In this edition:
- Planning your marketing communications campaign
- Keeping an eye on your competitors
- Canning the spam
- En Pointe’s new e-book
- Capitalising on contented customers
- Welcome to the En Pointe family
Marketing communications – what’s the plan?
When small business owners and managers start thinking about how they need to communicate with customers, often the most important part of the process is the one that’s given little thought – planning.
Without a plan it’s possible, if not likely, a business’ marketing communications will end up being haphazard, more expensive than necessary and unsuccessful. So what do you include in a plan? Virtually everything you can think of that will help you determine the best way forward. It’s also wise to ask other people, including, if possible, some of your customers or potential customers. Sometimes you can be too close to the business to know all the answers.
Go to En Pointe’s website for the full article…
Keep your friends close and your competitors closer
We’ve all heard the saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” and if you’re in business the same applies to competitors.
Keeping an eye on what your competitors are doing can be a valuable experience, but it’s difficult to do in all aspects of the business. Phone your competitor and ask for financial information or a business plan and you’re likely to hit a brick wall.
But if you ask for a business card, brochures and any other marketing communications – perhaps under the guise of a potential client – you’re likely to be welcomed with open arms. And, of course, looking at competitors websites can be as simple as conducting a Google search.
Can the spam
If your business conducts email marketing or distributes an e-newsletter you probably put a fair bit of effort into developing the content, so the last thing you want it to have your emails not being delivered. To prevent spam filters deleting your emails, make sure you keep the following out of the subject line:
- Sale
- Free
- Advertisement
- $$$$$
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive punctuation
Three steps to successful marketing communications for small businesses
Communications with customers and potential customers is one of the most important things a business can do. Because, unless a product or service is so good it sells itself, it’s marketing communications that will generate the sales leads and increase revenue.
But for most business owners, marketing communications is probably as appealing as trying to balance the books or doing the filing. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
En Pointe has produced its first e-book called Three steps to successful marketing communications for small businesses. The e-book can demonstrate that marketing communications is not rocket science or overly arduous… And it can actually be fun. By reading the e-book and following the three-step process it contains, businesses will improve communications with customers and increase their revenue in the process.
Go to the e-book’s website for more information or to purchase.
Capitalising on contented customers
We all love talking to clients who are happy with our business – let’s face it, it’s better than dealing with an irate customer any time. But is your business making the most of contented customers? Here are just a few ways you can capitalise on happy clients:
- You probably know your happy customer and their business reasonably well, so point out other ways your business may be able to help.
- Ask them if they would mind referring your business to colleagues, family and friends.
- Make sure you add the client to your email marketing list.
- See if they will write a testimonial for you that you can include on your website or in brochures.
Welcome to the En Pointe family:
- Geeks on Call – various copywriting projects
- Insurance Solutions – copywriting and brochure design