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Title: Improve Your Marketing Results With These Simple Steps
Author: Debbie LaChusa
Article:
What if there were things you could start doing now that could
help you to market more successfully in the future? Even if you
didn't have your marketing act quite together over the past
year? Well, there are. Review your past marketing results
Take some time to review all of your marketing activities and
try to understand which ones worked best. And when I say "worked
best" I mean, which ones resulted in more clients, more
customers, more sales, or more growth for your business?
Your goal each year should be to understand which marketing
activities bring you more business and which ones do not, so you
can concentrate on the activities that work, and delete the ones
that do not. Even if you did not have an organized marketing
plan, or marketing activities that you implemented consistently
during the past year, if you are still in business today, then
there must have been some form of marketing going on.
Marketing isn't only things like running an advertisement, or
sending out a direct mail piece. (See "Is That Really Considered
Marketing?" below to better understand all the different forms
that marketing can take. You may be surprised to realize you've
been marketing more than you know!)
Direct vs. Indirect Tracking
Take a look at what you did do. Can you directly or indirectly
track any new or increased business to these activities? An
example of direct tracking might be: You attended a networking
event and someone you gave your business card to, contacted you
or made a purchase.
An example of indirect tracking might be: You attended a
networking event, and someone you gave your business card to,
referred you to a friend, and that friend contacted you or made
a purchase. For each marketing activity you did over the past
year, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Did I get any new clients, customers or increased sales as a
direct result, or an indirect result, of this activity?
2. If the answer is yes, quantify the result by asking
yourself: How many new clients, customers or sales did it
generate?
At the end of this exercise, you will have a list of all of your
marketing activities, and the results connected to each one.
Which activities brought you the most business? Are there any
activities on your list that did not result in new or additional
business?
Use what you learn to plan future marketing Use this information
as you begin to plan your marketing for next year. Plan to spend
more time, energy and/or money on those activities that brought
you business and sales. Delete those activities that did not. If
you don't have any way to track your sales or new clients, don't
worry. What does your gut tell you about where your new business
came from? Additionally, see the Question of the Week for tips
on uncovering marketing results even if you didn't track very
well. And if nothing else, be glad that you now know what you
need to do next year to ensure your future marketing success.
Is That Really Considered Marketing?
Any time you talk to someone about your business, product or
service, in person, at an event, over the phone, or through a
brochure or some form of media, you are marketing. Any time you
send someone an email or a thank you card from your business,
you are marketing.
Be aware of any time you are communicating with current
customers, or potential customers. Take the opportunity to make
them aware of new products or services, special offers or
programs, or even milestones or changes in your business. Do you
include your business card every time you mail a letter to a
client or prospect? Do you have an email signature that includes
your business name, your phone number, your email address, your
website address and possibly even your tagline? You should. You
are reminding people about your products and services and making
it easy for them to find out more if they so choose. If you
truly believe that your products or services can enhance
people's lives, then it should be easy to share the word at
every opportunity. After all, if people don't know about you,
they can't benefit. Put this way, it is almost a disservice to
NOT market.
(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa
About the author:
20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The
10stepmarketing System to help small business owners and
solo-preneurs successfully market their business, themselves
without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about
this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE
audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles,
tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com
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