All the Ps
One of the best know marketing models is the 4 P’s – Product, Price, Promotion and Place. This a very useful model to use when writing a marketing plan.
However, for the day to day running of a campaign I would argue two other Ps are more important: Persistence and Patience.
This is particularly true for small businesses which don’t have a dedicated marketing department or manager whose job it is to keep a marketing process running.
If you’ve ever started a business you’ll probably recognise the pattern – you place an advert and sit waiting for the phone to ring, or you attend a networking event and are desperate for all the attendees to do business with you.
Don’t think short term
Chances are, at least in the short term, the leads and conversions don’t come pouring in.
So you try something else and repeat the pattern until you come to the conclusion that marketing isn’t for you – particularly if you have enough sales to survive.
But, if you have persistence and patience you will recognise that you have to run your marketing according to your potential customer’s calendar.
Put the boot on the other foot. If you hear about a new service or product that you are interested in how often do you rush out and buy it? How often do you pick up the phone immediately to further an enquiry? Or how often do you wait until you have time to look at it again, maybe you’re prompted by a well timed email or a follow up meeting or call.
Respect the customer
In marketing and sales the power rests with the customer, so you have to respect their time-scale and you have to be persistent – they may not respond to the first email you send, or the second.
But, if you do a good job, offer useful, interesting advice and communicate in a permission based way over time you will build your leads, your conversions and your business.
This is why I value another P – Planning – so much. It helps give you the Persistence and Patience you need to market your business successfully.
How long does it take a typical customer in your business to go from initial contact, to lead, to customer?
Have you thought about this time-scale and factored it in to your marketing plan?
[byline]
