What is marketing?
Marketing contributes towards increasing sales of a product or service, using insight to understand and influence a customer’s buying process and their decision making.
I will explain…
Someone recently asked my opinion on whether ‘sales’ drives ‘marketing’ in a business environment or visa-versa. My response concluded that they both work together in unison. Any marketing function needs input from sales for marketing to then support the sales operation and improve efficiency. Namely raising the lead conversion rate to increase win-rate.
In other words, a salesperson needs a good marketing person behind them.
The process explained
Although not definitive and certainly dependant on many factors specific to the product or service being offered, a typical example of a basic sales process goes something like this:
1. Open – build rapport
2. Question – to discover insight and gain understanding
3. Confirm - based on their answers
4. Features / Benefits - based on their needs
5. Cost - based on their desire
6. Close - get the sale
Get the combination right and you open the safe, or in other words you get the sale. Although I’m more than happy to explain in-depth about the sales process at another time, this piece is more about marketing.
A marketing process is quite similar to sales in many ways and here is why:
1. Gain understanding (aka Data or even Business Intelligence)
2. Define a message - based on that understanding
3. Create visual impact - based on understanding
4. Deploy - based on understanding
5. Measure - adjust, based on new insight and understanding
Audience (or audiences)
The more you understand your audiences the more you will maximise your marketing investment and better support your sales operation. For example, research and define who you are selling to, or who you want to sell to if there is a difference. Look at what has influenced a buying decision previously, is there a trend that you can replicate? If you have used a scatter gun approach when advertising before, what can you learn from those who purchased so that you can become more of a snipper in future?
As Gino D’Acampo would say “Minimum effort, maximum satisfaction”.
Creative
Take what you have discovered and write a message with an impactful headline based on the needs of your audience. Create visual appeal that is aligned with that message or the story you are now telling. Keep it representative of your business. In other words, ‘on brand’, both visually and the tone of voice, but always remaining tuned towards your audience.
If you sell power tools to builders and DIY enthusiasts, then what you say and the visuals you will use will be completely different to a blue-chip multinational selling real estate to investors.
Well obviously, you may think… Yes, it is now I’ve explained it.
Deployment
So, you have your message and an advert designed which represents your business and is aligned with what you know about those who typically buy your products and services. Now you need to get it out there.
Anywhere? No, guess what, yet again a decision about where to place your advert is based on that initial understanding you gained at the start of the process.
Digital marketing is popular because it is relatively low cost compared with for example print media. It is also easier to measure and the results can be used as guidance, or insight, for future marketing activity. Leading to better conversion rates, increased sales and ultimately revenue growth.
Within a short time, you should be able to see from the insight available, for example the gender of those most interested in learning more. Where they are located and what time they are likely to make contact. This insight could potentially result in working long hours over a weekend compensated by a long break during the week when calls are unlikely.
In summary - or the 'take-home'
There is a science behind both sales and marketing. Selling fruit at a market calls for a different approach to selling property or luxury cars. Likewise, successful marketing should be based on a foundation of fact not guess-work. Yes, you can make some initial assumptions but then that is why we test, test and test again rather than throwing all the marketing budget into one advertising pot. Try something on the basis that you’ll use what you’ve learned to improve for next time.
Take time to learn your craft. Or simply ask me to manage it for you…
If you want to get in touch, please fell free. If you fancy buying me a coffee then that would be much appreciated - thank you, sincerely, Paul