Advertisement Ideas: How To Reverse A Negative Trend!!!

As I skimmed the business news today and saw that Darden Restaurants had reported a downward trend in earnings and dividends for The Olive Garden Operations I immediately thought what would I do if I was a marketing director to reverse this trend? The answer came easily step up the marketing and advertising so as to drive traffic and increase the amount of visits a patron will make to the restaurant. This thinking is the opposite of what most companies do and as a result of cutting the marketing and advertising budget the downward earnings trend continues. The key to being successful and making your share holders happy is to constantly be in front of the consumer and give them a reason to patronize your business. It is imperative to look at why your sales are off and why the dividend payouts are dropping.  One key factor is inconsistency in the operational process of  the business.  In a chain like The Olive Garden it is important to empower the General Managers of the individual restaurants to make marketing decisions. A good general manager will know who his customers are where they are coming from and how to get them coming back.  I recently had the pleasure of having The Olive Garden in Boca Raton, FL sponsor the survivors/caregiver dinner at The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Boca Raton. The district manager was very supportive and is now sponsoring the survivors/caregivers dinner at many of The Relay For Life Events in South Palm Beach County. As a result of their support this particular Olive Garden is hosting The Relay For Life Wrap-Up Party that is being supported through other sponsorships. This Olive Garden will also see more business as every participant in Relay For Life is being promoted to patronize this Olive Garden. In sponsoring community events you have the chance to reverse a negative trend.

Starbucks recently announced a price increase, which is one way to reverse a negative trend as people will pay for something they desire and perceive to have value. In increasing prices though you risk a loss of customers who may go to a competitor whose price is cheaper. It is very important to keep the perceived value in your product so that you can reverse any negative trends. Starbucks while raising some prices also maintained the perception that it was worth it. Starbucks also is running many special promotions so that the price increases will not be perceived as that bad by their customers. For Example you get a Starbucks Gold Card which allows for $.50 refills on ice tea and coffee so you pay the $.10 more for your first drink but you do a refill so you still save a substantial amount of money. In promoting The Gold Card Starbucks maintains their customer base as Starbucks customers tend to be very loyal to the brand.

More and more business are using the idea of a customer loyalty programs to reverse negative trends to keep people coming back.  I mentioned The Starbucks Gold Card which has a perk of a reward after 13 transactions. I generally do 2-3 transactions each time I am in Starbucks as it becomes a base for me to write blog entries, send and check emails, and network. So my transactions add to a reward very fast.  In creating customer loyalty you can reverse negative trends and perceptions that may be causing a slip in your sales.

These tips will help you whether you have a brick and mortar business, a mobile business, or a stay at home business.  The key of knowing your customer is imperative to your success. One easy thing to do is to track the milestones in the life of your client/customer and send a note via snail mail. Keeping the client/customer happy is tantamount to your success because a satisfied client/customer will be willing to do testimonials for you thus giving you edification and credibility in the market place. Knowing the client/customer and being able to anticipate their needs will help to reverse negative trends. People like it when they are made to feel important and appreciated.  Finding ways to add value, for example you are reading this blog and you have  a client looking for exposure so you leave a comment with a link to their site explaining how they are of value and service. Creating loyalty among staff  if you have one will lead to success as those who like to work together will more likely buy into the culture of the business.  These 5 tips should help you to reverse negative trends. Stay Positive!!!