunction with Scott Stevens, Associate Professor, Mathematics Division of Information Technology & Sciences at Champlain College located in Burlington, VT. For more information on the surveys, please contact Jeanne Landau at jlandau@800response.com or visit http://www.800response.com/news/pressreleases/ConsumerRecallRates_20080121.html. The study is available in PDF for download.

About 800response: 800response maintains the widest selection of Custom 800 numbers available today, and offers these dynamic lead tracking tools to optimize advertising expenditures for businesses nationwide. Custom 800 numbers are proven to substantially increase response rates. For more information, visit www.800response.com or call 1-800-NEW-SALES.

Call Tracking Is Easy and Produces Great Results

21 Feb 2010 • 07:08 AM • Business

Tracking business incoming and outgoing phone calls helps companies in many ways, is easy and inexpensive to set up, and provides proven results in several areas. Many different businesses from a wide range of markets are using a call tracking service. Realtors, hotels, mortgage companies, and lawyers have used the system and increased customer loyalty as a result. Working with available technology can be of great benefit to large and small businesses alike.

Using this call tracking system permits the company to maximize investment returns and change mere leads into increased sales. It also measures customer response to the various advertising techniques being tried, breaking it down into data that can be managed and compared, line by line. Doing these things will support decisions based on cost per lead and avoid waste. Another benefit of this strategic tracking is to measure staff performance. The owner can easily listen to sales pitches given by workers to increase constructive criticism for improvement. This can multiply motivation and productivity within the company, and also eliminate staffing problems.

Capturing data from phone system usage is easy and requires no special equipment. This does not require changing your phone service, either. Simply request the toll free numbers you would like to use and insert these numbers in your print media, website, TV spots, coupons, and radio advertising. Next, when customers respond to your advertising the calls are smoothly forwarded to the business owner and the ad and call data is collected without any involvement of the proprietor. Then, when it is convenient, log into the account, listen to calls, analyze data received, and make better decisions for your company.

All of this provides the results you need. Easily follow trends in your industry, identify issues with employees, see which ads are the most profitable, know where your calls are coming from, and receive an email alert when you have missed a call. These gain the trust of your clients and improve your conversation ratings. Generate more effective leads and stop wasting money on campaigns that don't work, all while using the same equipment you've always had. 

Call Tracking software comes with toll-free vanity 800 service.  Set up a Custom 800 number, like 1-800-NEW-CARS, which is easier for people to remember than a numeric toll-free, access call-tracking data, and improve your overall advertising campaign performance and easily monitor your ROI.

By Cyril Bird

Courtesy of Ezine Articles

From a marketing perspective, it can be said without fear of contradiction that any advertisement - be it on electronic or print media - a toll-free number is sure to attract a larger response. Businessmen who use toll free numbers are fully aware of the benefits of it, but others are blissfully ignorant how much business they are losing by not using the toll-free number.

Marketing professionals are convinced that advertising with a toll-free number can bring in 30% more orders than advertisements that carry no toll free number. Additionally, statistics show that product return rates can be decreased by as much as half. Interestingly, it is learned that customers call in to resolve their problems after buying rather than return the goods if a toll free number is provided.

There is no denying that numbers are a great boon for the business community. The 800 number by itself motivates consumers to readily respond. Vanity numbers - in other words, the toll-free numbers that spell out a word or words associated with a product or brand, are far more productive though some may consider it not cost-effective. A market survey was conducted to compare the impact of numeric toll free numbers versus toll free vanity numbers in radio advertising. Half of the ads mentioned a numeric phone number, and the other half mentioned a vanity number. The results: The vanity number received a whopping 14 times more responses than the 800 numeric.

Here are some valuable tips on how to fully take advantage of toll free numbers:

1. When you print sales promotion materials like - business cards, pamphlets, brochures, and catalogs, make sure to prominently print your toll-free number preferably in a couple of places.

2. Make a habit of coloring or bolding the words - "toll free".

3. When you advertise in print medium, mention your toll-free number and preferably use the phrase "Contact us TOLL FREE at...".

