marketing strategy - The Marketing Compass

How to build a brand identity

October 29, 2011July 16, 2012 By Nigel TempleNo Comments

The smallest business should still 'think brand'. Let's discuss how to build a brand identity... A brand = a promise. What is your promise to your marketplace? If your business is 'just you' then you are the brand. Your brand is based on your values. What are your values? Have you thought about them recently? Do your colleagues / associates / customers / suppliers know what they are? Do you have a written list of your values? Do you display them within your website? A member of The Marketing Compass told me recently that a new client selected his company on the basis of their values (as seen on their website). Successful brands display certain qualities. For example: * They are clear what they stand for * They have a marketing strategy, plan and direction * Their messages are congruent * They use visual brand identity consistently * They continually invest in promotional campaigns * They use a wide promotional mix * They are creative in their approach * They stand out...

The power of being customer centric

October 1, 2010July 12, 2012 By Nigel TempleNo Comments

Within this 2 minute video, Nigel Temple talks about the power of being customer centric. The other option is to be product focused and the trouble here is that products won't give you referrals. If you sell services, Nigel has advice for you as well. He touches on segmentation and the importance of thinking deeply about this concept. There is also some (optional!) homework for you. We hope that you enjoy this brief video and by all means let us know your feedback. Relevant blogs include 'Do you have a concise marketing plan?' and 'Segmentation is a key element of your marketing strategy'. Incidentally, if you subscribe to our newsletter, you will receive a free marketing toolkit, which includes a concise marketing plan template. You can drop this into a wordprocessing document. Alternatively, if you become a Navigator member of The Marketing Compass, we will open up a comprehensive online marketing plan for you. As you will see, Navigator membership is not expensive...

Small business marketing strategy

September 20, 2010September 20, 2010 By Nigel TempleNo Comments

In this brief video, Nigel Temple talks about marketing strategy. Discover the foundations for a successful strategy which will drive your marketing forward. How many key messages should you have? Do you know what the 4Ps of marketing are? Watch this video to find out. In order to think your strategy through, you should have a concise marketing plan. It only takes an hour or two to kick-off your plan. Something magic happens when you write down your marketing ideas, thoughts and action ponts. Incidentally, if you join The Marketing Compass as a Navigator member, you will have access to your own online marketing plan. You can become a Navigator member for £10 +VAT per month, without commitment. We recommend that your plan automatically opens up as a 'tabbed browser window' - so that you can refer to it regularly. (If you are already a Navigator member and require any help with this: just ask!) Within this video, Nigel gets so...

Do you have a concise marketing plan?

September 15, 2010September 16, 2010 By Nigel Temple3 Comments

There are literally thousands of marketing actions which you could take today. For example, you could Tweet, telephone a prospective customer, write a blog, plan an event, write a press release, book to attend a networking event or write an article. There are countless people who you could engage with. For example, prospective customers, dormant customers or advocates. With all of these marketing options available to you, are you happy that you are following the right path - or do you sometimes feel that you are doing a great deal and not getting the expected results? The answer is to produce a concise marketing plan. This will help you to be better organised, decide on your marketing objectives and set specific goals. By referring back to your plan, you will have more control and get better results from the time and money you spend on marketing. It will also help you to measure your marketing success. Some questions for you to consider Are you...

Segmentation is a key element of your marketing strategy

July 30, 2010September 14, 2010 By Ben Temple1 Comment

A market segment = a group of people with shared needs. By segmenting your market, you will find it easier to communicate. You can create propositions, key messages, offers etc for each market segment. As your messages are in line with the market segment, you will get more response and make more sales. Here are two examples of market segments: * Independent professionals, working in the Thames Valley, looking for more clients (B2B marketing) * Fashion conscious 18 - 24 year old ABC1 women living in Chelsea (Consumer marketing) Ideally, you should use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management System) to manage your customer database and segments. For further information, here is a Wikipedia article....