Back to Basics With Business and Marketing Strategy
Hi. Everyone and welcome to our, weekly, business, chats, I'm Natasha, Mitchell owner of inspire, and drive and I'm here today with Jennifer, Kelly from, nuit, new initiatives, marketing, and nimble. Quotes hi Jen how are you I'm, great, how you doing there Tasha good, good, nice to see you it's getting. Nice and warm here so it's really nice the Sun makes, a big difference, to your. Mood and your productivity, I love, it so very happy with that. So. Today Jen we've been talking, a little bit about. Keeping. Things simple and, really, going, back to some of the basics, and those. Basics, are sometimes the pieces that are so overlooked, when, people. Are creating, a business sharing. Their messages, out with people and and, I'm sure with marketing, as well so that's, going to be the topic of this conversation, today going, back to basics and we're calling it the fundamentals. Of, marketing. And strategy and, we're, going to be talking about a few key, questions. That you should be asking. Yourself in, business, and, looking. At to get back to those basics yeah. Absolutely it's. So funny because. Business. At it's very basic is, doing a you know it's. Sharing. A product, or a service in, exchange for for, money I mean there's, at. Its very basic. Level, that's what it is really, and then you know which is complicated, also, much we have to remember that we're, selling a product or service to a certain, audience and. In. Exchange for for. Money back so. It's. Interesting is sometimes. We get so overwhelmed by, the. Latest this or the shiny object, that sometimes, we just have to remember but bring it back to real basics, it really, is just an exchange of, goods or services, right. And and I think you. Know the next layer up for, that from. That it is an exchange of goods and services but at the end of the day you. Need to be providing. Something. To your customers, that, they really want it doesn't really matter how much you wanted how, much. Of a great idea you think it is it. Has to be something that people want, or need or, you. Can. Show. Them why, they need it certainly. There needs to be a market, for it and and. In. Our, crowded. Marketplace. That we have there's never just one, vendor selling something there's always multiple, people, selling. Very similar, products, so your. Customer. Has a choice, and it's, it's, helpful when, they understand, what, makes you different or if, they're you're are able, to offer your customers. Something unique. Interesting, exciting, a, better price a better, quality, whatever. That is so again. We're sort of getting back to the basics so, we have a couple of questions, that we, were talking about just, a little bit earlier, and perhaps, we can then share some of our own experiences. And stories on and what. We would do with with these particular questions and, why they're important, it, sounds great that sounds great, yeah so I just wrote a few of them down. And here. Are some of the questions that I would, encourage, clients to take a look at when I am creating, a business strategy and I know Jen that you would probably, do the same thing when. You're creating marketing. Strategies, so we want to understand. Who. Are, you who are you Jennifer. Kelly who are you why do I want to buy something from new. Initiatives, marketing, or nimble cloak quotes. Why. Why, are you in this business what's, your purpose that what's your purpose to me and what's, your purpose for yourself, as. I. Mentioned before what do your clients, actually want were there problems that they're trying to solve, and, finally. What, makes you unique now of course this is a much bigger, barrel.
Of Fish than. That just these but when we're, getting, it back to basics this is what we're talking about yeah, absolutely absolutely. With, with, marketing, so the way that, marketing. Needs to come into a company, is to support. What the company is trying to do I'm. Sure there's many examples and maybe some of our viewers have lived through either being in a company, that. Is either. Running a campaign, that has nothing to do with, the goals of the company now that's unfortunately. Not all they unusual. What. We make, sure that we do at the very beginning when working with a company is is. That really, understand, their business strategy, so everything that you just talked about it like why are you in business what is the industry like who is your competition and, it's, interesting going back to the competition, like, who else is selling this. Oftentimes. When you're starting a business it's okay that there's, other people doing what you do so, it. Does, establish, that there is a market there for it and as well it's okay if no one is doing what you do there's a good chance, to claim you. Know stick and claim in the ground and something new as well for sure but, getting. Back to the marketing what is the business doing and then how can marketing, help the business achieve its goals by, attracting, more of that audience, to the business to buy those goods and/or services, so. Again. It you know not. To be not to be funny but it really is at its basics, these. Fundamental. Questions we have to be very clear on before, we can stack on top of that all the, all the fancy marketing, tactics, that there are available to us today, right. And I'm sure you see it time and again and and I see it with some, of my clients as well when they're saying I trying, all of these marketing. Tactics, I'm speaking. I'm facebooking. I'm blogging I am be logging whatever, it is and. The, tactics, are just not working, and when you start underneath.
