And now the lessons – first, know the exact problems your product solves. If you solve just a small piece of a bigger issue, know that up front and be ready to answer why you can’t address the rest (in this case, the Constitution is a great fall back for why his bill doesn’t address bigger issues). Second, DON’T BASH YOUR COMPETITION. It is just tacky! Not to mention you don’t know who knows whom, what they think of your competition or what they think of you. If a customer does it, they are welcome to do so and thank them for the information. But don’t jump on that bandwagon. It isn’t going anywhere good. Finally, know your audience. When you are talking to someone, know what their company does and how. Understand their industry. Don’t just go in and figure they’ll see the benefit without doing your research. And remember, everything can be a marketing opportunity!
Finalizing Your Marketing Plan
We have now concluded our series on how to start a marketing plan. Â So what did we accomplish? Product or Service Strong Company Brand Strong Personal Brand Established or Create the need Long or Short Sales Cycle Known Industry Established vs. Startup Tech Savvy Customers At each step, we analyzed the company and the customers to make sure we understood who people think we are, who we know we are and who we want to be. Â That is the core of a good marketing plan. Â And while no one knows your company better than you do, there are many details that have not been put into words. Â That makes a huge difference when trying to target marketing. Â The last thing we want to do is throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what sticks! We’ve talked in the past about buyer personas […] Continue reading
Established Company vs. Startup
This is part seven in our series on how to start thinking about marketing. To see our previous articles, check out: Product or Service Strong Company Brand Strong Personal Brand Established or Create the need Long or Short Sales Cycle Known Industry Both established companies and start ups have unique challenges when trying to build their marketing plans. Â If an established company is in a known industry, they will have a very difficult time overcoming current perceptions – their brand is out there. Â But, a startup has to find people willing to take a chance on an unknown quantity. Â Either way, a good marketing plan is key to achieving the goals. Being an established company means you have experience from which to draw. Â This is great news because there is no better marketing than your customers. Build a portfolio of testimonials, case studies and stories […] Continue reading