Tag: public relations

The Science Of Marketing

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , , ,
science of marketing

I wanted to talk to you today about the science of marketing.

I think this is a very important topic because, despite what many people believe, effective marketing is truly a science.

Let’s look for a minute at the definition of science:

sci·ence/ˈsīəns/
noun

  • the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.
  • a systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject.

As you can see from the above definition, science is not limited to the study of chemicals, biology, physics, etc., but rather can be applied to any subject as long as that subject is approached and executed in a systematic way.

Those of you who have been reading my articles for a while have heard me say many times that marketing is a science and must be approached in that manner. One of the things that I have repeatedly said is that marketing is not advertising. And, to repeat myself again, marketing is a process and advertising is a method of delivery of your messaging to your clients and prospects.

So, why do I continue to repeat this mantra?

Well, partly it is because of this common misconception which leads to the belief that “anyone can do marketing”, with the end result being disappointed clients. And partly it is to help educate folks, assisting them in understanding the difference so that they can make better choices and ensure that their marketing dollars are being allocated appropriately.

Unfortunately, just like in many industries, there are those who promote themselves as marketing experts when, in truth, they are simply executing a single advertising method. For instance, we all know that in today’s technology-based environment that we must have an online presence. And, based on your business model and your intent, being found online can an important factor in the success or failure of your business. Knowing this, many individuals and companies have been formed who will promise to give you first page rankings on search engines for a specified fee. This is an effective strategy when employed correctly, but make sure that you are working with a reputable individual or organization so you will not be disappointed with the results. In some cases, these people or companies will charge huge fees for a short term result, causing your rankings to drop again as soon as their engagement is completed. Even more worrying, is that some of these individuals and companies employ “black hat” techniques which can cause you to become banned from the search engines.

Everything of value takes time to build. You must create a solid foundation and build on that foundation for the structure to be solid. Do not be seduced by quick fix schemes; you will end up disappointed and poorer for it.

Do your homework when hiring your marketing consultant. Check testimonials and asked them about their methods, tactics, and techniques. And also, make sure that your personalities fit. There is no denying that we get along with some folks better than others, and you will not get your best results if you do not get along with the people with whom you are working.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

A Guide To Creating Your Market Share

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , ,
Market share

How do you create your share of the market?

In our last article, we talked about what market share is and provided five simple tips to help you get your piece of the pie.

Identifying, finding, and keeping market share is so critical to the success of your business that we thought it was important to do a follow-up article giving a bit more detail about exactly how to create your share of the market.

So, without further ado, here are the top three ways to create your own share of the market.

1. Be sure to differentiate your business.

One of the most important factors of creating your market share is to be sure to differentiate your business from your competitors. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of companies that provide the same services and products as yours. But what makes your company unique? Why do people want to buy from you rather than one of your competitors? Read more

Market Share – Getting Your Piece Of The Pie!

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , , ,
Goal setting

Get your slice of the pie!

Today I thought we should talk a bit about goal setting and market share. After all, the goal of marketing your business is to obtain clients and preserve your share of the market.

So let’s talk first of all about what exactly market share is. At its most basic definition, market share is the total number of loyal clients that your business has managed to retain over a specific period of time.

I hope you caught the key word in the definition above: loyal clients.

Without loyal clients you really haven’t got market share. While it’s true that having many one-time buyers can positively impact your financial bottom line, without the retention of these clients you have not captured any market share. In other words, the criteria is not about attracting clients, but bringing them in and keeping them. It’s about turning these customers from simply being purchasers of your product or service into advocates, referring others to your business as well.

The process of retaining and increasing your market share is continuous. The business cycle, like the cycle of life, always has someone exiting and someone entering. Even loyal customers will eventually die, move, or no longer require your product. Therefore, you should always be looking for ways to expand your market share.

There are a number of ways to do this, and some are naturally more involved than others. But let’s touch on a few of the more simple tips in today’s article.

1. Be innovative to stay relevant.

One way to improve your market share is to try to spot new trends ahead of your competitors. Watch the news, listen to friends, and check out new technologies on the Internet. Spotting and implementing advances and technical improvements in your niche can help set you apart from your competition.

2. Be responsive to your customers.

There is nothing worse, especially from a customer’s perspective, than having the sense of being ignored. We all like to think that we matter, and the failure to respond quickly to the needs of your clients will send them flocking to your competitors.

