I
am sure all of you at one time or another have taken your car in to have the
tires rotated, balanced, and realigned due to all of those potholes and curbs
we hit while driving.
Our
economy has provided us with those potholes in today’s marketplace. So
it has been time and is still time to re-align your marketing.
If
you haven’t adjusted a budget, plan, or tactic in 2009 and 2010 I recommend
that you stop look and listen.
The
marketplace has been changing and will continue to change as consumers and businesses
continue to adjust to tight budgets, new technology, conservative decisions,
environmental changes, and customers that are tired of the same old song and
dance.
When
the market is growing and people are spending they can afford to make a purchasing
mistake and write it off as “oh well”; however in today’s
marketplace customers aren’t forgetting these and are taking their time
before purchasing a service or product.
As
a business you can realign by:
Addressing
customers’ concerns
about the service or product head on.
Develop
a better product or service that will address these weaknesses/concerns
in the marketplace so the purchase decision can be made easier with substantial
reassurance.
Update the message
in all areas, Internet, website, print, and ads to be consistent.
Shorten and tighten up the message for smart phones if applicable
(no flash doesn’t work well).
Don’t bother the customer too much with emails, e-newsletters,
phone calls, etc. because they will disengage today.
Keep in mind if you find it annoying they probably do also, like louder TV
commercials soon to be quieted down, and have already taken a hit by technology
that simply eliminates them.
Be about something instead of just your product/service,
in today’s world we need to all share in the burdens upon us in some
measure. So stand for something or someone, mine happens to be, The Prevention
of Child Abuse.
Select your customers,
if it’s not a good fit avoid it.
Avoid
negative energy, you can’t afford to be drug down by people
unwilling to change or try new techniques. In fact in today’s world
it’s about new technology and more efficient methods that require change
and open minds.
Reviewing
all current channels you use to communicate, since the ownerships, distributions,
and audiences are changing. What didn’t make sense
2-3 years ago may be the best fit for today.
Revise your messages to be current with the times and take new technology
for a spin on social web sites. Facebook is the top social networking site
for retailers. And if you are unsure regarding social networking and your
fit, then simply ride on the tails of tradeshows or professional
organizations you belong to for a feel of this interaction and to see if your
target is participating.
Do not spend excessive time on non-return, unproven, or insufficient
information for promotional tools. Several new marketing techniques can eat
up time and budgets rapidly- so pre-evaluation and post-review are more important
than ever.
Customers will still pay more if they want and understand
that they are getting more or better products/services.
Broaden your contact reach, turnovers and transfers are high
today and you want to stay in touch with your current customers not just your
contact there.
Loyalty
can be replaced by a better value today.
Great
customer service is noticed, call that customer if you are unsure
regarding their request, confirm changes, and follow-up is king.
Do
you have a green fit? Can you make a positive difference in your
product or service regarding the environmental impact it has? Can you form
a green partnership? You have the path because of time, however they have
the product for tomorrow.
Everything
can be measured! Get creative, and by pushing yourself or your marketing
services professional to measure you will improve your promotion, results,
and decisions. If you can’t measure it, how will you know if it is working?
Why would you purchase it?