Posts Tagged ‘Strategy’
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
2010 is the year that online marketing trends really take off. Businesses, moms, companies, vendors, consumers are all out there cruising the web. Twitter, Facebook, Google, iPhone apps, Bogs, YouTube: are the new vernacular and everybody using it and doing it. If you are out to market your goods, turn on your computer and get to work.
With real time benefits, more interaction and connectivity, and audience engagement, online marketing has become more hands on than ever before. For the first time, business can begin to understand their audience in an up close and personal manner. Who they are, where they spend their time online and how they spend their money–and use that knowledge to create strategy accordingly. Business have already started to employ SEO, RSS syndication, bookmarking, pull marketing, and audience sourcing through Social Media  platforms to get their products/services directly to their market.
It is important to remember, although marketing is taking a turn to digital, creating synergy between online and traditional campaigns is still crucial to effectively reaching your marketing aspirations. By employing traditional techniques like using a consistent brand and message identity across all channels and understanding objectives and metrics, utilizing these tools to the online sphere will boost any marketing campaign.
Tags: audience engagement, online marketing trends, SEO, small business, social media, Strategy, synergy
Posted in Branding, Marketing, Small Business News, Strategy | No Comments »
Friday, January 8th, 2010
We’ve all made our New Year’s Resolutions: eat healthier, save money, join a book club, spend more time with family. Having this firmness of purpose is what is so exhilarating about resolutions. Why stop at personal resolutions, why not apply them to your business? This year make determined resolves for your business.
It’s a New Year. A clean slate, a fresh start. New goals, objectives, ambitions, and metrics. While we slowly climb out of this recession, now is the time to focus on cost-effective solutions that will jump-start the New Year and allow you to make the most of your resources and get you to where you need and want to be. The New Year allows you to refocus, update expectations, set new benchmarks and ultimately strategize how you will reach your aspirations for the year. Where to begin?
Start at your vision statement. Where do you see your business headed? How do you want it to operate? What will it be in the future? What are your core values and how can those attributes make your vision a reality? After defining your vision and clearly articulating it, move on to your mission statement.
Compose your mission statement with your vision in mind. Ask yourself what the main strategic intent of your business is. What are your essential competencies? By understanding your purpose and aim as a company, and using your attributes to your advantage you can set focused, targeted goals.
New Year’s Resolutions have a bum rap for always getting thrown out the window around week three. This year, resolve to stay on track.
 Mission Statements Inlaid with Vision
Tags: Business, core values, cost-effective, goals, mission statement, New Year resolutions, Strategy, vision statement
Posted in Strategy | No Comments »
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
 It’s one of the biggest challenges companies face. They spend a large portion of time and resources to get it right and it’s ever-evolving: reaching your target market. But, there are some ways to make this process easier, less stressful and more educational along the way.
Research is the keystone of developing successful ways to reach your market. With accurate research in place, choosing the most effective way to reach your audience becomes an easier, less painful process. Often times when confronted with a vast amount of information, it’s easy to lose track and focus. Here’s a list of questions that will get the ball rolling in the right direction and help you reach your target demographic:
- Who is your target audience?
- Where are they located?
- Are you using the most efficient platform to reach them?
- How do you want them to feel about your brand?
- Who is your competition?
- Are they doing anything you’re not?
In answering these questions, you will have a solid foundation off which to build your next marketing move. Having a strategy and positioning in place will help your company garner their desired results from marketing.
Tags: demographic, Marketing, niche market, positioning, research, Strategy, target audience, target demographic, target market
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
The monetary benefits of online marketing have recieved a lot of attention lately. Sure, online marketing can increase your ROI and expand your market share–but there are other benefits to taking your marketing to the online world. Marketing online vastly increases the scope and diversity of your audience, but decre ases their attention span. So here are a few quick tips to make generating buzz about your compay online a breeze.
1. Bee Consistent
Make sure that everything from your branding to your content is on point. Since audience members have many different opportunities to interact with your brand, you want to make sure that your brand message is clear, concise and consistent. You don’t want to confuse your audience by sending mixed signals!
2. Bee Everywhere
With so many new online outlets and networks, it can be hard to keep up! But it’s crucially important to use as many marketing channels as possible to your advantage. Determine what platforms are right for you, and be sure to keep updated and relevant information on all of them.
3. Bee Engaging and Interactive
Online marketing provides you with the opportunity to engage with your customers on their turf. Don’t be afraid of this unfamiliar territory. Dive right in–explore, interact and, most of all, have fun getting to know your consumers! They’ll appreciate your time and attention.
4. Bee Unique
With so many other brands out there, you want to make yours stand out! Your audience now has the power to determine their brand experience, so creating a fresh, unique and relatable perspective is key. Following these tips will help your brand bee a winner on the online market!
