Five of the most frequently asked marketing questions

Q1: What is marketing?
Over the years I have read many definitions of marketing, but my favourite quote is from the late Peter Doyle, a marketing guru of the 20th Century. He defined marketing as a ‘philosophy of business that placed the customer at the centre of the universe.’ Another good definition of marketing is ‘identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer demand and making a profit.’

If we are in the business of deriving our income from customers, then marketing should be at the centre of all our activity!

Q2: I have no marketing experience – where do I start?
Buying a franchise puts you at an advantage when it comes to marketing your business. You have a network of franchisees to talk to plus a franchise package that should include a broad platform of marketing support. Start by talking to the franchisees in your network. Ask them about the successful marketing tactics they have used to grow their business, and the marketing mistakes they made in their early days of trading. This will save you time and money. It will also focus you so that you know you are heading in the right direction. I encourage our new franchisees to do this as soon as Induction Training is finished. If a little bedtime reading appeals then I write a monthly marketing column in Business Franchise magazine, where I present ten top tips on a popular marketing topic.

Q3: What kind of marketing activity should I consider to promote my business to potential customers?
It will help if you draw up a list of all the potential marketing tactics you can consider before whittling down to the tactics that are endorsed by your franchisor and the franchisees in your network. You should consider all of the following: small, targeted direct mailings, telephone sales, advertising, PR, sales promotion (advertising gifts promoting your brand), electronic marketing, exhibitions, networking, cold calling and seminars. Once you have drawn up your activity shortlist, you will need to focus on blending! (More on this to follow)

Q4: How can I appraise my marketing activities?
Approach each marketing activity in a business like manner and ask the following:

• What are my objectives? What am I hoping to achieve?
• What is the full cost of this activity?
• How will I manage this activity? What timescales should I work to?

If you want to gain new customers or prospects, you need to establish how many. Don’t plan your marketing activity on the vague assumption that you want to ‘maximise your sales’

Q5: How can I gain the maximum impact from my marketing activity?
Blending is essential! Don’t plan and run each activity in isolation. Your customers will respond with more vigour if they receive two or three different approaches from you. So if you are planning to direct mail cold prospects to convert them to customers, you will increase responses if you telephone them both before and after the mailing. If you also have some local press coverage, running at the same time, then include copies in your mailing or refer to the publications when you make your cold calls. All this helps to build up a positive, rounded picture of your organisation, and it increases both prospect and customer awareness of what you do.