Category: Marketing

  • Take a Fresh Look at Your Company’s Brand

    Take a Fresh Look at Your Company’s Brand

    A strong, discernible brand is important for every business. Even a company that never undertakes a formal branding effort will, over time, establish a brand through its communications with customers and interactions with the public. For this reason, it’s a good idea to regularly take a fresh look at your brand and determine whether tweaks…

  • Three Best Practices for Achieving Organic Sales Growth

    Three Best Practices for Achieving Organic Sales Growth

    Most business owners would probably agree that, when it comes to sales, there’s always room for improvement. To this end, every company should strive for organic sales growth — that is, increases from existing operations unrelated to a merger or acquisition. That’s not to say a merger or acquisition is necessarily a bad idea, but…

  • Bridging the Gap Between Budgeting and Risk Management

    Bridging the Gap Between Budgeting and Risk Management

    At many companies, a wide gap exists between the budgeting process and risk management. Failing to consider major threats could leave you vulnerable to high-impact hits to your budget if one or more of these dangers materialize. Here are some common types of risks to research, assess, and incorporate into adjustments to next year’s budget.…

  • Six Ways to Ensure Your Marketing Plan Drives Sales

    Six Ways to Ensure Your Marketing Plan Drives Sales

    “Love and marriage,” goes the old song: “…You can’t have one without the other.” This also holds true for sales and marketing. Even the best of sales staffs will struggle if not supported by a well-researched and carefully executed marketing plan. Here are six ways to ensure your marketing plan is likely to drive strong…

  • For Best Results, Start Your Strategic Planning Early

    For Best Results, Start Your Strategic Planning Early

    Time flies when you’re having fun — and running a business. Although it’s probably too early to start chilling a bottle of bubbly for New Year’s Eve, it’s certainly not too early for business owners to start doing some strategic planning for next year. Here are some ways to get started. Begin with your financials…

  • The 1-2-3 of B2B Marketing

    The 1-2-3 of B2B Marketing

    Does your business market its products or services to other companies? Or might it start doing so in the future? If so, it’s critical to recognize the key differences between marketing to the public — or even certain segments of the public — and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. Whereas wide-scale marketing campaigns generally need to be…

  • Targeting and Converting Your Company’s Sales Prospects

    Targeting and Converting Your Company’s Sales Prospects

    Companies tend to spend considerable time and resources training and upskilling their sales staff on how to handle existing customers. And this is, no doubt, a critical task. But don’t overlook the vast pool of individuals or entities that want to buy from you but just don’t know it yet. We’re talking about prospects. Identifying…

  • Build Long-Term Relationships with CRM Software

    Build Long-Term Relationships with CRM Software

    Few businesses today can afford to let potential buyers slip through the cracks. Customer relationship management (CRM) software can help you build long-term relationships with those most likely to buy your products or services. But to maximize your return on investment in one of these solutions, you and your employees must have a realistic grasp…

  • Is Your Business Stuck in the Mud with Its Marketing Plan?

    Is Your Business Stuck in the Mud with Its Marketing Plan?

    A good marketing plan should be like a network of well-paved, clearly marked roads shooting out into the world and leading back to your company. But all too easily, a business can get stuck in the mud while trying to build these thoroughfares, leaving its marketing message ineffective and, well, muddled. Here are a few…

  • Do Your Long-Term Customers Know Everything About You?

    Do Your Long-Term Customers Know Everything About You?

    A technician at a mobility equipment supplier was servicing the motorized wheelchair of a long-time customer and noticed it was a brand-new model. “Where did you buy the chair?” he asked the customer. “At the health care supply store on the other side of town,” the customer replied. The technician paused and then asked, “Well,…