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Marketing
Posted by Superior Shine
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Marketing February 13, 2004 06:20AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
<HTML> Can you briefly describe your marketing plan?
What has worked, what hasn't?
I get allot of business from yellow page ads and from my web-site.
Refferals are the next best source of new clients.
My immediate plans are to get more involved in community events such as local chamber of commerce, weekend street fair/ farmers market and to expand my volunteer/charity work.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
What has worked, what hasn't?
I get allot of business from yellow page ads and from my web-site.
Refferals are the next best source of new clients.
My immediate plans are to get more involved in community events such as local chamber of commerce, weekend street fair/ farmers market and to expand my volunteer/charity work.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 03:02PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Joe:
You title you posting as marketing, but ask questions about advertising?
Advertising can only be done once you have completed a marketing plan. A marketing plan is your well thought out plan to bring your service to the market. It must answer the following questions:
What am I "really" sellling?
Who will buy it?
Why?
Where are they?
How do I reach them?
What do I say to motivate them to come to me?
Is price an issue?
Only after having answers to these questions can you advertise. Otherwise you will not know who to advertise to and what to say.
Example, if you market are rich people you would not advertise in "coupon clippers" promoting a discount on your service. This would not get you any business.
Regards
Bud A</HTML>
buda
You title you posting as marketing, but ask questions about advertising?
Advertising can only be done once you have completed a marketing plan. A marketing plan is your well thought out plan to bring your service to the market. It must answer the following questions:
What am I "really" sellling?
Who will buy it?
Why?
Where are they?
How do I reach them?
What do I say to motivate them to come to me?
Is price an issue?
Only after having answers to these questions can you advertise. Otherwise you will not know who to advertise to and what to say.
Example, if you market are rich people you would not advertise in "coupon clippers" promoting a discount on your service. This would not get you any business.
Regards
Bud A</HTML>
buda
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 03:56PM |
<HTML>Joe,
Here are are few more words to help define what marketing is all about.
Marketing Plan
A good Marketing Plan will help you to define your business purpose and mission. Only a clear definition of the purpose and mission of your business will make it possible for you to set clear and realistic goals.
Mission Statement
A mission statement simply defines the basic concept of your business. This will help to give you a better picture of your business and its specific strengths and weaknesses. To be valid, your mission statement should be broad enough to allow your business to grow and change. Your mission statement will help to give your business a sense of direction.
Defining Your Business
Here are four factors to be analyzed in order to help define your business mission and also help you to create your Marketing Plan.
1– Customer groups served.
2– Customer functions served.
3– Process procedures utilized.
4– Level of distribution.
A basic foundation for helping you define your business mission would also include:
1- Who is the customer?
2- Where is the customer?
3- What does the customer value?
4- What are the realities of the customer?
Once your business mission is defined, you will then be able to begin to establish meaningful objectives and set realistic goals.
Joe, I know some of these things have already been mentioned, however I just thought they would be worth repeating.</HTML>
Here are are few more words to help define what marketing is all about.
Marketing Plan
A good Marketing Plan will help you to define your business purpose and mission. Only a clear definition of the purpose and mission of your business will make it possible for you to set clear and realistic goals.
Mission Statement
A mission statement simply defines the basic concept of your business. This will help to give you a better picture of your business and its specific strengths and weaknesses. To be valid, your mission statement should be broad enough to allow your business to grow and change. Your mission statement will help to give your business a sense of direction.
Defining Your Business
Here are four factors to be analyzed in order to help define your business mission and also help you to create your Marketing Plan.
1– Customer groups served.
2– Customer functions served.
3– Process procedures utilized.
4– Level of distribution.
A basic foundation for helping you define your business mission would also include:
1- Who is the customer?
2- Where is the customer?
3- What does the customer value?
4- What are the realities of the customer?
Once your business mission is defined, you will then be able to begin to establish meaningful objectives and set realistic goals.
