What You Must Know When Marketing Your Business

What You Must Know When Marketing Your Business
By Kathleen Gage

Marketing is both an art and a science. Anyone who says differently probably isn’t doing very well marketing his or her business. On the art side, intuition definitely plays into the equation. On the science side, it is about systems, strategies and plans. Outlined below are some areas of consideration when you decide to market your business.

Determine where your business is currently
Determine where you want to be
Know who your market is and/or needs to be
Identify what is important to your clients
Identify and evaluate threats and opportunities. For example, lack of experience in the marketplace, budget, competition, no clear direction.
Assess existing and potential appeal of your product or service to current and future clients or customers
Select growth strategies and a competitive strategy
Develop a plan of action
Commit to focused action for results
Having fun
Identify and evaluate strengths an weaknesses in the areas that determine success to achieve this outcome. If you are unable to do this, get outside assistance.
Determine a budget

CREATING DIRECTION WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Where do you want to be as an organization?
What kind of image do you want to project?
What are the benefits of doing business with you?

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Purpose and function of your product or service
What makes your business unique from other similar businesses?
What does your business have in common with other organizations?
Biggest threat to success of organization?
What you must know about the current market?
Why do people buy from you?
Why don’t they buy from you?
Assumptions by current staff about the market?
What can you predict about the future? What to do about it?
How attractive is your product or service to the consumer?

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Target market
Staff involvement
Most effective strategies for marketing and selling your services/product
What is your plan of action?
Are you committed to your success?

WHEN YOU MAY NEED TO CONSIDER HIRING A BUSINESS COACH

When it is difficult to stay committed consider hiring a business coach.
When you just don’t know what to do
When you get sidetracked on your goals
When you want more success

WHY PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH YOU

Increase income or revenue
Increase quality of their personal or professional life - or both
Increase productivity
Decrease costs

KEEP ASKING

Who is my market?
What am I selling?
Can our company service what I sell?
How do I keep ahead of the competition?
How do I get my customers to remember me?
Why would they buy from me?
How do we keep visible?

WAYS TO INCREASE BUSINESS

Time in the business
Referrals
Up sell
Visibility
Check beliefs - do you believe you deserve to succeed?
Sponsorships or strategic partnering
Web site
Online newsletter
Free seminars
Promotional activities
Write articles for publications your target market reads
Presentations at association meetings
Press releases
Track where your business comes from if you are diversified in your marketing and advertising efforts
Get everyone into the sales and marketing attitude
Have employees give you ideas
Under promise, over deliver
Give back to the community
Become an expert the media calls on
Treat the gatekeepers like gold
Know what makes you stand apart from the competition
Get to know the competition
Build relationships
Ask for the sale when appropriate
Sell them only what they need
Keep a great attitude

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About The Author

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who helps others gain marketing dominance and visibility within their market. She is the recipient of the 2004 Giant Step Award for Business of the Year in the State of Utah. Call 801.619.1514 or email Kathleen@turningpointpresents.com. Get Gage’s online newsletter called Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions by visiting www.kathleengage.com.

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