You. Know all of those different. Avenues, that they're going out into the world, the. Messages, are not resonating. With people they're not clear for people because. The. Audience doesn't even know that that message, is for them mm-hmm. Yeah and you. Know I think that's really interesting and and you know we've talked about it from from, our own perspective, you know with with, our own videos, that we're doing here, and sharing, knowledge and, information really. Trying to understand, is, what. What do our clients, want what are they trying to do and. You. Know we know, that our. Clients are trying to run businesses, they're trying to grow businesses. They're trying to build. An audience sell, more product, and you. Know I mean they're the surface, level they have their own Depot, why, they. Are, in business in there in the first place and what they want to achieve. Absolutely. And it. Can be you know it's interesting what. We think is so important. May, not be very important, for our clients. And I'll, give I've got a million, examples here but I was, just doing an, audit of the. Way that a company, put, together their. LinkedIn, company page, talk, about you know niche tactic, they, talked about themselves, as being, conveniently. Located in, the heart of Toronto now. This. Is a professional. Service firm which most most. People that, will come to that firm, ii-i'll. Say all people that come to the firm are coming, to them for their expertise, in what they do not. Because they're ten, meters from a subway stop you, know what I mean and so. Some, that's that's, a really basic example of sometimes we talk about some, of these things. That we think are important, but, they're, really not important, to your clients, and you. Need to be. Discovering. What is really important to your client, what is your client, call, the, problem, that you can help them solve how, do they describe, it and well. Logically, that may make a lot of sense what we find with our clients, is, we're. So close we as planners I must you in our own business we're so close to our industry, using, our jargon, and our you know, $64,000. Words in order to explain what we do when, a very simple, sort of one-on-one, level. Explanation. Of the problem, is exactly, what the client, needs to hear that you can solve so. Really, understanding, what, your client, calls the problem, they're, trying to solve with your product, or service is is. So. Very very important. Yeah. For sure and can you talk to her talk. To us a little bit about. How. You would, help someone to, uncover. What, is important, to their client what kind of techniques, or tactics. And now, we're talking about tactics, would. You use to help people understand. What. What the problem is for their clients, certainly, certainly, we, so, our process, really does involve. Some. Deep diving around. We. Do basically, a half-day seminar with the clients, and asking, them about 101. Questions like this what. Is your business who's, your competition what, is very special, about you so from the clients point of view really, what is different, about you compared, to all these competitors, what, is special about what you do what do you think your clients, think are so special, what do you think some of the problems your your customers, or your clients come to you with are and, really.
