Category Strategy
How I found all the customers I needed for 30 years….
Marketing with Directories in B2B business –
How I acquired all the new customers I ever needed
using nothing more than a 28¢ salesman…
By Mark Goggin
Peter Drucker – the father of marketing consulting – said that THE PURPOSE of a
business – any business — is to attract customers. It would be best, to do that at a profit.
But, for a business to be a business its number one task is to…
…Acquire customers
Yet, in many small and medium size businesses customer acquisition is put on the back
burner.
There can be many reasons for this.
Expense is often one of them. Also, it is time-consuming. And, finally, it is seen as an
unreliable, “hit or miss” process.
For 30 years I had a small business and so I faced each of these issues.
How I solved my customer acquisition problem helped me stay in business for 30 years.
If you are in a B2B business, my solution may help you streamline at least part of your
customer acquisition problem. Certainly, there is no cheaper and more effective way to
accomplish this.
Here’s what I did…
Posted by Mark Goggin in Marketing, Small Business, Start a Business, Strategy on November 3rd, 2009
The eBrand Media Law of Clarity
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
In a down economy, marketing departments are among the first to see lay-offs. If you’re laid off and about to be, I think you have a great opportunity to pursue those passions you’ve always pushed into the background. If you could pursue a dream, and you were guaranteed success, what would it be?
One of my favorite sayings is, “Clarity, clarity, clarity. And when you think you have enough; go get some more”. If you’ve lost your job, I encourage you to grieve deeply for a period of time, and then to move into the solution. The solution for me always begins with a self-inventory. That inventory should result in three columns:
1. Personal assets or strengths. Work to maximize these.
2. Personal weaknesses or challenges. Find way’s to manage these.
3. Contrary actions. What would you do differently, based on your performance at your previous job, to become a better employee?
The inventory work I suggest takes self-honesty and courage. But the rewards are great. Take that list of contrary actions, print it out and tape it to your door so that you see it every day. It will help to make the small business which is you, run more efficiently and effectively. Remember that your future isn’t in a job. Your future is in you.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Personal Growth, Strategy, eBrand Media on December 15th, 2008
Tom Polanski is pleased to introduce Stephen Antisdel, managing director of AVID Commerce
Mr. Antisdel mentioned yesterday that we’re missing an important category in eBizine…Strategy. Or more specifically strategy as it relates to the Internet as a marketplace.
In an e-mail exchange Stephen wrote, “this is the essential starting point for all of our client engagements. WorkingPerson.com, www.workingperson.com, is our case-study client that illustrates the importance and potential of great strategy and execution: Inc 500 this year; Internet Retailer Top 50; Hot 100 Best Web Sites, etc, etc.”
He’s offered to share his thoughts with us in an interview which will be published sometime in the future. In preparation for that we thought we’d take this opportunity to give you an opportunity to learn more about Mr. Antisdel.
Stephen Antisdel is the managing director of AVID Commerce, LLC, an e-commerce technology, strategy and marketing firm. He leads the company’s strategic consultancy and is a co-developer of the firm’s AVID Commerce technologies.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Strategy, Tom Polanski on July 23rd, 2008