Keybo Marketing Management

6 ways we can:

expand your business, increase revenues and add more customers.

In today's competitive market you are either growing your business or preparing to go out of business. There is no room for complacent companies in most industries.

While there are very few quick fixes for stagnant results, to grow revenues (and profits) you either sell more products/services to existing customers and/or add more customers. That is pretty simple but how do you do it? Here are 6 ways.

Add/modify your channels of distribution.

Are there more or alternate ways that your product or service can be sold?

The value in adding or developing a sales channel is that you expand the number of contacts you can make with prospective customers. Even hiring your first sales person is the start of expanding your channels of distribution.

Not all channels are suitable for every business but below is a list of alternates that can be explored.

Employed Sales Reps Sales Agents Dealers or Resellers Add a Location Distributors Exporters OEMs (make your offering part of another) Web Sites Affiliates or a Referral Network Add products or services.

If you are in retail or distribution, searching for complimentary products/services that your existing customers would buy is a good way to add revenues. Manufacturers can either develop a new product or look for ways to re-position or re-package an existing product.

Improve your sales skills.

This seems simple but if you can make more and better customer or prospective customer contacts, your revenues and customer base will grow.

Selling happens through a variety of mediums including advertising, letters, face-to-face, phone or via the www. Through each of these mediums you can always improve in any of the below:

Targeting prospects Reaching more prospects Delivering a stronger message Understanding the prospects needs, wants and desires Sales tools - presentations, brochures, etc. Sales training - product knowledge, competition, sales cycles, personal development Keep in touch and contact management system Improve or develop your total marketing strategy.

Marketing is everything about your company because everything affects whether a prospective customer wants to deal with you or an existing customers wants to continue to give you their business.

Many business owners say they don't do any marketing. The fact that they have customers shows that they do some marketing, even if it is treating their customers better than anyone else can.

If you are looking for better sales results, maybe it is time to expand your marketing efforts.

Developing a marketing plan takes some effort. All 4 Ps (Products, Pricing, Place of Distribution and Promotions) have to mesh. Download our free Promotional Planning Workbook

Promote more effectively.

Promotion is just one of the 4 Ps of marketing but it is the one requiring the most creativity. Don't confuse promotion with advertising, as advertising is only one option of promoting your business, its products/services or a special offer/event.

For more details on alternative promotions, download our free Promotional Planning Workbook.

Make acquisitions.

Acquiring companies is a fast way of entering new markets and/or adding more products, services or customers. Acquisitions could be considered adding a channel of distribution but the skills required to buy a business are much different than adding a branch or distributor.

How do you value a business, how do you pay for it, how do you structure a sale and how do you integrate two companies are some of the issues to deal with.

Established the Canadian Dealer Channel for Rochester NY based Xerox Corporation (4 year assignment). Established Canadian distribution and tech support for San Diego based Internet Magic (2 year assignment). Contracted by a Merger and Acquisition specialist to act as the Director of Marketing and Sales through an aggressive growth stage (6 month assignment). Developed a household organizer product line called Recyclist, established manufacturing, distribution and an eventual licensing arrangement (2.5 year project). Authored the self-help program Inventing and Marketing New Products. This program was published in Canada and promoted through seminars, advertising and media appearances. Established a Toronto based office technology reseller to offer sales and service. The business was sold after 4 years. Established Canadian distribution and tech. support for New Jersey based software developer Wordcraft (1 year assignment). Developed a fundraising program called Earthly Savings for two Toronto based environmental groups

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