Dive Into. What. They see about, themselves, that they do well don't. Do so well with, the competition, does well it doesn't do well and what they think is really special about them so it's really important, to get the client's point of view on where. They feel, that they lie in the landscape, of where they operate, that's that's ultimately important. And then, asking, them where, do you want to be so I mean we're working together because you want to get somewhere beyond where you are now where would you like to be and really, listen to see how they articulate. That do they have a solid vision for that are, they comparing. Themselves a certain competition. For certain. Reasons so it's. Really it's, really a fascinating way, to get to know your clients, these half-day seminars, or these, hefty, deep. Dives the. Next stage is we ask for permission, to go, and talk with either, existing, customers, or past customers, and, we. Ask those customers, it's usually done over the phone and it's. A series of 10 questions, we ask them, things. Like what did they do well for you what could they have done better is there anything else that they could have done for you that they didn't do we've, got a series of ten, real. Deep. Dived very, deep diving questions, that really, let, the client speak to what was so, read about the, interaction. That they had with the this are our clients we. Probe on that as well you. Know some people will say yes you know they were great okay. Can you tell me a story about that so we really do probe to get the answer, what, is so, golden. And fascinating. About these customer, insight interviews, is that they, will start to tell us. Stories. About, what was so amazing about dealing with our client so what, is it that they did was so special why do you stay with them how are they different from anyone else and here. You are getting real. Stories. Of why these people stay with your clients, and what's, so important, about these stories is first of all they're real second.
Of All they are the reasons, that your clients are staying with you and third, of all they are yours they, can't be. They. Can't be. Intimidated. Or imitated. Excuse me by any, kind of competition, and what I mean by that is, you hear all kinds of messaging, out there we're, the ABC, leader in the XYZ town right anybody can say that but, if you had a client that says we. Stay with this company because of the way that they do, the aftercare after. Every single workshop, that they perform for us let's say so, you, can really, take what your customers, say is important, about you, and work, that into your messaging, to really differentiate, you. The. Well, it sounds, very exciting some. Of the some, of the information. That we get back can, be quite. Dare. I say you, know practical. Clients. May say oh you know what they invoice on time or they clean up after themselves right, if they're contractor, they leave the jobsite as clean as it was in the morning you, know some of these things where we take this information back to our clients, and they're saying yeah. But isn't that the way that you know a business is supposed to be run isn't that the way that you're supposed to take care of your clients and. Actually. Perhaps. That's what you think but that's also so much what your clients value about, you. Yeah. And and, we were talking about that you know comes, back to the simplifying. Things, and there's a lot of really, important. Points. That you bought out out in, that conversation, and I think the power of storytelling is, vital. You get so much rich, knowledge out of someone telling a story and you really get to the heart of that, emotion. And and you, know I'm not talking it as a marketing. Expert. Here, but you, know when you can get under that emotion, is really, important, also, I think by, being. Able to articulate. Your. Service, offering, the Ruis story other. Potential. Clients, and recipients, of that information can really put themselves, into. That. Into. That situation, you. Know when you can really get, touch emotion, and get a situational. Picture. For people people start to understand, much. More about. Why. They would want to work for you and I think you, know it may. Or may not be obvious but buying a, product or service is such an emotionally. Based decision. That, when. You can reach under to that story, and see, yourself in, that it's, it's a much it's, a much easier buying, situation. And it's much easier selling. A situation. On the other side of that well absolutely, when when the buyer can say oh you're. For me that, that's a that's that's. Helps. Them buy faster. And with more confidence, one. Of these so, this technique, is something that I learned. And. I, have a good story about about. One of them this so this will really drive the point home so this. Is a story this is not our firm this is another firm that used the power of customer. Insights, to really, draw out what. Is so different about a company, and it's. One of my favorite stories about this this, technique so, they had an architectural, firm as a client and prior, to doing the customer, insight interviews, they, asked the client so what's so different about you. Know you as an architectural, firm and they said will we build beautiful buildings, and we use you know eco-friendly. Products. Okay. You sound like almost everyone else okay great oh dear, where we're going to do, so the. Company went and did the customer insight interviews and all. The customers essentially, said yes they build beautiful buildings, yes they're responsible. With you know being fair to the earth and equal products and that kind of thing but, what we really like about them, and let. Me back up their, customers. Were the actual builders, that we're gonna build these these, skyscrapers, these, buildings, so the architecture, firm they're, clients for the builders so, the, the building company said you know yes all of that is true but, what we find is very helpful about working with this firm is they, have people at City Hall helped to get the permits through faster, and the faster we get the permits through this the sooner we can break ground get. The building going and hey, so, that's very important to my business that's, why, they build beautiful buildings the fact that they can get things through City Hall pretty, quickly is really. Important to me so. This. Information was brought back to the architectural, forum and you can believe the firm that thought you know we build beautiful buildings, da da da to.
