Practical effective marketing is simply a system.

Marketing is not only a system, it may be the most important system in any business.

To understand how to approach marketing for your business, it may be helpful to understand our definition of marketing. Marketing is getting someone that has a need to know, like and trust you.

One can argue about what “like” and “trust” are in a given industry, but now more than ever, this definition gets to the heart of the marketing game.

This workshop will cover the 7 core steps that make up the simple, effective and affordable Duct Tape Marketing System, the “World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing System”.

Businesses that appreciate and implement this approach to marketing grow in a consistent and predictable manner.

The workshop is suitable for small to medium enterprises who are seeking to grow their businesses to the next level.

The workshop will cover the following topics:

1. Develop strategy before tactics

Most business owners take the “idea of the week,” tactical approach to marketing when a good strategy is the most important aspect of any successful marketing implementation.

Before you decide on direct mail or a Facebook page, you must adopt and commit to a marketing strategy. All tactical decisions should be filtered through your strategy to see if they make sense or support the overall  marketing strategy.

The concept of a marketing strategy may seem foreign or out of reach, but it’s really little more than determining and narrowly defining your ideal client, and creating and communicating some key points of differentiation.

The challenge comes when business owners realize it means they can’t be all things to all people. Simply offering good service isn’t a differentiator, it’s an expectation.

2. Embrace The Marketing Hourglass™

Maybe you’re familiar with the marketing funnel concept: get as many prospects in the top of the funnel, so that you get a few through the small end.

The Marketing Hourglass suggests that there is a logical path through which each prospect should be led, starting with the large end of a funnel. However, as in an hourglass shape, the prospect goes to work turning new customers into an expanding base of advocates and referral partners.

This approach starts and ends with a significant focus on the customer experience and requires special attention to the creation of systems and processes that move pros­pects logically along the path of know, like, trust, try, buy, repeat and refer.

3. Adopt the publishing model

Marketers today must commit to producing content, much like a publisher might. Prospects expect to search and find large amounts of useful information on any subject or challenge.

Consistent production of content that builds awareness and trust, such a client success stories, testimonials, and content that educates, such as blog posts, e-books and online seminars, are major components of the new marketing system.

4. Create a total web presence

It’s simply not enough to have a web site and think you’re really participating online.

The majority of purchase decisions made today involve some amount of research online. Today’s business must be easily found online, easily engaged online and easily communicated with online. This requires a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media participation.

Of course, this also means integrating your online presence and activity into every offline business function.

5. Orchestrate the lead generation trio

With a fully functioning lead generation system in place, a significant portion of your leads can originate from referrals. However by expanding your system with the addition of advertising and public relations, you amplify your efforts in each.

When a prospect comes in contact with your advertising message, reads about your new product in a trade journal and then gets invited to your educational workshop by their accountant, they’ve practically sold themselves.

6. Drive a lead conversion system

Most small businesses view marketing as an exercise in lead generation only, when the true measure of success is lead conversion.

The same systems approach that created a lead must be in place when a prospect wants to learn more. Simply having a well-thought-out path that every new lead walks, a way to nurture and educate leads, and a proven process for orienting new clients can dramatically and positively influence that bottom line conversion

7. Live by the marketing calendar

The scarcest resource in any business is time. There is always more to do than possibly can be done. Some people deal with this by simply shutting down and doing very little.

Marketing momentum requires consis­tent work over the long term and is best managed by creating a marketing calendar. The annual marketing calendar is not only a great planning device for campaigns and product launches, but it’s also a great tool to organize and schedule all time sensitive projects.

By creating monthly projects and themes, weekly action steps and daily marketing appointments, you heighten the focus on marketing and the building of your marketing system in full production.

So, what would happen if you started to view your marketing as the system described above? This workshop will cover this and more….