Joe, I know some of these things have already been mentioned, however I just thought they would be worth repeating.</HTML>
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 04:44PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Frank:
Just a minor point of correction. What you are suggesting to Joe as a Marketing Plan is really a "Business Plan." Who you are; mission statements are part of the overall Business Plan.
A Marketing Plan springs from the Business Plan.
The key here is that you cannot really be successful in business if you do not have both a Business Plan and a Marketing Plan.
Regards
Bud A</HTML>
buda
Just a minor point of correction. What you are suggesting to Joe as a Marketing Plan is really a "Business Plan." Who you are; mission statements are part of the overall Business Plan.
A Marketing Plan springs from the Business Plan.
The key here is that you cannot really be successful in business if you do not have both a Business Plan and a Marketing Plan.
Regards
Bud A</HTML>
buda
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 05:07PM |
<HTML>Alot of this forum is about learning and sharing knowledge. which is APPRECIATED Thank you in advance
BUD you try to belittle a person granted some of the advice you give is HELPFUL but talking down to a person is NOT warranted at least by me it's NASTY
IF I AM WRONG I WILL ADMIT IT [check the post here] I'M MAN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT
HOW ABOUT YOU I THINK YOU OWE 2 PEOPLE HERE AN APOLOGY</HTML>
BUD you try to belittle a person granted some of the advice you give is HELPFUL but talking down to a person is NOT warranted at least by me it's NASTY
IF I AM WRONG I WILL ADMIT IT [check the post here] I'M MAN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT
HOW ABOUT YOU I THINK YOU OWE 2 PEOPLE HERE AN APOLOGY</HTML>
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 07:18PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>If an apology is necessary, then by all means I truly and completely apologize to anyone that I offended.
The key is that we should not take things said on a forum personal. We do not even know each other so how can we belittle others?
If you read carefully the posting, it was intended to simply point out the difference between a Marketing Plan and a Business Plan, no personal criticisms intended.
If there some taken then I am sorry, but I cannot walk on eggshells worrying about everything I say that is disagrees with what others say. I thought we are all entitled to our opinions?
Again, no offense intended Frank, et el.
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
The key is that we should not take things said on a forum personal. We do not even know each other so how can we belittle others?
If you read carefully the posting, it was intended to simply point out the difference between a Marketing Plan and a Business Plan, no personal criticisms intended.
If there some taken then I am sorry, but I cannot walk on eggshells worrying about everything I say that is disagrees with what others say. I thought we are all entitled to our opinions?
Again, no offense intended Frank, et el.
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 07:48PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
<HTML>I disagree Bud about my question being an advertising question only.
What I think marketing is, is anything that exposes you to potential clients. Advertising is a part of a marketing plan but not the whole plan.
Volunteering at a boy scouts car wash fundraiser for example isn't advertising, I don't think. Or rubbing elbows with fellow business owner at the local chamber of commerce.
Please clarify your position if you disagree.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
What I think marketing is, is anything that exposes you to potential clients. Advertising is a part of a marketing plan but not the whole plan.
Volunteering at a boy scouts car wash fundraiser for example isn't advertising, I don't think. Or rubbing elbows with fellow business owner at the local chamber of commerce.
Please clarify your position if you disagree.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
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Re: Marketing February 13, 2004 09:09PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 74 |
<HTML>Joe,
Most people misunderstand the meaning of the word marketing. I think it's great what you are doing to get added exposure for your business, but the right words to use would be publicity, promotion, advertising, exposure, or prospecting.
Marketing is the way a business delivers their products or services to the marketplace. It's a complete package consisting of development of your products or services as well as sales, promotion, distribution, positioning, packaging, and pricing.
Your marketing strategy or plan consists of much more than how you get exposure to potential clients. It is also how you package and price your services, how and where you perform your services, what types of people buy your services, how you you deal with competition, how you sell your services to prospects, how you maintain a relationship with your customers, etc. etc. etc...</HTML>
Most people misunderstand the meaning of the word marketing. I think it's great what you are doing to get added exposure for your business, but the right words to use would be publicity, promotion, advertising, exposure, or prospecting.
