sssssshhhh! Don’t let you marketing colleagues read this!

[johnthesearcher]

I’ve ‘reloaded’ the 4 P’s of the traditional marketing mix and it now looks like this.

Communication: Who will we tell and what will we tell them?

Commodity: What is it and why do they need it?

Channels: Where will we sell it and how will it be distributed?

Cost: What is the price and how is it competitive? (value perception)

We are lucky in Public Relations because we realise that planned and sustained series of communications is always one of the most important and vital strategic areas of every organization's steps on the road to success.

Even if a company has the best or most innovative products or services, if the internal and external communications are weak, then the potential demand shortfall for products or services raises several BIG questions.

I’m often amazed when I look at a client’s planning strategy for Integrated Marketing Communications and they fail to consider the impact of not having dialogue with their customers by inviting interaction through the coordinated efforts of: the media, promotional opportunities, content, timing and delivery of their products or services.

Once they understand the importance of communication which ensures direction, clarity, consistency, timing and appearance of their messages, when conveyed to a specific target audience, that these factors will help avoid any confusion about the benefits of their brand, through the connection of instant product or service recognition.

One thing is sure: Consumers know and understand much more about the subject of marketing than ever before.

Call today's consumers more fickle. Call them more curious. Call them more educated. Or are they simply more in touch with what they want, or think they want?

I believe it's a combination of all of these elements.

The bottom line is this: To meet and exceed the growing challenges that today's consumers inflict upon a brand, marketers must find the right balance of marketing tools and program elements to create and deliver the right product or service to consumers at the right price, right location, right time, and with the right features and measurable benefits.

Otherwise, the consumer (or buyer) is just not interested, or loses interest very quickly.

It is important for all entrepreneurial SME’s to develop the habit of thinking about marketing and sales results most of the time. Think about customers most of the time.

John

Quote of the day: "If things seem under control....you are simply not moving fast enough!"