4. Customers must be firmly reassured that the phone call to your business will cost them nothing.

5. Make sure you display your toll-free number on your website in several areas and be sure to include your email address so customers have two options for contacting you.

6. If your business can afford it, create a vanity number, so that people easily remember your business and contact details.

Further, toll free numbers attract customers to your business because they give it an air of professionalism. They also increase the customer's confidence in the security of financial transactions with your company. You can also create a virtual office in your home-based business. A huge benefit of your toll-free number is - calls can be forwarded to your cell phone, pager, email address, and even you home phone - thereby no longer tying you down to your office desk. Its numbers also carry a lot of features including audio conferences, professional voice announcement feature, call screening, call recording, call forwarding, auto attendant etc.

By Clarence Well

Courtesy of Ezine Articles

If you're a businessman, you surely know the value of your business name. This is how people know you, remember you and think of you enough for them to buy something from you. In other words, as long as people know you're around, there is a possibility that they will consider you for something they need which you offer.

In other words, when you want to compete in a market where similar products and services are offered by different vendors or providers, you have to stand out with your brand name. Anything you do that strengthens your market presence by way of strengthening the impact of your brand name on consumers is called branding. Of course, you've heard about the multimillion dollar branding campaigns of such multinational companies such as Coke or Gillette. And you've heard about the advertising agencies who are notorious for their insanely and exorbitantly priced services. What if you were to get as much branding edge for a comparably negligible price? What about a vanity 800 number?

A vanity number is a regular toll free number except that you have your business name spelled out on it. Or you can have any term relevant to your business spelled out on it. So instead of your number being 1-800-1234567, it could be 1-800-FLOWERS if you're in the floral business or 1-800-COMPUTE if you're dealing computers. Imagine how much easier it would be for people to reach you just because your vanity number is so much easier to remember. Now imagine if that vanity number were all over your radio, TV, print and online ads. That's great branding edge for so much less expenses.

If you're convinced you need a vanity number, it's not that simple getting one, though. In fact, it can get a little serious. First, you need to research which companies offer the cheapest 800 numbers. You also need to look into how you will be billed. Some will charge a flat amount while others can give you more freedom by charging per amount of time used.

Vanity numbers also have different features so you need to look into each one to know what you need or don't need. This way, you avoid spending for something unnecessary. And then, of course, you need to consider the quality and accessibility of customer service you can expect from the company that provides you the vanity number. This is essential because if and when you run into problems, you should be able to resolve it as much as possible. Some companies will give you a free trial for a certain period, say, 30 days. This is for you to decide whether or not you would like to continue their service. Obviously, it's wise to take this trial and see for yourself.

Here are four easy ways to ensure that you can track advertising response and hone campaign efforts to generate more leads.

1. Include a Timely Offer and Strong Call to Action

Give people a reason to call and get them to act fast! Include an offer in your ad campaigns that will make prospects and customers call right away. Put a deadline on a current promotion, or tell buyers what they will get right now from your service. For example: "Call 1-800-NEW-FLOOR to receive $100 off your first tile order."

2. Use a Phone Number as the Direct Response Tool

It is imperative to your success that you give people an easy way to contact you immediately after hearing a commercial, viewing a billboard, or watching TV. The best way to do this is by featuring a phone number in your ad. Getting someone to call means you are one step closer to making a deal. By providing a phone number you're offering a one-on-one customer experience - giving prospects a direct route to your selling team.

3. Feature a Vanity 800 Number as the Direct Response Tool in all Ads

Your phone number will not be much help if folks cannot remember it. Activate a vanity 800 number like 1-800-NEXT-HOME or 1-800-NEW-RIDE. A vanity 800 number that relates to your business will reinforce your brand, deliver a consistent message, and will always give consumers the ability to contact you immediately. Plus, someone who hears your radio ad featuring 1-800-NEW-HOME or 1-800-NEW-RIDE may be looking for a house or a new car three months down the road. They will recall your vanity 800 number from the radio ad and call YOU before they call the competition!

4. Prominent Placement of the Direct Response Tool

Feature your vanity 800 number prominently on the screen, and leave it there throughout a television commercial. Mention it at least three times in a radio ad, and make it the focal point of a print ad. Make sure it is easily heard and understood - visible and easy to read - and your ads will pull higher response rates and you'll look smart!

