Building Blocks for Constructing an Effective Marketing Strategy for 2010 & Beyond

By Dale W. Hutchings

Whether you are developing a marketing strategy for a new business or an existing business for 2010 and beyond, there are several important building blocks you need to address in designing a marketing blueprint for your business.  By taking the time to develop each of these blocks of information, you will have what you need to build a solid foundation for your business’s marketing strategy that will serve you today, tomorrow…always.

Block #1: Establish Your Business’s Mission and Vision. Developing a mission statement and a vision statement in regard to what you hope to accomplish in your business are among the first things you need to determine. Knowing your mission and vision will help you greatly in deciding what products and/or services to sell to reach these goals.

Block #2: Describe Your Products And/Or Services In Detail.  Ask yourself a lot of serious questions.  As examples: How are my products produced and packaged?  How will my business deliver its products/services?  Of all my products/services, which ones will generate more revenue for the business and should, therefore, be promoted the most? 

Block #3: Know Your Target Market(s). I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say their business’s target market is “anyone.”  Everyone needs shoes, but just because you own a shoe business that doesn’t mean everyone can afford your shoes, will like the shoe styles you offer, or travel to your place of business to purchase them.  Thus, you need to define exactly who your potential customers are by income, age, geographical area, gender, lifestyle, etc. Not knowing and trying to reach your true target market is like throwing darts in the dark.

Block #4: Know Your Competition. Even if you think there are very few, if any, competitors in the marketplace selling what you offer, you still have competition. So what if you own a skating rink and there isn’t another rink within 50 miles of your establishment; you still have plenty of competition for the entertainment dollar – be it movie theaters, music concerts, children’s theater, video arcades, county fairs, sports events, etc.

Block #5: Get A Niche. Chances are for whatever business you are starting or already have there are other businesses selling the same or similar products and services. Therefore, what you need to find is a market segment that is not currently being served or is not being served well.  By having a “niche marketing strategy” you can focus much of your business on serving this particular need, even if you are a small player in your industry.

Block #6: Publicize! Publicize! Publicize! I have chosen this word rather than the word “advertise” because getting the word out about your business means more than just spending ad dollars like crazy to create awareness. There are numerous ways to develop that presence and you should utilize as many different ways as you can. In general, to “hook” a potential customer into buying your product or service you need to deliver your message at least a half dozen to a dozen times…sometimes even more.  Therefore, anything you can do to publicize your products or services as often as you can is imperative. 

Block #7: Build & Retain Credibility. You can do all the advertising in the world, but if potential clients are not aware of just how good your products or services are, or that you deliver on what you say you will, your business stands to become a non-business pretty quickly.  There are many different ways you can build that credibility depending on what you sell. As examples:
• If you are in the foodservice industry, providing a “taste” of your product may be just the thing to get someone to purchase it.
• If you sell suntan lotion, providing a free “sample” of the product could quickly lead to a sale once the recipient tried the product and was satisfied with the results.
• If you are a lawyer, providing free legal advice to someone, even over the phone, for a few minutes may be all you need to do to demonstrate your expertise and to earn business – whether it be from the person you spoke with, or a relative or friend of the individual.

Block #8: Be Consistent, Strive For Continuity:  To effectively brand your business it is important that your marketing strategy be uniform.  All of your marketing materials should have the same look, and the message you deliver to potential clients should be consistent. Maintaining an ongoing, repetitive approach in promoting your business will help you greatly in establishing a presence in the marketplace.

About the Author
Dale W. Hutchings, APR, specializes in “out-of-the-box” marketing and has more than 30 years of Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising experience. Since 2001 he has had his own practice with a heavy focus on marketing consultation and copywriting for a wide variety of advertising mediums. For more information on his services visit www.dalewhutchings.com or contact him via e-mail at: hutch7@verizon.net.