Insight Marketing Services

Posts Tagged ‘marketing plan’

Insight Marketing Services’ lead consultant, Dianne Edgar has just helped ethical, not-for-profit co-operative, the Coastal Credit Union, based in Bournemouth, to relaunch its new web site.

In addition to writing the copy, Dianne also managed the whole project, gathering input from volunteers and members of the board, reusing existing images, and working closely with the technical team who have built the web site.

The brief was to simplify and explain more clearly Coastal’s four main messages.

Firstly, Members can help their local communities, and themselves, while keeping their own money safe, through regular saving. When that saving is also linked to a loan, for example for a car to get to work, members can take advantage of competitive interest rates, and as well as having paid off their loan, at the end of the term, they will have a little pot of money for a treat.

In the current economic climate, when the need for financial responsibility becomes even more important, local businesses and organizations were invited to become partners and introduce Workplace Savings Schemes, helping to cope with one of the biggest causes of stress at work.

Finally, the website wanted to recruit volunteers, to spread the word, help out at service and information points, become a fully elected Director, or join a subcommittee.

“I am delighted with the new web site,” commented Mike Grimsdale, Coastal Credit Union’s chief executive, who was in charge of the project. “Now when I go to meet potential partners, I can print off relevant sections of the web site, or refer them to look at it online. It is the first marketing step in a series of exciting developments for us, as we develop our range of services to match the needs of our members.”

www.coastalcreditunion.co.uk

New Year, new diary, possibly disturbingly blank?

Marketing expert Dianne Edgar, MCIM, has just presented a marketing wakeup call to the Bournemouth Business Breakfast Club meeting.

For delegates who were not sure which half of their marketing had worked, or those who had a feeling that some of their customers were more trouble than they’re worth, or even if they were just perplexed about what to do next, Dianne’s 11 top marketing tips helped them plan a way forward in 2011.

If you didn’t get the meeting, this is what you missed:

1. Look at what you spent last year, and on what

2. Work out what products or service gave you the best return on investment

3. Think about which are your most valuable customers [and least valuable] and what they have in common

4. Set realistic detailed objectives

5. Consider cross-selling opportunities

6. Set a budget , time, resources, money

7. Work out what else you need to know

8. Re-train staff so that they alert to the opportunities for up-selling

9. Make sure you are logging sources of sales enquiries accurately

10. Make a monthly plan with objectives, time, resources, money

11. Measure, review, analyse, adjust, and keep doing it!

BUSINESS GROWTH PLAN 2010

January Make a marketing plan, analyse what you spent last year, and what gave you the best return on investment. Write down an action plan, with costs and responsibilities allocated, and make a resolution to stick to it, measuring and monitoring everything involved.

February Diary a note to cancel all those advertising contracts where you decided the return was not good enough

March Start asking customers where they heard from you, and what else they would like from you. Make sure all your staff know this is critical to the business

April Train your staff- on sales, telesales and customer care- it pays off so quickly.

May The PR campaign you decided upon in January should be working by now. Check customers and prospects have seen it.

June Following up those sales leads from the exhibitions you attended should be delivering profits.

July Review your prospect database and check for patterns, omissions

August Prepare mailing/e-mailing campaigns for busy autumn selling season

September Evaluate networking-to see what’s working, and what could work better

October Launch customer newsletter, in tough times you need to keep customers close

November Review analytics from website and adjust keywords and SEO

December Time to re-train telesales team

January 2011 Review 2010, and contact I-Marketing on 01425 276303 or email ideas@i-marketing.uk.com for more help, there’s too much to do in-house.