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Hello, and welcome to the July Behind the Scenes newsletter from Jon at Massage Marketing. Have you been debating on how to plan your marketing and promotion activities in a down economy? A few days ago, I came across an article online talking about just that. I’ve included the most pertinent parts of the article below.
The marketing choices you make now will determine your level of success in the coming months and years. Remember that we’re here to help you in promoting your services, so feel free to contact us to discuss your marketing needs. You’ll find some of our most popular services listed at the end of this email.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Why Marketing Matters in These Times
By Barbara Findlay Schenck
(Source: http://businessonmain.msn.com)
Every business owner who’s wrestling with budgets may sometimes wonder if marketing is worth the effort and expense it requires.
The answer, in three letters, is Y-E-S, marketing is worth the time and money it takes!
Even modest marketing investments deliver value over and over again — building your brand image, attracting new customers, generating repeat business, inspiring referrals and enhancing relationships that cement customers to your business. On the flip side, by cutting marketing you realize the savings once but forfeit the return forever.
Here are 10 reasons that I believe marketing matters, and why it’s still a sound investment in these economic times.
1.) Marketing is the process by which you attract, win and keep customers.
2.) Marketing paves the way for sales.
3.) Marketing is the link between your business and your customer. Without customers, businesses fail. And marketing generates the customers you need to succeed.
4.) Marketing helps you gain and maintain customer trust. Customers don’t buy products; they buy the benefits they believe products deliver. Marketing helps you … tailor offerings to their desires, convey benefits, communicate promises, and create the incentive that leads to sales and customer loyalty.
5.) Marketing builds your reputation. Marketing helps you succeed in the public eye through a set of specific steps: creating your brand identity, managing your message and delivering positive customer experiences. By taking these steps, you create and reinforce your reputation while building customer trust and loyalty.
6.) Marketing leads to cost-efficiency. Marketing requires targeted research to define your customers. And this research helps you avoid wasteful spending by investing in marketing communications aimed directly (and only) at those most likely to buy from your business.
7.) Marketing inspires customers. The biggest threat to sales isn’t another business; it’s your customer’s inclination to do nothing or buy nothing.
8.) Marketing makes products better.
9.) Marketing leads to stronger businesses. Marketing is steered by a plan that serves as the blueprint for sales success. In as few as a couple of pages, your marketing plan defines your business purpose, market situation, goals, target customers, brand identity, marketing message, strategies and tactics, marketing budget, and the action plan you’ll follow to achieve your objectives. It’s important to annually re-evaluate and update your marketing plan
10.) Marketing gives small businesses an edge. Granted, small businesses don’t have the biggest ad budgets, but marketing is about far more than just advertising. Marketing is about building and maintaining customer relationships, and no one is better positioned for that task than the small-business person. By committing to the marketing process, you turn everyday business interactions into opportunities to learn and respond to customer wants and needs — strengthening your products, relationships and sales as a result.
There, now you have my top 10 reasons why you should seize your small-business advantage by protecting, defending, maintaining and strengthening your marketing efforts. Investing in marketing will help boost your business today and into the future. …
Barbara Findlay Schenck is a small business strategist, the author of "Small Business Marketing for Dummies" and "Selling Your Business for Dummies," and the co-author of "Branding for Dummies and Business Plan Kit for Dummies."
Easy and Effective Marketing Solutions
from Massage Marketing:
Using an educational massage newsletter is a proven way for building loyal, regular clients. Our print- and e-newsletters are very affordable, time-saving tools that help you to strengthen your practice, increase referrals and gift certificate sales and keep your appointment books full.
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