Marketing - Hit or Miss

CORE IDEA

The ‘Core Idea’ principle is the most efficient way to market – your money is not wasted saying different things in different places. A simple statement or promise that encapsulates and defines who you are & what you do, or even a style, an ethos reflected through everything you do.

Look at the Baker’s Delight style – fresh, fun handmade handwritten signs, bakers enjoying their work, unskilled in TV presentation but dedicated to baking great bread. Carried through (in most stores) with enthusiastic staff who know their product, signage and fresh display all work together to say ‘This is great, fresh bread & a fun place to shop’.

MARKETING INVOLVES ALL THE AREAS OF YOUR BUSINESS

- IT MUST REFLECT WHO & WHAT YOU ARE
Most people don’t realise that ALL areas of the business need to work together to market successfully.
From print ads and phone listings to the receptionist the way you package, price or present your service, the signs you display, your website, how your staff dress, their training and motivation, your community involvement and charity support, where you are located, your delivery service and (very importantly) after-sales service where it applies.

My experience with a particular hot water company is that tradespeople do not make good receptionists. The product and installation was efficient and clean, their workers were polite and punctual however, when problems arose later, it was very difficult to communicate with the disinterested tradesman over the phone.
We have all been through similar experiences.

Make sure ALL your team are marketing your company in a positive way, ALL areas of your business are expressing the Core Idea eg. ‘we care about your needs’ ‘we enjoy what we do’ ‘we are all about quality’. This is not just on printed material or in radio advertising but how the business operates and communicates day to day.

TIP: Provide customer service training to your receptionist, accounting and general office staff. You will be surprised how key these people unintentionally are in the marketing process.