From Dealer Marketing Magazine

Written by Laura Noonan    

Monday, December 7, 2009

I believe in the power of advertising. That belief is based on dozens and dozens of case studies and conversations with auto dealers we've worked with for the last twenty years. Their success stories prove that great advertising will persuade, influence, and have an effect on buyers' decisions. Great advertising has the power to change your place in the market and improve your profit margins. Great advertising starts with having the right elements, images, response mechanisms, media plans, and messages.

There are five essentials to developing a great advertising campaign:

Effective messaging.

Deliver a compelling message--with a call-to-action or an incredible offer--to increase your audiences' attention to your ads and get them to act.

Appropriate response avenues for your audience

Provide a compelling offer and an easy way for your audience to contact you and they will. Feature a lead-generating vanity 800 number in your ads and you can expect to receive 30 to 60 percent higher response rates. Don't rely on only one mode of communication; include your phone number, email address, and website URL.

Accurate measurement tools

Use tracking mechanisms within your advertising creative to accurately monitor how well your campaigns are performing. Call-tracking systems and click-tracking tools will deliver those results in real time. With this data, you can monitor campaigns on a daily basis, track your cost-per-lead based on the campaign budget, and gauge the effectiveness of your advertising message.

Effective testing of the media mix

Test your advertising creative and your response tools, before you go into full-launch mode. A simple A-B test to monitor media buys will also tell you if your audience is more likely to call your phone number or to visit your website. It's not just about quantity. Measure which of those lead avenues delivers the highest quality leads--is it your phone number or your website? This call data will show which response tool to feature more prominently in your creative.

Streamlined media plans

Monitor call data to learn which media outlets produce leads and determine the media buys that perform the best for your dealership in your market. Was it your radio ad that ran on the country or the classic rock station? Was it the television ad you ran on Saturday during the morning news? Don't forget the importance of running consistent advertising. Being present in your markets will continually reinforce your messaging and keep your dealership top-of-mind with people.

Dealers (and their agency partners) that master the creative and strategic elements to consistently develop and execute effective campaigns will own their markets and the business successes that go with it. Great advertising starts with these essential steps, so implement these five essentials when you're working on a new 2010 advertising strategy.

Remember, sales performance is not the only indicator of great advertising. Look at lead-generation, the number of new prospects you have in your database, and the number of inquiries specific campaigns are bringing into your dealership. These factors are good indicators of successful advertising campaigns. Monitor your number of incoming calls as a result of your phone number being in your ads, and look at the number of web leads if you include your URL. More inquiries will lead to more sales and more profits.

Improve Your Customer Service Skills:

Great customer service is often the key to improving and growing a business. Web-based Call Recording services allow you to listen to recordings of your incoming calls. This powerful monitoring tool allows you to record, download, and archive calls for future playback. Recordings come in handy for a myriad of reasons:

1. Enhance Sales Training: Recordings can be used as training tools to illustrate common sales scenarios and to demonstrate how to overcome customer objections. Information gleaned from recordings can be used to refine sales pitches and identify techniques that increase close rates.
   
2. Improve Service: Knowledge that calls are being monitored motivates staff to provide a high level of service to customers. Recordings reveal areas that may require more information about particular products or services to better handle customer inquiries.
   
3. Measure Results: Most importantly, by listening to recordings you can monitor response to specific promotions, sales offers, and advertising campaigns based on the conversations!

Call an Account Manager at 1-800-NEW-SALES to learn more about Call Recording and how it will benefit your business.

From The Sideroad

Written By: Michele Pariza Wacek

In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one. No one knows quite what to do with him. Especially at family gatherings when everyone tries hard to avoid sitting with him. (After all, who knows WHAT he'll start talking about.)

Much of that reputation comes from radio being tough to track. On one hand, radio does work. Businesses do notice an increase in sales when they add radio to the mix. However, radio doesn't test well. In surveys and other tracking methods, radio tends to be the one with the dismal scores.

