Online Marketing
There are several forms of online marketing. Banner ads and other forms of advertising can be placed on search engine web sites and high traffic web sites. An increasingly popular form of online marketing is placing targeted ads with search engines like Google and Yahoo. The idea behind these ads is to reach people actively seeking information about a particular product or service. E-mail lists can also be purchased for direct e-mail marketing. BEGIN can help you with your online marketing needs.
Public Relations
Public relations refer to efforts to establish a company's image with the public. The major difference between public relations and advertising is that public relations are not paid for (other than the cost of using a PR firm). There are a number of techniques that fit the definition of public relations. These include: press releases, media coverage (such as articles in local newspapers or business journals), articles in the industry press and periodicals, and civic, social, and community involvement. BEGIN can help you put a PR plan together that is perfect for your needs.
Selecting a Target Market
A firm's target market is the limited group of individuals or businesses that it tries to appeal to. Most entrepreneurial firms do not start by selling to broad markets. Instead, most start by identifying an emerging or under-served niche within a larger market, and then target that market. It is important that a firm select its target market early. Virtually all of a firm's marketing decision hinge on the target market it chooses. BEGIN can help you determine the target market that suits your company's needs.
Advertising
Advertising is making people aware of a product or service in hopes of persuading them to buy it. Advertising's major goals are to do the following: (1) Raise consumer awareness of a product, (2) Explain a product's comparable benefits, and (3) Create associations between a product and a certain lifestyle. These goals can be accomplished through a number of media, including direct mail, magazines, newspapers, radio, television, billboards, and Internet advertising. BEGIN has the knowledge and experience to help you develop an advertising plan that is right for you and your budget.
Sales Strategies
Ultimately, all businesses must sell their products or services to be successful. A firm's sales strategy refers to how it goes about attracting and retaining customers. BEGIN can assist you in learning how to identify and approach potential customers. We can also provide resources on how to motivate and properly compensate a sales force.
Selecting an Appropriate Sales Channel
A sales channel is the route a product takes from the place it is made to the customer. The first choice a company has to make regarding distribution is whether to sell its products direct to consumers or through intermediaries (such as wholesalers and retailers). Within most industries, both choices are available, so the decision typically depends on how a company believes its target market wants to buy its product.