Marketing is the way a business delivers their products or services to the marketplace. It's a complete package consisting of development of your products or services as well as sales, promotion, distribution, positioning, packaging, and pricing.
Your marketing strategy or plan consists of much more than how you get exposure to potential clients. It is also how you package and price your services, how and where you perform your services, what types of people buy your services, how you you deal with competition, how you sell your services to prospects, how you maintain a relationship with your customers, etc. etc. etc...</HTML>
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Re: Marketing February 14, 2004 12:33AM |
<HTML>Joe,
I want to mention a few more words about your original post.
You may want to concentrate on going after potential customers that you know your business can serve exceedingly well. Do what you know you can do best.
When you define 1- who is the customer? 2- what does the customer buy? 3- what are the values of the customer? 4- what are the realities of the customer? you will begin to create a foundation that will help you segment and position your detailing business in your community.
You may also want to consider finding and exploiting potential customers that no one else is going after. You may want to dig a little deeper to find out, 1- who buys? and 2- what bought for? Usually this kind of research will yield incredible insights about potential customers.
If you get a chance, plan to do a little research to find out who is your non-customer. Who are the people not using your service? That kind of marketing research will usually provide useful action-taking information about people who are currently not using your services.
In summary, as the need for detailing grows, more and more potential customers emerge, however they are sometimes neglected by many of the leading detailing businesses. A new-comer usually has a better chance for success when it comes to introducing a new service, especially when that niche is being ignored by the leader.</HTML>
I want to mention a few more words about your original post.
You may want to concentrate on going after potential customers that you know your business can serve exceedingly well. Do what you know you can do best.
When you define 1- who is the customer? 2- what does the customer buy? 3- what are the values of the customer? 4- what are the realities of the customer? you will begin to create a foundation that will help you segment and position your detailing business in your community.
You may also want to consider finding and exploiting potential customers that no one else is going after. You may want to dig a little deeper to find out, 1- who buys? and 2- what bought for? Usually this kind of research will yield incredible insights about potential customers.
If you get a chance, plan to do a little research to find out who is your non-customer. Who are the people not using your service? That kind of marketing research will usually provide useful action-taking information about people who are currently not using your services.
In summary, as the need for detailing grows, more and more potential customers emerge, however they are sometimes neglected by many of the leading detailing businesses. A new-comer usually has a better chance for success when it comes to introducing a new service, especially when that niche is being ignored by the leader.</HTML>
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Re: Marketing February 14, 2004 01:44AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
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Re: Marketing February 14, 2004 01:46AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Joe:
What you described is what is called PUBLIC RELATIONS and a part of public relations is community relations.
Public relations as well as advertising are a part of a Marketing Plan.
The Marketing Plan describes in detail how you are going to bring your service to the market.
Advertising and public relations are vehicles you use to implement your plan to bring your service to the market.
There are companies that specialize in Marketing Consulting.
There are Advertising Agencies that only do advertising.
And, there are firms that specialize in Public Relations.
All of these different firms often specialize is specific industries or businesses.
So, there is a BIG difference between all these things you called Marketing in your first post. If you know these differences you will be much more effective in what you do and the money you spend.
Hope that clarifies the difference for you.
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
What you described is what is called PUBLIC RELATIONS and a part of public relations is community relations.
Public relations as well as advertising are a part of a Marketing Plan.
The Marketing Plan describes in detail how you are going to bring your service to the market.
Advertising and public relations are vehicles you use to implement your plan to bring your service to the market.
There are companies that specialize in Marketing Consulting.
There are Advertising Agencies that only do advertising.
And, there are firms that specialize in Public Relations.
All of these different firms often specialize is specific industries or businesses.