Tags: bee, buzz, Marketing, marketing platform, online marketing, public relations, small busness, social media, Strategy
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
 Everyone’s feeling a little spunky around this time of year. Those of you who are still in touch with their inner child are looking forward to Halloween and dressing up. Those who have children are busy buying and coordinating costumes. We all look forward to this day to put on our wildest and enjoy the anonymity. However, this isn’t the mentality you should use when dressing for a networking event.
Uncertainty of what to wear plagues even the most seasoned of networkers. You want to be comfortable, but you want to make the right impression. You don’t want to be overdressed or worse, under-dressed. Finding that happy medium can be difficult, but there are a few tricks that may turn your next event into a real treat!
The first clue you can use to dig into your closet is the location of the event. Ask yourself: What is the setting? Is it at a bar? A five-star hotel? An office? Each of these locations presents different wardrobe options. For example, if you’re going to the second floor of a bar for a happy hour networking event, the dress code is more casual and relaxed. That being said, never dress below business casual. Remember, you are looking to meet people to do business with in some capacity, you want to present yourself in a professional manner.
Depending on your dress code at work, office wear can sometimes become tiresome. Networking events are a great, and an important, place to market yourself within the company. Feel stifled by your everyday wear? Accessorizing for events is the simplest way to spice up your wardrobe and add your own unique flavor without looking like a clown.
Happy Halloween and Happy Dressing!
Tags: networking, small business, social networking, Strategy
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
 Direct mailing marketing campaigns are quickly becoming a thing of the past. With the evolution of the digital world, people are spending hours upon hours each day in their email accounts and emailing has emerged as a primary form of communication. Although other media to reach your consumer have arrived on the scene, email is still a great way to stay connected to your clients and the benefits of email marketing are numerous. Email marketing allows you to send your network or current and potential customers information about your business, news updates or promotional offers. Not sure where to start with email marketing? Here are a few tips to get the ball rolling.
1. Choose a platform.
There are several platforms that you can use to distribute your email marketing. Find one that fits your needs and budget. Having trouble picking a platform? Check out some of the Perks recommendations.
2. Determine a strategy.
Ask yourself what you want your email marketing efforts to be used for. What is the end goal? Do you want to send your customers and network news? Promotional offers? Think about who will be reading your emails and the action you want them to take. Do you want them to visit your website? Call your office for a quote? Once you figure out what action you would like to be the result of your campaign, you can lay the foundation for successful email marketing.
3. Brand your email
Whenever you give a consumer information about your business, make sure it’s branded! Carefully craft content that is consistent with your brand identity and delivers the information in an action-oriented and empowering way. Design your email to make it visually appealing and make sure that it matches the rest of your branded materials.
Once your email platform, strategy and branding are in place, you are ready to reach out to your network in a tactical and decisive manner. Check out a few other email marketing tips and tricks to maxamize your email marketing efforts!
Tags: e-marketing, email marketing, eMarketing, Marketing, online marketing, small business, Strategy
Posted in Marketing | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Traditionally, all marketing is executed with the 4 P’s in mind:
- Price
- Product
- Place
- Promotion
 But with the world of communication rapidly changing, it’s time to build off our marketing foundation to integrate new marketing techniques that are relevant to emerging media. In today’s ever-changing marketing landscape, marketing professionals have more tools in their belts to promote your product or service. Your website, social media presence and even emailing consumers allows your brand to reach its target audience with just a few clicks of a mouse. In turn, consumers can enter your branded world without even getting out of their chair!
So, when creating your brand’s online identity, there are a few more tips to keep in mind. (But, don’t leave the 4 P’s behind!) For your brand to be effectively marketed online, you must ensure your online marketing (or eMarketing) is:
Personalized
With all of the brands that are marketing online today, there is an over-saturation of information and soon enough your potential customer becomes just another face in the crowd. Don’t neglect your consumer! Make your customers feel like the website was made for them. By keeping the needs of your consumer in mind and personalizing your online marketing to fit their needs as often as possible, you will make your customer feel special and important. Once you gain consumer trust, the purse strings start to loosen.
Targeted
All of your online marketing needs to be tailored to a very specific audience. Consumers online have the power to determine their online experience. With the abundance of information online today, consumers can be selective. So make sure that your brand message reaches the right hands. Think about your ideal consumer. What websites would he/she visit? What does he/she want out of their online experience? Targeting your campaign directly to your ideal consumer makes the most of your marketing dollars.
Interactive
Taking your marketing efforts online affords you the unique opportunity to engage with your consumer in a place where they feel comfortable. Start conversations with you customers! Find out why they love your product or service and what they think is missing. Conversation with your consumer can unlock their wants and needs and provide powerful insight to help you improve your brand. Plus your potential customer will have that warm and fuzzy feeling by knowing how much you care.
The business world is shifting, as are the tactics that marketing professionals must use to get the word out about your brand. As modes of communication evolve, it’s important to remember your marketing roots and to adapt your marketing strategy to fit the medium. So, ride the wave of change and bring your brand online!
