March 2011 Top 5 Marketing Tips

Below are the top 5 marketing tips for March 2011 – simple tips to help you improve the effectiveness of your marketing.

1. Think for yourself! – too many companies get obsessed by what their competitors are doing.  Yes it is important to be aware of what they are up to but don’t get too hung up on replicating what you like about what they are doing.  If you do, you will only ever be a market follower, not a market leader!  This behavior will stifle innovation.

2. Avoid website vanity – it doesn’t matter what your website looks like, it matters what it is delivering.  There is no point having a fantastic looking site if it doesn’t serve any purpose.  Don’t get one for the sake of it.  Work out what you want it to do for your business and then design it with this in mind!  Then use Google Analytics to see how it is performing.

3. Ask ‘How did you find us?’ – most SME businesses do not have the mechanics in place to accurately track where customers have come from, so every time you get a new enquiry simply ask “How did you hear of us”?  Make sure you log the response. This method of tracking requires all staff to ask this question and log the answer but it enables you to identify what is working and what isn’t!

4. Use case studies – ever heard the phrase ‘Facts Tell, Stories Sell’!  This is definitely true and use customer testimonials and case studies at every opportunity.  If you can show first hand clients you have helped, problems you have overcome and the results you have achieved, then this will be far more powerful then you telling everyone how good you are!

5. It’s all about THEM – many companies go into the sales process telling prospective clients what they do, how good they are and talk about what they can do for them.  Flip this on its head.  Don’t talk about your company at all.  Talk about THEIR business.  What do they do, what makes them tick, what issues do they face?  Learn as much as you can about them before you even talk about how you work.  This additional information provides you with much more insight into what they want to hear.