Free Marketing Advice Booklet

[Skala]

Hi

To help start up companies market their businesses, I have created a free practical booklet that includes info on all steps needed to market a new business. (Including Web Design, Branding, Marketing Strategies, Communicating with Customers) If you want to receive this booklet, just let me know and I can send you a copy. I'm just trying to get a general opinion on how people think of marketing when starting up a business and if these kind of booklets are useful.

When starting up a business do you put a marketing budget aside? In your opinion how important is marketing when starting up a business?

Cheers,
Vicky

vicky.kenrick@skalamarketing.com

[wecando.biz]

Vicky

I'd be interesting in taking a look if you have a PDF version. I wouldn't wish to put you out through sending a hard copy.

I am interested to see if you have mentioned online networking and Web 2.0 stuff like blogs, forums and social networking as being part of the marketing mix as anything. To my mind, these methods are likely to produce as many new business introductions in the future as cold calling and mailshotting has in the past.

IH

[fisicx]

If it is in PDF, can you post a link to the document. Be much simpler for member to access the document.

Unless of course you want to collect email addresses, in which case you need to tell applicants that they may receive marketing material from you in the future.

[Skala]

Hi,

The STEPS marketing booklet can be downloaded from:

http://www.skalamarketing.com/PDF/Sk...psBrochure.pdf


Vicky


vicky.kenrick@skalamarketing.com

[fisicx]

An interesting booklets but it is very light on marketing advice. I understand that it is promotional material but there are a lot of fundamentals missing.

For example you don't mention the marketing mix and as Ian suggests you don't cover social networking as a marketing tool. And in my own area of expertise, your web design step misses some key elements (which your own website fails to incorporate as well).

These sorts of booklets are a nice bit of promotional fluff but even businesslink offers better coverage to startups. So to answer your question, marketing is a key component of any business plan but booklets like yours are not very useful to a SME just starting out.

Sorry about that.

[Skala]

I take your points on board, however this booklet has been received well by other small businesses. It does not include the marketing mix or info about social networking as to include all of this would make the booklet too long. It's purpose is to give small businesses an idea of the steps they should consider when starting up.

Vicky

[fisicx]

OK but your first post says:

..that includes info on all steps needed to market a new business

And my point was that you have missed some very important steps.

I don't have a problem with your booklet and I'm sure it does its job well to promote your business. But from your first post I expected a something a little different, I was hoping for a booklet jam-packed with marketing information and advice for a new business.

[Vertical Insight]

I believe it best for those interested in starting a company or who already own or run a small business to employee the assistance of a Marketing Firm. I am not saying this because I own one....but rather, I started one because the need is there and I want to help.

Contracting a Marketing Firm to prepare a custom Integrated Marketing Plan for a period of 1, 2, 3 or 5 years is essential so that crucial advertising dollars are not wasted. Since most small business do not have the financial resources to staff a Marketing Manager, or marketing team for that matter, having an outlined plan for all advertising arenas that the business owner or manager can execute on their own is very helpful and cost effective. In many cases, advertising expenses are negotiated and included in the IMP as well. This way the business owner/ manager gets the best "bang for their buck."

On a slightly different note, it is also more cost effective and efficient to outsource marketing altogether to a Marketing Firm. The Firm can develop the plan, negotiate the pricing, prepare the budget and manage all aspects of advertising including design and preparation of each ad for each medium used so that a business owner/ manager can spending time on their focus: selling, increasing revenue, training sales persons, building customer relationships, maintaining customer relationships, designing new products/services, etc.

Ok, I'm winded. Time to get back to work. Thanks for the thread. It's nice to see all the different opinions.

Lisa Cutter, Director
Vertical Insight