Your marketing strategy: Branding

(Here is an article from my next Compass Points newsletter)


The ABC of branding:

A. Customers buy from businesses they trust.
B. A brand helps to create trust.
C. Are you building your brand?


A BRAND = A PROMISE


Building a trusted brand name = a key objective.

Strong brands create communities of customers, i.e. Nike, Apple, Starbucks and Lego. You can use the same principles and apply them to your business.

Here are some things for you to think about:

1. What are your values? For example, integrity, service, helpfulness.

2. What do you want people to say about you?

3. Do you have a professionally produced logo?

4. Do you have a professionally produced website?

5. Are you communicating regularly with contacts, customers and the media?

Are you developing 'brand me'? If that's a "Yes", what words would automatically be associated with your name? (For example, 'Nigel Temple' / 'marketing').

You can build your personal brand by giving talks, posting blogs and writing articles.

Be quick to respond and be generous with feedback and advice.

Do you have up-to-date photographs of yourself? (If not, talk to John Cassidy).

Be active in social media circles, i.e. Twitter, LinkedIn, Ecademy, Facebook. (The time to build your network is now!)

Once you've established a brand name:
- You will attract more customers
- They will be happy to pay higher prices
- Your business will be worth more

All the best with your marketing!

Nigel
www.nigeltemple.com
Founder of: www.themarketingcompass.com

Some tips on positioning

Understanding the 'market space' in which you operate is essential. It will help you to differentiate yourself from competitors, create key messages and produce unique 'value propositions'.

Studying your competitors closely will help you to understand how best to position yourself.

Here are some tips on positioning in a crowded market space:

1. Swim up-market
Improve the quality of your product / service and increase your price. 'Up-market' is usually where you'll have the most fun and make the most money!

2. Choose a benchmark competitor
This should be someone who is already where you want to be. You can emulate their marketing strategy and tactics.

3. Analyse your clients
Utilise market research to find out what your target customer's needs are.

For more advice on positioning, check out my book 'How to Get Clients to Come to You'. Click here to read all about it.

I wish you all the best with your marketing!

Nigel
www.nigeltemple.com
Tel: 01628 773128

The power of market segmentation

Identifying your target market segments is one of the most important things you can do in business.

Once you've decided, it will help with key messages, what to put on your website homepage, where you should network, how to populate your database, and which media to communicate with.

Remember that a market segment = "A group of people with shared needs."

Focus on the market segments that will be most profitable for you. Think about the ones which you can serve better than your competition.

Here is a brief article on segmentation.

Read all about segmentation in my book:
How to Get Clients to Come to You

If you would like to discuss segmentation or other areas of your marketing strategy, by all means get in touch.

I wish you all the best with your marketing!

Nigel
www.nigeltemple.com
Tel: 01628 773128

Can you visualise a successful marketing future?

Plans, budgets and details are important – but they won't drive you forward. A clear vision of your future business, on the other hand, can do just that.

Visualise your 'future success', on a regular basis. Sports professionals use this technique to imagine winning, well before they start to play the game. Top sales professionals do the same. In the privacy of their mind's eye, they see their future sales results, happy customers and financial success. They think about the material possessions and experiences they will enjoy, when they have won the business. You should use the same approach.

Spend a few minutes each day relaxing in 'futuretime'. This simple (and highly enjoyable!) process will have a direct impact on your sales and marketing activities. You will feel more positive and energised. Your actions will change and your results will improve. The key thing is to do it. Knowing how successful people and businesses act is one thing. Doing what they do is another thing entirely.

If you would like to learn more about how to drive your business forward with marketing, why not attend my next event on the evening of June 25th 2008 in Maidenhead - no charge! Click here for details: www.nigeltemple.com/themarketingcompass_masterclass.htm

This event is part of The Marketing Compass, my marketing mastermind group for small business owners. Click here for more information: www.nigeltemple.com/themarketingcompass

All the best with your marketing!

Nigel
www.nigeltemple.com
Tel: 01628 773128

The psychology of repetition

In order to get your message into long term memory, it must be repeated seven times. However, marketing communications only 'get through' one time in three. Therefore, you must try 21 times (i.e. 3 x 7), in order to get your message across.

Consider for a moment those companies which mail you on a regular basis. If they continue to do it – it must work for them, mustn't it? The chances are that you have bought from them in the past. This means that you are likely to buy from them once again, at some point in the future. The point is that they don't send a few mailers and then give up. They are investing for the long term - and so should you.

All the best with your marketing!

Regards,

Nigel
www.nigeltemple.com