Best of the ISP-Lists

Request for Feedback for an ISPCON Session

What's your top sales or marketing concern?

by Alex Goldman ISP-Planet Managing Editor [January 17, 2008]

On the ISP-Marketing list in January I asked:

At ISPCON, I'll be joining Jack Brandt and Peter Radizeski on the sales and marketing panel, as moderator. Jack and Peter have tons of advice, much more than would fit in a single panel, but we've decided to cover fewer topics than the usual 50 in 50 minutes for two reasons:

1) We can go more in depth on each topic

and

2) We'll have time for Q&A

So we'll be pinging a few lists this week, asking about which topics are most important to you. Reply on or off list as you wish.

[CS replied] I don't think size of the company makes a major difference unless you are a Fortune 500 type company and since most businesses in the U.S. are small business, it is important that they (we) learn how to market effectively using the tools and imagination that we have to use. Some things we do to market our company:

1. I write a monthly column for a local business journal. It gets read and we get calls asking about our internet services.

2. Send out PRs as often as it makes sense.

3. Monthly newsletter (with a coupon or special offer)

4. Ezine articles that bring people to my blog

5. Speaking to business groups, associations. This month I am giving a talk to a group of senior executive and also to a local business association

6. Join and attend business clubs/associations (work the room)

7. Offer your services to local tv stations to comment on the Internet, etc.

8. Welcome letter to new businesses (you can this information from your city website.

9. Coupon or special offers as an insert into all of our invoices.

10. Offer your speaking services to associations, groups, schools, etc.

These are just some of the marketing things we do. We do not advertise in the Yellow Pages, etc. For us, it was and is a waste of money.

[MM argued] "The question is an examination of the relationship between size and effectiveness of marketing. For example—you clearly do a lot to get your name out there, which is great—but is the marketing effectiveness comparable to a larger company taking similar steps? Is there a point when a small company SHOULDN'T bother? I'm sure a lot of people want to talk about what they're doing that's effective (although this list is often very quiet)—but that's not the question here—the question is the correlative relationship between size and effectiveness. Is there a critical mass? Can one person, with a single product have as much marketing impact as a Fortune 500 company, adjusted for money spent vs. increase in sales?"

[CS discussed] "Size is important when you are taking on a project. A large company can effectively (most of the time) get the "big" fish because they have the budget to build and present a "first-class" portfolio of work. A small company would have a difficult time to compete or market to this type of client. As one example, we wanted to do a major housing development located in Virgina, this was a huge project and we knew we could do it but we didn't get the job because our competitor was a very large advertising company.

The point I am trying to make is that you must understand your market and the type of client you are best suited to get. This does not mean that you don't go after some of "top of tree fruit" but we understand the odds.

I agree that we should not go after something that does not make sense to even try such as re-doing the chamber of commerce web site that required a RFP and a pound of paper. We knew that the deck was stacked against us and to spend human and cash capital on this type of project the marketing effort was not a way we should go.

Size and effectiveness measurements are the same (ratios are ratios) but the $NET will vary depending on the revenue/net cash steam. Small companies have to find and use NON-cash marketing opportunities but again we are looking for the "low-hanging" fruit. "

[MM discoursed] "I think an interesting discussion would be something regarding marketing vs. size. I think many small businesses flounder in the marketing arena either doing nothing (aka getting a Yellow Pages ad and calling it advertising) or spend everything on a 30 second ad on the radio that goes nowhere. It'd be interesting to know if there's a correlation to size vs. marketing—if you're smaller, should you market more or less? If you're budget is below a certain amount, is marketing as pointless as a pint of gas in a Formula 1 Racer? etc."

[PR concluded] "Should smaller do less? It isn't about how much you spend or how much you do. It is about Results.

You want the best bang for the buck (and time).

The smaller the company, the less time and money to spend on marketing.You have to choose on whether you want to spend the money on marketing or spend the money on buying sales.

I don't know how you define "marketing impact"—but to me that would mean that you make more than you spend and that your marketing can demonstrate measurable results. You are marketing to keep your business profitable. That's the impact.

As a two-person consulting shop (I have two part-time Virtual Assistants), I still need to stay in front of my audience. Regularly. Give Value First. Develop a reputation. It takes effort and time. My marketing is measured by how many people contact me, buy a book, take a seminar, call me or email me for help.

Buying one ad isn't going to work. Advertising is all about repetition.

And marketing is slow. There isn't a quick fix or a spigot to turn on the revenue (despite how many calls I get for such a thing.)

See you in Chicago in May at ISPCON!"

—End