Commercial managers sometimes forget how important the sales and marketing elements are to their success in business. They become so hide-bound by administration that they overlook this vital element of commercial life. It is always an after thought, or they just can't or won't find the time to manage it properly. And yet, if there are product and services to be sold, they should be doing so in the most cost effective and profitable way, maximizing the market exposure and the returns on investment. This holds true for small single owner business as much as for huge corporations.
If customers are not aware of the product they will not buy it, and if they don't buy it, it is impossible to generate a profit. The very essence of marketing is to bring to the market a product it wants, and to package and price it correctly so that it makes a profit for the business. Responsibility for the effectiveness of this falls to the sales and marketing department.
Individuals have their preferences. Some prefer direct mail marketing, others prefer network marketing while a large number lean more and more towards email marketing. But whatever the preference, the marketing strategy and all it entails is a vital step. It is the driver needed to succeed for both you personally and the business overall.
Training seminars and events should be attended often by all those operating in the sales and marketing arena. Selling is a skill that comes naturally to some, but not to most. Yet it is possible to master these skills so they become more like drills. With a well thought out training and development program, the most suitable response on the part of the salesman should be second nature. Also with marketing, one should be able to respond instinctively and creatively.
There is such a choice of media now that for the marketers it can be overwhelming. The power of the internet and the universal ownership of televisions mean that a vast number of people and markets can be reached quickly - almost instantly. A quick review of what people enter into the search engines also helps paint a picture of the market psychology. It is amazing how people type words in an almost random order. Did you know that one of the phrases most looked for in the search engines is 'engine marketing search'. It's a funny way to do it, but more than 1 million searches do so each month. Why do they reverse the words? I don't know - but it is important to know that they do so marketing strategy can reflect these things where necessary.
Some managers will opt to delegate everything to a marketing agency. The difficulty here is that many would like to seize the opportunity to do their own thing at your expense. They can be like architects who do the same. If you opt for a marketing agency to rn and manage your campaign, you cannot afford to do so without first presenting the agency with a full and detailed marketing brief. The aim of this is not to limit their creativity, but to keep it focussed on your needs and not theirs. All this of course should be underpinned by solid market research.
At its most basic level, both selling and marketing are about the art of communications and the best choice of media for the markets to be targeted. It has to be said however, that not all possible clients and customers should be treated to the same method or system. For example, wholesale and retail markets will attract different methods of communication by the sales team. Again, if a product is to be sold in a store or shop, it is not the same approach as advertising an article to be sold at auction. Each market niche needs its own type and style of advertisement. Ads will have to designed to appeal to that niche, and it is important to understand the socio-demographics of the niche to get this right.
The real secret of success here is to start to do things differently. The old maxim about being surprised when there is no change in circumstances while you continue to do things in the same way stands as an eternal truth. I would encourage anyone to go and see, hear and / or read what Dan Kennedy has to say on this subject. A quick Google search will reveal a wealth of material. My best counsel is that you should note well what he has to say. Dan is one of the foremost sales and marketing consultants in America.
Sales And Marketing Publications
People who are operating at the poverty-, working-, and middle-class levels of their lives are always getting ready to get started toward their goals. The poverty class will find work once the economy improves; the working class is getting ready to move from midnight shift to a day shift; the middle class is going to go back to college one of these days. All have good intentions; yet rarely move beyond their intentions. They anxiously spend countless days and hours waiting when the time will be better for them to begin. They are waiting for their emotions to motivate them to action, and as a result, they become imprisoned by their feelings. The champion-class, or self-employed champions are masters over their emotions; they know that waiting to make their next move is a losing proposition. If they wait, they will loose the client and the sale.
So let me ask you this, do you often stop your sales and marketing because of anxiety, and didn't know where it was coming from? Have you experienced a fear of success, fear of rejection or a fear of failure? I don't think I know anyone who's not experienced some form of fear of rejection when marketing themselves, especially to a different gender, or a different culture. I think it's inherent in many of us. Problem is, it holds us back from doing what it takes to follow up with prospects and to get clients. And we need to tame that fear in order to consistantly fill your practice to capacity and make this year the most prosperous year yet.
What does fear do? Well, fear keeps people from closing the sale, from writing that book, from asking for testimonials, from collaborating with strategic alliances. You've heard me say this before: if you don't market today, you won't have clients in three months. Then your small business has really become just a hobby.
Now, my business mentors have shown me that there is more to getting clients than the outer game of marketing. There's also an inner game of your mindset and beliefs, your paradigms. If you don't deal with the paradigms, then you'll keep making the same money you've been making for years to come. Now I prefer to take more time off, while attracting more clients and makeing more money. Why would I want to work 50+ hours a week on my own business, when I can do that at a corporate job?
So, I went on a search by talking to self-employed (6 and 7 figure) champions to find out how they became masters of their emotions. Here is what I've found... most business coaches and motivational speakers would lead you to believe that success or failure in your business is totally dependent upon your goals. While goals are essential and a person cannot be truly successful without them, there are many people who have goals and still do not have enough clients to fill their practice. The goal was never the problem. The real problem lies in their motivation. Unfortunately, this concept is only understood by two or three people out of 100.
Having a better understanding of your Motivational Gap, the gap between your vision and your business reality, is the key to financial freedom and will guide you down the right road towards your ideal clients.
I've broken down the Motivational Gap into a series of steps, so that when done in sequence, it will help you eliminate the fears that hold you back from marketing with local and global clients in a big wildly wealthy way. Here's what you do:
1. What truly motivates you? Think of a client situation where you were highly motivated and would have been an excellent role model for others to emulate.
2. Describe the ideal vision of what you want your business to look like, and the revenue results you want in your business.
3. Describe where your business is now.
The gap between where you are versus where you want to be is what creates the motivation. Goals that are too small create very low or no motivation and yet goals that are too big seem impossible, thereby making it difficult to create any energy. To reach your client and revenue goals, you need to be motivated by the gap!
Do the exercie above immediately. Take an afternoon, and really work through what motivates you. Soon, you'll notice that you will start attracting more clients than before, taking advantage of opportunities, doing joint ventures, and getting better results in marketing. That immediately equals more results, and in my experience, financial freedom and being able to live the life you really want.
Both John Campbell & Kim Schott are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
John Campbell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interview Questions, Fitness and Language. I want to help you succeed, and I know that The Magnetic Marketing System Tool Kitis the system to help you do that. Look into it today and learn how you can. John Campbell's top article generates over 6600 views. Bookmark John Campbell to your Favourites.
Kim Schott has sinced written about articles on various topics from Leadership, A Secured Loan and Top Accounting Firms. Kim Schott, created the Keys to Client Communication System to help struggling self-employed professionals master Client Attraction Marketing while increasing their revenue, and taking more time off. Signup for our FREE eZine ($107 value) by visiting. Kim Schott's top article generates over 4400 views. Bookmark Kim Schott to your Favourites.
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