By Greg Blanchfield, Marketing Expert and Lecturer at The University of Exeter –
Are you marketing effectively or are you shooting random arrows?
Effective marketing in the 21st Century is fundamental to enabling your business to compete sustainably for the long term.
There whole purpose of marketing is to create awareness and generate interest which leads to enquiries. Consistent, well thought out, targeted marketing that generates high quality leads and enquiries is fundamental to creating sales automation, which is effectively turning awareness and interest into money.
If sales is difficult, your marketing is ineffective
Greg Blanchfield, a Marketing Expert and University of Exeter Lecturer who is running a course soon at Sabre, “The Marketing Fundamentals for Business Success” , shares with us below,
the 8 Key Steps to Marketing your Business Effectively
- Research
Research the market extensively before opening a new business, or simply tounderstand more about your existing business.Who is your target market? Has it changed? What are the latest trends? What is your competition doing? The more information you have, the more targeted your marketing efforts can become.
2. Targeting
Once you have clarity on market trends, choose your target market by demographic, geographic, behaviouristic and lifestyle variables to attract the right people at the right time to your product or service.
3. USP
Every product and service has a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that gives people a reason for purchasing it. Be clear of yours and make sure people understand how your product can help them in their life. Make this the focus of your communication strategies.
4. Design
The design of your product or service offering must communicate all the key elements of your marketing mix – product, price, distribution and communication – in a clear and coherent way.
5. Channels
Once you have designed your offering, you need to be clear on the channels of communication (avenues of marketing) that best tell your customers about your product or service. The chosen channel (social media, billboards, website, email marketing, flyers, press etc) must be consistent with your customers’ lifestyles. The younger they are, the more tech savvy they will be and the channel to reach them will almost certainly be digital.
6. Goals & Budget
Set specific and measurable goals – # of enquiries, # of conversions, volume of product sold, sales $, market share, customer count, etc. Establish a marketing budget that is within your means as a percentage of anticipated sales and invest in communicating with your customers to drive your target results.
7. Service
Have a clear strategy of how to establish, build and retain relationships with your customers. Digital communication through email and / or social media is an essential element of 21st Century marketing.
8. Monitor & Review
Constantly measure your results against your goals and be prepared to make continuous adjustments to your marketing mix to close the gaps, remain relevant and ahead of your competition.
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If you or your team members want to learn all you need to know about Marketing for Business Success in this concise 3 Module Course including learning the latest Marketing theories and models and creating a Marketing Plan, the Marketing Fundamentals for Business Success created and trained by Greg Blanchfield is an ideal course – click here to view the brochure
We are super privileged to have this great course now in Zimbabwe, trained by a true expert. For Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs, Marketing Managers, and University graduates.
Contact GregB@nuance-ssa.com to register for this course or to find out more.
“Greg Blanchfield changes marketing from an intangible art to a simple skill that delivers results, fast. I highly recommend this way of thinking.” – Jeremy Brooke, 1000 Day CEO
About the Author
Greg Blanchfield is a seasoned marketer having worked with luxury brands in sub Saharan Africa for over 25 years. He is now a lecturer at the University of Exeter Business School, specializing in Marketing Strategy, Marketing Analytics and Digital Marketing.