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2007 New Year's Resolution...
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Get a Bigger Piece of the Pie!
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Big
companies have big marketing budgets and therefore get a bigger piece of
the pie. The internet is said to level the playing field for small to mid
size b2b business to compete more effectively. Websites, emails, online
press releases, blogs all are low cost and available to all companies, the
problem is that smaller b2b businesses are not gaining the advantage they
should. It is not because online marketing is expensive but because they
don't have the time or personnel to learn how to benefit effectively from
this critical form of communication, so they miss out on the business!
Don't let your company get squeezed out of marketshare. Let 2007 be the
year you get a bigger piece of the pie. Here are a few tips to help get
you started... |
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Don't try to boil the ocean!
Fine tune your marketing plan. You could be wasting valuable marketing
dollars having your message reach prospects that are not a good fit for
your company. Chances are approximately 80% of your business is coming
from 20% of your customers. If you want to attract more of those profitable
customers, take a good look at that 20%. Identify the characteristics
of your best customers and target your 2007 marketing efforts on reaching
more of them.
Get rid of the olive green
refrigerator! If your logo uses an old font style and your corporate
colors are dated you may be in need of an image overhaul (or at least
an update). You will be wasting your time generating more targeted qualified
leads if your image is one that communicates that your company is on its
last legs.
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Update
your website! Your website is out there knocking on doors and delivering
your company and product information 24 hours a day. Make sure you have
a professional design and your content is current with lots of great
photos. Be sure to take off any outdated content (at minimum take off
that 2002 copyright) To keep your site current, get a site that you
can update yourself. ThomasNet.com
builds sites for B2B companies that have a back end tool so you can
update your own site at a moments notice.
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Don’t take your finger off the button! If you made a contact
at a trade show or answered a prospect’s request for info over the
email, then find a way to keep in touch. With all of the emails, direct
mail, and cold calls your prospect receives it is hard to have you be
"top of mind" when a project does come up. You need to be consistent
in your message, memorable in your appearance and frequent in your contact
so when the prospect is ready you will be contacted. Once you get
that first chance at an order, then wow them so they don't forget!
Ask
“How are we doing?” The best marketing information you can
gather is the feedback directly from your current customers and even
past customers. Send an email or make a call.. “We’d like
to take just a moment to get your feedback so we can serve you better.”
Find out what trade shows they attend and what online sources they use
to search for suppliers. Ask the question, "What frustrates you most
about finding a new supplier?" then be their solution!
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Get an iPod!
With long hours and travel demands, it is tough finding the time to
keep abreast about new technology and marketing techniques. An iPod
can help make 2007 the year you get caught up. The amount of information
available for your iPod now is amazing.
( Here is a particular favorite of mine. http://www.bastioninternet.com
- The Podcast show is Drive it, Convert it.)
There are free podcasts on marketing, finance and other business subjects.
You can also, download audiobooks, newspapers and magazines. You can
take that pile of books you have beside the bed and now download them
and listen to them as you travel. Learn about internet marketing, trade
shows, b2b marketing and more. Let 2007 be the year you get more competitive
and keep that New Year's resolution to more of the pie!
We hope you enjoy
the newsletter and appreciate your feedback so please email us at mary@mvpvisuals.com
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Written by Mary Dykas - MVP Visuals, LLC
MVP Visuals, LLC also represents ThomasNet.com - Online Business to
Business Marketing programs.
If you are interested in learning more about online b2b marketing call
us at 800-980-6871 or email mary@mvpvisuals.com
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