Before any other marketing technique or strategy gets set in place your company need to have clear intent about who they are as an organization, what they want to accomplish and where they are headed. This intent or mission statement must be more than a framed template on the wall. It has to be infused in the very attitude of the company from the executives to the janitors and everyone in between.
More and more consumers are looking to buy from and support companies with integrity in business and with the environment. Additionally, convenience and easy of purchase needs to be at the top of any consumer based business. Integrity and convenience. These two qualities are a must for any company selling to consumers today.
The best way to demonstrate and practice integrity and convenience of purchasing for your company is teaming up with other companies who are known for the qualities in business you are emulating. The right marketing partnerships can be great for exposure and great for your advertising budget. The key is finding a partnership company who does not compete with your business directly but, shares the same audience.
Create a word of mouth ground swell. Easier said than done. This can be the best and longest lasting form of advertising if it’s successful. To get people talking there are several things you can do. Sponsor a contest that is in alignment with your company’s core mission and appeals to your target market.
Offer a small cash prize and a coupon for a product or service from your company. This creates a lot of interest in your company just by having people interested in the contest. You can also put all of the contestants on an email list and continue to send out email notifications after the contest ends. A simple opt out or opt in button makes the whole process easy for your customer and spam protected for your company.
Next, offer a speaking event with a group of experts in the field. For example, an author of a book or creator of a product that your target market is interested is highly desirable. Offering deals for the speaker’s products or books to the audience members, ensures they will be talking about the event for weeks or months to come. For more info go to SMART marketing (http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingtipsandadvice/a/mrktrecession.htm)