Author: Paul Tagent

The Company Brochure

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Yes, of course you need some sort of “company brochure.” It will frequently be requested by outsiders and often be left behind by you or your staff as a calling card. Your own staff, any new recruits as well as potential staff will all expect you to have a brochure of some sort, but I feel it is unlikely to be the means to winning new business. I very much doubt that potential clients will make their selection of who to work with on the basis of the company brochure and I suspect that they will have a low probability of reading it. It is likely that it will be seen as a calling card at best which is filed for reference or as junk and filed in the recycling bin at worst.

The process of putting together a brochure is not an easy one. It can take months or even years and evoke all sorts of passions within a company (it can also bring out company rifts too!). Not forgetting the expense incurred by the company – the hours in discussion re the design, the arguments re the budget, the quality of the print, the presentation format and even the actual quantity required!

At the end of this massive process when the numerous boxes of brochures do finally arrive in their hundreds at your office, one question that can arise is………..”what do we do with them now!?” This is because more often that not no thought has been given to this as the focus was given solely to the look and content forgetting the actual application!

What tends to happen is that someone decides to just send them out and or give them out willy nilly to avoid the boxes cluttering up the office so these expensive documents are mass mailed to all and sundry, and guess what…….nothing happens! Not a thank you. Not a congratulatory note and not a whisper of new business.

Another common problem with the company brochure in my experience is that they tend to be written in house and contain lots of “we do…..” and “the team does…..” showcasing what the organisation does rather than show what help and benefit the organisation brings.

I’m not meaning to come across as some sort of grumpy old man here. I’m just passing on my experience in the hope that this article might help you sit back before rushing in and spending thousands on something that could go to waste!

So what does Bath Marketing Consultancy suggest you do when it comes to the company brochure? Well, to be honest the answer to this is something that might be better discussed over a coffee, but I feel that the planning and production of the company brochure should be seen as a necessary starting point in a process of producing a range of print material for the company. The thinking should be extended maybe to the corporate ID and general design issues like signage and stationery. Once the decision process about the brochure has been got out of the way, the real creative thinking can start which is where you aim at producing genuinely client orientated, helpful marketing material that will be collectable rather than binable!

Advertising on a limited budget

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I am pretty sure that this post applies to the vast majority of us in that using advertising as a route to market is probably not at the top of the list and, even if it is, the budget is going to be small. This means that, if you are going to use advertising as part of your marketing strategy, you probably need to get as much bang for you buck as possible.

So…..imagine you are a plumber in and around Bath – i.e. some sort of service company. Your budget for marketing as a whole is probably £5k per annum so you’re probably very tempted to use the local free-sheet (because it is cheaper than the local paper) and something like the local Parish magazine. Neither of these are, in my opinion the most cost effective way to spend your small budget as the need for something like a plumber is occasional and only usually once something bad has happened. Therefore, the 2 main areas to invest in are something like the Dentons Directory and online as people use these when actively looking for services.

But…….these 2 platforms are probably exactly where every other plumber with any intelligence is also advertising so how do you make your advertising stand out?

If we take advertising in this case, all you have to do is ask yourself 2 simple questions (the answers are probably more tricky than the questions!) 1. Why should anyone flicking through the plumber section phone me? 2. What do I offer that no one else is offering?

The answer to these may be functional – “we guarantee to have someone round within xx minutes or we’ll do it for free.” The reasons may also be non-functional – “all our plumbers are clean, well presented, transparent and clean up after themselves.”

The next step is to make your ad look good, professional and then make your phone number/contact details stand out. You’d be surprised how many companies do not do these basics!

I will address the online side of things in the next post!

If you like this post and need some help, please get in touch with us on 01225 436426.

Preparation

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How do you set about getting “leads?” How do you qualify them? How do you quantify them?
There is an equation that can help you in the decision process – Q x 2 – Qualify = ensure that they are in the target group to buy from you; Quantify = has their organisation the budget? i.e i the suspect a proper prospect?

