Advice for Marketing Part II: Before you start

There are some things everyone should be aware of before starting with marketing. They are more like advice.

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1. Specialization. You should not "specialize in everything" just to encompass as many customers as possible. You should specialize in a specific product or service, or in a portfolio of products or services. This way you can become a professional in your branch, you can get to know your market better, and the target customers for your products or services will become clearer and you will better understand their needs.
2. Top condition. Before you start promoting whatever product, make sure it is in the top condition! If not, it will only bring bad reputation for your company.
3. There are other ways how to promote your product or service. Marketing is not the only way. There are other and usually cheaper ways as well. For example writing articles in specialized magazines about your company, in newspapers or on TV - but you need to have something special to offer to them, something that will help them gain attention. Building your network is another way - you can use Facebook, or join some clubs, organizations … Then it is for example direct mailing or telemarketing. But here is one example from my experience - in Prague there is one very small shop with jewels, so small that you can easily miss it when you pass by it. But when I came inside just to look, the owner came to me and asked what I was looking for. Then he showed me few things according to my wishes. I chose one of them and bought it. Then he asked me to fill in one questionnaire - my name, birthday, mobile number - only if I agreed of course. I did so and since then he has been texting me always when I have birthday or names day or on Christmas. I also received small discount for me and my friends that I will bring to his shop. This is the cheapest and best promotion of your products!
4. Always choose your target group. When promoting your product or service, you should clearly specify the target audience and then aim your marketing at them. It saves time as well as money.
5. Check your own employees. You should be sure that your company is in a good condition. Employees are usually the ones who are in contact with customers and they leave the biggest impression. That's why you should always monitor them, give feedback, and, if necessary, fire the bad ones - and fire them soon enough. You should set clear expectations with consequences. Important is training as well - this must be permanent though, you can not expect that after one training the new skills will stick. You have to prepare steps following the training to allow the new skills to settle.
6. Motivation. Here I mean motivation for your employees. The best work is done when you are motivated. Ideal is intrinsic motivation and you can acquire this by offering them challenge, giving them choice over what they do (and thus giving them some amount of control), enabling cooperation, recognition with the job and stimulating atmosphere of happiness and trust.
7. Fire bad clients. They cost you money and time that you can use more effectively, not only on your marketing.
8. Evade advertising mistakes! Here is some advice:
   
   • focus enough time and effort on your advertising
   • don't rely much on advice from friends and relatives
   • don't let yourself be pushed by media sales people
   • use effective slogans; e.g. ask the targeted people to do something in a specific time period so that you can measure the response
   • don't get stuck with your old ways, try something new
   • don't fall into a price trap - don't base your marketing on giving the lowest price, you usually can't keep the trend
   • use publicity and various events in your advertising plans

If you want to make your marketing successful, you should know your customers and care about people's needs, and your aim should be to meet those needs. Write and execute your plan, don't leave it for later. In your marketing plan try to integrate all marketing channels - advertising, public relations, community relations and direct sales. Make your advertising interesting! If you don't draw attention of the customers, you won't sell anything. Don't compete in price. Expect to give away money, marketing is not for free. And very important thing is measuring the outcome of your marketing. You need to know if it paid off.