Question: We've got a great concept for our business, a great team, a solid financial base and great marketing plan. So far what we don't have is great results. Marketing is the key for us right now, and we're pumping lots of energy into this channel. But something's missing. What?
Answer: Sounds like you have a lot going for you. But maybe you need to spend less time touting your greatness and a little more offering people useful information and helping them get to know you.
Think of it as priming your marketing pump. You have to put a little something in before you can take something out. Here are nine ways to put a pump-priming plan into action:
Position your Web site for this purpose. You can still use it to take orders, but a Web site is perfect for showing prospects what you are all about, and erasing any barriers between your offer and their buying decision. You can present case studies, testimonials, photos and helpful solutions to customer needs. Be sure to make them compelling and fun. Resist the temptation to cite technical specifications at this stage in favor of prose that will pull people in. Include a way for people to request further information online.
With so much riding on your Web site, you'll want to plaster your Web address everywhere and drive as much traffic there as possible. Sure it's on your cards and stationary. But there are hundreds of other places it might appear, from hats, t-shirts and coffee mugs, to billboards, newsletters and your vehicles.
Put a human face on your business. Most people resist doing business with anonymous entities. They prefer familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. Sponsor and attend community events. Dedicate space in your brochures, at your location - and especially on your Web site - for a little history about your company and its product or service. Amusing anecdotes about how you got started, why you chose your name, the people or families behind the business and other topics will help customers connect with who you are.
Offer prospects as much useful information as possible, including free special reports, lists of helpful resources, how-to tips, buying advice or a Q&A. By helping to inform and educate potential customers, you are "pre-selling" them on you, your expertise and your business. These are people who will be far more receptive to your marketing messages later on.
Shout your "unique selling proposition" (USP) to the world. Your USP is what sets you apart from everyone else. Avoid something vague like "superior service" or "best prices." Make it powerful, even surprising - something that will make prospects sit up and take notice. Above all, it must be memorable or it won't succeed in priming your marketing pump.
Remove the risk with a compelling guarantee or special offer. Do whatever it takes to smooth the path to "yes" by showing prospects that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking their business to you.
Establish a system for seeking customer referrals. As long as you have at least one existing customer, you have the potential for building business through referrals. Existing customers can help prime the marketing pump for you by telling others about what you do. In the marketing world they are called "influencers" and they are worth their weight in gold. Let them know you are seeking referrals, and what you are looking for. You might even create events that encourage existing customers to bring guests. Offering a discount or bonus for referrals can work for some types of businesses.
Make it easy for other influencers to promote your business. Offer literature about your products and services that they can display or distribute in their home or office.
Do a little P.R. Nothing helps prime the marketing pump like an article in a trade magazine or community newspaper, on a specialty Web site or perhaps even a radio interview. Hire someone to write press releases for you and send them to media outlets. Make sure each one has a solid news angle and offers helpful information.
If you want success check on how your marketing programs stack up.
It is easy to recommend that you make a regular, objective evaluation of your marketing program. It's far harder to accomplish. The day-to-day pressures of selling, coping with customers and solving basic business problems make it difficult to conduct an effective marketing appraisal. Usually, only a crisis forces a company to take a closer look at its marketing program: Competition heats up, a new player enters, market ...
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