If you are a new business then you might be able to draw up a lengthy and detailed list of companies you want to talk to. Constructing your “wish list” should be relatively simple in the early stages after all, you know your market, you read the local and trade press etc. But, remember the list can be long; 100 + names as a minimum so as to give yourself a broad target to aim for and to allow for the contacts who may well be unresponsive at the first attempt.

I don’t think it is possible to have too many leads. In my experience when working for News International and Miller Freeman, leads were aplenty. The stumbling block was actually having enough leads as your list will shrink!

So, consider purchasing a database. Many are available for sale, of variable quality. Then there are platforms like online and paper directories where you can research possible leads. Having said that, leads can come from anywhere. Networking, the press, sign boards, sponsorship of events and even job listings. The key thing is that you find out as much information as you can before you commence your marketing activity.

But what activity to undertake? Have a read of these other posts as they might help you decide……

Sell the benefit NOT the features or techniques

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When dealing with prospects, there is often an overwhelming temptation to talk about what interests you, i.e the features of what you are “selling” or the mechanics, rather than the benefits that should accrue to the prospect as a result of working with you. As a professional, features will interest you. As a potential buyer, the prospect may share your interests, but equally may well be solely interested in the end result. It is your job therefore, to make sure that your message outlines those benefits in a clear and concise way….a sort of “and this is what you can get” rather than a “and this is what it will do.”

For a number of clients, going into detail about the actual mechanics of what you do could work against you so I suggest you keep them in a black box only to be opened if requested. If you follow this type of approach, it will allow you to adopt a sort of “laddering” approach with your marketing; moving from feature to benefit with transitions such as:

“..and this provides you with….”
“….which means you’ll be able to ….”
“….allowing your company to….”

My suggestion is that you try this out; practice it when running marketing initiatives and always remember to use the word “you” or “your company” which are words for that personal focus. Your marketing should be about reassurance and keeping things simple!

If you need any help, get in touch with Bath Marketing Consultancy…..

Don’t be afraid to test

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As the title says, don’t be afraid to test new ideas when it comes to marketing. Marketing theory is all built around the principle of pre testing especially since the financial commitment and risks involved in mass marketing can be large. Therefore, why not look at small scale evidence as a precursor to anything larger?

Many of your proposed initiatives may well be accessible to small-scale, toe-in-the-water trials which could be evaluated before a full commitment of that initiative is made.

For example, mail shots. These can be pre tested on a small section of your database or a mailing list and the reactions monitored. By keeping the postage cost and print run small, anything negative could be restricted to a few tens of clients/prospects. Similarly, if you wanted to use a new presentation or creds document, why not test it with existing clients initially?

For advertising, company identity and literature, unfortunately the commitment is likely to be all or nothing. This doesn’t however, stop you approaching to a sample of clients with something rough or unfinished to test the concept. But…….you must be prepared to act on this feedback even if it halts your creative juices!

When it comes to testing your marketing, remember the customer is always king; accept their verdict and go back to the drawing board if necessary – your next idea will be even better for doing so!

Remember the competitive framework

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Yes, I know I’ve said it before, but…..I do think it deserves repeating.
Everything you do in your business is very likely going to be released into a noisy world; a world full of competition and a world where some people will have more money than you. So, to be successful and to give yourself the best chance possible, be creative, be loud, be professional and, above all, try and be different. This is not Bath Marketing Consultancy trying to scaremonger you or us trying to make a plea for you to make an appointment to see us – it is a must. If not adhered to, your message will drown and you marketing budget will likely drown too.

Also, please consider professional help. You cannot be an expert at everything. We outsource our accounts, some of the legals and contract work that needs doing when running your own company as well as some of the initiatives we advocate such as print and media.

It really is a false economy to try and do things on the cheap and in house, especially when it comes to marketing. Yes, you may be able to write a good line or you may even be able to draw a bit, but his doesn’t make you a creative or a marketing professional. Nor, to be honest, does it make you objective. An outsider really can reveal new insights and create a revolutionary approach that will really impact and shake up the market.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

You are all individual!