3. Ask for feedback and use your customers’ ideas what appropriate.

Ask your customers what they like – and don’t like – about your products and services. Not only will this allow you to be more responsive and make improvements to your products and services, but it makes your clients feel valuable as well. There are lots of ways to obtain this, including online surveys through services such as SurveyMonkey and MailChimp

4. Buy out your competitor.

That’s right, I said buy out your competitor. If you have the financial resources, it may help to purchase a competitors business. This gives you direct access to, and ownership of, their client lists.

5. Be flexible.

Are you available when your clients need you? Is your product or service able to be modified to better fit the needs of your client? These are just a couple of very easy ways to gain customer loyalty and grow your market share.

These five tips are fairly simple to implement. Understanding what defines market share, and applying one or more of these tips should provide you with the fundamentals to start growing your business.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

It’s Not About You!

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , , ,
It’s Not About You!

Today, I want to address again the issue of engaging with your clients and prospects.

It doesn’t matter whether you provide a product or a service, we all know that the secret to engaging prospects and turning those prospects into customers is to resolve an issue that they have. After all, the only reason any of us purchased anything is because it satisfies a want, a need, or removes a pain point.

And, of course, marketing your product or service is the only way that prospects and clients can learn about what it is that you do that will help them attain their want, need, or remove their pain point. Unfortunately, sometimes the wheels come off the marketing train and we forget that marketing isn’t about us, it’s about them!

Sometimes, when developing a marketing plan, business owners lose sight of the actual intent of the marketing program. They become focused on demonstrating their expertise and their credibility within their niche, and forget that the goal of marketing is to obtain prospects and, ultimately, converting those prospects into loyal customers. Read more

The Problem With Ad-Hoc Marketing

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , ,
ad hoc marketing

Avoid ad-hoc marketing at all costs!

Many business owners believe that marketing is a relatively simple exercise and something that they can manage on their own, for the most part. They may wish to change some elements or some content on their website. Or, they may look to design a brochure to be delivered to prospects. Or, they may look at reworking or putting together any other kind of a marketing campaign, plan, or promotion with the intention of enhancing their business.

And there is nothing wrong with a business owner managing their own marketing. That is, as long as they understand that each individual piece of a promotional undertaking is actually an underlying element of a bigger plan.

This past week I was approached by a prospect who was looking to change up his corporate website. He had spent a lot of money and a lot of time on what became four different variations of the website, and still had not managed to get what he wanted. The various marketing companies that had been hired had been either unwilling or unable to understand the ultimate goal of the business owner in articulating his vision and the brand of his business.

When this prospect approached me, he was understandably very frustrated. He was looking for someone to rewrite the content of his website in a way that would be more appealing to his target audience. As I explained to him, if he was simply looking for a copywriter he could hire anyone of a number of people who would be happy to simply fill his pages with content.

I explained to him that although this might be a quick fix, it was unlikely that he would end up satisfied with the final product for the long-term, and that he would most likely end up having to do yet another redesign and remake of his website.

Which leads me to the reason for this article today.

The unfortunate trap that many business owners fall into when attempting to either do their own marketing or to approach their marketing on an ad hoc basis, is that there is a lack of the synergy between the different elements of their marketing efforts. Each piece of the advertising and promotional pieces that make up a marketing plan and marketing campaigns is a piece of a bigger puzzle. Consider what would happen if you took one piece from five different puzzles and tried to make each of those pieces fit in a different puzzle. It wouldn’t be very pretty, and it certainly wouldn’t have the results you would hope for!

So, once again I come back to explaining the reality that there is a science to marketing. As a marketing strategist, it is my role to help the business owner see the complete picture and understand how all of the pieces fit together. In the example that I have provided above, I explained to the business owner that for him to end up satisfied with the website that would serve his company’s interests for the next 3 to 5 years, it is imperative to understand and to develop a marketing strategy that encompasses both his immediate and long-term goals, and how best to apply this in order to attract the proper prospects and retain his current clients.

Creating a proper marketing strategy is building the foundation of your communication and promotional efforts. This blueprint creates the framework and gives the guidance to move your business forward in a structured and measurable fashion, providing the results you hope to achieve. Therefore, try to avoid Band-Aid marketing solutions or quick fixes if you are hoping to obtain positive measurable results.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

7 Mistakes Consultants Should Avoid Making With Clients

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , , ,
communicate

Don’t make these mistakes with your clients.

In our last article, we discussed the 7 things clients should avoid doing when working with consultants. But, as we pointed out, there are 2 sides to every story (at least), and consultants can also create problems with their client relationships.

So, in the belief of balance and fairness for all, we now will address those things that consultants should avoid doing with working with their clients.

