Marketing Quandaries
Being in a quandary prevents you from moving forward in developing and marketing your business. When we're in a quandary, we are in a state of perplexity and doubt. We don't know how to move forward to accomplish those things that are crucial to attracting clients and growing our business. One of the first things we need to recognize about being in a quandary is that we are, in fact, in one! There are a number of easy, simple things that you can start doing today to get yourself out of that place of being stuck.
1. Craft a business plan and review it quarterly. A business plan is your strategy for guiding your business towards the success you envision. It is a roadmap. It will serve to guide you from where you are today to where you want to be. It includes important items like defining your business niche and target market, your marketing plan, financial projections, staffing, investments, as well as the benefits and features of your products and services. If you don't have a plan to follow, your chances of achieving success are greatly diminished. Plans remind us of what we are doing and why. They help to keep us on track and provide a benchmark to which we can compare our actual progress.
2. Write down weekly goals and measure your performance. One of the best ways to become unstuck is to write down what we want to accomplish. Several important things happen as a result. First, writing something down makes it more real. You take your ideas that are swimming around in your head and you put pencil to paper and start making them a reality. Second, by writing down your goals, it helps you to become more clear about what you want to accomplish. Fuzzy goals result in fuzzy outcomes. Writing will help you gain more clarity. Finally, by keeping a written record of what you intend to do, you're automatically providing yourself with a handy checklist against which you can measure your performance.
3. Revisit your marketing plan monthly. Your marketing plan, one subset of your overall business plan, is fundamental to your business success. It includes your strategies for selling your product or service. It typically includes a marketing calendar, which lays out your plans week by week and month by month of what you intend to do. Your activities might include placing advertisements, public speaking engagements, publishing articles, teaching seminars or workshops, attending networking events, or publishing a weekly column in a newspaper. Each of these activities needs to be carefully defined, scheduled in your marketing calendar, executed, and measured for effectiveness. It's crucial to track what you are doing to market your business so you can make adjustments along the way ? to do more of what works and less of what doesn't work. Revisit and revise your marketing plan monthly.
4. Watch the trends. When you're in business for yourself, there is a lot to be said for "keeping up with the Joneses". As a businessperson it is important to be aware of the trends, the fads, and the current "group think". This information provides valuable input to help you either develop new products or services for your clientele, or to repackage, repurpose, or reposition the ones you currently have. While we might not care for the current trends, the fact is they do influence customer sentiment and what they will buy from you. You need to make sure consumers understand your marketing and that it speaks to them and the current issues they may be facing.
5. Survey your clients. One quick way to get out of a marketing quandary is to survey your clients and find out what they're thinking, what they like, what they don't like, and what they most want. When in doubt, just ask. There are a variety of ways you can survey your clients. You can call them up for an informal chat, you can send them a survey through the mail, or better yet, you can send them an electronic survey, which you can create either for free or for a low fee through a variety of means including www.advancedsurvey.com, www.surveymonkey.com, or www.zoomerang.com. If you need ideas or feedback, there is no better way to get it than through doing a survey.
6. Analyze your clients. Sit back and consider the types of clients that you do business with. Most folks never take the time to do this, yet this simple exercise can yield an abundance of valuable information. Profile your clients. You might even want to make notes on a piece of paper. What is the mix of men to women, what are their ages, their interests, their family profile, their occupations, their hobbies, their income level? This information, alone, can tell you not only the types of clients that you attract, but also you may find some commonalities among these folks. This might help to spark new ideas for products or services to develop. It might even open the door to an opportunity to partner with a client.
7. Keep in touch. Keeping your finger on the pulse of what is happening is one way to avoid being in a marketing quandary. Maintain an awareness of the latest trends and fads, especially the ones that would influence folks in buying your products and services. Network with others so that you can develop new business relationships. Keep in touch with your current clients so that you can continue to cultivate these relationships and build the promise of future referrals. And, interface with your professional colleagues, even those with whom you compete, as you can benefit yourself and your clients by having someone to whom you can refer others. Keeping in touch with colleagues, clients, and everyone in between is the best way to ensure that you have the latest and greatest information by which to steer your business.
8. Don't do it alone. A quick way out of any place of inaction is to get into action. A great way to do that is to find someone else to partner with. A strategic alliance is not only a wonderful opportunity to combine your talents with that of someone else, it's a great way to share ideas from which both of you can benefit. You can accomplish much more and more quickly by working with someone else. You'll also have the added benefit of making new contacts, possibly increasing your own client base if you share that information, and, of course, you'll add to your own professional toolkit. If there is something new you want to learn or do and you don't have the expertise, seek out someone else who might be able to help.
