Niche Marketing Plans
Marketing a Consultants' Referral Services Business
The task of promoting a consultants' referral services business has to receive the highest priority in your organization. But what marketing techniques and strategies are successful in the current economy?
For every consultants' referral services business winner, there many more consultants' referral services businesses that never got off the ground.
For industry insiders, it's becoming apparent that marketing ability is just as important as the quality of the deliverables you produce. The good news is that good marketing is achievable by any consultants' referral services business willing to adapt its strategy to the demands of the marketplace.
Broadcast Advertising
In an entertainment on-demand universe, broadcast TV and radio have been the big losers. But broadcast advertising hasn't disappeared entirely and consultants' referral services businesses continue to find ways to attract audiences to their brand through broadcast media. Best practices for the use of broadcast advertising require businesses to evaluate their target audience's listening or viewing patterns and then tailor their media purchases to specific media outlets rather than blanketing the geography with brand messaging. When marketing consultants' referral services businesses, the target audience is almost always local or regional. For broader reach, you'll likely need to look beyond broadcast venues and explore other online and offline marketing vehicles.
Public Relations Strategies
The beauty of PR is that it can raise awareness of your offerings in a very credible and cost-effective fashion. For example, if you buy a premium mailing list and use it to conduct a direct mail campaign, that's marketing. On the other hand, if the Sunday paper runs a story about your consultants' referral services business, that's PR. The art of storytelling is a core PR competency. Storylines need to be believable and objective while communicating your brand's strengths and value proposition.
When It's Time to Rebrand
There are many reasons why it might be time to begin a rebranding initiative - but a lack of alternative tactics is not one of them. Rebranding is an intentional marketing technique designed to deliver long term results. For a consultants' referral services business, owners are often inspired to rebrand after analysis has demonstrated that the current brand is losing its impact in the marketplace. Unless you are confident that you possess the skills necessary to rebrand your business, we advise consulting with a professional marketing firm before you introduce a new brand to your customers.
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