Marketing is pointless if you haven’t got your business basics right first.

A phrase we’ve used a lot in our own marketing is ‘we know there is a lot of noise out there’. Everyone is telling you that you should be doing email marketing, writing articles, be on social media or whatever the new sales and marketing buzz-phrase is at the moment.

The reality though is this: any marketing is pointless if your company hasn’t got the business basics right first. I see people putting a lot of resources into digital marketing but generating little sales in return. This isn’t because the marketing activity they are doing is wrong, it is because the business isn’t right.

The first thing I do when anyone talks to me about marketing their company is interrogate them on their business model. What’s your point of difference? How well do you know what your customers’ problems are? Is your pricing strategy in-line with your business strategy, i.e. are you positioning your company as a premium brand but advertising discount prices?

No matter how polished your marketing, it won’t produce sales if your business is not delivering the right solution to a customer’s problem at the right price. You need to understand your customers and be ready to accept that markets, needs, and buying behaviours change. How you have always done things may not be right anymore for your evolving marketplace, and you might be missing opportunities by not being open to new ways of doing business.

You can use LinkedIn to make targeted connections, but what if those connections can see no real difference between you and the people they are already using?

Marketing is not just an activity, it is a planned, joined-up strategy. You can use LinkedIn to make targeted connections, but what if those connections can see no real difference between you and the people they are already using? Google’s pay-per-click is a great tool for driving targeted visitors to your website, but if your sales message and branding isn’t turning browsers into buyers then you are just wasting your money.

When you connect with a potential customer using digital methods, this is right at the time when all the competition in the world is just a click of the back-button away. So if you can’t present a compelling reason for someone to use you that cuts right to the heart of their problem, there’s no point marketing to them in the first place.

Where do you start?

Start with your customer and what makes you different. Worry that point to death and everything else will follow. I’ll happily interrogate you about your business model to see how well it holds up, you can email me on [email protected] or call 01484 841 088.

Or come along to our next Business Growth and Marketing Bootcamp in Huddersfield where three experts in business growth, marketing and sales will show you how to market and grow your business in the digital age.

About Stewart Leahy

Stewart Leahy is The Design Mechanics' sales and marketing guru, having worked his way up from the ground floor in the sales and marketing industry he is now the go-to man if you want to generate more sales enquiries for your company.

Stewart is a regular presenter on sales, marketing and business growth for a number of organisations including the Chamber of Commerce, national trade bodies, blue chip organisations and is an appointed Business Advocate for Kirklees Council.

Stewart’s presentation style of “telling it like it is” makes for both an entertaining and valuable lesson in marketing – if you would like Stewart to talk at your event or business group call us on 01484 841 088.