9. Create an R & D team. One of the most common reasons for getting stuck is the lack of input. If you don't have any new input, it's difficult to determine the best course of action when it comes to developing your business. You'll never be at a loss for valuable feedback if you create your very own research and development team. You can easily create an informal group of clients, friends, and colleagues who can give you feedback about current products or services you offer or ones you hope to debut in the future. One of the best ways to determine if your ideas have merit is by asking others about them. By presenting these folks with your ideas, samples or even the actual product or service itself, they'll be able to give you valuable feedback before you commit a significant amount of resources. Companies in every industry make use of R & D teams before committing substantial and expensive resources towards the release of a particular product. You can do exactly the same thing.
10. Learn something new and implement it. New input is sometimes all you need to get yourself going again. Challenge yourself to learn something new ? and not just for the sake of learning. Think about something new that you would like to do for your business. Craft a goal around what you would like to do, carefully spelling out the details along with a due date for completion. Writing down this goal will help to make it a reality. Then go out and seek the knowledge you need to make this happen. Consult experts. By learning something new and implementing it in your own business, you'll not only increase your knowledge and value, but you'll be opening your business up to new opportunities. We all need new input to create new output. Learn something new that will make a difference to you personally and professionally.
© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith
Alicia Smith, a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping people Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 26 lessons contained in her audio program, Marketing Marathon Blunders From A ? Z. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com or http://www.AliciaSmith.com.You can also email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com.
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT Lavrov rejects Cheney's attack on Russia - CNN International
CNN International - By CNN's Matthew Chance MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia on Friday rejected sharp criticism by US Vice President Dick Cheney that its intervention in Georgia raises doubts about Moscow's reliability as an international partner. Video: Cheney Slams Russia for War Against Georgia Russia says Cheney fanning Georgian aggression Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:45:40 GMT Dell looks to sell factories worldwide - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Scott Moritz Dell (DELL) is getting more serious about trimming costs and is exploring plans to sell its PC manufacturing plants, according to a news report Friday. Dell said to consider sale of factories Ahead of the Bell: Dell may sell plants, WSJ says Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:15:09 GMT Lebanese ruling majority accuses Syria of interfering in Lebanon - Xinhua
Xinhua - BEIRUT, Sept.5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese ruling majority accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of interfering in Lebanese internal affairs and not recognizing Lebanon's sovereignty, local press Naharnet reported Friday. Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided Editor's Notes: A losing battle, so far Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:59:29 GMT Nokia Forecasts Drop in Third-Quarter Market Share (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Juho Erkheikki Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, forecast a drop in third-quarter market share after competitors slashed prices and a new handset was delayed. Nokia Sees Market Share Slipping in Third Quarter Nokia Lowers its Third Quarter 2008 Mobile Device Market Share Outlook Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:50:07 GMT PIECING TOGETHER A PLEA How the deal got done - Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press - BY JOE SWICKARD • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 5, 2008 Prosecutors rolled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's plea deal into court Thursday praying the wheels wouldn't fall off. Detroit Mayor Acknowledges 'Poor Judgment' Detroit mayor pleads guilty, to leave office Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:57:24 GMT Reviews of McCain's speech - MSNBC
MSNBC - The AP’s Ron Fournier says McCain “preached bipartisanship and unity from a stage retooled to carry him out to the Republican faithful. McCain: I work for you ‘Change is coming,’ McCain tells GOP in speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:35:16 GMT In Long-Awaited Maps of Cancer, The Breakthrough Is the Problem - Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal - By GAUTAM NAIK After struggling for years to improve the treatment of cancer, scientists now hope to fight the disease with the help of the same techniques that deciphered the human genome eight years ago: mapping it. What You Need to Know About Mapping the Cancer Genome Data on defective genes make tailored remedies possible Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:01:28 GMT Work From Home |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Business owners often find it difficult to know whether their... Read More One of the most common mistakes in marketing is making... Read More A case study in online "thinking outside the box" The... Read More Every day I talk with professional service providers who do... Read More According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (the trade... Read More Market, Market and then market some more. So many small... Read More Motivating strangers to give their money away is one of... Read More You've heard variations of that saying your entire life. Consider:... Read More If you want to reduce waste and grow your business... Read More Are you market products and services using PPCs? PPC Advertising... Read More Thank-you letters are one of the most important letters that... Read More 6 Secrets to Stellar Sales PresentationsEvery sale is won or... Read More What Stands Between You and Writing an Artist Statement or... Read More Do you know what Howard Stern... Oprah Winfrey... and Paul... Read More Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More And not only your logo, but also your website, your... Read More Organizations often get stuck in neutral when it comes to... Read More You want your prospect to make the decision to buy... Read More A provocation for the coming year, decade, century or millennium.By... Read More We all DO judge a book by its cover, and... Read More How do you make the intangible real? How do you... Read More Thirty percent of all the drinkable water that runs between... Read More When it comes to your marketing message, the little things... Read More One commonly overlooked method of advertising offline is flyers. Flyers... Read More Most of the service providers I've worked for or with... Read More
Adsense
websites
7 Ways to Evaluate Your Marketing Plan
Assumption Based Marketing Vs. Fact Based Marketing
Fair Measures Corporation
Getting Your Services Used
Trade Shows Are Not a Waste!
