Business Marketing Strategy
The term business marketing strategy might sound like it is esoteric or stratospheric, so let's take the mystery out of it so you can devise and implement your own business marketing strategy that fits in to your small business plan.
Strategy comes from a Greek word "stratagein" meaning "to be a general". Think of a strategy as an overall plan of action needed to win a war. The smaller, detailed actions are called tactics. You can have tactical plans which help you achieve your strategic marketing plan or overall business marketing strategy. That's simple enough, isn't it?
A business marketing strategy or strategic marketing plan is an overall plan of marketing actions you intend to take in order to accomplish a specific goal for your company.
Start with a goal: $2 million in sales this year; expand into new premises by a certain date; double the size of the company in 2 years? whatever the goal may be. Something realistic but challenging. That's the "war" you want to win. Guess who the general is.
Then work out a simple, overall plan of the major marketing steps needed to accomplish that (for example):
1. Publish a newsletter for all existing customers and mail out quarterly.
2. Work out 4 special offers in the year and promote them to all our customers.
3. Set up on-line shopping and expand the web site.
4. Direct mail campaign promoting the web site to all customers.
5. Get mailing lists of (target markets) and do a series of 3 mailings of postcards to them and follow up on and close all leads.
6. Etc.
You get the idea. Don't rush this. Do your homework. What worked in the past? Read up on successful marketing campaigns. Your business marketing strategy needs to be laid out in the right sequence and you should have some idea of budget when you write it. "Run a series of 30 second TV ads during the Superbowl" might sound like a good thing to do but can you afford it? On the other hand, when you build your business marketing strategy you mustn't try and cut corners. If you don't promote heavily, it doesn't matter how good your product or service is, no one will know about it and you will go broke. What really works when it comes to marketing?
Many business owners don't have a good enough answer to this important question. I learned by a combination of study and trial and error.
From my own hard won experienceI have discovered that a real marketing campaign will take into consideration at least the seven points which are outlined below:
1. Target Your Market
Your marketing will produce the best results for the lowest cost when you target prospects with the greatest need for what you offer.
Identify the best people to send your postcards to. Design your postcards to appeal to their greatest need.
If you are able to break down your target market into sub markets you can then write postcards that specifically speak to the needs of those people (an example is breaking down your own customer list into customers who buy most often, customers who spend the most money with you, customers who have been your customers the longest and then making them special offers based on the category they fit into).
2. Create A USP For Your Business
USP stands for "Unique Selling Proposition".
It is a statement of what is different about your company and its products. Your USP gives the reason people should do business with you. It amplifies the benefit of doing business with you and your company. My USP is POSTCARD MARKETING EXPERTS.
Create your own USP and put it on all your promotional materials, invoices, shipping labels etc.
Use your USP to communicate the benefit of doing business with you and why you are better than any of your competitors.
3. Always Make an Offer
Make sure you ask your prospects and customers to do something when they receive your postcard. By offering them something you know they are likely to want and giving them a smooth path to respond on, you are making it easy and desirable for them to respond.
4. Create and Maintain a Database of The Customer Information You Collect From The Responses To Your Mailings
Most people who receive a postcard from you won't contact you the first time they receive one.
But once they contact you, you must create and maintain a database which allows you to repeatedly contact them with offers to respond to.
Fifty percent or more of many businesses' sales come as a result of following up with people who were previously contacted, but didn't buy right away.
No kidding, repeat contact does drive sales. One-time mailings can get response, but are bound to leave sales on the table. Those sales can be picked up with repeated mailings.
5. Take Away the Fear of Loss
People don't want to be fooled, plain and simple. Unfortunately trust does not run high today between customers and businesses in general. People have been disappointed too many times by being sold one thing and getting another.
A guarantee or warranty is a good way to reduce or eliminate the customers' risk of getting something other than what they bargained for.
Guarantees and warranties increase response and sales by reducing customer risk.
6. Expand Your Product Line
Getting new customers is more expensive than selling to existing ones. By regularly developing new products and services to sell to your customers and offering these new products and services to them, you can expand your business efficiently and easily.