7 mistakes that consultants should avoid doing that can interfere with a good working relationship:

1. Not being realistic about timelines.

One of the worst things that a consultant can do is to give unrealistic timelines on delivering their product or service to their client. Sometimes a client might want delivery in a timeframe that can’t be met; sometimes a consultant will promise a timeframe that is a stretch in order to get the job.

Regardless of how this circumstance arises, no one is doing either side a favor by promising to deliver something in an unrealistic timeframe. Something will suffer. Creating a timeline that can’t be met and requires an extension only serves to create tension and mistrust between the parties.

2. Not being clear on expectations from the client.

It is vital to establish expectations right at the beginning of any project. Of course, sometimes things will come up as you work through a project that weren’t identified at the outset, and will need to be included as you proceed. But there is nothing worse than being unclear about what deliverables you need from your client in order to deliver a quality product or service. Keep the lines of communication open so that each side understands what is needed to accomplish the common goal.

3. Not giving the client enough warning to provide information and materials.

This was an issue that was identified in our previous article, and it is equally applicable here. Most times, consultants need to have information and materials from their clients in order to proceed on the project, and not having these items in a specific amount of time results in delays and frustration on both sides. Be sure to give your clients a list of information and materials you require and when you need them. Communicate via email and telephone regularly to make sure that the project is not being unduly held up.

4. Making changes to the plan without client interaction and approval.

As stated in our previous article, as projects move forward they often need adaptation and refinement. When this circumstance arises, be sure that to bring the client into the discussion about how and why things might need to be changed. This ensures that there are no surprises on you client’s part, and gives you an opportunity to explain why any changes might be required to enhance the final product.

5. Not being available to the client.

The single most important thing in your relationships is open communication. I don’t care if we are talking about your friends, family, or clients, communicating with each other is the key to success.

So make sure that you are available to your client. Of course, there are times that you won’t be immediately available, but make sure that they know that you will get back to them within a specific time frame. Encourage them to leave detailed voice messages if they are calling and to communicate via email so that you know how critical the response time is.

6. Giving an unrealistic budget.

Sometimes, a consultant might low-ball the cost of a project in order to obtain the job. This is a big mistake on many levels.

First of all, you will establish yourself and your reputation based on price, not quality of work. This is a dangerous area to play in, as nearly always, someone will come in lower.

The second issue is that you most likely will not be able to produce the product or service at the lower price, which puts you in the position of either having to eat the loss or go back to your client for more money. You won’t be in business long if you continually lose money, but even more importantly, you will lose the trust and respect of your client, which can have far-reaching effects on your reputation.

7. Not establishing a payment schedule with your client and billing regularly.

Part of the initial discussions about a job should always include how much the job will cost and what the payment schedule will be. This should be formalized in the agreement. Once the project is moving ahead, be sure to adhere to the schedule that was agreed to and send your billings out in accordance with this agreement. This allows your client to integrate your billings into their systems, ensuring that payments are made on time and removing the potential of collection issues and cash flow.

The common thread in both these articles, and in all these mistakes, is communication. If you are communicating with your client and your client is communicating with you, most of these issues can be avoided – or at least minimized!

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

7 Things Clients Should Avoid Doing When Working With Consultants

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , ,
client discussion

Follow this advice for a great Client/Consultant relationship.

More and more often, business owners are discovering the benefits of hiring consultants to help them in various areas of their business. It allows them to accomplish goals without having to hire full time staff, only dishing out payment for specific tasks and projects.

But, unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go as smoothly as expected. Each side has their own perspective, and problems can arise.

Here are 7 things that can interfere with a good working relationship:

1. Not creating an agreement between the two parties that outlines the terms of the project.

While it may be true that an agreement is often only worth the paper it is written on, it is always a good idea to have the terms of the project formally written. This gives a reference point for both parties, should there be any question of the scope of the responsibilities of either party, payment terms, or how to end the project.

2. Not being clear on expectations.

Communication is not always easy! We all like to think that we are great communicators, but the reality is that nearly all of us miscommunicate something in most discussions. Psychologically, this is because although we are always clear in our minds of exactly what we mean, getting that thought out of our heads and into the minds of others is not always that simple and straightforward. Be sure that each side states what they understand the expectations to be, and clear up any misunderstandings before moving forward.

3. Not understanding that things sometimes take longer than expected.

Unless you are trained or experienced in certain areas, it can be difficult to understand how long certain tasks can take to be completed. A finished product, such as a newsletter, can look like it is fairly simple to produce, however there is often a lot that goes on behind the scenes. For instance, if your newsletter is electronic, all links have to be created and tested, layout has to be verified across different browsers, etc. Try to level your expectations about how long it will take to have the final product delivered, and work closely with your consultant so you know what to expect.

