|
So what makes you so
different?
Am I
frightening you?
Did you know that being a marketing
consultant is something of a business pariah? It doesn't
matter what business network, seminar or expo I attend
announcing what I do always has the same effect. Now I am
quite an open friendly sort of person always happy to help
others in business and well known for my enthusiasm. So what
is going on? An event this week has prompted this grumbly
blog.
I went along to an expo which included short
talks on a variety of subjects and yes inevitably social
media was included. Before we started the person sitting
next to me introduced themselves telling me what they did. I
showed my usual interest and asked all the relevant
questions. And what do you do? My reply provoked a
completely different change in body language and attitude.
It rendered this person speechless, he stuttered some quick
excuses and dashed off. I even saw him later and I swear he
dodged behind a stand to avoid me.
My conclusion is that people believe because
I am in marketing which is akin to that dirty word 'selling'
I am always on the prowl for customers. Can't deny I have a
passing interest in this but doesn't everyone in business?
What do people imagine I am going to do? Talk them into
something they don't want? Sell them my services at grossly
inflated prices? Or G.d forbid ask if I can arrange a
meeting with them?
Interestingly in social situations
telling people what I do has the opposite effect. Their eyes
light up and immediately I am pounced on for help and advice
with a range of good causes including everything from
charity help to how to write an eye catching poster
for a village fete.
Continuing
Professional development
You will I hope all be pleased to know that
my lovely crisp new diary is filling up nicely and already
sports dog ears and one coffee stain! First week of January
has 2 hours blocked out for a review of my Continuous
Professional Development (CPD) Chartered Marketer status.
As regular readers of my blog diary will know
I spend some time fulfilling the obligations of my Chartered
Marketer status. So the new year jolts me in to action as my
diary warns me I have only 6 months to go before this years
offering has to be submitted. If I decide to study something
I need to complete it and get the certificate in for June so
now is the time to get cracking.
I completely agree with the Chartered
Marketer status and what it represents, that is a marketing
professional who keeps up to date with marketing, marketing
trends and continues to develops within their own field.
This is important for prospective clients as after all I
could just be anyone claiming marketing knowledge and
experience.
However for a small business owner fulfilling
my CPD is not without challenges. The Chartered Marketer CPD
programme is broken down into different elements with hours
allowed for each section. To date I have 8 hours completed
for private study, I have an exhibition to attend which will
give me 4 hours and development events in February and March
will provide 3.5 hours.
I need 35 hours so what I else can I do? One
option I have is in company development which is a bit
challenging for a small business, so I've crossed that one
out. Next is mentoring which I have done in the past but
this year I have no one to mentor. Training workshops are
too expensive this year and most are in London (too far to
go in one day). Job related committees are not an option, so
I find myself left with language training. Now I'm not
really sure why that is in there but mulling it over I think
this is not a bad idea. By Monday my enthusiasm and
excitement means by the end of the day I have a tutor, a
programme of activities and the promise of a certificate in
May.
Plus prochaine semaine ....... (more next week!)
The week after Christmas - down to one post it!
Everyone I know takes the time between
Christmas and New Year as a break, but for me its catch up
and sort out time. This isn't as bad as it sounds as I am
always itching to get back to work. So by Tuesday I am once
again sitting at my desk amid a storm of last weeks last
minute post its and a pile of files spread across the desk.
My research and reading file is bulging at the seams with a
variety of web sites to visit and research papers to read.
First task is to work my way through the post
its updating my super customer management system. This take
me an hour by which time I'm down to one post it which I
can't decide how to action (it's still drifting around the
desk!). Despite a 3 day break I am still checking my E mails
and constantly press the send and receive but no one is
sending. By lunch time I am feeling lonely, the only E mails
coming in are for sales and Amazons 12 days of Christmas
Kindle offer.
Tuesday afternoon and all the files are away
and I have 3 new Kindle books to read. Back to work I have
worked my way through a quarter of the reading and research
file, fantastic.
Now its time for my web site annual
revamp. This ones a major change and although I have it all
on paper its a different matter when I put it into action.
I've a new home page, about us page, training page and
portfolio page to get ready for next year which is only 6
days away! Finally I decide on the design and everything
starts to fall into place.
Wednesday after an hour working on the new
site and 2 more 99p kindle books downloaded, sees me very carefully
going through my clients files. This is another between bank
holiday task and well worth it. Some clients need new marketing
plans or updated plans and strategies, pulling together the
on and offsite with a little bit of blogging and tweeting
thrown in. go to bed feeling very smug!!
More next week........
The week before Christmas!
This is one week of the year when no
one answers my E mails. Everyone's too busy clearing out and
clearing up for the Christmas break. In vain do I plead and
cajole for decisions on marketing material, ads and
marketing plans for 2012.
It is crucial for me to move things
along for as soon as the magic 2nd January appears in the
diary and calendar everyone will quite rightly want their
marketing material ready for the new year for the
countless campaigns and promotions that are planned. So how
do I deal with this? Rather sneakily I get everything to the
stage when all it needs is an agreement from my clients.
This might sound obvious but nothing makes people act faster
in making decisions than giving them what seems like a fait
au compli. Actually it's usually nothing of the sort, but
it's amazing the effect what seems like a finished marketing
plan or a leaflet ready to go for
print.
