ONLINE MARKETING AND INNOVATION – Guide to Marketers

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How can we differentiate ourselves from the competition? So many companies are using the same methods and following the same procedures to create results for their clients. I have been hearing that a lot recently at events and conferences. It seems to be a huge concern for companies who feel they cannot grow anymore or who feel they have hit a ceiling in their markets.

The CEO of a major South Florida Flooring Company who is a good friend of mine recently told me, “As soon as the economy started to get shaky and cash decreased, the marketing department was the first one to go!” This is a disturbing statement for a marketer; however it should not be discouraging. Some of the best marketing ideas and great products were created during times of economic distress.

The most important factor during these times is to stay focused and keep the clients satisfied. Of course, we are able to do that by providing results. To this day, many prospects still think that marketing is synonymous with advertising, which is incorrect. Marketing requires creativity as well as innovation; it’s not only selling a product or a service, but also creating a process to increase the productivity and profitability of an idea.

Here are some major points to help you focus:

•    Focus on the projects you have at hand, make sure that you deliver on your promises to your clients to insure against client loss or erosion.
•    Do not lose ground in your sales efforts. Be consistent and aggressive. Try different approaches to make sure that you create a value for prospects. Do not tell them what they want to hear, tell them what they need to know, this way you can foster trust with prospects.
•    Find multiple lead sources; do not only rely on Google Adwords for leads. Create a process where you have 3-4 lead sources. (Including references and referrals)
•    Innovate … find out what your firm is really good at and find alternate ways to spotlight those services. Observe the industry well and do what’s not being done, create case studies and fill in the missing spots. Create a function, a tool, a service, a product or an idea, anything. Innovate…