A Seat at the Table
Over the years, I worked for and worked with companies that missed huge opportunities because the people at the helm misunderstood the role of ‘marketing’ in their business. Sometimes, the marketing people and their skills are viewed as a ‘service’ only, and all they are tasked with is producing materials per the requests of others in the company. Worse yet, in some organizations, the marketing department is reduced to being merely a glorified ‘decoration committee’.
The marketing function is extremely important in the overall success of any organization. No company can survive over the long run without selling, delivering, or communicating its promise to customers.
The marketing department or personnel must be at the forefront of determining:
- What should be offered and sold
- Who should be served by the company
- How the offer should be taken to the market
- How to price offerings correctly
- How to promote the organization and its offerings
- How to help facilitate transactions
There is no harm in utilizing the skills and tools the marketing team possesses to help develop and pursue internal initiatives. In fact, marketing people typically enjoy doing this, but it should not be the main focus of their duties or contribution to the company.
The head of the marketing function in any company should have a seat at the executive table. She or he should be relied on to perform in the following three areas:
1. Marketing strategy development (including the development of a Marketing Plan and Budget)
2. Alignment of marketing efforts with top-line business objectives
3. Coordination and management of marketing efforts
Organizations that do not seek operational and strategic input from the marketing personnel, and only task them with executing ad hoc campaigns or other random acts of marketing, are at a serious disadvantage over others who value marketing as they should.
Make sure you utilize your marketing team to its fullest potential. If you need help developing your marketing plan and budget, or guidance on how to do it, we’re happy to help.
Duke Merhavy, MBA, Ph.D.
President & Chief Marketing Officer
The Gutenberg Press Paved the Way for Marketing
By Polly Stroup, Editor and Copywriter
Before Johannes Gutenberg developed the Gutenberg Press in the 1430s, most of our history was passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. If a family was lucky enough to own a book, it was handwritten by monks, and probably a bible.
The art of printing with blocks wasn’t a new technique, it was invented in China way back around 220 AD and was a basic and laborious art form of using hand-carved blocks of wood dipped in ink and stamped on silk.
Having worked in a mint, Gutenberg saw the potential of improving this process, cutting the printing blocks out of metal and with a machine – making it much faster and more precise. This was just the beginning! Next, he created a mechanized press by modifying an old wine press to enable a heavy screw to press a printing block against the paper. This “moveable type machine” was engineered in a way that the blocks could be moved around to create words and sentences.
“What the world is today, good and bad, it owes to Gutenberg.” – Mark Twain
No more relying on word-of-mouth business. The Gutenberg Press enabled publicity material to be produced in mass. It’s fair to say that this invention paved the way for newspapers, the first form of mass-media publishing!
What Is Fractional CMO & Marketing?
Fractional CMO & Marketing is ‘Your Outsource Marketing Department’ when you need expert marketing leadership and marketing services to accelerate growth and improve profitability, but you’re not quite ready to hire a full-time Chief Marketing Officer or your own marketing department Our unique arrangement is the most efficient, innovative, and cost-effective formula for you. Click on the image on the right to watch a short video.
We Help When You Need To:
- Generate more of the right kind of leads
- Close more sales faster
- Get repeat sales
- Formulate a more effective message
- Produce powerful sales tools
- Establish brand awareness, recognition, and preference
- Differentiate your brand from the competition
- Improve customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Develop lasting relationships with customers
- Introduce new products
5 Reasons to Maintain your Google My Business Listing
By Anna Kunz, Manager of Marketing Services
When a person scans the search results for a local product or service online, the business listings that include customer reviews present greater credibility and naturally receive more clicks. Google is one of the most important ranking factors for a business since it is the search engine with the largest worldwide market share.
Below are 5 reasons you should monitor and maintain your Google My Business (GMB) listing and reviews:
1. Increase Brand Awareness and Trust
Online reviews can build immediate trust, or distrust depending on your rating. However, your rating does not have to be perfect, just as long as you show your customers that you are actively involved in resolving issues, your customer service will shine through. Positive reviews will build immediate trust with new customers and can create publicity around your brand.
2. Increase Online Presence & Local SEO
These days, every company is competing for the top spot on their industry’s Google search. This means every business is wondering how they can increase their search ranking and expand their online exposure. Your GMB listing should be at the top of your SEO to-do list because it doesn’t just affect your visibility on a Google Search; it also helps people who are looking at other Google services like Maps.
3. Feedback Exchange and Customer Intelligence
Anyone shopping, traveling, dining, and much more, will likely conduct an online search and rely on the customer ratings and reviews. Customer reviews have become an important part of the business operation. It’s something you can no longer ignore. The customer’s voice is at the center of everything in marketing and has become one of the most important tools available to help you understand what they are thinking.
4. Greater Click-Through Rates to Your Website
A successful digital marketing strategy for local businesses has proven to be increasing your positive reputation with online reviews. A positive review can boost visibility, increase your search ranking and click-through rates on your website. By making your business stand out, more customers will be encouraged to contact you.
5. Convert More Customers
The Spiegel Research Center confirms that nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before considering a purchase online or in a brick and mortar store. Products with more than five reviews have a considerably greater conversion rate than those with no reviews.
Ultimately in this digital age, your GMB listing and reviews have unprecedented power. If you need help navigating your Google My Business listing and local SEO, Fractional CMO & Marketing can help you with your review management to increase your businesses positive feedback.
Take Advantage of Us
Give us a call at 888-412-2236 or click on the button below to request a complimentary Marketing Needs Assessment, or to ask us a question regarding your most pressing marketing or sales challenges.
