FAQs & Facts
Marketing Troubleshooter? What do you do?
How do I stand out from the crowd?
I’m a start-up; can you help me set up a relationship with a major company?
How can I reach my target markets without spending a lot of money?
How do I get funding for my new business?
Can you help me with my web site?
Can’t I just write my own strategic or business plan?
I’ve already got a strategic plan. So now what?
Should I advertise?
How can I get free publicity?
Why blog?
Can you help me get started in blogging?
Will you guarantee results?
Marketing Troubleshooter? What do you do? Well, everything you do to build a business or nonprofit is - in reality - marketing. As Peter Drucker noted, “A business has two functions - marketing and innovation. Everything else is overhead.” I’d take that a step further and say that even the overhead functions (accounting, etc.) play a vital role in successful marketing. So, I look at the whole business - not just the “marketing department” or the “marketing collateral.” (See My Services for more on my troubleshooting point of view and ways.)
For example, one client came to me because they wanted a single press release. As I talked to them it became clear they needed a new marketing plan, and PR was the least of it. Another client needed to identify new ways of approaching their traditional sales channels. I read a lot of (bad) business plans brought to me by people who can’t seem to get investors or financing. I rip apart Powerpoint presentations and make each slide beg for life. Currently, I’m brokering a deal between a start-up and a huge company for a new joint offering. And so on. (Yes, I’ll also help with the writing of marketing “stuff” - but there’s a whole lotta of thinking that needs to happen before anybody starts typing.)
How do I stand out from the crowd?
You’re not going to do it with the same ol’ same ol’ marketing speak. Forget about you for a minute and think about the customer. What’s important to them? They don’t care if you’re “the leading” or “the premier” vendor of whatever. Yawn. Way too many people (including your competitors) already say that. And, people have had up to here with marketing bla-blah about “solutions.”
Have a conversation with your targets and remember they’re people (not bulls-eyes) first, last and always. Your winning difference could be as simple as being the only company in your industry that promptly returns customers’ phone calls (Yes, really).
I’m a start-up; can you help me set up a relationship with a major company?
Yes, but I may recommend against it, depending on the product and your business development stage. There are many things to consider before you get to the bargaining table, if you get there at all. Large corporations, even when they want the deal, can take months to finalize the contract - months that you’re not making money. Protection of Intellectual Property (IP) can be a deal killer, and IP isn’t limited to “high-tech” products. For example, if you’ve developed a game or consumer beauty product, you’ve got some form of IP. Then there are trademarks and patents, timing of payments, margin structures, and so on and so forth. For more, see my post: Strategic Alliances: Snake or Hamster?
How can I reach my target markets without spending a lot of money?
Well, first make sure you’ve got the right targets - and that they need (more importantly want) what you’re selling. Do some lurking and listening. Go places they go (networking events, industry meetings, fundraisers). Read what they read. Find out what they’re doing now to solve whatever problem you think your product or service solves. Then, think about ways to reach them on a personal level. Be a speaker at that networking event. Publish an article in the industry newsletter (or even just write a letter to the editor). Volunteer to be on the fundraiser committee. Partner with a complementary business for a customer seminar. And so on.
How do I get funding for my new business?
First do a quick self-examination for hubris. Just because you think you’ve got a world-shaking idea doesn’t mean others will agree - at least not initially. For ten tips, download my two-page PDF, Want Funding? Think Like an Investor. For some good “non-Mary” perspective, read Keys to Getting Your Company Funded by Jim Casparie over at Entrepreneur.com.
There are also a number of alternative financing alternatives, so ask around. These are groups like The Loan Fund (one of my clients here in NM) that make loans to good people that can’t qualify for traditional financing. (Most VCs don’t invest in early stage companies anyway.)
Can you help me with my web site?
Yes. However, a good web site is a lot more than cool graphics and technical design (I know great people who do both.) Firstly, you need to determine what you want to accomplish with the site. Who is the target audience? Why would they want to do business with you? etc. etc. That’s where I come in. (Tip: There are “web developers” out there that are clueless about web business. For more on this, read my blog posts: 5 Reasons You Can’t Blame Iowa NM Web Developers and When Bad Creativity Happens to Good People.)
Can’t I just write my own strategic or business plan? There’s so much free advice and templates out there.
By all means - if you feel comfortable and want to spend the time, go for it. But, if you’ve got other things you’d rather do - like research and development, raising venture capital, raising a family, etc., you should think about calling me (or somebody) to help, at least to get you through that last mile of finish work. If you’ve never done a plan, prepared a strategy or written marketing copy, you might be missing something. For example, I can read souffle recipes; I just can’t make the darned things. (Tip: Be wary of so-called free business plan help. Advice from a retired successful entrepreneur, good…from newbie MBA students, not so good.)
I’ve already got a strategic plan. So now what?
So, when was the last time you looked at it? Most strategic plans fail - not due to quality but failure to implement. Be sure your action plans are realistic, with timelines, assigned actions (with dates), and measurements. Also, review the plan regularly - in working sessions with your staff/department/group - not “PowerPoint Pontifications.” Remember, a good plan is never really done. It should be constantly evolving as you and your markets change. (Tip: The time to start thinking about changing a strategy is when it’s still working!) For more see my post, The Strategy Disconnect.
Should I advertise?
Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on your industry, location, target markets, and budget. Unfortunately, particularly for start-ups, advertising can be a complete waste of money. It’s expensive (even if you’re “just” doing billboards) and can’t produce results all by itself. If you’ve got limited resources, you should look at other things such as customer appreciation programs, referral incentives and good old-fashioned personal networking. You can start a lot of business at a cocktail networking event - consider the fees a business development expense. Successful selling is all about building relationships. No ad - no matter how creative - can do that.
How can I get free publicity?
Free isn’t the same as easy. It takes work. And, it’s more than cranking out press releases. You’ve got to build personal relationships with a lot of people - get that “word-of-mouth” buzz going in your favor. And, if you want media coverage - remember reporters and editors are people too. Don’t waste their time with press releases that aren’t newsworthy. Lose the insider industry jargon (they don’t have time to learn your glossary.) Don’t fill their email or voice mail boxes with canned pitches. Do make their life easier by giving them interesting stories, with a human connection. Talk to them even when you don’t want anything. Send an editor a story idea. Pass along a tip to a reporter you met at lunch. Just as with your customers - it all comes down to building relationships with the people behind the publications.
Why blog?
Two words: Google Juice. More words: A web log (blog) is a great way to connect with your markets, up close and personal. And, I find I can learn more in a hour of reading quality blogs (such as Tom Peters) than a day of other research. New ideas, new connections, new ways of looking at things.
Can you help me get started in blogging?
Yes. However - like any other marketing communications tactic - there has to be some method to the madness. What’s your objective? How would this integrate with your web site? Who is your target reader? And so on. I also recommend you try a free blog for 30 days or so and see if it’s right for you. The worst thing you can do in blogville is to start a blog and then abandon it. WordPress is free, easy to use and offers a choice of professional-looking templates (This site/blog is done in WordPress.) You can even set up your blog to look like the more tradiitional site; this is a good way for you to start your Web education, if you’re just now launching a biz or nonprofit.
Will you guarantee results?
No. That would be both misleading and irresponsible. Things totally beyond my (or your) control can happen that affect your market. I will, however, give you my best work - so you’ve got the data, perspective and tools to do your best. The only time I ever fired a client was when he kept asking (demanding) that “it’ll all work, right?”
What’s your question? Ask me at mary@maryschmidt.com
View the Blog Roll