November | 2016

Plan With An Eye To The Outside

Nov 29 2016

When you wrote your last business plan, did you go on a “retreat”?

That’s what most people do – they clear out some time and take their team out of the workplace so they won’t be disturbed, and they spend a couple of days discussing what’s going on in the business and how to improve it and set goals and strategies.

But here’s what’s wrong with this approach – more often than not you discuss and find solutions for problems and opportunities from inside your business, and forget that it’s external stimuli that will have serious and unpredictable effects.

So you go along and implement your plan only to have, one day —– WHAM! A big problem from outside hits you where you weren’t expecting.

Watch this week as I discuss how to plan with an eye to external factors.

Let’s summarise – use PESTLE to analyse and think about the external factors that could have an impact on your plans:

P for Political, being any political changes in your region that could have an impact;

E for Economic, requiring you to look at the local, national and global economy;

S for Social, asking what social trends are happening right now that could affect your business;

T for Technological – what is happening in and outside your industry that is affected by tech changes, social media and so on;

L for Legal, looking for potential changes to the law that could impact your industry;

E for Environmental, including the environment as well as surrounding factors – can any development here affect you?

If you want more of these free tips, tools and resources to help you grow your business, click here and sign up to get them sent directly to your inbox every week.

And while you’re there, go to teikoh.com and see what other great ideas you’ve missed.

Comment 13

Meeting Customer Expectations

Nov 22 2016

Let me know if this scenario is familiar to you.

You go out for a romantic dinner out with your partner or spouse. You’ve chosen a high-end French restaurant because of it’s reputation for good food, and frankly, the advertising you’ve seen about the food and the overall experience. While you haven’t really specified it, inside, you know that what a romantic meal out means romantic decor with low lights, comfortable seating and some privacy in the way it’s laid out, welcoming service when you enter and attentive service without being too pushy through the meal. Oh and, the meal should be good, or at least worth the price.

Recognise the scenario? Tell the truth, while the quality of the food is important to you, it’s not as high on the list of your needs as all the other factors surrounding the evening.

So have you ever entered into that scenario and found that when you walked in…..

you were ignored for what felt like a crazy 10 minutes spent fidgeting near the door
the lights were so darn dim that you couldn’t see in front of your face
the seats (when you eventually sat down) were modern hard plastic and after half an hour you just wanted to finish and get out because of your sore bum
and the wait staff were all over you or forgetting about you.

The food was GREAT but…..the rest of the experience killed the evening.

Does that sound familiar?

Marketing is all about emotions and expectations. Despite having a GREAT product, you still need to meet all the customer’s expectations caused by your marketing.

This week I am going through what it takes to meet your customers’ expectations.

So, think about that. You need to set up your business to meet all of your customers’ needs:-

It’s not just about a great product
How do you provide that product to them?
What about after-sales service, is it what they want?
Is the price what they expect?
What about the way you package the sale, either of a tangible product, or of an online product, or even of a service – what comes with it, all wrapped up?
Have you trained your staff to give the perfect experience?
What about your internal systems and procedures, do they support giving your customer what they want?

In my SMART Marketing program, step 3 is all about setting up your business to match customer expectations. If you don’t do that then all the benefits of your product will not be appreciated. Click here to check out my SMART Marketing online training and workshop to guide you through the creation of your targeted marketing plan, and collect three free gifts along the way!

Get over to my website now at teikoh.com and register your name and email to get more free tips, tools and resources to create winning strategy, show innovative leadership, and grow the business of your dreams!

Comment 13

How To Choose Marketing Strategies Suitable For Your Business

Nov 15 2016

One of the questions I am always asked is “how do I choose the right marketing strategies for my business?”

You see, marketing has been historically steeped in mystique. It seems you have to go to a marketing “expert” and then they do some magic and the right marketing strategies for your business just pop up.

It doesn’t have to be like that. You need a process, for sure, but after that you just need to know your product, know your market, and know your business.

To start with, you need to think logically.

What makes people attracted to your business? What makes them want to buy your product?

Then, all you need to do is to match your strategies to their needs.

Watch this video to take you through the simple logic of it all.

See? It’s all quite logical if you follow a step by step process.

If you think your customers are attracted to you because you are a professional brand and they need a conservative approach, then find strategies that show off your knowledge, your experience and your dependability. In such a case, don’t sponsor a football team, go and speak at a business conference!

If they are into health and fitness then show them the results you produce and what fun people have when they train with you. Make sure your marketing activities are about health and fitness through fun and enjoyment, don’t wear a suit and give a boring speech!

If they seek coaching and are attracted to your leadership qualities, create marketing strategies that show off your personality and the effectiveness of your products.

And don’t forget to ask what part of the sales funnel are they in. If they are at the top and need to be made aware of your business and your products, tailor marketing strategies that broadcast your brand and your name; if they are in the part of the funnel that needs to pique their interest then your strategies need to define the difference between you and your competitors; and if they are ready to buy, your marketing strategies need to be about conversion.

Hey, if you want to know more about marketing strategies and actually go through a virtual workshop and create your own marketing plan, check out my online course and workshop called SMART Marketing. This course is specially designed to take you through a simple 7 step process to create your highly targeted killer marketing plan. Click here to learn more about this online marketing plan creation resource.

