Seven Reasons of Why Marketing is Important ?
Hi All
Here are 7 compelling reasons why:
1. Marketing communications creates "top of mind" awareness - An integrated marketing communications plan that gets your messaging out to the right target audience, consistently and over time, WILL eventually create the "top of mind" awareness for your product or service that turns a prospect into a customer. Recognition and awareness for your company also make it much easier for your sales staff to get someone on the phone or schedule an appointment. Companies like to do business with companies they "know" and have positive perceptions of. Likewise, investors like to buy recognized companies.
2. Preferred brands command a premium price - short and long-term - Go through a process of determining your company's unique value proposition, and then start purposefully communicating that to the marketplace (promotion.) This is the only way you will create a point of differentiation between you and your competitors. As your customers and the industries you sell to begin to recognize your company (brand) as the preferred choice for a certain product or service, it allows you to charge premium pricing. Not only does this boost sales in the "now," it creates a perception in the minds of future investors that your business has more value than another one that claims to do the same thing.
3. Happy customers not only send referrals, they create perceived value - Every sales person knows it, but businesses still hammer them to get out and develop "new" business: the most powerful form of lead generation comes in the form of an existing happy customer. Happy customers talk to other potential customers, even in the industrial world. Word of mouth praise for your company not only attracts more business, it attracts potential investors that want to own a company with this kind of status.
4. Planned marketing communications create a system that can be replicated - In any manufacturing or industrial service company, documented processes lend to the overall impression of the business' stability and value. If a potential buyer can see how they too could operate the systems within your company, even after you are long gone, you'll be creating a more marketable asset. If you need to, hire an expert: but start creating and documenting a marketing communications system that you can teach others to run and remove yourself from the lead generation game.
5. Repeat revenue streams ensure a profit now and later - With the Internet, this is more possible than ever before; particularly if you sell a product that is not custom engineered, or a service that can be easily classified without a lot of customization. Recurring revenue, generated from an effective marketing strategy, and teamed with a stellar customer service approach is a combination that is very attractive to a potential new owner.
6. Nothing lasts forever: marketing has to be a long-term investment - The way to prevent a negative outcome in any of these scenarios is a consistent marketing communications program. If you're keeping your company's name out there and building brand identity and recognition, you have less of an educational process to deal with every time a new person is introduced to your business. This also comes into play with young people just entering the work force. The senior engineer at your top customer may love your product; the new hot shot engineer fresh out of college doesn't know anything about it - UNLESS they've already been exposed to it through Professors, the Internet, trade publications, trade shows, etc. Consistent and persistent messaging, going to an integrated mix of contact points with your customers and prospects, is an investment in your company's long-term stability and value.
7. Employees who are "brand ambassadors" sell your company - to customers and potential buyers - Today, marketing is not just something you do "outside" of your company. If you truly want to create a powerful image and value proposition for your business, the first group of people you have to convince are your own employees. Internal brand integration is just as important as your external marketing strategies. Every employee in your company should understand how their position contributes to the promise your company makes to its customers and be motivated to carry it out. Understanding their unique role in your company's brand promise is just the beginning; if you want brand ambassadors, you need happy employees. An employee that feels appreciated and fairly compensated (and that doesn't always equate to their salary) is much more likely to sing the praises of your company. I think it goes without saying, this is good for business today as well as making an impression on a future investor. Who wants to buy a company full of overworked, disgruntled employees?