Attempting to start or run a business without a marketing strategy is simply not a great idea.
Let me paint the picture. Let’s say you wanted to travel somewhere 3000 miles away. You would probably get a map or some sort, find out timetables and decide best suited mode of transportation.
In other words, you would put a plan in place. You may also devise a strategy like not travelling during snow or rainy season. Straight forward stuff right?
Despite this, many businesses still fail to plan and put strategies in place for success. By failing to plan they are planning to fail.
Marketing and marketing strategy is the central functioning core of every business.
The purpose of marketing according to Brian Tracy, is to ‘create perceptions of unique added value so the customer perceives that your product or service has unique added value in comparison with your competitors. I tend to agree with this perspective.
There are 3 general ways we can create unique perceptions of unique added value are:
1. Producing a quality product – People will always come back to a quality supplier of goods and/or services.
2. Excellent Customer Service – a great service will always ensure customers will see you in a positive light and continue to invest in you and/or your business. This must be maintained from first contact through the entire time using your product/service.
3. Quality Relationships – How people perceive you and your business. It is becoming more obvious in today’s digital age that the quality of our business relationships determine whether we create and keep customers. By taking excellent care of your customers you put your business in line with some of the most profitable and fast growing companies.
I’ve heard it said that people don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons, then justify it logically. Your ability to emotionally connect with your customers will help build a level of trust and value in their eyes which will make them want to continue doing business with you. Remember people want to feel understood and want solutions to there problems.
But I digress…even if you are ticking the boxes for all of these 3 things if you do not have a strategy or multiple strategies in place to market your business it’s all pretty futile. Let’s not forget the age-old question from last week’s blog: ‘If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?’
All businesses need a plan and course of action to succeed. They must be heard and seen. Your business is no exception to this rule……there are no successful exceptions to this rule. Fail to plan. Plan to Fail.
Hopefully something to think about…
Catch you soon!