Tips to Improve Marketing
Marketing a Fire Hose Business
Small and medium size fire hose businesses can compete and even outperform larger competitors. All it takes is the right marketing plan.
We see marketing as the great equalizer, a business discipline capable of dramatically increasing a small company's footprint in the marketplace.
Still trying to figure out what differentiates fire hose businesses from the competition? Surprisingly, the ability to create clear brand messages often outweighs product quality and other considerations.
Market Segmentation
In today's environment, it's impossible to market a fire hose business to the entire marketplace. Market segmentation has been around for decades and it has enabled many smaller companies to dominate parts of the market, even when they face competition from larger firms.
Filtered mailing lists facilitate market segmentation by focusing your resources on customers within your segment. The best list providers are equipped to accommodate various segments for contained within your fire hose business market agenda.
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. That's not how rebranding works. Instead, rebranding should be performed for the right reasons. In a fire hose 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.
Social Media Monitoring
Brand advocacy is a buzzword in marketing circles. What does it mean? Using consumer-oriented platforms to encourage customers to create user-generated content about your products and company, typically through social media. Social media can quickly go negative, turning brand advocacy into "badvocacy", a scenario in which consumers and users create content deriding your company and your products. Most fire hose businesses are especially vulnerable to negative exposure through social media. To counter negative social media, you'll need to monitor your brand's online presence and enter the conversation, redirecting negative discussions toward more positive topics.
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