A Great Experience A businessman set out to buy a new suit. A store had been recommended to him through word of mouth. He approached the front door and noticed a sign asking him to press the buzzer. Before he could count to three, a friendly salesman opened the door and welcomed him inside. Add Comment Treat Customers As Well As You Like To Be Treated Here are two very different experiences with customer service, a negative experience with a large company and a positive one with a small business. Where Would We Be Without Customers Customers are the most important component of your marketing program. You can have the best product or service and the most knowledgeable and impressive staff, but without a happy customer, you may have no one to make the sale to. No sales lead to fewer staff or at best, a less-qualified staff, leading to a downward spiral. This situation may sound like a doom and gloom prediction, but a solution is not far out of your reach. Marketing Is More Than Tangible Goods Marketing goes well beyond advertising, website and brochures. It also includes many intangible ideas the small business owner/operator needs to understand, observe, and respond to, including the following: 8 Core Thoughts On Success 1. Customers’ Needs. A clear understanding of your customers’ needs and a strong commitment to satisfy them should be at the heart of your marketing program. You do not have a business without customers. The survival and growth of your business will come from providing great customer service. Happy customers will be loyal and bring you new customers. 11 Ways To Successfully Execute Marketing Plans 1. Be Clear On Your Message; Don’t Try to Say Too Much. Better to whet a prospect’s appetite than to try to feed them the whole meal at once. If you get one or two main messages about your product or service across clearly and at a glance in a marketing piece (email, ad, flyer, brochure, sign, etc.), you’re doing well. 2. Don’t Overwhelm Your Prospects. Too much information is as bad as not enough. Send information to prospects to let them know who you are, what you can do for them, and why you are different from your competitors. Prospects are inundated with marketing materials. They do not have time to read and respond to everything that comes across their desks. Do you? It's All In The Execution A few years ago, many small business owner/operators directed most of their attention toward operations, finance, and manufacturing issues. In the past couple of years, small- and medium-sized businesses have been shifting their focus to sales and finally marketing. The key question amongst businesses today is, ‘‘How do I acquire more business?’’ The best answer is, ‘‘through a sales program supported by great marketing.’’ The Almost Managed Promotion One day Dan, the owner of a retail store, was approached by his staff and encouraged to run a summer promotion. He didn’t believe in marketing, or at least in spending money on it. Reluctantly, he pulled his staff together and devised a plan to offer a ‘‘no more than 15%’’ discount on summer merchandise. This was not as aggressive as many of their competitors’ promotions, but it was a start. 16 Questions You Should Ask A Potential Supplier 1. What exactly are you going to do for me? 2. How long will it take? 3. How much will it cost? 4. How do the services you offer fit in to the total marketing program? 5. What additional services can you provide, either directly or through associated companies? 12 Questions A Supplier Should Ask You The more information a supplier has, the more effective he or she can be in helping you reach your goals. A good supplier will ask you the following questions at a minimum: 1. What is your real objective (what you are trying to achieve)? 2. What strategy will you employ (how you are planning to do it)? 3. What is your budget? Be real. 4. Who is your target group(s)? No not everyone. Find out who is actually buying your product or service. Is the president or the shipper making the real decision? 8 Rules For Successfully Hiring Marketing Suppliers 1. Be Clear About Your Needs. Determine your needs either on your own or with the help of a professional. When I meet a new prospect for the first time, I ask, ‘‘How can I help you get what you want?’’ Make sure you know what you want to achieve. Be open to new ideas for reaching this goal. 2. Be Open and Honest. Open your business to a supplier. Don’t keep him or her in the dark about your business. People can't help you if they do not have the whole picture. |   Eric Gilboord is the Founder and CEO of Warren Business Development Center Inc. We
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