So, there is a BIG difference between all these things you called Marketing in your first post. If you know these differences you will be much more effective in what you do and the money you spend.
Hope that clarifies the difference for you.
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
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Re: Marketing February 14, 2004 03:06AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
<HTML>From the sba.gov web site.
Marketing Basics
To succeed, entrepreneurs must attract and retain a growing base of satisfied customers. Marketing programs, though widely varied, are all aimed at convincing people to try out or keep using particular products or services. Business owners should carefully plan their marketing strategies and performance to keep their market presence strong.
What is Marketing?
Marketing is based on the importance of customers to a business and has two important principles:
1. All company policies and activities should be directed toward satisfying customer needs.
2. Profitable sales volume is more important than maximum sales volume.
To best use these principles, a small business should:
Determine the needs of their customers through market research
Analyze their competitive advantages to develop a market strategy
Select specific markets to serve by target marketing
Determine how to satisfy customer needs by identifying a market mix
Market Research
Successful marketing requires timely and relevant market information. An inexpensive research program, based on questionnaires given to current or prospective customers, can often uncover dissatisfaction or possible new products or services.
Market research will also identify trends that affect sales and profitability. Population shifts, legal developments, and the local economic situation should be monitored to quickly identify problems and opportunities. It is also important to keep up with competitors' market strategies.
Marketing Strategy
A marketing strategy identifies customer groups which a particular business can better serve than its target competitors, and tailors product offerings, prices, distribution, promotional efforts, and services toward those market segments. Ideally, the strategy should address unmet customer needs that offer adequate potential profitability. A good strategy helps a business focus on the target markets it can serve best.
Target Marketing
Owners of small businesses usually have limited resources to spend on marketing. Concentrating their efforts on one or a few key market segments - target marketing - gets the most return from small investments. There are two methods used to segment a market:
1. Geographical segmentation - Specializing in serving the needs of customers in a particular geographical area. For example, a neighborhood convenience store may send advertisements only to people living within one-half mile of the store.
2. Customer segmentation - Identifying those people most likely to buy the product or service and targeting those groups.
Managing the Market Mix
Every marketing program contains four key components:
Products and Services
Promotion
Distribution
Pricing
These are combined into an overall marketing program.
Products and Services - Product strategies may include concentrating on a narrow product line, developing a highly specialized product or service, or providing a product-service package containing unusually high-quality service.
Promotion - Promotion strategies include advertising and direct customer interaction. Good salesmanship is essential for small businesses because of their limited ability to spend on advertising. Good telphone book advertising is also important. Direct mail is an effective, low-cost medium available to small business.
Price - The right price is crucial for maximizing total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher prices because of their personalized service.
Distribution - The manufacturer and wholesaler must decide how to distribute their products. Working through established distributors or manufacturers' agents generally is easiest for small manufacturers. Small retailers should consider cost and traffic flow in site selection, especially since advertising and rent can be reciprocal: A low-cost, low-traffic location means spending more on advertising to build traffic.
The nature of the product or service is also important in siting decisions. If purchases are based largely on impulse, then high traffic and visibility are critical. On the other hand, location is less a concern for products or services that customers are willing to go out of their way to find. The recent availability of highly segmented mailing lists, purchased from list brokers, magazines, or other companies, has enabled certain small businesses to operate from any location yet serve national or international markets.
Marketing Performance
After implementing a marketing program, entrepreneurs must evaluate its performance. Every program should have performance standards to compare with actual results. Researching industry norms and past performance will help to develop appropriate standards.
Entrepreneurs should audit their company's performance at least quarterly. The key questions are:
1. Is the company doing all it can to be customer-oriented?
2. Do employees ensure the customers are satisfied and leave wanting to come back?
3. Is it easy for the customer to find what he or she wants at a competitive price?</HTML>
Marketing Basics
To succeed, entrepreneurs must attract and retain a growing base of satisfied customers. Marketing programs, though widely varied, are all aimed at convincing people to try out or keep using particular products or services. Business owners should carefully plan their marketing strategies and performance to keep their market presence strong.
