Latest research pinpoints the problems facing rural business owners who have been forced to diversify and how to harness the latest marketing methods to achieve enduring growth.
Recent research carried out by specialist marketing firm GB Solutions showed that 93% of rural business owners and managers felt that their biggest problem is finding new leads for their businesses.
What is also evident is that some 74% of these are using traditional marketing methods; direct mail, advertising and telesales. The reality is that little is achieved – partly because everybody is following the same commodity-based tactics and in part because few have the skills to get the basics right!
Achieving enduring growth
The survey consistently highlighted the key challenge as the need for simple, effective methods to obtain more and more qualified prospects, month after month, build long term customer relationships with the right clients… and even better turn this income stream into additional sales opportunities!
Simon, a manager of a produce business, told me that when he started his business he depended on word of mouth contacts but then as the business grew he began to spend fortunes on advertising, leaflet drops and telesales - none of which seemed to work.
The problem is exacerbated since much marketing fails to differentiate between lead generation and lead conversion. A further problem is an almost casual approach to relationship building - if buyers do not immediately buy sellers tend to move on to the next one. Sound familiar? You are not alone.
Harnessing the power of innovative marketing
Bluntly stated, the significance of this is that we should separate out the merits of list building and relationship building and find novel ways to achieve success in both fields.
There are four things that contribute to overall profits that add to the overall success of our marketing;
1. Identify the niche and a compelling promotable message that creates an "I've got to have that!" response.
2. The list. When it comes to marketing the most important thing is the list of contacts and warm leads – without this pool of potential clients, you're unlikely to create a business strong enough to stand the test of time.
3. The offer - by this I mean the package that demonstrates the overall value of the offer is worth the cost of paying for it.
4. Marketing materials. These need to speak to the niche and tackle its needs and wants convincingly.
The net should be harnessed to attract leads through on-line advertising, PR, articles and partnerships based on specific, targeted, stand-alone web pages carrying compelling offers for designated niches. Sequenced mailings may then be carried out in a process of patient communications and relationship building, in pursuit of advocacy.
The power of your contacts
This brings me back to the beginning of this paper. Work on building your list. You might have the best product in the world but if you're not reaching your target audience you'll be doomed to failure so it's absolutely vital to build your database of hungry buyers clamouring for your product.
(The above article is submitted on the basis that the following attribution is printed with it, using the exact wording below.) © Andrew Pearson, May 2006
ANDREW PEARSON works with forward thinking rural business owners and managers helping them to find more customers, revenue and fulfilment - in less time. For a no-obligation discussion on how to build your contacts, email andrew@realmarketingresults.org and for a complementary copy of 'How to Achieve Real Results for Your Rural Business' contact andrew@realmarketingresults.org
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