Be a Non-traditional Marketer Smart Ways to Brand Build and Boost Sales

Transcription

1 June 8, 2010 Be a Non-traditional Marketer Smart Ways to Brand Build and Boost Sales Presented by: Leslie Vickrey, President & Founder ClearEdge Marketing 2010 ClearEdge Marketing

2 Our Agenda Defining Non-Traditional Marketing Enlisting Customers in Your Sales Process Participating in Awards Submissions Taking Advantage of Public Speaking Opportunities Lessons to Learn Lively Discussion! 2

3 Poll Question 1 How would you describe your current marketing style? Traditional: We mainly leverage very traditional marketing collateral tools (brochures, Web sites, etc.) and resources to reach prospects. Mixed: We combine traditional marketing tools and resources with emerging tools and technologies. Avant-Garde: We like to be on the cutting-edge of customer and prospect engagement and use the latest tools and trends in order to stay ahead of the competition. 3

4 How Is It Done? Make Your Customers Part of Your Sales Team. 4

5 How Is It Done? Show Up in Unexpected Places, Like Industry Meetings and Events. 5

6 Non-Traditional Marketing Defined Catching Prospects Off Guard & Sharing Expertise through Indirect Approaches. 6

7 How Is It Done? Impress Them with Expertise and Industry Acknowledgement. 7

8 #1 Turn Customers into Raving Fans 8

9 Happy Customers A Secret Sales Weapon Your clients are powerful resources with broad networks of Colleagues Peers Friends and family They are the smartest, most direct pathway to new sales success. 9

10 Do You Have Customers or Fans? QUESTIONS? Do they refer their contacts to your company? Do they participate in testimonials and case studies that demonstrate your company s value and capabilities? Do they speak positively of your brand and become an indirect yet highly effective component of your sales and marketing strategy? 10

11 The Goal: Raving Fans A Client Fan Will Give your business great referrals Spread positive word of mouth Provide marketing legitimacy (back up your claims) 11

12 3 Tips for Client-Fan Conversion Tip 1: Engage Clients at Several Levels Executive sponsor Project manager and team leader Peers (developer-todeveloper, tester-totester) 12

13 Immediate Opportunity Leadership Engagement Assessment Review client roster to identify o Which clients have or have not met with a member of the senior leadership team? Schedule leaders to meet with clients that have not had leadership attention to discuss: o Progress o Needs o General concerns and desires Make leadership engagement a continuous aspect of your sales process 13

14 Poll Question 2 Do you conduct regular satisfaction surveys? Yes No 14

15 Tip 2: Satisfaction Surveys Tip 2: Conduct Satisfaction Surveys. They Will Tell You If your clients are satisfied What you can do to make them happier How their needs are changing If any accounts are in peril 15

16 Tip 2: Satisfaction Surveys Survey Benefits Easy to implement More cost effective than ever Provides data for benchmarking your performance over time Survey Tools Online surveys e.g. Survey Monkey, Zoomerang Feedback tools e.g. NetPromoter, Inavero 16

17 Tip 2: Satisfaction Surveys Keys to Success Surveys need to occur regularly o o o Quarterly Biannually Annually Share results o o o Staff and leadership Clients and prospects Marketplace and press (when appropriate) 17

18 Tip 3: Balance Your Follow up Balance Tech & Traditional Follow up Tech-enabled follow up: o o Twitter o Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Traditional follow up o Phone calls o Office visits o Mailed cards 18

19 The Result? Raving Fans Who Refer Your Business 19

20 #2 Become a Soughtafter Expert 20

21 Speak at Industry Events Speaking Opportunities Local business groups Local, regional and national business and industry associations Conferences Webinars Benefits Reach a diverse audience Gain industry validation Increase brand credibility 21

22 How to Get On the Circuit Step 1: Identify potential speakers SMEs Strong knowledge and experience in a field or tool Good communication and improv skills a must Step 2: Build several abstracts Interesting summaries of potential topics speakers can address Look at past events for topic inspiration Step 3: Select opportunities for submission Associations you belong to Industry groups with local or national events 22

23 How to Succeed On the Circuit Step 4: Dress rehearse Work with speakers and design team to build a top-notch presentation Rehearse it with a test audience Step 5: Invite feedback Opt to get reviews of your presentation Use feedback to improve future presentations Step 6: Provide more Follow-up with attendees to provide more information (articles, case studies, support, etc.) 23

24 Member in Action Harvey Nash o Anna Frazzetto: VP of Technology Solutions o Regular speaker at HDI Conferences and local market events since

