CD Marketing Tools

CDs are an engaging and cost-effective way to market to customers.

Whether you own a small business or are part of the marketing team for a giant corporation, CD marketing tools can be invaluable resources. Some CD programs are teaching tools that give expertise in specific marketing aspects. In addition, the CD is a custom marketing tool for targeting customers. Used as in-house training or as a sales tool, CDs are engaging, efficient and cost-effective.

In-House Marketing Training and Resources

CD marketing training programs are available for niche businesses.

There is a wide range of CD marketing training programs available. Some offer templates and marketing techniques for service businesses like chiropractors, medical offices, personal trainers or accountants. Niche training programs help small businesses that lack a marketing person on staff and can't afford to hire an advertising or public relations agency. Other programs, like Joe Polish's Piranha Marketing, offer systematic instruction in the full range of marketing techniques to ensure successful campaigns in any business situation. There are also numerous CD programs that show how to start and grow an online business. You can learn specific aspects of one marketing area via CD, as with AdCracker's "Creative Director," for developing advertising ideas.

Sales Force Resources

Incorporate your sales catalog on an interactive CD.

Want to enhance your image as an environmentally "green" business? Reduce your sales kit to one CD. Provide your sales force with access to sales catalogs, brochures, information sheets, white papers, video testimonials, competitive comparisons -- or anything else they might need to close a sale -- on one interactive CD. Offer a free CD to "up-sell" clients by whetting their appetite. For example, if you sell a wide range of green energy products, offer a free build-your-own-solar-panel video CD to gather contact information and establish rapport.

Customer Training

With CDs, you can decrease your sales cycle time by educating prospects faster. Multimedia educational tools are especially important when products are complex. The faster a prospect understands your product or service and its value to him, the quicker he will gain confidence in you and make a purchase decision.

Interactive CD Marketing Programs

Interactive CD-ROMS are at the top of the CD marketing tools heap. These custom-designed tools allow complete interactivity between your business website and potential customers. Nothing sells a product like an enthusiastic testimonial. In his paper titled "Why Interactive Multimedia Language Learning," Brian A. Victoria, of the University of Auckland's Multimedia Laboratory at Tamaki, discussed findings that show people remember 20 percent of what they hear, twice as much of what they see and hear, and 70 percent -- more than double -- of what they see, hear and do.

References

• e.TIMES: Why Corporations Are Using Interactive Multimedia for Sales, Marketing and Training
• AllBusiness: CD-ROM Technology Forges Direct Links to Buyers

Resources

• Chicago Creative Design: CD-DVD Marketing Tools
• Healthcare Success Strategies: Doctor Practice Marketing CDs
• AdCracker: Creative Director CD
• Piranha Marketing: Get Piranha Marketing Now!
• Text-to-Art: Custom Marketing Tools
• The Chiropractic Business Academy: Free Marketing CD Offer