Last
updated November, 2001
Use public relations:
it pays!
Public relations is an essential part of business that
is often overlooked by companies, yet PR techniques are intrinsic
to success in the marketplace! Your company's identity should
be a key asset.
It's a necessary
part of your marketing mix, no matter whether you're a
one-person show or an international corporation. Public
relations helps determine a company's earnings.
Public relations
describes many business actions; here are a few you can
implement:
- Events (open houses,
parties, coffees, etc.)
- Newsletters
- Letters to customers/clients
- On-hold messages
- Your voice-mail
message
- Your fax cover
sheet
- Letters to the
editor
- A web site
- Announcements
of new employees
- Media releases
about new products or company activities
- Holiday/birthday
cards sent to customers
- Gift giving for
special occasions
- Donation of time
and talents to charities
- Contributions
to charities
Sometimes it's the
little things that get your company noticed, and you don't
have to go over budget to do it.
Good Branding:
Something we can all be thankful for!
You've heard so much about branding this and branding that
but what does it really mean and how can it help you get
more customers?
Your branding concept
personifies what you want your business and products to
be. It should be distinctive, enduring, and belong only
to you. There are several components to a brand: logo,
product design, company or product name, packaging, and
the marketing mediums you decide to use.
Standing out from
the crowd is key for any product or service. Impressions
come to people so fast it's virtually impossible to retain
all the messages we're bombarded with daily.
In order to make
people take notice, it's imperative that your brand cuts
through the clutter. Your name, logo and "look and feel" are
all starting points for how people perceive you.
- Get your target
audience to notice and remember you. The core of your
brand is your name and how that name is visually expressed;
this is a terrific opportunity to make these elements
work for you. Take your brand development seriously,
and invest what is necessary to have marketing experts
help you achieve your goals.
- Communicate
your company's core values. If you
can't tell your branding consultant
how you're different from your competition,
they won't be able to communicate
it visually either.
- Identify
your customers' values,
and align yourself with
them.
- Associate
your
company
with
people
who
lend
it
credibility;
this
helps
to
raise
your
profile
and
reputation.
- Practice
what
you
preach.
If
you
say
you
are
the
best
at
something,
be
the
best!
- Branding
can
make
a
huge
difference
during
times
of
recession
or
instability,
so keep
your
branding
concept
consistent,
no
matter
what
communication
vehicle
you
decide to
use.
Happy
Thanksgiving from your friends at MCS!
Who
wants to be successful?
"I
don't want to succeed!"
Sound strange? That's exactly what companies are saying when
they respond to economic downturns by slashing their marketing
budgets. Marketing can give you new direction, new customers
and more business. Then you can start adding up those dollar
signs.
Here are some
tips to help your company reach its goals:
- Don't
Forget Your Marketing Plan
Make sure you have a plan; set a marketing budget for the year ahead...then
use it. Don't let fear stop you.
- Get
in touch with your customer
With a touchy economy your business has probably changed somewhat, so take
a look at the way you are reaching your customers. Has it changed? Maybe
it should. Understand the impact the economic downturn has had on your market
and take advantage of the opportunity to use that knowledge in repositioning
your own company to them.
- Try
to understand your customer better
We all think we know our customer, but do we really? When budgets are tight,
reaching customers has to be more targeted, more effective and faster than
ever. People don't want you to waste their time or money.
- Look
at your product more critically
If you were the customer, would you buy it? How much would you pay for it?
- Network
and follow-up
Make sure your sales force follows up on every lead. Be kind, gentle and
make your point quickly
- Get
your sales people to think in terms of alternatives
When you sell you have the opportunity to educate, persuade and create a
relationship. Think of ways you can reach your targeted customers by working
with other companies, associations or groups. Develop key partnerships and
understandings.
- Create
and maintain a database
By using your computer to keep a database, you cut costs for yourself and
you reach every customer. This is an important time to make sure customers
know you are there for them.
- Stay
in touch
Staying in touch by e-mail makes everything move faster. You can reach more
people in less time and reach them when they have time to respond to your
message.
- Go
and get them
Don't give up! Everything improves with time. Just keep putting one
foot in front of the other and stay open to change. Remember, there
are many ways to accomplish your goals and reach success!
It's time to harvest creative solutions
Think you've run out of answers to your
company's challenges? Does it seem like you have tried "everything" to
improve the bottom line? Are you poring over business
books to find the answer to gaining more clients?
Maybe it's time to mix things up a little,
reach beyond your limits and add some creative inspiration...and
have some fun!
What you plan to accomplish should be
clear. How you get there can be done creatively.
- Motivate the office team with brainstorming/team
building exercises weekly.
- Ask people from outside your department
or area of expertise for ideas.
- Pay attention to popular entertainment,
fashion and social magazines - they can give you hints
of popular trends.
- Ask your clients what their biggest
problems are and what they like best about your services/product.
- Ask "what if" questions.
- Do something different! Send out a
fun postcard. Provide a little something different
for your prospective clients to make them smile or
laugh. Add some personality to your company's image.
- Do something unexpected for your employees...it
will start "out of the box thinking."
Most of all, make work enjoyable for
you, your employees and your clients.