25 Member in Action The Process & Results o Identified best speaking opportunities for Frazzetto (BPO, Offshoring, o o o o o o o Outsourcing, Infrastructure Expert) Gathered all thought leadership and created 5-6 abstracts Submitted to HDI (speaker at annual conference and local market events since 2006) 600+ attendees during one of her three sessions this year Presentation promoted on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook Conference thank you from HDI to all attendees featured Anna s follow-up conference blog Asked to participate as guest blogger Asked to join HDI s Strategic Advisory Board 25

26 #3 Compete for Industry Awards 26

27 Poll Question 3 How many awards did your business apply to in the last year? None Less than five More than five 27

28 Industry Awards Worth their Weight in Gold The cool factor: It s a chance for everyone to rally around the company which is great for morale and the application process raises questions that opens the door for people to talk. - Jeff Miller, Founder and Managing Director of EdgeLink Clients are flattered New visibility in the marketplace Third-party validation Staff pride increases 28

29 Industry Awards: Example 1 Talon Bronze Tower Award Corporate Identity 2010 Business Marketing Association 29

30 Industry Awards: Example 2 Harvey Nash Gold Tower Award Best Webinar Series 2010 Business Marketing Association 30

31 Step-by-Step Process Step 1: Identify Look for awards your company has the strongest chance of winning o What does your company excel at in the marketplace? Step 2: Research All local, regional, national, client and partner award opportunities o Check local, regional, national business and industry associations o Check what your competitors are winning o Consider all opportunities: Best places to work, business awards, marketing awards, service awards, etc. 31

32 A Few Examples: Local Local/Regional Examples Phoenix Business Journal s Forty Under 40 Crain s New York Business Rising Stars 40 Under Forty Chicago s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For Illinois Technology Association s CityLIGHTS Awards Oregon Business Magazine s 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon Microsoft Central Region Partner Award Winners 32

33 A Few Examples: National National Examples Ernst & Young s Entrepreneur of the Year Award Entrepreneur Magazine s Entrepreneur Awards Inavero s Best of Staffing List IT Services Marketing Association Staffing Industry Analysts Inc

34 A Few Examples: For Clients For Your Clients CIO Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT Networking World Best Practices InfoWeek

35 Awards Application Process Step 3: Create Build spreadsheet outlining the award association s name and URL, award name and description, possible categories, cost, general rules and application deadline Step 4: Determine Analyze which awards you are most likely to win and choose to apply to those based on your chances and finances Step 5: Schedule Time the time needed to write, edit and complete the application and romance your readers 35

36 Awards Application Process Step 6: Track Track your responses Mark your calendar and keep an eye on the award association s Web site for announcements Step 7: Promote Broadcast your win to clients, candidates and prospects o On your Web site o Via press release o Through social media o With e-newsletters 36

37 Awards in Action EdgeLink o Award: 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon o From: Oregon Business Magazine o Broadcasting Channels: News Boilerplate Marketing About EdgeLink EdgeLink is a Portland-based, technology staffing firm that recruits the area s best mid-to-executive-level technology professionals on a contract, contract-to-hire and direct-hire basis. EdgeLink s client companies include Digimarc, Sharp Laboratories, RuleSpace, Ensequence, Biamp Systems, RNA Networks. Since its inception in 2003, EdgeLink earned the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine three years in a row: 2009, 2008 and

38 Awards in Action About EdgeLink EdgeLink is a boutique technology staffing firm with offices in Portland, Oregon, and Denver Colorado. EdgeLink recruits the industry s best mid- to executive-level technology professionals on a contract, contract-to-hire and direct-hire basis. Since the company s inception in 2003, EdgeLink has earned recognition as the 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine four years in a row: 2010, 2009, 2008 and This year, EdgeLink ranked 15th out of the Top 33 Companies. In addition, EdgeLink was recently named to Inavero s inaugural 2010 Best of Staffing List presented by CareerBuilder to recognize exceptional client service in the staffing industry. EdgeLink also received the Inavero Platinum Service Excellence Award in 2009; and the Portland Business Journal named the company one of the Top 25 Technology providers in 2009, one of the Top 25 Staffing Firms in 2008, 2006 and 2005, and one of the Fastest Growing Private 100 in 2009 and To learn more, please visit 38

39 In Summary Shake up your marketing with three proven non-traditional techniques: Turn your customers into of your sales team Become a known industry speaker Apply for awards and take them seriously 39

40 ClearEdge Sponsoring Women s Luncheon at this Year s Conference Friday, Oct. 8th from 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Guest speakers and format to be announced soon! Registration is now open: Early Bird ends July 16! 40

41 Let s Talk Your Questions, Experiences & Thoughts. Let s Share & Learn. 41

42 Thank You! For More Insights, Contact Me Anytime Leslie Vickrey, President of ClearEdge Marketing Tel: