Marketing Communications Blog

What gets your attention?

Had a mentor once tell me something that has stayed with me through the decades (okay, i'm not that old, but, through the years).

We were talking about trying to get someone to buy our product and he said "What do you offer that no one else offers?".

I said we were bigger and better, but, we cost more.

He responded with "There are only two ways to get someone's attention - put money IN their pocket or take money OUT of their pocket. You are definitely taking money out of their pocket, but, you believe that you are also putting money into their pocket, because they are getting something way better then the competition - so tell them that - that you are saving them money or putting money in their pocket by going with your product".

When putting out your next product/service, figure out how you can put money back into their pocket - the sell will be easier if that is the perception.

Posted by blaine at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When are you ready to grow?

Am working with another client who is ready to take her business to the next level. As the title says, she currently is a family business (just her) and wants to take it to the next level - turning it into a small business with profits.

A few questions that you should ask yourself before you decide to take that next step:

1. Do you have a business plan? Maybe for the past 10 years you have been running the business out of your house and the demand (and profit) is starting to grow and you feel you are ready to move to the next level. You need a business plan.  They are simple to do but are time intensive.  Put the time in so that you are prepared for the growth that is coming.

2. Are you ready to put the time and effort into your company to make it grow? Again, for the past 10 years, you were able to pick the kids up from school and attend their plays, but now, to make this company grow, you are going to have to forget the family. Just be prepared.

3. What value do you think you are going to get from growing the company? This is just as important as the other two - if you don't see a goal or know what you want, then, don't start your business growth plan.

There are many more questions that can be asked and answered - go to your local bookstore and get any book about starting your business and they will bring up these questions and many more.

Just think it through - maybe your husband wants you to grow, or your friends are telling you that you will make a million bucks if you grow - don't be one of the failures because you didn't spend the time up-front.

Good luck.

Posted by blaine at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How fast should you move

Remember my boat theory, how some companies are oil tankers and can't move to save themselves and others are speed boats that can turn on a dime?

Am working with a client, very small, not even a speed boat yet (maybe a kayak), and they are getting ready to become a speedboat.

The first question that I ask these companies is: "are you ready for this?".

Most small companies that are ready to grow "think" that they are ready, but, really don't put everything together that needs to be done and what will happen when it starts.

So, ask the following questions before you "make the leap":

1) Do you have enough product to meet supply and demand?

2) Do you have enough staff to meet the demand? (From sales calls to answering the phone.)

3) Do you have the facilities to meet the growth?

4) Do you have a business plan in place to steer you?

5) Do you have the money to meet the growth?

6) Do you have a plan in place to replace yourself? (To bring in a CEO or Business Manager.)

7) Do you have the time to make this happen?

This last one trips up a lot of my clients - because they have children, or have just bought a house, or want to travel the world. It comes down to - are you ready to make this happen or not? Starting a business requires allot of time, but, after it is up and running and you are ready to take it to the next level, you will lose all comfort levels and a lot of what you are working for and had.

What do I mean? After you have had your own business for five years, you have it pretty much down pat - where you can take three day vacation three times a year, you can have children, you can buy a new house, etc.

When you plan on taking your business to the next level, then, you will lose all those "comforts" that you have built to date.

It's depressing to some degree, but, the pay-off is ten-fold.

Good luck.

Posted by blaine at 08:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What you say, stays here - NOT

What you say is never off the record, no matter what is said.

Let me repeat, you are NEVER off the record.  There is never any occasion to ever  believe that you will be off the record.

Something I say to all the trainee's when I am media training them:

Expect that whatever you say will be on the front page of the Wall Street Journal the next day.

Even when having a lunch or dinner with a reporter, you are always on the record. Riding in the elevator and talking, you are on the record.  Waiting for the taxi to pick you up, you are on the record.  The reporters/editors job is to get the story and they get paid to GET the story, so whatever you say, if it helps them get a raise or keep their job or "look good", they will print it.

And just so we are clear, you are always on the record when you are at a bar, or out eating dinner with your boyfriend or girlfriend, or whatever you are doing.  You never know who is sitting next to you and listening.

Posted by blaine at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Product timing?

Was reading another business magazine and saw an article about new products coming to market and it reminded me again of when to "go to market" with a product (which I also discussed in a previous post).

Do you go to market when the product is 100% viable? When the rate-of-return analysis says it is time to go to market? Or when your Product Manager says "we need to go to market now"?

It is all of this, and none of it (and I know, I am repeating myself from a few months ago - but, I have too).

You will NEVER know when the right time is to launch a product. If you wait for all the above to occur, then, you will be to late. If you don't consider all of the above, then, you may be too early.

If you are ANY kind of successful marketer, then, you will KNOW when to go to market AND you will hear the appropriate people in your organization saying that you need to launch now. Both must occur to some degree - you will not go to market if the product manager says the product isn't finished. (And, please note, there is a BIG difference between the product "not ready yet" compared to the product "is not finished". One completes the MRD (marketing requirements document), the other doesn't.)

So, again, if your instinct says go to market and others in your organization say it also, then, GO TO MARKET!!!

Posted by blaine at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)