Speaking of leaflets and marketing
material I am once more faced with the difficulty of finding
quality images for two customers. This weeks its images for a
holiday accommodation web site and images for a leaflet (two
different customers). Images sell! Every business needs stock images and
quality images that show their products and services in use
and if it's a food and tourist business, that show people
enjoying themselves.
Holiday and tourist business have the
added difficulty of seasonal images. No one wants to see
holiday cottages on a gloomy day with trees bare of leaves
and huddled figures scurrying along slippery wet pavements.
A pretty snowy scene with a cosy cottage is one thing but
grey and gloom does not sell. So how are we going to find
those images? First we've booked a photographer for next
year. Second we are using a little creativity. This
involves setting up a scene in a warehouse that recreates a
a domestic living room before and after a spring clean.
Sadly for the web site we have had to resort to I stock
images, something I hate but when all else fails!!
More next week........
Pulling it all together for 2012
All ready for 2012? Here goes!
Have a clear idea of what it is you are selling in terms of
benefits rather than features. For example 'No need to buy any more
printer cartridges' as opposed to 'Rent one of our photocopiers for
all printing needs'.
Know specifically which businesses or groups of people you
plan to sell your products and services to. Perhaps you sell
home made soups and you want to target people who visit farm
shops and farmers markets. Once you know this it is much
easy to promote your soups by finding farm shops and farmers
markets.
When you pull all your ideas together don't forget how
you are going to make your business stand out and be
memorable. This might be the way you 'sell' your products
and services through, for example, truly distinct shop
window displays. Alternatively it might be your product or
service that has a measurable distinction within your own
trade or industry.
There are many different ways you can sell your products
and services, through your web site, by e mail and direct
mail, advertising and social media such as LinkedIn and
Twitter. Whichever of these you choose you must get the most
out of everything you do. For example If you are advertising
in a local free magazine, send readers of your ad to a
specific page on your web site where they find an offer or
more news on what it is you are selling. Announce the offer
which is included with the ad through LinkedIn or Twitter.
By always aiming for three parts to any activities you will
increase responses and conversion of enquiries to sales.
A marketing plan
To help you I have included a
downloadable marketing plan.
Rather than the usual type of marketing plan that places the
emphasis on activities this plan puts the emphasis on the businesses
or customers you aiming your products and services at. Doing this
will help you to focus on your potential customers and makes it
easier to concentrate on marketing activities.
You will see that the marketing plan is set for 3 months
of trading. This means you will have to review your plan
regularly. A three monthly plan will keep you on track
and will enable you to see results of your mini marketing
campaigns.
Finally, this sounds obvious, but make sure you build on
the marketing and advertising that brings in those sales and
change what the marketing that is ineffective.
Web sites to watch
16.jpg)
Promote your discount to a wider audience
or pick up a discount!
A Tale of
two farm shops
Take two farm shops, both sited on busy
roads with plenty of passing and local trade. One has the
advantage of sitting at the junction of two busy roads and
sells it’s own farm produced beef. Both have car parks and
both are Yorkshire based. Which one do you think is the most
successful with a constant stream of customers? Before you
decide here is some more information.
First farm shop
This one sources 95% of food it stocks within a 20 mile
radius and makes this very clear on blackboards in the shop.
Many local products in the farm shop have information about
the producers with recipe ideas.
Sells sandwiches
Fresh fruit and vegetables most of it local, supplied daily,
they also sells seasonal fruit and vegetables
Fresh bread, cakes and pies daily, all made within ten miles
of the shop.
Sells bags of potatoes, carrots and onions etc hung up
outside
Deli counter with cheeses which are all from the UK and most
are Yorkshire cheeses. Favourite cheeses are always
available, but others change regularly with a ‘cheese of the
month’ available to try.
Owner run
Second farm shop
Sandwiches
Coffee to take out
Sweets
Hot soup
Deli counter – UK and European cheeses
Fresh fruit with limited seasonal vegetables
Staff run
Butcher meat comes mainly from own farm
Visits farmers markets with fresh meat
On the face of it the second farm shop has the advantage in
that it is on the junction of two main roads and has their
own farm meat on sale. Surprisingly the first farm shop is
the most successful in terms of reputation, turnover and
profit despite not actually selling any of their own
produce.
How is this farm shop successful?
Firstly by giving fantastic customer
service. The owners know their customers and pay attention
to customer comments and requests. Secondly fruit and
vegetables are fresh daily and they bring in and promote
seasonal fruit and vegetables. A blackboard outside tells
you what is seasonal and what’s in the shop. Displays change
regularly and staff know about the products on sales.
The second farm shop despite having
many advantages has a poor fruit and vegetable display.
Despite having its own meat it does not provide recipes or
any guidance on cooking. They also sell non farm shop
related goods such as sweets and toiletries sending out
confusing messages to customers. The second farm shop has a
much higher staff turnover and regular runs out of fruit and
vegetables.
Conclusion
This story illustrates how important it
is to give customers what they want and to keep products
fresh and changing. Actively promoting local produce and
telling ‘the story’ of the producers appeals to lovers of
local produce. The story of these two farm shops shows
customer service can be more important than the actual
location of a business. You cannot even say these two farm
shops appeal to different markets due to location. They are
within 12 miles of each other!
|
