Back to Articles PDF Version Are you Throwing Darts at a Board and Too Much Money Down the Drain Hoping Something Sticks?
Or are you implementing a practical, targeted, cost-effective and sustainable marketing strategy?
Dear Fellow Business Heroes:
It’s not unusual for a person in business to be crystal clear when speaking about the product or service you provide. However, to use your marketing dollars more effectively, sometimes you need a little help being just as clear about:
- Who your customer is.
- The benefits of your product or service to your customer.
- What your real value to your customer is.
- What’s important to your customer.
- Your customer’s other interests.
Define, Measure, Implement, Analyze, Control Are you using an overall strategy? Is testing part of that strategy?
How about a campaign that you can measure? Do you have a clear understanding of the purpose of the campaign?
How about your employees? Do they understand their role in the strategy? Do they have clear activities and scripts they can use at a moments notice?
Do you ask your customers the right type of questions that give you clear actions?
Or do just throw tightly rolled up dollar darts at the customer board hoping something sticks.
There’s good news… The good news is you probably already have a lot of the information to help guide your sales, marketing and communication decisions for maximum effectiveness.
There are also numerous options available to you to generate traffic and convert that traffic to customers. A quick online search or scan of magazine ads will reveal the many books, services, methods and organizational training available to help you develop plans and strategy. And there’s bad news… The bad news is there’s a high probability based on studies that track this kind of thing that you’re either not collecting or not using half the information you have to make the kind of decisions that forward your business goals.
And if you are collecting information, your data gathering is inconsistent; you’re measuring the wrong things or not measuring at all. Therefore the information is not being converted to money-making activity.
As a savvy business person, you are probably doing some kind marketing analysis. But you’re just as likely so busy running your business or sales territory or short-staffed that you don’t have time to implement.
But there’s more good news! It doesn’t have to be complicated to be successful and you don’t have to do it alone.
That’s right. Your strategy, planning and measurements don’t have to be complex or onerous. The key is to think of it as another task in your business routine simple enough to become a responsibility someone else can assume.
Start small. Collecting information is a great way to ease into a project. It gives you direction and scope. Gather the data the right way and you may find your strategy and plan staring you in the face.You can use online polls and surveys, postcards, or ask a few simple questions on the phone when your customer calls. Keep it short. A simple spreadsheet for recording responses is an easy way to collect and organize the information.
You can offer to share your findings with the participants in a report and use the information in new customer engagements.
Your biggest challenge will almost certainly be finding the time to manage and implement. The simplest solution is to pay someone to do it-- whether you hire in-house or outsource.
Be the Hero,
Mark
Mark Daniels is a B2B and B2C Business Marketing and Sales Consultant, Author and Speaker specializing in creating calls-to-action that generate leads, shorten sales cycle times, increase top line sales and bottom line margins.
www.mysaleshero.net
732-417-0680
Reach Mark at Mark@mysaleshero.net
Sign up to the right to receive news about events, special offers, tips, and newsletter. We will never rent or sell your personal information.
My Sales Hero, L.L.C. Call us 9-5 ET (M-F): 732.417.0680
P.O. Box 2294 e-mail: info@mysaleshero.net
Edison, NJ 08818-2294 Instant Tool Kit Access