Find Out that their most compelling feature was that they had you, know some pulled down at City and this is all aboveboard all legal and what on pulled, down at City Hall to get things through faster, was a little, bit you. Know it's, not exactly what we wanted to hear but, here's how the marketing, team turned, that around so. Instead of talking about the beautiful, buildings they, started, to implement in their messaging, that they were the builders architects. Right. So they would go in to pitch you, can imagine five, other architectural. Firms we build great buildings we use eco products these guys come in and we and they say and they lead with we. Are a builders, architect we know you need to get paid fast we have people down at City Hall that gets our plans through the fastest, so, if you partner with us we'll get you paid faster we'll get that building up and, so. Can you imagine so a couple things happen, now the. You, know that separates, you from the other for architectural. Firms right off the bat no one else can have that story, because, they don't know how to get that you, know that that, specific positioning. Completed, and. With. Separating, yourself from the competition you. Now can set your own price, so. The, firm was able to great and cheat themselves by some that was real and true and something that the customers valued, and they. Were able to get. Rid of you know the competition, on the price right driving driving. To the lowest price and, they, were able to I, think, they increased their Billings by 20%, since implementing. This new messaging, and that. Is all because they went back and they really listened to and, you, know but to be quite honest weren't that excited by what, their what, their customers had, to say about them but, you know took, it in and were able to increase, your business because. Of it. Yeah. It's quite amazing and, you. Know to. To. Really listen to someone and to really listen to their story is. It's. Amazing, what information, you can get out of them and you know I would, encourage. Whether. You're a small business that can hire, can, is. Working, on your own and can't maybe afford a to have, a marketing, agency right off the bat or whether, you're a big, company and you, know you need a team, in there to help you. Asking. Some leading questions, to your clients, or potential clients or people who might be a great fit for you and asking. Them to tell you a story is, really. Really amazing and, and very, very powerful, and it gets back to that simplicity. And you know you touched on it a little bit before we, are so busy and immersed. In our own businesses, thinking, about well what's the you, know the eco friendly status, on this and how is the regulation, and that we, kind of lose sight of. How. We're transforming, people's lives and, and it's that transformation. That's really what what people want to hear about I think, you told her a anecdote. In a previous. Episode. Jen. Where you talked about. The. Plane journey and people. Are advertising well, we've got a great, Boeing, 747. And it's got luxury seats and it's this and that people, don't care about the plane they, care, that they're going on home day that they're going to be sitting in the Sun for a week in some tropical location. Or visiting the Eiffel Tower they. Care about the, outcome. For, them and how that is making their, lives different. Better easier, more fun whatever. That is so.
