I have been investigating a number of CRM tools that will do what I call close loop marketing for my clients. These tools enable you to put in a database and then create campaigns to nurture a lead. The two I am favoring at the moment are OfficeAutoPilot(OAP) http://www.officeautopilot.com/ and FirstWave (FW) http://www.firstwave.net.au/.
Both have their benefits but I think Officeautopilot has a slight advantage in functionality at the moment. Firstwave is more practical and easier to navigate so I guess it depends on your need and who will be driving the marketing effort.
Firstwave is around $500 upfront and $395 per month US with up to 1000 emails a month free and Officeautopilot is no set up fee and $597 for basic tool and $195 for the marketing tracker with 1000 at .01cent.
Summary of the tools:
1. Marketing tracker tools - track traffic via url coding to web pages, google ads and online campaigns. - Both
2. Lead scoring; both - and routing with OAP
3. Outlook integration - OAP
4. PURLS - personalised urls coming soon for both
5. Tags for segmentation - OAP
6. Phone tracking and integration for call centres - both
7. Templates for direct mail campaigns - FW
8. Reporting on campaigns, customised reporting - both
9. Customisable database - both
In the age of 1:1 marketing companies will be developing their own CRM tools or buying into a software vendors vision. I guess the benefit of outsourcing is you aren't putting all your resources into the R&D and you can focus your energies and time on the business you do best. One thing is for sure, the intimacy that you have with your customers is related to the loyalty and value that they provide you, so it is worth investigating in a system that will give you that sort of relationship.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Marketing Mistakes that impact your effectiveness.
Wendy Maynard talks about the 5 Biggest Marketing Mistakes That Hurt Your Profits and I have added my dialogue to her five key points.
1. Thinking You Can Be All Things to All People
Don't try and be all things to all people or you will dilute your marketing impact, confuse your customers and make your marketing spend less effective. A target market allows you to talk to your audience making them feel you really identify with their needs. Once you have your niche you can tailor solutions and become an expert in your customer eyes. You can make your advertising spend more effective because you will understand what they read, what websites they visit and what issues they are facing that your product or service can overcome.
2. Doing Business without Quantifiable Marketing Goals
If you don't measure how can you know if it is working. There is always a way to measure. Now days there are such good tracking tools for the web, email, blog and direct mail campaigns. It is important to measure the effectiveness of campaigns so you can adapt and make them more and more successful. You need to set in place a goal of a marketing campaign from the outset so you know what you are aiming at. Otherwise what is the point? Just to have a website because your competitors has one is not a compelling reason and frankly a waste of money. But to use it as a way to build your customer base a referral tool and a knowledge centre is a good set of objectives that can be measured.
3. Not Realizing the Lifetime Value of Your Customers
It is far more important to keep a satisfied existing customer than to go chasing new ones. A satisfied new customer who is loyal will choose your brand over others even when there is special offers, will refer others to your product, will buy off you more frequently and can be a great source of testimonials. To do this requires effort on your behalf. You need to treat them well, with respect. Communicate regularly, understand their needs and delight and excite them by exceeding their expectations every time. I would put every marketing dollar I could behind this marketing strategy before I would spend 1 dollar on attracting new customers with advertising spend.
4. Trying to Market without a Unique Core Message
What a confusing irrelevant and mixed message you could be sending out to the marketplace with out identifying and educating customers on your unique proposition. Without a clearly defined marketing message you are making the barriers to customers understanding and then buying your product or service too great. Can you tell someone you meet what you do in one sentence? Can your employees If not start working on it. Everyone in your value chain benefits from a well defined value proposition. T
his is what we do... What problem do you solve? Talk about it in customer terms that meet a need. What results do you produce?Provide evidence and it reduces the risk the customer sees in terms of buying your product/service. Offer proof. Use testimonials, differentiation from your competitors, what are the differences? What is in it for them?
"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself." ~Peter F. Drucker
5. Having Inconsistent, Unprofessional Marketing Materials
You marketing collateral is your face to your customers. It says something about your professionalism, reliablity and consistency. If you have produced your business cards, website and brochures in-house chances are they are not professional enough. Make the first impression a good one and invest in a brand presence that resignates with your customer base addes value to your value proposition and can be replicated consistently through your marketing tools.
