Multichannel Marketing and standing out from the crowd

Posted on August 31, 2012 by rfmblogadmin

Russell has just finished making a live action film about trade channel management. With a chance to talk to wholesalers and multiple retailers throughout Uk about issues in the supply chain and what they would expect from manufacturers and producers.

This provided a real insight into trade channel marketing and how to maximise the effect for all concerned. It consists of 12 – 16 interviews split into 3 – 25 minute episodes and makes great tv!

How do you get noticed in the crowd?

One client is off to a major exhibition at RAI In Amsterdam. Another to the USA. At both these shows there are multiple halls and hundreds of exhbitiors. So how does the smaller outfit stand out from the crowd? It is all down to planning and not turning up unprepared. It Is also to do with operating a stand well and then the crucial follow up. For some really cute ideas on stand operation, explore RFM effective exhibitions.

The value of sales

RFM have just spent time working with a highly professional sales team, looking to polish and hone their skills over time when selling ‘big ticket’ items. These people sell all day every day and view their sales skills as crucial when combined with product knowledge.

There are many companies out there also selling big ticket items of huge value to the growth of their business, with hit and miss skills that do nothing for the growth of the company.

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Filming your sales team

Posted on August 17, 2012 by admin

Getting your team to see themselves in action with instant feedback is a great way to learn.  It celebrates the ‘best bits’ and the areas to work on.  One customer wants to let the team see how effective they are in various parts of the sale. It will be very interesting indeed!

For more information, contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Spit second timing – London September 2012

Posted on August 17, 2012 by admin

Off to work at Olympia at one of the major food shows in the UK at the start of September.  Visitors will come from all over UK and Europe.  There will be retail, wholesalers, food service, multiples, all in this great big hall, all looking for new products to put on their shelves.  It is an ideal time to launch and present products to interested parties.

For our client companies, this is when we ask them to start thinking about who may be there and the very important preparation before the show begins.  In most cases, you only have a split second to attract the buyer before they move off to another exhibitor. So you need to get them to your stand then interact positively.

 

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E commerce strategy audit

Posted on August 17, 2012 by admin

Just completed an ecommerce strategy checklist for a company entering into this market.  Their thinking needed to be clear, they had to really define their business objectives and undertake the preparation and briefing of the site before speaking with their graphics site designers, SEO specialists, web creators etc.

Most websites that work have a real business objective behind them and taking time to think this through is very valuable.  An RFM pack to identify the key elements was described as ‘fantastic’ and there is also a pack which uses analytics to audit the complete site and provides activities that are ‘must haves’ to get the site well operational.  This uses a combination of a Chartered Marketer and an experienced online marketing analyst and manager.

For more information contact.russ@rfm.co.uk

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The consumer demand and supply conundrum

Posted on August 13, 2012 by admin

We have just been preparing a series of workshops for food companies and used the following comments.  (The comments though applied to Food & Drink are cross sectoral)

“Food and drink businesses that really grow tend to be the ones that are ‘visible’ in the marketplace.  End consumer awareness/demand then makes the retailer stock the product.”

“Getting the retailer to stock the product drives consumer sales.”

So which came first? – the chicken or the egg?

Most of the successful businesses that we are told to emulate invest in understanding the outward visibility for the business in each and every chosen target market.  They also maximise their channel opportunity.   More and more they see themselves as global players offering in a much wider geographical context.

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Measurable marketing – analytical approach for online business

Posted on August 13, 2012 by admin

One of the values of online marketing is the ability to see what your customer and potential customers are doing when on your site or working on social media.  Measurable marketing is the name of the game at present. Finding out how to access the analytics is easy.  The clever bit is the analysis and the business decisions made as a result.  Measurable marketing lets you create meaningful communication posts based on reaction from your web and social formats.

This topic is certainly worth investing a little time in.  In conjunction with an associate, we are being asked to look at analytics, interpret the data and recommend actions.  When online is combined with offline, it is really powerful.

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Targeted Marketing

Posted on August 3, 2012 by admin

Being seen, being visible in the right marketplace at the right time has always been a key to brand success!

A targeted approach, with well thought through plans and strategies is of course the correct way forward.  Decisions on promotional activity should always be based on understanding how customers and markets work and then measuring success.

The blunderbuss approach, firing in all directions with no planning, of course means that the costly resource in terms of budget or personnel does not hit the mark.

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Reasons to be proud – If you are a small and medium sized business!

Posted on August 3, 2012 by admin

Read an article about SME artisan food and drink producers which claims that the sector adds something like £2.7 billion to the UK economy.  If this is multiplied by all the other sectors that are core to our economy, the value of small business really begins to show.

Most businesses start because of a skill or an idea of the individual.  They need all the help and assistance they can get particularly in finding and attracting the right markets at home and overseas.

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The game of price bashing

Posted on August 3, 2012 by admin

Next time you are price bashed by a customer – ‘Come on, what is the discount? Or ‘I can buy this project cheaper elsewhere.’   Instead of giving in, think of where you are different and position your product more effectively against the competition.

Or try this! –

On a £40 shirt there is VAT of £8 to the taxman.  So perhaps the answer is:  ‘Yes, I can make that cheaper for you.  Go and have a word with the taxman and if you can arrange to have the product without tax, you can have it for £32!!’

Price needs to be put in perspective!  For a few slightly more realistic ideas to overcome the dreaded price bash, come on one of our wonderful sales courses!! Lots of people do!

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Record breaking results in business to business marketing

Posted on July 27, 2012 by admin

Check out Powwownow teleconferencing.  They published results of the initial phase of their promotional campaign in February and March 2012 against the same period in 2011.

  • 130,000 visitors this year rather than 54,000 for the same period in 2011
  • Online registrations have doubled
  • 1 million minutes of airtime has has increased to 14.6 million minutes to date
  • 25% growth in revenue

These kinds of results would bring a touch of glee to any MD or FD, – results tracked and delivered. Marketing as an investment in the brand and not a cost.

The ingredients used to create this success are: planned thought processes, good communication appraisal and selection and some budget spent on a creative treatment that is irreverent, fun and different for the sector.  The process can be applied to any business to business company looking for such results!! Just contact!

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