Complimentary Cassettes:
Using Cassette Tapes to Increase Profits

(C) 1998 Dr. Barry W. Morris

I. Introduction
Ever since the 1960s music revolution, cassette tapes have become the standard means of recording and playing back information. Cassette tapes are in every home and almost everyone owns at least one cassette tape player. Until the advent of digital technology, as utilized on compact disks, cassette audio tapes were the standard for the music industry. Because of the popularity and low cost for portable cassette players, audio cassettes remain the most popular form for producing audio information products, such as books-on-tape, how-to audio programs, and as we will demonstrate in this program, promotional tapes that can't be ignored.
Imagine receiving a cassette tape that contains a label bearing this message: "ONLY LISTEN TO THIS TAPE IF YOU WANT MORE MONEY". How many people do you think could resist? Cassettes, by their very nature, are automatic triggers for a certain kind of behavior. Unlike a book that can be perused before buying, cassettes are a closed medium. They invite the customer or recipient to listen with making bold promises. Should the packaging make those promises, all the better!

II. Promotion: How To Use It To Your Advantage
When your local video rental store send out a coupon announcing "Rent one video, Get one FREE", they are using promotional program. When the Buffet Palace awards you one free meal after paying for ten, you are enjoying the benefits of a promotional program.
A promotion is a planned strategy for increasing sales over a specific period of time. The promotion adds value to the product being offered. By adding incentives to act, the seller stimulates sales for reasons other than the inherent value in the product or service. Incentives are used for dual purposes; to promote a sale and to expose the customer to your product or service.
When properly used, promotional programs can persuade people to try your product, to experiment with new beliefs about your service or industry and shift their buying habits so that infrequent users purchase more often.

BENEFITS OF USING PROMOTION PROGRAMS
1. Since promotions are short-term tools, you will see results immediately.
2. Your customers see you "giving" something away which benefits them and
builds your credibility at the same time.
3. Customers expect that a "real business" will occasionally use promotional
programs and will associate you with other retailers and sellers in your
community.
4. Promotional programs will help generate interest in your product, service, or
industry which can lead to increased sales.

ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM
Any serious promotional program need s to be systematically planned to include the following elements.

1. Incentives: These are the values offered in the promotion. They may be a an offer or a premium for purchasing your product. Incentive can be categorized in the following four ways
Price savings can be in the form of a sales discount, such as, "20% Off" or "Buy one get one FREE".
Product samples, such as a free taste sample in the aisle of a grocery store or free samples of weight loss products offered through the mail are another category of incentives which promote sales.Starbucks Coffee offers free tastes of their coffees in little cups that promote instant sales.
Gifts, like free mugs, pens, should all be thematically related to your product line. For instance, if you are in the business of selling information products consider the use of a free report or book. If you sell athletic shoes, consider key chains shaped like shoes. Again, the gift should be related to the product line if possible.
Experiences. This could be in the form of a grad opening party or celebration, free drawing or contest give-away. It will create interest and/ or foot traffic to your store.

2. Promotional Vehicles: This is the method you will use to package the incentive. Common types of promotion include sales pricing, coupons, free samples, refunds, premiums, games and contests, and special events. The type of industry you serve will dictate which are appropriate.

3. Timing of the Incentive: Timing can be immediate or delayed or a combination of both. With an immediate timing incentive, customers benefit just by showing up. There is usually no requirement for purchasing anything. The advantage here is that customers are willing to participate. The risk is that it will fail to generate sales at all. A delayed timing incentive is easily demonstrated by the Coffee Club at an espresso outlet that rewards the customer for nine purchases with a free tenth cup of coffee.

4. Delivery Method: The type of promotional program you choose, a coupon, contest, or free sample will determine the method of delivery. The decision to use a coupon-based promotional program dictates either a direct mail delivery method or handbill flyers distributed in parking lots. If you are going to use a price savings program for a used car lot, newspaper, radio or television advertising will probably be the medium that reaches the most people interested ion your product.
When properly used, a planned promotional program can increase interest in your product or service, generate more leads, and hopefully, generate increased sales and profits.
Now that we've taken a brief look at the concept of promotional programs, let's turn our attention to using cassette tapes as an inexpensive way to promote your business.

III. How Cassettes Can Be Used To Increase Leads
Cassettes tapes have been utilized by almost every type of industry in the world. As mentioned earlier, the recording industry still releases cassette products even though CDs have become the new standard. Network marketing companies used cassettes extensively in promoting their products and services, as well as companies like Columbia House and Nightingale-Conant - a very successful info-product company.

IV. How Cassettes Can Be Used to Promote Your Business
Cassette tapes can be used for many purposes in a business whether the company is a multi-million dollar corporation or simply a home-based part-time business. Consider the following uses for audio cassettes:

1. Recorded information products: Products such as books-on-tape, how-to audio programs like SUCCESS-GOALS 2000: HOW TO DEFINE, DESIGN, AND ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SUCCESS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM, (also published by ProfitCurrents) or Information Entrepreneur Marty Foley's course titled HOW TO GET MORE DONE IN LESS TIME: A STREAMLINED TIME MANAGEMENT COURSE, are proven successes. Recorded audio programs can be short or long, introductory in nature or a comprehensive work.

2. Audio Catalogs: An audio version of your information product catalog can be recorded and dubbed on to a single cassette (C-15, 71/2 minutes per side) and be distributed with each sale. Another method of using a recorded version of your catalog is to include it at the conclusion of your audio cassette product. This way, when your customer is finished listening to your audio program, a well planned sales presentation for a related product follows.

