When you’ve decided to invest some money in marketing activity, it is always a nail-biting time as you sit and wait, hoping that your investment generates some leads, or even better direct sales.
But if you’re not inundated with interested customers, don’t despair. Take a step back and go through this checklist before trying again:
Are your marketing objectives clear?
Decide on a figure or a number that you want to achieve e.g. £5,000 in sales, 30 new orders or 10 enquiries. Decide when you want this to happen by. Check if it is a realistic expectation.
Have you really defined your target market?
Most businesses make this bit too general, thinking they might miss out on opportunities if they narrow it down too much. But in fact the more specific you can be, the more successful you will be because you can really target your messages so that they speak to those people. Mass marketing is best left to the big companies that have gigantic budgets and sell consumer goods like soap and toothpaste.
Are your messages relevant to your audience?
I’m always amazed that some businesses think that if they keep offering 10% discount over and over again, they will eventually get customers. It’s not all about discounts, and it’s not all about repetition, repetition, repetition. In fact, you will probably turn people off very quickly by doing this, as you’re cheapening your product. It’s much better to stress the BENEFITS of your product to the people you’re trying to attract. For example, 10% off a brand new kitchen won’t incentivise someone who’s not even thinking about a new kitchen. And for anyone who IS thinking about a new kitchen, they will have a budget to spend, and if they see what they want, they will generally find a way of affording it. It’s much better to make your product so appealing that they feel they must have it, rather than win the business on price alone. Therefore it’s better to focus on the fact that the kitchen is top-of the range, or handmade in Britain, or that designers will come to your house to create the perfect solution for your family, or that it’s robust and durable for family use etc.
Be specific about the benefits
Point out how your product will benefit them. For example, the product is top-of-the-range so they will be the envy of their friends; it is handmade in Britain so they will be supporting British industry; the cupboards are custom-made so will fit exactly into their kitchen etc.
Is it the first time you’ve advertised or promoted your product?
Don’t forget it normally takes at least 7 exposures to your company name or product before people will buy from you. If you’ve only advertised in a magazine once, don’t be surprised if you get no response at all. You need to create a campaign so that your potential customers start to recognise your product. This can be a combination of messages in different formats e.g. advertising, leaflets through doors, word of mouth, social media, face to face networking etc.
By checking these simple basics, you should find your success rate improves, and if you need some help, email me jane@janebrocklebank.co.uk or call 01628 675584.