If you're a relatively new business, you might still be finding your feet in acquiring the "all-rounder" knowledge and skills you need to run a small company.
Some young businesses have told me that, although they're familiar with the main elements of the marketing mix, they don't always know which of these are best suited to their own particular needs. So I've put together an overview here to show how marketing can really help new businesses effectively reach their ideal target audiences.
Initial review
With new clients I always begin by reviewing where they currently are with their business, the goals they want to achieve and the ideal target audience(s) for their products and/or services. The conclusions drawn from this extremely important exercise form the basis of all subsequent marketing activities.
Target audience definition
Knowing who the ideal customers are for your product and/or services, what they want and how they want it delivered is the most important building block for a business. If the initial review of your company highlights any uncertainties about your target audience, these can be clarified through market research, giving you a much clearer picture of your customers' needs.
Marketing plans
If you don't have a marketing plan in place already, don't despair - you're not alone! Once the initial review has been carried out and your target audience defined, a basic plan can be devised for your business.
Competitor analysis
Do you know who your competitors are and what they're doing? It's essential to monitor their activities on a regular basis so that you always know where you're positioned in your market over time and how you can differentiate yourself from them. If you're unsure about what your competitors are doing, researching this area can help bring you up to speed and keep you on the ball!
Website optimisation (SEO)
Do you have a website for your business? How's it doing? If you're concerned about its performance, I can carry out a review to highlight any areas for improvement and identify how it to make it as visible as possible to your target audience and to the search engines.
Website updates
Do you need to update the text content on your website regularly? Some suppliers have a system of charging a minimum fee (for example, one hour) for such work, but my approach is to only charge for the actual time it takes to do the update. In this way, you won't have to wait until you've amassed enough changes to justify the minimum fee and you can have your site updated when YOU want, at a reasonable cost.
Advertising and publicity
If you've already tried some advertising, how did it do? Did it bring revenues to your company? Or did it feel like a waste of money? Each opportunity (free or paid for) is examined carefully and assessed for its appropriateness to your needs. Campaigns include identifying publicity targets, writing appropriate material and sending and following up on pitches. If you're already using a PR agency, I can support their efforts with strategic marketing ideas and input.
Exhibitions
Thinking of exhibiting at a show? I have years of experience in planning company stands at exhibitions. We can review the opportunities and asess which ones are the best match for your needs.
Copywriting and proof reading
This includes writing a wide range of marketing copy, from website text to adverts, newsletters, brochures and fliers, or proof reading any copy you might have written yourself and would like reviewed. Services in book editing and the preparation of book proposals for agents and publishers are also available.
For detailed examples of the work I do, see my clients section. If you'd like to discuss your own particular requirements, please feel free to contact me for advice.
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