Top Tips For Marketing Success

03/02/2010

By Kursha Woodgate, Managing Director of Mexia Communications

Definitions of marketing are plentiful. For small business owners, most would agree that marketing is about generating sales opportunities so that your businesses can grow. Concepts such as brand building and customer relationship management may seem slightly more nebulous in terms of immediate impact on revenue, but it is this type of activity that will assist in achieving customer loyalty. Loyal customers generate invaluable Word of Mouth (WoM) referrals and provide repeat business, reducing your cost of sale.

Whatever the size of your business, successful marketing relies on a combination...

...of long-term strategy with short-term plan of action for maximum impact. Here are some top tips for marketing success:


1. To fail to plan is to plan to fail

Creating a marketing plan is an essential starting point. Once you have a plan, this should become a manual for marketing activity and should be reviewed and updated regularly. Start with a 'top-down' approach. Establish a clear vision for your business; define your brand values and your messages from the outset. Once this is clear, all your campaigns should fit with the overall image and messaging that you want to portray.

2. Knowledge is power - get market savvy

Before you can decide where you want to go, you need to know where you are starting from. Define your market, whether geographically or in terms of products/services, establish who your key competitors are and their strengths and weaknesses, consider what your customers views are of your company and other stakeholders such as press and industry commentators.

3. Know your competitors

Keeping one eye on the competition is an essential ingredient for success in any marketing strategy. Marketing campaigns, news, changes in pricing or policies by... continued on page two >

 

 

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