Ten Secrets of Being a Marketing Genius
Why do some companies succeed brilliantly in their marketing efforts while others fail? Let's face it, many entrepreneurs have access to the same tools and resources, but the ones who succeed know how to pull them all together to make their marketing work. Here's a look at the ten elements at the heart of true marketing success:
1. Leadership: To be successful, the marketing programs your staff or agency creates must support your vision of your company's future. It's up to you, at the top of your organization, to set the tone and clearly define your goals. How can your marketing team meet your expectations if it's unclear what they are?
2. Listening: Customers will tell you what they want, need and are willing to pay for. They'll even tell you which marketing approach they prefer. You just have to ask them-and listen carefully to the answers. Whether you use focus groups, surveys, web feedback or polls, the best marketing programs are those that are shaped and molded by customers' preferences.
3. Teamwork: Effective marketing doesn't begin and end with you and your marketing people. Everyone in the company, from the receptionist to technicians or plant workers, can produce referrals, positive PR and even sales. The key is to "enroll" your entire staff by soliciting their ideas, sharing your plans for each new marketing effort and keeping the team up-to-date on your progress.
4. Coordination: The best marketing programs can't succeed if there are barriers to sales. Anything from out-of-stock products and pricing glitches to delivery problems and uninformed personnel can stop a deal. The prerequisite for effective coordination and removal of sales barriers is open communication between all departments and individuals, so things like shortages can be anticipated and discussed, and your personnel can support rather than hinder one another.
5. Focus: Unlike major corporations, where divisions compete for their piece of the marketing pie, your growing business has the luxury of focusing intently on marketing its products and services to narrowly defined audiences. Failure to focus by taking on too many different target markets can diffuse your efforts-reducing the time and budget available to effectively penetrate each one-and sabotage your results.
6. Accountability: Just as the Great Pyramids were constructed one stone on top of the next, one successful marketing program builds on another. It all hinges on tracking and measuring your marketing results. Start by setting quantifiable goals for every program or tactic, such as to produce three new accounts in 60 days. Test and examine each marketing approach and then reproduce what works.
* 7. Flexibility: Successful companies respond quickly to changes in the marketplace, customer preferences and new technologies. When a marketing tactic stops working, don't wait months to make revisions. Investigate the problem and eliminate it fast!
8. Continuity: Consistent presentation of a brand name and image are essential to long-term marketing success. While strategies and tactics may change and evolve, names, logos and even slogans should be considered the bedrock on which the foundation of your company's marketing program is built.
9. Get Help: Hire a reputable Advertising Agency. The good ones don't charge retainer or service fees and COST YOU NOTHING. They are paid the standard agency commission from the various media and therefore are not BIASED in their decision making and the better agencies have access to market research that "media-reps" would rather you not see. In most cases, an advertising agency will be able to obtain lower rates than an individual advertiser and pass those savings on to the client. With the help of a good agency, you will save time (meeting with dozens of "media-reps") and money (through combined "buying power") and invest your advertising budget more efficiently and effectively. Also by having a professional Marketing Company working with you, your decisions are made with the help of creative people who are not afraid of giving the "boss" an honest assessment of their advertising and marketing efforts.
10. Insight: Some entrepreneurs always seem to have the inside track. They evaluate the competition and forecast future trends, new products and technologies instead of just responding to today's ups and downs. Being a great marketer means staying ahead of the pack. You don't really need a crystal ball- with the right marketing team, it should just look like you use one.
