It is important for a business to undertake various forms of marketing activities in order to inform customers on its products and services.
Without this information, it may not be possible to create awareness on the products and services offered by the company and to influence the purchase decision of the prospective customers. Various forms of marketing tools can be used by a company in order to create a market presence for its products and services. However, company should perform a cost benefit analysis before adopting any particular marketing tool.
It is important to note that without proper marketing, a company may lose its competitive advantage in the market. A company should ensure that customers are regularly updated on new products and services. Further, a company should develop/implement a systematic customer relationship management program.
Three Important Ways to Market a Business
a) Marketing Department/Team
Depending on the size of the organization, a separate marketing department should be developed. Management should decide on the composition of the marketing team. Marketing requires special skills. Therefore, it is advisable to recruit professionally qualified and experienced individuals with excellent communication, negotiation and convincing skills.
It is important to set targets for the marketing department and its employees in order to keep a track of the overall performance of the department as well as to appraise its members on the basis of their contribution in increasing the market share or enhancing customer base of the company.
Face to face interaction with a potential client can increase the possibility of securing a business order and can provide valuable customer feedback. Further, direct interaction with clients can help in increasing the level of customer trust and confidence.
b) Online Marketing
A company can use internet as an effective means of marketing. Online marketing may not give immediate results. A company may have to use tools like search engine optimization (SEO) in order to create a web presence. Creation of online website, registration with various online business trading portals, use of emails, etc. can help an organization to reach customers across boundaries.
A website can provide in depth information on the company, its management, its vision and mission, its products and services, etc. A website can also be used to attract candidates for suitable positions in the company.
c) Print Marketing
A company can also use printed brochures, pamphlets, news update letters, business cards, etc. to provide information on the products and services. A company mail these printed documents to prospective customers. Soft copies of these documents can also be attached to a business promotion email. It is important to note that a brochure should be designed in such a way that it generates interest in the minds of prospective customers.
A business card should provide relevant information on the marketing executive (such as designation, phone number, email-id, etc.) in addition to company information (such as web address, office address, landline numbers, etc.). A company can distribute gifts like pens, diaries, bags, etc. with company name, logo and web address printed on such gifts.