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The Competitive Advantage

August 8, 2012

A Checklist for Conducting your own Marketing Audit

Sometimes, we get so busy working IN our business that we forget to work ON our business.  When that happens, it helps to step back and take an objective look at what’s going on around you. And one of those areas of your business that most often needs a fresh set of eyes is marketing.  If that describes you, here are some ideas for conducting your own marketing audit and getting back on track.

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July 31, 2012

Want to get better at marketing? Become a student of it!

Marketing has evolved and changed as much as any discipline in business.  We used to think about marketing as print ads and direct mail.  Then along came the internet and our choices expanded to include email and banner ads.  And in the last few years, thanks to advances in technology, our choices have expanded further to include social media marketing, search engine optimization and mobile marketing.  And now to tie it all together, there’s Marketing Automation Software (MAS).

With the proliferation of options – where do you turn for answers?  Ironically, to the same technologies that are the cause of this anxiety in the first place… the internet and social media.  There’s enough information available – most of it for free – to make almost anyone a marketing expert!

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July 29, 2012

No rookies, no gum and no Frisbees: 10 don’ts for exhibiting at MR trade shows

The fall conference season will be here before you know it – ESOMAR, QRCA, AMA, CASRO, etc. – and many of you have committed to exhibiting at one or more of these shows. Done right, exhibiting can be an outstanding marketing vehicle and help you to generate highly-qualified sales leads, launch a new product or service, generate market awareness and support your association.

Now think about this: With the cost of the exhibit space; travel and lodging; building or updating your booth; shipping; event marketing; etc., your firm’s presence there could very well be the single largest marketing expense you have all year. Exhibiting is one of those things you must do really well to see a solid return on your investment.

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July 25, 2012

Does YOUR Business Need a Focus Group?

As researchers, you help your clients get feedback and insight on a variety of things – concept development, advertising, product usage and so forth.

But do you do that for yourself, too?  Do you get unbiased feedback on new services you’re thinking about launching, marketing ideas or tough business decisions?

If not, here’s an idea… consider establishing an ‘Advisory Board,’ an outside third-party group that can provide input on a variety of critical decisions.

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July 18, 2012

Exhibiting at a conference this fall? Get your event marketing plan in place!

You’ve committed thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of dollars and several days of several people’s time to exhibit at a conference this fall.  The worst thing you can do is just show up and hope it goes well.  As the popular business book is titled, “Hope is not a strategy!”

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July 10, 2012

Webinar – Creating a Winning Marketing & Sales Plan: 40 Tips in 40 Minutes

When: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 1:00 pm Eastern Time / 10:00am Pacific Time

Who: Sponsored by Quirks, presented by Harpeth Marketing

What: Developed for the owners, managers and hands-on marketers at research firms, this free webinar provides an overview of the process for creating a clear, functional marketing and sales plan, along with tips and tricks for implementing each phase of the process. In this fast-paced session, you’ll explore:

  • The basic structure of a marketing and sales plan
  • A simple way to develop a profile of your best clients
  • The keys to setting effective marketing strategy
  • Why your success is in the details
  • Easy ways to manage your marketing and sales efforts
  • Why a lot of money is NOT necessary for successful business development
  • And much more

Where: For details and to register online, click here.

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July 5, 2012

Hiring your first sales rep? Consider these 7 “must-dos” first…

If you’re about to hire your firm’s first sales rep, then let me congratulate you on taking a very big – and vitally important – step for your firm.  Having someone other than the principal(s) of the firm do your selling is an important and often scary thing to do.  You’re letting go and relying on “an outsider” to help make you successful.  But until you do, you’ll never be able to realize your firm’s full potential.

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July 2, 2012

How to see yourself as clients see you

As market research firms, we use many methodologies to help our clients understand their customers’ (or users’) experiences, from Web site usability studies and secret shopper projects to ethnographies. We need to take a similar tack with our own marketing plans.

Marketing is not just about ads, Web sites, social media and your sales team. Though most people rarely think about marketing beyond those kinds of constraints, marketing encompasses every aspect of a business (i.e., its people, products and processes) that touches a client or prospective client and in doing so, has an impact on their buying decision.

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