Getting Ready for 2008
As we move toward the close of 2007, it’s
natural to take a look back over the year. Were
your marketing results all you’d hoped? 2008
offers us the opportunity of a clean slate. Now
is the time to start planning your attack for
the coming year. Here are a few tips to incorporate
into your planning.
Communicate often
Businesses that consistently communicate with
its customers have an advantage over those that
only communicate during a specific promotion.
If you're not in touch with your customers, you
can bet your competition is. Consider an "e"
or print newsletter or a blog. They're fairly
easy to create and update. Also, e-newsletters
and blogs are relatively inexpensive to produce.
Focus on benefits
It's easy to become focused on product or service
features and forget that your prospects and customers
are interested in benefits. Odds are, your customers
don't care as much about the latest whiz-bang
ditty in your product offering as they do about
making their life easier, making higher profits,
meeting deadlines and looking good in front of
their audience ... and their boss.
Listen to your customers
If you only do one thing, make it listening to
your customers. Their feedback will help you tailor
your message and product or service offerings.
Your sales force is one way to get customer feedback.
Surveys are another way to gather information.
Sites like Zoomerang.com
and SurveyMonkey.com
offer both fee-based and free options.Other methods
are website forms, informal focus groups or even
a simple lunch together.
Collect the right information
The success of your marketing and, ultimately,
your business depends on knowing who your customers
are, what's important to them and how they behave.
This information will enable you to create an
on-target message and build sales. If you don't
already have one in place, consider developing
a customer database to track customer behavior,
purchases, timelines, etc. Over time, you'll gather
information that's worth more than its weight
in gold.
Make buying simple and easy
Use several marketing channels to make it easy
for your customers to get information and, ultimately,
make a purchase. People have different preferences,
so tap into website content, catalogs, e-newsletters,
ads, etc. to get your message in front of them.
By catering to their preferences, you'll be rewarded
with more sales.
The
Odell Team
330 Schneider Street, S.E.
North Canton, OH 44720
330.499.3441 voice
330.499.0596 fax |
