Category: Business & Entrepreneurship

5 Secrets to Marketing Magic

"…Because its purpose is to create a customer, business has two—and only two functions: Marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results, all the rest are costs." Peter Drucker

1. Understand Your Product

If you can’t state it, your customers won’t see, understand, or want it

  • What are you REALLY selling?
    You must be able to articulate this is a way that makes others want to buy from you.
  • Features vs Benefits
    Always focus attention on the benefit to your customer as a result of using your product or service.
  • Unique Selling Proposition/Competitive Advantage
    What makes you/your product distinctively different?

2. Have a Marketing Plan

Whatever marketing plan you intend to roll out, test first to measure your success probability and to reduce the risk of failure. Test prices. . .Test product. . .Test headlines. . .Test everything. Have a diversified effort and then continue to test EVERYTHING. Some areas to consider:

  • Public Relations
  • Publicity
  • Direct Mail
  • Personal Selling
  • Trade Shows/Industry Participation
  • Newsletters
  • Specialty Items
  • Articles, Books, eBooks & eProducts
  • Speeches, Seminars, Workshops
  • Referrals
  • Networking
  • Ads – newspapers, signs, flyers, radio, TV, Yellow Pages, etc.
  • Thank you notes & gifts
  • Coupons, Special Offers, etc.
  • Websites, email signatures, etc.

3. Understand Your Customer

How do you create real value? By understanding what's important to your customer or client…and then providing it

  • Who is your “ideal” client?
    Ask yourself:
    "What do I know about them, their buying/spending habits?"
    "Where would my customer look for me?" Then make sure you put "yourself" (your coupons, advertisements, website address, etc.) in the places where they can find you.
  • What do your clients need? How can you find out?
    Ask your clients:
    "How can I help you?"
    "How can I make it easy for you to buy from me?"
    And of course: "What else?" (do you want, need, wish to tell me…)

4. Value Existing Customers

  • Follow their needs
    You can use a simple data base to track customer buying patterns as well as the effectiveness of your marketing plan. Determine the "lifetime" value of your customers and clients, and continue to find ways to keep them loyal by providing what they want and need.
  • Special offers/preferential treatment
    Existing customers have already made a commitment (they've spent money with you), don't reserve your “specials” just for new customers – reward the loyal (existing) ones, too. It's much easier and more cost effective to sell to existing customers than to try to find new ones. Surprise and delight your existing customers by giving them "freebies" or added value from time to time.

5. Collaborative Marketing

  • Networking

    • Networking is really relationship building. When you want to expand your market, an effective way to have instant credibility is to use the influence of someone who is well respected. Remember to provide value, not only in the product or service you are offering to the "new" network, but also to the person who is introducing you to their network.

  • Host/Beneficiary Relationship
    Consider who you know that you could "team up with". People with complimentary businesses (those who market to similar customers) provide a great non-competitive way to expand your own customer base. (It works the other way, too!) By the way, have you ever asked your suppliers or vendors for help in growing your business? They have an interest in keeping you in business, too.
  • Referrals
    Remind your customers that your business grows through their referrals. And then, make sure you thank and give value back to those who are willing to share their satisfaction of your services with others.

What makes some businesses more successful in the marketplace? They continue to explore new ways to bring in business. Remember what marketing guru Jay Abraham has to say about your marketing plan:

When you limit your business to doing things the same way every other competitor of yours does it, you can only produce modest, incremental gains at best.

© 1998-2001 – Katie Darden, Career Life Institute

Dead Horses

Many times we ignore the obvious, believing to be "too simple" or not appropriate for the current situation. The following "article" has been making its way around the Internet… We received this version in one of many newsletters to which we subscribe. Which of the strategies provided below mirrors that of your organization?

Dakota Sioux tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.

However, in managing any business we often try other strategies with dead horses, including the following:

  1. Buying a stronger whip.
  2. Changing riders.
  3. Saying things like "This is the way we always have ridden this horse."
  4. Appointing a committee to study the horse.
  5. Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
  6. Increasing the standards to ride dead horses.
  7. Appointing a tiger team to revive the dead horse.
  8. Creating a training session to increase our riding ability.
  9. Comparing the state of dead horses in today's environment.
  10. Change the requirements declaring that "This horse is not dead."
  11. Hire contractors to ride the dead horse.
  12. Harnessing several dead horses together for increased speed.
  13. Declaring that "No horse is too dead to beat."
  14. Providing additional funding to increase the horse's performance.
  15. Do a CA Study to see if contractors can ride it cheaper.
  16. Purchase a product to make dead horses run faster.
  17. Declare the horse is "better, faster and cheaper" dead.
  18. Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.
  19. Revisit the performance requirements for horses.
  20. Say this horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.
  21. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Successful Entrepreneurship – Achieving the American Dream

Note: This article was written in 1999, but the trends continue along the same lines, making it relevant today.

Did you know the number of women owned businesses increased 89% over the past decade to an estimated 8.5 million? Or that during that time they generated $3.1 trillion in revenue, a 209% increase after adjusting for inflation? The Small Business Administration’s Office on Advocacy recently completed their Women in Business statistical report, and concludes that the projected growth rate through the year 2000 and beyond will continue to outpace the overall rate of businesses in the United States.

For those of us in business, it’s truly an exciting time. For those of us considering our own business, help can be found. Organizations such as the North Coast Small Business Develop Center (NCSBDC) and the Women Entrepreneurs Institute often sponsor entrepreneurship courses to assist budding entrepreneurs to overcome barriers and pitfalls on the road to success.

