Five Golden Marketing Guidelines

I am painfully aware that the holiday season has put a premium on time for you (and me). Therefore, to deliver the maximum amount of value in the shortest read possible this month Mosaic Marketing Management offers you not five golden rings, but Five Golden Marketing Guidelines that ring true now and all through the year.

By the way these guidelines have added meaning for those of you still needing to finish your holiday shopping. (You know who you are!) You see gift recipients and your potential customers are not all that different. They both want what they want.

1. Be sure you know your target market

If you don't know who you are selling to (current and future customers and end-users) how can you possibly develop compelling marketing messages or products or services to meet their needs?

In 2007, conducting market research and end user site visits has helped several of my clients better understand who their target markets are and who they aren't.

While research that disproves upfront theories or assumptions can be disappointing the gratifying part is knowing that thousands of marketing dollars and hundreds of man-hours were not wasted on the wrong industries or applications.

Holiday Shopping Implication: Get into the recipient's head and world. Figure out what she likes, what her interests are and what is going to make her really happy. Then shop!

2. Look Beyond the Product "P"

Most business-to-business companies are so comfortable with technology, engineering, and product modifications that unique product packages or product changes or improvements are often hauled out as the first line of defense to competitive challenges in the market place.

These responses are not always wrong, but they are not always right. Some of my clients have benefited this past year by looking more closely at how the other "P's" of marketing (price, place and promotion) can be more effective tools for winning in the market.

Holiday Shopping Implication: Think outside the box, outside your comfort zone. Don't resort to the easy "gift card." Go for something that will delight and surprise - making her forever grateful to you.

3. Get your market positioning right

Know what your company, product or service is all about and how it delivers value to your customers and prospects. This is NOT as hard as it sounds. In fact, in the chapter I wrote for Marketing Magic (below) I cover this topic completely and offer easy steps and templates to think this through.

This positioning statement about your value needs to be the guiding light for your business activities and your starting point for all communication to the marketplace.

Holiday Shopping Implication: Do you want to be known as the aunt or uncle or whatever who always buys gift cards or the one who always knows just want the recipient really wants? Decide who you want to be and act accordingly.

4. Act consistently

It is one thing to know who you are targeting and with what message and which products, it is quite another to market all of that on a consistent basis. In this case marketing consistency is defined on two levels:

• Repeat your communication to your audience often. Remember it takes at least EIGHT exposures to any one message before it is noticed and, possibly, registered in a prospect's head.

• Say the same thing. The more consistent you are in your message and offering to the market the more cost effective your efforts. Change things up too frequently and you lose the value of all the previous messages you've sent.

Holiday Shopping Implication: Be true to your "Positioning" or reputation with gift recipients. If you're known for your sense of humor, then funny gifts that are appropriate and provide value (fun, happiness, joy) are your best bet.

5. Be sure to appreciate customers and end users

This isn't simply yule-inspired good will. Research shows that two-thirds of the customers who stop doing business with a company every year do so simply because they didn't feel that they - or their business- were valued.

Ask yourself, how do we show our appreciation to our valued customers and end users? Some of my clients have implemented loyalty programs and sliding scales for volume discounts to show their appreciation. What makes sense for your business?

Holiday Shopping Implication: This one is just too obvious, isn't it?

Let me take this opportunity to thank you right now for your interest in this newsletter and for past, present, or future business we may have the pleasure to work on together.

From my family to yours, best wishes for a very Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Remember, Mosaic creates customers and increases sales for business-to-business companies through specific project work, on-going retainer assignments or marketing coaching sessions.

Until next year.....

Rosemary Walter
847-483-5018
Rose1Walter@MosaicMM.com

Quote of the Month

© 2007 Rosemary Walter, all rights reserved. You are free to use material from Mosaic's Monthly Marketing Tips in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including a live website link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:

"By Rosemary Walter of Mosaic Marketing Management, Inc. Please visit Rosemary's web site at http://www.MosaicMM.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for business to business companies."