Resources
    Looking for new customers for your products or services?

    Want to make the most out of the resources around you?

    Check out our list of 20 Tips to Market and Brand Your Struggling Business

    Wondering  how to use your operational strength to keep your customers?

    Do you have a real “process” for understanding how the market impacts your products and services?

    Check out our list of 8 Operational Tips for Getting to Know Your Customers Better

    2o Tips to Market and Brand Your Struggling Business:

     

    Whether you’re starting a new company, managing a non-profit or looking for ways to refresh your image, there are lots of ways to use marketing and branding techniques to improve and update your business. To make sure that you make the most of the resources around you, consider these tips…
     
    (1) Define Your Brand
    You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Clearly state who you are, what you do, why someone should buy from you and why you’re different.
    (2) Develop a Statement
    Develop a Brand Positioning Statement:

    This should be done in two sentences or less. Create a statement that succinctly describes your products and services as they relate to your clients’ needs. Refresh your positioning statement as needed.

    (3) Create a Plan
    Think through the details for getting your products, services and business in front of the right people. Write it down. Refine it over time. This is called a plan.
    (4) Get Feedback
    Get Feedback from Customers and Prospects:

    How do you find out why your business isn’t where you want it to be? Get out and talk to customers. Talk to prospects. Find out what they need and how you can fill their needs.

    (5) Reinforce Your Message
    It takes at least three impressions for someone to remember your products and services. Get the word out about what you do over and over again using a variety of media types.
    (6) Deliver Benefits
    Deliver Benefits Which Customers Really Desire and Value:

    How does a customer know whether or not your offering can solve a problem that they don’t even know they have? Describe benefits: how your product or service uniquely satisfies a need, fills a void, provides a solution or identifies a problem.

    (7) If It's Broken, Fix It
    Find ways to constantly improve your business. If something isn’t working, be prepared to change it.
    (8) Identify Meaning
    Identify What Your Brand Means to Customers:

    Loyal customers are your greatest asset. Find out just how loyal your customers are by asking them to tell you exactly what makes your offerings valuable to them.

    (9) Always Audit & Track Success
    Use the services of a colleague or a research  firm to perform quarterly or semiannual audits to see how satis ed your clients are or are not. Take action on the information that you get from these audits.
    (10) Match Pricing to Value
    Match Your Pricing to the Value That Your Clients Get from Your Offerings:

    Test different price points for your products and services. Research the price points and pricing models from competitors in your field. Value is in the eye of the beholder.

    (11) Organize Logically
    Organize Your Products and Services in a Logical Way:

    Consider your offerings as a system of products and services that work together. Be sure that they are clearly named, priced and marketed so that clients can make an informed and clear buying decision among, and between, your offerings.

    (12) Get To Know Your Customers
    Write down a detailed description of your ideal client. Once you’ve found them, take the time to understand their needs, issues and buying patterns.
    (13) Include Your Brand
    Include Your Product and Company Name on Everything:

    Reinforce your image and brand by putting it on everything from email signatures to note cards, websites, direct mail pieces, marketing materials and voicemail messages.

    (14) Tell A Story
    Tell a Story About Your Product or Service:

    Everyone loves a good story. Write an account of a how a client found you, a problem that you solved for them, or the successes that they’ve experienced with your products or services.

    (15) Client Perspective
    Tell a Story About Your Product or Service:

    Everyone loves a good story. Write an account of a how a client found you, a problem that you solved for them, or the successes that they’ve experienced with your products or services.

    (16) Push For Quality
    Strive to delight your clients by exceeding their expectations and meeting your promise for results.
    (17) Communicate Effectively
    Speak to Your Clients in a Language They Can Understand:

    The style, tone and content of all communications to your clients should be easy for them to understand. Avoid acronyms and technical terms unless widely understood by your audience.

    (18) Get Out to the Marketplace
    Get Out to the Marketplace – No Matter What!