3. Teasers: A teaser is usually a news headline that news reporters use to peak our interest just prior to airing the story. Using a cassette teaser in direct marketing, as we suggested in the introduction accomplishes several tasks;
a. it dares the reader / listener to give your tape a listen.
b. by labeling it with a sincere promise, your listener will be in an expectant state of mind.
c. if done well, and there's never a reason for not doing something well, your listener will be intrigued and motivated to respond to your offer.

4. Premiums: Including a premium or freebie cassette with your customer's order will promote your business, build credibility, foster goodwill, and lead to increased sales.

5. Promotion: How many times have you received junk mail only to toss it into the trash or recycle bin before opening it. Cassette tapes that act as direct mail pieces promoting your business are much more likely to be listened to. And because of their form almost no one is willing to throw them away. Your promotional letter may never be opened, but your promotional tape may be kept for years. That kind of promotion value is hard to find.

USING CASSETTES AS YOUR DELIVERY METHOD
Consider the following in using a cassette tape to promote your business.
***If purchased in bulk, a case of 100 C-60 cassette tapes runs approximately $35. Mailing a cassette tape is about $0.55 or $55 for 100.
***The cassette tape can contain a detailed description of your promotion, product line, special introductory offers, etc.
***Consider giving away a free cassette with each purchase that contains detailed information about the product sold. This gives the customer a reason to trust you for their next purchase.
***If you are offering a business opportunity, a cassette that contains a detailed introduction and offer is standard. If you're not already using it, you should begin.
***Information marketers know the value of FREE information. Perhaps you learned of my products through one of my free cassette tapes I use as a promotional item. Information entrepreneurs often include a cassette tape as a premium to reward the customer for acting immediately.

V. How To Produce Your Own Promotional Audio Cassettes

TAPE LENGTH
Cassette tapes are manufactured in multiple of 15 minutes. a C-15 tape contains 7.5 minutes of recording time on each side. A C-30 cassette contains two fifteen minute sides while a C-60 offers a total of 60 minutes total recording time.
If you are using a cassette tape as a promotional vehicle for the first time, don't use anything longer than a fifteen minute tape. Even if your narration is concisely written, you don't want to exceed the attention span of your recent or potential customer.
I suggest that you write out your script or, if possible, hire a freelance writer to craft it for you. Contacting one in your areas should be easy. Many freelance business writers take out ads in the Yellow Pages or are members of the Chamber of Commerce in your city. Generally, a double-spaced typewritten script of approximately 10-15 pages will fill a 15 minute cassette.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
***Tape Recorder: If isn't necessary to rent a professional recording studio to produce a high quality cassette tape. My program 60 minute audio cassette program SUCCESS-GOALS 2000: HOW TO DEFINE, DESIGN AND ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SUCCESS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM. was recorded in my home using both a portable cassette deck and a computer. Primarily, you need a tape recorder that doesn't make an audible click when you operate the pause button.
When recording, position the microphone about four inches away from your mouth. If the sound seems muddled or fuzzy on playing it back, it may mean that you are too close to the microphone. Make some practice runs and get it right before recording your tape.
***Final Script: Your script should be typewritten for easier measurement of time. Using a serif font Like this report is written in) is easier on your eyes than a sans serif font ( like this). Take the time to mark your script for breathing. This will greatly facilitate your recording.
***New Tapes: Good quality tapes such as TDK, Maxell, or Sony are fine for recording your master tape. Later when you are duplicating them, use a ferric oxide voice quality tape. These are cheaper and less expensive.
***Glass of Water: Having glass of water nearby will prevent your throat from becoming dehydrated while recording. If this happens your voice quality will be effected.
***Quiet Atmosphere: This may be the most challenging aspect of recording. I generally record in the living room of my home when the baby is napping or late at night when the house is quiet and the change of a ringing telephone diminishes.

DUPLICATION
Assuming that several sessions recording your tape have yielded a pleasant sounding, error-free delivery, it's now time to duplicate your tape. First make a working copy from which you will make all your duplicates. Place the original in a safe place. In case your working copy becomes damaged, you will always have the original to make another. Don't get caught using your master tape only to have it damaged during duplication. It would be unfortunate to have to recreate the entire product again.
Options for duplicating your tape are below:
1. Home-Based Copying: Using a dual cassette deck on your home stereo or "boom box" is sufficient for dubbing copies of your tape. Using the high-speed dubbing option allows you to make copies even faster.
2. Commercial Duplication: This is optimal if your considering a promotion with hundred of copies needed. It takes time to copy individual cassettes at home. Engaging the services of a professional duplication service will be more expensive but will save much time and effort on your part.

COPYRIGHTING YOUR MATERIAL
Even though your original work is automatically copyrighted upon authoring, it may be wise to copyright your work. It prevents someone else from using your material without your written permission. For information on copyrighting, write the address: Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington DC. 20559. Ask for information about sound recordings.

PACKAGING YOUR TAPE
At the very least a tape label should be paced on the cassette. These can be printed from templates that come standard with most popular word processing software programs such as Microsoft Word or Lotus WordPro. The label might contain a catchy slogan or promise, but at the minimum should contain your business name and phone number.
You may choose to include a soft-poly box which is a transparent soft plastic container. A Norelco box is a two-piece hard transparent plastic case which accommodate a J-Card cover. A J-Card is a tri-fold insert that resembles a J when out of the case. The J-Card can used as a cover or it may contain a mini-catalog of your services and products.

VI. CONCLUSION
In this brief report we've looked at various reasons why cassette tapes can act as perfect promotional items. For more information about using cassette tapes for information products, see my special report entitled CA$HING IN WITH CA$$ETTE$: HOW TO MAKE MONEY PRODUCING, MARKETING, & SELLING YOUR OWN AUDIO CASSETTES.