Take Yourself To Market

Top Tips by Hilary Kelsh

Hilary Kelsh has run a number of training courses for Wired Sussex and Women In Media. These top tips are a summation of the key points from her Take Yourself To Market training course which took place in June as part of the Women In Media project.

Define your USP's (unique selling points) and core offerings.

To market a business more accurately, ask yourself honest and pertinent questions, for example...

• What do you do?
• What do you think you do well?
• What don't you want to do?
• Who else is doing what you're doing?
• Are the best at what you do?
• Where do you fall short?
• Why should anyone work with you?
• How are you communicating what you do?
• Does your message reach the right audience(s)?
• Etc., etc.,

Assess your business proposition

It's a question of perceptions; equally internal and external

• Where do you want the business to be in 2 or 3 or 5….years?
• What do you (and staff) want from the business (lifestyle, personal goals etc.,)
• Aim to manage the perception of your business through a broad series of research tactics

1. Industry reputation
2. Market bandwidth and needs
3. Competitor research

Define a disciplined new business strategy, structure and process

• With your goals as a guide, plan what new business you want and need to target
• Be highly focused on whom you want to talk to, what you've got to sell and where the benefits to them are working with you. Hone in on your USP's
• Plan your approach and how best to 'meet' them and introduce your business….white papers, workshops, event panel speaking, articles etc., etc.

Integrate your marketing and pr activities with your new business initiatives

• The best PR is not paid for…… recommendation, praise and eulogizing by clients, staff, competition and collaborators etc., etc. is worth 10 times more than one single print ad.
• Remember In a crowded market the simplest message is more easily read.

Develop a successful presentation

• Be it a credentials presentation or a pitch presentation, the same basic rules apply, always tailor-make your presentation according to the audience's expectations and manage their expectations before you present.
• Aim to build confidence and trust; the solid platform for a successful business relationship

Define your business growth strategy (for example…2 or 3 or 5 year plan)

• Begin by considering what can you do now to grow market share, raise profile and gather market intelligence at the same time?……sell workshops, white-papers, industry authoritative voice positioning, unique insights and market leadership experience…at a price.
• Think in the future but deliver for now
• Understand where the threats to your business lay….competitors, price wars, infrastructure…weak links in production, resources and management both of people and quality of client service etc., and fix what you can fix and change what you have to.

Set a company policy and protocol for long-term relationship management for your clients

• Listen carefully to your client and build trust through honest, consistent relationship management.
• Empathy and professionalism goes a long way but delivering on-time and on-budget is pivotal.