Cost effective.web

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Cost-Effective Marketing Techniques for Distributors

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 | 2 - 3 p.m.

Presented By

Tom Marx President/CEO of The Marx Group

©The Marx Group 2010 | Cost-Effective Marketing Techniques for Distributors | November 3, 2010

What you will learn

1. Why Marketing is important

2. Ready! Aim! Fire! Planning Techniques

3. Cost-efficient marketing tactics

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Why Marketing is Important?

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Your Challenges

CHALLENGE:

Pricing pressures from retailers who are getting into commercial business (selling to both DIFM and DIY)

SOLUTION:

Strengthen relationships with your customers

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Your Challenges

CHALLENGE:

Generational distinctions: Millennials care less about in-person relationships – they use Internet for knowledge, training and purchasing

SOLUTION:

Develop a digital relationship with your prospects and customers

DIGITAL RELATIONSHIPA form of relationship that is established digitally via•Email•Website•Online tech support•Digital chatter (forums, chat groups, bloggers, ratings, etc.)

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Strengthen Your Relationships with Marketing

All marketing materials should demonstrate

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Knowledge Experience Care and Trust

Professionalism Service Responsiveness


Cost Effective vs. Cheap

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Cost Effective• May not cost the least -- fulfills your

needs without having to redo

• Saves time

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Cheap • Bad Customer Perception

• More costly in the long run

• Usually requires more of your time

Cost Effective vs. Cheap


Planning Techniques

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Strategy First

• What are your goals?

• Who is your audience?

• What is your Value Proposition?

• What are your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)?

• What is your budget?

• Who is the manager of marketing?

• Who participates and approves marketing?

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What You Are Going To Do

• What are the potential marketing tactics?

• What are upcoming events?

• Which suppliers or customers will co-market with you?

• What’s the overarching graphic design?

• Are the messages focused?

• What will be the most effective digital and print media?

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Launching Your Marketing Program

• Formula to manage multiple projects

• Get feedback from your customers

• Engage all employees

• Measure results

• Learn from initial marketing efforts and continuously evolve your messages, creative and methods

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The Eternal Triangle

You cannot be everything to all people.

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PRICE

AVAILABILITYSERVICE


Cost-Effective Tactics

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Cost-Effective Website Tactics

A good website is paramount in importance! Your customers or prospects get FREE information about you.

• Design website with Content Management System (CMS)• Drupal, Joomla!, WordPress

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4fDR3J2dbU

• Update frequently and internally

• Provide sell sheets and catalog online—saves on printing and mailing!

• Promote your online shopping cart

• Include social media interaction and integration

• Get found online with Search Engine Optimization

• Upload PR, videos and marketing tools

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Choose the right web partner– Review their portfolio

– Check references for delivery of their promises

– Don’t let price be the driving decision maker

– Make sure you both are aligned with website scope before project begins

– Many programmers are not designers, and many designers are not programmers -- consider hiring both a designer and a programmer

– Keep their skin in the game -- pay as you go

TIP: In most cases you

get what you pay for – be willing to spend a little more to get exactly what you want.

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Search engine optimize your website

• Define your keywords

• Alt tags to all images

• Write copy for your website that contains keywords

• Add Google Analytics (or other free analytic programs) to your website– http://www.google.com/analytics/tour.html

• Monitor you analytics

• Consider pay-per click advertisements

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A frequently updated site saves money

• Keep the following current– Company story and bio

– Frequently updated graphics and content

– Access to product and technical information

– Key staff bios

– PR/Marketing materials

– Easy way to contact the right person

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Cost-Effective Social Media Tactics

Do your research– What sites are your audiences participating in?

– Who will be doing the updates?

– Do you have a social media strategy in place?

– Things to know

• It requires no $$ investment to have presence on most sites

• It takes little time to do updates – if a strategy is developed

• There are many free sites to help you monitor, track and implement social media initiatives

– http://www.dreamgrow.com/46-free-social-media-monitoring-tools

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Note the common ‘business’ social media mediums – Facebook Fan Page

– LinkedIn Company Profile attached to personal profile

– Twitter (sometimes!)

