We all want to be successful and in the business world that means reaching more customers and driving footfall.

If you’re currently scratching your head about how to do this for your company then read on for a little bit of a marketing lesson from one of our Senior Account Managers.

In a nutshell
Marketing is all about how you communicate effectively with an audience that is a ‘good fit’ with both what your business sells and what your business believes in. It’s a case of understanding how to get customers, what media to use, what’s the most cost-effective advertising method and what customers want to hear about.

It’s also about doing things for a reason and making sure every pound of your marketing budget delivers a return, whether that be in brand awareness or profitability.

How to get started
The 4P’s are a clever combination of elements that can be controlled by your business to influence customers to buy.

PRODUCT ie. What are you selling?
Take some time to understand what your product offers customers and where it sits in the marketplace.

PRICE ie. How much are you charging?
Price can be influenced by supply, demand, profit and competition. So, ask yourself if you need to sell in volume or if your product is more exclusive in nature. Ultimately you want customers to believe they have received great value whilst experiencing your product.

PLACE ie. Where do people look for your product or service?
This is all about understanding your customer shopping habits. Are they seeking an in-store experience or looking to save time buying online? Are they loyal to big brands or prefer smaller independents?

PROMOTION ie. Where are you going to advertise?
Website promotion, digital ads, outdoor media, PR, magazines, leaflets. These are all ways of getting your messages in front of customers. The question is, where will your prospective customers be looking most?

We believe the best marketing takes an integrated approach with creativity, public relations, sales, web development and digital expertise all thrown into the mix.

So that’s the theoretical bit ticked off the list. Now it’s time for you to ask yourself ten questions that will kick start your marketing plan:

1. Describe your business goals for the year ahead?
2. What do you sell and why is it important?
3. Who would be your ideal customer?
4. What do your customers like about your product/service?
5. Who are your competitors and what makes them stand out?
6. What makes your business unique?
7. Where does your pricing model sit within the marketplace?
8. Where do you currently choose to sell your product or service?
9. Can you measure the results of your current advertising channels? If so, are they working?
10. What is your budget for promotion this year?
11. Now that you have all of the answers, jot them down and create a one-page activity plan that details what promotional activity you will undertake each month throughout the year and detail how much each will cost. Remember that it’s important to look back and measure the return of any activity you carry out.

Next steps

For more help and to ensure your marketing plan delivers Cunningly Good results, give us a call on 01738 658187.