Marketing to build your business  

26th November 2003

Marketing to Build Your Business

 

The following table provides a checklist of fundamental activities you can either do yourself, or outsource to a specialist provider.  If you work with other small businesses, these services need not cost you a lot.  Get creative and look at providing your services in exchange for their services, or even payment terms in instalments over a period of time.

 

Remember to do what you’re good at, let other people focus on what they do best, and if you can’t afford them, wait until you can.

 

Always have an objective or an intended outcome for your marketing, otherwise it will have no focus and minimal results.

 

marketing options	doing it/plan to do	objective
Speaking engagements   (Conference, special interest group, radio, business groups)	The more ‘doing it’ the better!   If not, then plan quickly & do it!	§          Raise your profile in target market §          Establish your expertise
Direct marketing		§          Present an offer & call to action §          Raise awareness of your product/service §          Educate/inform §          Generate leads
PR		§          Raise profile §          Create awareness §          Establish expertise & credibility
Exhibitions & conferences		§          Establish positioning in market §          Educate §          Network – identify opportunities §          Showcase products to captive target market §          Establish credibility if speaking at conference §          Generate sales leads
Industry & business publications – submit articles		§          Establish credibility & expertise within target market §          Position yourself as specialist §          Raise profile §          Generate enquiries
Telesales/telemarketing		§          Prospecting for new business §          Build leads §          Customer service

 

Marketing tools

§          Case studies – explains the client problem or need, and your solution

§          Testimonials – statements of endorsement from satisfied clients

§          Press releases – use them to send to media, or to customers or placed on web site

§          Award entries/winning awards – winning awards sets you apart

§          Newsletters – printed or electronic; write them yourself or ask for contributions 

§          Company profile – also a ‘credentials’ document to establish your credibility

§          Website – make it work for you

§          Brochures – try not to change these too often (requires time and $$), but don’t let them date

§          Video/CD presentations – particularly if you are in the creative field

 

Start marketing now and don’t stop!