Marketing strategy first, then implementation

Donna Rachelson

"In the constant quest to keep things running somewhat smoothly, business owners tend to neglect marketing. This is a critical mistake to make - because marketing is what will grow your business in the end.

"The problem here is that money is often wasted if you do not carefully think through the strategy. Most importantly - who is your ideal customer? Unless you have a crystal clear picture of your ideal customer, your marketing efforts will not be focused."

"If you simply think of marketing as the '4Ps' you will not succeed in this economy. The definition has changed - how do you get prospects who have a need for your offering to know and trust you - and then buy and become your greatest brand ambassadors?"

Leveraging digital

Digital will need to be a core part of any successful marketing strategy today.

"The starting point is a website that is impactful, represents your brand and what you stand for - and is effective in terms of what you need to achieve in terms of its objectives. Everything else in the online realm needs to link to this.

She also points out that marketing does not stop when you get a customer. "You need to carry on marketing to customers. Many businesses do not factor this into their marketing. Marketing costs do not have to be sky high to be good. As long as you have a clear picture of whom you are targeting and a compelling differentiator, together with creativity around your message and your channels..."

For more information, go to www.thebusinessexcellenceforums.com.