4. Not providing information or materials in a timely fashion.

The ability for the consultant to deliver on time and on budget is largely determined by the cooperation between themselves and their client. If you are hoping to have a website created and live within 2 weeks, but are failing to deliver information, pictures, and approvals on the build, it becomes impossible for the consultant to complete the project within your anticipated time frame.

5. Changing expectations mid-stream.

As projects move forward they often lend themselves to changes. This is to be expected and should not be ignored. But when these opportunities arise, be sure that both parties are included in the discussions about how to move forward, ensuring that expectations are leveled on both sides and everyone is clear about the new expectations.

6. Stopping a project before it has had a chance to prove itself.

No one wants to waste time and money! But cancelling a project before it has had the opportunity to prove its worth does exactly that. Decide on the plan, including timelines and an exit strategy when, and if, it appears as though the project is not producing the ROI expected. Until you reach that abandon point, don’t blink! Keep moving forward. Many times, things will take a bit of time to gather momentum.

7. Not paying your consultant on time.

Payment for services provided should be outlined in your initial agreement. Sticking to payment schedules allows the consultant to focus on delivering a quality product or service to you, without turning them into collection agencies. Reluctance or delay in paying on time can also start to create a negative energy between parties, making it difficult to move forward with trust and confidence.

So there you have it. The 7 things that clients should avoid doing when dealing with consultants.

But there are two sides to every story.  My next article will address the top things that consultants should avoid doing when dealing with their clients, so stay tuned for part 2 of this story.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

How To Use Video For Lead Generation

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , , , ,
video marketing

Are you using video yet?

When people think of using video in their marketing, they often dismiss it because they think it has to be flashy or funny or expensive to produce.

Nothing could be further from the truth! As explained in our previous post, creating a video can be as easy as capturing something on your smartphone and uploading it to social media, YouTube, or your website.

And video is becoming an outstanding tool for lead generation. With the use of things such as email gateways and calls to action, this format is quickly becoming an essential part of your marketing and lead generation arsenal.

Let’s take a look at how video can help you with lead generation.

1. In-Video Gating

Gating is not a new concept. I am sure we are all familiar with being asked for lead information prior to obtaining something of value. For instance, many businesses will ask for an email address prior to releasing a white-paper or an eBook. In fact, we do this ourselves. In order to get our Business Evaluation, we ask for information to add subscribers to our newsletter. Generally, in-video gating is used the same way as text-based gating like in my example, and is used to obtain contact information before a video can be watched.

Some gateways are very simple, asking only for an email address, while other are more complex and ask for name, company, email and phone number, etc. Regardless of the information gathered, the concept is the same; a visitor to your site/landing page who was previously a stranger has now become a known, viable and valuable prospect. By obtaining this information, you now have permission to engage them in a conversation through email or an actual sales call.

2. Calls-To-Action (CTA’s)

Just like in video gating, you are most likely familiar with CTA’s. In fact, it is probable that you are already using them on your website.

CTA’s are used based on the concept that ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’.

Using CTA’s for video is no different than using them on your website. If you simply load your video and allow it to fade to black without at least asking your viewer to interact, you are missing an opportunity. If a viewer has watched your video to the end, capturing that interest and directing them to your site or an offer only makes sense. Typically, video CTA’s come in three forms:

A) Annotations:

An annotation is a method of adding text and links to your videos on YouTube. You can create these annotations to appear at any point during your video, and you can determine how long it stays on the video. Annotations are great to get people to subscribe to your channel, other video content, or link them back to your website.

B) Pop-Out CTA’s:

Because annotations are limited in design capabilities, you may wish to use a pop-out CTA or embed a form to encourage engagement and to collect contact information.

C) End of Video CTA:

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to allow your video to simply fade to black. An end of video CTA has the same purpose as the pop-out CTA or annotation, except that they appear at the end of your video. YouTube calls them Cards, and although they can be placed anywhere within the video, it is more effective to use them as an end of video CTA. Use end of video CTA’s to direct your viewer to your desired next step, such as visiting your website. Or, try embedding a form to capture their information and offer a free download in exchange. Research by Vidyard has demonstrated that viewers who received an end of video CTA for a free trial of their product converted at 21%, vs. only 1% of viewers who did not receive a CTA. Clearly, the inclusion of an end of video CTA can have a huge impact on your marketing efforts.