A good friend of mine, who's also a marketing consultant but before that she sold radio for many years, has a theory about that. She says radio works on a subconscious or unconscious level. People remember the ad, but not that they heard it on the radio. So, they tend to credit a different medium for the ad, like the yellow pages. Yellow pages gets a boost while radio drops a few points.

Regardless, radio should not be ignored because it does work. And many marketing consultants will probably tell you radio is an excellent medium to reach a local market.

However, I feel there are possibilities beyond merely reaching local customers.

Internet radio shows are starting to take off in a big way. That means advertising and sponsorship opportunities are also taking off. In addition, "offline" methods have been shown to be pretty effective at driving traffic online. If increasing Web traffic is your goal, using traditional media outlets to increase traffic should be a part of your mix.

If people already know you (which they might in your local market) they're more likely to be loyal. And they're more likely to send other customers to your site. Depending on the costs of radio in your community, radio may be a very affordable way to get a good viral campaign going. (A viral campaign is when your customers send promotional items about your business such as e-mails, articles, Web site urls, etc. to their friends and family members.)

Below are some other positive reasons to use radio:

Affordable

When you compare spot to spot, radio tends to be one of the least expensive media out there. However, one spot ain't going to do it. To reach your target market, you need to purchase several spots. That's why radio can also turn into one of the more expensive media. However, there are ways to keep your costs in line yet still reap the benefits of radio -- for instance, buying less spots but running them all in one or two weeks, so your customers are more likely to hear your message.

Psychological, if you voice the commercials yourself

Hearing your voice makes people feel like they "know" you. (Hence the popularity of audio on Web sites. In fact, marketing gurus claim just by adding audio to a site substantially increases how many people buy.)

People tend to buy from people and businesses they know and trust. Hearing your voice helps them feel as if they know you. These psychological aspects may be another reason to consider running a few radio ads in your local market even if you have an Internet business.

Speed

You can get your spot up and running in no time.

Loyalty

Listeners choose stations based on the music or shows they like and they tend to be quite loyal to that station. If you know what your customers enjoy listening to, it's an excellent way to reach them. (I include both music and talk shows in this.)

Good support medium

Radio works really well when paired with other marketing mediums (like print, direct mail or television).

But for every positive, there's a negative. In the spirit of being objective, here are a few for radio:

Background medium

Radio tends to be on in the background, which means it tends to be ignored. Generally, your target market needs to be exposed to your ad more times than other marketing media before they'll act upon your message.

Little staying power

The lack of visuals again keeps radio from "sticking" with people. At least, that's what some of the marketing gurus say. But, here again my marketing consultant friend differs. She thinks it's that subconscious thing again.

And if you can write a spot that creates pictures in your customers' heads, you can actually work this to your advantage. In fact, according to my friend, if the picture is defined enough, not only will people remember it better, but they'll also think it was a print ad instead of a radio ad.

Hard to track

It's impossible to know exactly how many people are tuning in at any given time.

A final note: Because radio is subconscious, keep that in mind when crafting your ad. Repeat your business name a lot and any other branding info, so it gets into your customers' heads. Don't put in phone numbers. Instead, purchase a memorable Web site domain name and repeat that. And remember to create "pictures" whenever possible.

Creativity Exercise -- How can you use radio in your business?

Would radio work for your business? Let's find out.

Take out a sheet of paper and a fun pen. (I'm partial to gel pens.) Draw a line down the center.

On one side, put the header: Why advertising on radio is a good idea for my business. On the other side, put the header: Why advertising is a bad idea for my business.

Now pick a side and start writing down reasons.

You might be more comfortable starting with the side that's easiest for you. Then when you work on the other side, you can simply turn the reasons around.

For instance, let's say you started with the bad idea. One of your reasons was: My product is completely visual. You could turn it around by saying "Because my product is so visual, I'll have to work harder to create pictures in my customers' minds. And because the customers create their own pictures, they're more likely to remember them."

Or what if you started with a good idea, and one of the reasons was: "Because my business is local." You could turn it around and say "Because radio is holding me back -- I'm only reaching this local market." (Ah, now I'm even going against what I said earlier. Maybe with this statement you could look for ways to get your customers to spread the word outside the area about your business.)