Tags: e-marketing, email marketing, eMarketing, online marketing, social media, Strategy
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Monday, August 24th, 2009
 One of the most important aspects of business is growth. A recession, in particular, is a time when you want to grow your business, but without the spending. Stay in touch and network with past clients to help your business achieve growth goals in a time when cutting corners is the way of the world.
You may be thinking, but old clients are just that – old. You may be shooting yourself in the foot with this line of thinking. If you maintain good client relationships, they will use you again in the future, or at least refer you to their colleagues. If this is a new concept to you or you aren’t sure how to approach this, here are a few ways to get started.
1. Stay in touch!
With LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Blackberries and IPhones, it’s impossible NOT to be in contact. So, use this to your advantage and build a relationship through these mediums to expand your business breadth.
2. Be an Expert!
Be the best in your field by practicing what you preach. Read the latest journals, news and publications to be stay top of your industry at all times. Draw clients to you with your knowledge.
3. Make time!
Set aside time to devote to reconnecting with old clients, nurturing new clients and following-up with existing clients. Your dedication to former, existing and potential clients will pave the way for growth and drive revenue increase.
Tags: clients, CRM, networking, small business, Strategy
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Monday, August 10th, 2009
Posted by Sumontro Roy, strategy@perksconsultiing.com
A Value Proposition is your position in a particular market segment vis-à-vis your competitor’s position and does not exist in a vacuum. Thus, it is best used along with other tools used for conducting a situation analysis (examples include: PEST, SWOT, Conjoint, 5C).
Identifying the Value-Drivers
The crux of developing a unique Value Proposition depends on identifying and understanding what attributes your consumer “values”. This can be a (complex) mix of tangible, intangible, stated and implied attributes.
Often, there are gaps between what customers say they value and what they actually do. Digging for such inconsistencies helps to uncover their real preferences and value-drivers.
 Also (as in Conjoint Analysis) “value” is almost always evaluated in comparison between various criteria and features e.g. within a given set of parameters, do you value Criteria X more than Criteria Y?
You need both context and perspective to understand what your target market values. The core of this value identification process is through a comprehensive needs analysis with the target customer.
The needs analysis must uncover the value-drivers (e.g. quality, price, convenience) in the current as well as in the future and also which of these are ranked higher than the others i.e. the critical and non-critical. The Value Proposition must then be centered on them.
Importantly, as you go through this entire process keep checking to see how these ‘value-drivers’ match up against the core competencies of your firm. The Value Proposition must (ideally) be centered on the firm’s core competencies i.e. what you do better than your competitors - that is the key to sustainable profit.
Conclusion
Given the dynamic nature of value, there is no “silver bullet” when it comes to crafting a winning Value Proposition.
However, the Value Proposition concept is a valuable tool that can be used with great benefit for each target market, to identify what is of value to them and to build a compelling offering to your target audience.
Please feel free to contact the Perks Team for developing a winning Value Proposition for your business!
Tags: 5C, Conjoint, PEST, Strategy, SWOT, value proposition, value-drivers
Posted in Strategy | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
 No matter how often you travel, its important to consider a few steps to ensure that your business travel goes as smoothly as possible.
Keeping in mind building an effective travel wardrobe, finding a convenient flight and hotel location is all part of a successful business trip. But this is not enough. Carefully planning the agenda for your business visit, setting up clear goals and milestones are the real “to do’s” before you take that flight.
Some key things we recommend an entrepreneur or executive traveling on a business trip are:
Creating a vision: Visualize how a successful trip would look like. This will help you have a clear vision of what are you looking to do during your business trip, and will keep you on task, on target and on time.
Doing an environmental scan to set-up clear objectives: Identifying key industry people, competito rs, clients and potential ones that you might be about to meet will help you clearly pursue a priority ranking exercise to set your trip’s agenda. A well defined, priority ranked list of specific people you consider important to set a meeting with will help you clearly illustrate accomplishments and disappointments of you trip.
Action planning: Prepare a pre-traveling report documenting action items that have to be done. In my opinion, an action plan needs to be “checkable” and has to describe who does what by when. Business trip agendas that are unfocused, overloaded, and don’t have specific outcomes stated are not meant to positively impact your trip’s goals.
Another essential step is to always remember to take notes on your meeting priority list of whom you are meeting and have to touch base with when you are back in your office. This will help you to focus your efforts on key potential leads and make progress as quickly as possible.
And finally, believe it or not, chilling out during a business trip can also help you maximize your business opportunities. Having a break from the corporate wining and dining or having some drinks will refresh your mind, body and soul. And whatever activity you pursue will give you fresh topics for small talk that can be the beginning of your next big business deal.
Tags: business travel, Management, small business, Strategy
Posted in Management | No Comments »
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