A business newsletter with Pizzazz!

"We help leaders become better marketers
using a holistic business approach!"

May 7, 2004
Remember Mother's Day, May 9th

May is a good month for spring cleaning...ugh. It is also a good time to perform a 'house cleaning' review of your marketing programs...ahh!  In this issue, you will find ten more ways to improve your marketing success. It is a short article with some points to tickle your brain cells. If some of the ideas tickle your fancy, I am available to discuss your needs in more detail.

I am also excited about my newly added on-line speaker's bureau for the D/FW Metroplex. Please check it out and let me know if you can add to the list of organizations or speakers.

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IN THIS ISSUE

►Ten more ways to improve marketing success

►Smiles make the day!

►Check out our new on-line speaker's bureau

►Amazing facts...

Ten more ways to improve marketing success

1. Build or improve your market information system.

There is no substitute for having up-to-date market and competitive information upon which to base your decisions. We have a simple, yet effective system for gathering and communicating factual information within an organization. Get rid of subjective opinions and old assumptions! Get the facts and make sure your field people have reliable feedback.

2. Consider selling methods and channels that are outside what is traditional in your industry.

Marketers tend to play follow-the-leader. Many organize marketing efforts based on what competitors are already doing. Creative marketers look at unorthodox channels and methods to get a jump on the competition. Would a combination of methods and channels of distribution be more effective? Could you add a new method and retain what is already working for you? Have you reviewed your sales compensation program recently?

3. Make it easier for clients to get a response.

Relationships mean business! Review your communications systems. How quickly can your clients resolve minor problems? How many ways do clients have of contacting the right person in your organization? Is a toll-free 800 number needed? Can clients get answers to questions directly from your web site 24/7? What must clients do to resolve complaints? How much client 'hassle' is embedded in your present system? 

4. Reexamine sales territories.

Take a hard look at how your territories. How much travel (windshield) time do your sales representatives log? Can you make changes that would increase the amount of productive selling time without unduly disrupting existing client relationships? Get your sales people involved in the review and move cautiously. If you have not reviewed territories in the past two years, a check-up is overdue.

5. Minimize marketing support in marginal areas.

Nobody says you have to treat every geographic area or product line equally! Areas with limited potential might be best served by an independent distributor or manufacturer's representative. Regional advertising is often available that reduces overall ad costs without hurting results. Product lines often differ in contribution. Direct the greatest marketing support to products and services that most potential for profit contribution. Spend lavishly on the high potentials and treat the lowest potentials with 'benign neglect.'

6. Choose market segments and geographic areas carefully.

Again, future potential and overall contribution should be the primary criteria when determining the degree of marketing support and effort to expend. Simplistic marketing plans generally leave profit dollars on the table, because they ignore the many opportunities for being selective in pricing, marketing support, sales effort, terms of sale, distribution channel, etc.

7. Consider specialized sales coverage.

The more technical the product or service, the more clients rely on the expertise of your sales representative. If you provide sophisticated products or services you may need sales specialists in key market segments or for one or more client types. An example would be a specialized team to sell your document imaging solution to state and local government units.

8. Determine if you need to focus on national accounts.

Many firms approach large, national or regional prospects and clients in a direct manner through a national accounts department. Highly experienced representatives (or company officers) handle the sales function with clients who operate over normal territory lines. Single deals with large national accounts can boost revenues quickly. National clients may demand direct contact with your headquarters as a condition of doing business. Your pricing to national accounts may not support existing local sales commissions. If you market across a wide geographic area, consider establishing or strengthening the national account sales structure.

9. Review advertising programs.

Expensive, shotgun style ad programs are wasteful if a significant portion of the readership are not qualified prospects. In many cases, regional issues or more localized media can reach qualified prospects at a much lower cost. Look at direct marketing options, point-of-sale materials, electronic options, etc. Get objective outside expertise to help you review current programs and develop viable alternatives. Understandably, advertising agencies are strong believers in advertising, so get a 'second opinion.'

10. Harness marketing production costs

Advertising production costs can be significant budget busters. So can colorful, multi-page company brochures and product literature. Look for ways to leverage the expense of creating high quality collateral materials and marketing communications for more than one use. Once you produce an ad or brochure, look for ways to use the photographs, copy, etc. in additional ways. Ad reprints are an inexpensive way to stretch production dollars. You can use the same professional photographs of products or people in multiple ads, company brochures, product data sheets, and on your web site to keep overall marketing expenses in line.

Remember this:

"Better marketing doesn't take millions. It takes imagination, enthusiasm, and a willingness to experiment and change."

Richard P. Morgan CMC

        

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Smiles make the day!
Some common don'ts...

► "Don't steal. The government hates the competition."  Anonymous

► "Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got."  Janis Joplin

► "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."  Charles Schultz