A Basic Guide to Marketing Strategies

A Basic Guide To Marketing Strategies

Marketing is probably one of the least understood and most important parts of any business. Often the word "marketing" conjures up images of fancy print ads or a sales department. With that image probably comes the thought of money being thrown out a window.


Although advertising and sales is part of a marketing plan, it's usually the last step. And if a marketing plan is properly done, those last steps can be very profitable.


What needs to be understood is that marketing is part of everything your company does. It encompasses all decisions from what product or service you sell to the person who answers your phone. It includes your service policies, employee benefits, pricing strategies, location and, yes, your promotional plan. Every decision you make should be checked against your marketing plan.


This book will cover some of the basics needed to produce a winning marketing plan for your business. The lessons learned here can save you money, give you a competitive edge and help you develop a well-tuned marketing engine. Remember, it is not possible to say, "We don't do much marketing" or "we do a lot of marketing." Every company engages in marketing and has a marketing plan, either formal or implied. The question is whether your plan is producing enough revenue for your business. Read on and discover—


The difference between the glitz and guts of Marketing
Ten steps to a great marketing plan
How can you "niche" to your advantage
Four Rules of Advertising might you be missing
What the "R" in PR really stands for
Whether a trade show is for you
The Three C's of networking