Marketing Strategy - Marketing Ideas - 2010: Stellarpoint Communications Group, headquartered in Malvern PA, 35 minutes from Philadelphia PA, believes in sharing our Creative and Effective Marketing Strategies and New Business Marketing Ideas with both our existing and prospective clients. In order to be successful in business, we all need to depend on New Marketing Strategies & Ideas along with current Website Design and Internet Marketing Strategies to more effectively promote our businesses.
Stellarpoint's 2010 Business Marketing Strategy and Ideas Web Page will be updated monthly with new and informative PA Marketing - Media Advertising - PA Video Production and Small Business Custom Web Design Strategies. Our 2010 Marketing Articles on Creative PA Web Design & Marketing Ideas can assist you in developing Innovative and Effective Marketing Strategies to promote and grow your Business.
There are a multitude of marketing experts who can point out the obvious difference - product marketing relates to a tangible product while Service Business Marketing relates to an intangible service; however, the simple answer is – there is very little difference between marketing a product and Marketing a Service Business. While the so called “product” might be different, the primary objective in any marketing initiative remains the same – offer the consumer something they need or want.
Any effective strategy for Marketing a Service Business should be designed and developed around four simple concepts: Service, Value, Relationships, and Communications. These concepts are no different than the traditional 4P’s associated with an effective Marketing Mix – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. While the words might be slightly different and certain strategies expanded under different circumstances, marketing a Service Business successfully is dependent on these four elements.
This concept sounds very obvious to most owners of a service business; however, when someone is Starting a New Small Business, this strategy often receives the least amount of attention. A good idea for providing services is not the same thing as developing a structured business plan for delivering services to consumers. Prior to marketing any service, a business owner should make sure he has designed a quality service which satisfies all the wants and needs of potential customers. This includes everything from initial proposals to the final follow-up after the customer has made payment.
Especially in difficult economic times, Effective Marketing Strategies associated with either product marketing or marketing a service business must clearly focus on “creating value” for the consumer. This is where “balance” enters the equation. What resources are required to provide your service compared to the price you need to charge customers? Are your prices and profit margins in line with your competition? Are you flexible with discounts and billing arrangements? These and numerous other questions need to be addressed prior to marketing your Service Business.
It really doesn’t matter whether you think your service creates value for customers. The most important question is: Will potential customers think your service creates value for them?
The traditional marketing model uses the word “Place” to describe the connections required to effectively market a company’s product. In marketing a Service Business, these connections are still required; however, they now become more personal.
The connections related to Marketing a Service Business revolve around various strategies associated with Relationship Marketing, Network Marketing, Personal Branding, and Social Media Marketing - creating, developing, and maintaining effective personal “relationships” with customers and potential customers. In other words, marketing connections are established by building relationships with people.
From Political TV Advertising Campaigns to marketing a Medical Practice, Personal Branding and Social Media strategies should play a role in your overall marketing strategy. Where are potential customers looking for your service? What qualities are they looking for in a service provider? Are your Website Design and Internet Marketing Strategies conveying the right message about your company? Have you developed a strategy for measuring customer satisfaction? Some service companies are so focused on getting new business, they often forget about the importance of repeat business.
The bottom line – consumers demand a quality service which creates value; nevertheless, they also prefer doing business with service companies where a personal relationship has been established.
Before a company launches any Promotional Marketing, Public Relations, or Media Campaign, such as Print Media Advertising, TV Commercial Advertising, or Internet Marketing Videos, they need to be absolutely certain of one thing – will consumers see and hear the same message your Service Business is trying to promote? While there are numerous other aspects to any marketing campaign, without an effective marketing message, potential consumers will never make the right connection with your Service Company.
Once your company has created an effective marketing message, there are a variety of innovative solutions for communicating the message to your target audience. While Marketing and Advertising budgets will always play a role in choosing various options, your decision should be based on solid research. Where will you get the highest return on your marketing investment? From Philadelphia Internet Marketing and creative PA Website Design to Public Relations Marketing and Promotional Products Marketing, any strategy for Marketing your Service Business should be flexible enough to change as business conditions change over time.
While every top marketing company or advertising agency will be able to design certain unique marketing strategies specifically related to Marketing a Service Business versus marketing consumer products, the four elements of service, value, relationships, and communications should always be the initial starting point in developing an effective strategy for marketing your service business.