Really. Like I, think. That's the value of having an. Outside. Perspective, come, in to, look at your business is that, another, pair of eyes see things that you don't even see, yep. Absolutely because. Business is usual, for you may. Not be business as usual for your clients, absolutely. Not as you can see in this case in this story they just thought well that's just the way business gets done of course we need approvals, at City Hall and away we go you're. Missing this is a great, hook but. It should, excuse-me. Interesting, so if we stay on that and. We talk we, go back to the, strategy that you talked about so, let's, keep with this architectural, firm here, now. That the firm, understands. Ok. We're really talking to our builders. Okay. We've, got our messaging. Now. What. Kind of marketing, tactics, are we going to pull in to, help. Our our marketing. Efforts and our business, grow ok, so now you have that so, laser focus, who, is our audience our. Audience is, the. Builders ok. Or the building companies that's ok where, do they hang out what do they want to hear what. Do they call us what. Is their business cycle, like how, much time do they have to interact with the, type of marketing we we said should, we do events for them should we bring sandwiches at lunch, to a job, site like you start to think what, would work for the builders, as opposed. To, you. Know if, they were going in the other direction about we build beautiful, buildings, well. Who, do you think that maybe they would talk on and on about their beautiful buildings, totally. Missing the exact, people that could bring, them more more, and more work, yeah. That's, right and there's. Such an overlap, between the, kind of strategy, work you're doing to, understand. Getting perspective. You know that's also a lot of the work that I do with my clients, and helping them design their business model we work through a lot of those similar questions. And, really, asking, them about what, is your product and service, and. What. Are the results that even, before we decide who they're who they're targeting, and you know this example, you've given us a perfect example but, sometimes, people say well I want, to start I want to target. I don't, know mums with children, and then we start looking at the, product, or the service and. It's. Not mothers, with children at, all it's busy, working, executives. Who, maybe. Want to start a family or busily. Working, executives. Whose children have grown up and left home and so. Sometimes digging into that that. Offering. Bursts lots. Of other splinter. Information. Comes out of that so all, that all that to say is a couple of things one, when you're really close to your own business, it's very hard to see what the opportunities, are there and. It's amazing when I worked, with clients and help, them with their their, business I do a lot of work with a tool called the business model canvas and when. We start working through, that I've. Literally, seen clients. Change. The whole trajectory of, their, business and simply. Because I'm asking them questions, that, they hadn't thought to, us themselves. They, were just off on one one, track, so, by, mapping out this strategy, it. Gives you so many more options um, it. Helps you see so. Many more opportunities you've. Talked about things that came out of that. Example, it, helps you understand, who your client, is better it could, impact your pricing. It could, even pack your delivery, it, could impact who you hire in your company, you know if you're all about connections. At City Hall then the people you're hiring. On-site. You know to work in your company may, be connected to those people or have you, know be great at relationship.
Building, This suggests I'm a great architect, or I'm a great bill. You're. Literally, the, the. Infrastructure. Of your business, is not only about marketing, this is literally how you run your business and the kind of people you need in your business to, support you in, delivering. That value, proposition so. That. Strategy, is, is. So, so important, and, you. Know we're talking about the word strategy, and we've, said this before Jen, like a lot of people just got a strategy, I don't need a strategy or strategies too, complicated you know it's, the road map it's the road map to your business, and. It. It. Really, it, guides. You on the steps you need to take and a strategy I. Just. A decision-making. Tool it, helps me decide and, it helps my clients decide. What, they should or shouldn't be working on whether, the action, they're working, on is. Aligned, with their, business, and the direction they want to go with whether, that action does. Support. Or not. Support their. Audience. It. Helps you with so many many, things and and being. Able to make good and fast decisions, is critical. In business and could fast and the. Right kind of decisions is critical, and and the strategy, is just so important, to that piece yeah, absolutely. Hey I find. That too because it seems like every every half an hour there's some new fancy, thing that comes out you, know it's shiny new object in marketing, which you know we need this software we need here we got to do Facebook ads or we gonna do this ads or that that's you know we got a new puppy whatever, it is and. The craziness will only continue right we need a bot to answer now, did a whatever. It could be. Having. Your strategy, and really understanding. Who it is that is your buyer, that. Helps you. Filter. Out this lens or, filter through a lens of your. Customer, so