An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company designed to provide a retirement income. In exchange for a current premium, your insurer agrees to pay you a future stream of income. Annuities are very flexible. You can pay your premium all at once or pay it over time. You can specify when you would like to begin receiving the income from your annuity. You can start immediately or you can let your annuity accumulate. More…

Contributed by JD at 7:02 am under Business economy.  

Ten power steps for creating your next good customer in 28 days or less

By John Wren MBA.
From Wren’s DARING MIGHTY THINGS — HOW TO START YOUR FIRST BUSINESS.

These ten steps are the fastest, cheapest, most effective way I’ve found to create the first new customer for a new business. It works even better for existing businesses that just want one or more GOOD customers to add to their existing customer base. Since 1980 I have designed and implemented proactive selling systems based on this basic approach with hundreds of my consulting clients, creating thousands of new customers for them.

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Contributed by JD at 4:02 pm under Marketing & PR, Sales & promotion.  

Regardless of what you’re trying to sell, you really can’t sell it without “talking” with your prospective buyer. And in attempting to sell anything by mail, the sales letter you send out is when and how you talk to your prospect.

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Contributed by JD at 3:58 pm under Sales & promotion.  

Covering promotions, stunts and events

BOUNCE BACKS AND OTHER COUPON OPTIONS

Coupon deals are everywhere. A place where I get my oil changed gives me a coupon good for a dollar discount on the next oil change plus a discount on their carwash next door. This is a bounce back. Many marketers don’t like this type of promotion. They feel it’s discounting their regular customers who would probably pay full price anyway. If possible, offer the coupon discounts to those whose business you would not have otherwise.

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Contributed by JD at 3:54 pm under Marketing & PR.  

Use Opinion Research to build strong communication

By Frank Noto

The brand manager was a hunter, sportsman, and self-described “man’s man.” His company’s alcoholic beverage sales were booming. He loved the agency’s macho new pitch for the product, with ads poking non-too-subtle fun at “sissies” who drank competing beverages. Everyone from the CEO on down believed this promotional campaign was the start of something big.

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Contributed by JD at 5:12 pm under Marketing & PR.