#1 - Mistaking promotion for marketing.
Marketing is NOT promotion . . . . Marketing IS . . . .
All the steps in creating and delivering a service (or product) to a defined target.
- Service development
- Pricing
- Distribution (place)
- People / service delivery
- Positioning / identity
- Promotion
Why it’s costing you: If you’re not selling something that appeals to pet owners, meets their needs, hits their “hot buttons” and creates a preference for your services over someone else’s, no amount of promotion in the world will fix it.
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#2 - Trying to do marketing without clearly defined goals.
What you get: marketing that’s “all over the map”
Goals are needed to:
- Focus efforts
- Capitalize on opportunities
- Overcome obstacles
- Define targets
- Set priorities
- Allocate resources
- Measure results
Why it’s costing you: Trying to “be everything to everybody” is a losing proposition.
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#3 - Operating without a “diagnosis.”
Listen before you do anything!
Analyze the market:
- Identify opportunities & obstacles
- Know your clients
- Know local pet owners
- Know the competition
Why it’s costing you:
- Missed opportunities
- Unaddressed problems
- Lack of focus
- Difficult to define goals!
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#4 - Not measuring results.
If you can’t measure it, don’t do it.
All marketing efforts should relate to marketing goals.
- Why are we doing this?
- What impact will this have on the practice?
- How will we determine our success?
Why it’s costing you:
- Repeating same mistakes.
- Not sure what works and what doesn’t .
- Unclear where to focus future efforts.
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#5 - Marketing that’s practice-focused instead of client-focused.
Marketing has to resonate
Being client-focused means you understand their needs & deliver what’s:
- In touch with those needs
- Meaningful & relevant
- Of VALUE to them
Why it’s costing you: “Push” marketing no longer works. Consumers are most sophisticated and have more choices. Consumers believe each other more than they believe you.
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#6 - Focusing only on new client attraction.
It costs less to grow the clients you have
Before reaching out for more clients:
- Track retention.
- Who stays and who leaves?
- Why do they leave?
- Who are best clients?
Why it’s costing you:
- IIt costs 5-7 times more to get a new customer than to keep and grow an existing one.
- Dissatisfied clients cost you money and reputation.
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##7 - Trying to be everything to everybody.
You risk reaching no one.
No segmentation means:
- Messages are diluted
- Unable to tailor efforts to groups sharing similar needs
- Diminished credibility
- Difficult to distinguish from competition
Why it’s costing you:
- The most effective messages are FOCUSED messages.
- TToday, getting through the “clutter” is difficult; messages must be meaning and relevant.
- It’s hard to be relevant when “one size fits all.”
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#8 - Delegating marketing to one person.
Marketing should be everyone’s job . . . .
Marketing is NOT a series of TASKS . . . It’s the WAY in Which you RUN YOUR BUSINESS.
Why it’s costing you: If everyone’s not pulling together you will have:
- Inconsistent service delivery
- Client confusion
- Missed opportunities
- Disconnect
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#9 - NOT hiring professional help.
Professionals provide strategic guidance . . . .
Outside objectivity will see your practice in a whole different way.
Why it’s costing you:
- Often too close to spot problems.
- Marketing is highly complex and affects every aspect of your business.
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#10 - HIRING professional help.
Focus them!
The more focused, the more productive marketing efforts will be.
Why it’s costing you:
- Unclear goals to guide efforts.
- Retainers and hourly rates often not connected to goals.
- Delegating tasks instead of collaboration.
- SSpinning wheels!
To obtain a pdf of this presentration, email Lindaw@LWmarketworks.com.