IT Marketing: What's the Time Frame for Business Success?
Marketing is the process of attracting and persuading customers to buy your company’s products and services, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. The process is different for every industry, with some requiring an active presence on social media, others marketing strictly through press releases or by networking.
In our post today we’ll explore what IT marketers can do to create success for their business. And while there isn't a specific time frame as every business has its own process towards success - there are definitely things you can do to get started on the right foot!
Judy laughed nervously into the phone at how her daughter asked if she could put her up for adoption. She wanted to scream, "Can't you see how I'm struggling? I'm working my tail off to keep you and your sister in a home. You're not going to give us the bootors!" Judy found herself crying as she tried to just keep her talking jag going.
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Small business marketing is often misunderstood by IT professionals who are not marketing experts. Marketing is involved in every aspect of the business, from choosing products and services to keeping employees satisfied and interested so they will be enthusiastic about your company's work, thank customers for their business and make referrals. Marketing is also responsible for advertising but is often viewed as being a "zero-sum" activity where funds are spent without giving anything back.
The reality is, however, that marketing is often the missing ingredient in the equation for companies to achieve long-term success and achieve growth.
According to the Small Business Administration:
Every business must undergo some form of marketing to survive. Even if you don't want or need to advertise or sell your products or services to a large number of people, chances are you still must market yourself and your business." 1-800-ASK-GARY is an answer service company with thousands of clients. Owner, Gary McLean says, "We have been in business since 1986 selling an information product via phone. Our sales approach has helped us to be successful and profitable, but we still have a lot to learn about marketing."
Marketing: It's the sum of all your business activities. Marketing is about attracting, engaging, educating and acquiring customer-clients.
Marketing is what drives your business. Without it, there is no growth because you are not acquiring customers. When every decision in your company comes back to the topic of marketing, everything becomes much simpler and more successful in achieving growth and profit. Your business then becomes a marketing machine. Marketing is both an art and a science. As an art, others see your company as focused on the customer and being creative in how you deliver value to them. As a science, others see your company as being action oriented with a clear mission and set of goals that are tracked using measurements so that you know if your efforts are successful or not. Marketing is part of every decision you make in running your business.
Marketing is important to understand because if you do not market, you will not have any customers or clients. Without customers, no one has any reason to use the services of your company. Without clients, no one will give your business their business!
Marketing is a very broad term that encompasses many marketing strategies. It also takes into account many different activities such as advertising, public relations, customer service, sales and more.
For example, in the IT industry that we are discussing in this article there are several marketing strategies you need to be focusing on:
Advertising: You must advertise to attract customers to your product or service. You cannot rely solely on organic search results or SEO to drive traffic to your site. Advertising is the best way to grow and sustain a business in today’s market. A good ad will generate leads and sales for your company, but it can take some time to see that conversion.
Public Relations (PR): You will use PR to engage customers and potential customers so they become your advocates. You want customers who love your company and everything you have to offer. A good reputation is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can have when selling products or services. Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools in existence, meaning if someone likes what you are doing, they are going to tell their friends about it!
Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing is a way to engage with potential and current clients on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Social media is also an excellent way to keep your existing customers happy and engaged. The advantages include:
• Social networks are public. People can easily search for you and find you on these sites.
• People can discover you and learn about your company through social media channels.
• Social networking allows companies to "listen in" on what customers are saying about their brand - the more they know, the better they will be able to service their customers.
• Social networks allow businesses to directly interact with potential clients.
• If a brand is active on social media, they would be more likely to recommend the company to other people.
• Consumers are more likely to revisit a site that they have liked, tweeted or shared.
The final aspect of marketing is sales and promotion. This is about selling your products or services in ways that will wow the customers and make them want to support your company.
Are you doing everything you can to reach out and meet new potential customers? Or are you only focusing on your existing clients? If you’re ready to find out what else you can do – join me! I have news for you – it’s time to do more than just focus on your existing clients.