Under the spotlight
Marketing
It’s tough when you are put on the spot and I recently had these three questions put to me by Michael Leander...
First, please tell me what you find to be the most fascinating aspect of marketing in general.
“I think most companies think about marketing with a ‘nuts and bolts’ mindset. They think of it as a mechanical process which goes something like this...
We need more sales so
We need more customers so
We put words and pretty pictures together so
The potential customer knows about our products so
The potential customer becomes a customer so
The customer buys so
We make more sales.
The problem is that generally they forget that the potential customer is a complex animal that not only has thoughts but also has emotions.
The most fascinating thing about marketing is that if you find the key to your customer’s emotions you have a customer for life.”
Please give me an example of an interesting, personal experience of yours relating to marketing... It could be an "aha" experience, a story about success or failure or just anything that comes to your mind.
“Marketing without Customer Service is like a yacht with no sails. It's not going to go anywhere and it's like flushing money down the toilet.
To give you an example; I once drove for an hour to buy a fireplace from the head office outlet of a national advertiser because it was the closest location to me. I mention it was the head office so there can be no blame placed with distributors or franchisees.
The showroom was a hive of activity. I waited patiently with my money burning a hole in my pocket for 15 frustrating minutes and then it hit me.
I was the only customer and the other people were all sales people.
I asked if someone could help me and was told that they were a bit busy now getting ready for a trade show.
After I got up off the floor I left to visit their competitors.”
And finally, please let me know what you think about the importance of continued marketing education? Think of education in the broadest sense of the word; academic, short courses, seminars, web-seminars, conferences, network groups and marketing tips from people whom are keen to share.
“Let's face it... without marketing there is no business... and I think that is why so many startup businesses fail. They become obsessed with the design of the stationery or securing a long term lease on premises before they work out their marketing plan.
Continued marketing education is paramount for every business but it has greater significance for SMEs because they tend to use a shotgun approach to their marketing and don't measure their results.
On the other side of the fence, anyone can appear to be a marketing guru if given an unlimited budget... at least for a period of time until they don't deliver the necessary return on investment.
So the crucial thing for your marketing education is to find someone who walks the talk and shows you how to get that crucial positive return on investment.”
keep your powder dry,
Warren Cottis