Do you see marketing as a sprint or a
marathon? Increasingly, marketers are taking the marathon view, developing
their plans to focus on long-term results rather than just “right now” sales.
In this view, marketing has a two-fold purpose: to foster immediate sales and
to plant seeds for tomorrow’s.
First you must identify the factors that
will further your company’s long-term marketing goals. You might not have a
perfect understanding of every looming competitive, economic, legal,
sociological, or technological force, but you can become alert to the
possibilities. Arm yourself with information on the longevity and profit
potential of your present market’s lifecycle as well as budding market
opportunities so you can begin positioning your business for tomorrow today.
Here are a few ways to foster future
business opportunities regardless of your business size or budget.
1. Provide
platinum-standard customer service. Your goal is always to exceed your customers’
expectations, but if you fall short, admit it. Many loyal repeat customers
result from perfectly corrected errors.
2. Cultivate your elite
customers.
Your best customers—those who are easy to work with, who really like you, and
who have a positive history with your company—are a goldmine of quality
referrals. Strengthen existing relationships and build new ones by giving your
top clients and their guests special offers, insights, and previews of your
innovations.
3. Create top-of-mind
awareness. Not
everyone needs your product or service today, but many will at some point in
the future. Capitalize on your vision of emerging needs and trends,
communicated using our suite of multichannel marketing tools and techniques, to
get your product in front of tomorrow’s customers now.
4.
Network. Join a networking group, like BNI, that will
help you in both, creating todays sales but more importantly planing the seeds
for tomorrows sales. Learn to understand the benefits of what a true referral
is.
It takes time for the seeds you plant today
to germinate into future business. Essential to all of this is to communicate
effectively with your target audience. Consult with us to learn how our
technology and expertise can support these efforts.
~
Kelly Mank, President of Time4Printing and The Windham Eagle Newspaper
Kelly@Time4Printing.com
Google+ - Time4Printing
LindedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/KellyMank
Twitter - www.twitter.com/Time4Printing
Google+ - Time4Printing
LindedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/KellyMank
Twitter - www.twitter.com/Time4Printing
No comments:
Post a Comment