So, as you can see, once you have decided to include video into your marketing plan, the next logical step is to engage your viewers by integrating some form of lead generation strategy.

Simple and powerful, start using them today and see how your marketing results improve!

You can also visit our YouTube Channel.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

The Top Three Considerations When Developing Your Brand

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , ,
The Top Three Considerations When Developing Your Brand

Once upon a time, businesses were encouraged to work on their mission statement.

This sometimes entailed marathon meetings to try to develop a statement that would encompass and describe the company’s goal.

But wait! The company also had to have a vision statement. How were they going to get there? What will it look like?

Sometimes these efforts resulted in a defining, clear-cut statement that told clients and prospects exactly what the company’s goals were and how they would deliver on those goals.

Sometimes these efforts resulted in a muddied, long-winded phrase that used a lot of words that really meant nothing to the company’s clients and prospects.

And, sometimes, it uncovered an inability for the company to clearly identify their purpose and communicate anything!

Now it’s all about branding!

Sounds fancy, right? After all, for years, we identified ‘brand’ with mega corps like Coke, Nike, and IBM. No one really stopped to think that all businesses should have their own unique brand.
After all, branding is simply an embodiment of all those elements we worked so hard on in the ‘90’s, creating a unified message that makes your business easily and instantly recognizable.

If you are looking to develop your brand – or if you already have created your brand but want to ensure it is strong – consider these top three elements.

1. What is your business?

Seems obvious, but sometimes we are so busy working in our business that it can be difficult to take an outside view. Take the time to really evaluate what your business is, and what that looks like. Perhaps you offer a variety of products or services, but what is at the core of your business? Ask yourself what is the key motivation for your business? Why do you do what you do? If you could only do one thing, what would it be? Questions like this can be very revealing, and you might be surprised to discover that your reason for being in your chosen business is very different than what you initially thought. Be sure to write your answers down.

2. Who is your ideal customer?

Another apparently obvious, yet often overlooked, question. If you sell tools and nails, sure you can sell to anyone who comes in the door, but who is your ideal customer? Do you cater to the contractors or to the handyman? I have a client who is a financial planner. He offers everything from insurance to mutual funds to education funds – and everything in between. But who is his ideal client? Where does he want to focus? Is it on the young families, becoming established and raising children? Is it on the middle-aged crowd who have children in college and are now starting to build their net worth? Or is it the retirees, who are now empty-nesters with pensions and an asset base, who need help with planning for their retirement years and the transfer of assets to their children and grandchildren. Once you have identified your ideal customer, you will better understand how you need to communicate your business services to capture their attention.

3. What is your marketing plan?

A marketing plan is not the same as an advertising campaign. A marketing plan is a strategy that is thoughtfully created and executed. It needs to embody things like your logo and corporate colors. An ideal logo will do one of two things; it will be a symbol that tells your clients instantly what your business does, or it will be a symbol that becomes synonymous with your business in the eyes of your clients and prospects. And remember that colors are important. They need to be visually pleasing and create a sense of warmth and trust. Colors that fight with each other or are too startling create subconscious ‘eye-fatigue’ and turns prospects away.

But remember that a marketing plan is much more than this!  Once you have created your logo and determined the corporate colors, your marketing plan needs to be built around this foundation, ensuring that they are used consistently to build your brand. How will you communicate your products and services to your clients and prospects? What methods will you use, and how often will you reach out to them. If you are unsure about how to develop a marketing strategy, it would be beneficial to hire an outside consultant to help establish the structure and to assist with keeping it on track.

So get started today! Implement these 3 fundamentals of brand development and you’ll be on your way to building a solid brand for your business.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

When Marketing Wears A Cowboy Hat…

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , , , ,
Calgary stampede

It’s that time of year!

For those of you who don’t know, I am a proud Calgarian.

Calgary, Alberta is world-renowned for 3 major things: hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics, its Oil and Gas industry, and the Calgary Stampede.

Well, today marks the fifth day of the 2015 Calgary Exhibition & Stampede.

This article isn’t intended to be an advertisement for the Stampede, but it’s a great example of how marketing can wear a different hat.

For those of you who are not familiar, this is an annual event that celebrates the tradition of ‘the old west’. It lasts for 10 days, and during this time, business activities slow to a crawl – at least in the downtown area.

Calgary is also well-known for knowing how to throw a good party, and that proves true every year during this event.

This is the time of year when Boardrooms take a backseat to Bars and Barns!  Business folks drop their power suits for western wear, including cowboy hats, casting aside the worry of developing ‘hat-hair’. Read more

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn