|
|
|
How to Maximize Search Engine Traffic
May, 2004 How to Maximize Search Engine Traffic Of all the traffic websites could generate ONE traffic source stands head and shoulders above the rest Search Engine Traffic. Specifically, traffic from google.com and yahoo.com - the leaders in...
my cybernet life story, the life and trials of an Internet junkie
my cybernet life story, the life and trials of an Internet junkie I sat here this morning in front of a blank screen desperately trying to think of a subject for my next article. It wasn't only the screen that was blank, my mind started to...
Put Your Marketing To The "So What?" Test
Want to get Better at your Marketing today? For many service business owners, marketing can be a real mystery. We don't really know exactly how it works. We're not real sure about what works best for us. And probably because of some past...
There's Money In Your Site Stats
Are you missing out on important sales because you are not paying attention to your site statistics? There's a wealth of information here that can boost your sales. Some years ago, I had a conversation with a friend who had developed a very...
Why Write an eBook?
support@ebook-marketing-revealed.com BulletProof Marketing, Inc http://www.ebook-marketing-revealed.com It's not true that everything that has been said has already been written. Since that unfortunate axiom came into use, the whole universe has...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 Steps to Targeting Your Marketing Message
In order to win at the game of business, a company needs a good plan. This can be done in-house, with a marketing consultant, or with a marketing firm. Here are five steps to developing and implementing a good marketing message:
1. Determine your company’s strengths and weaknesses.
Before you can tell others who you are and what you do, you need to know about yourself. Gather your employees together and brainstorm a list of your company’s strengths and weaknesses. Write everything down that is said and wait to evaluate it until you have exhausted all of the ideas.
Next, review each item on the list and decide if this is appropriate to be on the list, or if it can be eliminated. It’s likely you will find several that can be combined so that you end up with a relatively short list of strengths and weaknesses. You can also develop a short survey and ask your customers and vendors what they think your strengths and weaknesses are. Their answers may surprise you!
2. Research your target market/customer.
Next, analyze your sales from the past three years. What products or services are most profitable for you? Who are your customers? What can you conclude about your customers? What is similar about them? Based on your profitability evaluation, should you be targeting a certain type of customer, or changing your current strategies? How do these customers make their buying decisions? How can you influence those decisions?
Consider such things as:
· Location
· Size business (either sales dollars or number of employees)
· Industries ypes of businesses
· Type of ownership (sole proprietor, corporation, etc.)
· Who are the decision makers, influencers and gatekeepers?
3. Investigate your competitors.
Who are your main competitors? When you lose a sale, why does this happen? Which competitor generally makes the sale? What is better about your competitors’ products and services? Why do your prospects choose a competitor instead of you? What are the annual sales figures for your
competitors? What do they spend on their advertising and marketing efforts? (Your industry periodicals and associations can help you determine this.)
4. Differentiate yourself.
How are you better than your competitors? What is different about your company? Is your product or service a higher quality than your competitors’? Is it less expensive? Do you have better customer service? Does your product last longer? Require fewer repairs? Why do your customers choose you instead of your competitor?
What problems do you solve? Make a list of your product’s features and benefits. Are they different than those of your competitors?
Try to describe your business in one short and succinct “tagline,” or positioning statement. This should be a clear statement of what you do and what you stand for in no more than eight or ten words. Coca-Cola, for instance, says Coke is “The Real Thing.” Once you create this short positioning statement, create your 30-second sound bite, also known as your “elevator speech,” to use when you introduce yourself in public. This is also what you will use to help you focus your marketing efforts.
5. Create a marketing plan and execute it.
Now that you know who you are, who your competitors are and how you are better than them, you can create a roadmap to follow—a marketing plan for your company. Remember to include measurable short- and long-term goals, specific strategies, and appropriate tactics to reach your goals. Then, put your plan into action and evaluate the results, making adjustments as required.
