| Marketing is what 99% of businesses fail to do | | | | speaking. Actual clients is really want you want and |
| correctly. Many small business owners recognize this | | | | may involve trade shows where you have greater |
| deficiency and hire marketing firm. Yet, the results are | | | | access to potential clients. |
| not what are promised after these small business | | | | 4. Set a time frame for the marketing firm's |
| owners have spent their limited resources of time, | | | | performance Establish a time frame for the marketing |
| money and energy. From my experiences as a | | | | campaign. A marketing campaign is very similar to a |
| business coach to help my clients with their process | | | | goal. All goals should include a target date or time |
| improvement plans to their strategic plans, I have | | | | frame as should your marketing. |
| identified these 7 marketing tips to help any business | | | | 5. Measure all results of the marketing firm's efforts |
| increase sales. | | | | Marketing needs to deliver results. Let me repeat this: . |
| | | | These results which should have already been |
| 1. What are the clients' results from their marketing | | | | identified can be increased marketing awareness |
| solutions? li> The first question you should ask: | | | | through surveys to actual increase in number of |
| "What are the results that your marketing firm has | | | | incoming phone calls, Internet visitors, etc. |
| delivered to your clients within my industry? All | | | | 6. Ask about the percentage of direct mail versus |
| marketing efforts should be directly tied to specific | | | | television, print, or other media? Marketing employs |
| results and measured on a regular basis. If the | | | | various delivery vehicle. Television, radio, print and |
| marketing firm cannot answer this question, quickly and | | | | billboard deliver impressions. Direct marketing focuses |
| positively, then you may be talking with the wrong | | | | on ctual contacts. Marketing research still supports that |
| marketing firm. | | | | direct mail is the most successful form as it secures |
| 2. Talk to at least 2 to 5 of the potential marketing | | | | the most consistent measurable outcomes. For |
| firm's clients By talking to existing or past clients will | | | | example, 1000 piece direct professional mail campaign |
| help you determine if this marketing firm is the right fit | | | | will deliver 1% to 2% rate. |
| for you. This is much like asking and checking | | | | 7. Look for a call to action in current marketing |
| references on a potential employee. | | | | samples The existing marketing samples should show |
| 3. Determine if you want branding, name recognition or | | | | a call to action. Many marketing firms fail to include this |
| actual clients Before you meet with the firm, you need | | | | simple action that will generate you more sales. |
| to determine if you want name recognition, name | | | | After working with numerous small business clients, I |
| branding or actual clients. Each of these determinations | | | | have personally witnessed a lot of poor marketing |
| will deliver a different marketing strategy. For example, | | | | campaigns being delivered with very expensive price |
| name recognition can be delivered by television, radio, | | | | tags. Taking the time to review these marketing tips in |
| print or billboard advertising. Name branding may | | | | your selection of a marketing firm should truly help you |
| require more expenditures using this media or from | | | | increase sales by uniting your marketing plan to your |
| other marketing strategies such as article writing or | | | | sales plan. |