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It’s Only Common Sense: Are You Doing Enough Marketing?

We often talk about doing some marketing. Most of the time, this is about addressing companies that do little or no marketing. These companies spend zero dollars on telling their story and getting their name out there. But what about companies that are doing some marketing? Sorry, you don’t get a pass either; I have to ask, “Are doing enough marketing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic?”

I know you have the budget: you are likely not going to trade shows, nor are you traveling to see, or ‘wining and dining’, your customers. Much to our collective chagrin, none of these things are happening. Thus, you have money to spend on doing more marketing, right?

And with entire countries more-or-less sequestered, your customers are looking for alternative sources now more than ever. The supply chain—or supply web, as one of my friends likes to call it—is broken. There is that whole geopolitical thing going on with China right now, which is diminishing our use of them as a source, causing a search for new and alternate sources (Taiwan, India, Vietnam, South America, and even the good old USA.)

In these non-travel, non-face-to-face selling times, you need to find ways to get in front of customers. You need to create innovative ways to get your company’s name out there. Your potential customers are looking for you right now with an open-minded intensity that they have not had in years. It is up to you to be found. To summarize the situation currently:

• You have marketing dollars
• You are not able to travel and meet customers face-to-face
• For several good reasons, companies are looking for new suppliers

It seems obvious, doesn’t it? You must spend more time, creativity, and money on some new and innovative marketing and branding. But what are you going to do, and what are the most effective ways to spend your marketing dollars? Here are five ideas that will work.

1. Develop a Comprehensive Marketing Plan

Tell your story and develop your brand and ideal customer. Consider how you are going to reach that customer. A good plan like this is the backbone of a great marketing effort. (Note: I have a great strategic marketing plan questionnaire that I use with all my clients and would be happy to send you.)

2. Advertise

I am going to be flagrant here and say that there is no better medium than I-Connect007 for advertising in this industry. They will work with you on messaging, create your ad artwork for no additional fee, and make sure your ads are seen globally by thousands of the right readers.

3. Send Newsletters

Nothing works like valuable, content-heavy newsletters sent out consistently. They draw eight times more interest than any other form of marketing. Using software like Constant Contact, you can send out professional newsletters, news flashes, or technical bulletins that will help you develop a steady following of potential customers.

4. Create Webinars

Nothing creates a sense of expertise like webinars. And the good news is that in this time of Zoom and other meeting software, it has never been easier to develop a webinar and project it to literally hundreds if not thousands of interested viewers at little or no cost.

5. Publish Valuable Content

Content could be in the form of columns, articles, white papers, and books. These are truly gifts that keep on giving. By developing this kind of content, you declare your company as an expert on whatever subjects you choose to write about. Once you write a column, article, white paper, or book, you can reference it in all your other marketing. Once the content has been published, you can share the link on your social media pages and newsletters and send it to colleagues.

Another great suggestion for your newly expanded marketing effort is LinkedIn. There is no better way to reach out to people, find your ideal customers, and have them get to know you. You can also find and hire new engineers and other key people by using LinkedIn.

Now, here is the most important tip of all. This will be the key to your marketing success. Are you ready and listening? Consistency! Once you start, don’t stop. Nobody ever got anywhere with one ad, newsletter, column, or LinkedIn attempt. When you put your marketing action plan together, make sure you develop a month-to-month listing all your tactics and the offerings that you are going to put out. Follow this plan religiously, and I guarantee you will succeed.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.