What is Marketing?
Marketing is based on the importance of customers to a business and has two important principles:
1. All company policies and activities should be directed toward satisfying customer needs.
2. Profitable sales volume is more important than maximum sales volume.
To best use these principles, a small business should:
Determine the needs of their customers through market research
Analyze their competitive advantages to develop a market strategy
Select specific markets to serve by target marketing
Determine how to satisfy customer needs by identifying a market mix
Market Research
Successful marketing requires timely and relevant market information. An inexpensive research program, based on questionnaires given to current or prospective customers, can often uncover dissatisfaction or possible new products or services.
Market research will also identify trends that affect sales and profitability. Population shifts, legal developments, and the local economic situation should be monitored to quickly identify problems and opportunities. It is also important to keep up with competitors' market strategies.
Marketing Strategy
A marketing strategy identifies customer groups which a particular business can better serve than its target competitors, and tailors product offerings, prices, distribution, promotional efforts, and services toward those market segments. Ideally, the strategy should address unmet customer needs that offer adequate potential profitability. A good strategy helps a business focus on the target markets it can serve best.
Target Marketing
Owners of small businesses usually have limited resources to spend on marketing. Concentrating their efforts on one or a few key market segments - target marketing - gets the most return from small investments. There are two methods used to segment a market:
1. Geographical segmentation - Specializing in serving the needs of customers in a particular geographical area. For example, a neighborhood convenience store may send advertisements only to people living within one-half mile of the store.
2. Customer segmentation - Identifying those people most likely to buy the product or service and targeting those groups.
Managing the Market Mix
Every marketing program contains four key components:
Products and Services
Promotion
Distribution
Pricing
These are combined into an overall marketing program.
Products and Services - Product strategies may include concentrating on a narrow product line, developing a highly specialized product or service, or providing a product-service package containing unusually high-quality service.
Promotion - Promotion strategies include advertising and direct customer interaction. Good salesmanship is essential for small businesses because of their limited ability to spend on advertising. Good telphone book advertising is also important. Direct mail is an effective, low-cost medium available to small business.
Price - The right price is crucial for maximizing total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher prices because of their personalized service.
Distribution - The manufacturer and wholesaler must decide how to distribute their products. Working through established distributors or manufacturers' agents generally is easiest for small manufacturers. Small retailers should consider cost and traffic flow in site selection, especially since advertising and rent can be reciprocal: A low-cost, low-traffic location means spending more on advertising to build traffic.
The nature of the product or service is also important in siting decisions. If purchases are based largely on impulse, then high traffic and visibility are critical. On the other hand, location is less a concern for products or services that customers are willing to go out of their way to find. The recent availability of highly segmented mailing lists, purchased from list brokers, magazines, or other companies, has enabled certain small businesses to operate from any location yet serve national or international markets.
Marketing Performance
After implementing a marketing program, entrepreneurs must evaluate its performance. Every program should have performance standards to compare with actual results. Researching industry norms and past performance will help to develop appropriate standards.
Entrepreneurs should audit their company's performance at least quarterly. The key questions are:
1. Is the company doing all it can to be customer-oriented?
2. Do employees ensure the customers are satisfied and leave wanting to come back?
3. Is it easy for the customer to find what he or she wants at a competitive price?</HTML>
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Re: Marketing February 14, 2004 03:42AM |
<HTML>Author: Jim Hammill
Date: 02-13-04
QUOTE: From the sba.gov web site.
"Price - The right price is crucial for maximizing total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher prices because of their personalized service."
Jim,
Thanks for the good information.
I especially found this quote worth repeating.</HTML>
Date: 02-13-04
QUOTE: From the sba.gov web site.
"Price - The right price is crucial for maximizing total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher prices because of their personalized service."
Jim,
Thanks for the good information.
I especially found this quote worth repeating.</HTML>
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