for example say. Say it's let's. Let's. Make up something pop-up. Shops at the corner, of Lauren Young or the new thing now no matter what your what. Your business okay, do we have to have this well. Is. My, buyer at, that, corner is my buyer going, to be around that, area is my buyer comfortable. Purchasing, in that kind of area who, no I don't think so okay we, can let that shiny object, go away and not feel bad about missing, out right, so it really does communicate it doesn't it doesn't mean you put the blinders on and you don't look about look, at what what is happening in your industry or look at progress or what other neat. Things technology has for us to in to, get in front of our clients. But what it really does is you know put some sanity, around okay. Is this, it. Put some sanity around your just decision-making. Right so is this new fancy, shiny. Object, going to help my business wait, a minute okay how would my buyer go through that no it doesn't work boom, you, can put it aside and not feel bad or yes it does it aligns perfectly let's. Give it a try and then you can feel like you can experiment. And, you're, doing so responsibly. Because. To. Your best efforts, this aligns with your strategy aligns with your buyer, let's, give it a let's, give it a try. And. I. Agree. And Jen we're we're almost at the half hour mark so I just, want to keep us on track you know I think there are some really. Important. Lessons to take away from this like if you don't have a strategy or a plan could. Be time to get one particularly. If your marketing, is not working, or you're not getting enough clients, or you're not selling enough widgets. Whatever, that is and. You. Know you, can, get, some help to, interview. Potential. Clients, or existing clients or you. Can just talk to people it doesn't, have to be fancy just go out and talk to people you could ask a question on social media, and one. Of the questions I like to ask people when, I'm, trying, to get. A story out of them is tell. Me about a time when, you. Know, tell me about a time when you. Had to work late. At night or a weekend, in your business and you were missing out on life you, know people could normally tell me a story about that and and I can understand, when, they tell me that story what, it is that's, driving the, reason, that they had to work, late so they would tell me things like well, I. Had to work late because. My. Team member doesn't know how to do that I had, to work late because. You. Know our filing, system was a mess so I had to file everything, like I can immediately tell when, someone tells a story like that or they need a process there's something that their team needs some education, on their. Team needs some mentoring so I think, um. Get. A strategy. Ask. Questions, and listen to the story and write them down like start writing a list of stories and I, think for me one of the really valuable, lessons.
That. I try and apply everywhere. In business is let's. Keep, it simple let's not. Trying, to over complicate, things keep it super super simple and, and. Just take it back to some basics absolutely. There, what. The final thoughts I'd like to leave. Everyone with is you, do need a marketing strategy, it, is most, likely the number one reason why you would come to us and say you know we've tried marketing, it doesn't really work for us. It's. Probably because you don't have a sound strategy there. Are many. Firms out there that will help you create a strategy and, then allow you to go ahead and execute so don't ever feel. That. You may, have to be locked in just anything like that there. Are plenty of firms out there including ours that will help you create a strategy and show, you how to go on your way and execute. Yourself if that's if, that's what. You need to do but absolutely. You need a plan and the plan will, help you decide, whether or not you, use the, latest and greatest shiny, marketing. Tactic, that comes in to your vision or you. Stay the course and what you're doing and you just execute, relentlessly. Mm-hmm. Perfect, and Jen, if someone wanted. To reach out to you to get some help how, are they going to contact you excellent. It would be Jen at new initiatives, marketing.com. And, we. Our new initiatives, marketing.com. On the web and new, I marketing, on Twitter. Mm-hmm. Perfect, and you. Know likewise and, if you're looking for some help with your business strategy, or. Your business model, or you're not quite sure what the next steps are, I'm, available, and, love. Helping. Particularly. Creative, individuals. To build, some strategy, and plan so that they can, thrive. And grow and, frankly. Get, more done and work less I'm, all about freedom flexibility. Fun keeping. Things simple and, doing. As little as, possible in your business and get, the absolute, maximum results, so if. You need some help with that you can contact me at inspire, and drive calm, and there's a, button. On the website where you can schedule some time for, a free, discovery call so. Jones thank you again for, another amazing. Conversation. We're. Keeping it simple we're, not trying to talk about really complex things here we'd, love to hear people's. Comments feedback, if you enjoyed this video please feel free to like or share and, comment, there's, any topics, you'd like to cover for us to cover on a future episode, we. Would love, to do that as well so, I think that's all for now take. Care we'll see you again next week and thanks, for joining us thank, you so much bye-bye.
2018-05-18 23:44
