Smart Marketing Advice from Female Friendly Accredited Business PROVEN MARKETING

Planning
The most important stage of your marketing process is to have a plan. Do you have a clear view of what you want to achieve and how this will occur? Putting a plan in place will ensure all your marketing works together to create a consistent and compelling influence on consumers to buy your product or service and identify with your brand.

Yes they take some time, but you can find a good marketing template at: http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/PC_63397.html

Your marketing plan is likely to include some of “The Marketing Ps”, product, place, price, positioning, packaging, publicity, promotion, the list goes on! In this article, I’ll focus on promotion as a way of marketing your brand.

Promotion
There are three key areas to consider when planning a promotional campaign:

Target market
Message
Frequency
Target Market
Who are you talking to? This might sound simple, but I have so many people say, “Oh we target everyone from 18-80…we appeal to them all!” Quite simply, no you don’t.

There are a set of defining characteristics or behaviours that make your customers buy your product or service. While those things may be difficult to discern in some cases, and you may not have the budget to do market research to find out, consider this:

“If you talk to everyone, nobody listens. Talk to one person and everybody eavesdrops.”

So pick your ideal customer, imagine what her life is like and how your product plays a part in it. Then talk to her. This will focus all your marketing efforts on the right person, and other potential customers will sit up and take notice of you.

Message
Once you’ve discovered your ideal customer, you need to create a message that will appeal to her and cut through the masses of other advertising vying for her attention.

The best way to do this is find your point of difference. A point of difference is something that sets you apart from your competitors. A point of difference gives customers an intelligent reason to purchase your product, but the real key is to connect with them on an emotional level and translate this to action.

If you are not confident to do this, seek the assistance of an expert. They will be able to help you express your point of difference in your marketing communications. They will also be able to create a communications schedule that will reach your potential customers at the right times.

Frequency
Consider your brand and your customers as having a friendship. If you don’t talk to your friends eventually you’ll fade into the background and the friendship will die. It’s the same with your brand. You need to keep reminding your customers that you are the right brand for them.

When the time comes, you’ll be first on their shopping list.

For more information on smart marketing and strategic planning, contact:

Alice Hobbs
Marketing Director
Proven Marketing
p. 08 8342 0873
e. alicehobbs@provenmarketing.com.au