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... Online marketers quickly learned the value of offering "free shipping." That was a tipping point for customers. If the price was right, free shipping helped get the order. The same holds true of Internet service; whether at a coffee shop, an airport or a hotel, why pay for it when somewhere it's available free? After years of piling on "cash incentives," auto manufacturers called a halt when they lowered sticker prices. But when gasoline hit $3 a gallon, they hauled out a new round of bigger-than-ever discounts. At the same time, Toyota drew on its perceived value and quality strategy to attract buyers; this offers a good example of a customer-focused approach, rather than one that's nothing more than an inventory reduction tactic. 3. Make consistency the mission ... The red flag in marketing programs is a lack of consistency. There's always great enthusiasm for publishing a newsletter, holding seminars, developing a prospect database, advertising campaigns, direct mail, and all the rest, but there's no follow-through; no one's around to make the coffee. When you get to the core of marketing, the objective is to raise a company's visibility in ways that produce a positive emotional response from customers and prospects. If you recall how many times you tell your kids to clean up their rooms, to put on their coats when they go out to play and to be sure to be home on time, you understand the marketing task. It's all about telling the same story over and over again in new and different ways to get attention. Although Oscar Wilde held ...