Don’t let your marketing plan sit in a drawer

A friend of mine was recently made redundant from a small manufacturing firm. They appeared to be very successful, had a skilled workforce, were good at what they did and had a reputation for ‘going the extra mile’. However, it transpires that the only people who new this were a small group of loyal customers.

Like a number of small organisations it had developed around the vision of one person, the owner. He new the customers, new what they wanted and developed the company accordingly. All was fine while the customers continued to buy but once they had problems there was an obvious knock on effect.

Some time ago the company had put together a marketing strategy as part of a finance raising plan for the bank but, as is often the case, the strategy document had been put into a drawer and promptly forgotten.  Everyone was busy dealing with existing work for core customers (basicaly making hay while the sun shone) to put any part of the plan into action.

Consequently, the plans to investigate how product design could be adapted never took place, research into potential new markets didn’t happen, exploring diversification and growth within existing larger customers was put to one side.

A marketing plan is an essential tool not something you put together to appease someone and like all tools it has to be used if it’s to acheive results. As the organisation develops and market changes occur so the plan has to be tweaked to keep you on course. Considering the World Cup, think of the plan as a football. Your aim is to score goals and how you move the ball up the field determines how well you do. Each player within the team has a certain skill  and they each play their part. Some may do more with the ball than others but achieve the aim it has to be kept in play and moved around as the field of play changes. You need to be aware of what the opposition are doing at all times or you lose the ball.

If you need help or would like a free one hour review of your current plan text your name or call 07790 012893. www.dlhmarketing.co.uk

Losing out on potential customers

I was looking through the local free newspaper this week and was struck by the number of companies selling the same basic product.  If you were looking for bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms or double glazing you were spoiled for choice and yet none of them really got it right from a marketing point of view. Yes, they provided me with pictures but I know what a window looks like. I new what special offers they had but I also new what their competitors deals were. What each one failed to do was to say how they and their product was different from anyone else and why spending my hard earned cash with them would be the best choice.

So much of this type of local advertising suffers from a lack of understanding the basic principals of marketing and as such they fall into the category of stack em high and sell em cheap without any thought of who or what their potential customer is really looking for – that point of difference that makes me want to place an order with you.

For a free one hour review of your current advertising and marketing activity text your name or call 07790 012893. www.dlhmarketing.co.uk

Is your marketing failing you?

When was the last time you sat back and asked yourself the following?

Are you supplying the the right product/service to the right customer, at the right price, at the time and to the right quality?

If the answer to any of the above is not sure or no you need to review your marketing. You can’t assume, you need to know and your marketing strategy is part of finding out and delivering.

For a free one hour review of your present marketing, text your name or call 07790 012893 or

email david@dlhmarketing.co.uk

www.dlhmarketing.co.uk

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