Perfectionist’s Post

In the evolving world of business, I've found marketing is less of a choice, and more of a business imperative. Indeed, it takes more than just a great idea to succeed today. You can have an innovative product, but if nobody knows about it, how will it sell? Successful marketing is about strategic communication and positioning. Understand your customer's needs, listen to their pains and offer a solution. Be where they are. Remember, it's not you versus your customer. It’s you and your customer against the problem. THIS is the essence of marketing. Keep yourself updated. Stay hungry. Proactivity is key in this rapidly changing landscape. As a marketer or business owner, your learning curve should always be crescending, just like your business aspires to be.

When should you be updating your marketing strategy? 1. Market Shifts: When there's a shift in the market, businesses need to adapt. A new competitor, changes in customer behaviour, or a downturn in the economy - all demand a fresh look at your strategy. 2. New Technology: If a significant tech breakthrough can enhance your reach or efficiency, it's time to revisit your plan. Otherwise, you risk being outpaced by more agile competitors. 3. Brand Evolution: As your brand evolves, so must your marketing. Whether rebranding, launching new products, or expanding into new markets, your strategy needs to reflect these changes. 4. Poor Performance: Don't be stubborn if your current strategy isn't delivering the expected results. It's time to rethink your plan. Stay objective, measure your success and reconsider your approach if needed. Updating your marketing strategy is not a sign of weakness; it's a mark of a dynamic and responsive business. Don't stay static; keep evolving. Contact me at https://kcpediredla.com if you want to update your marketing strategy.

The "10 Ps of Marketing": 1. **Product:** The tangible or intangible offering that fulfils a customer's need or wants. This includes the product's features, benefits, quality, design, packaging, and branding. 2. **Price:** The amount of money customers are willing to pay for a product or service. Pricing strategies involve determining the right price point based on costs, competition, perceived value, and customer demand. 3. **Place:** The distribution channels and locations where customers can purchase the product or service. Place decisions involve selecting the most effective and efficient channels to reach target customers and deliver the offering. 4. **Promotion:** The communication tactics used to inform, persuade, and influence customers to buy the product or service. Promotion strategies include advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, and personal selling. 5. **People:** The individuals involved in delivering and supporting the product or service, including employees, sales representatives, customer service personnel, and other stakeholders. People play a crucial role in creating positive customer experiences and building brand loyalty. 6. **Process:** The procedures, systems, and workflows involved in delivering the product or service to customers. Process optimization ensures efficiency, consistency, and quality throughout the customer journey. 7. **Physical Evidence:** Tangible elements representing the product or service and contributing to the overall customer experience. Physical evidence includes the environment, ambience, facilities, and other sensory cues that shape perceptions and attitudes. 8. **Partnership:** Collaborations and alliances with other businesses, organizations, or individuals to enhance the value proposition and reach of the product or service. Partnerships can provide access to new markets, resources, expertise, and co-branding opportunities. 9. **Positioning:** The perception of the product or service in customers' minds relative to competitors. Positioning strategies involve differentiating the offering and effectively communicating its unique value proposition to target customers. 10. **Purpose:** The underlying mission, values, and beliefs that guide the brand and its marketing efforts. Purpose-driven marketing involves aligning the brand with social or environmental causes and communicating a more significant meaning or impact beyond profit. These "10 Ps of Marketing" provide a comprehensive framework for businesses to develop and implement effective marketing strategies that address various aspects of the marketing mix and contribute to business success.

4 reasons why I think companies are struggling (yes, it's marketing) 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀. - Depth of knowledge has been replaced by speed and vagueness. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. - Marketing and marketers only focus on the last stage - communication. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲. - Brands don't see or know the benefits of a strong brand. This is a major contributor to many of them ending up in highly competitive markets with price wars squeezing their margins. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. - No clear way of communicating with the market and customers. Companies don't want to spend the time and money to do it. What to do about it? 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. Value people who want to grow and learn. Find them and invest in them. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺. No vanity metrics. Clear business objectives. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. It will not pay off quickly, but it is worth it. 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. Use it for many aspects of the business: pricing, packaging, product, design and so on. The market will tell you much more than any internal discussion.

Want to KILL your marketing? Wait until it’s perfect. Perfection is a killer of momentum. And in marketing, momentum is everything. Yet, so many startups and small businesses stall, busy perfecting every pixel and post. The truth? Consistency beats perfection. Every. Single. Time. Why? Because when you show up regularly: ⤷ You stay visible – and visibility is gold in a noisy world. ⤷ You learn faster – by testing, adjusting, and feedback. ⤷ You build trust – consistency proves reliability. Here’s what this could look like: ⤷ Instead of the “perfect” website, launch the “good enough” one. ⤷ Instead of a flawless campaign, send one that gets the point across. ⤷ Instead of daily paralysis by analysis, post weekly solutions to a problem. ⤷ Instead of obsessing over every detail, focus on giving consistent value. ⤷ Instead of rebranding, start branding with clarity and repetition. Remember, ⤷ Customers don’t want perfect brands. ⤷ They want consistent ones. ⤷ Consistency builds trust. So, if you’re a founder, a startup leader, or an entrepreneur: Swap your “perfect” for persistent. Let consistency grow your business; while perfection waits on the sidelines. Ready to build trust with your audience with consistency? (♻ Repost and Like if you feel this can help others)

