10 Essential Systems for successful Marketing & Sales

Marketing is more than making a brochure, advertising on social media or building a new website.  While these activities are part the marketing process,  there is much more that needs to be considered before spending your valuable time,  money and effort trying to get new customers. 

The top 10 primary marketing systems make a solid plan to fast track converting new leads to buyers,  keeping existing customers and ultimately earning more money.

 #1 – Design and commit to your brand

When a consumer buys a product or a service, they have a mental picture of what that purchase will do and how it will improve their business or their life. 

It only takes a split second for these consumers to make a judgment about you and your company.  Every thing is considered, including first impressions, previous experiences, the way your business looks, the tone you use to answer your phone or e-mails and the energy in the environment. More than a clever logo your brand is the experience consumers have of doing business with you.

Think of your email signature, or how clean your company vehicles are, or your uniform if you have one.  These are all things that help people recognize and have a good feeling about you and your company.

#2 – Define your product

You may be surprised to learn that the majority of your prospects don’t know exactly what it is that you are offering. It could be because you have too many products and are trying to be all things to all people, or maybe you have not packaged your offering in a cohesive easy to buy unit.

When consumers are confused, they are less likely to buy. Products are available everywhere and consumers have a choice who they do business with. 

Getting clear about what your product is and why someone would be interested in buying this from you is essential to increasing sales.

#3 – Target your Marketing

Not everyone is your customer. Target marketing allows you to customize your message to a specific chosen group of consumers in a focused manner.

Learning the warning signs of a bad fit is as important as understanding your ideal match. Understand everything about your ideal customer in detail. Where do they live? Which generation do they belong to? What are they thinking? What specifically do they want from you and what attracted them to your door? Pay attention to everything about your clients. Use buying signals and patterns of behaviour to drive greater revenue.

#4 – Promote

Promotion is lead generation, which is getting the attention of prospective buyers.

Dig deep and look strategically at which marketing activities are producing results. Be careful not to get distracted by media sales people with  “special offers”.   Once you understand your customers buying patterns and preferences it becomes clear where to focus your promotional dollars. 

Structure your lead generating activities so that there is accountability to track and monitor results. Build continuous communication between the sales and the rest of the team so that you know as it happens what your customers are asking for. Structure your systems in a way that allows potential customers to easily to find you. 

#5 – Strategically Price your Product

The price is your assessment of the value of your product. 

And what the purchaser receives as value from consuming your product.

Having as much data about your specific market and customers behaviours, expectations and habits supports the ability to effectively price your product. 

Your price depends on your objectives, are you positioning yourself as a premium brand like Mercedes or are you the bargain basement option seen in the lower end Fords.

#6 – Create a Robust Sales System

Sales is lead conversion. Moving from prospect to paying customer.

Doing “marketing” is only half of your business development process.  The other half is figuring out how to get people to buy, now that they are interested in your product.

Converting leads to buyers requires a system for followup and relationship building. It takes work and time. You need to understand your customers buying patterns and learn patience and skill to stay in the relationship long enough to close the deal in how ever that feels best for them. 

#7 – Nurture existing customers

One of the most powerful and essential systems for expanding your customer base it taking care of your existing customers that are referring new business your way. It’s so easy to take those deep relationships you have with your best customers for granted.  Referrals is your least expensive way to grow your business. Create recognition systems that celebrate and support these  relationships, along with being open to constructive feedback. This will ensure that this lead generation tool stays strong.

#8 – Use your Influence

People buy from people and brands that they trust.  Humans need to feel connected. Personal networking is the fastest and most effective way to generate new business for your company. 

Getting involved in an organization or project that also serves your community compounds this effect. Contributing in some way to your industries organizations is another powerful way to gain experience and insights into business development practices and potential opportunities. In business and in life, it is sometimes not what you know but who you know.

#9 – Keep track of your customers

Customer data is an asset. It builds equity. Customer information allows you to be a better provider, it saves you time and helps organize your sales system. How you collect, store, manage and use your data are all systems that have high value in your marketing and sales results. Taking the time to research, customize and become fully trained in a client data management system is essential.

#10 – Make it easy to buy from you.

How easy is it for customers to buy your product?

Place represents the location where a product can be purchased and the distribution channel and logistics it took to get it there. It is about getting products to your consumer and having the inventory available to fill their demand. This may include any physical store (supermarket, department stores, retail store) as well as virtual stores (e-markets and e-malls, your own website) on the Internet.

As you can see it is WAY more than just promotion.

The risk of  “winging” your marketing and sales strategy has a huge cost.  How much is one new customer worth to you?

Imagine now easily attracting those prospects consistently.  What is the cost of online ads targeted at the wrong market?  What if you could get this exactly right?

Small adjustments make a huge difference.