MARKETING MATTERS Make Marketing an Investment, Not an Afterthought Norwin A. Merens, NM Marketing Communications Inc., Glenview, Illinois E


veryone is looking to save a buck these days. But busi- nesses that treat marketing as an afterthought may actually be spending more on their


random efforts than if they invested in a solid marketing program from the beginning. Too often, I’ve seen the negative


impacts of this start-and-stop mentality. Companies will embark on a flurry of marketing activity and then cut back for any number of reasons, from eco- nomic conditions to being distracted by other supposed priorities. Then, typically, panic sets in as sales stall, and the process starts all over again. This approach saps your time, energy and finances. A well-planned marketing program is


critical to the success of your business. It is just as important as the quality of your equipment, products, materials or services. Therefore, you need to consider marketing as a serious invest- ment that will provide a return when allocated effectively.


Hitting the Bull’s Eye As with any business decision, allo-


cation of resources is a critical factor in your marketing program. Fortunately, many of today’s marketing tactics allow you to target prime prospects or key market segments for maximum impact without wasted spending. Online advertising, search engine optimization and on-demand printing are three focused marketing techniques you can use to make specific offers to highly segmented audiences. Prospects can be divided by industry-specific needs, desires and buying habits. Cre- ating messages that address specific audience needs will ensure your mar- keting efforts effectively hit the mark. Plus, using these newer technologies is more cost effective than many tra- ditional mass marketing approaches. Online Advertising—In less than a


decade, the internet has evolved from a business curiosity to an everyday marketing tool for most organizations.


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Online advertising takes two basic forms: specific marketing messages created for individual websites and pay-per-click ads typically linked to internet searches. In the first category, your advertis-


ing message can be a basic banner across the top of a website, a smaller box within a web page or a more sophisticated pop-up ad or scroll that appears as readers click on certain con- tent. Typically, online ads cost less to create and advertising rates are lower than in traditional print publications, meaning you can reach more audiences with different messages. For example, you might use a message about basic casting expertise or benefits to reach a wide range of engi- neers and designers at www.designnews.com, www.machinedesign. com or www.designfax.net. You could also target OEMs in specific markets with more focused messages pertinent to their needs through sites serving their particular industry, such as www. pump-zone.com for pump manufac- turers or Power Engineering’s website (pepei.pennnet.com) for power genera- tion components. Pay-per-click ads are short listings


of the first few websites listed in the search, drawing more customers to your site. Optimizing a website primarily involves editing its content and associ- ated coding to increase the relevance of specific keywords and ensure you have pertinent, timely information. On-Demand Printing—Advances in


Many of today’s marketing tactics target key market segments for maximum impact.


digital printing technology—presses similar to common office printers but with higher quality and the capability to handle large, commercial paper— are changing the economics of print production. These systems make it cost effective to print smaller quantities of high-quality materials or customize direct mail materials to your desired customers.


Overseeing the Effort


Part of your overall marketing investment should include assign-


of your name and a brief description of services that appear on web search engines when a user searches for a specific term. Discussing the various strategies for choosing and bidding on key words would take up more space than is available in this entire maga- zine. However, each search engine has information about its advertising that provides more details on implementing this marketing technique. Search Engine Optimization—Much


like pay-per-click ads, books have been written about this topic, commonly known as SEO. SEO is the process of improving the volume or quality of traf- fic to a website when users search for a specific term. The goal is to be one


ing a person of authority within your organization to serve as your marketing champion. This central figure dedicated to your strategic marketing plan should be a leader suited not only to gaining employee buy-in, but also to keeping the program on course to produce a return on your investment. Unless you have someone leading the marketing initia- tive, you drain your budget by constantly reacting, regrouping and re-spending. The final element in controlling your marketing costs is measuring every move you make. Being able to see the results of your efforts in hard numbers lets you know immediately if the tactics are working or if some program tweak- ing is necessary to improve efficiency. Each one of your tactical efforts should have a purpose that’s measureable. Possibilities might include driving prospects to your website, collecting contact information or encouraging responses to an advertisement.


MC


Norwin Merens is managing director of NM Marketing Communications Inc., Glen- view, Ill. The firm specializes in marketing and publicity services for manufacturers.


MODERN CASTING / February 2010


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