Better Marketing Results

At a recent small networking business group (SBNG) breakfast meeting, we discussed the challenges in marketing and what were their successful experiences in reach out to their target markets.  Here is the list complied from the meeting:

• Face to Face meetings (Personal Networking & Selling)
• Understanding exactly who is your target market/customer (targeting potential customers)
• Using a system to generate a prospecting funnel and manage the conversion process
• Testing marketing first before bulk roll-out of the campaign
• Having the right attitude toward communications with your prospective customers - helping instead of selling
• Target your own customer database using RFM segmentation (define)
• Market & sell your benefits not features (how) or use an Objectives-Benefits-Features (define) chart
• Use marketing mediums that your customers use not what you are comfortable with.

What did you think? What is your own experiences with successful marketing?

In my experience as a marketing consulting with business owners I havefound that the following traits are characteristics of successful businessowners along with a profound view that they have ownership and areaccountable for their own success.

• Planning
• Systemise
• Test & Measure
• Watch Competition
• Focused Marketing
• Engage with Stakeholders
• Persistence and Perseverance
• Cash is King
• Entrust your Staff
• Keep it All Together
• Look after Yourself
• Dedication and Passion

What do you think? As a business owner how many of these characteristics are in your profile?  What have you identified as an area for development and what are you going to do about it?