All of us here at IMS360 would like to apologize in advance if this post scares you, but, quite frankly, it should.
The end of the year is an exciting time for everyone. There are tons of holiday parties, get-togethers, traveling sprees, all while counting down to the beginning of the New Year. All of the pleasantries aside, it’s also a very good time to look back on the past year and analyze things that you did well, and things that you could have done better. If you and your company were lackadaisical regarding your marketing efforts, there are definitely things that you can, and should, do better in 2013. Here’s why (and how) you should be armed and ready for the New Year.
Just to put things into perspective, think about the last time you made a decent-sized substantial purchase. It doesn’t have to be a house or a boat, but a mid-level item that continuously provides value to your life; perhaps a laptop, digital camera, or even an expensive pair of running sneakers. What did you personally do before you slapped down the cash and committed to that product? Odds are, you’re just like me, and last week when I wanted to buy a new pair of shoes to gear up for commuting in winter, I went online. It took me all of maybe 90 seconds to find a website with an affordable pair in the color I wanted. Perhaps an even better example is my parents’ most recent purchase of a generator for their house. My dad started researching different models and functionalities months ago, and then one day when they saw a coupon for a brand they knew of, they went right out and picked it up. So… where was the sales person throughout this process?
You guessed it! They weren’t there… until the very end. All of the research, brand consideration, and, essentially, the majority of the buying process was done before coming in contact with someone on the selling side. That is absolutely TERRIFYING for resellers of all shapes and sizes. Your customers and prospects have the tools and capabilities, now more than ever, to be completely informed without picking up the phone to call you. So now, going back to reflecting on 2012, have you been doing everything possible to stay relevant to your prospects throughout this process?
Companies that aren’t marketing, especially around this time, are putting their sales organizations in danger of severe underperformance. This is a perfect time to get a handle on this new buying paradigm and really exercise some new marketing efforts in 2013. Maybe your organization has been trying out some specific tactics and nothing is really working. Do not let that discourage you from executing a different marketing strategy! If we’ve got you in a panic now (sorry), check out this free webinar with two industry experts to talk about exactly that: What’s working, what’s not, and how to stay relevant to your customers and prospects in 2013.
Sign up for the webinar? We want to hear about it!
