You know the old saying about taking a horse to water?
Well, it is the same with PR and Marketing. It doesn’t matter how wonderful your branding, goodwill, reputation and market position is if you do not make it EASY for people to engage with you and buy from you.
PR and Marketing are not magic bullets
I recently won a new client, a major international business with an office here in Nottingham. Go me!
It was down to a combination of tactics; articles, social media engagement, authority building, events, my reputation, free downloads and all manner of useful tips and tricks.
However, there was another key factor that was at play here…
Now stay with me people because this is GENIUS.
1. I answered a message on Linkedin and was helpful
2. I followed up with a PHONE CALL to chat through an issue.
3. And then, in a move of marketing genius that would make PT Barnum feel woefully inadequate, I went to go and see them.
That’s right folks, I booked a meeting with them.
Even better, I only went and turned up. As arranged. On time.
Now, this may seem all too simple and guess what, it was.
However, it seems not everyone gets this.
I know for a fact that two competitors were also in the frame for the work but due to a cunning combination of bureaucracy, faffing about and tripping over their own marketing feet, they managed to fail to engage or to even arrange a meeting…
How do I know this? Well, my new client told me.
Someone from one of them is probably reading this right now. Hi there.
Now, this is not to gloat. This is a warning.
If expert strategic marketing folk like me and my industry rivals cannot untangle their processes for long enough to say ‘hello, we can help, let’s grab a coffee’ then it might well be happening in your business.
So take a look at your sales process and check that it works in tandem with your marketing magic bullets. There is little point in creating awareness and demand on one hand if the other hand is firmly wedged under one’s derriere.
Make it easy for people to buy from you and guess what, they just might.
PS you can book a call with me to see if I can help you. See what I did there.