Blog Category: marketing
Marketing January 16, 2009
Concluding our topic of marketing this week, consider the idea that almost every interaction with others can be seen as a marketing event.
Why is this true? Because every time we’re . . .
* Educating others
* Keeping or breaking promises, and
* Influencing
. . . we’re marketing.
The implications are huge. The way you answer the phone . . . is a marketing event. How promptly you respond to emails. Whether or not your shoes are shined. The consistency with which your employees treat customers as individuals. Your reputation. Tone of voice. Reliability. Performance. Attitude. Sincerity. Etc.
Sure, marketing can be performed on a corporate level with huge budgets, but marketing is also an everyday event.
Where and how can you have an immediate, positive impact by viewing marketing as something that you can always do? What are the implications for you in both the personal and professional aspects of your life?
Marketing January 15, 2009
Continuing our discussion of marketing, we’ve noted that:
* Marketing is education
* You and your brand have a set of brand promises
* Regular contact with Centers of Influence is key
Today, let’s focus on how much time you can spend on marketing and how we make sure that that time occurs. We can use the CFR Tools to support your marketing efforts.
Please give some thought today to how to *assure* that you provide a specific range of time to marketing each week – which will, in turn, provide reliability to your sales and marketing efforts.
Marketing January 14, 2009
This week’s topic: Marketing.
Let’s get highly practical and try something profoundly simple. Centers of Influence (COI’s) are those people who are well-positioned to help you – personally and / or professionally.
Thus, marketing to that core group is vital. Simple is often best, so consider the following. Create a basic Excel worksheet. List the top 25 or 30 people who have the most ability to influence your life in a positive way.
Create six columns for the next six months, and map out how you’ll be in touch with each person. Choose from emails, meals, golf, articles sent, gifts, coffee, birthday card, etc. Arrange the tasks so that you can easily take the time to have the right amount of each category. Look for ways to help those people, and include those in your chart as well.
Work the chart every month. The logic is simple. You’re marketing to “your” most important group – those people could could influence your life in a positive way – on a regular monthly basis. You’re interacting with them in a wide variety of ways.
Most importantly, your contact is consistent: at least one time per month for at least six months.
Common sense relationship building is simple – and simple is often better!
Marketing does not have to be expensive.
Marketing January 13, 2009
Yesterday, we began discussing marketing and the “promises” that make up your personal and professional brands.
Here’s one easy perspective on marketing: it’s educating others. As Robert G. Allen says:
“No matter what your product is, you are ultimately in the education business. Your customers need to be constantly educated about the many advantages of doing business with you, trained to use your products more effectively, and taught how to make never-ending improvement in their lives.”
How can you do a better job about educating people about your brand promises? How would you rate your abilities as a educator-marketer – and why?
Marketing January 12, 2009
In our continuing consideration of topics which impact how we produce results in all aspects of our lives, let’s challenge ourselves to dramatically improve our marketing!
One of the many ways to understand marketing is that it’s about building and expanding positive awareness in order to increase the likelihood of a desired positive outcome. Businesses “market” so that their “sales” efforts can be more successful.
And, in a very broad sense, each of us “markets” ourselves as a “brand” in all aspects of our lives in ways ranging from personal grooming to choices in where we live.
What kind of marketing plan do you have . . . both personally and professionally . . . for 2009? How much attention will you give to marketing yourself and / or your business or job position?
What kind of breakthroughs in marketing . . . both personally and professionally . . . would make the most difference in 2009? Is there merit in considering yourself as a “brand”?