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In my experience, the vast majority of clients think that they have unique problems and that their needs are “special” and, as a result, they tend to buy “a la carte” solutions because they are looking for a particular solution to their own, unique problem.

As a supplier or problem (or service) solver, you should try and avoid offering an off the shelf solution as part of your services as you simply wont appeal to the majority of clients as they want to be made to feel special.

The best and most successful professional services suppliers know this and a part of their marketing approach they aim to get the message across that they have the potential answer to the problem…….. i.e “I can help you!” You should be looking to say to prospects that your solutions are customised/tailored to meet their needs. After all Mr Prospect, if I cant, why am I in business?!

There are 3 key rules when dealing with new potential business –
Understand the problems
Offer the professional solution
Minimize any uncertainty

If you can really help…..and you can sell……..then success in business is almost assured! Remember, while you are pondering about what to do, when, who to work with, how much to spend etc, your competitors are very likely to be planning an assault on your clients. The downside of working in a service related industry is that you are only as good as your last job so act now.

Another point to remember is that “you” are most likely a professional first, a sales and marketing person second and this means that it is not deemed as failure if you need help in the form of marketing consultancy!

Annoying TV ads

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I can safely say that there are a number of TV ad campaigns running at the moment that are simply baffling to me in terms of their messaging, their content, their scripts and their all round presentation and I wonder why the agency who did them would even present them to their client not to mention why the client would’ve signed them off and handed over a (presumably very large) cheque.

For example, why oh why did Enterprise Car Hire sign this one off? How annoying is it?

Also, what in the world of sports is the new Compare the Market ad on about?! I know humour and celebrities “sells” but is this ad funny??!

What do you think? Do they work for you? Is it about time Compare the Market thought up another gimmick?! What other ads make you want to change channels?!

Direct Marketing can really work

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If you are running a Direct Marketing marketing campaign which is aiming to generate a response, remember that there is no “ideal” per cent response rate – just the profit per reply calculation.Direct Marketing can really work

I have heard some people throw around figures like “you might get a 2% response from Direct Marketing if you’re lucky.” This is actually, in my opinion, complete nonsense. Too many people discount using printed material as a marketing platform basing their decisions on response rates……..it doesn’t matter about the percentage, it only matters about the profit per reply.
After all, do you think companies like Boden who use direct marketing as a huge part of their marketing worry about the number of catalogues recycled?

No. They use Direct Mail and Direct Marketing as it works. In fact, each year, more than 20 million copies of their remarkable publication thump through Britain’s letterboxes (source Telegraph March 2012). “Johnnie” now has a fortune estimated at over £300 million and the company’s most recent financial results showed turnover rising 15 per cent to £232 million and pre-tax profits up by 13 per cent to £32.5 million, with few signs of a slowdown.

Not everyone is going to be as successful as a company like Boden, but they have found a marketing platform that works and this is something every organisation must do in order to grow. If you decide to give the Boden model a go, then there are a couple of areas you must consider to get the best out of direct marketing.

1. When people respond, do get back to them quickly, preferably within hours rather than days.
2. If the follow up from you is posted, make sure that your company name is clearly visible as you don’t want your mail binned.
3. Whatever you send or however you follow up, make sure it’s relevant and interesting and make sure that the next step is clearly outlined.

Sometimes it also really pays to know what your competitors are up to with regards to any mailings they are making and what offers they contain. Maybe try and get their material and analyse it in your own terms – what does it tell you about their strategy, their services, their focus, their targeting etc? I will admit to running an email marketing campaign for a client in the automotive sector following a bit of mystery shopping!

Anyway, to recap, when it comes to direct marketing, approach it by:

1. Stating the target audience’s problem – maybe use a headline that your reader can identify with?
2. Promise a solution – with an explanation in the body copy maybe using a case study
3. Ask for a response – don’t tiptoe around here. Be hard, be direct and demand a click or a call!

At Bath Marketing Consultancy, we are believers of printed material as well as online marketing so why not get in touch and see what we can do for you.