If your marketing is right but your timing is wrong, you could be in for a let down. The best marketing plans can go off the rails if the timing is off. Many times, a company actively markets the right product or service to the right people in the right media, but the marketing turns out to be a flop because of poor timing. To gain a bit of insight, consider the following:
1. You’ve got a fine product but a limited budget and a lot of competition. What to do? Market when your competitors have eased up and you can gain the largest share with the smallest marketing investment.
2. You keep abreast of current events by watching the tube, reading the paper, accessing online news services, perusing newsweeklies, and subscribing to publications within your industry and community. You should be doing this so you can tie your offerings with what is happening at that moment in history.
3. Be careful not to launch your marketing too soon. One of the most common errors in marketing is to promote before all the bugs have been worked out, before the salespeople know all the facts, and before you are ready to fill the flood of orders.
4. One of the saddest moments in marketing is a newspaper story or TV report about products or services that are not yet available. The business owner is so enthralled with the thought of free publicity that the news is released before people can buy the product. Customers won’t come back another time, and the media won’t give you another splash. Restraint is necessary, even with free news coverage.
5. Savvy retailers wait at least one month before having their grand opening. If they don’t wait, customers are met with untrained salespeople, poorly stocked shelves, slow delivery times, clumsy sales procedures and messy surroundings
6. Use speed to deal with customer requests, orders, questions and complaints. People revere their time more than ever these days. Revere it with them and never waste one minute of theirs.
7. Never be in a rush to create your marketing materials. Keep in mind that to develop them, you are faced with three variables — speed, quality and economy. You may select any two, but not all three. Always make sure you opt for quality first.
Timing is so important in any business. Take the time to do the research and be smart and get it right.
This is my last marketing tip for 2013. Thank you for being a loyal follower of my musings and I look forward to bringing you lots more in the new year.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at Kiers Marketing Group.