Building a promotion plan

It is very easy to waste a lot of money on advertising and promoting your business if you are unsure about what you are doing. To be fair, most advertising campaigns are difficult to measure accurately unless you have a direct response campaign (e.g., you send out 1,000 flyers with a specific product offer and count how many come back with a sale).

When you are in business, you tend to have three scenarios when looking to promote your products and services:

You are trying to get existing customers to come back.
You are trying to convince potential customers to switch to you from a competitor.
You are trying to convince potential customers who haven’t previously wanted what you offer.

Each of these circumstances requires a different approach, to increase the chances that the money and time you are spending on promoting your business are used as effectively as possible. The best place to start is to access the free online training on marketing, as it covers all the basics.

Market your point of difference

Finding an edge over your competitors is a critical part of being in business. You need to show your customers how your product or service is different. Here are three strategies most businesses use to build and market their competitive advantage.

How to avoid common marketing mistakes

There can be a lot of effort involved in promoting your business. And, you’ll need to win customers if you want your business to do well. Learn the 10 most common marketing mistakes and tips for developing effective marketing strategies.

Promoting with public relations

Are you launching a new product, promoting a new business, or just wanting to increase sales? Public relations can help your customers understand your business, product, service, brand or message. Here are some tips to create an impression and build a strong public image for your business.

How to encourage word of mouth

A referral from a satisfied customer is the most cost effective marketing you can get. A good marketing campaign combined with great customer service will create positive word of mouth. Here's six ways to keep your customers singing your praises.

Protecting your brand

Is your brand protected? Brand protection is a critical area of any marketing strategy. It's as much about developing a distinct product or design as it is about stopping your competitors from using them. Here are five points to consider when you're planning, protecting and developing your brand.