At Shirley Smith & Co we can provide start-up businesses in the Essex area with help and advice. Here are some issues to consider regarding sales and marketing.
No matter what line of business you are in, sales and marketing will be an essential element in growing your enterprise.
Whether you have a marketing department or the marketing department is you, here are some elementary ideas for improving your performance.
- Make sure your products or services are distinguishable from your competitors'
- Monitor your competitors' marketing activities, and change your own as appropriate
- Have a marketing plan - and follow it!
- Aim to provide a regular stream of new customers
- Respond quickly to customer complaints, investigate the causes and fix the problems
- When you lose a customer, contact them and find out why
- Uncover customers' needs. Find out what they really want from your business
- Keep advertising expenditure within industry norms. Over-advertising smacks of desperation, under-advertise and no-one knows who you are
- Search for new markets for your products or services
- Keep your existing customers aware of all you can offer
- Actively look at new products or services
- Keep your sales forecasts and statistics up to date and distribute them to appropriate employees
- Make sure that staff who come into contact with your customers or clients have high morale and present a positive image of your company and its products and services
- Use your remuneration structure to motivate and reward sales people
- Invest in sales-focussed training for your non-marketers (show them how they can have an impact on sales)
Evaluate the performance of your sales team and provide training where needed.
If you are starting a business in the Essex area and would like help and advice, contact Shirley Smith & Co.