– YouTube Channel

– SlideShare Account

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Leveraging your current marketing efforts with social media - it’s free

– Provide updates on specials, company news, promotions, sweepstakes, new products

– Develop a digital personality

– Drive traffic to your website

– Develop your email database

– Be present everywhere

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Cost-Effective Social Media

Integration Tactics

Integrating to your website allows customers to join your network

– Provide links to your social media sites

– Provide a feed to your latest tweets or posts

– Load to YouTube all videos of events, facilities, technical trainings, interviews, races…then make sure it automatically updates on your website – talk to your programmer

– Provide an opportunity to share web content thru social media

– Provide areas for visitors to leave comments

– Provide online and chat tech support

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Cost-Effective Co-Marketing Programs

• Co-branded and co-paid with suppliers

– In-store merchandising and POS

– Direct mail and eBlasts

– Advertising

• Examples– Sales person incentives

– Win-Win promotions

– Training programs

– Links to/from customer and supplier sites

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Cost-Effective Events

• Co-funded ‘Supplier Expo’– Build relationships with all members of the team

– Introduces new products and services

– ‘Buy now’ incentives

– Evenings, weekends and always provide food

– Make it fun and gain future benefits• BBQ sausages or burgers

• Door prizes

• Future incentives to reward attending

• Raise money for local charity, high school or college team

• Combine with sporting event: golf, go-karting, etc.

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Cost-Effective Promotions

Co-branded Promotions:

• Co-brand with supplier or local businesses.

• Use donated prizes as part of your promotion:

– A holiday to your personal vacation home or time share

– Discounts on future purchases…on a quarterly basis

– Rebates on sales differential from previous year

– Apparel and tools donated by co-branded supplier

– Tickets to local sporting events, restaurants, theatres

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Cost-Effective Local Participation

Local participation is inexpensive, directly reaches your audience and builds goodwill

• Continuously monitor events in your local community

– Car Check Lanes during Be Car Aware Months (May and October)

– Votech or High School automotive programs

– High school and college sport teams

– Car clubs – allow them to use your parking lot

– Parades/festivals

– Community events (banners, table)

– Kiwanis, Rotary, YMCA, etc.

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Cost-Effective Public Relations

PR is FREE!

• Builds top-of-mind awareness

• Gains exposure with local media and the community – build your public identity

– Radio, newspaper, cable TV

– Speaking engagements, blogs, forums

• Topics can include

– New hires and promotions

– New products and applications

– New building/location/expansion

– Sponsorships and events

– Training programs

– Sponsoring non-profits

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Cost-Effective Customer Outreach

Cross marketing and keeping in touch with customers can drive more sales

– Statement stuffers

– Messages on invoices

– eBlast/eNewsletter • www.ConstantContact.com

• www.icontact.com

• www.mynewsletterbuilder.com

– Offer discount coupons—only available online (builds your database)

– “Specials” announcements

– Training clinics and education days

– Surveys • www.SurveyMonkey.com

• www.constantcontact.com

• www.zoomerang.com

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Cost-Effective Store/Counter Improvements

A well trained staff improves customer relations and can increase sales

• Always portray top quality, service and accessibility

• Acknowledge within 2-3 minutes each customer that walks in the door

• Things you can do now

– Initiate internal training programs

– Get rid of clutter

– Keep store, waiting rooms and restrooms clean

– Replace counter top

– Vehicles clean and branded

– Clean, consistent and branded apparel

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Printing does not have to be expensive

• Consider digital printing– www.Uprinting.com

– www.48hourprint.com

– www.digitalprintingcompany.com

• Print in bulk with the idea that you can imprint later

• Print on demand

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Cost-Effective Printing

TIP: Shop around for a good

digital printer. Most printers will provide samples – don’t hesitate to ask.


If you plan ahead this can be very cost effective• Develop a strategy where you can print for a series

of mailings

• Design one look andleverage it

• Mail with a consistentprogram

• Keep your list current

• Use bulk rate postage

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Cost-Effective Direct Mail


Design collateral and other materials so you can make the edits• Have your designer create templates

• Hire designer to develop overall campaign theme – make edits in house

• Buy a color digital printer – a $2,000 investment could save you $10’s of thousands

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Cost-Effective Creative Design


Marketing is a Daily Focus

• Start it and stay with it

• Results improve over time—don’t give up!

• Develop positive public identity

• Be multi-dimensional and be present everywhere

• Encourage your customers to use digital communications

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THANK YOU. The Marx Group

TOM MARX

CEO/President

[email protected]

415.453.0844 ext. 106

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Please feel free to contact me if you would like a copy of this presentation and / or the handout.

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