    Whether or not your business takes you beyond hyperspace, get out and talk to other busi- ness owners. Get involved in industry associations. Attend conferences and other educational events.

     

    (19) Establish a Solid Business Process
    Document and update the basic series of actions that describe how you run your business. Include steps for taking orders, answering customer inquiries, post-sales interactions with customers and other aspects of operating your business.
    (20) Stay Relevant
    Businesspeople often “reinvent” themselves. Keep up to date on issues and develop- ments in your industry that may affect how (and what and for how much) you sell your products and services. Be on the lookout for opportunities to meet client needs in a new and different way.
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    Whether you’re running your own company, about to start one, or managing a line of business in a company, now is the time to look at how what it takes to make, and to keep your customer happy, consider these tips…

     

    8 Operational Tips for Getting to Know Your Customers Better

    1. Become More Customer Focused

    Identify your customers’ needs and wants, and position your products to meet and/or exceed these. Everything your business does should be done with your customer in mind.

    2. Know the Value of Your Customers.

    Is it more efficient to retain the customers that you have already, or to attract new ones? You can calculate the value of your current customers by understanding how much revenue each customer creates for your company each year. Then you can multiply this amount by the life expectancy of your customer to calculate the net present value and internal rate of return associated with each customer. Use this information to determine how much to spend to attract new customers, or to retain existing ones.

    3. Understand How Your Customers View and Value You.

    How do your customers rate you on the products and services that you deliver? How valuable are they to your audience? The value of your offering is determined by whether or not your customer is willing to buy or own it. Once you have the answers to these questions, create meaningful goals and objectives to deliver the value your customers expect.

    4. Deliver Benefits That Customers Really Desire and Value.

    How does a prospect know whether or not your offering can fix a problem that they don’t even know they have? Describe the benefits of what you do, how your product or service uniquely satisfies a need, fills a void, provides a solution or identifies a problem.

     

    5. Identify What Your Brand Means to Customers

    Loyal customers are your greatest asset. Find out just how loyal your customers are by asking them to tell you exactly what makes your offerings valuable to them.

    6. Speak to Your Clients in a Language They Can Understand

    Make your written and verbal communications easy to understand with a clear and concise tone, content, and writing style. Avoid acronyms and technical terms unless widely understood by your audience.

    7. Get Feedback From Customers and Prospects

    How do you find out why your business isn’t where you want it to be? Get out and talk to customers. Talk to prospects. Find out what they need and how you can fill their needs. Then what? Link the voice of your customer directly to your internal (customer centric) processes.

    8. Spend As Much Time As You Can Getting to Know Your Customers

    Write a detailed description of your ideal client. What type of business issues do they have that you can help them with? Why would they benefit from working with you, or buying your product? Once you’ve found them, take the time to understand your ideal clients’ needs, issues and buying preferences.

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    Planning

    Thoughtstarter Tool

    Sometimes I use a “Thoughtstarter” to get the juices flowing when I work with clients on business planning.  This simple tool prompts discussion and interaction….

    Vision Exercise

    This is “what” you aspire to as an organization. The vision statement communicates both the purpose and values of the organization.  Example: In the early days of the technology revolution, Microsoft’s vision was: “A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software.”  The vision should energize and inspire your team.

     

    Mission for Your Organization

    This is “how” you are going to accomplish your vision – using objectives to deliver results. Take a look at your current mission if you have one. Does it still apply? How has your business changed since you created this mission?

    Value

    This is how you’re going to differentiate yourself from others who offer a similar product/service/idea as you do (the competition). What are the products and services and intangibles that lead your customers and suppliers to do business with you? How do you demonstrate and measure this value? More importantly, how/why is this different than what’s on the market today?

     

    Plans

    What are actions that you’ll take to implement the vision and mission and to promote the value that you bring? Set timeframes and key milestones for each action. If you don’t know where to start, consider hiring a consultant.

     

    Document each discussion and each iteration of Vision, Mission, Value, and Plans.

    Use this as a compass to guide your planning activities.