The events in our country's fourth-largest city have served as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and business.
It's good to remember that threats and disasters can (and do) come from unexpected places.
While this is certainly not the case in the event of natural disasters, I've come to know that when it comes to running our Charlotte businesses, we are more often than not our own greatest adversary - not external circumstances, not market forces. It all boils down to staring in the mirror and accepting responsibility for the current state of affairs.
Here are a few more that I've come upon.
Businesses Make a Few More Common Marketing Mistakes
“How many things in your life do you do automatically, routinely, that is a waste of time but you don’t take the time to remedy them?” -Robert S. Scott
Whether you generate the majority of your sales from referrals, direct marketing, or a dedicated sales staff, there are a few frequent blunders I've encountered that can suffocate your sales process.
I published the first three last week. Send me a note if you didn't get a chance to read it, and we'll get it to you.
They were as follows:
- Failure To Tell Your Story.
- Right product, wrong market?
- Right market, wrong problem?
As summer draws to a close, now is the ideal moment to assess your marketing processes... and plug any gaps.
So, here's the next chapter.
Is it the right problem, but the incorrect pitch or promise?
You're on the same emotional wavelength as your target audience. Even yet, they don't call your office, don't respond to your sales pitch, or do anything else. Don't panic; understanding your clients' thoughts is already half the battle. But now you must figure out the other half of the proposition: the solution that will entice them to respond.
The first thing you realise is that it has to be better, stronger, or completely different than any other product on the market. How did you come to that conclusion?
It all starts with a thorough examination of the competition. What is it that they are doing that is working for them? Also, what has worked for you in the past that you haven't tried since?
Because these pitches have been tried and proven to work.
In both cases, you're getting a sense for the answers that go to the heart of the prospect. Problems are solved through good sales techniques or promotion. It is a source of hope. That much has been established throughout time. It also works.
What if you have the right pitch but the wrong timing?
It was dubbed the "tipping point" by best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell. One of the things that many firms overlook is how well their promotional efforts and sales presentations are timed in relation to what's going on in the market.
The simple fact is that marketplaces move quickly, and legions of potential clients are constantly on the move. It's possible that what worked yesterday, or even this morning, won't work tomorrow. That is why you NEED to be aware of what is going on in the globe and in the marketplace. Subscribe to the periodicals that your target audience reads. Use online blog-tracking services to observe what your most ardent customers are saying about your product or service (www.BuzzSumo.com is one useful one). Set up a Google news alert for what you're selling (see https://www.google.com/alerts for instructions).
I genuinely hope this is of assistance. I'm no marketing expert, but I do get to see what works for my clients and share that information on.
Warmly,
Sara F Gonzalez
(704) 599-3355
Kohari & Gonzalez PLLC