"What makes good marketing?" Daniel Erdei and Miklós Molnár discussed this topic. Although this video is too short to cover everything, Daniel's experience shows that most businesses don't have a plan and lack strategy. Usually, there are multiple reasons, but the lack of planning and strategy is a clear sign that many other elements are missing. It's very rare that businesses don't have a marketing strategy while everything else is well documented, managed properly, and researched adequately. Other common issues are: - Poor Market Research - No real market need for the product/service - Misunderstanding target customers - Not enough market size - Overestimating initial sales - Lack of clear business model - No unique value proposition - Underestimating competitors - Not understanding customer acquisition costs - Market changes Marketing strategy alone won't fix everything, but it's a key piece in the puzzle to keep your business functioning.

Marketing is so more than clever taglines and brand colors. It's a way of seeing your business. Managing Partners and business owners don't hire me to transform their firm. But that's what they get in the end. By seeing your own firm the way your clients -- not just any clients, your Best Clients -- see it, you come to see your business differently. It seems too simple. Focusing on your clients rather than obsessing about your competitors is not the way traditional marketing works. Maybe that's why so many of the firm owners who hire me are jaded about the potential of marketing for their business. By the time I'm done, they see HUGE potential in marketing. It's just not the same marketing they're used to. They raise their standards for who they will work with. They also raise their forecast for the amount of business they will do. A lot of things improve when you focus on clients who: • Buy faster • Pay you more • Refer you to more people. Selecting who you work with and how you see your business does that. There is so much wisdom in Peter Drucker's simple statement. 🚀🌟📈🧲 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗿 Speaking | Marketing Strategy | Workshops I teach lawyers and other professionals how to      𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵      𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦      𝘉𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 by cloning your Best Clients.

The Right Engine – Marketing (step 2 of Business Made Simple)   How to clarify your marketing message using the StoryBrand Framework   Ready for lift-off? Let’s fire up the engines and get your business ready to fly! Donald Miller emphasises that Marketing is key to business growth. To succeed, you need to clarify your message in a way that your customers can easily understand and act on. Your brand is built with words that help customers either survive or thrive - and by communicating clearly, you help them conserve mental energy. This is where the StoryBrand framework comes in. It invites customers into a story where their problems are solved, and their lives are changed. So, what is the Storybrand framework?  It boils your message down into seven key elements that help you create marketing material for your business.   1.     A character with a goal – What does the hero (your customer) want? Be specific. 2.     A problem to solve – Why should we pay attention. This opens the story loop. 3.     A guide appears – Who will help? Show empathy and authority to build trust. 4.     A clear plan – Lay out 3 simple steps to the hero should take towards their goal. 5.     A call to action – Make the next step clear. Your confidence in your product matters. 6.     Avoiding failure – Create a sense of urgency by showing the what’s at stake. 7.     Experiencing success – Paint the picture how your customer will enjoy your product. Want to try creating a BrandScript for your business? Drop a comment below! 

📊 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼 For many brand managers, finance can feel like uncharted territory. But if you want to excel in brand management, understanding the numbers is crucial. Marketing is about driving business results, and that includes the “profit” in your brand’s success story. 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁? ✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 Analyze the sales growth rate and how it stacks up against category trends. A strong brand is not only growing but outperforming its category. ✅ 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻 Gross margin is a first glimpse into brand health. Are margins stable or fluctuating? Dig into trends over time and consider any shifts in pricing or cost structure. ✅ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻 This metric shows the true profit left after covering production costs. Alarm bells should ring if contribution margin declines while sales grow. Are your investments paying off? ✅ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 If your spend is outpacing sales, it’s time to investigate. Is the brand message on point, or are competitive pressures impacting returns? Mastering these financial basics can set you apart as a strategic marketer. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝟭: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. https://lnkd.in/g9GKvahq If you want to challenge the way you think about marketing, 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻: https://lnkd.in/gfXyFCZ8 I’m 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻, the founder and CMO of Beloved Brands. I post something daily on LinkedIn that will get you to think differently about marketing and make you smarter. I promise not to give you THE answer but to provide you with tools to find YOUR answer.

“We have a great product so we don’t need marketing” Said someone, too many times… There is no doubt that a decent product is critical to success. After all, if you don’t have one then customers have nothing to buy. But to deliver that great product requires marketing. To price that product at a price customers are willing to pay (and one that strengthens the brand, rather than devalues it) requires marketing. To make that product readily available in the places where those customers exist requires marketing. To tell people the product exists, to make it desirable and actively sought out (i.e. to promote it) requires marketing. Because marketing is not a service. Marketing is the art of galvanising an entire organisation around what matters most - the customer. An impressed customer buys a product or service. A satisfied customer keeps coming back. To deliver impressed and satisfied customers means we need to keep talking to them, keep asking the right questions and keep responding. This requires marketing. Executed correctly, marketing is an investment in profitability and growth. —------------ Follow me, Lynne Fraser I’m on a mission to put proper marketing, and proper marketers, back on the map. I talk about: ➡ Getting back to the basics of marketing, to drive value and profit! ➡ How to manage stakeholders to ensure you have the time and space to do marketing properly ➡ How I can help save time, cut costs and deliver such brilliant work that marketing becomes indispensable to business