7. Test Your Postcard Promotions
Track the effectiveness of your postcard mailings. How many people responded to your mailing? What dollar amount of sales resulted from those responses?
Is the money you are spending to attract new business giving you a good return? What can you do to make your marketing more effective? Change your offer, headline, price, the timing of your offer. When you do track the results and improve your response.
These are the points to follow when designing your own marketing strategy. When you are done, you will have laid out the steps needed to accomplish your goal using existing resources to achieve a great marketing ROI (return on investment).
After that, you simply have to get those steps executed and that might require further planning but it is all in the context of your main business marketing strategy.
Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she's sharing her marketing secrets with others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at http://www.postcardmania.com
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:05:17 GMT Gustav’s Rains Delay Cup Playoffs - New York Times
New York Times - By LARRY DORMAN ST. LOUIS - Torrential rain from the remnants of Hurricane Gustav drenched the Bellerive Country Club on Thursday and washed out the first round of the BMW Championship, the third of four events in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. Hit the virtual green with new 'Tiger' golf game 'Tiger Woods' tops this season's golf games Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:09:34 GMT Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine - BBC News
BBC News - US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in Ukraine on the last stop on his tour of the region aimed at showing support for US allies in the former Soviet Union. Video: Cheney Slams Russia for War Against Georgia Conflict in Georgia May Raise Pressure on Russia’s Oligarchs Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:52:03 GMT GOP Convention Spin, Part II - Newsweek
Newsweek - Palin trips up on her facts, and Giuliani and Huckabee have their own stumbles on Night 3 of the Republican confab. By Viveca Novak | factcheck. Video: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani Full Speech at the RNC Palin packs a punch Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:41:06 GMT Rescuers can't get aid to starving Haitian city - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - GONAIVES, Haiti (AP) - The convoy rumbled out of the UN base toward a flooded, starving and seething city Thursday, carrying some of the first food aid since Tropical Storm Hanna drowned Gonaives in muddy water three days ago. Sorrow and hunger overwhelm Haitian storm shelter At least 90 killed as tropical storm Hanna passes by Haiti Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:01:18 GMT Roger Federer advances at US Open - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - Elise Amendola / AP Roger Federer of Switzerland defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (5), to reach the semifinals of the US Open. Federer Rolls Past Muller Federer's year of living defensively - Tennis Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:39:50 GMT Work by Hopkins team lights way to cancer 'milestone' - Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun - By Frank D. Roylance | frank.roylance@baltsun.com Researchers cataloging the genetic codes of deadly human brain and pancreatic cancers say they have found several dozen defective genes that appear to work in concert to set off the tumor growth that ... Gene trawl shows curing cancer harder than thought Genetic Mutations Linked to Deadly Cancers Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:10:52 GMT Bush advised to back modest troop cuts in Iraq - Reuters
Reuters - By Andrew Gray WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top US defense officials have recommended that President George W. Bush withdraw one combat brigade from Iraq but not until early next year, Pentagon sources said on Thursday. Military officials: No troop cuts this year Sources: Bush advised to delay troop cuts in Iraq Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:06:35 GMT More Web Site Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Today I want to share a question from a reader... Read More 5000 B.C. -- somewhere near a cave in MontanaOg the... Read More There isn't a day that goes by that I don't... Read More Direct Mail CampaignsDespite the proliferation of communication facilitators--mobile phones, faxes,... Read More Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More Do you know your audiences? I mean really know... Read More Here are some marketing mistakes that take a heavy toll... Read More Even if you never place a cold call, you still... Read More 1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More Have you ever had a conversation with a person who... Read More Some companies that use direct mail to sell their products... Read More When Cable began as Community Antenna Television in 1948, all... Read More Every January, trade publications put out a list... Read More When it comes time to print your brand identity materials,... Read More You could end up with poor results when designing a... Read More Everything you've ever learned about marketing and advertising is WRONG.... Read More It is easy to focus on what remains outstanding and... Read More When marketing themselves to leads and prospects there are five... Read More There is a big payoff in being different. When you... Read More What is a company profile? ... Read More Do you think you don't have enough time to market?... Read More A few months ago, we attended the recent Austech 2005... Read More I vaguely remember a particular story from my childhood. It... Read More One of my favorite quotes is often used to describe... Read More The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car... Read More
Adsense
websites
Burnout
How To Use The Og In All Of Us To Make More Money
How to Promote Yourself Or Your Company Through Award Competitions
Direct Mail Still Works!
