Why do some companies grow while others do not? Year after year many company’s sales remain stagnant, and owners wonder why!
The fact is planning and preparation matter and is the key to success. Leaders must provide a vision for the future, planning to identify the goals to be achieved, and effective management to implement and sustain the plan.
The following are 17 proven marketing strategies to get your sales growing:
- You must understand the needs and wants of your customers to build an effective marketing program. The best strategy to uncover your customers real needs is to ask them.
- You must remove customer purchasing frustrations better than your competitors. Customers like convenience; people do business with companies who can make their life easier and better.
- You must satisfy your customer’s needs and wants every time they touch your company. This includes every touch point, such as the delivery of the product or service, the ease of function of your website, your receptionist who answers the phone, a customer service response, the payment method, etc.
- You must provide a consistent branding message. The look and feel of the brand must be consistent throughout your various marketing media’s and touch points. The message must ensure your prospects really “get” for what your company stands.
- Your training programs must teach the branding message so every employee is on the same page for projecting your brand to prospects and customers. Consistency at every touch point is the key.
- You must know who your target market is. It is best not to attempt to be everything to everyone. Find a niche where you can excel relative to the competition.
- You must know the best way to reach your target market. What marketing strategies and media’s do they respond to? Direct mail, catalogs, online marketing, trade shows, television, etc.
- You must have a marketing plan in writing for the next twelve months. Make sure your strategy includes a mix of different advertising media’s.
- You must identify effective marketing promotions, as well as the proper timing, that motivate people to take action.
- You must develop an annual budget for your marketing plan as well as attaching budgeted costs to every media event. Make sure your budgets are spread appropriately between prospect development as well as both previous and current customers.
- You must measure the effectiveness of every adverting event. Historical data on advertising effectiveness can offer to be a great predictor of future success while being helpful with successful decision making.
- You must employ professional sales people. Hire for communication skills, personality, and talents, while training to improve sale skills and product knowledge. The best method to maximize the return on your advertising investment is to develop professional salespeople who are supported with an effective sale training program.
- You must market to your existing customers often. Your customers represent your best revenue source.
- Get your customers talking about you to their friend’s. Wow your customers with hand written thank you notes. Take the time to build customer loyalty by initiating face to face relationships with the 20 percent of your customers who generate 80 percent of your business. Give extraordinary service to exceed your customer’s expectations.
- Offer special promotions rewarding your customers to refer a friend. Give your customers the sales tools needed to successfully pre-sell your company to their friends.
- Use testimonials. Offer pictures of how you benefited a customer along with a quotation expounding upon their favorable experience.
- Don’t give up; stay the course with your marketing plan. It’s okay to restructure as market conditions change or results do not measure up, but remember consistency pays off; prospects must see your name several times before they react. Keep experimenting until you find what works.
To develop a winning brand and successful marketing program requires leadership, planning, implementation, consistency, measuring, and experimentation. Start today by implementing these 17 proven strategies.
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