How To Get New Business
How to Write Fundraising Letters That Motivate Donors To Make Donations to Your Non-Profit
A Jack Of All Trades Is Often The Master of None
The 7 Areas of Marketing Waste - Are You Committing These Marketing Sins?
How You Can Make Money From Competitors Easy
How to Write a Fundraising Thank-you Letter for Example (Includes a Free Sample)
Make Your Prospects Say Yes!
Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement?
How To Sell To Howard Stern... Oprah Winfrey... And Paul McCartney!
Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business
What Does Your Logo Color Say About Your Business?
Second Dose Of Marketing Vitamins
The Path To Your Prospects Wallet Begins At His Heart
A Successful Solution: 10 Things to Consider
5 Ways to Give Your Web Site a Big-Company Look and Feel
Making the Intangible Real
Stop Your Marketing Leaks
How To Perfect Your Marketing Message!
Leverage The Power Of Using Flyers To Advertise Your Online Product or Service Offline
Marketing Strategy - Shift the Focus
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How Toyota Captured the #1 Market Share . . . Through Solid Decision-Making!
How Toyota Captured the #1 Market Share . . .... Read More
Direct Mail Response Rates Soar With Dimensional Mailers in Business-to-Business Lead Generation
The toughest job you face as a B2B direct marketer... Read More
What Does Marketing Mean?
You can have the best little business ever with wonderful... Read More
Consistent Marketing Provides Big Rewards
Being inconsistent when it comes to marketing your business can... Read More
These Four Things Will Make Your Direct Marketing Successful
Direct marketing is built on four things. The other way... Read More
How To Get To The Top of The Marketing Food Chain
Are you tired of living off handouts from big-name marketers,... Read More
Calling All Carbon-Based Lifeforms
Many businesses want to market to all carbon-based life forms.... Read More
The Battle of Positioning -- Altruism or Paranoia?
Competition in the past has embodied such beliefs of "kill... Read More
Features vs. Benefits vs. End Results
If you've been in the copywriting realm for very long... Read More
Color Part 1: Accuracy
Color is one of the most difficult parts of a... Read More
8 Proven Ways to Get Referrals
Do you find it hard to ask for referrals? I... Read More
21 Ways To Expand Your Subscriber List
Expanding your subscriber list, whether it be for your ezine,... Read More
The Illusion of Print Mail Services
If ever there was a lazy way to easy profits... Read More
10 Awesome Ways To Attract More Orders
1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More
The Importance of Interpersonal Communcation Skills
Interpersonal Communications is the transmission of information from one person... Read More
Marketing Strategies: What Choices Do You Have?
Most business people want to see improvements in sales and... Read More
13 Lessons in Marketing, Super Bowl Style
Each year, the Super Bowl provides marketers opportunity to study... Read More
How to Create a Countdown Marketing Calendar
Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason... Read More
Burnout
Today I want to share a question from a reader... Read More
How to Up-Sell Change
As Freud cautioned, it's insanity to keep doing the same... Read More
Standards for Dry Washing and Pressure Washing in Mobile Car Care
The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car... Read More
Set Your Business Apart With A Unique Selling Proposition
Unless your company has absolutely no competition now or in... Read More
Twelve Places to Buy a Mailing List
©2004 Jeffrey DobkinThere are two types of lists, determined by... Read More
Small Business Pricing Strategies
Think the best way to get more customers is to... Read More
How To Make More Money
The biggest crime in small businesses today goes unnoticed by... Read More
Marketing |