(c) 2003 by Lois Carter Fay. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Lois Carter Fay, APR, is the owner of Strategic Business Partners, a marketing and PR consulting business, and the publisher of "MarketingIdeaShop BRAINY Tidbits," a F*REE weekly ezine featuring brainy ideas and resources for marketers and small businesses. Subscribe to BRAINY Tidbits today at http://www.marketingideashop.com and receive F*REE by email a handy list, "67 Ways to Promote Your Business."
|
|
|
|
|
| Ezine Article Submission - Submit Your Best Articles For Massive ... |
| EzineArticles.com allows ezine or email list publishers to upload or download free expert content that can be used within email newsletters or websites. |
| ezinearticles.com |
|
| The Ezine Directory |
| The Ezine Directory lists thousands of the best email newsletters available on the internet today. Search, browse, or add your ezine for free! |
| www.ezine-dir.com |
|
| e-zine-list: John Labovitz's e-zine-list |
| I also wrote "Five years and counting," a longer article for Art-bin about the history of e-zines and the e-zine-list. Finally, for the real Internet ... |
| www.meer.net |
|
| BME: Body Modification Ezine - The biggest and best online bod-mod ... |
| Comprehensive resource on piercing, tattoos, scarification, subincision, castration and all other forms of body modification. |
| www.bmezine.com |
|
| Ezine Publishers & Email Marketers Promote Their New Email ... |
| Submit Your Ezine To New-List For Massive Free Exposure - Grow Your Ezine - Ezine Marketing Made Easy By New-List.com. |
| new-list.com |
|
| Ezine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Ezines are typically tightly focused on a subject area. ... CULT OF THE DEAD COW claims to have published the first ezine, starting in 1984, with its ezine ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| News & Ezine Strategies For Email Newsletter Publishers ... |
| EmailUniverse, The E-mail List-Owner Resource Network is an excellent source for today's Email List Owners, Managers, and Editors. |
| emailuniverse.com |
|
| Best Ezines - Email Newsletter Peer Reviews & Ezine Awards For ... |
| Email Newsletter Publishing Award Site: Fellow Ezine Publishers Review The Best Email Newsletters. |
| www.bestezines.com |
|
| Ezine Directory |
| Home | Sign-up for your Free listing | Link to us Code | TOP 100 Ezines. CATEGORIES ... ezine directory. link exchange with us ... |
| www.ezinelisting.com |
|
| Browser based email list management, ezine hosting, and campaign ... |
| Browser based email list management, ezine hosting, and campaign software. Keep in constant contact with clients and potential customers. |
| www.ezinedirector.com |
|
| Splendid E-zine |
| Splendid: Daily music reviews, articles, interviews and more. |
| www.splendidezine.com |
|
| OS/2 e-Zine - The Best OS/2 Reading Anywhere! |
| Monthly magazine with reviews, articles, and discussion forums. |
| www.os2ezine.com |
|
| E-ZineZ - The Handbook of Ezine Publishing |
| An ezine directory, free ezine builder tool, ezine tutorials including everything you need to know to start publishing an ezine or email newsletter. |
| www.e-zinez.com |
|
| EzineUniversity - Free Online Training for Ezine Publishers |
| EzineUniversity provides provides information, tools and products for ezine publishers. Featuring EzineUniversity Journal, EZU Tutor and FREE online ... |
| www.ezineuniversity.com |
|
| Ezines |
| E-zines directory with categories of free ezines, newsletters, email magazines and online publications. |
| www.web-source.net |
|
| My Favorite Ezines - The Family Friendly Ezine and Email ... |
| The best family friendly ezine and email newsletter directory providing education - motivation - inspiration and marketing support. |
| www.myfavoriteezines.com |
|
| Tattoos.Com Ezine Front Page |
| Historical information from the tribal art of Borneo to the wood block prints of Japan. Alphabetical listing of studios around the world, events, ... |
| tattoos.com |
|
| Welcome To Ezine.Com! |
| Welcome To Ezine.Com! Welcome Page For Ezine.Com ezine online magazine electronic magazine zine e-zine ezines eziner ezining. |
| www.ezine.com |
|
| Ezine Information |
| What makes your ezine hot stuff? With literally thousands of ezines online ... We all have ezines that we love to read and learn from but that doesn't mean ... |
| www.dtguide.com |
|
| Asian American Movement Ezine |
| Asian American Movement Ezine is a radical and progressive zine on Asian American politics, art, history and culture. |
| www.aamovement.net |
|
|