Marketing Tools: Ladies and Gentlemen choose your weapons.

However, choose the marketing tools carefully as some are more effective than others in different circumstances, industries, and situations.

Marketing has many methods and tools to choose from. Here are some of the more popular.

• Form partnerships and alliances with non-competing businesses that are targeting the same prospects.

• Produce information that is useful to your clients and prospects – this can be in the form of articles or blogging etc. placing information on your website. For example, it may be your expert opinion on a current topic or legislation. Consider promoting this through social networking such as LinkedIn or Twitter.

• Email Marketing – personalised, both in terms of name and content towards their requirements or needs. Try to make the content relevant to the recipient.

• PR – There should always be some information from your business. It may be your comments on the latest industry issues or some external activities.

• Pay per click advertising – ad words – are you doing and monitoring it, measuring and refining, to make sure your money is effectively spent.

• Stay in regular touch with your customers & prospects.

• Visit, organise and participate in events, conferences & seminars, workshops, exhibitions, speaking engagements & presentations. Demonstrate your authority and knowledge of your chosen subjects.

• Ask for referrals from existing customers – they are your advocates – encourage them. If you have done a good piece of work ask them if they know of any other business that may need your product or service.

• List building – It is vital that any business has a list of customers, suspects, and prospects. This can be used to promote and contact, and as you get better to consider a CRM (customer relationship management) software.

• Website and internet – what is it doing for you? You are told you need a website, but many have one designed, and they do nothing for months if not years. Consider your website as your shop window, set goals, and constantly monitor and adapt it.

• Networking – not just your local chambers etc. but where your customers or partners congregate.

Are you already doing some of these?

How are they being measured?

Can they be done better?

This is not a definitive list and in any order of superiority, and we’d be pleased to discuss any thoughts you have on them.
If you need to discuss your sales and marketing then please contact us.