Two Methods of Marketing Using Joint Ventures
Defining Moment
Five Deadly Small Business Marketing Mistakes
Breaking The Voice Mail Barrier
10 Awesome Ways To Attract More Orders
Knock, knock. Whos There? Your Target Market, Are You Listening?
Direct Mail Sales Letter Mistakes to Avoid
Name the Top Cable Network
Adapting Blog Technologies To Corporate E-Newsletters
Digital Printing vs. Press Printing ? A Comparison Guide
Practical Advice to Generate Successful Campaigns Using Merged Lists
Everything Youve Ever Learned About Marketing Is Wrong
When You Need More Than Magic To Keep Your Marketing Going
Integrity and Marketing - Finding the Right Balance
The Dare-To-Be-Different In Marketing Checklist
How to Develop an Effective Company Profile -- and Why
15-Minute Marketing: Lots of Results in Little Time
Trade Show Videos Need to be Planned
Don?t Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket
Focusing Your Marketing Efforts
Standards for Dry Washing and Pressure Washing in Mobile Car Care
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Produce More Sales from your Email Promotions Five Ways - Part 1
Do sales come from your ezine regularly? How many well-written... Read More
Why Market to Generation X?
Generation X"--the 40 million or so people born between 1965... Read More
Are You Playing Checkers or Chess?
When you think about how to attract more clients for... Read More
Finding a Brochure Printing Company
A brochure can be a great promotional tool, whether it... Read More
How To Turn $100,000 Into $1,191,817 In Just One Year Part II
Turning a modest $100,000 annual turnover into $1,191,817 may sound... Read More
Top Ten Blunders Exhibitors Make in Expos/Tradeshows
Triple your response from expos by avoiding the top ten... Read More
Give me a Referral any Day - the Power of Networking
I nearly panicked recently! Well, maybe a slight exaggeration but... Read More
Secrets of Trade Show Success
The ropers at Annie Oakley's Real Western Dudette Ranch were... Read More
4 Easy Ways to Get Free Marketing Exposure
Are there really ways you can get valuable marketing exposure... Read More
How Nearly Going Broke Taught Me The Value Of Niche Marketing
If you want to learn how effective Niche Marketing can... Read More
Trigger Button Marketing
Sometimes, experiencing bleak sales is a matter of failing to... Read More
How Do I Define My Market?
Your market is who you want to reach. Your customer.... Read More
Know Thy Competition
BREAK FROM HO-HUM MARKETING ? IT'S TOO BORING! Once you... Read More
Marketing Your Franchise Online
Do you want to successfully market your business franchise online?... Read More
To Swag or Not to Swag: Tip to Brand Your Tchotchkes on a Shoestring
It's interesting to see how resourceful people become when starting... Read More
3 High-Impact Fixes For Your Marketing Woes
How many times has your competitor gotten one over on... Read More
How to Turn Your Promotional Products Expense Into a Profit Center
If you use promotional products you probably already know the... Read More
Non Products Exist in this World
"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more... Read More
Viral Marketing with a Powerful Twist
What would you do with 500, 1000 or more additional... Read More
Key Marketing Questions - Planning Your Marketing Campaign
So you started a business. How's it going? Did you... Read More
Direct Mail - Dont Assume, Just Test and Track
Where to Start:Most novice marketers have definite fixed ideas about... Read More
Your Marketing ? From The Couch To The Cash Register
When you put time or money into any marketing plan,... Read More
A Simplified Marketing Plan that Works!
When I started my first business in 1981, I researched... Read More
Marketing Person You Think You Arent
Have you thought about starting your own business? Have you... Read More
Generational Marketing
Having run a multi-state franchise company with multiple brands it... Read More
Marketing |