One of the most common missteps made by businesses large and small, in both the for-profit and not-for-profit arenas is a failure to clearly identify the desired target market. Why? In my experience, I see this happen for a variety of reasons: Continue reading “Why Marketers Often Fail to Sufficiently Narrow Their Target Audience”
Tag: Marketing
#1 Marketing Tip
- What does it take to be an effective healthcare marketer?
- What does it take to be an effective B2B marketer?
- What does it take to be an effective retail marketers?
Regardless of the audience asking, or the way the question is posed, my #1 recommendation is always a two-part recommendation and it’s one that I convey to clients and students communicating in both internal and external settings. Continue reading “#1 Marketing Tip”
Want to Excel at Generating Response From Your Market? Focus!
Client question: “What’s the best way to communicate with the under-35 market?”
It’s a legitimate question and certainly marketers need to think carefully about how they will communicate with their market, recognizing that markets are different. The only problem with this question (and it’s one that most marketers ask in one form or another) is that it doesn’t go far enough to identify a specific market focus. The group of individuals who are under 35 is a very, very broad group, after all. What is the likelihood that there would be a single, “best” communication strategy for them?
When it comes to targeting marketing messages, the advice I offer, regardless of what you are attempting to sell or what response you are attempting to attain, is to Continue reading “Want to Excel at Generating Response From Your Market? Focus!”
How Do You Find and Target the Right Customers
We sponsor, and I present a session on marketing at, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Entrepreneurial Training Program; my session is on marketing. When I first spoke with the program’s director about the program he pointed out that one of the major missteps that he saw from participants was that they too broadly defined their target audiences. They generally felt that their products or services appealed to “everyone.” He was right. Continue reading “How Do You Find and Target the Right Customers”
Common Online Marketing Mistakes
It seems that interest in online marketing is hotter than ever; every week it seems we get more questions from reporters, prospects and clients about do’s, don’ts and best practices of online communications. Last week we received a question about what we would view as the “Big 3” online marketing mistakes that we see businesses make, especially small businesses. Continue reading “Common Online Marketing Mistakes”
Everything New Is Old Again: In Communication, Basic Rules Still Apply
There’s much talk these days about how social media has changed the communication landscape and, indeed, it has. But, despite the fact that social media has created new opportunities and challenges for communicators, there are really (IMO) only two ways in which it really represents anything “different”: Continue reading “Everything New Is Old Again: In Communication, Basic Rules Still Apply”
A Focus on Strategy–Hold the Tactics!
When interviewing candidates for mid- to senior-level marketing positions, I have a question that I like to ask which gives me a sense of how strategically the candidates might approach their jobs. It goes something like this:
“Suppose I’m one of your internal customers and I come to you and say ‘I need a brochure’ (or you could say ad, or web site, or email blast or any other form of communication). How do you respond to that request?”
Most people (yes, sadly, even for senior-level marketing positions) will begin to tell me the steps that they will take to create whatever communication tool I’ve asked them to create. So, for a brochure, they might say: “I’ll ask for information about the product/service they want to sell. I’ll want to know what size they want the brochure to be. I’ll ask if there is any specific information that they want to include in the brochure.”
- In short, they focus on the WHATs.
- What I’m looking for? A focus on the WHYs!
I don’t want marketing staff–especially senior level marketing staff–to focus on tactics. I want them to focus on strategy. What I hope to hear when I ask a question like this is: Continue reading “A Focus on Strategy–Hold the Tactics!”
What Makes Great Marketers Great?
The skills of great marketers are many, but are primarily rooted in an understanding of consumer or human behavior and all of its complexities. Marketing is a challenging field of endeavor because, while there are certain principles and tenets of practice that are widely accepted, there are also many exceptions that challenge the rules. I’ve been a marketer, I’ve worked with marketers, I’ve hired marketers–both as staff people and as external consultants or vendors. I’ve worked with both effective and not so effective marketers. What does it take to join the ranks of the effective marketers? In my opinion, those who will be most effective in marketing-related positions are those who: Continue reading “What Makes Great Marketers Great?”
Should You Outsource Your Marketing Function?
I was interviewed recently by a reporter with Inc. Magazine about the prevalence and value of outsourcing the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role. It’s a topic that I definitely have an opinion about–one that may seem to be at cross-purposes with my own self interests. As a marketing communication consultant I’ve actually served in the role of an “outsourced CMO” on a couple of occasions. In one instance, the client was looking for not only my assistance with current marketing efforts, but my recommendations for how they should proceed in the future — should they continue to outsource this function, or should they hire someone to handle their marketing efforts on staff?
Continue reading “Should You Outsource Your Marketing Function?”
DVORAK, QWERTY, AC/DC, CD, MP3 — AND QR CODES
A writer with Ragan Communications contacted me recently for my response to an article suggesting that QR codes were “dead.” He was writing an article in response to this claim and seeking input from those with opinions to share. My response: Continue reading “DVORAK, QWERTY, AC/DC, CD, MP3 — AND QR CODES”