How Many Ways Can We Market Our Businesses?

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Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, it's a bird, it's a plane, NO IT’S SUPERMAN. 

That is the new found respect that we have for Marketing Professionals and the Marketing Manager. The reason for that is the amount of choices we all have in marketing our businesses today. Many years ago, when I went to college, I was crazy enough to major in marketing. Why crazy? Because for the next 40 years I have spent time explaining the difference between Marketing and Advertising. Actually, many people referred to our major as Marketing and Advertising, which of course it was NOT. Advertising is a tool for marketing--just one of many important tools. 

So, have my years of explaining paid off and are those explanations part of the reason for our new found success? I wish, but NO. The reason for this new image that marketing people have is because of the confusion and fear businesses and the people that own them have in selecting or making the right marketing choices. After all, it has been proven time and again that the best product isn’t always the best seller. Give me a good product or service with a compelling marketing message and I’ll show you a winner. 

Years ago, it was much simpler and back then you could justify why the word adverting was used. The marketing manager’s job almost always revolved around adverting. That is no longer the case. The purpose of this article is to create a list of marketing options, or tools you can employ, to build your business. One word of caution: the goal is to get the best value for our marketing dollars. There are thousands of ways to market a business and thousands of ways to spend money. The goal is to get the highest and most profitable sales volume while spending the least amount of money. I’m not talking about cutting corners--I’m talking about the basic philosophy. 

Let’s first define what marketing is. It is the way your product, service, or store is positioned and promoted to the eyes of your customer.

When considering marketing tactics or tools there are 3 criteria to consider: 

1. Cost

2. Time

3. Contacts 

Here are some more popular marketing concepts: 

1. SLOW DRIP Marketing
   This is the long term & consistent marketing and advertising approach which keeps your name in front of potential customers. This method has been adopted by Coca Cola and is used in any business that opts for small, long-term, consistent advertising.

2. The Blitz
   The Blitz means you are going to spend all of your money and efforts during a short 1-2 month push. We are exposed to this type of marketing on an ongoing basis. 

3. The Marketing Plan
   Know where you are going, how you are going to get there, and how to evaluate your results. 

4. PR Marketing

   1. Creating the Buzz

   2. You Tube

   3. The event

   4. Electronic Pay per Click 

5. Inbound Marketing
   Positioning your business, as where people seek you out as opposed to you seeking them. 

6. Educational Marketing
   Teaching your customers as you subtly sell them. 

7. Positioning not Promotion
   These are the new buzz words of this millennium 

8. Social Media Marketing
   There is no silver bullet here. You have to establish yourself and become a credible source. 

9. Infomercials
   Late night TV 

10. Partner Marketing
    Ask what you can do for your partners and ask what they can do for you. 

11. Keeping in Touch--Marketing to existing customers
    This is the follow through that takes place after the sale. 

12. Testimonial Marketing
    As used in most infomercials, it’s merely a section of contacts. 

13. Coupon Marketing 

14. Website Marketing
    Finding ways to bring more people to your website. 

15. The Blog 

16. The Expert Marketing

    1. Board of Directors

    2. Board of Advisors 

17. Word of Mouth Advertising

    1. Creating a Buzz

    2. Getting people to talk about you 

18. Creating Multiple Sales

    1. The sales path

    2. How to up-sell

    3. Know which sales method you adopt

    4. Multiple sales through brand building

    5. Types of selling

    6. Direct mail 

Next week, I will start discussing all of these different techniques and initiatives and add some meat to the bone. This will make it easier for you to better understand the best tools to use in marketing your business.