In the previous article: “ Effective marketing: a digression into history ”, we looked at some of the marketing techniques that were used back in the Soviet era.
The roots of marketing can be found in Russian history
At one time, Peter 1, in his desire to introduce potatoes in Rus’, went with punitive methods, but met with insurmountable resistance. Then the seed potatoes were fenced with impassable fences, surrounded by strict guards. And those who tried to penetrate the fences were «flogged mercilessly.»
It is not surprising that when the potato guard left their post on unspoken orders, the vegetables were stolen in the blink of an eye. Gnawed raw potatoes — tasteless, cooked — edible. Buried in the ground — sprouted. This is how we got our “second bread”.
It’s all marketing. And he appeared long before our birth.
So what is marketing?
Marketing is a set of measures to stimulate sales. It’s not the sale itself, it’s not the sales process itself. These are the actions that increase sales. As they say now «sales vitamins».
Igor Mann, a popular marketing specialist today, in his book «Marketing for 100%» says that marketing is auxiliary to sales.
Marketing is the function of a business that must serve sales, work for sales. And I agree with this 100%.
One of the most effective sales growth tools in the B2B sector is direct sales.
So direct sales are the most important tool that allows you to make a breakthrough. This is a tool based on the technique and rules of direct contact with the consumer.
Marketing, on the other hand, is only responsible for making the initial “surge” of customers into a business: a store, a service firm, or a manufacturing enterprise.
This is the first and important step, but not the most important.
So, marketing is a set of measures to stimulate sales. What are these measures?
I have developed a special result-oriented methodology that includes 10 steps. 10 steps of effective marketing.
After going through 10 steps, you can draw up a marketing strategy for your business, as well as prepare to write the marketing part of a business plan.
In order to do this, you need to go through 10 steps of effective marketing:
The first 5 steps of effective marketing — preliminary preparation:
- Step 1. Identify the needs of the client;
- Step 2. Make a portrait of the client;
- Step 3. Determine the target audience (TA);
- Step 4. Calculate customer touch points and mushroom spots;
- Step 5. Conduct competitor analysis
After the first 5 steps have been completed, it is necessary to formulate the competitive advantage of your business.
Competitive advantage is a set of those features that will distinguish and distinguish your business, product or service from competitors.
But not just to single out, but to encourage customers to contact you when the need arises. These 5 steps are necessary in order to more competently take the next 5 steps to developing an advertising campaign.
The last 5 steps in developing an advertising company:
- Step 6. Conduct a customer survey;
- Step 7. Write a selling text;
- Step 8. Create a layout of a selling business card, flyer or ad;
- Step 9. Determine the means of low-budget advertising;
- Step 10. Run promotions
Steps 6 to 10 is an advertising company. It includes only those activities that have the smallest budget but the greatest impact. Next I will explain why.
So let’s start walking.
