Maintaining your Marketing – thought for the week…
All forward-thinking businesses will have been adapting their marketing during the current lockdown to reflect current circumstances – it’ll take some time for the market to recover to some form of “normal” but when it does, consumer marketing will have to change again. In his regular “Marketing Matters” column in BDN, Dan Sager regularly shares hints and tips and with the first easing of restrictions possibly in sight, it is timely to recap on some of his advice so that your marketing is primed and ready for when the market starts to open up again.
In his first feature, Dan’s advice centred on how to ensure your business stands out from the crowd. This will be as important as ever in the coming months – look at your business from your target customer’s point of view and think about what they are looking for. Also, what makes your business special or unique? Does it have a strong heritage? Do you have any awards or a particular speciality – perhaps a reputation for great customer service? Understanding your strengths will help you to focus your marketing for much greater effect.
Dan’s second feature focused on customers. Do you know who they are and why they shop with you? Or why they don’t? Understanding the needs of your current and potential customers will help you decide what to sell, how to encourage repeat orders and where to find new business. Questions to consider include: How far do people travel to shop with you? Are you a local, regional, national or international business? What’s your customer mix – male, female, age group, etc.? What are their buying habits with you, what do they buy and can you determine their associated interests? The best businesses know exactly who to target and so should you – it’ll take a little time to work this out but it’ll be a very worthwhile exercise.
If the above has piqued your interest, you can read the full features in the May 2019 and June 2019 online BDN back issues.
https://issuu.com/britishdealernews/docs/british_dealer_news_may_2019/34
https://issuu.com/britishdealernews/docs/british_dealer_news_june_2019/34