By the year 2000, it’s expected that women-owned sole proprietorships will number 7.1 million, or 35% of all sole proprietorships, an increase of 33% over the preceding decade, compared to an overall increase of 23%. The Office of Advocacy also estimates that by the year 2005, there will be 4.7 million self-employed women, an increase of 77% since 1983, along with an increase of 6% in self-employed men. More and more of us are opting to be our own bosses.

But where do you start? How do you get going so you can be part of the growing numbers of entrepreneurs and self-employed? What if you’re not sure about your business idea? Identifying and tapping into your resources is the way to start. Taking a course in entrepreneurship or business plan writing will give you the opportunity to clearly identify your business concept and what it has to offer; to research and analyze your markets, your customers and your competition; to fully develop your business plan; and to consider how much cash you need to get started and keep going.

Extensive resource materials are available from the Small Business Development Centers and the Western Entrepreneurial Network at the University of Colorado (Denver). Although it may initially seem to be a lot of work, when you take the time to research and develop the specific components of your business plan you will create the necessary foundation to start a new business or restructure an existing business for growth and expansion. And completing a business plan is essential to secure the funding you need.

A good course will help you define your dream. It will include real world experience and advice from local business owners who have successfully faced the same challenges. And along the way, you must use your networking skills to begin to build your own support network of business and financial professionals from among the other participants, speakers and the business world.

Nearly three-quarters of all women-owned firms accessed some type of credit in 1993, with one half using traditional loans and 60% using nontraditional sources. Whether you’re just starting up, or expanding an existing business, cash is still king (or queen). A good course will cover cash flow issues and financial statements, and provide some kind of access to representatives from local financial institutions who can explain available funding sources and share information about what is needed from you to access these resources. Your local SBDC will also be able to provide feedback on various aspects of your business plan. They may even have automated business plan software that can assist in putting your plan together into a professional package.

Not surprisingly, more than 60% of women-owned businesses were operated in the home when they were first established. With the use of today’s technology, and one really good idea, anyone can be “up and running” in a short time. If you or someone you know has an interest in fulfilling your own American Dream of becoming an entrepreneur, entrepreneurial training can be an inexpensive way to insure you learn how to build the foundation and network for success.

By Katie Darden
(Note: If you would like more information about local classes e-mail the Career Life Institute at info@careerlife.net,

Diversify Your Marketing Strategy

Marketing is always a "hot" topic for business owners. Jay Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing, shared some of his marketing strategies for business owners at the Eureka Inn last spring, and they are well worth reviewing.

Investing your time, energy and imagination into your marketing is essential for your success. Just as synergy works between people, implementing marketing combinations has a greater chance of creating a successful business.

Some of the marketing strategies Jay Levinson highlighted are:

  1. Have a Marketing Plan. It should only be 7 sentences long—which forces you to focus.

  2. Develop a Marketing Calendar. Project over the next year what you are doing each month to promote your business. This prevents emergencies and makes decisions easier.

  3. Create a marketing niche for your business. Be sure all your promotional materials reflect what you stand for.

  4. Make sure the name of your company is easily understood.

  5. Create an Image based on truth and honesty. You want your Image to identify you and to let people know what to expect.

  6. Create an eye-catching logo that stands out and use it on all your promotional materials. Use color to your advantage. Most people remember something they see better than something they hear.

  7. Develop a theme for your business—a set of words that summarizes your company and what you stand for. This should be something you can live with in the future. Your theme will get stronger over time.

  8. Your stationary makes a statement about the quality of you and your company.

  9. Your business cards are a great marketing tool. People enjoy getting lots of information on a small space. Be sure to include your fax number, e-mail, web-site, etc. You could even include your theme.

  10. Have Inside Signs—information in your office that promotes several things you are doing or other services you are offering. 74% of all purchases are made at the "point of purchase." Make it easy for your client to purchase from you.

  11. Have Outside Signs—that represent you well. Look for places where you can put up your business cards, flyers or signs about your business.

  12. Provide EASY access to your business—preferably 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This can be done by having e-mail or voice mail: a way for folks to be in contact. Be flexible, and make it convenient for your clients/customers to contact you.

  13. Think of your business as a package. Make sure it conveys your identify. This includes your reception area and office, how your telephones are answered and how your clients/customers are greeted. "Neatness" is a quality that reflects how you run your business.

  14. Remember "quality" no longer sets you apart—it's now the price of admission. "Innovation" is the key for the 21st Century.

  15. Recognize the importance of "word of mouth" marketing. The moment of maximum satisfaction is within the first 30 days. Happy customers will be glad to share their good fortune (and your brochures) with people they know. Create a flyer or brochure that can be sent to new interested people. Think about other places potential customers are likely to patronize and put promotional pieces in such places.

  16. Community involvement is a great way to meet new potential customers and clients. People prefer to so business with people they know. Let people know what you do and promote your business wherever you are.

  17. Referrals are your greatest source of new customers. Ask for referrals—3-5 names of people who would like to be on your mailing list or who would benefit from you service. And don't be shy about following up on these referrals. Once a year, send letters to your old customers and ask for referrals. (Send a reply envelope to make it easier for them to respond.)

  18. Stay in contact with your clients and offer follow-up services or products as needed.

  19. Share with groups (such as Business Connections) about what marketing strategies worked or didn't work for you.

  20. Guarantees are mandatory in the 90's; you must always stress your guarantee.


© 1997, Katie Darden and Gabrielle Parkinson