[ Focus: Marketing ] W
hen they hear ‘marketing’, most people think of promotion – advertising, brochures, websites and even business cards. This is only a small part of marketing, and it is
important to develop your strategy fi rst so that you have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. The groundwork for that was covered in our previous two articles in this series (ECA Today, November and January). Having a strategy means you will have some direction when you start to promote your business.
Defi ning your brand The fi rst step is to decide the personality of your business. If you are a small business, much of this will come from your own personality as an individual. In a larger business, it is the company’s brand. Things to consider are: ■ The things your company stands for, such as quality, customer service and technical expertise. These need to be referred to and supported in all of your communication. ■ The look of all of your communication. Everything should use the same colours and have a similar look, even down to being consistent with the font used for written communication in all forms of media. Give careful thought to this and select colours carefully. Everything needs to be easy to read. Also, think about cost consequences – for example, if you select a coloured background instead of white, you will need much more ink when printing documents. You should use this on all of your vehicles, too, which could increase costs signifi cantly if a special colour needs to be ordered. Building your brand is important; it is shorthand for
everything you stand for and, if done properly, has instant meaning for your customers. Think of Virgin Group or John Lewis, and how one or two words immediately give an understanding of that business.
Online marketing Today, communications are far more complicated than in the past because of the internet. It is also a great leveller as, if handled correctly, a small business can have a higher profi le than a large business with big budgets. But there is a wide array of choices – some necessary, some desirable and some a waste of time. It all depends on your type of business and who your customers are. A website is a must-have for every business. It can be
thought of as an online brochure, telling people about your business and how to contact you. The look and content of your website will often decide whether or not you get business. A number of other sources will then feed into your website.
These can be used to present your expertise and encourage enquiries. It may be as simple as Google Ads, which allow people enquiring about electrical services to link through to your website. At a higher level are blogs, where you can post articles that demonstrate technical expertise or outline details of completed projects. Up another level again are social networks, of which
the main ones are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Their suitability will depend on who your target customers are. Another form of social media are sites to share information; YouTube and Slideshare are two examples, but there are many more. The important point to understand about all of
Building
your brand is important; it is shorthand for everything you stand for
Perception study ■ Before you start to build your brand, understand what your customers, potential customers and suppliers think of your organisation. You might fi nd some factors that you did not realise, or took for granted. Also, be prepared for some shocks, and be prepared to put anything right that people criticise.
Brand ■ Part of your brand is your mission statement. Work out what this is, and then make sure it is known and shared internally. How individuals behave can impact on the perception of your whole business.
Website ■ To ensure a professional look to the website, employ a designer – but select a company that has produced websites you like. You want to employ someone creative, not a techie. Ensure your website has a contact management system that allows your staff to make changes without the need to go through an agency, reducing cost and turnaround time. These days, a good website should not cost a king’s ransom.
Social media ■ Blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and newsletters can all feed enquiries into your business. They also provide a means of listening to what the market – and your customers – are saying. Employ a social media agency to help you put this in place, then involve selected members of staff to be your voice. Choose carefully – you want people who are not going to say embarrassing things.
Project stories ■ A must for your business. You need to be constantly publishing project stories with third-party quotes from members of the project team. These can be used everywhere: website, blog, press releases, newsletters and proposals.
Day-to-day communications ■ Letterhead, business cards, vehicles, uniform. These should all look the same, putting across your brand.
Finally, look at the actions listed overleaf for small businesses; you can do most of those as well.
Marketing initiatives for the medium to large contractor
March 2012 ECA Today 63
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