Marketing Checklist or Wishlist?

"Business would be so much better and easier if…"

  1. people would just give us a few minutes of their time so we could show and tell them how great our products and/or services are
  2. people would stop bargain shopping and pay our prices realizing they’re getting a higher quality product or service
  3. we could increase the average sale amount per customer
  4. we could get more people to buy more products from our line
  5. we could attract the Gen-Y consumer
  6. more people would come to our location(s) so we don’t need to fight for the business every month
  7. people would see the value of calling or visiting our location(s) instead of buying so many things online
Yes, if all those things came to pass, business would be so much better and easier. But getting there is plenty hard. Hitting any one of these seven goals requires relentless dedication, tenacity and unwavering commitment. Those companies that operate at this level don't need to fight as hard every day to maintain their position at the helm because the business comes to them. For them, this is a checklist – not a wishlist.

How and what do they do? Well, successful companies have a habit of doing things right the first time and not taking short-cuts to save time, energy or resources. As a result, they don't end up thinking to themselves at the end of the day, "We really should have done…" or, "What we need to do right away is…" These are companies led by people who know how to make things happen quickly; and when opportunities don't exist, they create them.

For starters, they never stop the research engine. Conducting customer surveys, prospect surveys, prospect research, competitive research, industry and trend research, and internal studies are part of their modus operandi. Armed with research data, they are able to make decisions quickly and with laser-precision focus. They leverage ongoing research data to fuel visions of "the next best thing" to offer, enabling them to retain existing customers and attract new ones. And, they are also highly engaged with their customers, vendors and distributors in the online community. In other words, they are findable, reachable, easy to do business with, and position themselves as "go to" leaders in the industry.

Such companies create ways to stay relevant and interesting, and they have their finger on the pulse of their industry so they know where it's heading. They aren't so dependent on their salespeople to drive business every month because their customers don't need to be sold, they already are; it's just a matter of when and under what circumstances they will buy.

These companies know exactly why they are in business and they easily adapt on the fly to meet market demands and provide maximum value to their customers. There is little-or-no red tape to go through because they operate on a more lateral playing field, affixed with an intuitive navigation system they trust and follow.

Business can be much better and much easier if you know what your customers want, and you can give it to them when they want it. By doing that, you show them where they sit in your company's eyes – at the top of your org chart.

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Think Thought Leadership

There's something very appealing to me about white papers and industry reports. Just about every day I'll get an email asking me to download a white paper about a specific topic. More often than not, I go ahead and click "download now."

I'm quite impressed with the whole concept of white papers…they are much shorter than books which enables me to read the entire document in the time it takes to sip my way through a cappuccino. And, most are packed with relevant data, eye-opening statistics and interesting research findings that I can underscore and store in the banks of my memory to recall as needed. White papers afford would-be book authors the ability to brand themselves as thought leaders, building their credibility and positioning them as experts. It seems like the perfect alternative to investing the time, energy and money necessary to write a 200+ page book, look for a publisher and wait for your book to populate the shelves. Some people have become so prolific at writing white papers they are able to crank one out and have it distributed online in just a few days. Can you say "Abracadabra?"

From a marketing and sales perspective, white papers are considered to be one of the hottest selling tools used by business leaders to capture new business. Get them in front of the right person with the itchy trigger-finger and it may make the difference between a win and a loss. White papers and reports demonstrate that you intimately know and understand a specific industry and/or audience group and that you have the intellect and insight to help your customers solve their problems and build their businesses.

Millions of white papers and reports have been written, most on very specific topics. But, interestingly enough, the more that are written, the more in demand they become. Why? Balance. For example, while six authors may each write on an identical topic, all six deliver a different perspective. The varying viewpoints provide a range of information that helps people make more informed and intelligent decisions. So, if you're concerned that a topic you want to cover has already been written about – don't be. Your opinions and perspectives are probably in high demand. People crave relevant and meaningful information that can help them build their business, gain knowledge, become a better company, and attract more customers. Anyone who can provide it to them will be revered as a hero.

Are you thinking right now that this sounds like a grand idea but you don't consider yourself a writer? You don’t need to be. Many white papers are "ghost-authored" by professional writers who interview industry professionals, organize the data and research, and make sure all the information flows well for the reader. Then your name goes on the story.

You're an industry professional and people are waiting to hear from you. Think thought leadership and tell people who you are.

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