March 2005

Predict how your marketing efforts will work--yes, it's possible!

What if you could test your marketing plans ahead of time? Talk about saving time and money... The idea feels like science fiction--prefiguring the far-distant future when you and I will be dust, and our great-grandchildren will be running the world.

These days, who has the time or resources to run statistical comparisons for every combination of possibilities for your marketing efforts? Few if any businesses, except perhaps the giants among us, bother to test their marketing much (or at all). Mostly we just throw money at it and pray--varying the amounts of each according to how busy and/or flush we feel that quarter.

Well, according to a guy writing in Crain's "BtoB" newsmagazine, there's something new out there. "Econometrically based performance simulators," he calls this promising approach. This mouthful means, as far as I can make out, another mouthful: "forecasting using time-series regression modeling." Fortunately, he goes on to explain what these simulators do (examine past history and explain why things turned out as they did, and using certain assumptions, forecast what might happen with marketing spending at a certain level). The cattle industry's been simulatin' a while, and if you google "marketing simulator" you'll find others.

Like those computer programs that let you see yourself with a new hairstyle or--in the plastic surgeon's case--a new nose or an upgraded pair of breasts, the forecasts you get might be idealized. But they also might help you feel better about a marketing decision you've made before you throw that next pile of money at it.


Write better with software? You bet.
And how about if you want your staff to "simulate" being better writers? Some training options work but are costly and/or time-consuming; some aren't worth a dime because people don't retain enough of what they've learned. I'm going to make a cautious recommendation here. I have tested a new editing program that turns bad writing into simple plain English--which is, amazingly often, all it takes to make writing good.

Fortunately, this program is not going to turn just any-old-body into a marketing writer (even though the makers sort of claim it can), so I'm not worried about putting my company out of business. But it's so powerful for the simplest kinds of mistakes in writing (let alone what it could do for many tech writers and most lawyers) that it's well worth trying for yourself--you can download a F*R*E*E 30-day trial..

And best of all, it comes with a bunch of cool F*R*E*E stuff--that you can keep even if you don't buy the software. I especially love the writer's dictionary/thesaurus that sits in your icon tray and gives you all kinds of information about the word you've highlighted. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Sincerely,
Barbara

Interesting developments at ReallyGoodFreelanceWriter.com:

• Quoted as expert on blogging, Akron Beacon Journal


• Invited to respond to RFP for COSE email communication program. Partnering with high-profile local design/email software company


• Helping local hospital seek funding


• Doing public relations for local commercial real estate developer

Make the Most of Your Money - Why bequeath to charities?

Q. "Why should we consider giving to charity?"
A. "As the federal government cuts back on social programs in an effort to reduce its annual budget deficit, your favorite causes may need help more than ever.

"Taxes and charitable contributions are considered 'social capital.' When you donate to charity, you direct your social capital to the causes you care about instead of allowing the government to choose for you.

"And donating doesn't have to mean just writing a check. Among other things, you can donate appreciated stocks and receive more in return than with an outright cash contribution. Here's a brief article explaining the benefits of contributing appreciated securities. "
~ Gary Lewis, The Lewis Marketing Report Email Gary
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