You get bounced from a bar. You get bounced from line. Most of us don't associate good things with bouncing. But as a marketer, you'll find great benefit in bouncing your prospects.

What is Bouncing?

Bouncing is when you tell a prospect to learn more about your company from a different marketing vehicle. For example, you could send out a direct mail piece, and in it suggest they "Visit www.yoururl.com to see how we've helped other manufacturers". Here, you're bouncing them from direct mail to your website.

Other examples of Bouncing…

You could bounce your prospects from your…

• Brochure to your additional collateral piece ("Call and order your free copy of our special report The Keys to Branding")
• Website to your email newsletter ("Sign up here for our Weekly Specials E-Flyer")
• Voicemail to your website ("Don't forget to visit us at www.yoururl.com")

What are the benefits to Bouncing?

When you bounce prospects, they experience your company through a different lens. Keep in mind that people process information differently. Some prefer face-to-face, others like reading, still others enjoy the on-line world. When you bounce, you encourage a prospect to experience your company in a fashion most comfortable to them.

Bouncing also helps prospects pre-qualify themselves. By learning more about your company through a bounce they take an additional step. This step-of committing more of their time-makes them a better-qualified prospect.

Finally, bouncing puts prospects in control of the selling process. Instead of being hounded by a pesky salesperson, the prospect now researches your company at their own pace. And in today's information economy, extending this simple courtesy to your prospect cements credibility and trust.

So, make bouncing an integral part of your marketing plan. And look for sales to bounce back to you!

Author Bio

Jay Lipe, CEO of Emerge Marketing (www.emergemarketing.com) , is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and consultant who has helped 100's of growing companies. He is the author of The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses (Chammerson Press: 2002) available at major booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Borders. It can also be purchased at www.emergemarketing.com .