Do it yourself Marketing

Author: Sue Currie

In our work we have so many roles to play and our job description is varied to say the least. But at the end of the day your role is to establish a successful business. Success is measured in a number of ways but usually through profit and sales results. One way to help increase sales is to create awareness of your business and service.

Messages about your product or service are delivered and received in a number of ways. Hundreds of ways in fact. There's communication everywhere. We're bombarded with information from the moment we wake up, to the time we fall asleep at night, and it's getting faster, busier and crazier. Or is that just me? We not only have our traditional forms of media such as TV, print and radio sending us messages, there's brochures, billboards bus-backs and of course all the new media like the internet, blogs, cable TV and the rest.

So how do we break through all this noise? How do we stand out so that ultimately people buy our product or service?

It seems most large companies these days are combining or blending all the roles associated with building and maintaining relationships. These roles can include public relations, media management, marketing and advertising, and come under the umbrella of marcoms, a blend of marketing and communication. As business owners you need to ensure you have a range of this activity covered as the successful integration and application of all these strategies will ensure not only profitable results for your business but an increase in exposure, recognition and brand reputation.

Here's a brief checklist to see if you're incorporating these tactics into your role.

• Marketing – client sales calls and visits, new client development, database management, building referral networks, affiliate programs or alliance opportunities. An integral part of your business that needs to be addressed daily and one area most businesses do work at consistently. However by incorporating some other marcoms strategies you can support and maximise your marketing efforts.

• Communication – internal and external through e-News, articles, publications, annual reports, brochures, direct mail, postcards and other communication collateral. We need to communicate consistently with our existing clients to keep us “front of mind”. Yet by furthering our communication reach perhaps by submitting articles to trade or consumer magazines you will gain wider recognition for your business.

• Advertising – classified advertisements in your local paper, display advertising, yellow pages, radio, Internet and Google ads. Advertising is expensive particularly as a stand alone tool for creating awareness. However a small amount of advertising along with your other communication efforts will bring about maximum ROI.

• Event management – trade shows, open days, networking events, seminars, speaking opportunities, client office drinks or a business lunch.

• Media strategy – sending out media releases, publicity editorial, interviews and photo opportunities, building media relationships and media launches.

• New media management – website content, website promotion, e-Books, e-Zines, blogs, on-line networks, search engine optimisation. Like the rest of this checklist, this is a whole communication strategy on its own! Having an online presence is almost mandatory these days, but your website needs to be more than just an online PR brochure. You need to keep telling people about it and to incorporate a range of website promotion tactics such as:

Put your web address on all your communication collateral – media releases, brochures, newsletters, business cards, postcards, letterhead, email signatures and invoices. Send out a regular e-newsletter to your database that offers tips and information and a link back to the site. Present interactive features on your site that keep visitors returning; perhaps a competition or an on-line survey as well as lots of free valuable information. Put your domain name on promotional products such as pens, coffee mugs, or key rings. Perhaps even the company car! Have it on your voicemail messages or your on-hold message service.

• Promotion – competitions or giveaways are a good way to create further awareness.

As business owners we do wear many hats – that of entrepreneur, financial controller, lawyer and salesperson. Often the one area that gets overlooked is the communication and promotion of the company. But as the infamous promoter PT Barnum once said, “Without promotion something terrible happens…nothing!”

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