Being in advertising is exciting, creative and demanding. We communicate, inform, excite, motivate the senses, and in the final analysis, stimulate people to act.
Every new client we work with asks the same basic question: "What is the best way to promote my business?" Let me share with you my answer – one that I firmly believe will help any business prosper in any region and in any economy.
Promoting your business effectively depends on the following four activities:
► Creating a strong image or product/service brand
► Developing a strategic new-business plan
► Establishing a plan to retain current clients
► Planning a well-rounded public relations and
publicity schedule
Creating a strong image or product/service brand
Before a company launches an expensive, broad-based advertising campaign, they would be wise to make sure that their house is in order. It's time to evaluate your image. Establishing your look or image is basic to product or company branding. Too many companies are willing to head right into a new business advertising effort before they have spent the time to make sure their corporate culture has been firmly established.
The first step in promoting your company is to define your corporate culture. What is your business philosophy? What values do you and your staff share? How are these values reflected in your visual image?
In advertising it is the visual image that is recognized immediately. Clarifying and strengthening this image is a vital step in creating your brand. The elements that influence your image first are your trademark, logo, company forms, brochures, office décor, appearance of your staff, product packaging, and signage. If these are uncoordinated they can create a visual dissonance that sends negative messages to your prospects and customers.
How recently have you had a professional redesign of your trademark, logotype, stationery or other office forms? These can be the first signs of a neglected and out-of-touch company. How recently have you redecorated your office or workspace? What is the impression that a customer gets when walking into your office? What is your office dress code? Is everyone dressed to inspire confidence?
When your product is seen, it represents you. Does the package reflect well on you? Does it capture attention and sell itself? Look at the details all around you. Make sure that you are creating a consistent look that reflects your philosophy and attitude toward your products, services and your customers. Presenting the right look takes careful planning. It is the beginning of the branding process.
Creating a sound new business plan begins with defining objectives, research to identify accurate demographics, construction of a well defined marketing plan and the selection of appropriate advertising methods. Every company needs the basics. This often includes a well-designed and professionally written brochure, catalog or promotional packet. A company brochure coupled with a strategically developed web site can be very effective tools to get the message to prospective customers. Depending on your business, this phase of communication offers the greatest variety of advertising methods. Direct mail campaigns, radio, television, billboards, promotional CD's, informational videos, presence at trade shows, and exhibits are just some of the advertising venues. But enormous mistakes can be made in selecting the right approaches and the appropriate methods. This is where a professional consultant can be most helpful.
An advertising campaign to generate new business must have a well-integrated approach. All parts of the campaign must be consistent and directed toward the target audience. Each part needs to relate to the other.
Advertising should support web sites. Direct mail campaigns should drive people to action and have direct lines to purchasing. Advertising, radio, and TV should prep the audience for coordinated direct mail attacks.
Put yourself in the place of the customers. See what they see. Hear what they hear. Think what they think, and create your advertising efforts "with the end in mind," as Covey would say.
For a company that is just starting, creating a new-business plan is vital to success. For the established company, retaining current clients and customers is absolutely vital.
First, realize that your customers are your business. Without them, you don't have a business. Too many established companies constantly seek new business while losing their current customers out the back door. It takes significantly more time and expense to attract a new customer than it does to retain a current customer or client. For established companies, this is your first responsibility.
Take care of your clients. Stay in regular communication with them. Call them. Write them. Learn about their business. Help them reach their goals, then help them set higher goals and be sure to be a part of the process that gets them to the next level.
Communicate with your customers by sending them newsletters with important information that they can use. Give them ideas even when they don't ask. Be pro-active. Invite them to seminars and important community events. Send them articles that you find in journals and other publications that pertain to their industry. Show them that you care. Never take your customers for granted.
The final phase of promoting your business is to establish a sound public relations and publicity plan. This is an area that most businesses just forget to use. It is the least expensive form of advertising and can have remarkable impact.
Create a plan to stay in front of the media. Every business has new products, new processes or new ways of doing business. If you don't, forget about everything that I have said because you won't be around very long anyway. But if you do, than it's time to get the press behind you and get that story out and into the journals, newspapers and other publications that your customers read. This can be done with a well-written press release and a personal cover letter or through using the Newswire.
If your message is appropriate, you can reach the largest audience by communicating with your regional TV and radio stations. This can be accomplished by publicizing special events, new product launches and other mass audience, newsworthy events. At the very least, let the press know when you have hired a new employee, expanded your office, or are having a groundbreaking ceremony for your new building.
Public relations is also networking. Join and be a part of your community. Participate in the local Chambers of Commerce, volunteer for community charities, serve on boards and help your community grow.
Promoting your business is an important part of your job and it takes all of the four vital steps to create a well-planned, integrated approach. Give your business a four-step, check-up. Are you paying attention to each one?
Dennis A. Kleidon
President, KLEIDON and associates