The credit crunch is real, but according to one company recently quoted in The Wall Street Journal, “We don’t need loans, we need sales!”
Typically, marketing budgets are often reduced in a downturn. But the need for sales – to generate demand – remains. What to do? Take stock of your marketing messages.
Some companies are so busy trying to sell (with or without marketing support), they’re not taking the time to uncover value that might be buried within the company. The New Year is the perfect time to do some head-down thinking about how you are presenting your company.
Initially, talk to your best customers about why they buy from you. What makes them tick when it comes to your offering? Do a deep dive to uncover all aspects that are relevant to them. Their answers may surprise you.
Also, engage your front line, the sales team. What are they communicating that resonates best with prospects? Think of several ways to get those messages out to the market.
There’s a simple Q&A exercise we often use with our clients to expand their thinking about how they market themselves. Some of the questions include:
What value do you provide to customers outside of the product and service itself? Do you educate and supply resources relevant to their industry?
What else are you really selling? Are you selling trust? Teamwork? Faster delivery? Excellent services? Cost-savings? Expertise? Make a list. Why should customers keep buying from you?
What results are you helping them deliver to their customers? Is what you’re delivering having an impact? Are there internal results, like greater efficiencies, labor-savings, and the like?
What about their larger business environment — their problems and goals? Ask what business problems are you helping the customer solve. Again, think about what goes beyond the product or service itself.
If any part of the value you deliver is related to real expertise, your advice and knowledge is worth just as much as your product or service.
What tips that can be shared about choosing or using your product/service? Use proof points (read hard numbers) about your product and its users.
What staff member knowledge be tapped and shared? Your employees are your brand extensions. What they know can extend your firm’s visibility.
In what specific areas could education of the market be helpful? Give your prospects a walk-through, an introductory session, or a demo on video, and capture the same content in writing for your website, social media and PR programs.
This line of thinking and brainstorming leads easily to a path of new promotional ideas you can use in any medium: online, social, PR, events and trade shows, webinars, ads, blogs, email and direct marketing, etc. And once you have your new idea(s), share them with your customers for feedback. They’re sure to make improvements.
With limited dollars, it’s more important than ever to analyze what you say, and how you say it, in all the ways you face the customer.