The burden is on you to plan your marketing to include ways for capturing critical knowledge about which promotions produced which positive results –and then using that information to your best advantage.

In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to measure the results of your marketing efforts. Once you’ve got some clear results in hand, you can weed out the ad campaigns and the ads, the promotions and the media choices that aren’t performing, and also evaluate whether to expand those that are doing well for you.

Measuring the success of marketing programs can be as easy as consistently asking customers where they heard about you when they make a purchase, and then keeping track of their answers. We used this technique in my own business by asking every customer making an order how they heard about Great Lakes Video Services.

Responses were entered into a computer with the order info, and we could review the data when needed to make decisions about which marketing and promotional programs to continue, which to drop, and which to ramp up.

Related posts:

1. Moving Billboards.
2. Opt for “More Often” Rather Than Simply “More.”
3. The Digital Presses Are Humming – New Mojo Resource.

Word -of-mouth is and will always be the best form of advertising.

And thanks to social networking sites, you can reach thousands of people in a matter of minutes, which translates into a more personal relationship with your customers, and much more business for you.

Social media works. Websites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn work wonders for businesses. Get your name out there by becoming friends with customers on these sites. You can use the social media networking websites to help spread the word, announce sales, and launch contests.

Related posts:

1. 9 Tips for Going Viral on Twitter
2. How To Build Your Own Personal Fan Club
3. Where Are Your Prospects Going For Opinions?

Houston sign master Mark Roberts has a pretty spiffy company car.

I don’t think a car is a telephone booth, a beauty parlor or a restaurant. I think it’s a vehicle of transportation (is that a redundancy?)

I also think it can make a mighty fine rolling billboard for your business.

Vehicle signs are one of the most cost-effective advertising tools available to maximize your branding. With a unique and effective design, your business vehicle connects with your customers in a way 24/7/365.

I’d avoid the tacky magnetic signs you can slap on and peel off. Great for parade vehicles, but…well…tacky.

I don’t see many sign companies actually painting logos and stuff on cars or trucks anymore. It’s pretty much all a vinyl world, and that’s not a bad thing. Vinyl lettering or signage is much cheaper and less destructive than actual painting on doors and body panels.

At the top of the branding scale are vinyl auto wraps, which let you incorporate your logo and other images onto your vehicle in a big way. Pretty spiffy stuff, starting at about $1,000 – $5,000, depending on size and complexity. You can get the vehicle completely wrapped (yes, completely -including transparent film over the glass), or something less than that. The process generally takes three to five days from start to completion. And yes, the wraps are removable if you decide to change your brand or your logo, or want to sell or trade in your car at a later date.

Interested? Check with a local vendor or get online quotes from Buyerzone.

And if you do it -don’t drive like an drooling idiot. Stay off the cell, be courteous. You know the drill.

Related posts:

1. What the Oscars teach us about business competition
2. Create Your Own “Breakfast of Champions”
3. Opt for “More Often” Rather Than Simply “More.”