building a strong marketing foundation for 2015

Build a Strong Marketing Foundation in 2015

Workshop for Boston Women Connect March 30, 2015

About Me & For Marketing Matters 20+ years; strategy, messaging, brand Marketing Evangelist Full-service outsourced marketing department

No projects – we don’t dabble & won’t work with CEOs who do!

Fact - every company needs marketing strategy and execution. We deliver for SMBs.

“A” team of proven professionals; results-driven; accountability; BIG impact`

Why are you here?

`

Objectives of this workshop:

`

• Expand understanding of ‘marketing’

• Stop dabbling!

• Better serve your clients

• Identify gaps in your marketing foundation & prioritize filling them in

Marketing

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What comes to mind?

Core defined

`

noun1. the tough central part of various fruits,

containing the seeds.

2. the central or most important part of something.

Two contexts of ‘core’

`

For a Human

• Our torso• Source of strength &

energy• Our heart and our

soul

For a Business

• The brand - your identity and promise

• Your value proposition• Source for future growth

Marketing is the ‘core’

`

The seeds for business growth

Marketing is absolutely essential to a business

It is not “nice to have”

Awareness Leads Sales Profitability

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The Great Balancing Act

Hmmm…Facebook, networking, new logo…

Invest

Divest

Are you wasting time & money in the wrong areas?

Tagline Logo

Blogs

Brochures, Handouts,

Presentations

SEO & PPCWebsit

e

Social Marketing

Networking

Wasted $$; limited

impact

Random Marketing = Dabbling

Making the Shift

Shift to Results Driven Marketing

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Increase AwarenessIncrease Leads

Increase Sales

Increase Profits

Client Stories

The Dream List

Sales &Employe

e Training

2015 For Marketing Matters ®

Tagline

Sales Process

Offerings / Products Brand Logo

Value Proposition

Target Audience

Vision & Mission

Success Metrics M

arke

ting

Fou

ndat

ion

Activity Time!

What you confidently have in place: written, current, solid.

Top Two Critical Foundation Elements Value Proposition – only deserve a check

mark if it is clear, concise, consistent; compelling vs. your competition

Target Audience – ONLY if you have a documented ideal target profile and you use it for:

evaluate prospects you write your blog to this audience your social marketing efforts align to this

target you evaluate networking events with it.

How Strong is it?

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Client Stories

The Dream

List

Sales &Employ

ee

Training

2015 For Marketing Matters ®

Tagline

Sales Process

Offerings / Products Brand Logo

Value Proposition

Target Audience

Vision & Mission

Success

Metrics M

arke

ting

Foun

dati

on

Across all of row 1? All of row 2? All of row 1 AND 2?

Will this foundation hold up?

`

2015 For Marketing Matters ®

Offerings / Products Brand Logo

Success

Metrics M

arke

ting

Foun

dati

on

Start Q2 2015 Strong: Build a Solid Foundation Focus on the foundation – FILL THE

GAPS

Marketing Foundation vs. Tactics

Client Stories

The Dream List

Sales &Employe

e Training

Tagline

Sales Process

Offerings / Products Brand Logo

Value Proposition

Target Audience

Vision & Mission

Success Metrics M

arke

ting

Fo

unda

tion

Sponsorships/

Co-marketing

Events &Trade Shows

SEO &PPC

SocialMarketing

PromoItems

PublicRelations

Client Surveys Networking

Direct Marketing email & mail

Video/Webinars

Business CardsLetterhead, Invoices…

Advertising

Signage/Packaging/POS

Brochures, Handouts

PresentationsWeb Site

Mar

keti

ng T

acti

cs

Blogs

…

Step 1: Foundation

Step 2: Tactics

Ideal Target Audience – if a gap for you…

Document what makes your ideal client ideal

- Title, company size, location- Challenge they face- Characteristics, attitude,

mindset…- Name your ideal target audience

so you can picture him/her – mine is MARK

Use it, revise it, fine tune itConvert it into questions to evaluate prospects

Building a Strong Foundation

`

Client Stories

The Dream List

Sales &Employe

e Training

2015 For Marketing Matters ®

Tagline

Sales Process

Offerings / Products Brand Logo

Value Proposition

Target Audience

Vision & Mission

Success Metrics M

arke

ting

Fou

ndat

ion

Workshop – what questions do you have about the gaps in your foundation?

How do you work on filling the gaps?

Where are your gaps in the foundation?

Value proposition is critical Vision - where are you going?Mission – what makes you tick?Success metrics?Offerings – what can people buy?Brand – pet peeve – does it mean anything?Dream List – do you know what this is?Client Stories – best to do once offerings, brand, value proposition and target audience are really solid.

Review Workshop Objectives:

`

• Expand understanding of ‘marketing’

• Stop dabbling!

• Better serve your clients

• Identify gaps in your marketing foundation & prioritize filling them in

Go forth and prosper…

Think strategically

Commit to building a strong foundation – brick by brick

Advise your clients accordingly

Thank youOngoing insight, ideas and marketing evangelism across various channels:

Facebook – For Marketing Matters

Twitter – MEHonan

LinkedIn – Mary E. Honan