Now, finally, if you are reading this on one of my social media platforms, you really need to get over to my website teikoh.com to check out the loads of free tips, tools and resources to grow your business or click here to sign up and get free resources emailed to you every week.

Comment 13

Marketing Plans – Why and How?

Nov 08 2016

Do you need a Marketing Plan?

You run a small business, surely not? I mean, you’re not Amazon, but customers come in don’t they? They find you, and sometimes they even refer their friends to you. Sales are ticking along smoothly, why would you need a marketing plan?

Well, let me ask you: could you improve your sales?

When you started your business, what was your dream? Is your business shaping up that way now?

If you are honest, most of you would say that in your “dream” your business was running a little better than in reality, right? Let’s face it, how many of us “dreamt” of being middle of the road?

Yes, you do need a marketing plan or you are just cruising. If you don’t market, you’ll end up floating with the tide, not going where you want but going where it takes you. Is that the way to grow your business?

A marketing plan need not be this expensive, consultant-led exercise that you don’t understand. Why don’t you use your knowledge of your own business to design a targeted set of marketing activities that will reach out to your ideal customers?

Here’s how –

Here are the seven easy steps again:-

Get to really know your product or service from the viewpoint of your customer. What are the benefits that it gives your customer? What needs does it fulfil?
Get to know your ideal customer. Where do they come from? What’s their profile? Why do they need your product? What are their personal traits and emotional triggers?
Set up your whole business, not just your product, to meet the customers’ expectations. How do they like to receive your product? What happens after sale? What responsiveness must you have? Do they like the experience gift-wrapped or just off the shelf?
Utilise the right pricing strategy – make money, but set your price so that it attracts the customer. Should it be priced as a luxury category or a cheap one? Do you price for the unique experience or to compete?
Choose the appropriate marketing activities. Are they appropriate for the stage of the sales funnel you are pitching at? Are they appropriate for your market and the characteristics of that market?
Schedule the campaign. Build your marketing activities so that they reinforce each other, not some random set of happenings.
Put it together, and while doing so, make yourself accountable with inbuilt monitoring and measurement systems.

If you want to know more, click here to read about my SMART Marketing Planning system.

And don’t forget, get over to the website and post a comment on your experiences in marketing your business. While you’re there, subscribe and I’ll make sure that you get more free tips, ideas and tools to grow your business sent to you every week.

Comment 13

Organise Your Staff Before You Have Any!

Nov 01 2016

All small businesses start in a very similar way, and I’ll bet you can relate to this story.

So, Joe and Joan start their small business just by themselves. They did most things jointly – did the sales, ordered stock, stuffed the shelves, wrote parts of their website, kept the books, opened every morning and closed every evening. Then they hired a store helper, Sue. She was really keen and helpful, she mucked in and helped to do everything as well. But things were starting to get missed because they got confused about who was going to do what.

Then, one day, they ran out of stock.

“I thought you were going to do that?” asked Joe of Sue.

“No, I was busy that day, but Joan heard we needed to do it so I thought she was going to.”

“Oh no,” Joan says, “Joe always does that on Thursdays.”

Growing small businesses grow organically. They hire staff as and when they need them. But unless you get organised, things could fall between the cracks no matter how helpful and willing everyone is. Organisation means you know exactly who does what, how they do it and when, and who does it as a temporary replacement under certain, set, circumstances.

That way, there is no confusion.

Watch this video on how to organise your staff before you even have any.

That makes sense doesn’t it? Organise your business so it doesn’t fall into confusion by designing it from the start.

Draw up your “Organisation Chart” or picture of the positions (not persons) who will end up in the business when it is fully grown. Design the units or departments, or just areas of responsibility such as sales and marketing, books and administration, stocks and warehouse. Prepare Job Descriptions for each of the positions noting specifically what they are responsible for, how they are to be measured, and who they report to.

Like most small businesses, even with this Organisation Chart, you the owner will start off doing everything. Take that opportunity to write down procedures for all the tasks each position has to be responsible for.

Then, as you expand and hire people, you have ready a Job Description and a tested routine that you can just hand over.

As usual, the best happens after the story! Get over to the website teikoh.com and tell me what your experiences are about this idea. While you’re there, subscribe and I’ll send you more free tips, tools and resources every week to help you create great strategy, show leadership, and grow your business.

Comment 13

Increase your sales through a highly focused marketing plan!

SMART Marketing: In this book, the owners of a small business are led through the SMART Marketing 7 Step Process to produce a marketing plan targeted at their most desirable customers. Any business can use these principles and in 4 to 6 weeks implement a plan to get them through the door! Find out how...

The SMART Marketing Workbook: Companion to “SMART Marketing”, this workbook sets out the SMART Marketing process in 7 workshops for you and your staff to complete questionnaires and templates that at the end, form the marketing plan you need to sell your REAL product to your REAL customer! View now...

Archive - November 2016

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Plan With An Eye To The Outside

Meeting Customer Expectations

How To Choose Marketing Strategies Suitable For Your Business

Marketing Plans – Why and How?

Organise Your Staff Before You Have Any!