26 | MARKETING WORDS | Candice Ritchie


Top ten marketing tips W


e live in a world surrounded by marketing; whether it is on the internet, at bus stops


or on billboards, we cannot escape. We are constantly being targeted by products and services begging for our custom. But there are many aspects of marketing which companies fail to initiate in their schemes, and others which should have been left behind. Where is the marketing industry going wrong? What should businesses be doing to improve their marketing? Four industry professionals discussed such matters in a seminar at the OPP Live 2012 conference. Here are their top ten tips to generate the best marketing:


Use other companies’ expertise Make use of other companies’ expertise and services, and trust them for their advice. Entrepreneurs often think that no-one can do something better than themselves; they have a ‘control element’, and it’s diffi cult to encourage them to part with it. But don’t try and do it all yourself – there are projects you won’t be able to do on your own. In a partnership, however, you will be able to attack other markets [see November’s OPP Magazine article on collaboration for your business].


Be unique How do you differ from your competitors? How are you going to put that across? Uniqueness is the key. Slogans, logos and innovative products or services all help to achieve this. Don’t be afraid to try new things – people often use the classic black- and-white font because it’s seen as ‘sophisticated,’ but be imaginative, and consider using designers. You should also ensure that you keep personality within your marketing; think about how you want to be seen by your audience.


Be simplistic


Simplicity is important. Don’t make your marketing too complex – it’s easy to overcome objections if your message is simple. Think back to the fl ashy, crowded websites of the 90s – while they looked impressive (for their time!) it wasn’t long before people started to realise that a cleaner design was easier to take information from.


Prioritise


Choose the most important part of your marketing to prioritise, be it cheap prices or good quality. One clear point will stick more fi rmly in the audience’s mind, allowing you to be remembered for a particular trait. Promoting your


company’s other benefi ts would fi t more aptly on your website, for instance – somewhere where the consumer will have time to absorb the information. Consider what your company does best and what your specifi c trade is. Don’t try to sell everything, it won’t work.


Look at what others are doing Always keep your ear to the ground – look at what competitors are doing, what journalists are writing about, and the changes that are happening. Taking notice of these will enable you to adapt them to benefi t your own marketing.


“Don’t be afraid to try new things. Be imaginative, have personality, use designers”


An interesting example of this is the currently popular “chatty marketing” style (although I wouldn’t recommend it for professional services!). Ben & Jerry’s, for one, started touting their brand in a very casual ‘talking to friends’ manner and consumers loved it. Many other brands, such as Innocent Smoothies, have since jumped on the bandwagon in the last few years.


Track the success of your marketing


What is working well in your marketing, what is proving futile, and how can it be improved? Tracking the behaviour and success of your marketing will enable you to answer these questions. Have a plan and targets – has your marketing method helped you to meet these? Measure what you’ve done, and if the benefi ts have covered the costs. One of the easiest tracking methods is direct mail campaigns.


Be unique | Stand out from the crowd to draw clients to your business


Know your audience Research your audience – how can you meet their needs, why haven’t they come to you before, and what do they want? Knowing the specifi cs of the person you’re dealing with will allow you to tailor your pitch. Different countries, for example, have different policies when it comes to marketing – Scandinavia prohibits direct contact,


Panel:


Stefano Lucatello Kobalt Law Paul Collins BuyAssociation Sue Ash AIPP/Ash Communications Jana Korpova Smart Currency Exchange


and expects people to make contact after the campaign. Slovakia is also much stricter, since junk mail is not permitted – it’s a privilege of other countries’ marketing.


Branding and imagery Branding and imagery are important aspects of marketing – often, they account for more than 50% of the message, yet people forget how infl uential they are. If a potential customer recognises your logo or branding, even subconsciously, they will have a layer of trust that comes with the familiarity. For this reason, think carefully before planning an image overhaul – will the benefi ts outweigh the loss of a recognized brand?


Manage your money We don’t always have the money needed for the marketing we want - tailor the marketing to the cash you do have. Often, the problem with marketing is that people spend the money before they’ve got it. The money will come in and you’ll be able to market successfully if you spend your time and intellect doing things properly.


Work with other departments Working with the other departments in your company can be extremely benefi cial. Marketing should be part of the sales process; it gets people to the company, which is paramount for the sales team. Their pitches can be altered to fi t more seamlessly with the marketing department’s idea of the company brand and direction. This gives a ‘united front’ and looks altogether more professional to a potential customer or client. The marketing department acts as a ‘fi lter,’ so use this to your advantage.


BUSINESS


www.opp-connect.com | DEC 2012/JAN 2013


Marketing is one of the most important aspects of running a business. No matter how good your products or services are, they’re simply not going to make you money if nobody notices you! We assembled a panel of experts to glean their top ten marketing tips for the industry. Use them wisely and watch the clients rolls in.


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