Strategic marketing materials will reward you again and again by driving more customers to your company and help you to make a great first impression.
Professional, high-quality marketing tools will move your prospects closer to making a purchase. Remember, if a prospective customer views your materials as unprofessional or confusing, you will lose them to a competitor. If you want more business, make sure your materials are remarkable!
"Marketing is everything you do to make sure your customers find out about, and buy, your products and services." ~Bob Serling
"Create remarkable products that the right people seek out." Seth Godin
1. Thinking You Can Be All Things to All People
Don't try and be all things to all people or you will dilute your marketing impact, confuse your customers and make your marketing spend less effective. A target market allows you to talk to your audience making them feel you really identify with their needs. Once you have your niche you can tailor solutions and become an expert in your customer eyes. You can make your advertising spend more effective because you will understand what they read, what websites they visit and what issues they are facing that your product or service can overcome.
2. Doing Business without Quantifiable Marketing Goals
If you don't measure how can you know if it is working. There is always a way to measure. Now days there are such good tracking tools for the web, email, blog and direct mail campaigns. It is important to measure the effectiveness of campaigns so you can adapt and make them more and more successful. You need to set in place a goal of a marketing campaign from the outset so you know what you are aiming at. Otherwise what is the point? Just to have a website because your competitors has one is not a compelling reason and frankly a waste of money. But to use it as a way to build your customer base a referral tool and a knowledge centre is a good set of objectives that can be measured.
3. Not Realizing the Lifetime Value of Your Customers
It is far more important to keep a satisfied existing customer than to go chasing new ones. A satisfied new customer who is loyal will choose your brand over others even when there is special offers, will refer others to your product, will buy off you more frequently and can be a great source of testimonials. To do this requires effort on your behalf. You need to treat them well, with respect. Communicate regularly, understand their needs and delight and excite them by exceeding their expectations every time. I would put every marketing dollar I could behind this marketing strategy before I would spend 1 dollar on attracting new customers with advertising spend.
4. Trying to Market without a Unique Core Message
What a confusing irrelevant and mixed message you could be sending out to the marketplace with out identifying and educating customers on your unique proposition. Without a clearly defined marketing message you are making the barriers to customers understanding and then buying your product or service too great. Can you tell someone you meet what you do in one sentence? Can your employees If not start working on it. Everyone in your value chain benefits from a well defined value proposition. T
his is what we do... What problem do you solve? Talk about it in customer terms that meet a need. What results do you produce?Provide evidence and it reduces the risk the customer sees in terms of buying your product/service. Offer proof. Use testimonials, differentiation from your competitors, what are the differences? What is in it for them?
"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself." ~Peter F. Drucker
5. Having Inconsistent, Unprofessional Marketing Materials
You marketing collateral is your face to your customers. It says something about your professionalism, reliablity and consistency. If you have produced your business cards, website and brochures in-house chances are they are not professional enough. Make the first impression a good one and invest in a brand presence that resignates with your customer base addes value to your value proposition and can be replicated consistently through your marketing tools.
Strategic marketing materials will reward you again and again by driving more customers to your company and help you to make a great first impression.
Professional, high-quality marketing tools will move your prospects closer to making a purchase. Remember, if a prospective customer views your materials as unprofessional or confusing, you will lose them to a competitor. If you want more business, make sure your materials are remarkable!
"Marketing is everything you do to make sure your customers find out about, and buy, your products and services." ~Bob Serling
"Create remarkable products that the right people seek out." Seth Godin
Monday, June 2, 2008
Great marketing plan
Clients often ask me what makes a great marketing plan. The below information put together by MarketingAngels a marketing firm and is a good start. The key to a great marketing plan however getting the services of a marketing consultant to ensure you are leveraging all the marketing elements and able to populate the plan with great ideas. A plan is a living document that changes and grows with your business.
A_great_Marketing_Plan.pdf
Here is a good article on creating effective marketing plans.
Enjoy!
A_great_Marketing_Plan.pdf
Here is a good article on creating effective marketing plans.
Enjoy!
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