Marketing tips
‘Don’t speak to me in that tone of voice’
Tone of voice is a term used term in marketing and advertising to describe the way in which your language comes across in your written materials. But why is it important?
Businesses spend hours, months or even years working on products and services, but potential customers decide at a glance whether they are interested or not.
Could you be an ‘award winning’ company?
Most industry sectors have some kind of awards or competitions. But a lot of businesses don’t bother with them, usually because they think they’re not likely to win, they’re ‘fixed’ in some way or it’s too much trouble.
But actually, they can be a great marketing tool. True, there’s some effort involved in putting the entry together, and yes … you may be up against some stiff competition. But if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
Do you operate in a niche market?
Although at first glance, it might seem you’re narrowing down your options, working in a niche market can actually increase your appeal.
I’ve seen a couple of great examples recently. Near where I live, there is a pub that offers only sandwiches … but it’s famous for it. They do every kind imaginable from fish fingers to jam, ham and cheese to roast chicken and stuffing. People travel from miles around and thanks to its location near the Thames, it’s a popular destination for a family day out. If you fancy a sandwich it’s the place to go.
Adele proves that sound and vision is a powerful combination
Did you see the BRIT Awards recently? I was channel hopping at the time, but stopped on singer Adele’s performance as there was something captivating about it. I found myself glued to the television screen – it was just her and a piano, but the performance was so striking I couldn’t turn it off.
Goals and opportunities for successful marketing
£50? Why not go for £100!
This week, despite the fact that I look forward to the prospect of going for a run about as much as I look forward to going to the dentist, I signed up for Race for Life.
I got swept along through a sequence of coincidences which included hearing about a friend who just lost her father to cancer, picking up a magazine with a supplement all about training for Race for Life, and seeing a friend on facebook encouraging us all to join her in the local Race for Life event. (Plus, if I’m honest, carrying an extra pound or two due to the Christmas excesses – I’m sure the timing was well planned by the organisers!)
Are you part of a ‘power circle’?
Last week, I was invited to lunch by a client, along with several other small businesses that provide specialist services to his company.
The guests included a sales consultant, an accountant, an HR consultant, a trainer, a solicitor, a health and safety consultant, an IT manager as well as me. Led by our host, we all acknowledged what a valuable collection of skills were around the table, and there was even a joke about franchising us and selling us as a team.
12 conclusions from 2010
It’s always useful to review what you’ve been doing so that you can see what’s worked well and where you could make some improvements. I’ve had a look back over the last 12 months, and have noticed that each project has a learning point or conclusion.
As luck would have it, I’ve come up with 12 conclusions (12 days of Christmas … or one for each month maybe?) and I thought I’d share them with you:
Why good marketing isn’t enough
Marketing isn’t just about making something look good and promoting it. It’s about ‘satisfying customer needs profitably’. And if you don’t do that, your business simply won’t succeed.
These true stories (with false names!) illustrate how two businesses have dealt very differently with their customers’ needs.
Don’t give yourself away for free
When you’re starting in business, it’s very tempting to offer free “taster sessions” in order to get people to try your service or product. It also helps you to feel productive and that you’re doing some work, even if you’re not getting paid.
But just think about this for a moment. What does it say about your business?
At best, it tells everyone you’re quiet enough to be doing things for free, and at worst it makes you look desperate.
How easy is it to buy your service?
Many of us run businesses that have a broad offering. We provide a range of products or services, depending on what our clients need. When we’re talking to a specific customer then it’s relatively easy to define their problem and find a solution.
But when talking to a group of people with different needs, it’s very difficult to generalise, and can lead to people either feeling confused or simply overwhelmed with too much information. How can we overcome ‘information overload’?
