Word of Mouth Costs A Lot!

I'm sure you have heard at one point or another that word of mouth marketing (WOMM) is the best form of marketing cause it is FREE! Well, not exactly. There is a cost to WOMM and that cost is often time, and you don't have to be a business owner for long to know that your time equals money; time spent on providing superior customer service, time spent on product development and enhancement, time spent following up with clients, time spent on understanding your position in the marketplace, time spent training your staff... Do you get where I'm going? Some of you aren't spending enough time in these areas, or you may be spending too much of your resources in one area when you should be devoting more to another...

So when was the last time you evaluated your efforts to enhance word of mouth? Don't wait too long. You may be making a costly mistake.

Keep it High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

Too Busy to Keep Yourself Busy?

If your like me, your day shifts to fifth gear the moment you walk out of your house. Your ever growing action item list swirls around in your head, while your phone continually rings your favorite ringtone as you're stuck in traffic on your way to the office. Like most business owners, the thought of marketing is way at the bottom of the list until urgency sets in. How are you supposed to execute marketing tactics when you already wear several different hats in your business?

1. Decide whether or not marketing is a priority to you and your organization. Is it? You better answer yes! Every company has to transform their thinking and believe that it's a marketing company that happens to sell product "X" or service "Y."

2. Assign or hire a marketing champion in your company. If that person is you, then you will have to carve out some time each day to stay on top of your strategies and tactics. Start with smaller increments of time then, as you get into the habit, you can begin increasing your commitment level. Use outside marketing coaches to keep you accountable and provide direction. Sometimes you just need someone to instruct you from the sidelines.

3. Prepare a marketing calendar that is visual to all who is involved in the sales process. If you don't have a marketing plan to work off of, then you will have to take time to develop one. If you feel that you are inadequate to develop a plan, then you probably are. Reach out for help.

Often marketing is known for it's creative side. Remember, don't overlook the organizational aspect of marketing. That's what differentiates an active marketing plan, from the one that is collecting dust on your shelf.

Keep it High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

Kind of a Big Deal!

As of yesterday, CluelessMarketing.com has been officially confirmed by Alltop.com as a blog providing the best of the best Alltop stories! Alltop.com is an online magazine rack that features ALL the TOP stories in all the topics that interest you. Now you don't have to be clueless about anything!

So if you want to read what's happening in marketing, you can follow me there alongside other leading marketing experts!

With that said allow me to ask you a challenging question... What will you do today to further your credibility in the marketing place?

Keep It High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

10 Steps to a Successful CRM Implementation

A CRM solution can have an enormously positive effect on your business's bottom line, but a lot can go wrong during a rollout if you haven't planned properly.

This White Paper addresses topics such as:
Budgeting realistically
Training employees
Managing the implementation

Follow these 10 steps to help ensure that your CRM implementation is a success, from the planning stages to post-deployment improvements.

Keep It High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

Love is in the Air

OK Guys (and gals)... if you're over spent, over worked, over committed, and you simply forgot about Valentine's day, then here's your reminder, "Tomorrow is Valentines day!". According to the National Retail Federation Valentine's Day spending is expected to be about $14.7 billion. All of this spent to communicate love and commitment.

I've read that in Warren County Ohio the average length, in years, of first marriages that end in divorce is eight. While that number may not be good regarding marriage, how many of you would love if the average length of time you kept a client for repeat business was eight years? Many of us would be ecstatic!

When was the last time you communicated appreciation to your clients? My challenge for you is that you do this next week. You don't have to over analyze it or break the bank over it, just execute this simple tactic. If it helps solidify the relationship and keep them on for another year, then just do the math and you'll realize that it's worth it.

Keep It High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

Caught in Strong Winds

The shingles are flapping, my dog is unsettled, and I just heard that my recycling bin vanished from my driveway... All of this forces me to think about how businesses and organizations react when they face tumultuous winds. Like the stranded boat caught in the perfect storm, how we react will make all the difference.

It's not abnormal to react in a way that addresses issues of the here and now. In fact that is necessary. However, you need make moves that will have positive results even after the wind stops blowing.

1. Dig deep into your circle of influence. Strengthen those relationships.
2. Guard your current client base.
3. Open new markets (be careful with this one. You don't want to spread yourself thin).
4. Provide added value that meets consumer needs without sacrificing your brand.
5. Reevaluate your message.
6. Review your long term vision and don't stray too far from your plan (If you don't have one, then now is a good time to create one).

Keep it High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

6 Reasons For Having a Company Website

Years ago there used to be a Yellow Pages commercial showing a man selfishly hoarding toys in his own store called, "Mike's Toys." And the commercial ended by saying the only businesses that aren't in the Yellow Pages are businesses like Mike's Toys, because Mike doesn't want anybody to know about his toys. The basic message was that all real businesses are in the Yellow Pages. Well, these days that same message applies but regarding the internet.

There are still many businesses that are not taking the internet seriously. As a result they are missing out on opportunities.

Here is a list of 6 reasons why you should have a company website:

1. Brand Awareness
2. Softening the sell
3. Sharing Information
4. Referral Tool
5. Distributing Marketing Collateral
6. Capturing Leads

Now if you already have a website then the question is, "How well does it accomplish these six reasons listed?" A bad website can have a negative effect on your sales activities.

Keep It High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta

Super Bowl Afterthought

As I tried to recall a Super Bowl ad this morning, it got me thinking about awareness marketing and how corporate companies spend over millions of dollars a year to brand their markets.

Do you have the dollars to run these kind of campaigns? My guess is if you're reading this blog titled, "Clueless Marketing," you probably don't. Instead of perpetually marketing to a select audience with a response oriented relevant message that personally addresses their specific needs, many small businesses and organizations would rather brand the universe of which they have no money to do so and therefore often resulting in doing nothing at all... Well, that was my Super Bowl afterthought...

By the way, which Super Bowl ad do you still remember the day after the game? For me it was the Career Builder ad.

Keep It High Touch!

-Ernie DiMalanta